y = f(x) = C(a^(-x)) (rate of decay reviews)

[Stubby Phillips]

Did you go get a snack at 2:00?

yeah, I can detach my hand Thing-style and left it to play guitar while I went and got some pie & mash.

I'm going to go get a Burger and Squirt.

[Middlemarch]

Did you go get a snack at 2:00?

yeah, I can detach my hand Thing-style and left it to play guitar while I went and got some pie & mash.

I was Thing for Halloween one year. Easiest costume ever.

[j$]

Did you go get a snack at 2:00?

yeah, I can detach my hand Thing-style and left it to play guitar while I went and got some pie & mash.

I was Thing for Halloween one year. Easiest costume ever.

You look like The Thing?

Where were you when they were casting that CGI abomination in the movie, then?

[Middlemarch]

You look like The Thing?
Where were you when they were casting that CGI abomination in the movie, then?

No, no This Thing.

[Kweep]

chin music - nice tune! cool dobro/slide. is that a guitar or an autoharp?

espoons - fun sound... kinda hard to get the lyrics, though. i dig it.

8LO - really nice vox and lyrics... cool tune. vote?

Gwil - pretty cool... good vox and drum tones... that guitar tone is kinda annoying, though.

j rog - yay birdies! not really doin much for me. some of the lyrics ("multiplied a thousand times") are too forced/rushed...

lake city - alright sounds... almost has a kinda 'the oneders' vibe... almost kinda.

malchicks - pretty ok. great vox performance (the vox tone isn't doin' it for me though)... overall i dig it aight.

medmonk - pretty funny and awesome lyrics. needs mix work bigtime, though. compressors are your friend.

melvin - your vox sound sweet! pretty sharp lyrical knife ya got there... great call usin' mr. big stuff. vote?

menbah - the rythmic looseness is really distracting. ok over all i guess... vox are too hot for my taste but the lyrics are alright... not into the noodle fest solo either.

rattpoizON - sweetly frightening... frighteningly heavy... heavily creepy... and back to frighteningly heavy... my fav of yers so far! vote?

rone - angry angry angry... kinda works for ya...

smalltown mike - great track man. sweet vox and lyrics. great production/mix. pretty sure this is where my vote is goin.

beers in space - very cool track... great sounds and vibe. all it needs is some mouth percussion heh.

special relatives - hugely cacophonistic... and it's over...

starchild - cool sounds... the vox get annoying pretty fast though. it's alright i guess.

steve d - cool horns... really nice horn part/solo section... not really doin much for me otherwise.

frisbee - pretty cool. nice melody. i like the drums where they are, almost beatles-y (though they could stand a little high end boost and it woulda been cool to hard pan the bass to the other side).

tmk - nice! noisey! sweet beep boop boop boop beeps! i love the guitar part, man! yeah, really nice.

well, i'm sure glad i wasn't in this fight! lots and lots of really quality stuff here.

[Steve Durand]

Steef Durand
kinda cool, not my flavor. the brass section is nice.... how do you guys do that? is that all computer stuff? Ratt Poizon needs an orchestra. that sounds real though. very real. I like herb alpert and the tijuana brass.... ALOT. if I had to pick a favorite, I'd pick Zorba the Greek. wow!!!! did you screw something up on that guitar solo a bit? maybe not... I don't know... I'd drink 5 beers with you.

Yes, real horns.

You like Herb Alpert? I wasn't aware that he did any Death Metal.

Go in the archive and listen to my "Pink Skirt" tune. It is a homage to Herb Alpert.

I probably screwed up lots of things on the guitar. I am still a beginner on the guitar.

As far as the beers go, I'll buy.

Steve

[Smalltown Mike]

Thanks for the Frisbee
Quite cool, great vocals. I agree the drums are too hardpanned right and the guitar and other instruments need to come up in the mix. The guitar sounds a little distant, if that makes any sense. But great work.

Starchild
Pretty quiet. Some really great lines here, though your vocals are really mumbled at times. Sounds like you’re popping a bit here and there, too—too close to the mic. But some great lines, a stronger chorus needed, nice work, hope to hear more from you

Rone
This is one of the better tunes I’ve heard from you, but you sound a little bit out of place bragging about rocking the mic. I also don’t really get the title—what’s the rate of decay? It seems just stuck in there to fit the title. It also drives me nuts—and this is a personal thing, I’m sure—when rappers write verses they can’t do all at once. It drives me nuts when it’s obvious they did these four lines, then recorded these and tacked them together. In the very least, you should be able to kick the whole verse at once. Uh, yo.

