Up All Night (reviews)

Post by **Spud** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 9:09 pm

You want a clever title, make your own thread.

rone rivendale · Post by **rone rivendale** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 9:25 pm

Were you 'Up all night' thinking this thread up?

feldspar · Post by **feldspar** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 10:23 pm

Oh, the wit! It slays.

Hey Songfight! I am very excited to be back and uhm here are some reviews. It's been a long time since I've done this, and I don't recognize too many of your names, but that's cool.

@eclectic spOOns - Okay, your voice is definitely not good enough to make it the only thing in the song. This would be a pretty good song if there was any music.

Ausgequetschte Zitrone - I like the way the instrumentation builds! Unfortunatley, it never builds up to anything. It kind of leaves the whole thing very unfulfilling. The vocals, I don't like so much. Or at all, really. Way too weak and breathy and off-pitch.

The Booza Boys - Growly. Grrrrr. Pretty good song! I hear a couple of mic pops. Seems kind of odd, since the rest of this is very well-recorded. Very good effort. I like it. Except how it cuts off at the end.

Dankaliscious - You forgot to sing your song, dude.

Dean Sky - Your sounds are right on the border between listenable and laugably cheesy. The sax, especially. There's a really blantantly awkward jump at 1:40. And your voice kind of wavers when you sustain it too long. All in all, there's just not enough variation in the instrumentation to keep my interest.

Doctor Worm - Love the singing, love the melody, love the lyrics. Guitar is very well-played, but really boomy and hissy and kind of distracting. I can't decide if the falsetto at 2:50 is a good thing or not. Points for trying, at least. The vocals start to grate on me after the first minute. But it's got heart, and I am a sucker for guy and guitar stuff with heart.

doscientos - Cute singing. Vocals are a little too loud and/or the guitar is a little too quiet. Overall, a decent song.

The Drinks - Hey, nice subtlety. The lyrics really just turn me off. The guitar alternates between being awesome and being aggravating. The bass is very well-done, though. The drums seem a little too low to me. I can't hear the details too clearly. Nice effort, though. Very polished sound.

E Equals - Snap, crackle, pop. Why are you whispering? The looping guitar makes me kind of dizzy. Yeah, I don't think this is a very good song. And the end is really abrupt.

Evil-E - Ooh, this catches me right at the start. The vocals turn me off a bit. Is that your best Barry Gibb impression? Really good intro, and the music has some great moments, but they're few and far between.

Feldspar - I recorded this outside because my roommates were all sleeping. It was a cool experience. I almost froze to death. My hands got so numb that I was literally bashing them into the strings and I didn't even feel it. I wrote this on the bus coming home from the concert in Pennsylvania and had it all done a few hours after getting home.

Luke Henley - For the record, I thought you were awesome at the Wayne show. This song is kind of neat, I like the effort with the second guitar. It works a little bit. The main problem I have with this song is the same as with The Drinks - the lyrics are just too overt. I don't dig that.

Middlemarch - Growl. I like this. The vocals are too loud sometimes. Drums are pretty good. And the lead guitar, I like it a lot. Yeah, I think the only problem I have with this is that you kind of sound like Oscar the Grouch. Which is actually pretty cool. Uhm. Good song, overall. Bring the vocals down in the mix a bit, and it'll be even better. Also, five minutes is kind of long for a song like this. Cut it down a little, maybe.

Phunt Your Friends - Cool sounds. I like this. But I kind of feel myself wanting something more exciting to kick in after like thirty seconds.

Ray Negro - You gotta work on your Bob Dylan impression more. And also work on your timing. This is all over the place and it's really distracting.

Rone Rivendale - Uh, this is not very well put together. SING, please. The choppy, robotic cadence just doesn't work. And I really don't think using Fruity Loops presets is going to score you many points here.

TV's Kyle - Dude, cool! Energetic, well-done, cool lyrics and everything. I like it. Good job!

Wages - Pretty good singing. The guitar is okay. Not very well-recorded, but decently well-played. Lyrics are kind of cheesy. I don't know what to say about this really. At least you tried, yeah. That's true. A lot of people around here might not agree with that sentiment, but thanks for trying, regardless.

I would probably vote for The Booza Boys, Doctor Worm, Middlemarch, or TV's Kyle.

OriginalDankster · Post by **OriginalDankster** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 1:08 am

yeah i wish i had some shitty ass lyrics to make my song better like you

john m · Post by **john m** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 7:07 am

You didn't make a song. A song, by definition, has lyrics.

