Dentarthurdent (Late to a Funeral reviews)

anti-m · Post by **anti-m** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:54 am

jackfrost wrote:as it stands now there is not one artist this week that i am excited about by name alone. disappointing.

Perhaps you should take this as an opportunity to expand your horizons, and listen to some new folks!

jackfrost · Post by **jackfrost** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:59 am

actually, i look forward to hearing new stuff. that's part of the reason i visit this site. but i do miss the few artists that i look forward to hearing each fight. it's also nice that the field is a bit smaller this week. more time with each song is a good thing.

melvin · Post by **melvin** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:04 am

Paco Del Stinko wrote:Melvin or Pedro drums?

Melvin drums. What do you think of them? I've been working on a whole new approach to drums lately (i.e. real ones).

Thanks for the reviews, my s'melly brother!

drë · Post by **drë** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:55 am

i.p. wrote:
roymond wrote:i.p. hands down. That's sweet.

Although Worldly Self Assurance comes in handy now and then. That's fun. Yes, ebow does rule.
thanks!
I'll take this as my chance to credit the deserving musicians who helped us make the song.

Maija Anstine - Viola
Anna Ponto - Violin 2
Ali Luthmers - Violin 1
Kenny Lee - Cello
Lewis Gilmore - Clarinet
Ben Caiazza - Trumpet

Bean wrote the whole song, minus the chorus melody and lyrics. I wrote those.

Wow! It’s great to hear a well compose string ensemble piece here at songfight.
I’ll take this over Guy & guitar songs anytime. The vocals mix well, but it could have used a bit more power (air) behind them. Clarinet and trumpet are bonus…props to everyone in here. For some reason I thought you guys were a rap group.. uhh.
Vote.

Rabid Garfunkel · Post by **Rabid Garfunkel** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:25 am

i.p. wrote: thanks!
I'll take this as my chance to credit the deserving musicians who helped us make the song.

Maija Anstine - Viola
Anna Ponto - Violin 2
Ali Luthmers - Violin 1
Kenny Lee - Cello
Lewis Gilmore - Clarinet
Ben Caiazza - Trumpet

Bean wrote the whole song, minus the chorus melody and lyrics. I wrote those.

Thank you. Real instruments pushing real air around makes it even betterer. Likely candidate for votage.

i.p. · Post by **i.p.** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:18 am

wow!
bonus thanks!
My reviews are to come soon.
I've heard some good stuff so far though.
About the vocals, which seem to be the main criticism, As a vocalist, i'm still trying to figure out where exactly I "fit in." Things'll click eventually because (I think?) I have a decent enough voice... it's just the other little bits.
There are a plethora of excellent vocalists here, and it's a blast to get to listen to all of you/them.

SteveHandPuppet · Post by **SteveHandPuppet** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:05 pm

i.p. wrote:wow!
bonus thanks!
My reviews are to come soon.
I've heard some good stuff so far though.
About the vocals, which seem to be the main criticism, As a vocalist, i'm still trying to figure out where exactly I "fit in." Things'll click eventually because (I think?) I have a decent enough voice... it's just the other little bits.
There are a plethora of excellent vocalists here, and it's a blast to get to listen to all of you/them.

I.P.

Your entry reminded me, a lot, of The Robot Ate Me http://www.therobotateme.com/, who I happen to think is genius. The double CD "On Vacation" from a few years back is one of the most amazing things I've heard in a long time. There are a few specific songs that yours reminds me of, which unfortunately don't seem to have sample clips on the web I could point you to.

The problem I had with your song is that it ultimate treads too closely to what The Robot Ate Me does, so I have a hard time imagining what suggestions to make that wouldn't push into strict imitation or so radically mutate it to allow it "escape the gravity field" of tRAM, so to speak.

I realize that this is not a criticism of the song [unless you're trying to rip off Robot], just a note on my reaction to it, and put out the good word.

SHP

bean... · Post by **bean...** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:34 pm

That's very interesting!

I have never seen or heard that before actually.

I just put the tune together in a couple sittings at the piano - the chord progressions are pretty cliché (with a couple twists here and there), so there are probably infinite similar songs.

