The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Billy's Little Trip - The "it's over" with crowd-sounding backup is a nice touch. The breakdown bridge type of thing is nice too. There are nice touches all over this, but it's sort of very predictable. I listened to this twice, but I'm probably going to skip it in any relistens.

Caravan Ray - This starts out very pretty. Oh, you're getting a little spunky. I like the list although parts of it (the mutlinationals) feel like they don't match up to the meter right. Maybe I'm just hearing it wrong. The "oh yeah" and the claps are a little wimpy. What kind of hippie music is this, Ray? I thought you were a raunchy Aussie I could count on. Interestingly, I accidentally listend to part of this song in double or triple speed and I think it was more fun, although a little too much like all the punk songs in this fight.

Civil Offense - The scratching sounds are neat and well-subdued. The vocals are losing me a little in that void loungey sense, but I like what you're doing with all the air and noise in the song. The really agressive turn in the vocals are a bit histrionic but still fun. I can get behind the drama.

Cranial Biffida - I like how deep and circular this is for a dark drone type of song. Very wheels within wheels. This reminds me of the Phunt entry for Pieces of Eight. While the music stays pretty consistent, it seems like it's changing in both tone and how the samples and music are interplaying.

Dr. Worm - That one string which I guess is the main guitar feels really buried low in the mix. Drums seem a little subdued. Dude singing is a little quiet for such hard instrumentation maybe? The metal sounds from the drum in that changeup around "I'm selfish" feel a little tinny for the rest of the RAH RAH RAH music which is pretty deep and driving. Like the whole band is rocking out except for some dude in the corner who is limp-wristedly hitting the highhat with a lack of assurance. Seeing myself type things like that make me realize how little I actually know.

Eidolon - This reminds me of the melody in something else maybe a Raised by Wolves song. Ah, I finally figured it out. <a href="http://www.songfight.org/songpage.php?k ... ible">It's Invisible</a>. "You could steal someone's motorbike. You could steal anything you like." Do you hear it? Maybe it's not there after all. Just something reminiscent. I feel like the music stands together pretty well if a little conventionally. Faded ending successfully executed.

Emergency Pizza Party - hahaha. Okay, this is pretty long and the loopiness doesn't change much. But this is a pretty hilarious combination of nerdiness, cutie pie dance synth and rap. The guy toward the beginning who sounds like Rick Morranis. That makes me laugh on each listen. It's a really ridiculous track. Boing. haha. Okay, I feel like I don't want to encourage a ton of these tracks by laughing, but too bad. This track is monstrously silly. I don't think I could round up enough friends to successfully record something like this because we would be laughing too hard at ourselves the whole time. Monstrously silly. But also, I'm young and feeble-minded. I'm pretty sure an intelligent person will get over the hilarity of this before the song ends.

Flvxxvm Florvm - raaahhhhh. keepin it short is fun. You could have made a lot more happen in there, but that was grim and consice.

Gawking Urethras - Funky and shifting instrumentation. I probably would have ODed on the flanger if I had tried to produce this, so good restraint.

Jim of Seattle - The chorus at the end is really welcome after all the dramatic narration. This was fun, but I only listened to it the once. Neat characterization of the different personas present in the thread.

Klownhole - I can't really distinguish words in the muffled moaning vocals. That guitar riff that's pretty omnipresent and becomes really clear in moments like the one preceding "organ solo" is very Immigrant Song-reminiscent. All kinds of classic thrashing. Maybe a little less violent than some of your earlier tracks that I remember.

Leaf 62 - Sweet production. Goofy talking solos. Good fake anger in the vocals.

LML - This is kind of unchanging. I like the harmonica-y phone-sound. It seems like it doesn't directly snap in with the rest of the track and it adds a little extra dimension. The vocals are pretty, but who doesn't say that when a girl sings on songfight? The lyrics aren't terribly original and they kind of take a focus in the song. The ending is a good hangup.

The Mad Vulgarian - soph-o-more. It's great how even nerdcore surprises me sometimes. I didn't think I'd be saying: Not nerdy enough. I mean, this is pretty arbitrary on my part, but I feel like this song is supposed to be at least a little funny, and that humor is banking on the fact that the vocals come from a nerdy guy. But the content doesn't really sell that nerd image (neither does the voice really). Make the lyrics more personal if you are nerdy. A lot of the lyrics at the beginning sell images like stuff about d20. Those are good, but then they get generic bandcamp geek/study hall. More images necessary. Also the sample of the service industry dude "here or to go" is pretty weak. If you're not nerdy and this wasn't supposed to be nerdcore, excuse a lot of the wording... but a lot stays true. Maybe you can make songs more personal-feeling and get more comfortable with the lyrics til you can make them flow in a unique and authentic voice and really let loose.

MC Eric B - and action figures we trade. The chorus singing isn't very selling it. It's as subdued as the rapped parts. Also, the melody for that chorus is kind of wimpy compared to the boww boww loop you got yourself.

