Like them? I STILL love them (We All Need Love reviews)

[obscurity]

It's lame to whine about reviews, and lamer still to attempt to defend your song. I know this.

But then you did, anyway.

If you have a point, I'm completely unable to see it.

[erik]

And you people who think the horns sound too synthetic are still fucking deaf.

Oh, come on. Just because the original samples were recorded with great care doesn't mean that anyone who uses them will have instruments in their recordings that don't sound fake. Samples are not a magic wand that makes the final product necessarily sound realistic. The horns sound flat and monotone.

[obscurity]

And you people who think the horns sound too synthetic are still fucking deaf.

Oh, come on. Just because the original samples were recorded with great care doesn't mean that anyone who uses them will have instruments in their recordings that don't sound fake. Samples are not a magic wand that makes the final product necessarily sound realistic. The horns sound flat and monotone.

OK, it's just occured to me that I might not be talking about the same thing as other folks here. When people say 'synthetic' and 'casio to the max', I assumed they're talking about the actual sound of the instrument. I'm not quite sure about what you mean by flat (but I'm guessing it's not the pitch), but monotone seems to me to be about how the instrument is being played, not the sound of the instrument itself. Is that what folks mean here? Is it basically about them sounding too sequenced? 'Cos if so, then fair enough, that's a perfectly reasonable criticism.

[erik]

I guess I lack the vocabulary to express myself on the matter, but when listening to the samples, I don't think to myself "Those horns sound real" or even "Those horns sound like samples of real horns". "Flat and monotone" was in reference to the lack of any (noticeable) change in tone, volume, clarity or treble in the samples.

[j$]

Johnny in the Corner I get the Beatles thing, I just don't care much.

I don't. Get the Beatles thing that is. Not intentional, whatever you're referring to.

I subscribed to the "Whispering about things you're pissed about doesn't sound as great as screaming your crazy head off about something you don't actually care about" Whatever that entails. Yell more.

I would do if I was pissed off. This song is wistful. The 'spoken' part at the end (which isn't spoken but n/m) is an incomplete list of people who deserve love but don't get it.

Thanks for reviewing, though.

j$

[jb]

there's another thing the english say differently: "I would do"

always freaks me out.

freaks. me. out.

[chuckstas]

Yeah, what does, "I would do if I was pissed of even mean?" Me confused.

[Freddielove]

A few thoughts

Boltoph
Your stuff is usually good and so it is. Could use a hook. Everything seems a little too panned and it's keeping from establishing a groove.

Chuck Chuck Moose
Love the chord progression in the chorus. Verse could use work, vocals are flat. Not sure I'm crazy about holding that note for so long anyway. I would start the song off with the guitar riff and synth part, a lot catchier than it is now.

Johnny in the Corner
Nice. I kept waiting for the joke, but you played it straight all the way through. Another great chord progression in the chorus, used well here. The electric guitar could be panned to keep it from competing with the vocal. And the acoustic guitar seems to noodle around pointlessly. Save it for a solo or bridge and play something more focused like a riff on the melody, which is strong.

Jordan Seavers
Nice intro. Listen to Grandaddy much? I love the range in the melody and the way it's delivered is perfect. You really made the title your own, though it is easier with this one. If this is what you do in a night, I would love to hear a week's worth of effort, or maybe not.

Melvin
You took a slagging in the reviews early on, and I don't know why. everything you have done has been great and your pop sensibility is super sticky. You can flat out write songs. I'm not a huge fan of your genre, but your ability shines through anyway. No different here. The drums, meh. But hey, just picking.

Obscurity
The problem I have with this is that the synths all sound like they trying to imitate real instruments and they don't sound convincing. Either find better sounds or consider using synths that don't try to recreate sounds for which the listener already has finely tuned expectations.

Phunt Caravan Ray
Pure genius. The samples are the perfect supple satin for Ray to howl over like an even more possessed Tom Waits. I think this song could be the pinnacle of songfight. My opinion could be slightly biased.

Phunt Family
To start, not my favorite effort of yours, well couldn't be, so not the second either. I really like the two part harmony after that.

Ryan Rickenbach
Catchy. The guitar is mono and the center, and the voice is stereo panned making the song the sonic equivalent of an Einstein ring. Nice descending demi-chorus, I was expecting it to be a transition into a proper chorus, which on first listen appeared absent, but now I like it the way it is. I think a small solo after each time that part is sung, like you did the first time would be nice, still cool the way it is.

Tall El Tardo
Stupid name aside, this is actually funny. Wow, you got Finley Quaye to sing on your song, that's cool.

[furrypedro]

Shit the bed, there are a crapload of tracks to review this week. Which can only be good in my book, but this is gonna be a mission……

Bearded Clam duo: Jazztastic. I think the drumming is damn smooth and it’s interesting to hear this on SF but it is a bit too sloppy, widdly and structure-less. And the random yelping vocals don’t add much to it. I reckon if you sat down and worked out an actual song with some dynamic changes rather than jamming then you’d pull this off nicely (if you did do the former this time then it needs a bit more definition).

Coming up, Boltoph delivers wistful melodious-ness in a pleasing baritone. Very nice warm feeling to this one, I like the chord change at the beginning of the chorus, it’s a nice change of gear leading into the main refrain.

Cheap Bastards: I thought you were unfortunate with the vote distribution last week; although this has a bit too much of the depeche mode vibe for me I think it’s pretty well done, nothing is painful to listen to. Good effort, I’ll be keeping an eye on thee.

Chuck chuck Moose: I haven’t heard the Hovis advert-indie pop intro since that old bluetones chestnut “keep the home fires burningâ€

[Caravan Ray]

Phunt Caravan Ray
Pure genius. The samples are the perfect supple satin for Ray to howl over like an even more possessed Tom Waits. I think this song could be the pinnacle of songfight.

