You may be lords of song, but you are (No Kings reviews)

[Lunkhead]

Post your reviews here after the songs go up.

[Lunkhead]

Songs posted!

[neutronflow]

Lyrics thread here: viewtopic.php?t=12957

[V4nnim3l]

679: I like the panning on the vocals, although they could be higher in the mix. The instrumental is a nice cool vibe, and the time signature changes give each section a distinct feel, whilst still sounding like parts of the same song.

Berkeley Social Scene: I like the guitar tone, and the almost imposing sounding guitar solo towards the end, and the vocal harmonies add a nice emphasis wherever they are.

Brown Word and the Big Whine: I like the chopped samples here, and the brooding synths add a tone of unease and unrest. overall love the electronic feel of this one.

Distance: I love the sparse intro and overall sound of this one, and the harmonies of the electronic vocals are very nice. The synth sounds are all on point as well.

Grid: I like the disorienting vibe, and the wide vibrato really works to create a deeply unsettling tone. It took me a little while to adjust to the change towards the middle, but it works suprisingly well.

Hostess Mostess: I love the almost dylan-like song here, and the crowd singing along to the chorus is incredible. It really sounds like a campfire song to play with your political friends.

jj is ok: I like the punk rock sound of this one, although I feel the vocals could be higher energy to match it. The chanting of "No Kings" is a nice catchy hook.

Tim Hinkle: I like the different guitar during each section, it gives them different energies, whilst still sounding like part of the same song. I also like the very pulp-sounding vocals.

V4nnim3l: In hindsight I really should've re-recorded the vocals, and the instrumental could do with a bit more in the verses, but overall I definitely could've done worse, but also a lot better.

[boblazo]

No Kings

Tim Hinkle: Voice is soothing, guitar reverb might be a little much, but if you’re going for contrast between it and a terrific mellow Guitar sound, you’ve done it.

Hostess Mostess: I like the organic, wholesome nature of this, and the sing along is so cool and effective.

Jj . Is. Ok: I like the punk rock feel, I’d like the bridge to lift a little more.

V4nnim3l: I like the hook melody and your delivery is good. Reminds me of Squeeze because of the strong melody

679: I love that opening bass sound, and the panning of vocal lines is effective, reverb guitar in the breakdown is captivating. Kudos for live drumming.

Berkley Social Scene: Cool guitar. Vocal is popping some, P and B. Interesting melodic choices “Cuz we need no kings to tell us were to go.” “Live drums”

Distance: So creative. The noise ambience background really sets the mood.

Brown Word and the Big Whine: I love the use of cowbell. Cool vocal vibe. And I like the pumping sound in the track. Maybe roll off a little bit of bass in the Trump samples.

Grid: Listening fresh, maybe a touch brighter on the whole track, and the kick darker or lower in volume.

[WreckdoMelle]

679:
I'm quite fond of this. Specifically everything sounds good mix and timbre-wise, the bass is busy, the time signature is quirky, there is this textural synth that comes in that reminds me of something, anyway, I like that enough suddenly appearing out of nowhere, it feels right.

Berkeley Social Scene:
Rocking rhythm, vocals clear and committed, except on the harmony part, the vox providing harmony seems less strong than the spirit of this song would require. Nice guitar tones throughout, good solos. Always sounding together and well mixed.

Distance:
Sparse opener, building suspense, I'm fond of the autotune. Tension in the story and the music is appropriately taut. Beautiful harmonies. Epic in scale, in delivery, and composition, which suits the monarch theme.

Grid:
Musically sort of ambient and appropriately styled for this stream of consciousness type of delivery.

Hostess Mostess:
Catchy tune, I love the treatment of the topic. It has everything I like in g+g tunes plus audience engagement which is like the extra zazz on this delightful revisitation of the US Constitution. It has a rollicking tempo, concise witty lyrics, the guitar sounds fantastic - one problem I have is when people beat guitars as they sing, an aggressive strum is great, listen to your strings brother are they suffering? there's none of that here, the delivery is clean.

jj.is.ok:
Nice straightforward punk sound. Specifically the guitar has a good sound, aggressive, fast, pleasing chord progression, suitable vocal delivery, your voice sounds great. Wanting to be king is not punk, however. Unless its because you know how to live, then we'd have to see...

Tim Hinkle:
Is this all analog instruments (except probably the strings)? Musically, multitextural and engaging. Vintage sound. You kinda sound like Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull. Lyrically this tune is dark, and our narrator is not nice. I particularly enjoy in this song the varied percussion.

V4nnim3l:
Catchy chorus, interesting fast-paced lyrics, ear-pleasing synths. This was one of my favorites of the fight in terms of musical candy, and I mean that as pleasingness, certainly not as lacking substance. This tune packs a lot into a short length: tight, tense verse, expansive colorful chorus, concise clever lyrics in a clear and pleasing voice throughout.

Brown Word and the Big Whine:
I had to portray the acknowledgment of the moment it was made publicly known that this shit is off the rails. I could expound a lot on the meaning behind the lyrics but hopefully they are pretty self explanatory. What if the things we are expected to want are actually deeply fucked up? So fundamentally fucked up that it is no longer obvious, like people are so accepting of viciously fucked up ideas that calling it out as fucked up seems like some slur that needs to be stomped out, a worse offense than the fucked up ideas themselves? And suppose you put on your inner James Baldwin and normie stuff all around you shows signs of a fundamental decay threaded throughout; like where do you turn when the official answer to who authorized murder in international waters is "Your mom"?

[Lunkhead]

The results are in and the fight has been won by ... Berkeley Social Scene!

[WreckdoMelle]

Good fight all! Way to go BSS!