MC Localhost - Civ 4 is pretty fun. I like it better than Civ 3. I like how the distortion on the loop intereferes with the vocals. The mom samples are very low in the mix. Some of the rapping is pretty weak in its ve-ry bro-ken up pa-cing.

Medmonk - bwa?! I'm going to listen to this some more. Are these samples from your Rate of Decay? I'm glad you stepped up a second time. I like this better, for what it's worth.

Melvin - People still say "sounds like weezer", huh? I guess that'll be your eternal curse. This didn't scream weezer to me. I think it's catchy and familiar and overall pretty. The "come on; come on." sounds a tad forced in that I don't really feel like comin' on.

Paco del Stinko - jibberjabba' is a cool part! Your vocals don't strike me as so over the top as when you first started in SongFight! and I kind of miss that ridiculous Paco. I have been away, but I will get around to the archives and see if this is a veritable pattern or just an anomaly. I hope you are still wacky!

R Mosquito - Now here's a song that screams Weezer. That intonation that becomes really clear in the voice solo before and around "lifting stuff for a living" is something that makes the vocals interesting and cheesy at the same time. Ah ah a ah! with back up does it too. There is a balance between the novelty of that intonation and the artificiality since most people don't sound like that when they talk. I guess you balance it pretty well. The content of the song is sort of following the same vengeful geeky whining as a lot of entries this week.

Ross Durand - It seems like the song could have felt much better if the guitar tone had varied a lot more throughout the song. The way it is, the guitar feels very repetitive and predictable. The concept of buying a life is neat, but the chorus repeats to the point of belaboring an otherwise interesting and comic premise. The samples seem a tad irrelevant both lyrically and sonically, but I do like WoW. Um, there's this messed up anime called //hack.sign or some such. It has a similar theme as this song but isn't as humorous which might be the show's shortcoming.

Spinlock - haha. The synthy music reminds me of samples of 80s television programming. The choral chanting is so unexpected in this context, but the song feels so cheesy I have to kind of be laughing the whole time. It's not something really soulfully cheesy like Max the Cat's Bioluminescence. It's a silly sort of cheesy (to me).

Starfinger - hahahaha. It feels like Starfinger is doing a WreckdoM voice. The song is pretty odd and jingly and the vocals are weird in that "oh gosh Frank Zappa is rambling on the live recording again!" and I love that. The chorus is linked really strongly considering it's silly and different chorus stuff. The whole song really works the jingly commercial feel well. hah.

Steve Durand - I think this is a very effective way to produce your vocals, Steve. The beginning there makes me feel like really melodramatic sorrowful stuff kinda like Pink Floyd...and those hippie bands like ... (Ya, as Boltoph said) Peter Paul and Mary. And the horns are restrained and it helps. The lyrics are funny. And it's a funny take on the title. Maybe I'm just desparate for songs that don't have to do with nerdy kids. The xylophoney sound is welcome when it comes too.

Tenacious Geek - Music is pretty cheesy at the beginning and it goes on like a too-long intro. The whispery vocals could be interesting sonically but the instrumentation just trounces on without regard to them. I can't tell what they're saying. The fake drums are a little too fake without being GLORIOUSLY fake. The sample around "tail wag" is sort of neat. I appreciate that the whole song is forming around those samples rather than just inserting something as if it had no affect on the instrumentation.

Wes Davis - haha, the trumpety humming sound is pretty funny. Did you hear Niveous' gift in the GoM 2006? I'm reminded of that sweet gift with that "horn" breakdown. I think the vocals might be mixed a little low. The instrumentation was interesting enough at first but it's very repetitive and the addition you eventually make is sort of muted so the progression that's been there from the very beginning is still the major focus for a LOT of the song and it seems like it's kind of a dull focus.

Your Money Wasted - oh shit it's one of those songs with a lot of real instruments! This is pretty driving and punking. I don't know if I can add a whole lot even though I've heard a lot of music similar to this.

Zinkline - The mic you're working with for vocals accentuates the distance your mouth is from the mic a lot, I think. Because the vocal levels fluctuate pretty wildly between way too low and a tad too low, sometimes even changing mid-sentence. I can't really hear what you're saying in the vocals that are higher and eventually become back up. It just sounds like thin murmuring. The instrumentation could be made a bit more present too, but it's not got much to show for itself so I don't know if you want to put it in the spotlight.

egg wrote:This reminds me of the melody in something else maybe a Raised by Wolves song. Ah, I finally figured it out. It's Invisible. "You could steal someone's motorbike. You could steal anything you like." Do you hear it? Maybe it's not there after all. Just something reminiscent.