(Here comes this argument for the billionth time, hooray.)

Nigel (spOOn) Clements · Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:14 am

Okay experiment number #47 is now in the can and I'm extremely sorry for everyone who has to hear it, but there is a reason and probably only I'll know if my thoughts are in any way founded but hey! on with the reviews...
(please excuse the shortening of artist names, I'm-a-gettin'-lazy)

Zitrone: Lovely Folk Indie, sweet almost hypnotic breathy vocals and simple yet charming instrumentation, stays well within itself, leaves me wanting more, but doesn't ever annoy me. 6Â½/10

Wages: Dude you've got a really gOOd voice and you use it really well here, this is probably by far the best I've heard from you and for basic G&G it fair rolls along in a sub-Nirvana kind of way, I'm quite anxious to hear more of your work in the future on this basis. 7/10

Drinks: Country/New Wave stalker song, the instrumentation here is really functional, I'd like it a little tighter to underscore the obvious frustration that builds in the lyric, vocals are also good but not exceptional, if you're gonna re-record this at any time in the future (which i'd say you should 'cause it's a good song) then I'd put more into the delivery, like the bit where you sing "it's hard" just pause and then go Uhhhh! in a really 'I'm satisfying myself but don't want to and am ashamed of it' kind of way. 6/10

Dankalicious: Electro-Pop instrumental, can't really get the title connection so therefore... 3/10

Phunt!: Typically eccentric Phunt! Phayre, I think though it's time to introduce some new tricks guys. 4/10

Dean Sky: I'm not overly enamoured with this, but... it would be really cool if you had three backing female vocalists going " You can't do it, you just can't do it" or some such, that would really set this apart. 5/10

Feldspar: Waterloo Sunset this isn't, but I kinda like it, I'd suggest yourself and Wages would make one cOOl combo. You both write astute lyrics and together you could be the new Rand & Adam. 6/10

Doctor Worm: (whenever I see your band name I just can't help singing Doctor Worm - TMBG in my head, sorry)far tOO plaintive for my liking, but that's a personal thing, lyrically rather gOOd, and you have a nice range when you use it. 5/10

TV's Kyle: Yeah! this is rather jolly, we've all been here and I like the bOOm bOOm delivery in the choruses and the breaks are well placed. (I was singing along to this and murdering it in the process). 7/10

Rone Rivendale: Didn't need to lOOk at my player to see who this was, nice robotic delivery though step back from the mic next time and really belt one out, 'cause you know you can do it, not you're best, but cOOl nonetheless. (oh! and the SF gods do like you the other fights got 19 in). 5Â½/10

Ray Negro: Oasis? I like this and wish I could do something similar. 6Â½/10

Middlemarch: The instrumentation here is really pleasant with some nice touches, very understated, this only lacks some harmonies (backing oooh's etc..), though it tends to stay away from the title a bit and is far tOO long! 5Â½/10

Luke Henley: Have you got a cold Luke? you're vocals don't sound as easy as the usually do, though apart from that this is fairly nice. 5/10

Evil-E: Vocals sound kinda suppressed on this one chaps! and I just had this sudden thought that this would be really cOOl overlayed on top of Phunts! entry, Hmmm! goes on a bit for 3:30ish though. 5Â½/10

E Equals: Shit! girl, raise the vox and this could be a winner, you know it makes sense, just like Rone, step back and rip it up, (I know you can do it). 6Â½/10

Booza Boys; Ha ha ha Beach boys meet Sham 69, cOOl 7/10

Doscientos: Lovely clear vocals, this is as gOOd as E Equals should be and gets my vote. 7Â½/10

spOOns: Some guy wailing to a metronome, why? well only I will ever probably know... ?/10

P.S. I promise I will never wail to the metronome again, honest!...

wages · Post by **wages** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 12:06 pm

@eclectic spOOns wrote:Luke Henley: Have you got a cold Luke?

No, he's got a cool hand.

