They're just dying to get in (Funeral Director Reviews)

Bjam · Post by **Bjam** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 6:55 pm

You forgot Raw Strength and Courage in your reviews, Shadowdog... :/

Rik · Post by **Rik** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 7:30 pm

Bjam wrote:You forgot Raw Strength and Courage in your reviews, Shadowdog... :/

But interestingly enough added some artists from the other fight. Not me, granted, but that's okay I know mine wouldn't be good.

A little bonus time this week means I will be able to do reviews of this fight as well. Reviews to come...

HeuristicsInc · Post by **HeuristicsInc** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:02 pm

Rabid Garfunkel wrote: Music's all me (and Francis Scott Key). Hope I'm not breaking your heart there, Bill

I'm crying! Ok, no, I'm not. Woulda been more impressed, sure, but it's ok

-bill

thehipcola · Post by **thehipcola** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:04 pm

shadowdog wrote:thought it would be cool (as i stated in my original post) to see and hear some cool songs about other governments and their leaders that don't have the balls to say anything, or stir the pot but are happy to sit and watch things boil...

was gonna reply, i'll just go direct to the man.

tonetripper · Post by **tonetripper** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 9:24 pm

shadowdog wrote:do the 200 million of us that do a favor and try making a nice little song with twisted words from another govenment (like France, Germany or Canada)so that we may enjoy the dribble that you spew...

So are you insinuating that Canada doesn't have a backbone because we didn't join the 'coalition of the willing' to invade Iraq? Especially in the wake of the over-whelming evidence that there was never any weapons of mass destruction. I stayed silent enough watching you slowly pigeon-hole yourself in regards to your two posts in terms of your nationalistic pride.

Nationalistic pride should have no reason, IMO, to be saddled up wtih the ideals placed by a particular administration in regards to world politics. I am glad you hold your country to be so positively accountable for, but I take great offense when you try to redeem your opinions by trying to imply that other countries do not have the same nationalistic pride because they decided to not go to war. 'It's not ok to criticise my country so why don't you criticise another one that isn't as smart or as good as we are'. I'm paraphrasing ofcourse.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion but do me and the other 4 Billion people a favour and dispense with your personal views about the American fore-arm policies that the Bush administration has been putting into motion with their unilateral decision-making. Rabid is merely questioning through art. The fact that you take offense to it is all the more reason, from my perspective, that he did the right thing by doing what he did in that song. Good job RG!!!

;p

Bjam · Post by **Bjam** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 9:37 pm

*cough*

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 10:54 pm

shadowdog wrote:...i don't like to encourage people to listen to talented musicians such as yourself, strip our country through your words but thought it would be cool (as i stated in my original post) to see and hear some cool songs about other governments and their leaders that don't have the balls to say anything, or stir the pot but are happy to sit and watch things boil...

Feel free to dip into my back-catalogue Shadowdog. I like to try to offend as many governments as possible.

http://www.songfight.org/music/massive_ ... ay_mif.mp3
http://www.songfight.org/music/janjawee ... jaweed.mp3
http://www.songfight.org/music/obey_all ... e_oatl.mp3

jack · Post by **jack** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 11:07 pm

maybe there wasn't the same sense of urgency for canada as there was for a president looking for an excuse to seek vengence and closure to his father's past failures. there are plenty of cowboys in canada. just none of that texas cowboy mentality running their country.

canada has free heath insurance for it's citizens. the US ranks among the worst in terms of healthcare for it's citizens by an industrialized nation. one country sends it's children to a land far away to kill for what? security in a place thousands of miles away? oil? to save face? the other wisely chose not to.

which country really is smarter?

i cast my vote of no confidence in this administration with civic pride.

h · Post by h » Sun Aug 14, 2005 11:14 pm

less talk about politics and more talk about ME

shadowdog · Post by **shadowdog** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 11:16 pm

to those that i seem to have offended I appologize, and will reframe from mentioning any political references from now on...

Caravan Ray, believe it or not i am also an Aussie.... (enjoyed the back-catalogue) thnx...

the Jazz · Post by **the Jazz** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 11:53 pm

shadowdog wrote:I too am a veteran through the first gulf war ...

shadowdog wrote:believe it or not i am also an Aussie....

Hmm, coincidence, or taking a page from Bill O'Reilly? I wonder...

stueym · Post by **stueym** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 4:05 am

Bjam wrote:*cough*

What Bjam said but more in your face. Please post in the relevant discussion forum (Politics and other crap)...and post more reviews here:-)....

<damn and I havent done mine yet...oops tonight I promise!>

j$ · Post by j$ » Mon Aug 15, 2005 4:25 am

h wrote:johnny in the corner i the voice feels like you're singing it for a gimmick song...

Damn these spanish keyboards are hard to use ....