Yeah, the verse of that RbW song is following a very similar chord progression and with the combo of the pace and verse singing style it is very similar. I would be extremely weirded out if the chorus was the same.. but thankfully that is where the two songs diverge!

most reviewers so far wrote:Singing not so great (paraphrase)

Yeah, well i'm working on it. I dig parts of this a lot better than I normally do with my own vocals but I hear the feedback from ya'll and I definitely listen and try to figure out how to get better. (Practice, practice.. listen listen.. repeat) At least I can 'hear' that i'm off which definitely helps to being able to correct the problem. I'll have to ask some people locally that I know can sing well to help give me some pointers in person.

Boltoph, your ENT comment had my scratching my head at first because of my initial thought of 'I have a problem with tree-herders..? Like from Middle Earth?? WTF?' Then I googled the acronym and discovered you had used a funny way of pointing out your opinion on my vocals.. heh. Nice!

Thanks for the feedback thus far everyone.. I'll have my reviews after a bunch more listens.. BUT, the JoS track is hilarious (I had been following that thread last week..) That dude can sing and play. The ending is the best part!

Yeah I was being sort of a dick in my "stream of thought" review paragraph ala Niveous style. . But I listened, will listen some more, and in my defense: my real name IS Richard.

It actually sounded pretty good despite my ENT comment, Eidolon.

Egg wrote:Dr. Worm - That one string which I guess is the main guitar feels really buried low in the mix. Drums seem a little subdued. Dude singing is a little quiet for such hard instrumentation maybe? The metal sounds from the drum in that changeup around "I'm selfish" feel a little tinny for the rest of the RAH RAH RAH music which is pretty deep and driving. Like the whole band is rocking out except for some dude in the corner who is limp-wristedly hitting the highhat with a lack of assurance. Seeing myself type things like that make me realize how little I actually know.

I really don't know what string you're talking about. If you mean the guitars in general I understand (since there is no lead guitar, just two guitar parts, one in each ear), but you also tell me that the drums and the vocals are too soft, so unless you're only hearing bass, I'm a little confused.

Dude singing needs no specific designation; it's all me.

Those "metal sounds" are actually my ride cymbal, which is very old and wasn't good to begin with, recorded by a weathered $20 Radio Shack microphone. I personally think the choice to move to ride cymbal during the chorus is fine, but the specific ride cymbal I have, combined with how it's being recorded (especially compared to the two SM57s recording other parts of the set) sound pretty tinny. Thanks for the observation.

Yeah, come to think of it my song would've been better without those drums. It's kinda split even for me... sometimes I like the version I made without, sometimes I like the version with the drums. I'm glad someone liked my shitty harmonica though.

lml, i'm gonna write reviews here soon, but i thought i'd reply to your post and say your vocals were awesome. i love it.

-craig

starfinger wrote:lml, i'm gonna write reviews here soon, but i thought i'd reply to your post and say your vocals were awesome. i love it.

-craig

yeah - what he said

LML wrote:Yeah, come to think of it my song would've been better without those drums. It's kinda split even for me... sometimes I like the version I made without, sometimes I like the version with the drums. I'm glad someone liked my shitty harmonica though.

I don't remember if I reviewed your song or not yesterday but I like the composition of this song. Also your melody is pretty fun. And I think I agree regarding your voice. But what I was getting at was that the drums aren't particularly distracting. It's a nice, simple beat, and it does well to fill up the sound a bit. I actually would like to use you for your voice sometime if you ever want to collaborate on a song.

I wasn't going to enter this fight, then I wrote a song in the shower by accident. It's one of my better ones, but I couldn't find the time to record it, so it shall live only on my handheld recorder. Meanwhile, here are my unsolicited reviews. YOU WILL LOVE THEM OR YOU WILL NOT.

---

Zinkline
Your basic everyday garageband number -- and there's nothing wrong with that. Nothing outstanding, either.

Your Money Wasted
Don't let anybody tell you that hyperactivity is a limitation. Great energy, strong riffs, solid playing, fun vocal. Somewhere between The Killers and The Dead Milkmen, and that's (oddly enough) a good thing. Ended just as I got tired of it. Possible vote.

Wes Davis
Intro could have been shorter, vocal could have been stronger; following Your Money Wasted is a tough job. The riff got tiresome quickly, but I enjoyed the mouth-trumpets. The melody demands a much more dramatic arrangement, with crescendos and cymbal crashes.

Tenacious Geek
Opens like a Monkees reunion tour song, but gets strange and creepy, which is good. Nice vocals, striking and effective drum fill/whispering choices. Lyrics are predictable, but strong, and the harmonies are lovely. Could have done without the dog/flapping gums break, however; a solo would have served you better. Possible Vote.

Steve Durand
Man, your voice just doesn't fit the arrangement on this one. Your bass and blowing are awesome, your lyrics and harmonies are better than usual. The chorus isn't working nearly as well as the rest of the song, however. Is there any way you could play winds on everyone else's entries from now on? Ooo, vibes!

