----------

[jack]

Klownhole
love the wall of sound guitars over the arrangement, the drama of the vocals, and the real drums. definitely has some nice soundgarden-like moments. good stuff as always.

Jolly Roger
singing really sounds off-key. mix is pretty busy and overloaded with too much stuff that doesn't seem to be playing off each other as much as competing with each other. sorry.

Paco del Stinko
the electric guitar sounds absolutely fab, but i'm not diggin as much the tone of the acoustic. it sounds flat and tinny. actually, once it gets some backing, it fills out better with the arpeggiated acoustic. same with the vocals, they sound a bit naked in the beginning but fatten up nicely when you add the harmonies. slide guitar is real nice too. the production on this is your typical good, but for some reason, that main acoustic sounds pretty flat in the mix relative to the rest.

The John Benjamin Band
wow, great mix man. i really like your treatment on the vocals. the vocals get a bit buried in the big buildup chorus, but thats a minor nit. the early verse vocals really remind me alot of vintage paul mccartney.

Mr. Man and Dr. Funk
very nice! singing in particular is very well done. nice arrangement and very well executed. terrific!

Raised by Wolves
really nicely done. the layering on the arrangement is really effective. the buildup to the rock section is excellent and seemless. love the glock man. the extended electric jam is fabulous too.

Zipline
i'll give you points for playing a real guitar, but mix-wise, it all sounds pretty out of whack. the beat is off from everything, and sounds like bad MIDI. the vocals seem like an afterthought. the looseness makes it sound like a first take, which might be ok but you're in a strong fight this week, with some real good producers. not doing much for me. sorry.

Smalltown Mike
dig the rock. cool beck vibe to this. i almost wish the vocals were a bit more overdriven and clippy, but a fine piece of rock this is. the little backing phone vocals is an excellent call. nice job dude. i dig.

The Modern Alternatives
i like this. simple guy and piano is good backing for this, singing is solid, and the effected response vocal sits perfectly. nice and short.

Rabid Garfunkel
this is whack. vocals are very zappa. arrangement is very original. interesting blend of dirty electric guitar and electronica.

PiGPEN
feel free to tell me to fuck off but i still hate your singing.

Blake Walker
very depeche mode. good arrangement and the overdriven vocals work very well here. not really my style but i have to say for this genre, you pretty much nail this. well done.

Jordan Cooper
singing is pretty nasal. i like the glockenspiel. drums sound really canned.

The Seamus Collective
excellent production and playing. simple guitar arrangement sounds really good. vocals are good, but my genre bias is red lining, as it reminds me too much of harry chapin the strings are a really fine and deft touch. as a GnG ballad, it's well done but seems a bit too NPR for my tastes. still very well put together! i really like the triplet feel of the arrangement, and the alternate vocal track that plays off the main vocal line is really good too. and i like the very subtle old vinyl effect on the whole mix, although you might hear it's teh cliche by some nad here, it fits the concept of this perfectly.

Lymph
solid production and arrangement. i like the guaraldi tease. maybe lay off the reverb a bit.

Add Music
terrific. not much to say. you make all the parts come together really well. there are parts of this that remind me of real early springsteen, not so much with the arrangement but with the narrative format of the lyrics and singing. production is typically add-excellent. string pads are a sweet touch. same with the electric leadout to the claps. and now you know.

Thanks for the Frisbee
pretty decent power pop, but the whole mix sounds flat and overcompressed. it's got a nice little they-might-be-weezer vibe, but the drums are really lacking as a whole. this needs booming drums (see melvin seavers). singing and lyrics are ok, guitar is ok, but as a whole it's needing a bit more.

Flvxxvm Florvm
typical blues based mix with loose vocals isn't doing much for me. sorry. maybe try a couple vocal takes in order to nail it and leave the flubs out of the final mix. just seems a bit too thrown together.

Johnny Cashpoint's Evil Twin
it has some nice moments with the vibes, keyboards, and the jazzy arrangement. singing is ok. hate the band name.

Swilinton
beautiful strings and synth intro, but seems to take forever to get going. then it just sort of seemingly spirals out of control without much purpose. lyrics (and the title) just sort of seem like an afterthought to the arrangement as a whole.

Wages
i'll give you points for playing a real guitar, but mix-wise, it all sounds pretty out of whack. the beat is off from everything, and sounds like bad MIDI. the vocals seem like an afterthought. the looseness makes it sound like a first take, which might be ok but you're in a strong fight this week, with some real good producers. not doing much for me. sorry.

