The internal struggle is real (Man Vs. Beast reviews)

[Pigfarmer Jr]

but no-one knows who will win.

[Pigfarmer Jr]

viewtopic.php?t=12593

[Lunkhead]

Songs posted!

[Lunkhead]

FYI I just got around to adding a late entry from The Mellfire Trifecta that I received a couple days ago. Enjoy!

[jeff robertson]

Add:

This is like some uncanny valley shit here. The contrast of "yes, this is some sort of indie rock band" instrumentation with chopped-up loops-and-samples "oh, this is a DJ" production is disorienting. Like, what is foreground and what is background? Are the takes the "performance" here, or the mix? It seems the whole point of it is to tapdance back and forth across that line. Fascinating, in a "Spock raises eyebrow" way.

Basal Bark Band:

This starts out sounding like it's going to be longer and go more places than it does. Really needs more time to develop. Also maybe its my listening situation (laptop speakers) but the vocals are pretty buried.

Berkeley Social Scene:

20 years of competing against you guys and i can still never remember if you're local to each and and actually get together in the studio to record these songs. That's how well ya'll work together, that I can totally picture seeing you guys live, if its an illusion it works. Something about the vocal harmonies gives me "Nursery Cryme" era Genesis vibes.

Flvxxvm Florvm:

I freely admit this song is mainly an excuse to fool around with the guitar tones involved.

James Owens:

Spock raises the other eyebrow. Strongly feels like an 80s novelty track about Dr. Who that I would know from hearing it on Dr. Demento circa 1993.

The Mellfire Trifecta:

This sounds like the theme song from a 70s sitcom about a high school teacher, like Welcome Back, Kotter. Then the lyrics get darker. The 70s sound analog synth helps keep the verisimilitude but it's not a sitcom anymore, it's serious movie-of-the-week drama. VOTE.

R. Mosquito:

Another song that I think perfectly captures the period/genre its going for. Well done.

[glennny]

Berkeley Social Scene:

20 years of competing against you guys and i can still never remember if you're local to each and and actually get together in the studio to record these songs. That's how well ya'll work together, that I can totally picture seeing you guys live, if its an illusion it works. Something about the vocal harmonies gives me "Nursery Cryme" era Genesis vibes.

Yes, we get together every week in person. Glen, Martin, Ken, Geech. Sam used to be local, but he moved away. Sometimes he'll do tracks remote. We typically write and record the music in the night we get together. Then we work out vocals to overdub at home. For this song it was me who took on the vocals. The Genesis comment is just about the highest compliment you could pay me. Peter melodies with Phil harmonies is just about my favorite vocals ever.

Thanks!

[sleepysilverdoor]

Berkeley Social Scene:

20 years of competing against you guys and i can still never remember if you're local to each and and actually get together in the studio to record these songs. That's how well ya'll work together, that I can totally picture seeing you guys live, if its an illusion it works. Something about the vocal harmonies gives me "Nursery Cryme" era Genesis vibes.

Yes, we get together every week in person. Glen, Martin, Ken, Geech. Sam used to be local, but he moved away. Sometimes he'll do tracks remote. We typically write and record the music in the night we get together. Then we work out vocals to overdub at home. For this song it was me who took on the vocals. The Genesis comment is just about the highest compliment you could pay me. Peter melodies with Phil harmonies is just about my favorite vocals ever.

Thanks!

"Envy" probably isn't the word for the arrangement you've got, but the notion of having a local group of friends to get together with to bang out songfight entries sounds incredible and y'all are lucky to have found each other.

[ken]

Totally agree!

Berkeley Social Scene:

20 years of competing against you guys and i can still never remember if you're local to each and and actually get together in the studio to record these songs. That's how well ya'll work together, that I can totally picture seeing you guys live, if its an illusion it works. Something about the vocal harmonies gives me "Nursery Cryme" era Genesis vibes.

Yes, we get together every week in person. Glen, Martin, Ken, Geech. Sam used to be local, but he moved away. Sometimes he'll do tracks remote. We typically write and record the music in the night we get together. Then we work out vocals to overdub at home. For this song it was me who took on the vocals. The Genesis comment is just about the highest compliment you could pay me. Peter melodies with Phil harmonies is just about my favorite vocals ever.

Thanks!

"Envy" probably isn't the word for the arrangement you've got, but the notion of having a local group of friends to get together with to bang out songfight entries sounds incredible and y'all are lucky to have found each other.