Starfinger
They Might Be Giants tries to cover Tom Waits' "Step Right Up" on The Muppet Show. It's odd, it's uneven, and I like it a lot, the more I listen the more I like. Heh, Klownhole's entry last week and your entry this week have a lot in common. Somewhere, Kip Adata is thinking "WTF, he stole my bit!" Thank you for being strange. Possible Vote.

Spinlock
I applaud your effort here, even though I didn't particularly enjoy it; well-executed and fun, just not my thing. Have you been working with the MC Hammer Ministries?

Ross Durand
Hey, where did this arrangement come from? Your arrangement is atypical for you, but it works; a little thicker on the lead would have been helpful. Your voice is almost up to the task, but a but thin -- drop half an octave. Fun lyrics, earnest delivery. Overall, I like this. Possible vote.

R. Mosquito
Solid, credible, pleasant, fun lyrics. Nothing stands out as bad or good, a midpack entry. Not terribly helpful, I know, but I can't think of anything else to say. In a different fight this might be a possible vote, but too many people at the top of their game this week. Jock bastards.

Paco Del Stinko
Your lyrics have depressed me, sir. But they are very good. I was expecting more awesome guitar, so that contributed to the depression. Your vocal sounds good this week, very good indeed. Possible vote.

Melvin
Why wait? Who needs intros? Starts delivering right away, well done. Unique, solid, and clever lyrics. Terrific job, only way to improve it would have been incredibly rich harmonies over the chorus. Possible vote.

Medmonk
I guess it's Monkees day; the opening reminded me of Ziltch. Other than that, you're outclassed in this one. Still, points for SCREAMING UNTIL MY EARS HAVE LEFT FOR VANCOUVER.

MC Localhost
Somewhere between MC Frontalot and Cake sits you. This is well done, and the Cake vibe (vocal and lyrics) really warms me to it. Take it to the next level and get some additional instruments in there -- here's hoping your next one says "MC Localhost feat. Steve Durand". Too short, too short! Possible vote.

MC Eric B
Skipping until beats are self-written.

The Mad Vulgarian
It's a rap festival this week; this is strong, but it's...hmm...a bit too hostile for my tastes, and your voice doesn't quite work for me. The beats are strong, and the rhymes are (mostly) good, too. Here's my tip: back off the mic a bit, use a vocal compressor, and EQ-out the low end -- then pull back your vocal level closer to your backing level. Not bad at all, but MC Localhost has you beat this round.

LML
First line out of the box was great; then it went to a little harmonica (or something) noodle, and it lost me. You should have dropped the breaks and crammed the lines back to back. I really like the chorus (except for "just a bunch of noise", which sounded rushed compared to the mellow flow of the rest.) Not bad at all, well executed and credible. If you had clustered the lyrics together, moved the little instrumental breaks into a solo segment, then resung the chorus at the end, you would have been a possible vote.

Leaf 62
Someone had to merge nerdcore and metal sooner or later, and here you are. Your metal execution is terrific and solid; your nerdcore section should have been left behind. So, disregarding the nerdcore chatting segments, this is great, lots of fun, really credible. Next week, see if you can get more dynamics into your recording; the whole thing sounds flat. "You live alone, but not because you're grotesque/you don't get paid to, but you sit at a desk" is a great lyric, and bumps this to a possible vote.

Klownhole
Like Leaf 62's entry, this sounds dynamically flat, not sure what happened to your arrangement. Still, after last week I've either developed an appreciation for your music, or you've gotten better; either way, I enjoyed this. Leaf 62 did it better this week, though, so no possible vote for you. Work on your dynamics next week; it's the only place that I think you need improvement. Yay commitment!

Jim of Seattle
The ultimate inadvertent collaboration! Interesting and creative, and a backing piano that reminds me of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. You get no vote, but you get my love, and that's enough, isn't it? Those are mighty big balls you have there, sir; mighty big indeed. Aw, man, I wanted a stranger voice for Leaf, dot dot dot...holy crap, this is long. Okay, this is getting funnier and funnier, and I'm still listening (at 5:05) just to see if I posted in that thread, dot dot dot...good voice for Phil Redmond. JB's voice, HAHA! Dammit, I may need to vote for you after all, against everything I believe in. Caravan's voice should have been painfully high-pitched, for no particular reason. This finally gets boring around 7:45, thankfully, because I have work to do. Possible vote, if I end up smoking crack today. Spud's voice should have been pitch-shifted down an octave, and had a lisp, again for no particular reason. Haha, the ending was worth the wait. Looking forward to the debut of "Get a Life! The Musical" at the next SongFight live.

Gawking Urethras
Not bad at first, but the chorus backing and vocals just don't go together very well. Please, please, please write a melody that fits and stick to it; you've got a great voice and a great band, and you're wasting 'em.

Flvxxvm Florvm (are you from Zzyzx?)
Fun, but not outstanding. Much too short. A nice chaser after Jim of Seattle, however.