Ratt Poizon
It would be nice if the vox were a little clearer/louder. As a lovely ballad with horrifying lyrics, it would work. But then the metal kicks in. I dig it OK, but it should come in with a punch, but it actually sounds like it might be quieter than the ballad part. None of the parts mesh, either. It sounds like a couple different songs patched together. I’d love to hear you do a full tune in metal some day. That’s what I’d like.

8LO
Nice. Definitely a keeper. Your vocals sound great. All good.

Those Meddling Kids
The drums don’t match the urgency of the noisy parts of this track. Drums sound very light. Dig the bleeps in my head. Some of this seems really disjointed though, like everything doesn’t really go together. Aaaand I’m not so crazy about the ending.

Steve Durand
Always love the horns. Those are some crazy fills in the percussion—not bad, just odd. This is a cool tune, strange groove to it. Nice bassline. Drums could maybe come up a bit.

Special Relatives
There is much clipping in them vox. It would be nice to hear some percussion, but the lyrics are really making me lose interest. Nice guitar, though.

Menbah!
Fantastic bassline, but I really don’t like that beat. Great voice, but this could really benefit from some variety in the length and style of the lines in the verse. Nice chorus—that beat is still throwing me off. I really wish you had kept it simple—without the rocking guitar—through the whole thing. I definitely like the first half more than the second half, but great voice throughout. Nice—I always like to hear a little swearing in a song.

MedMonk
Mumble mumble mumble. This is really hard to hear.

Lake City
There seem to be some real timing issues in this, which throws everything a little off. There are also a lot of cliches. It could also have used some sort of bridge right where it ended—I expected more. Nice use of harmonies

Jolly Roger
The bird chirping is strange in a nice way. “Multiplied a thousand timesâ€

[rone rivendale]

Rone
This is one of the better tunes I’ve heard from you, but you sound a little bit out of place bragging about rocking the mic. I also don’t really get the title—what’s the rate of decay? It seems just stuck in there to fit the title. It also drives me nuts—and this is a personal thing, I’m sure—when rappers write verses they can’t do all at once. It drives me nuts when it’s obvious they did these four lines, then recorded these and tacked them together. In the very least, you should be able to kick the whole verse at once. Uh, yo.

I suppose I'm not exactly the master of mic rocking lol, but you can't go into a battle thinking you're going to lose right?

The 'Rate of decay' in my verse is a metaphore(sp?) for the person with which I'm battle raping in this song. He sucks and with each line he gets worse and worse. There are a few different lines if you read the lyrics on the lyric thread that support that.

Your right about me recording it a few lines at a time. I don't have much wind in my lungs. I just can't do a whole song or even a full verse without losing my breath and I'd rather not have a bunch of heavy breathing mixed in with my lyrics. I usually try to record a couple lines at a time and rerecord and rerecord it until I like it.

I enjoyed all the reviews I've gotten so far. They've been really descriptive and pretty split so far. I don't care if you like me or hate me, just as long as you're willing to explain why.

Reviews of my own will come tomorrow night. I'll TRY to be descriptive myself although that's something I've had a hard time with in the past.

[Middlemarch]

G. Williker
Is that drums on demand? Nice production, great voice. It’s true; it is a typical straight ahead rock song, but so what? It’s a good one.

Yes, it is DoD! Man, good ears. I really like the setup. It's not very tweakable, but it's quick and easy.

On to more reviews....
Malchicks
Thin sounds, not much bass, but a very cool tune. The mix has problems, but I like the groove.....<time passes>...yeah, now the riff if getting to me. Needs variation. Otherwise, fun tune.

Smalltown Mike
I give you credit for all the freestyle dum-dum-ditty stuff. I'm having a hard time commenting, b/c this just isn't for me. Hmmm...okay, I like the bass line, some of the lyrics, but there's not much variation, so I keep wanting to turn it down. Headache.

Starchild
I like the dink-dink piano. The voice is annoying. If someone effects their vocals, it better work really, really well, in my opinion. I'm having a hard time even following the lyrics, just b/c the vox is....sorry, man.