EightLeggedOedipus · Post by **EightLeggedOedipus** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 2:22 pm

@eclectic spOOns
--- oh god. you know, the beat is there
for a reason. you're supposed to stay
somewhere in the vicinity of the beat ---

Ausgequetschte Zitrone
+++ Cool latin percussion sounds +++
--- vocals are way out of tune ---

The Booza Boys
/// Oi! Oi! Oi! ///
--- those are the weakest drums I've heard
in a punk song in a while. They sound like
muzak. Why? It's like there mixed to one
little dot of 10khz. Weird. ---

Dankaliscious
/// I think the delay on the loud keys is
making it too muddy by reintroducing
tonally incomaptible sounds after each
chord change. ///
+++ This is hot when it picks up +++

Dean Sky
/// This better be ween-y or I'm skipping ///
--- skip ---
+++ Oh wait, this was the one with the cool
lyrics I read. OK props there +++

Doctor Worm
--- that's some hissy guitar ---
+++ funny images +++
/// You have a great voice, but
you don't sound very practiced here ///

doscientos
--- if this was an open mic, this is the
point where I debate between the rudeness
of walking out and the abominable torture
of listening ---

The Drinks
/// So ever since filling in on guitar, I've been
increasingly more involved with this band. ///
--- Damn, our mix is pretty quiet, too. We were
supposed to replace the temp guitars. Too bad.
Oh god in retrospect, this is awful. I've forced
way too many lines into places they don't fit.
The 3/4 4/4 switches are awkward. The vocals
are off. ---
+++ I still love this funky bridge +++

E Equals
+++ That loop is fucking with my head in a good way. +++
--- um, no ---

Evil-E
--- wow you're singing out of tune. Sharp, I think ---

Feldspar
/// It's a decent song. I think I used to bash you a lot,
and I think you've fixed a lot of those complaints. I'm
just not that into this type of music. ///

Luke Henley
+++ "one day your boold expoded out of your
nose on the commode". clipped wings / clit ring +++
/// I think you've improved as a lyricist in the past
few months. Or maybe I can finally hear them ///

Middlemarch
/// I know there are many people that listen to this
type of music. I am not one. I'm not going to
pretend to be objective about this stuff,. You know,
when did anyone ever objectively enjoy music?? ///
+++ OK, I haven't skipped to the next track yet,
and I like the bluesy direct-input guitar solo. +++

Phunt Your Friends
+++ short phunt! Wicked. I love the way
you play 'edits' like an instrument +++

Ray Negro
+++ Nice track +++
--- bad vocals ---
/// guitar sound is a bit too much, sometimes too.
But how unique! How'd you get that tone? ///

Ron E. Riverdale

--- Who forgot to flush? That's gross. it's
like living with animals. Geesh. ---

TV's Kyle
+++ Hot beat! +++
--- oh man. so nasal. ---
/// Your voice could work in the way that
Nerf Herder or Harvey Danger do. Check
their records, and maybe try singing along
to them. You'll develop your own style,
but what you've got now isn't working. ///

Wages
--- Bandwidth squatter. This was not worth the
joke. Not hardly ---

PROPS go to:
Dank, Kyle, Luke, Ray, Phunt, Worm.
Special thansk to the Drinks for letting me piss
on the great track they wrote.

OriginalDankster · Post by **OriginalDankster** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 3:35 pm

john m wrote:You didn't make a song. A song, by definition, has lyrics.

(Here comes this argument for the billionth time, hooray.)

Song also Sung ( P ) Pronunciation Key (sng)

A Chinese dynasty (960-1279). Under its rule China achieved one of its highest levels of culture and prosperity.

john m · Post by **john m** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:23 pm

Oh, you're hilarious.

sigh, tedium: Scroll down that same page for -

1. Music.
---1. A brief composition written or adapted for singing.
---2. The act or art of singing: broke into song.

(bolded emphasis mine)

I know you're being silly and capitalizing 'Song', oh comedy, but I am putting it here because someone else will probably chime in.

I'll save my own comments regarding your entry for my reviews, which I will make a good attempt to post fairly soon (...later.)

Middlemarch · Post by **Middlemarch** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:16 pm

Don't want to make everyone feel like they're taking a class, but I figured I'd apply the letter grading system to this week's reviews, a system I know all too well. Blah, blah, blah....here goes.