Emergency Pizza Party
Points for creativity, points for hitting the nerdcore vibe perfectly. However, much much much much much too much poop going on. More points for the guy rapping like Rick Moranis. Gee whiz, though, the scatalogical references just keep pulling me out of this. Don't put down the mic. The next time you think about writing a shit reference, make a reference to Dom DeLouise instead. Nerdcore meets Tom Tom Club. There's a spontaneous joy in this song missing from every other entry (so far) this week; it sounds like you really enjoyed making this. Possible vote.

Eidolon
Kind of slow, kind of stilted, needs a smoother flow. A midpack entry, but outclassed in this group this week, sorry. Looking forward to next week's entry, however.

Doctor Worm
Is your name a reference to the They Might Be Giants song of the same name? Just asking. A significantly shorter opening would have been much appreciated, and your high-hat sounds hollow; production quibbles aside, this is solid and credible. You need a better name, better mics on the drums, and harmonies -- this is a really strong and well-crafted entry otherwise. Bring your vocal level up a bit, don't be shy! Tight performance, but a bit boring after the first chorus. Possible vote.

Cranial Biffida
Your entries are getting better, without question; however, they continue to miss the hook that makes me want to listen. Your songs are great for listening without really listening, you know what I mean? Nobody will ever dance to this, but as atmospheric nightmare juice, you're loaded for bear. You get a vote from me when you craft a future entry as well as you did this one, AND have a hook. Keep it up!

Civil Offense
What a strange dichotomy; it's like Cranial Biffida's arrangements with the lyrics and vocal stylings of Steve Durand -- not that you sound like either, but I can't think of any other way to express the conflict. It doesn't gel for me; your voice sounds too nice for the music, if you get my meaning, like Pat Boone singing metal. Interesting, though, and I got to the end (which has not always been the case this week.)

Caravan Ray
You're a bit pitchy this week, and the song is slow to start; once it kicks in, I can't help but think of Billy Joel's We Didn't Start The Fire. Oh, hey, you've got an accent -- I've never noticed it before. Happy little number, though. The tambourine is a bit awkward when it first comes in; I would have preferred a shaker. A nice, well-crafted song, mostly, but not a standout in this fight -- which is unusual for you. The chorus is great.

Billy's Little Trip
Three openings for the price of one; unfortunately, they add up to "too long." Like Caravan Ray's entry this week, you've got something nice and solid, with a fun chorus. Too much echo on your voice, though, and too much yelling. I can't help but wonder, how would you sound if you weren't trying so hard? In an average fight, you'd be near the top; in this group, you're above mid-pack, but many folks are better. Still, I like it, and the arrangement is particularly solid. Perfect length, too. So, possible vote.

---

Wow, TOUGH fight. I'm going to have to listen some more before voting. My entry wouldn't have held a candle -- for future entries, I'll either need a band or need to start doing nerdcore. I wonder what nerdcore with a ukulele would sound like...

(okay, actually, I know what it would sound like: crap.)

Thought I'd review, at least a bit.

BLT - Thousands times better than your other stuff, at least in my opinion. Recording's a lot better. Not bad. I like your voice, but your 'hey's and yelling sound a bit fake. Quite good.

Caravan Ray - I like the singing in this one as well. I liked the start more than when it picked up, but the handclaps are a good choice. I like the fast vocals, something I can't seem to pull off. Lyrics are great too. Very good.

Civil Offense - Abrupt start, peaceful but not. It's pretty original, a bit boring, but I'm still listening, so that's some bonus points. For some reason it reminds me of dolphins. Okay, I'm skipping through, and now it's completely different, and now it's back to the slowness. Don't really know what to say. Decent.

Cranial Biffidia - Creeptastic. I kind of hope it's not like this the whole time, and it's not. Good. Oh, but it's still creepy. Crank those vox up. I can't understand, or is that what you want? Probably the creepiest thing I've ever heard in my life ... actually disturbing. Won't be saving this ... don't want to get possessed.

Doctor Worm - I like the intro ... good playing, I love the way those guitars work together. I'm hearing a touch too much overhead, not enough bass drum, but what do I really know about mixing. Really cool tune. I think I'll save this.

Eidolon - I like it more once it gets the drums in. More groove, Cow Exchangeish. Some of your notes seem a bit unsteady. I like the spot where everything but the piano and your voice cuts out. Maybe should have made it a bit shorter. Decent.

Emergency Pizza Party - I love you guys. You are hilarious. Cold sores? Sick. I probably won't save it because it's a bit too crazy, but I just love the words and the trading rap.

Flvxxvm Florvm - The voice kills me. Not sure what to say to you, dude. I like your guitars. This is pretty intense though. If it was longer, I would probably like it less. Not bad.

Gawking Urethras - Fun to play along with - don't worry KA, the bass drum track wasn't that great anyway, nobody really needs to hear it. I honestly am saving this because I like the song, not just because I drummed for it.

