Downtime, with music. (Convalescence reviews)

[Paco Del Stinko]

Blue - Well I am tall, but not Jewish yet. Twice here I've been compared to Adam Sandler so there might be something going on I don't know about. Good review, thanks.

[WesDavis]

Wes Davis: Who has a window overlooking the sea? Once you use the word "sea" in a rhyme spot, you're just fucked. Pleasant Beatles ripoff there in the chorus. You know, the lyrics in that first chorus are _great_ and then you just totally shit the bed on the second one. Effervescent convalescence? Is this a rapping contest? Repeat repeat repeat! How am I ever going to remember this song if every goddamn line is different. If you need to say fifty different things, write fifty different songs. They are free.

Well I'm glad somebody called me out on my bullshit second chorus, even if I was pretty happy with "effervescent convalescence." And yeah, I've been on a kick lately with respect to writing separate lines for my choruses. I didn't intend on ripping off any Beatles stuff, but hey, if it's pleasant for you, that's cool.

Damn, actually you just made me realize just how much I've been doing the different chorus thing lately. Thanks! I needed that pointed out.

[jeff robertson]

(what the hell does your name mean anyway?? I don't even know if that is supposed to be pronounced...)

"Flvxxvm Florvm" was originally the name of a very bad alternative band in a comic strip I (tried to) draw.

The name was an homage to the Fluxus art movement. I read somewhere that Fluxus meant "shit" (it doesn't) so I thought that was appropriate for a shitty band.

It was originally spelled "Fluxum Florum". Total nonsense made up words. Not sure where two X's came from to make it Fluxxum Florvm. Changing the U's to V's happened as a result of an early tape cover that was supposed to evoke ancient Roman architecture. Thus FLVXXVM FLORVM

[Eidolon]

Look man, poorly recorded acoustic guitar doesn't need a poorly-recorded electric playing power chords thru a $5 distortion pedal behind it.

Hah! That had me laughing out loud. Harsh feedback, now this is what i'm looking for.. not just harsh with no point, but in the sense where you've at least provided shit to try out.. so thanks for spending a few moments of consideration on my track Blue. I'll keep some of those comments in mind on my next one or if I rework this one.

This felt like it would make a kickass metal song. The "planned convalescence" lyric was a good touch. Good song, let down by arrangement, the vocals, acoustic and distorted guitar don't make a single consistent style.

Yeah- similar perhaps to some of the arrangment comments by blue I definitely was wanting to do something different and heard the rock potential of this one but then just sorta mangled it. Next time!?

Sounds like something I would hear at an Irish Pub, like maybe for sailors.

That is funny. After reading that I went back and listened to it and while it has been said by others that I have funny, country like vocals sometimes i've never been said to sound Irish yet.. I don't hear it, but maybe you meant more the subject matter or something? For sailors no less!

To all other reviewers not directly quoted above, thanks for the feedback thus far.

[jb]

fuck the wanking

kind of a paradox there i think. *fabric of space and time in peril*

[jimtyrrell]

Everyone: EQ the muddy bass out of your acoustic guitar. And your vocals. Every single nice preamp ever made has a low cut filter. Wonder why? Now you know. Listen to Jim Tyrell's recording and try to make yours sound like (if you can stay awake )

Hehe. What can I say, it's supposed to be a lullaby.

Anyway, I did pull a good deal of the bass off of the guitar and the vocals on this one. I'm a novice when it comes to EQ stuff, but these two things have improved my results:

1) Subtractive is better than additive. Don't boost levels to accentuate them; roll off the parts you want to diminish instead.
2) If you find a place in the EQ "spectrum" for each instrument, they won't compete as much, and the result will be less muddy.

I can't even say that these are 'rules to live by', but I've been approaching EQ with these ideas in mind, and things are coming out better, I think.

Thanks for the reviews, everybody. I'll try to do some myself.

[Mostess]

Repeat repeat repeat! How am I ever going to remember this song if every goddamn line is different. If you need to say fifty different things, write fifty different songs. They are free.

Every songwriter in the world: Carve this into ceiling above your bed.

Blue is great.

[Meatwad]

KLONZHIZZLE: This song isn't nearly long enough, sellouts. Not even one "punch you in the neck"? It's all about the nuts now? I'm saddened you've gone gay on your core demographic. I like Ralph's snare leadins when the progression loops, but overall this recording is 12% too sober.

Now this is input we can use. We have been cutting back on our drinking a bit. The switch from tequila to gin seemed to slow things down. Those things being the consumption. 12% is being generous in my opinion. Fuck your low pass filters, let's work on the drinking mix.

Do gay people kick each other in the nuts? Seems like that would be counter productive. Perhaps when they fight.