@eclectic spOOns - Metronome and vocals only. I give you credit. It seems like you were trying for something, but I'm not sure what it is, and it doesn't work. Maybe if your timing was better, it would be a better result. D

Ausgequetschte Zitrone - The breathy vocals don't bother me too much, but the off-key performance does. Again, I can see what you were going for, but the result isn't good. Hard to follow the words with this performance. C-

The Booza Boys - Tight recording. The opening voice is disturbing in a good Tom Waits kind of way, but I kept hoping it would come back. I like what you're going for: a fun song with a lot of energy. Nice subtle solo that builds. Fade out at the end is very long, but that's minor. A-

Dankaliscious - For the record, I don't think a song needs lyrics to be a song. That being said, the emotion should tie in to the title. This music doesn't remind me of insomnia or sleep-walking or parties or anything that has to do with being up all night. Good change-up at 1:30. D

Dean Sky - This is pure cheese. If you were going for funny, it sort of works. If not, then even better.

It's very much the same sounds throughout, with few changes. Your voice isn't very strong, and the synth sounds get on my nerves. C-

Doctor Worm - I really like the vibe. Some missed notes, which is very distracting in a g&g song. Lots of bass in the guitar. "up all night reading poetry you found on the internet By some no-name author who hasn't made it yet" Nice melody and words. Wow, falsetto! Not perfect, but not awful. I think you're having the same problem I am this week. Too many words! Less is more, I have to remind myself. This has emotion, and that's what matters. B

doscientos - Has a Spanish/Celtic feel, which I would have never thought possible.

This would work better with some harmonies. Have you ever tried them? Just a thought. I'm not liking the lyrics. A bit too cheesy. C

The Drinks - Funny song, but it's feeling like a joke that's too long (I know...like I should talk). There's a clever melody and interesting music. Good job with the timing changes. Other than the length, solid song. A-

E Equals - One chord. I don't know if I could do any better with only one. The recording is certainly not professional, but so what? I like some of the quirky lyrics, like "a man who helped her open can lids". Overall, they don't fit together. Are you in a situation where you can't sing loudly without bothering someone? Or self-conscious? You shouldn't be, but it's understandable. Maybe you should take your recorder to the basement or somewhere more private so you can really sing loud. Doing so would make for a huge improvement. Nice effort. C+

Evil-E - This has a smooth groove. I think the downfall is the vocal performance. And the synth-sounds. C+

Feldspar - The chorus is much tighter than the verse, where you seem to have 'extra' notes. Awkward. Maybe try to omit lines. For example, in the second verse...

"Road-worn drivers flock to it like bugs
They fly too close and then they melt away
what attraction brings them to the light?"

There's something to be said for pauses.

I like your voice, and the lyrics are decent, except.... Does a cliff usually have a bottom? Isn't it the valley that has a bottom? "Human heart"... kind of obvious. Otherwise, I like the overall feel. B-

Luke Henley - I'm quickly becoming a big fan. You've got the lo-fi thing working for you. This isn't your best effort. The lyrics feel forced. Too cool for their own good. I really like the slide guitar and the second vocal. Too bad this comes in only at the end. B

Middlemarch - Oscar the Grouch? Okay. That might just make it into my sig. That's what you get for smoking too much, kids...

I really had no idea this would be so long. Not that 5:30 is epic, but for this song, it's too much. It just sort of turned out that way. One or two fewer verses at the end. The tempo is much slower than I wanted it to be. Ah, well. I had fun working with the harmonies, something I don't try often enough. They are off, but I'm a-learnin'.

Phunt Your Friends - I'm waiting, and waiting, and waiting. It's interesting for a few seconds...okay, stop it. Now. More fun with effects. C-

Ray Negro - The timing is all off, but I like the groove. This sits well, in that it sounds very live. After a while, it gets too repetitive. I was hoping for a bridge or something. C+

Rone Rivendale - I thought my tune was too long. Fun with synths and effects, part two. Sometimes I wish there was a solar flare that fried all synths (but nothing else) and everyone had to just rely on real instruments. D-

TV's Kyle - Good boppin' little tune. Good drum sound. Reminds me of They Might Be Giants, esp. the voice. Lyrics are hilarious. Sounds all too familiar.

That organ is thin, so it's competing with your vocals, even though they are a bit too loud. B+

Wages - You sound like that guy from Nickelback (is that the name?). That's not a compliment, though. I mean, the voice is fine, but I really hate that band. Anyway...I'm finding pretty quickly that it bugs me when people submit songs like this. It's like putting your name on an election ballot, just for kicks. Nothing personal. Just bugs me. F
----------
Possible vote? Kyle, Booza Boys, Drinks...it depends on what still sounds interesting by Tuesday.

As always, thanks for the feedback everyone.