---I'm running low on time. I'll write Good/Really Good/Decent/Bad/Description. If you want a full review, pm me, and I may write you one---

Jim of Seattle - Original/Good

Klownhole - Good/Sounds like the majority of your songs

Leaf 62 - Really Good/You are a really good musician. Make the sections flow better.

LML - Decent/Repetitive

The Mad Vulgarian - Decent/Don't like rap

MC Eric B - Decent/You steal all the beats.

MC Localhost - Not bad/Too much rap in the M section

Medmonk - Bit too much of a joke/Bad

Melvin - I like all your stuff/Very Good

Paco - Don't like the start/Like the fast parts/Sounds a bit muffled

R. Mosquito - Ditch the falsetto/Good verse/chorus/try filling out the sound more/Good

Ross Durand - Better than your other songs I've heard/better singing/Very good

Spinlock - Original/Good

Starfinger - I like you better in Otalgia/Too much of a joke/Bad but funny

Steve Durand - Singing sounds decent at start/good horns/not bad

Tenacious Geek - Thought it was going to be nerdcore ('whew')/Good singing/Good

Wes Davis - Can't hear vocals/repetitive

Your Money Wasted - Good to have you back/Very Great

Zinkline - Read the 'Mixing for the good of all' thread

The songs I saved to my iPod -
BLT
CR
DW
GU
L62
Melvin
YMW

Top 5 songs - Your Money Wasted, Melvin (as usual), Doctor Worm, Gawking Urethras, Billy's little Trip

The Mad Vulgarian

This is a really weirdly timed rap in the beginning. I think it'd be awesome if you were rapping all angry like in this song. You just sort of sound a little uh...I guess bored. I dunno, there's nothing particularly special about this. It is what it is.

MC Eric B

You need to change up the mix on this a lot. Bring the music up more. Also don't sing. The rap is poorly timed, you need to work on the flow still.

MC Localhost

I like the idea that you only have two friends later in the song. I can't say much about this. It's just sort of boring.

MedMonk

Oh god this sounds like something I would've made when I was 16 or 17. Heh...nice job on the non-rhyme right around 1:15 or 1:20. Oh god seriously if you pm me your e-mail I will send you something awful that I made that's pretty much just like this crap. I would never vote for this, and you should know it's awful.

Melvin

Fun tune! For a moment there in the chorus I thought this was going to turn into "Take on me." This is pretty fun. I would keep this, though I don't think I could vote for it. I can't think of a way to make it better, I just think there are better songs. I definitely like it though.

Paco del Stinko

The guitar seems a little quiet. Well, the right hand rhythm during the verses. I like the chorus "jibber jabbers." The drums seem a little quiet, and maybe a smidge of reverb would've thickened them up a bit. A good song, not a vote, but a good song.

Rmosquito

Heh, so this is alright. The whole nerd anthem is quite a popular theme this week. I like this alright. The mix is pretty good, I think; very Weezer-esque. Not my favorite of this fight, but it's good.

Ross Durand

I think the vocals have a little too much reverb. It sort of detaches it from the music. When the chorus comes in it starts to sound more appropriate. Are those samples or just you talking? It sort of sounds like Adam West keeps talking. Ohhhh wait a minute. That's from a game. Oh god I just realized this is about WoW huh? I have friends who would love this. My song was going to be about a friend who plays too much and I keep trying to get him to stop but he just won't, but I realized I have no actual knowledge of this game. So anyway my only criticism is that I think the vocals maybe should be less reverby.

Spinlock

For some reason that initial monk sounding thing scared me the first time I heard it. Huh. This sounds like a really bad contemporary christian rap. Is that the point? Anyway this ain't my thing, and it's a little silly.

Starfinger

Sir, this is beautiful. I don't think it really works that well with the title, because the hook is more grounded in the "try my product" bit. But this is still absolutely wonderful, and never let anyone tell you different.

Steve Durand

Heh, this is enjoyable. That horn is hot. I like the whole 60's folk music vibe this has. It sounds like the vocals are peaking out a bit though. I like the lyrics, they're funny.

Tenacious Geek

Dear lord that weird drum thing in the beginning bothers the hell out of me whenever it comes in. Also if you're going to use a band name that sounds like Tenacious D you should be a lot funnier than this. Sometimes this reminds me of Wesley Willis, but not nearly as funny. The harmony vocs are decent. Overall, though, this song is not terribly good.

Wes Davis

my vocals were too quiet, indeed. The whole song is very weak sounding and it needed more time in the oven before serving. A friend of mine offered to add drums and bass to it but it was too late and I had to submit it in a few hours.

Your Money Wasted

Nice wall of sound going there. But once again, this sounds like the music I hear on the radio that I already don't like very much. The vocals are very emo-ey. Although that transition that happens at 1:15 reminds me a lot of Offspring, which is cool. Then it goes back to that sound again. This is very well done, and the production is wonderful. I just don't like the style at all.

