The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Kamakura wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 28, 2020 9:49 am

Your 'appalling little something' is bloody marvellous and should be required listening!

Thank you! The excellence of Starfinger's original track should get most of the credit (85% bare minimum) for any enjoyment you experienced, though.

add:

The vocals on this track are wonderful. I loved how tender they, especially when that 2nd part kicks in. The real star of the show in this for me was that synth in the chorus, it really stands out in the track and helps delivers that hook line. I'm not overly keen on the solo, it sounded good and felt like it had a place it just didn't have a very memorable melody to it for me. I probably would have done my usual trick of just taking the hook line in the chorus and occasionally going off kilter to other notes in the key.

Congratulations, your chorus hook line has been stuck in my head all weekend. Vote

Balls To Monte:

You had me on the opening riff, I love the vibe of the track. The chorus is killer, it certainly takes you back to the 70s. I love how upbeat and catchy this is, the music in this makes it very memorable. It stuck out of the pack for me because of it. Vote

Brown Word and the Big Whine:

This is really entertaining, I feel like I'm stuck in the middle of the ocean on a lifeboat with the girl from the exorcist. It certainly makes you feel very uneasy.

Evermind:

This is a really nice little song. The quote is a nice touch and I really liked the trailing vocals. When I listened I got the feeling like I'm stuck with someone I really don't like but love at the same time.

gizo:

The chorus is great, it has a 80s vibe to it that I really like. The really like the ahhs in the verses. I'm not sure about the clean guitar in the verses, the tone doesn't sound quite right. I would have been tempted to play around with the eq on it maybe, I think there might be a frequency that can be reduced to give it a brighter sound which I think it needs.

This reminds me a band but I can't quite put my finger on it, it is really going to annoy me, I think it is early 90s grunge band maybe Sonic Youth but I don't think it's them.

Kamakura:

I really like what you are doing with this, I must admit I first thought, oh no I don't want to hear about covid no more. I've had enough of it now, but then the humour of this track made me feel better about it. I love that ending, although I couldn't figure out whether it was the start of the next song when I listen, so someone else almost got the credit for it. I also really liked the line:

"And the man in charge
Is a very stable genius
And not a fucking loon!"

The music is a bit samey but I didn't mind because I enjoyed the content.

Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff:

Those guitars sound fantastic, I love the picking guitar that sits over the verses and that little intro guitar part is great. This takes me back to the 90s the bands that spring to my are fountains of wayne and weezer. There is a band more suited but my brain has stopped functioning properly and I can't think of it.

Lichen Throat:

What a grim topic to write about, really clever lyrics. The vocals are quite sleepy and don't really emphasis the panic that the lyrics paint a picture of. I don't like the thumping drums, they give this a sense of urgency.

Paco del Stinko:

I really like that theremin like sound, that's a nice hook. Your vocals are really interesting and very emotive, I would like them a little more in the mix though.

The Pannacotta Army:

This is really pretty and very well mixed, although I expect that from you now as they always are. I really love the accordion (I think that is what is is), it's a lovely touch. There is nothing that really stands out in terms of hook but in a way I quite like, it feels more like a gentle lullaby. I definitely feels like you are passing time, desperate for a rescue helicopter or something to come by, which is I think you were after. Vote

Phlebia:

This is really low key, at first I wasn't sure and thought it might grow on me. I do like what you are trying to do, it just didn't quite do it for me, I would have liked more variation in it.

seemanski:

That's moi, the last few songfights I have been shoving on random VSTs and fake drums and really wanted to do something more organic. I recorded 3 acoustic tracks as a guide (with some rolling like drums, if that is even a term) and started mixing it down. Every time I tried to put something over the top it just didn't fit. I am gutted that I didn't think of doing some handclaps or stomping my feet after what pannacotta army suggested though, that probably would have given me the percussive element in the same kind of tone, ah well, maybe next time.

Sweeney Toad:

This is unusually down tempo for you, I'm used to hearing frantic synths. This kind of reminds of Konichiwa Bitches by Robyn, I think it was something about the arrangement that reminded me of that. I must admit, I much prefer your more frantic numbers, they really demand my attention.

Tim Hinkle:

This is a wonderful arrangement, I loved the shift from verse to chorus and the percussive elements are a joy. Really enjoyed this one Vote

Tomdg:

Those lyrics were certainly very interesting, I thought the "Make the ocean great again" was a nice touch. Frantic and very punk.

WreckdoM:

I like it, I wasn't sure at first but then it grew on me after a few listens. The water water everywhere is a nice hook line and it has a lot of variety which is actually quite subtle.

I added Ken to my reviews above.

That pesky Ken. He's sooo entitled!


