Like a snake in the lass (Hiss and Hearse reviews)

j$ · Post by j$ » Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:45 am

Rabid Garfunkel wrote:Big Audio Dynamite.

Ooh! You know I hadn't thought of that, but now you say it, it seems obvious! I love BAD! Thanks!

j$

Niveous · Post by **Niveous** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:05 am

Niv's Review Paragraph

It's time for Hiss & Hearse. I'm excited about the lineup. First Brandon E. Please god, let there be a crescendo somewhere in this song. The rhythm of the guitar playing is gonna make me kill otherwise. Thankfully, there is one. It's not well done but it saves the song. Not a bad start to the fights this week. Next, Luke Henley. These lyrics don't mean anything do they? It's all Mars Volta random stuff, isn't it. Yet, just like the Mars Volta songs, this somehow works. Luke Henley has become one of my favorite songfighters. One-third is next. It's like someone found a rehearsal type from Ned's Atomic Dustbin or some other early 90's new-wave band. Short and it had a little something going. Below average. Next Draft. Drums came just at the right time as I was at the point of MEGO (My Eyes Glaze Over). Wait, that feeling is coming back. The vocals have no feeling and in the end, it's a well produced insomnia cure. Sell Crazy is next and brought some ska. It's ok but it's nothing to write home about. I'd probably enjoy it more live. Next up, J$. Life is the precum? The song has too much happy pop in it with the lyrics. I would've rathered the reappearance of Johnny Thrashpoint. Last up Rabid Garfunkel. The voice comes off as so campy where this needs Nick Cave or at least James Sclavunos. Vote time. Hmmm. Tough Call. I'm voting for Luke Henley, with #2 going to Brandon E and #3 going to Sell Crazy.

EightLeggedOedipus · Post by **EightLeggedOedipus** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:53 am

Brandon E.
+++ This is a cool band. Nice dynamics. Hammond +++
--- One of the guitars sounds out of tune by the second bridge, or maybe it's just a nasty chord. ---
/// I would like to hear this with a more practiced vocal take ///

Draft
+++ Ooh, I like the wave of static in the left ear. Oh, and drums with the open ringing distorted guitar. Pretty. +++
/// Your vocal is better than Devils or Merciless, whichever one you did two fights ago. ///
--- I still woudl liek to hear something more energetic. A point in the song where you let it all out. ---

Johnny Cashpoint
+++ I definitely like the lyrics, the rhymes, and the outro. +++
--- The chorus lacks that thing - that Johnny thing. Harmonies aren't working for me before the outro. ---
/// The happy stacatto noises throught the verse are a welcome addition. ///

Luke Henley
+++ I like the song, and these lyrics also really tickle me. Pontius Pilates. Jesus Jones in the Used Bin. +++
--- I'm wishing for a screaming section. Would Korn have ever gotten all those fans if Jonathon Davis used the pansy voice all the time? ---
+++ Good piano ending +++

One Third of the DAJ Collective
--- I tire of this. ---

Rabid Garfunkel
--- What is that sound? Is it supposed to be the hiss of an old record? Doesn't sound like natural vinyl. It sounds more like rubbing a computer mic on your shirt or something ---
+++ Guitar is OK +++

Sell Crazy
--- This boring and going nowhere. ---
+++ Oh my god! It went somewhere! New wave ska pop. Bonus points +++
--- Oh I'm bored again. ---
/// It could have easily been a minute and a half and it weould be a better song. I don't knwo if you're really into all those lyrics, but I'm not. I'd cut the first verse down and probably cut out all the backign vocal parts out. Get to "bring her back" by :40 at least. Do the second verse only two measures - 20 seconds max. Then you could maybe use the cut lyrics for a thrid verse that plays over piano instead fo the band. Then come back for third chorus, with the obligatory whole note key jump after four bars. ///

Oh shit, voting time. Um... coin toss: Brandon or Luke.

tonetripper · Post by **tonetripper** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:00 am

Niveous wrote:Draft. Drums came just at the right time as I was at the point of MEGO (My Eyes Glaze Over). Wait, that feeling is coming back. The vocals have no feeling and in the end, it's a well produced insomnia cure.