[furrypedro]

Repeat repeat repeat! How am I ever going to remember this song if every goddamn line is different. If you need to say fifty different things, write fifty different songs. They are free.

Every songwriter in the world: Carve this into ceiling above your bed.

Blue is great.

fuck, I got really angry when I read this. Fortunately I deleted the paragraph I just wrote and all I'll say is this: [sarcasm] This is the reason house music is so great [/sarcasm]. (I will post that paragraph btw if anybody wants)

Ending is a bit inconclusive.

Leaves it open for a sequel, right.

[obscurity]

fuck, I got really angry when I read this. Fortunately I deleted the paragraph I just wrote and all I'll say is this: [sarcasm] This is the reason house music is so great [/sarcasm].

You best not be dissin' house music.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Billys Little Trip - guitar and drums are great. Chorus very catchy. Good guitar solo too.

Thanks Eric. It's no Paco solo, but I can't keep bugging him.

Billy's Little Trip
Yay! Punk. Harmonies! Catchy chorus. An honest to goodness solo. Can't be unhappy with this song, and it grows on you the more you listen.

Thanks Spin, I enjoyed making it. I know it's not going to be everyones taste, but at some point you have to do what you like. I figure as long as a person puts their heart and soul into it, people will respect it whether they like the genre or not.

billy's little trip

great intro wah. like the quick bass breakdown in the first 20 seconds and back to the song, nice. Your voice definitely reminds me of the ways kurt cobain used to sing some of the earlier nirvana tunes back in the late 80s, very early 90s that I used to listen to a lot of. I mean that as a compliment anyway. It isn't like I think your music sounds like nirvana, because I don't think it does. Great energetic and odd harmonies on that chorus too.. love it. I really dug your pink ribbon entry and some of the other stuff i've heard as well. All in all a decent little song.. dig it.

Thanks Eidolon. I think I'm going just have to except the fact that I'm going to get the Cobain comparison, just like Bowie always trying to sound like Frankie Big Face.

Billy's Little Trip: Heh, listen to 15-16 Puzzle's "Let's Get Naked." That is one hell of a chorus, bud. Did I already use "anthemic" in a review? This tune is very reminiscent of the end-of-era 90's alt rock scene, the whole Meat Puppets revival and maybe The Presidents of the USA. That solo was superfluous - as I guess solos, by definition, are, but I could have used a double chorus there and fuck the wanking. Nice outtro, it could have used a couple more repeats as well. Disk space is free, abuse it.

OK, I figured I better go listen to 15-16 Puzzle's "Let's Get Naked" to see what you mean, cool song, I like it. That must be why you led me to it.
"reminiscent of the end-of-era 90's alt rock scene" Metaphorically, that's exactly what this song is about. I personally like a guitar solo/bridge to break a song in half and start it up again. I guess it can get old if it was the only format I followed, which most of my arrangements do, but I love a good solo and even a bad solo if the shoe fits. True, disc space is free, but I've come to notice that SF'ers are funny about long songs and I'm still experimenting. Thanks for the review Blue.

[furrypedro]

nah, not really, whatever floats yer boat.

My point is, writing good music is too complicated for blanket comments like 'Repeat, repeat, repeat'. Sure, it's nice to hit that sweet spot for the listener every now and then (and my song this week is among my most accessible imo so I am being a bit hypocritical but like I said, it's complicated) but telling people to get an idea and do it over and over sounds like a good way to get a load of amateurs to make even more shit music than they(we) already do. One reason I fucking hate Fallout Boy is that they never know when to just let that chorus go. One reason Bohemian Rhapsody is great is that it goes all over the place without going back on itself. Just two examples among many that both back up and contradict the point I'm making.

blue's point was valid for the song in question, Mostess should know better than to over-simplify for all songwriting like that.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Wes Davis: Who has a window overlooking the sea? Once you use the word "sea" in a rhyme spot, you're just fucked. Pleasant Beatles ripoff there in the chorus. You know, the lyrics in that first chorus are _great_ and then you just totally shit the bed on the second one. Effervescent convalescence? Is this a rapping contest? Repeat repeat repeat! How am I ever going to remember this song if every goddamn line is different. If you need to say fifty different things, write fifty different songs. They are free.

Well I'm glad somebody called me out on my bullshit second chorus, even if I was pretty happy with "effervescent convalescence." And yeah, I've been on a kick lately with respect to writing separate lines for my choruses. I didn't intend on ripping off any Beatles stuff, but hey, if it's pleasant for you, that's cool.

Damn, actually you just made me realize just how much I've been doing the different chorus thing lately. Thanks! I needed that pointed out.

"effervescent convalescence." you bastig!