Do you mean a novelty song? That's just my voice, my accent (´posh estuary´ I am reliably informed) Hmmm anyway I agree the tune is a killer.

Apologies for no reviews this time round, I am in Spain without speakers or IPod.

j$

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:50 am

the Jazz wrote:
shadowdog wrote:I too am a veteran through the first gulf war ...

shadowdog wrote:believe it or not i am also an Aussie....
Hmm, coincidence, or taking a page from Bill O'Reilly? I wonder...

"Tiger" Bill O'Reilly - legendary leg-spin bowler of the 1930's/40's? What's he got to do with anything?

BTW - am listening - plan on reviewing soon.

Must admit though, I had exactly the same idea as Rabid G - glad I didn't bother following through - he did a much better job than I would have.

Rabid Garfunkel · Post by **Rabid Garfunkel** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 11:31 am

Whoops, sorry gang about the derailment of the thread. Who'da thunk an inflammatory post would... ya, heh. This fight took a while to grow on me, longer than they usually do. There's an abundance of really nice guitar work (good) and hard to decipher vocals (bad). But then, that's just me talking. On with the show, then...

a music
Lyrics pretty funny, though the delivery could've used a few more run throughs before committing to the aether. I swear I can hear you thinking in the later choruses "Oh god, isn't this over yet?" Or maybe it was intentional, the dead delivery. Lead guitar sounded uniformly flat, to my ear.

comfort
Damn, nicely done. No kvetches at all.

Draft
"Dust to DUUUUUUUUUST!" has become a catchphrase for the night shift now. Way to rock.

Evil-E
Hmmm... kind of an unvarying groove, sort of Van Morrison (sp?) v. the Dead feel to it.

Fancy Admiral Coates
Heh. Good and goofy. Nice soundscape.

Johnny in the Corner
Continuation of the earlier gush (a previous post) about the guitar tones. Like razorblades in honey. Vox a bit harsher than normal, j$, though the listening environment in the car at 70-odd mph softened it.

General aside Listened to the fight in 3 sets of different charactered headphones, home stereo, car stereo, computer speaker(s) both mono-built in, and the crappy $5 powered set one gets as a freebie just about everywhere these days, and through the monitors on my recording rig. Just so you know. /aside

The Landstander
Only one mike? Move it down closer to the soundhole of your axe rather than near the fretboard (which I'm assuming was done to better capture your vox). Those squeaks are overpowering. You'll have to put some more air in your lungs to get the vocal levels up, though.

Noah McLaughlin
The thundering distorted guitar was way restrained. Way restrained for the sound it was making. Some dynamic interplay between the two axes, especially in the angrier bits where the disto plays the part of tolling church bells or mournful steps of the pallbearers, would've been pretty neat. Took a while for me to get into your voice. It's not you, it's my own quirks about that particular sound & tone. But get into it I did.

Phunt; Your Friends
Levels on the phone samples (answering machine) were brutal, especially considering where it sits in the spectrum. Somehow the song came across as three different songs to me. None of 'em really meshing together.

PiGPEN
More bass! More! Bass! Morebass! Booty wanted to shake, but there was nothing leading the way, yo.

Pumpkin Buzzard
Expected a bit more... rock from y'all, but that could be mix issues.

Rabid Garfunkel
Heh. I've attributed the Dubya speech remix to Dr. Yo earlier in this thread and in the lyrics topic too, so I won't go on about that any more. Doing the music was a hoot, as was breaking in the new bass and the new amps. Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. My apologies for being baited earlier in the thread and the subsequent derailment that followed. Hey, it says right there I'm RABID, grrrrr. /dork out

Raw Strength and Courage
Seriously, I'm a sucker for that double kick. Please tell me that was a live set you were rocking! Nice vocals too, though the edge coulda been sharper on 'em. Though stepping out of your comfortable style now and again is good for the soul.

So now what? I have no idea. But there's still plenty of time to pick a votee.

jack · Post by **jack** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:06 pm

tough love........

fancy admiral coates
the production shows skill but the meaning is lost on me.

rabid garfunkle
i like the obvious blatent-motif-tie-in with the title, and the samples are good, the bass is better, and the guitar is ok but seems sort of naked the way it's sparingly used (despite again the obvious tie in). ah dig it and thumbs up for the political stance.

noah mclaughlin
the acoustic stuff is pretty nice and pretty ruined by that oversaturated guitar.

pigpen
actually, this is pretty good but i've got a major beef with it. your vocal delivery is just fucking lazy dude. it's like your whining when you should be spitting that shit out. listen to any rapper worth his bling and they aren't slurring their flow. tighten it up and say it like you mean it. put some conviction and cajones behind it. aside from that beef, it's good.

phunt your friends
nah

draft
production is tight but the drums sound overcompressed. this one's for a generation of rock kids that missed out on growing up to ted nugent.