I have nothing to say about this. I just thought it should be printed again

[boltoph]

If we could just all agree on which end is the ass, it would be nice…but I don’t care. Two cheeks and a hole, are two cheeks and a hole. I’ll slap either end, don’t matter to me.

It’s almost delusional to think about love in a community of such hard ass bitches like yourselves. And I’m in a bad mood today; I just typed reviews and my computer crashed. This is my second attempt. Sorry if these are short.

I wish that the overall quality of the musical illustration of words in these songs, was as good as the words.

Bearded Clam Duo
Baby, the only thing that really gives a damn in this tune, is your rhythm section. Everything else just defaces the sweetness of that groove. I take it back. If you would’ve gone into some melodies or flowing rhythms instead of the “Girlâ€

[j$]

[quote="boltoph"]Johnny in the Corner
It’s sort of a mute point, but the vocal melody and chord prog in the verse are right from that Men At Work song, the one that goes “talking in my sleepâ€

[jack]

i'm not familiar with the men at work song either. so i guess it's just a coincidence, as i'd cop to any similarities i'd rip off.

i asked johnny to "lady jane" it up though. but that was more my way of saying sing it from the heart.

[Albatross]

I believe the Men At Work song in question is "Overkill."

[boltoph]

It's so weird, I listened to this fight early in the weekend, and then randomly heard that exact same Men at Work song playing in the grocery store yesterday. My sisters had all the albums when I was 11 or 12, and just starting to get into music...so they (MaW) actually bring back all sorts of weird nostalgia for me.

j$ - probably a misspelling on the mute, no snide wit intended...maybe it's moot? rephrased: "it doesn't really matter that much (with regard to judging the song.)" Meaning I'm not going to like it less because it's got a familiar vocal melody during one part. Just sayin'. I like your vocal in this tune, it does have heart.

[j$]

Yeah, moot you mean. And I never thought of you as snide, so I assumed it was the second, but damn, good unintentional pun (i.e. the point at which I muted) - must remember to pass that one off as mine in a review sometime you've taken a week off

yes, I am glad you picked up on the 'heart' - that was what jack was looking for and the song brought it out of me. Pushing myself outside of the comfort zone and I for one think it paid off in spades.

And as author of the vocal melody, what's really weird is I thought 'oh I must be unintentionally ripping off the chorus, it's too damn catchy, but at least that verse is me!'

[boltoph]

It's not often that songfight songs make it into my list of keepers, and some of my favs in my playlist. But this Melvin tune did. I've had the chorus in my head all morning, and as a matter of fact, I'm gonna listen to it about 5 times right now. Melvin, if you ever do a remix, and want to post it, that'd be great.

My vote's in.

Boltoph - You write this in a saloon?

Almost! I wrote it and recorded it drinking whiskey the whole time...just working to stay within the threshhold before the buzz mutates to drunkenness and starts to cause severe impairment.

...When it Snowed...

It means alot to me that you noticed that old little live tune. Thanks man. I wrote this latest tune on the same old piano that I played for that tune

[melvin]

Melvin, if you ever do a remix, and want to post it, that'd be great.

How could I resist such a request? I turned down the guitars a bit and EQ'd some bass out of them, turned the bass up a bit, and EQ'd a little more low end. Because of the way I tracked things, I could not add more distortion, but I did ease off on the mastering compression a bit, because I noticed there was some 'pumping' near the end. As a result, I think the vocal might be a bit too loud now, but what the heck. Hope you think it's an improvement. And thanks for the love!

Link: http://www.melvinrock.com/Melvin-WeAllNeedLove.mp3

[rone rivendale]

I don't have formal reviews this time. I've been pretty busy during the time I've had on the net. I had the oppurtunity to listen to each song a few times and then I dl'd the top 5 that I liked the most and listened to those for a couple days.

Those artists were: Melvin, Cheap Bastards, Chuck Chuck Moose, Johnny in the Corner, and Jordan Seavers.

The song most likely to end up in my normal playlist with my mainstream songs is Melvin and he got my vote for the 3rd straight fight.

Thank you to all those who reviewed me this time around. I'm looking forward to seeing what you think about my The Red Door entry this next week and I have an even more special surprise for you all after that.

[anti-m]

Hi folks! I’m new ‘round these parts, so by all means take my comments with a grain of salt. Or a salt lick. This fight was great all the way through, and that’s really something considering this was another BIGGY! 17 entries. 17 is my lucky number.

Bearded Clam Duo:
Huh. I don’t quite know what I think of this. I like that it’s so wildly different from the usual songfight indy fodder. You guys are obviously talented, but this is pretty spastic and formless. Intentionally spastic, I know, but the song falls a little awkwardly on the cusp of novelty and “real song.â€

[frankie big face]

Attention Chuck Chuck Moose:

Song is not bad, but vocals are flat on the really long note. Flat as in "you better go practice your solfege hand signs or something." What would have been cool is if you layered some dense 4-part harmony (with some half-steps and stuff) on that long note the second and third times it comes along. And also sing it in tune.

[jseavers05]

Attention Chuck Chuck Moose:

Song is not bad, but vocals are flat on the really long note. Flat as in "you better go practice your solfege hand signs or something." What would have been cool is if you layered some dense 4-part harmony (with some half-steps and stuff) on that long note the second and third times it comes along. And also sing it in tune.

i think you sung your song very well and it doesnt sound out of tune... and i think 4 part harmony would sound like a barbershop quartet in a rock song and that is plain stupid. anyways, you did a good job on your song.