What do you mean when you say the vocals have no feeling? There's no expression in the delivery? I'm just curious as to what you think I should have felt in coinciding with the lyrics?

tonetripper · Post by **tonetripper** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:03 am

EightLeggedOedipus wrote:--- I still woudl liek to hear something more energetic. A point in the song where you let it all out. ---

Why would I want to do that? It seems to me that the energy is better served for the music in a reserved capacity. I'll save the letting it all out for another song. Thanks for the review.

EightLeggedOedipus · Post by **EightLeggedOedipus** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:17 am

tonetripper wrote:
EightLeggedOedipus wrote:--- I still woudl liek to hear something more energetic. A point in the song where you let it all out. ---
Why would I want to do that? It seems to me that the energy is better served for the music in a reserved capacity. I'll save the letting it all out for another song. Thanks for the review.

It's not the same "let it out" that Luke Henley could have used this week. I guess i'm just looking for the vulnerable part. Listening to this song, I really wanted to be moved - but wasn't. (That's still meant as a compliment. It's very different from just not being moved, mind you.)

Niveous · Post by **Niveous** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:30 am

tonetripper wrote:
Niveous wrote:Draft. Drums came just at the right time as I was at the point of MEGO (My Eyes Glaze Over). Wait, that feeling is coming back. The vocals have no feeling and in the end, it's a well produced insomnia cure.
What do you mean when you say the vocals have no feeling? There's no expression in the delivery? I'm just curious as to what you think I should have felt in coinciding with the lyrics?

At first the song had something. The first verse has some feeling with the nicely lingered notes but as the music intensifies the singing stays the same and it really should've grew in intensity with it. I'm not saying to go overboard but it needs to match up more. Have you ever heard Tom Jones & Portishead's version of "Motherless Child". It's a perfect example of what I mean. The music intensifies, the delivery intensifies but it doesn't take away from the sad power of the song. (If you have heard it PM me and I'll send it to ya).

tonetripper · Post by **tonetripper** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:55 am

I guess the feeling I was going for was somewhat of a cold distance from the relationship that went the wrong way. The whole song is suppose to be a reflection of those feelings and the pain that was instilled by what a significant other had done so long ago, and the train was symbolic of moving on with that.

I find it interesting that you and Niv seem to share the same feeling about the song and the vocal delivery. I guess in hindsight I could've reached farther out than I did in the expression, but it just didn't seem to sit right with the character that I was trying to portray. Cold isolation was an emotional bent I was going for. I appreciate the clarification on both your reviews. Thanks for that.

As far as that Portishead track goes Niv, send me a link via PM if you can or email me an mp3 or something. It would be cool to hear where you are coming from on that point. Cheers!

Bolio · Post by **Bolio** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 12:06 pm

Brandon E – Verse vocal contains a neat hook, glad you used it as the motif with the acoustic guitar too. Chorus is very interesting, sounds on the edge of falling apart in the rhythm but you pull it off. Is that organ in tune with everything else? If it is, I’d like to hear it louder, important part imo. Absolutely love the dynamic changes throughout. Good drum production.

Draft – I like the added guitar after the song gets going. I’d like to hear some variation in vocal style/effects to make it feel like more of the song. As it is, it sounds like one instrument track & one vocal track imo. ON A FEW MORE LISTENS I’m actually liking the contrast between those guitar sweeps & the steady vocal style. Not a fan of the ending, a fading acoustic guitar outro would suit it well.

J$ - Love that addictive poppy eighties synth line. Major points for the off-the-wall drum rhythm in the chorus…. Very hard to dance to but you pulled it off effectively. Not much of a hook here. I’ll go back & listen again for the drums & synth, but that’s pretty much it.

Luke Henley – That piano throughout the whole song would have made it 100% more palatable for me.

One Third Of The DAJ Collective - Production police called. Noise ordinance violated. 145.33 of the penal code ‘not being to be able to hear what the hell is going in this possibly very cool song.’

Rabid – Scratchy effect is very annoying. Makes me cringe the whole way through. Slide guitar is a great touch, pretty cool lyrics. But I can’t help but focus on that static because it’s there.. & it’s loud & in front.

Sell Crazy – Nice intro. I’m a big fan of style/tempo changes within a song & this is right there. The snare fill into the chorus is classic. Good melody. Wish there were lyrics posted. As it is I’ll just hum along with the melody I guess.