Steve Durand
I am so impressed with the horn playing. You get extra, extra credit because they're real. I like the bass, I like the distant vocals, I like the melody. Lyrics are a bit spacey, but that's okay. Nice tune.

Menbah!
Nice bass. I'm not crazy about the lyrics. The vocals are good, but a bit in your face. I like where the guitars kick in louder. Tremolo is always a bonus.

MedMonk
Hmmm....I really don't like spoken-word songs. You're too close to the mic. Why not sing? Sorry, man.

Jolly Roger
This reminds me of my songs like 15 years ago, so I have a soft spot for it. Nice backing vox in the 2nd chorus, but I don't like the spoken part. AH! There's the whistling. I like it. Good work.

Why do I always end up in the most populated, competitive fights? Ah, well. The more entries, the more reviews, the more opportunity to improve, right? Very good fight everyone, and thanks for the feedback.

[j$]

Johnny Cashpoint’s Space Pub
It’s funny, had you not talked so much about King Tubby, I don’t think I would have connected this song to dub. I expected it to be more reggae with way more reverb and delay like Tubby used to do.

I agree, I brought that on myself, didn't I? Consider me a fanboy who's got really excited to discover the world of King Tubby, and I dashed right in and tried to recreate some of it. Didn't get it exactly right, it's a surprisingly tricky genre - I guess that's why King Tubby is a rightly recognised dub genius and I'm ... errr ... not. I like the place where this ended up at, although i'd be the first to admit it's not space dub. I think I knew that, subconsciously at least, with the 'Space Pub' name ....

I'll keep trying!

oh and

reviews for everyone but The Space Pub

Or did I miss it?

j$

[Paco Del Stinko]

This is my second review. I listened to the songs three times each over same amount of days. Look for me next fight to initiate me into the fold.

Chin Music - Not as paranoid as me. We should remember this one when we're sitting on the rubble of what once was.
Eclectic Spoons - If the voice decayed a bit slower it might line up with the almost cheery music.
Eight Leg Oed - I'd like a bottle of wine and a lazy afternoon in which to drink along with this. Claves so cut through.
G. Wiliker - Borderline skank guitar...mmm...Toss in a few woo-hoo-hoos and it's up and over.
Jolly Roger - Nice moods, good ideas. Ask Elvis to do your next spoken word bit which, I might add, I enjoyed.
Lake City - Pleasant lead voice could ask nicely for a few nuts and bolts to be tightened in an enjoyable tune.
Malchicks - Ask Yukki Gipes to sing, turn up the guitars even louder and make'm beg fer mercy! Swoozy and face punchingly good.
MedMonk - Maybe the doctor can adjust the Monks' meds.
Melvin - I am a former Toughskins guy and could never wear baggy pants, but put them together and you get a relaxed fit.
Menbah - Articulate mix although I wanted to ask your nice voice to take a step backwards and ask the drummer to kick a little harder.
RattPoizon - Pick a song...any song. Or: I dunno, what does a segue? I LOVE dive bombs. Crank the next one. Uh, please, that is.
Rone Riverdale - You and E-Spoons must either love or hate each other. Just a tad -bit cold.
Smalltown Mike - This could be playing in the car that's doing the drive-by. I feel nice and uncomfortable. Well balanced.
Space Pub - Space... the final frontier. Something barely borders on stiff, but it gets right inside that spot on your neck that tickles in a white light kind of way.
Special Relatives - I'm glad that the party played the same song together this week.
Starchild - I'd like this more if there were an occasional zephyr of melody that wafted through.
Steve Durand - 1st two bass notes made me think porn, but it instantly classes up so nicely with the horns, progression and arrangement(s). Nice.
Thanks Frisbee - Lots of goodness within, and on top of, a box or two. Neyat-neyat-neyat-neyat-neyat.
Those Med Kids - Nice crayons. I'm not being sarcastic.

Paco will vote by secret ballot after further considertion and review. Thank you.

[Nigel (spOOn) Clements]

Okay I said I'd do this and am about to, so I'll just do it...now!

After much deliberation, and a multitude of listens, here's a brief appraisal (stop waffling man!)...

19. MedMonk: Weakest here... but, I'd consider this a most interesting idea.

18. spOOns: Yeah right!, I'd consider this to be what it is.