[AJOwens]

I almost didn't bother reviewing this fight, since no one but me could be arsed to review the last one (just seven songs, people!), and I felt put out. I even considered the strategy of reviewing only people who had either reviewed the previous fight, or weren't in it. But that probably wouldn't work either, so fuck it. Here you go, ya bunch of louts.

Add: Upbeat and energetic, inviting vocals, interesting discordances. The atmosphere changes disconcertingly here and there. At first there seems to be more electronic eccentricity than a song like this needs, but it gets better as it goes. "Start as you mean to go on" might be good advice.

Basal Bark Band: Sightly muddy vocals -- is it just these headphones? Stream-of-consciousness music, entirely listenable and interesting, in no way annoying. Vote

Berkeley Social Scene: Great textures, good vibe; the vocals feel muddy and thick, possibly over-compressed, in need of EQ to knock out the low midrange or upper bass, unless it's these headphones. Vote

Flvxxvm Florvm: Good live-sounding grunge, a little over the top, occasionally pitchy, but definitely fun.

James Owens: More enjoyable to make than to listen to, musically almost worthless (whether because of the optional challenge or in spite of it), but I'm happy with the lyrical conceit. Vote, but only in case no one else does; zero votes is just too embarrassing.

The Mellfire Trifecta: An intimate mix, almost too dry; earnest, very tuneful; the melody runs alongside the lyrics without connecting to them.

R. Mosquito: A grandiose doom-and-gloom sound, likeable to the extent that it isn't taking itself too seriously, but wobbling back and forth across that line.

[MellyP]

Add
I like the vocal on this. There’s a bit of a clip from the heavy bass. I really enjoyed the full, rich sound in the verses. Great acoustic guitar sound in the transition and nice instrumental choices in the break – long break – before the next verse. At 2:15 I wanted a change in the rhythm but yep there it is; a good extended bridge at about 2:30 to take us another direction. This is truly unique. The scratchy sound effects, samples and other sounds create a great mood and atmosphere to this song.

Basal Bark Band
Spoken word is hard to pull off. I like how this starts, but when the guitar stabs come in it is a bit jarring. It’s funky when the words are fairly quiet and solemn. I don’t know if I agree with many the musical and instrumental choices here but I recognize how hard something like this is to get exactly right. I think there’s a promising song that could come together if you could work a bit on timing, sequencing, etc.

Berkeley Social Scene
A bit difficult to make out the words but the singing is well done, and the mood of the music pulls me in. Harmonies are quite beautiful. Guitar solo is a bit Neil Young-ish. After that, the little instrumental 5/4 (?) section surprises but comes a bit out of nowhere. On second listen, it’s cool coming out of the solo but I’m not sure it works for me as a way back into the chorus. Overall I like this song quite a bit. The effect on the vocals is strong though and I wonder how it would have sounded without, or with a different one.

Flvxxvm Florvm
The evil/naughty “Oh Yeah, here it comes” made me snort out my tea. Then it’s hard rockin’ all right. It’s so in your face, foul and funny it makes me think that you could out-duel that band that plays during movies like the Hangover (The Dan Band) with their raunchified takes on popular songs. So I was truly entertained by this one but still not sure many listens would be possible. I know it’s just meant to be fun. Would love to hear something from you of a different style too.

James Owens
A worthy experiment. It has a certain robotic groove that’s appealing on some level. The little repeating synth part appears left, right, and all over the spectrum. Like a game of Whac-A-Mole, I was wondering where it would come out next. I like the strings too. Interesting entry. I’m sure you got that optional challenge covered!

R. Mosquito
I don’t know why I had a hard time getting into this on first listen because it’s well done. On second listen I got into it more. There is a lethargy to the vocal delivery (and an effect?) that’s works well considering the lyrics. I supposed the way it started, I wanted the chorus to be a more different and brighter section than it is (a brief release from the dread). However, this is a review, music is super-subjective, and I’m probably dead wrong.

The Mellfire Trifecta
With a right shoulder injury guitar was out so I got on the piano. To change things up from how I normally write, I also did the music first and lyrics second. Usually, I do it all together. Mixed results, I’d say, but I like the production quite a bit on this one. I think it could have used some guitar.

[Lunkhead]

In the battle of R. Mosquito vs everyone else, R. Mosquito wins!