Jeff Travis Henderson
this has an amazing vintageness to the whole mix, like it was lifted right out of the early seventies. like vintage gerry rafferty. arrangement is very cool. it's got some loose moments, but overall the vibe and vintageness really carries this for me.

lots of good here............raised by wolves, Man & Funk, Add, klownhole, JB all faves for me.

[boltoph]

?!?! My god. I LIKE my voice. I think it DOES work for me.

I really got a kick out of this comment. Work it Jordo, work it!

[Thanks For The Frisbee]

?!?! My god. I LIKE my voice. I think it DOES work for me. I've been writing/performing for years....I am quite comfortable with how I sing. It's just no one here seems to be...

This isn't like a problem people need to help me deal with. It's not like a heroin addiction or something


-Jordan

hey jordo, you cant really change the way your voice sounds, and i think you make it work pretty well in your song. the bands that wages listed off are if nothing else complimentary. you have a great style. i just think that it works for some and not for others. after all anything posted on these boards is subject to a wide variety of responces. and most importantly, most songfighters are very helpful with refining one anothers sounds, and advice will be givin on things you may not feel the need for, but since a lot of it is personal prefference you can take or leave it, but at least be thankful

[Thanks For The Frisbee]

Thanks for the Frisbee
pretty decent power pop, but the whole mix sounds flat and overcompressed. it's got a nice little they-might-be-weezer vibe, but the drums are really lacking as a whole. this needs booming drums (see melvin seavers). singing and lyrics are ok, guitar is ok, but as a whole it's needing a bit more.

thanks jack,
i really tried something outside my comfort zone this time. i would love to make something sound as great as melvin or seavers, but i am a computer/ production idiot. i think i need to do a lot of learnin before i can take your advice, but i'll keep working on it.

[Sick and Wrong]

I think somebody just misread your comment as a lamentation and request for advice.

Hey JB -- I need some advice on lamentation. The lamentate is coming off my kitchen countertop...

[sbaskin]

Here are my reviews for “ You get the wiserâ€

[wages]

?!?! My god. I LIKE my voice. I think it DOES work for me. I've been writing/performing for years....I am quite comfortable with how I sing. It's just no one here seems to be...

I'm really sorry. I read into what you were saying too much, so I misunderstood what you were saying and I apologize.

[LukeU]

Take it easy, Jordo. youre voice is fine.

[Jordo]

haha, its cool, its cool. I love this site.


-Jordan

[PiGPEN]

feel free to tell me to fuck off but i still hate your singing.

I told you to fuck off last time because you told me to "stick to rap" which im sick of hearing from people.

I dont like my voice that much either....i sound like one of those whiney pop-punk singers. lame.

[roymond]

feel free to tell me to fuck off but i still hate your singing.

I told you to fuck off last time because you told me to "stick to rap" which im sick of hearing from people.

I dont like my voice that much either....i sound like one of those whiney pop-punk singers. lame.

Just keep singing. And tell Jack to fuck off.

[Ross]

The Seamus Collective
excellent production and playing. simple guitar arrangement sounds really good. vocals are good, but my genre bias is red lining, as it reminds me too much of harry chapin

That' funny, while I was mixing I was thinking, "Holy crap, this is a Gordon Lightfoot song!" I'll take the comparison as a compliment despite your bias

the strings are a really fine and deft touch.

Evil-E rocks!

and i like the very subtle old vinyl effect on the whole mix, although you might hear it's cliche by some [around] here, it fits the concept of this perfectly.

Thanks for that - it was a hard choice, but I went with my gut after consulting back and forth with Seamus, my advisor on this tune (and the supplier of the counter melody line near the end). Glad to know it works (and same to others who commented similarly, although I'm not sure about the "irritant" comment:-).

[Ross]

Seamus- Classic. How did you do that old scratchy noise in the background track?

I used a free plug-in you can find here.

http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/vinyl/

[Seamus.]

Oooooooooh! "I'll take the bud and you get the wiser." I get it now, Paco. It took two listens. This a much better song now.

Klownhole's "This one is for the ladies. . ." cracks me up a lot.

Some good songs here, for real. I voted for Add Music. I just like it so much.

[hillbilly]

Hey Paco------- Great lyrics and your guitar playing wasnt bad either.

[Paco Del Stinko]

Kind words, gentlemen - very much appreciated! Good fight that I'll get to reviewing next day or so. Thanks again!

[melvin]

The best songs from this week are REALLY best-y. No time for full reviews, but here are my faves:

Add: Amazing vocals

The John Benjamin Band: This is so good, you should be running this joint.

Mr. Man & Dr. Funk: Absolutely beautiful.

Smalltown: Great energy and lyrics.