Zinkline

I love the intro to this song. The melody is great. Refruse sounded like you messed up and didn't feel like fixing it. The vocals throughout this song are really hit or miss. It sort of sounds like you just threw in "get a life" just to make it fit with the title. Also the lyrics sound almost improvised. But yeah, as much as I liked the intro, the song sort of starts falling apart about 1/2 the way through, and loses all its cohesion. Nothing ever changes significantly enough(wouldn't it be great if I could pick that up on my own songs). This song seems kind of like a day or two more would've helped it a lot.

And that's it for the reviews! Favs are Jim of Seattle, LML, Starfinger, Emergency Pizza Part(after listening again)

I haven't figured out my vote, but I'm strongly leaning towards Jim.

WesDavis wrote: I actually would like to use you for your voice sometime if you ever want to collaborate on a song.

Feel free to pm me if you'd like to collabo.

Egg wrote: Steve Durand - ...Review stuff...

Hey Egg,
Good to hear from you. I was just wondering the other day whatever happened to the Phunt folks.



Steve

Hey so Starfinger, that "try my product" part in the chorus...is that inspired by that infomercial? You know, the dude that says he will help you learn how to use a PC mouse?

Hooray, my first reviews in a long, long, long time. Lots of good stuff. (These reviews were written using my new web application SF Secretary which will hopefully be in beta soon and some of you will get to try it hopefully.)

Billy's Little Trip
Tight band, pretty good recording. Decent songwriting. Weakest point is lead vocal, and even that isn't too terrible. Good job. (good)

Caravan Ray
How could anyone not like this? Only quibble is that the vocals are out of tune in a smidge too many places. I love that long yell at the end of the bridge. Keeper. (good)

Civil Offense
The kick drum panned way out left and right is disconcerting. I like the originality of this song. I think if you're going to go intentionally dissonant, you'd better be dead-on or else it'll sound plain wrong. Still, points for effort. (okay)

Cranial Biffida
The pitch black sound is cool, but the vocals are just a bit too hard to hear. I like all the spoken details and the fact that you didn't go all bat shit on us like so many of these songs do. (good)

Doctor Worm
OK, even though you dimissed my entire song with a single flip sentence, I think this is good. Cool songwriting. The whole recording has a muffled sound. Like all the high ends are gone. Especially noticeable on the cymbals. Weird. Very nice job otherwise. (good)

Eidolon
The song is too repetitive and not interesting enough. The vocal line sits on about 5 notes, and gets a little tiring. Needs more energy. Kind of plodding. Not terrible, though. (okay)

Emergency Pizza Party
I totally don't understand this song. What I gather here, correct me if I'm wrong, but I THINK you don't like someone named Benjamin Bear. Am I getting that much? Cuz, hey, that's pretty subtle. I liked the girls rapping. And their singing. Final score: Girls 1, Boys 0. (okay)

Flvxxvm Florvm
Nothing here I like. (bad)

Gawking Urethras
The meter changes are nifty. The band sounds great. It's quite a bit too long, though, and while I like the lead vocal's voice, I think he's not sure what notes he's trying to sing sometimes. And I sure don't. (okay)

Klownhole
Well, I like this more than most Klownhole songs. This one actually sort of rocks somehwat, instead of just sounding like King Kong banging his head against a wall. Also, it's a merciful length. And there's atctual singing in some places. So yay. (okay)

Leaf 62
Not my thing. But clean performance and recording. (okay)

LML
Not bad, for a girl. Ha ha, just kidding. I heard this one a time or two and then read all the raves about the vocals, so I've gone back to hear it again and find out what all the fuss is about. So yeah, bitchin', but there's room for getting even better. Make sure you don't push too hard when you're trying to emphasize something, cuz you go sharp. and I'm withholding judgement cuz there are only 5 different pitches in the whole vocal line. But the 'tude you've copped here is real cool, and that's no small feat. For my taste, (and this is just that), the song could go a little faster. (okay)

MC Eric B
Nerd rap doesn't work for me because it always seems to say the same thing, which is "I'm a nerd and people don't like it but that's just who I am" complete with lots of references to the nerdiest of pop culture artifacts. Yawn. I want to give this an [okay] because you gave it an honest shot, but there's just too much here I don't like. Sorry. Gotta be honest. (bad)

MC Localhost
Just the band name spells nerdcore, so I'm expecting lots of nerdy pop culture references, and you don't disappoint, or rather, you do. I've heard songs just like this too many times for this one to make any impression on me. (Also, unfortunately, my download cuts out part way through. Sorry.) (bad)

Medmonk
This is just you guys messing around. (bad)

Melvin
Slick as snot. Band sounds terrific. I think this is probably the most accomplished-sounding song in the fight. Excellent. Keeper. (good)

Paco Del Stinko
This isn't one of your best. Band and vocals sound nice, but I don't like the song itself. Whining about people selling out by not living life to the fullest or whatever is too cliche for me. (okay)