Sorry, broham, I can't say it's a rip off of anything but some Jungian collective musical concepts...

i.p. · Post by **i.p.** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:27 pm

SteveHandPuppet wrote: Your entry reminded me, a lot, of The Robot Ate Me http://www.therobotateme.com/, who I happen to think is genius. The double CD "On Vacation" from a few years back is one of the most amazing things I've heard in a long time. There are a few specific songs that yours reminds me of, which unfortunately don't seem to have sample clips on the web I could point you to.

The problem I had with your song is that it ultimate treads too closely to what The Robot Ate Me does, so I have a hard time imagining what suggestions to make that wouldn't push into strict imitation or so radically mutate it to allow it "escape the gravity field" of tRAM, so to speak.

I realize that this is not a criticism of the song [unless you're trying to rip off Robot], just a note on my reaction to it, and put out the good word.

SHP

First, I too have never heard of that group... they're from Portland, so i guess I should have... but I haven't.
I'm gonna try and find that CD, i'd love to hear it.
At first, I thought you were calling us plagiarists, but that was just my paranoia speaking... I realize it was a compliment now, so thanks!
We would never plagiarize... but who DOESN'T do a fair bit of imitation. With this song, we thought of The Beatles, Radiohead and others (at least I did... although I don't think it sounds one bit like Radiohead in its final form).
Um... but now maybe with both responses we're beating a dead horse. I just wanted you to know that we would certainly not plagiarize.

chirp · Post by **chirp** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:33 pm

hullo hullo -- here are some highlights from me reel:

adam -- it is like the ghost of my old casio is pissed i didn’t recycle it

electric needle room -- the electric bit behind you is awesome, and i like the circus vibe. (never a sentence i’d ever thought i’d type.)

embers of autumn -- this is the most petulant ghost EVER.

* giant snail -- i could have done with a little less oppressive cymbal yes

** i.p. -- holy crap i guess oregon’s a pretty awesome place after all. i like this much much more than i did your last entry. this one’s a little stars meet sufjan meets ms. newsom and it is lovely.

** melvin -- once again a catchy-ass piece of festival-worthy summer sunshine ABOUT DEATH.

project D -- the instrumental stuff is great great great and well-produced but the vocals and lyrics leave me wanting

weakest suit -- this is a strange and shining thing. i would love to hear this live!

wreckdom -- this is fun. you get an A for creativity. but it’s not something i’d listen to in the car again.

Geoff WreckdoM · Post by **Geoff WreckdoM** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:56 pm

Here are my reviews in no particular order, and for everyone that isn't DJGreen or Carl Sabacka know that I listened through your song a good 3 - 4 times while writing my reviews, some of them more.

Cynthia Size and the Eclectic Sp00ns – These lyrics are awesome, I wish (once again) I could make them out better while listening. Can Cynthia be a little more comprehensible? Can you,uh, tweak her? Great music on this one, things really click on at 0:28 and 0:50, that’s a great groove and feel and makes the song. Overall it’s not bad but I think you should consider having Cynthia duet with another electronic voice.

Civil Offense – I never thought I’d say this but, too much Cowbell. Actually it’s just way too loud and drowns out everything at times Yeah I’m just not taken with this one, it’s a shame too because it’s due to mixing issues and I really hear a lot of stuff I like here. I want to groove with this one but it never quite gets there.

Embers of Autumn – Even if it were recorded better I still don’t think I’d dig this but anyways the crush guitars or so frickin loud it’s awful, work at mixing stuff better, double up your vocals, work out some form of percussion and maybe you got something here.

DJGreen – Oh, why is this happening? Did you listen to this? It’s unbearable. Thank god you didn’t try beat boxing.

Weakest Suit – Who could dislike something this cute and charming? I enjoy that it’s brisk and it’s upbeat, very simple hop in and hop out arrangement. There may not be anything here that will really have this sticking in my mind but I enjoyed the listen all the same.

IP – I like this one quite a bit. Really draws you in. It’s odd but it’s also moving and compelling and moody. Awesome performance and recording here, and it was wise to keep the vocals lower in the mix and in many ways not the center of attention. Wow, trumpets come in, gives you goosebumps, great dramatic, emotional effect is created here. The song sneaks right up on you and commands your attention, wow great ending too. Lovely song, I am very impressed.

WreckdoM – Kweep said he might do some songfighting again soon, he keeps busy as member of Local band Red Line Riot, check out their MySpace, they rock! We definitely made the most of our fancy microphone with this one. I’m real pleased with the sound and the atmosphere of this one.