TFTF: Love the full band version of your sound.

Zipline: This is an amazing song that just falls a bit short in some of the goofy and/or tentative vocal moments. But I still like it.

Special note to Wages: I’m glad you tried playing to a click track, but I have to chuckle, because the result is so weird and spastic. Keep givin’ ‘er.

[blakewalker]

more people should review this fight.

[jack]

like you?

[blakewalker]

(too lazy)

[jack]

then quit gripin roast beef.

also, i'm voting for ADD. this fight's been on heavy rotation in my ipod this week and jeff, your song really stands out.

[Paco Del Stinko]

This fight had some giant moments and some fine seedlings. I thought there was a lot to chew on in here.

Add Music - Great rhtyhm, progression and melodies. All those lyrics going on until the lead section was bold and successful. I loved the mood and feel throughout, but thought that the ending worked against itself. This song would be great to hear live, too.

Blake Walker - Gimme some satin pants. I like the layers and arrangement. The vocals are mostly good. performance wise, and well layered. Very good bridge and out.

Flvxxvxm Florvm - The vocals bump a bit, but that main progression is great! I like the arrangement and epic feel all within 2:00. The middle guitar part is sick! Good to do live.

Jeff Travis Henderson - Mostly excellent vocal ideas and execution. I like how the chorus transitions into the verse, staying in the same key. Parts could be thickened, but the strumming good feel energy of this is very nice.

JBBand - This has many of my favorite song elements in here. The main riff, half steps and dissonance, simple and perfect layers. The chorus is muddy, but I like the late-night feel to it. Great bridge. Most of this is electrifying but loses a bit of thrill at the end. But what a ride!

J$ Evil Twin - I like how this falls off into very dark territory and then rises back up a bit to swing. It works in large part due to the atmospherics softening the corners. I like the mood despite some its shake.

Jolly Roger - A bit lovey dovey, it's performed passionately. Feels thick at parts. Maybe try bringing the back up vocals more behind the main vocal. The arrangement could be trimmed, but a good effort.

Jordan Cooper - Tight vocal work - is the main one doubled? Good pop song minus all the trimmings, it sells itself with a well crafted and solid performance. It could use a little fire, and would love to here a bass in there!

Klownhole - Ass kicking intro. The middle is epic, but sounds the balls - the mix is spacious with excellent mood and performances. Clean and focused but still huge, you can hear everything well. I like this a lot.

Lymph - Nice looping chorusy progression. The layers are fine and it's nice when the drums come in to give a little grip. A soaring something or other in there might be fun.

The Modern Alternatives - Interesting, if a bit chilly. The mood is well captured - I'd like to hear something smooth in there or a drastic change flip it around, then see if you could come back.

Mr.Man and Dr. Funk - Very pleasant - breezy, sunny. Well performed and arranged with a gentle, but not fragile, melody. I like how the vocals almost start floating at the end. Very nice.

Paco - I like the guitar that comes in at :57, and later on, on the left side. Kinda sad last verse.

pIgpen - Those minor chords and vocals are mostly miserable, but some of the dark lyrics work. I like the 1st change. This song mixes in the fight well and is not terribly painful to listen to. I like some of your others better.

Rabid Garfunkal - I like the layers and the sound textures. I would prefer hearing a more over the top vocal delivery, ala Capernicus. Some of this is surreal, some feels too deliberate. Maybe a hint more menace!

Raised By Wolves - Lovely 1st progression with just the right amount of mystery. Very nice melody and delivery, good lyrics. The arrangement is super and is fun to feel evolve. The end is excellent missing maybe a grain of terror.

The Seamus Collective - Very nice. I enjoy the misty grey landscape that accompanies this. Nice and dark, even the guitar tone. Like that quick major/minor change there. Well done with a near perfect arrangement.

Smalltown Mike - Right to the point frenzy inducer at the too hot, too crowded club. Extend with ripping solo, or not.

Swilington - I appreciate the arrangement an effective layering. The vocals might feel steadier singing fewer notes. Moody epic that's worth experiencing.

Thanks For The Frisbee - It's scruffy, but fun. Good scratchpad. Spiffed up, this provides some tasty bites. Much less moody than some of your other songs, this was a fun surprise.

Wages - There's a decent song in there, stumbling a bit distractedly. I wonder if the order that you record things is affecting how it ends up. Good scratchpad.

Zipline - I like the instrument choices and tones, and what they want to do. The delay sound is tops! This is both comfy and off, there's some gold in there worth panning out. I love where the bumping goes.

These last three seemed like good starters. I enjoyed the fight and still can not vote for myself. Thanks all for sharing!