17. Special Relatives: Charming and over so quickly, I'd consider this what happened to the other 1:45.

16. Jolly Roger: personally the whistling never worked with me, but I'd consider this attempted tear-jerker of the week.

15. Rone: Static non-mover, I'd consider this in the same boat as me.

14. Starchild: I keep getting lost in this, I'd consider this too many ideas.

13. Malchicks: Never won me over, but never lost me either, I'd consider this head nodder of the week.

12. MENBAH!: Didn't click as well after several listens, I'd consider this an unpolished semi-precious stone.

11. Lake City: Still can't get past the instrumental bits and HMHB, I'd consder this for the I'm singing a different song in my head award.

10. Chin Music: Actually quite a giggly number, I'd consider this happy chappy of the week.

9. Ratt Poizon: Paste parts 2 and 4 together and put part 1 in the middle, forget part 3 and this is superb, I'd consider this disjointed.

8. ELO: The bok got less annoying and my head tells me WOW!, I'd consider this possible opus.

7. Steve Durand: First rate if a touch stale in parts, I'd consider this why don't you enter the Manilowfight?!?

6. J$: Kept getting better with each listen then hit a brick wall, I'd consider this a work in progress.

5. Frisbee's: Absolutely adore this dreamy stuff, I'd consider this 1968 of the week award.

4. Melvin: Super sweet but yeah it's got borrowed written through the core, I'd consider this getting on the bus to the next level.

3. G.Williker: Only gets better, but the draggy bit still drags, I'd consider this Indiepop bites back.

2. TMK: Still missing the squeaky puppets, but the inanity of this wins me through, I'd consider this could be indie kids of the moment.

1. Smalltown Mike: Just keeps getting better, I'd consider this finished and in the tin.

Finally I'd like to say a few words about... (shut the fuck up and get off the stage).

[JAK]

"is that a guitar or an autoharp?" asked kweep -- Actually, it's just a gutstring guitar (open) tuned very low -- then sped up for the final mix. This because of a mistake, but I work so very slowly that for me songfight is strictly a first-draft sort of environment (that is, I have to use first-drafty takes a lot). Anyway, raising the pitch of the tracks also raised my voice to mickymouse levels, so I used a filter against the voice (the filter introduces, um, "soulfulness") so when the track was increased in speed the voice sounds almost normal again. It's like stumbling thru your closet to get dressed. An *accidental* Peter Cook effect to the voice.

Thank you for your reviews..

[Middlemarch]

illiker"] reviews for everyone but The Space Pub

Or did I miss it?

j$

No, you didn't miss it. I did. I wrote one, but in copying and pasting the reviews, yours got cut. Sorry. Here it is.

Space Pub:
You sound like Billy Bragg (sorry if you take that as an insult--it's not meant to be one). The song is spacey and pubby all at the same time. It has a cute little beat, a British-poppy sound. I like the call/response style of singing and the echo.

(in the time since I first wrote this, yours is one of the songs that has stuck in my mind, along w/8lo & TFTF, which is a good thing.)

[j$]

Thanks! And I like Billy Bragg a lot, so no insult. (although he's from Barking and I'm from Sarf London, it's only about 20 miles away so I'll let you off this once )

j$

[Middlemarch]

Thanks! And I like Billy Bragg a lot, so no insult. (although he's from Barking and I'm from Sarf London, it's only about 20 miles away so I'll let you off this once )

j$

I was a huge BB fan way back in high school. A guy with a thick accent and only a beat-up electric guitar singing about politics -- A New England, Strange Things Happen, From a Vauxhall Velox, St. Swithin's Day...I love those songs.

[Kweep]

"is that a guitar or an autoharp?" asked kweep -- Actually, it's just a gutstring guitar (open) tuned very low -- then sped up for the final mix. This because of a mistake, but I work so very slowly that for me songfight is strictly a first-draft sort of environment (that is, I have to use first-drafty takes a lot). Anyway, raising the pitch of the tracks also raised my voice to mickymouse levels, so I used a filter against the voice (the filter introduces, um, "soulfulness") so when the track was increased in speed the voice sounds almost normal again. It's like stumbling thru your closet to get dressed. An *accidental* Peter Cook effect to the voice.

Thank you for your reviews..

well, it sounds really cool! i would never have guessed there was so much manipulation... and that in itself is worth some kudos!