I'll write it up when I get home. Good tune!

Ken's Super Duper Band n Stuff:
Fun and poppy! The vocals are a little off-time in the chorus. This sounds like it would fit in a teenage coming of age movie, when the protagonist gets tired of trying to make the popular people like them.

Paco del Stinko:
The vocal style is unusual and interesting. I like the backing "ooh"s and synths. Seems just slightly unhinged.

Sweeney Toad:
In production, vocal style, and theme, this reminds me very much of Shawn Kemp (as bedwetter) album "flick your tongue against your teeth and describe the present", and that is one of my favorite albums of all time.

WreckdoM:
Vocals are very off-time and off-tune. Drums and guitar are very on-the-spot. Synths at the end going nuts is done well, and the ending is very satisfying.

Brown Word and the Big Whine:
Starting out with big power metal vibes. Cymbals seem muted and quiet. Vocals are too loud in the mix. Death metal vocals are welcome and well-executed. Guitar solo was nice, but mixed too quiet and didn't quite hit the notes on-rhythm. Liked how the sounds of waves ended the song, that was a nice touch.

Balls to Monte:
Nice to see you again, buddy! I like the head-bopping sound of this. Gives me a very 60s-70s sort of vibe. Drums sound great, but the drums being panned slightly to the left instead of in the center are a little jarring. Vocals are crisp as fuck. Well done!

seemanski:
Nice guitar work right out of the gate. I appreciate how percussive you made the guitar riff, in the absence of any other percussion. It works. The levels are nicely balanced. Vocal harmonies are good. "Oohs" right around the 2:24 mark are lovely.

ADD:
Very happy to see you're still around. The synth in the chorus that follows the vocal melody is just slightly annoying. I don't know why, I have no advice, but it rubs me just slightly the wrong way. The bridge right before the guitar solo, and the guitar solo itself, are so so satisfying. The solo sticks around maybe a bit too long.

Tim Hinkle:
The decay on the violin is REALLY steep and makes it feel really inhuman. I like the effects on the guitar and vocals, they sound great. Song sounds like it ends a bit abruptly.

tomdg:
Love the static and overdrive guitar intro. Drums need to be mixed louder for such a hard, driving drumbeat. The abrupt ending matches the tone of the song nicely. Probably could have used a bit of compression or normalization to bring the track a bit louder in the end.

The Pannacotta Army:
Guitar and keyboard sound really nice, definitely sounds like you've got a professional setup. The "ahs" and "ohs" panning back and forth and the toy piano solo are maybe a bit too much. They make the tone of the song so sad and wistful that it comes off like maybe it's supposed to be a parody of something, and the fact that the lyrics are pretty generic really don't help. The guitar and vocal performance are very clean.

Phlebia:
Yeah, gimme the noise! Rhythmically, things are a bit odd here. Stressing the "boat" in "life boat" in the chorus is a little awkward. I enjoy the song overall.

Kamakura:
I love this musically. I feel like thematically, there probably could have been a clearer point to be made about our current political situation in the US. The "fucking loon" line gave me a hearty chuckle.

gizo:
Something about the repeating line "on a black black sea" comes across really nicely. The "ah-ah" with matched guitar sounds great but repeats a bit too much. The vocals at the end repeating "on a black black sea" as the song fades are a little off-tune. Whoops! You left silence at the end.

Lichen Throat:
Drums and synth sounding nice right out of the gate. I really like the dark synthy feel of this song. Vocals are a bit off-time and off-tune. I think your lyrics have the most well-defined story of any of the songs. Big credit to you on that. Unexpected strings are welcome.

Ken's Festival Of Peskiness and Entitlement

Instantly catchy pop. While the verses are pleasant and breezy, it's the "aah" sigh of the chorus, so happy when it arrives, that's a joy. The real hook here is, of course, the guitar bit between verses and lines of lyrics within. You found the right amount of times and places to bring it in and out without over-staying its welcome. Close a couple times, maybe. And it has a relatively aggressive tone to boot. You could use that guitar tone on more of a hard rocker, and it would work. Lyrics lean a bit to the dark side, I guess, but remain optimistic, they work for me. Another song you could easily use in a lovey-dovey movie montage, slow motion running down the beach holding hands with your partner of choice. Very good, it must've been nice to have aaalll that extra time to do it.

Many thanks to all of the commentators, always appreciated whether good comments or otherwise. And nothing wrong with criticism, its what helps'ya learn and grow. Even old farts like me.

Just wanted to say, not defensively but, rather, explanatorily, that I almost kept my tune in the bank this week due to the vocal work. ADD mentioned hamminess or something, and I get it. In the short amount of time I spent on them, I was more concerned with trying to stretch the range, from low to high, versus maybe just skipping that challenge and doing a more comparatively linear melody. So, like I said above, lesson learned. Until I screw up in some other manner later, anyway. Thanks to all who listened and found something to like about it though. Cheers!