[HeuristicsInc]

All right, Mr. Wages, I think you definitely must have undermixed my keyboards because nobody's even mentioned them yet...
I wouldn't mind giving an alternate mix a try if you can get me the files.
-bill

[Mostess]

[sarcasm] This is the reason house music is so great [/sarcasm]. (I will post that paragraph btw if anybody wants)

I repeat: Blue is great.

[blue]

My point is, writing good music is too complicated for blanket comments like 'Repeat, repeat, repeat'.

good music and good (pop) songs don't have much to do with each other.

bohemian rhapsody is a good but singular example. the exception proves the rule?

[cbiffida]

Cranial Biffida: You could have turned in the last 20 seconds of this and had more impact than this boring, lengthy, humorless pile of shit.

Did you listen to the whole thing and hate all but the last 20 seconds of it? Then it had the desired impact.

[furrypedro]

My point is, writing good music is too complicated for blanket comments like 'Repeat, repeat, repeat'.

good music and good (pop) songs don't have much to do with each other.

fuck off back to Pop Fight! then

bohemian rhapsody is a good but singular example. the exception proves the rule?

what about that band TMK? they're off the hook man

I got really angry when I read this.

weeeelll, I was really angry anyway. Let this be a lesson kids, leave you murderous rage and anger where it belongs. At home. I stand by what I said though

I'll try do some reviews sometime. honest

[blue]

My point is, writing good music is too complicated for blanket comments like 'Repeat, repeat, repeat'.

good music and good (pop) songs don't have much to do with each other.

fuck off back to Pop Fight! then

bohemian rhapsody is a good but singular example. the exception proves the rule?

what about that band TMK? they're off the hook man

I got really angry when I read this.

weeeelll, I was really angry anyway. Let this be a lesson kids, leave you murderous rage and anger where it belongs. At home. I stand by what I said though

I'll try do some reviews sometime. honest

you still haven't explained why you quit on the great guitar part at the opener.

[Mostess]

blue's point was valid for the song in question, Mostess should know better than to over-simplify for all songwriting like that.

This hit me. I need to re-read this week's title. But here's my response:

I don't think it's an over-simplification. If you haven't distilled your idea to a small enough chunk of poetry that I can feel it in a few seconds of music and lyrics, you haven't done enough work. We are all hopelessly trapped in the 800 to 1200 milliseconds of the psychological feeling of "now". Music is one beautiful way we have of transcending that, and repetition is what makes it work so well. Repetition gives me something to hang my hat on, gives me a sense of home, lets me sing along, includes me in the process. Avoiding repetition is mean, like Lucy pulling the football away.

Of course, of course, a monotonous drone will become tiresome after a few seconds. Of course, of course, the developmental section of a Beethoven symphony is full of ever-shifting avoidances of literal repetition, and contains more beauty than any rock-n-roller could dream of. Of course, of course, we are all complex and strange individuals who cannot be summed up in neat little 2-measure packages. But poetry is about focus, clarity, and distillation. Gems are small and dense.

Of course there is a whole world of music that lasts longer than three minutes, that allows bigger forms to breathe with less repetition and more development. But any music theorist will tell you that even the most ambitious one is pushing the same little idea/theme/motif/etc. at you over and over, in various transpositions/instrumentations/tempi/etc. And the greats of many eras---Bach, Handel, Pachelbel, Vivaldi, Bruchner, Stravinsky, dare I even mention Glass or Reich---repeat and repeat and repeat.

I think Blue's sentiment bears repeating. Because repetition is awesome.

[WesDavis]

Repetition IS fairly awesome and Blue reminded me of that. I don't think it's always necessary to have a perfectly repeating chorus, but like you say, it needs to at least follow a common theme or something. But having a hook is very important. I guess, in general, bridges are for saying something different. Hell, of all the songs I've written in the last few months, the one everyone loves the most when I play live is the one with the most repetitive chorus.

[blue]

Everyone: EQ the muddy bass out of your acoustic guitar. And your vocals. Every single nice preamp ever made has a low cut filter. Wonder why? Now you know. Listen to Jim Tyrell's recording and try to make yours sound like (if you can stay awake )

Hehe. What can I say, it's supposed to be a lullaby.

Anyway, I did pull a good deal of the bass off of the guitar and the vocals on this one. I'm a novice when it comes to EQ stuff, but these two things have improved my results:

1) Subtractive is better than additive. Don't boost levels to accentuate them; roll off the parts you want to diminish instead.
2) If you find a place in the EQ "spectrum" for each instrument, they won't compete as much, and the result will be less muddy.

I can't even say that these are 'rules to live by', but I've been approaching EQ with these ideas in mind, and things are coming out better, I think.

Thanks for the reviews, everybody. I'll try to do some myself.

you did a great job with the EQ and recording on this one.