[<3]

I am bored at work, and don't feel like working, so coming up are reviews from me! Well maybe not reviews so much as just things that stick out at me. I am only listening to this fight because I'm very interested in J$'s space dub! And so a lot of my reviews are negative and I hate that but oh well. u.u

@electricspOOns - I can't understand your words! And the melody is a bit annoying! But I like the record scratching later on. There needs to be more of that I think? And less of everything else?

Chin Music - I like the sparse instrumentation and it's a nice low-key mellow song. The lyrics don't really hold my attention though. You are telling a story which I can tell but it is about malcontents and vice presidents and instant messaging or something. I guess that I get that it's all about pervasive surveillance or something so... well okay this song did at least tell something to me!

Eight Legged Oedipus - The open hihat sounds on your drum machine detract from what is otherwise a very nice minimal electric drum beat. I think you should not use them because they sound out of place. I love the doubled vocals and the early-Beck-ish feel to this song though.

G. Williker - This is kind of boring... Is this supposed to be different from any other 4/4 rock song? It reminds me a lot of a lot of early Breaker Breaker for some reason though!

Jolly Roger - When I was a lot younger I would always mess around with trying to make things that sounded like real guitar strumming in sample-based sequencers and the guitaring on this sounds very much like that! But even though it makes me nostalgic I do not think it sounds very good. Whistling is always good though! Also music about math. But I heard too much of that in Safety In Numbers.

Lake City - Hey there is a place near to where I live called Lake City! I am wondering if you are maybe named after that Lake City or if it is a different Lake City. I bought my car in Lake City! Also this song seemed very short. Possibly because it was. But the song still sounds like pretty much half of the stuff that's come from Song Fight which is a pattern I am seeing in this fight so far. Hm.

Malchicks - your name makes me think that you are a group of angry girl rockers, but your song makes me think you just want to write songs which sound like they'd be played by angry girl rockers, but you're not very angry sounding. So it doesn't really work. Maybe an underproduced version of something Sven Mullet or Eddiebangs would do? This just doesn't capture my interest. A definite pattern. Hm! ^_^

Medmonk - You start out with clipping and then have mumbly muddy vocals spoken too close to a microphone which also clips and needs a pop filter! This hurts my ears too. u.u

Melvin - Yay! Finally something different! I really like hiphoppy grooves and this is a very good one to finally make me happy for this fight. Nice and bouncy rhythm, good sparse instrumentation. Very motown! Also funny samples and lyrics. Nice chorus too! And making fun of Song Fight reviewers which is funny. Fake Internet drama is better than the real kind!

MENBAH! - I just like saying your name out loud! MENBAH! MEENNNNNNNNBAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! A nice infectious bassline gets my interest right away too. I am not sure if you can combine units like will strength and decay rate though. Is it supposed to be an estimation of how long you'll last compared your adversary per the Poisson distribution? (If so then yay! I like fish!)

Ratt Poizon - This starts out sounding like it's going to be something dark and moody but then it turns into a love ballad? Very strange! The drums sound kinda off though, like they're coming in a quarter of a beat late. Eep then it turns into metal suddenly? Should these really be in the same song? This is like an odd scratch pad entry or something like that. And now it's a third song? This is not Sonata Fight!

Rone Rivendale - When you are saying "You suck so go away" are you talking to yourself? This is not very impressive. It is posturing. And not very good posturing. Try using more than one syllable per beat please! Funky fresh flow needs not being constipated.

Smalltown Mike - This makes me think of Rage Against The Machine being fronted by the cloned fusion of MC Frontalot and Chris on American Idol! Though I get bored halfway through. Sorry

Space Pub - Is this finally Johnny Cashpoint? It is starting out pretty cool and YAY JOHNNY! I think this is your best song ever. Very cool instrumentation and arrangement and your singing is feeling more natural and less forced which is always good (though I think you still have a lot of work to do there). Cute and whimsical melody. This is just too short though!

The Special Relatives - This one is pretty cute! I like the dissonantly weird guitar playing combined with the big chorus of voices singing more or less the same thing. Maybe a little short, but if it were longer it may not have been so good. So, pretty good!