Nigel (spOOn) Clements · Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:29 pm

Middlemarch wrote:Rone Rivendale - I thought my tune was too long. Fun with synths and effects, part two. Sometimes I wish there was a solar flare that fried all synths (but nothing else) and everyone had to just rely on real instruments. D-

Then people with fucked up hands would be fucked again... nice!

Middlemarch · Post by **Middlemarch** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:00 pm

@eclectic spOOns wrote:
Middlemarch wrote:Rone Rivendale - I thought my tune was too long. Fun with synths and effects, part two. Sometimes I wish there was a solar flare that fried all synths (but nothing else) and everyone had to just rely on real instruments. D-
Then people with fucked up hands would be fucked again... nice!

Do I hear sorrowful violins? Maybe it's just a synth.

Seriously, I see your point. I have a friend who's never learned an instrument, but he still likes to mess around creating songs on his PC.

Then again, my fingers are fat, my playing is sloppy (even after many years), and my rhythm is often awkward. But I still try.

Nigel (spOOn) Clements · Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:48 am

Middlemarch wrote:
@eclectic spOOns wrote:
Middlemarch wrote:Rone Rivendale - I thought my tune was too long. Fun with synths and effects, part two. Sometimes I wish there was a solar flare that fried all synths (but nothing else) and everyone had to just rely on real instruments. D-
Then people with fucked up hands would be fucked again... nice!
Do I hear sorrowful violins? Maybe it's just a synth.

Seriously, I see your point. I have a friend who's never learned an instrument, but he still likes to mess around creating songs on his PC.

Then again, my fingers are fat, my playing is sloppy (even after many years), and my rhythm is often awkward. But I still try.

Sorry dude, didn't mean to take out my frustration on you, just caught me at a bad moment, difficult day at work etc... sometimes i get so frustrated when I can't do things and what makes it worse is sycophantic people, pretending to care blah blah blah, I won't go on, but please accepted my public apology for sounding off.

I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone that can make a piece of wood sound like it should, (cool lyric there heh!)

Post by jb » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:36 am

Booza Boys-- Excellent chorus, and i love the little key change tweak thingies. Fun! They're takin' turns! Woot!

Middlemarch · Post by **Middlemarch** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:30 am

@eclectic spOOns wrote:
Middlemarch wrote:
@eclectic spOOns wrote: Then people with fucked up hands would be fucked again... nice!
Do I hear sorrowful violins? Maybe it's just a synth.

Seriously, I see your point. I have a friend who's never learned an instrument, but he still likes to mess around creating songs on his PC.

Then again, my fingers are fat, my playing is sloppy (even after many years), and my rhythm is often awkward. But I still try.
Sorry dude, didn't mean to take out my frustration on you, just caught me at a bad moment, difficult day at work etc... sometimes i get so frustrated when I can't do things and what makes it worse is sycophantic people, pretending to care blah blah blah, I won't go on, but please accepted my public apology for sounding off.

I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone that can make a piece of wood sound like it should, (cool lyric there heh!)

It's cool. I understand the frustration. When we hit the ceiling, it can be maddening. I like Elvis Costello's nickname for himself: Little Hands of Concrete. That could easily be me.

OriginalDankster · Post by **OriginalDankster** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:35 pm

[quote="Middlemarch"]Dankaliscious - This music doesn't remind me of insomnia or sleep-walking or parties or anything that has to do with being up all night.

youve never been balls deep

Middlemarch · Post by **Middlemarch** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:53 pm

OriginalDankster wrote:
Middlemarch wrote:Dankaliscious - This music doesn't remind me of insomnia or sleep-walking or parties or anything that has to do with being up all night.

youve never been balls deep

Umm...could you explain for those of us who aren't as poetic?

john m · Post by **john m** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:40 pm

Troll's calling you a virgin.

Middlemarch · Post by **Middlemarch** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:11 pm

john m wrote:Troll's calling you a virgin.

Ah. So that's what the kids call it these days. I'm so uncool.

Yeah, so Dank, your song doesn't remind me of doing that all night either. Should we feel sorry for your partner?

OriginalDankster · Post by **OriginalDankster** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 2:58 pm

had nothing to do with sex, but obviously its pointless explaining it, because you still wouldn't really understand the connection unless you had rolled balls deep before

john m · Post by **john m** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 3:01 pm

A scene?

You are moving up the ranks, man. Not quite my favorite troll yet, but keep trying!