johnny in the corner
i did all the music for this and johnny cashpoint wrote the lyrics, sang it, and mixed it. i really loved johnny's take on my mix, as i just sort of gave it to him and said do something with it. he wrote me back concerned that his lyrics were a bit too over the top offensive. i told him i loved them and not to change a thing.

raw strength and courage
hey, this is really cool to hear you sing in a different than folk setting. singing is good, i wish it had more reverb (too goth it up a bit). the mix is really well done, but again it sounds overcompressed (at least the guitars do. are you using a POD?). anyways, nice job. very solid effort!

comfort
man, i'm such a sucker for the buttah doubled vocals. this is stellar. you're a good singer and you know it. the guitar arrangement is really good too. man, nice job on the vocal arrangement.

evil e
it starts off slow but as it builds, i start to get into it more. that kick drum is pretty distracting.

the landstander
how long have you been playing barre chords?

pumpkin buzzard
this is both sloppy and yummy. like sloppy joe yummy. where's the jute gyte scream when you really need one?

a music
man, the mix sounds so pretty and the vocals suck ass.

faves: comfort, RS&C, rabid, JitC

stueym · Post by **stueym** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:06 pm

a music – Narrow sound scape, creepy vocal that suits the song but it grates after 60 secs or so. Clever lyrics, just wouldn’t listen to this more than once (okay I listened twice to be an effective reviewer

)

comfort – Guitar is nicely done. Multiple vocal takes is nice with the doubled vocals spread wide. Like the guitar riff around 1:00. I know less is more, but when the effects come in at 1:40ish I wanted it to really kick up into big drums and guitar piece and it didn’t…oh well

Draft – Hmmm nice fitting intro e-synth/organ. Driving stuff and great controlled vocal scream…..take lessons other wannabe screaming bands…this is how its done. Would have loved the bass solo to be fuller sounding….actually that’s the one thing I wish was better…a more full sound..was just a bit thin overall and I wanted to blow my ear drums with this. Very good.

Evil-E – Nice and mellow but maybe a bit missing thereby. Was pleasant just didn’t move me very far. Nice vocal treatment and well executed but not sure I care beyond that.

Fancy Admiral Coates – LOL….what a wacky intro oh wait that’s not the intro that is the song..Hmmm

Johnny in the Corner – Hmmm J&J this is nice…like the guitar twanging and the overall structure of the song was good. The weird thin bass was even suiting cos of the rest of mix including the funky bass overlay.

Landstander – The lyrical concept is really nice and a nice take on the subject. Find someone to help you get better guitar technique and get some simple multi-track software to let you record your voice and guitar seperately. Good Job (and don’t take any of the harsher comments to heart, keep writing and go for it)

Noah McLaughlin – I liked the acoustic parts could have done without the dist guitar. The vocal is nicely sung but the tone is not in keeping with the rest of the song. That’s it! It feels tonally unbalanced though the fading echo on the vocal is nice. The vocal tone and the dist guitar at 2:20ish is annoying the crap out of me.

Phunt Your Friends – Ah Phunt!! At the risk of repeating my self, well done but not my cup of tchai!

PiGPEN – Good, had me listening, just wanted to hear you deliver the lyrics crisper and clearer…maybe more aggressive delivery…the high sounding synth was kind annoying in its off-keyness…the rest was tight

Pumpkin Buzzard – Well my toes are tapping so something is moving me in here. The background piano and miscellaneous sounds are distracting…hmm maybe that’s what is the point. For personal taste I would have preferred a more mainstream bass/drum and heavy guitar treatment with your vocals in there.

Rabid Garfunkel – Ah cute splicing!….and topical. Thanks for explaining the process of your securing the splices, kudos to the skill of the splicer. I know it stirred up some emotions, heck isn’t that what art is supposed to do?...guess its just when wrapped around politics that it grates. Still well done piece of work.

Raw Strength and Courage – Well there we are. Damn it sounds good turned up! I love listening to this.

Production notes…Jack, the guitar sounds are Gibson Sonex with PAF's through Behringer V-Amp Pro so yes processed, but I am playing with Wavelab during mastering to get better overall master levels so the compression effects could be artefacts from there. Would be delighted to let you see the original WAV mix down for you to advise.

Sorry Rabid, it’s all stueym. Guitar parts recorded separately (at one point in last chorus and outro there are four separate guitar parts all doubled and spread across the panorama) and rhythm section is all Steinberg

Guitars: Gibson Sonex Standard (yes the funny LP shaped resonophonic bodied 1980’s Gibson with the killer PAF’s) through Behringer V-Amp Pro
Drums: Steinberg Groove Agent 2 (More cowbell !!!!!!!!)
Bass: Steinberg Virtual Bassist for the drive
Vocals: …and of course the wonderful and inimitable Bjam on vocals

We enjoyed this afterwards much more than during the process of recording. As said previously getting Bjam to give me an edgy vocal almost lead to tears on the Sunday night and certainly much moodiness on the part of the producer (sorry darling daughter for being a moody bugger but you delivered a great performance!!)