Starchild - Oooooo random noise collages are kinda cool, especially when they turn into minimal hiphop. I like your choice of piano plinking noises and then you actually do have some flow that is funky! But lines like "You have only fifty cent and so I give you a dollar" or however it was are kind of played out because you know 50 Cent has been around a LONG TIME. But then you start making weird metaphors about video game systems and it gets longer and longer and longer... OKAY WHAT IS WITH HIP-HOP SONGS ALWAYS BEING ABOUT HOW GOOD YOUR HIP-HOP IS? That is BORING. We don't care how good you think you are! Show don't tell!

Steve Durand - Yay! Classic style of funk style white boy! I don't care for the lounge act singing though. But it is about cosmology and quantum mechanics and love and those are all favorite topics of mine. I feel like there need to be more background noises or something though. Maybe some ambient texture tracks especially towards the end-ish?

Thanks For The Frisbee (you are welcome!) - I actually like this song except for one thing... put the microphone closer to the drums. I like your singing and the lyrics and the overall arrangement and I just want the drums to sound like they're not at the bottom of a well that's been padded with a few tons of toilet paper and then sealed with gigantic tampons. (Is that even making sense? I don't know!) I think this one might actually be getting my vote though... O.o

Those Meddling Kids - Oh my goodness! It's so dissonance! And beepy! Bleepy beep bleep! Very cute. It reminds me much of some songs on the Katamari Damacy soundtrack, only you are not singing about things being bundled up or making puns on the word "Katamari" so! Hm.

So I don't know who I will be voting for or if I will even be voting but so there are definitely a few good songs in this fight but it is mostly big and boring...

[MENBAH!]

> I just like saying your name out loud! MENBAH! MEENNNNNNNNBAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

Thanks! That's the idea. Inscrutable but enthusiastic... like my music. In fact, my record starts with a short track of people just shout-singing it over a cheesy fanfare. (:

Reviews in a few.

[MENBAH!]

Note to all: I'm typing as I listen, so you aren't gonna see a lot about your lyrics 'cause I'm not really hearing them. Sorry I don't have more time.

Chin Music - Quite successful in hitting its rather unambitious target, and not unenjoyable. Could use a bridge or something, and some more varied instrumentation.

Eclectic Spoons - Needs a Thomas Dolby remix. Quite new-wavy and probably fun, if I could hear what you're talking about. If I'm not mistaken, your percussion track is in a different time signature than your song, which is a nice effect.

8LO - Good laid-back pop. I shall put this on my beer-drinking, hanging-out playlist. However, I don't hang out and drink beer very often, and my lack of enthusiasm for the song reflects this. Good for what it is. I especially like the lackadaisical quality of the vocals--almost like accidental syncopation in a few places.

G. Williker - I do enjoy a nice distorted preverb intro. The percussion track is perfect for the style, and the overall vibe smacks of Gin Blossoms/Better Than Ezra/Sugar/Meat Puppets/Matthew Sweet. I like to listen to these artists occasionally, but not regularly. I liked it a lot more in the mid-'90s. Yeah, nothing particularly distinctive about this one, but it's quite listenable.

Jolly Roger - I like the minor chords right off the bat--especially contrasted with the major-key chorus. I feel like the production is more lo-fi than the composition wants it to be, so I'd certainly polish it if possible. The drums sound particularly trashy in the syncopated break part, but the whistly outro, especially juxtaposed against the bird songs, nearly overcome that. I like this one.

Lake City - Most of what I said about G. Williker's song applies here as well. The vocals are too hot, but the nice hooky melody in the chorus is... umm... nice. In fact, I like it a lot. Yeah. G. Williker, if you're still reading, take notes from this song.

Malchicks - I heart the garage-rock guitar tone. It got me right away. The vocals are a bit less engaging, but the melody fits the mood well. Have you ever heard Gumball? I like Gumball, and this sounds like them, only more exciting. The lead guitar in the background gives a lot of texture, which the song needs. This is one of my favorites.

Medmonk - What everyone else said. Interesting idea, poor execution. Not everyone can be Vincent Price, about which I'm kinda glad.

Melvin - Naturally, I listened more closely to the lyrics of this one--sorry, everyone else. Try rapping. Anyway, the sample is great because it's bouncy of its own accord, and if you happen to be familiar with the original song (most are), it gives an extra little "oh yeah, I get it," because it fits the theme of the song. It's nice to hear a relevant sample sometimes. This is really well done, and one of my favorites.