Melvin – It’s recorded well but it’s also a bit flat. I suppose the whole “It’s not my Thing” sentiment applies here, it does sound rather radio, but also it seems like your just phoning this one in. Starts to drone going on into it’s second minute and becomes a little plodding.

Flvxxvm Florvm – Damn it, I fucking love this one! Starts out all back woods bluesy crackly sounds then busts into madness, and gets increasingly crazier and crazier as it endures. It’s like Dean Ween and Captain Beefheart did a track together somehow. I dig stuff that rides a dangerous train wreck like feel. Nice ending going back to the opening and making enough of it that it’s not just a punchline or quick copout.

Carl Sabacka – Maybe your late because someone has locked you and your guitar inside a little box. Stop singing or you’ll suffocate!

Ham No Burger – Sweet powerful opening. When you scream you should turn the vocals up a little, add some dramatic effect to it. I don’t care much for the “late for a funeral” change up, it’s a little awkward, I’d rather just hear some more variation on the fast paced stuff, like what happens at 2:02 and what follows which is massively wicked awesome. I think you tried to put too much into this song when you could have concentrated on making more with less song and made more of an impact.

Project-D – Nice instrumentation but the way too loud high pitched vocals ruin it. The music is very mellow and dreeeeamy and cool but the vocals are a total buzzkill. The lower backing vocals should probably be upfront instead of the main vox, which comes across a little whiny, and off key at times.

Mailbox – Like the sparseness and the piano at first but I really start losing interest pretty quickly on this one. I think if this were more fleshed out I might be digging it more, but as it is there just isn’t enough to hold my attention.

Adam Adamant – Nice anti groove going, Everything complements itself pretty well but refuses to line up. It’s gimmicky and manages to overstay it’s welcome pretty early on, but there is still a lot I like about this one.

Electric Needle Room – I really dig how this one starts out, it’s exciting and friendly at the same time, but this is another entry undone by snowballing repetition of sounds. This song, to me, says naptime.

Giant Snail – O.K., the keyboards do some sweet stuff right at 1:30, and it has this very fun, playful, and experimental feel to it. It’s really appealing I think this song needs more of that energy and idealism. You start out fun but the vocals make the song lag when they should be adding to the inventiveness.

Worldly Self Assurance – The warble in your voice goes great with the unrelenting pace of the drums it’s as though you really are running. This song consistently nails it’s changes. I love that guitar solo. I like that every time this song goes back to one of it’s ideas it really brings a more powerful punch, so the last time you return to the opening riff with the swift high hat it’s really racing and has great emotional impact, great balance of technical prowess and catchyiness.

i.p. · Post by **i.p.** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:13 pm

chirp wrote:meets ms. newsom

if only i had her voice.

I LOVE her voice.

edit:
but i guess that would mean i'd be a girl too, and I like being a guy

and thanks!

thanks to WreckdoM too!

ex-kal · Post by **ex-kal** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:48 pm

i liked mailbox's the best
*shrugs*
intuitive vocal melody and great singing. reminds me of paul mccartney maybe.
maybe not.

NatchDan · Post by **NatchDan** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:47 pm

Hey guys. I kind of fell off the face of the planet for a while there, huh?

Anyhow. I really wanted to come and give props to everyone in the WSA for an amazing entry this week, and also to i.p. for possibly the most moving piece of music I've heard SF provide. The "We are gathered here today" refrain + ebow versus real strings/trumpet/clarinet makes it a tough vote call.

Not to be outshone, though, are Melvin's solo entry and Electric Needle Room, who produced a pretty sweet Cocteau Twins/Pet Shop Boys lovechild. Yes, a little repetitive, but a lot of the 80s was.

j$ · Post by j$ » Tue Jun 26, 2007 3:39 am

i.p. got my vote this week. It had hints of the Arcade Fire or The Hidden Cameras but a much purer blend of orchestration and indie singsong. Good stuff.

I must say I have recently been impressed by the range of stuff that SFighters have produced. It's really nice to hear stuff that is a)good and b)a pleasant change from indie rock of one form or another / nerdcore.

Carry on.