1. Brandon E
2. Sell Crazy
3. Draft

WeaselSlayer · Post by **WeaselSlayer** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 12:55 pm

Hahaha, I hate the Mars Volta but thanks Niv. Anyway, I review now:

Johnny Cashpoint - This is a really good kind of goofy, like sinister goofy. I like the kinda fucked-up beat right where it picks up at the chorus. The chorus kind of reminds me of Zappa actually, which is a hell of a thing. Granted it's like kind of a cheesier more coked-out-80s Zappa sound. Anyway, fun fun.

One Third of the DAJ Collective - I really fucking dig this, and maybe it's just because I hear a kindred spirit in you. Like a "fuck having the music sound GOOD" spirit. The slide guitar is a fucking crucial addition, but the tinny trashy guitar/drum machine backup keeps it all strung together. I just really like this a lot.

Brandon E. - Good sound, although the guitar sounds just a little cold and distant. It doesn't bug me that much, it's more an observation. The way the guitar does that little discordant slide down is really good. Aw here we go, with the drums kicking in. This is really great. Aw it just got even better. God damn. You built yourself up very well sir, good great job. It didn't even drag on or not go anywhere after the climax, just came down nice and smooth. Not a huge fan of the lyrics is the only catch I think.

Draft - You sound like Papa M! I love Papa M! Like, your voice even sounds a little like David Pajo, but maybe a little huskier? I dunno. Anyway, this is really eerie and good. The like... staticky sound? Awesome addition. And when the drums hit I see myself driving down a highway thinking about my murdered lover. Vengeance on my brain.

Luke Henley (me) - I think this ranks up there with some of my best work, even if the lyrics are complete bullshit. I had fun playing with phasing on the piano part, but I think I did it too subtly. Anyway, I think I'm starting to take some of you guys' advice.

Rabid Garfunkel - Are you the devil? I hope so, I'd fuckin' murder some children in a barn for you. Master. Anyway, this is some great eerie staticky shit, but it doesn't keep my attention all the way through. I think that's more my problem than yours.

Sell Crazy - The opening riff makes this sound like the song that you announce you're going to play and like the local bar is all "YEAAAAH" because it's like your little song that everyone loves. I would definitely be among those shouting "YEAAAAH." This is really great and fun. The harmonies are really subtle in a very good way.

I'm really glad to be in this fight. I liked every song.

Dan Wrekenhaus 2 · Post by **Dan Wrekenhaus 2** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 1:35 pm

The slide guitar is a fucking crucial addition, but the tinny trashy guitar/drum machine backup keeps it all strung together. I just really like this a lot.

I wasn't involved in the making of this, but my sources tell me that the afforementioned 'drum machine' is actually made with the infamous SK-1.

gduncan · Post by **gduncan** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 2:13 pm

Bolio wrote: As it is I’ll just hum along with the melody I guess.

Hum no longer. I've just posted the lyrics here. Thanks for your comments, that goes for everyone else too.

Cheers,

Gareth.

socialist_wolf · Post by **socialist_wolf** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 2:38 pm

Hi, I'm Andrew, I occasionally collaborate with Luke. Remember all those noisy, obnoxious, disgustingly under-produced (un-produced?) tracks we put in under about ten different names? Yeah, that was half my fault. Anyway, here are my thoughts on this colossus of a fight:

Sell Crazy - Man, I'm loving the mid-90s indie rock vibe you've got going on. I'm a sucker for this kind of really melodic guitar. The bass work fits perfectly. Ooh, I love the shift into the faster 4/4 right at the chorus. Handclaps? Fuck yes. You've got it going on.

Brandon E. - My first reaction is that if you slowed the tempo down just a few notches for the beginning of this, it would be a lot better. That's just personal preference though. As it stands, I love the way this builds up. Nice melody at the beginning, though I think the minor chord at the end of the first lick kind of detracts from the moody, emotive melodicism of this bit. But that's just a minor complaint. Overall, this is some good stuff.

Rabid Garfunkel - The last thing I was expecting to hear in this fight was faux-Delta blues! This is great, I love your voice and your guitar playing. I think the delivery could be a little more passionate, but then, that might detract from the creepiness. I love the backwoods spaciousness of this arrangement, and the old-dusty-vinyl-brick-78 static the whole way through is a wonderful touch. Nice work.

Johnny Cashpoint - Haha, love the new-wave vibe. Man, these lyrics are absurd! The jerky drum beat in the chorus sounds like vintage New Order produced by Richard D. James. This isn't much but a well-crafted little morsel of 80s synth-pop, but sometimes, that's exactly what we need. Fun stuff.