ME! - As for the "noodlefest" guitar solo, it was my first priority for things to change if I'd had another hour. As for the song, it's very different from anything I've done before, except that it's written from the point of view of an unreliable narrator. He claims to be patient, then threatens violence in the next verse. Go dude.

Ratt Poizon - The song is of an era, and it's the era promised by your name, so thanks for not catching me off guard. Once the metal starts, I have no idea what the hell you're saying--so I guess it's good metal. I'm totally not qualified to judge. Anyway, the acoustic part was well arranged, though the vocals could have come out front more.

Rone Rivendale - Were you trying not to flow? I'm pretty sure you couldn't have done a better job if you had been. Homework: take the instrumental, which intrigues me, and make a better song out of it.

Smalltown Mike - Really good, but you probably know that. Moving on...

Space Pub - Fine. I called you Space Pub. I felt weird doing it, but I hope you're happy (: I don't hear this as being too far removed from your usual style--just a bit jammier and sunshinier. Anyway, I like it quite a bit. It's all upbeat and stuff. The perfect length too.

Special Relatives - Smoke some weed, hit "record." Why not? Cute song.

Starchild - Yeah, too long. Pretty unique, but not entirely engaging. The first :40 predisposed me to dislike it (I wouldn't mind if it were gone entirely, especially since I've way heard that radio intro done before), and it didn't do enough to win me back. Good theme, lyrically speaking.

Steve Durand - Great instrumentation. I waver back and forth between liking and disliking the vocal style. It kinda fits, but it still feels lazy. Anyway, the arrangement is way keen and super-loungy, which doesn't suck. I'm not sure it's a favorite, but it's very listenable.

Thanks for the Frisbee - Elliott Smith-style writing, guitar and vox with trippy drums. It all works way better than it should. Good playing all around. Definitely a favorite.

Those Meddling Kids - I don't know what to make of this one. It's enthusiastic and pleasant enough, but needs more focus. The loud section particularly is just too chaotic to keep from grating on me. Yeah, the synth bleeps are great, and the lead guitar has great tone and is well-played. The outro is way too long. Apart from that, I guess I pretty much love it. The stereo separation is wonderful.

That is all.

[Middlemarch]

G. Williker - I do enjoy a nice distorted preverb intro. The percussion track is perfect for the style, and the overall vibe smacks of Gin Blossoms/Better Than Ezra/Sugar/Meat Puppets/Matthew Sweet. I like to listen to these artists occasionally, but not regularly. I liked it a lot more in the mid-'90s.

Yeah, I'm still living in the mid-90's -- I can't get out!!!

Seriously, though, I would greatly appreciate even more advice from you all. When I recorded this song, I was so into it. I thought for sure it would kick ass this week (apologies for the blatant self-confidence), but the more I listen to it, the less I like it. It's well-done, I think, but unoriginal. That seems to be common for me, but more so with this song than with others.

So, I guess my question is what would you do differently? Someone had mentioned different timing than 4/4. Someone also mentioned a more clever melody in the chorus, another suggested adding some ooh-ooh's. Helpful comments, and I appreciate them.

Anything else? More variations, like a bridge? More instruments, like horns or keys? Rap?

I guess I'm pretty bored with my own songs. Hence the living in the mid-90s comment; I feel as if I haven't really progressed much since then. I found a process that I was comfortable with and have stuck with it, playing it pretty safe for the last decade. Obviously, that's not a good thing.

Finally, please excuse me if this is out of place here. I'm not looking to make this a thread about me. I'm just wondering how, if you were, say, a producer, you would shape this song differently. What would you suggest as it was taking shape? What specific experiments would you suggest? Thanks, everyone, for the comments so far.

[catch]

Quasi-reviews, in limited supply:

Melvin: Listening through the songs for the first time, yours jumped out at me as bad ass... until I (quickly) recognized the heavily-sampled sample. I mean, it's pretty easy to make a bad ass song sound bad ass.

So, yeah, I dunno...

I real like your rap voice, though. And the guitar at the end is slick! I wanna hear you full-on do your own rap track, is what I'm getting at.

Starchild: Delicious intro!

Steve Durand: Horns are the way to this man's heart. And Steely Dan-esque funk guitar. Good stuff!

- - -

I need to listen through all the songs again. But there's so darn many.