Paco Del Stinko · Post by **Paco Del Stinko** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:51 am

Melvin - I've been listening, just haven't written reviews for a while. The real drums sound great and I'm sure you'll do nothing but spiff them up as you progress. You're smart enough to not play more than you can and/or more than what the song needs. I don't play very well, but I bet that we're similar in that drum machines or programming were very helpful in learning the real ones, no?

Also, did I see somewhere that you're over-dubbing them part by part? I've thought about that, at least to try and do something I couldn't coordinate otherwise. Used to do it on 4-track with only a couple of drums and varied tape speed. Got pretty good at it too, leaving (fake) high hats out where the fills would be. That's pretty ballsy, though!

jeff robertson · Post by **jeff robertson** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 7:46 am

adam adamant - I like the sounds themselves, but the way the fit together is kind of hard to listen to.

carl salbacka - like the line "if I were you I woulda killed me too ya know". That's about all I can say.

civil offense - the guitar is all live sounding, but nothing else is. i'd prefer this whole thing to sound live and bootleggy. the drums are pretty jokey.

cynthia size and eclectic spoons - not really "my thing", but unlike most of the other "not my thing" entries, it's not actively offensive to my ears, so it's OK. in fact, it's almost good enough to overcome genre bias.

dj green - i have a feeling that even if rap was "my thing" i wouldn't be impressed.

electric needle room - the music is pleasantly general MIDI-ish. some people don't like that, but to me it's actually kinda fun to hear music that sounds like the MIDI you might hear embedded in a web page back when people did shit like that. Vocals are ok, but not as much as the music.

embers of autumn - guy-and-electric-guitar always suffers from what I call "wages syndrome". which is, that an acoustic guitar is capable of competently being the only instrument in a song, but an electric always sounds like it needs a band. this effect of the electric even cancels out the ability of the accompanying acoustic to carry the song.

flvxxvm florvm - i admit, i only wrote two such different sections because I couldn't write enough verses of either of them to make a whole song. i've always wanted an excuse to use the line "i can feel myself rot" from the movie "Return of the Living Dead" in a song, and this seemed like as good an excuse as any. The chord "progression" of the solo (holding down the V chord of the key for the entire solo, before returning to I when the vocals come back) was inspired by a similar move in Alice Cooper's "Muscle of Love".

giant snail - finally, somebody else who likes distorted vocals the way I do. Some of the keyboard playing is pretty impressive, at least to somebody like me who can just barely play keyboard.

ham no burger - this is overall pretty well done, but for some reason that I don't know enough to be able to pin down, everything is kinda "hard to hear", even when I turn it up loud.

more next time

Rabid Garfunkel · Post by **Rabid Garfunkel** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:45 am

jeff robertson wrote:civil offense - the guitar is all live sounding, but nothing else is...

Are you talking about the recording sound space, or the instruments, or the mix or [other] here? 'Twas all done live, with no memorex/synth/sample/machine/looping.

jeff robertson · Post by **jeff robertson** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:50 am

Rabid Garfunkel wrote:
jeff robertson wrote:civil offense - the guitar is all live sounding, but nothing else is...
Are you talking about the recording sound space, or the instruments, or the mix or [other] here? 'Twas all done live, with no memorex/synth/sample/machine/looping.

I meant the sound. The guitar sounds like it was recorded with a pocket tape recorder at a live show, everything else sounds like it was recorded in a studio.

Rabid Garfunkel · Post by **Rabid Garfunkel** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:20 am

Thanks for the clarification.
-rg

jeff robertson · Post by **jeff robertson** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:49 am

ip - this is almost a vote getter. vocals that sounded like Scott Walker would kick it over the top. as it is, it still manages to evoke a feeling that can best be described by this web link: http://tinyurl.com/2789r7

mailbox - damn this is well done.

melvin - possibly the best melvin ever.

project-d - almost. i almost like it. not sure what it needs, but keep trying.

the weakest suit - i'm loving the groove of this. the beat, the jangly guitar. such a happy song, for such a glum title.

worldly self-assurance - you guys are a true super group. keeping doing stuff together.

wreckdom - it's wreckdom, what's not to like...

i.p. · Post by **i.p.** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:14 am

jeff robertson wrote:ip - this is almost a vote getter. vocals that sounded like Scott Walker would kick it over the top. as it is, it still manages to evoke a feeling that can best be described by this web link: http://tinyurl.com/2789r7

or MAYBE YOU MEANT:

... seriously though, that's quite a compliment. thank you very much.