Draft - Ooh, Luke was spot-on when he compared this to Papa M. This definitely has a lot of that folky Appalachian kind of sound, which happens to be one of my absolute favorites. Shit, when the drums and electric guitar hit, this flat-out kicks ass. Absolutely beautiful, this is definitely my favorite song so far. You've got a wonderful thing going here, please keep it up.

1/3 of the DAJ Collective - Mmm, I like this a lot. Not having a strong beat makes this feel really airy and skeletal, even with the synth fuzz and the disco-y bassline. This is like dance punk that got its legs cut off.

Luke Henley - I love Luke Henley, and this is him at his spare, lo-fi, abrasive best. The lyrics are fucking great, I especially love the line about "Pontius Pilates" and the Sun Ra reference. Man, the out of sync piano makes this tune. You just keep getting better and better.

Man, this was a hell of a fight. Why can't there be more songs like this?

boltoph · Post by **boltoph** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 3:16 pm

YEAH LUKE!!! YEAH DRAFT!!! I'm sorry to just be YEAH'ing but that's just the way I feel. YEAH!!!

...more feeling...more feeling...

Daj Werkenhorse 1 · Post by **Daj Werkenhorse 1** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 4:59 pm

Thanks for the kind words for those of you that had them.

For the other of you:
What is your crazy attitude that everything has to sound GREAT and produced? That's baloney. Some of the best music out there is lo-fi. I don't do it as well as them, but it shouldn't be the deciding factor on whether you like something.

Look for:
Guitar Wolf
Supercharger
The 1,4,5s
Pretty much anything on RipOff Records . . . .

HeuristicsInc · Post by **HeuristicsInc** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 5:04 pm

Some people like good production, and bad production can ruin an otherwise good song. Yeah, like one of your collective's songs from last week. Different people like different things.
-bill

j$ · Post by j$ » Tue Apr 05, 2005 5:04 pm

Daj Werkenhorse 1 wrote:What is your crazy attitude that everything has to sound GREAT and produced? .

I think you'll find, certainly in my review, the point was this song would sound better if better produced, not all songs. it's actually quite traditionally structured, and the lo-fi production doesn't add anything to this particular song.

j$

erik · Post by **erik** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 5:12 pm

Daj Werkenhorse 1 wrote:What is your crazy attitude that everything has to sound GREAT and produced?

What is your crazy attitude that everyone who doesn't like a song with lo-fi production values is solely using the fact that the song is lo-fi as the reason to dislike it?

Sharon, a Democrat with herpes: Hey, you might have gotten herpes from me.
John, who slept with Sharon: Gawd, I hate you, Sharon.
Sharon: Why do you hate Democrats, John?

tonetripper · Post by **tonetripper** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 5:41 pm

WeaselSlayer wrote:Draft - And when the drums hit I see myself driving down a highway thinking about my murdered lover. Vengeance on my brain.

Nice dude. Nice. I might have to post this on my new web site. Thanks for the review.

Daj Werkenhorse 1 · Post by **Daj Werkenhorse 1** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 6:02 pm

15-16 you make quite a good point!

roymond · Post by **roymond** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 6:11 pm

Daj Werkenhorse 1 wrote: For the other of you:
What is your crazy attitude that everything has to sound GREAT and produced? That's baloney. Some of the best music out there is lo-fi. I don't do it as well as them, but it shouldn't be the deciding factor on whether you like something.

I often mention production values in one of two contexts:

1) I am damn impressed that someone at home produced something so well. Especially some of the thick arrangements, where either mix and mastering elements are so successful. It's not a requirement, I'm just impressed and a lot of music gains by it. shouldn't be a crutch. I am also impressed by very simple production. clear and direct. so I'll mention this.

2) I feel bad production, whether out of necessity, inexperienc, or ignorance, can often hold a song back and I think about how great it would be to hear it produced well. And good production doesn't mean "sound like a commercial CD". but it does care about hiss, crappy edits and bad EQ. So i'll mention this.

WeaselSlayer · Post by **WeaselSlayer** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 6:12 pm

tonetripper wrote:
WeaselSlayer wrote:Draft - And when the drums hit I see myself driving down a highway thinking about my murdered lover. Vengeance on my brain.
Nice dude. Nice. I might have to post this on my new web site. Thanks for the review.

Thank you for the song, I've been listening to it a lot.