I think maybe the thing with my synth patch is its burbly attack and how it puts too much weight on the rhythm SI TTING IN THE. I chose the patch for the interlude between verses, and it works better there.

Paco, I spaced the optional challenge completely in my song and in my reviews. Props for tackling it.

Paco Del Stinko wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 29, 2020 7:00 am

Just wanted to say, not defensively but, rather, explanatorily, that I almost kept my tune in the bank this week due to the vocal work.

Just to clarify, I mentioned your vocals were odd, but I wasn't clear about the fact that I enjoyed them! I'm glad you posted your song.

add—I thought the synthy instrument was a little distracting. The song has a pleasant melody, and I like the vocal performances and arrangements. The mix feels clear and open, though I wish there was more low end on the drums.

Balls To Monte—I like the churny guitar and the earnest vocal. The vocal recording sounds a bit thin; I’m not sure whether this was a conscious creative decision. Nice 60s sound on this.

Brown Word and the Big Whine—Hooray, death metal vocal! Cool mix of heavy sound and lighthearted sensibility. I don’t know that I’d want to hear this a lot, but I had a smile on my face the whole time I was listening just now. I have to give this the overall thumbs up.

Evermind—The poet story was both funny and thought-provoking. The dual vocal sounded good. This feels like there’s a lot going on, despite the simple arrangement.

gizo—I love the vocal melody. It seems like the rest of the song is set up to support the vocal, which is a good decision, because the vocal is awesome. Very good work.

Kamakura—The audio clip was funny. With content this sad and troubling, I think the main song lyrics need to either be funny or heartbreaking, and this is neither. I appreciate the novelty of the arrangement, but I did miss the sound of more sustained instruments. The vocal mix was great, though.

Ken’s Super Duper Band ’n Stuff—Good melodies, especially in the chorus. This is a well-formed song. Top tier this fight. The “virtue/help you” non-rhyme was really cool.

Lichen Throat (me)—I wanted this to be haunting and disturbing, but it didn’t live up to my vision. I think it might have been a lot better in the hands of a more skilled vocalist. The lyrics are about the Battle of Savo Island on August 9, 1942, in which my grandfather was a participant.

Paco del Stinko—The vocal sounds surprisingly smooth, despite the variability in your singing technique. This is greater than the sum of its parts. Liked this one.

The Pannacotta Army—Your vocal is great. The quiet and loneliness of the atmosphere is immediately established. Overall quality of execution is very high. The atmosphere of the bridge doesn’t seem to quite fit with the rest of the song, but that’s a small quibble.

Phlebia—I’m impressed by your ability to make cohesive songs using weird, extreme effects that I would be apprehensive to try myself. This is super weird, but I think it mostly works.

seemanski—I love the intro and the guitar melody in general. I think the slightly weird doubled vocal is good, for the most part. The overall energy and feel are fantastic.

Sweeney Toad—I think this need a stronger vocal hook somewhere. The lyrical concept is good, and the doom-filled atmosphere fits well with it.

Tim Hinkle—The chord progression in the intro immediately hooked me. Your vocal is so rich and pure. The overall sound makes me imagine a couple dancing the tango in a desolate desert, for some reason.

Tomdg—This reminds me of early Midnight Oil (I really like Midnight Oil), which is probably not a comment you expected to get. Some of the vocal melodies are quite good; I’d like to hear them featured more. The mix seems to bring all the instruments close together; is there anything you could do to make them feel wider apart and more open?

WreckdoM—Yea, Coleridge! I like the organ provides both rhythm and a cool chord progression in the sections where it is prominent. This is among my favorites of yours.

lichenthroat wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 01, 2020 10:07 am

Tomdg—This reminds me of early Midnight Oil (I really like Midnight Oil), which is probably not a comment you expected to get.

Funnily enough, I thought of them this week (BLNY). Not so much the sound, but something they said about how the fight to restore the land stolen from original Australians was so important that they didn't feel able to honestly sing about anything else. It's not deliberate (on my part) but I felt if it was good enough for them, then I didn't need to beat myself up about it

Whoa, we have a rare 3-act tie on our hands. Congrats to add, Ken, and The Panna Cotta Army!

What a result! Awesome!! Big props to you all

Congrats to all three of you!

Mighty good job all!

Surprised ties don't happened more often
Thanks all and congrats to add and Ken's Super Duper (both of who I gave votes to)

Congrats to the winners. Very good songs, all.

this is a pleasant surprise! Congrats add and Panna Cotta!