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 5:56 pm

COMFORT: Not bad. Nice guitar, nice vocals. Good song. Enjoyable

A MUSIC: Panning a bit annoying in headphones – but overall a pretty good song. Lyrics are good – but your phrasing is out occaisionally. You sound like your losing interest in singing towards the end.

NOAH MCLAUGHLIN: Nice guitar – but the slow tempo isn’t keeping my attention. Vocal echos don’t work well. You seem to be trying too hard with the vox

EVILE: I quite like this. Nice melody. Good – but not setting my world on fire

RS&C: “London Calling”! Good to hear a change of style. Bjam’s voice sounds great – but the song itself isn’t doing much for me.

PHUNT: Love the strings and bass with the strange high voice. When the male vox come in it sounds like something off Ween’s “12 Country Greats”. The noises at the beginning and end don’t add much to it

PUMPKIN BUZZARD: Starts off great – the chorus lets it down a bit. Vocals a little too silly. Still, this is very good – I like it.

RABIDGARFUNKEL: Very well done. Love the Hendix-style guitar. For what it is – this is quite perfect.

THE LANDSTANDER: Recording quality aside – I really don’t like the song very much.

J IN THE C: This is excellent. J$ vocals are the best I’ve heard. And the ‘secret-agent-man’ guitar will get me in every time. Breakdown at 1:25 is great.

PIGPEN: Music a bit dull – sounds like 50c. Vocals a bit muddy, and your delivery lacks punch. I’ve preferred other stuff you’ve done.

FANCYADMIRALCOATES: I’ve heard worse – but I’ve definitely heard better.

Towards Johnny in the Corner I am very sympathetic - I'm sitting here in my Safe Australasian Home voting for you.

tonetripper · Post by **tonetripper** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 8:50 pm

No review for Draft?

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:12 pm

tonetripper wrote:No review for Draft?

many apologies - I did reviews before the website meltdown - must have forgotten one

DRAFT:
This is sensational!
I listened to all these on a cd in the car - not knowing which was which - and I must have recognised your voice - as I thought this may have been Gert - and was impressed that I was actually enjoying a Gert song - but then I heard the Gert song from the other fight - and I didn't like it.

But this, I like a lot (those Gert clowns are just holding you back

). Perhaps slightly too much reverb on the vocals - I'd like to hear it more raw. Very close to getting my vote - but will stick with J in the C - just for the secret-agent-man guitar.

PiGPEN · Post by **PiGPEN** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 6:53 am

jack wrote:your vocal delivery is just fucking lazy dude. it's like your whining when you should be spitting that shit out. listen to any rapper worth his bling and they aren't slurring their flow.

Meh. Im a lazy kinda person, i dont like yelling. And may i point you to Ma$e...i reckon he's worth his bling.

stueym wrote:the high sounding synth was kind annoying in its off-keyness

Sorta what i was going for though, Dr. Dre style Leads....cant hate on the Gangsta Bagpipes!

Caravan Ray wrote:I’ve preferred other stuff you’ve done.

Youre once again the minority in your opinion of me. I'll make something no one but you will like next time k.

HeuristicsInc · Post by **HeuristicsInc** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 12:43 pm

mini-reviews for today.

favorites:
johnny - awesome western-style guitar. love the vox. ooh "mourning glory" awesome. haha great ending.
comfort - that guitar line is compelling. good vox.
noah - great electric there. you do tortured singing well.
rabid - you already know i like this one. love the bassline. good incorporation of the sample into your song.
raw strength - reminds me of a james bond opening credits song. cool. good vox. "Then the blood flows" section isn't as well synced. i like this a lot. also: "their soul" vs. "him"?

runners-up:
draft - nice. cool bassy guitar. i'd like the vox a bit less 'metal' but s'fine. yargh lyrics. sorry, that kicks it from "favorites" for me.
evile - nice, but not remarkable. i really like the guitar solo. nice guitar there.
coates - pretty cool drums, and guitar there nearer the end. not so fond of the cheesy midi or the cut-and-paste nature, but it's interesting.
amusic - the rhymes seem a little too predictable. got confused there a bit on blood?
landstanders - not sure about this one. it's interesting, but it needs something. add some cool drums!
phunt - i'm not sure about this, but i really like how it ends. reminds me of me, a long time ago

pigpen - i like it. i probably wouldn't listen to it a lot, but you've captured the right sound for this, i think. good work.
pumpkin - interesting juxtaposition of stuff. not that fond of the vox, but i can dig the ideas tho.

ok, i gotta vote for the jitc. rockin.
-bill