R. Mosquito
More nerds defending themselves. Anyone ever notice how the whole nerdcore genre is obsessed with calling itself out as different and simultaneously begging for acceptance? Maybe that's part of the early stages of establishment of a subculture, I don't know. Anyway, this gets an (okay)

Ross Durand
This song is too long. (Yeah, I know, pot/kettle.) GAWD! More nerdcore. You've done a nice job with the arrangement, but there's not nearly enough variety to warrant this length. We get the joke before 1:30, and after this there's nothing really new to say. Also, a detail, but the electrics are too hot and panned too far out. They don't blend. But there's lots to like here and you have a good track record, so I'm being pretty forgiving. (okay)

Spinlock
Holy crap. This song is nothing if not committed. I love the energy and creativity. One of my favorites in the fight. (good)

Starfinger
A little confusing. I spent too long wondering what this was about, and then it never really hit me ever. The second time through it was more enjoyable because I already knew where it was going to go so I wasn't waiting for it to make complete sense. (okay)

Steve Durand
Hmmm. On a gestalt level, I don't think I understand this song. Is it sincere, or is there a glint of hip irony here? I don't know. If I'm supposed to take it as sincere, then it's one of the most hopelessly unhip things I've heard in a while. BUT... if it's intentionally that way, subtly satirizing sleepy secure suburban society with it's slick but sappy style, then I'd complain that it's too subtle to really work. So, there, I think I just successfully explained why I don't understand this song. (okay)

Tenacious Geek
It's nice enough, but a little too tame. A little too well-behaved. The song is fine, but perhaps it's a little too low for you, and maybe a little too slow. But nothing really wrong with it, and it's very nicely-arranged. Some of those harmonies near the end are pretty. The A7 chord in the play out reminds me of George Harrison. (good)

The Mad Vulgarian
This is supra-adequate for Songfight rap. All the non-vocal parts are cool. and I enjoyed the whole thing all the way to the end. I mean, it's not brilliant, but I was entertained and never got tired of you. Nice work. But you don't get a [good] because, well I don't really know why, but putting [good] seems disingenuous somehow. I'm a conflicted bastard. (okay)

Wes Davis
This is alright. I get pretty tired of the boom-chuck guitar. I like your singing voice a lot. You hit all the notes and the tune is fairly athletic. After you sing the title at 1:02 is when I want the (non-existent) rest of the band to chime in. That's as long as I want to hear the boom-chuck guitar all by itself. You probably don't have a band to chime in, but, well, you should. (okay)

Your Money Wasted
Good work. My favorite part is the surprise E chord in the chorus, especially when the harmony comes in. Then going back to the F minor is cool. And the band is nice and tight, especially when it gets all staccato. Excellent. (good)

Zinkline
Starts out semi-promising, but the vocal starts and the first thing I do is look at the Ipod and...4 minutes! Ouch. I can hear you really trying. The vocal line is completely dry. Put some compression and reverb and whatnot on the vocal track, and for crying out loud stay put when you're singing. We can't see you moving around the room, all it does is make your voice get quiet when you move away from the mic. (bad)

Since I'm in the fight I'm not voting, but if I were, it would go to Melvin.

Jim of Seattle wrote:
Steve Durand
Hmmm. On a gestalt level, I don't think I understand this song. Is it sincere, or is there a glint of hip irony here? I don't know. If I'm supposed to take it as sincere, then it's one of the most hopelessly unhip things I've heard in a while. BUT... if it's intentionally that way, subtly satirizing sleepy secure suburban society with it's slick but sappy style, then I'd complain that it's too subtle to really work. So, there, I think I just successfully explained why I don't understand this song. (okay)

I guess too subtle. I tend to do that. A few people have commented on the humor. I thought that the complete unhipness ( as you put it) of the chorus would give it away for sure.

Thanks for the review,


Steve

Jim of Seattle wrote:Wes Davis
This is alright. I get pretty tired of the boom-chuck guitar. I like your singing voice a lot. You hit all the notes and the tune is fairly athletic. After you sing the title at 1:02 is when I want the (non-existent) rest of the band to chime in. That's as long as I want to hear the boom-chuck guitar all by itself. You probably don't have a band to chime in, but, well, you should. (okay)

Yeah, I felt exactly the same. I put in the mouth trumpets hoping it would be amusing and different enough to make people forget about the emptiness, but as much as I like the tune, I understand that people feel it's pretty lacking. Thanks for the compliment on the vocs though! I'm hoping next week my tune will be a little better. The unfortunate thing is I compulsively write pop music, and that stuff works far better with full bands.

Just listened to the whole fight. I lost all the reviews i was working on. I'll get to them again soon. (A little disheartened at the moment)

Just have to say WOW! that Jim of Seattle song is brilliant and hilarious! There's a lot of gems in this fight, but the Jim of Seattle is the clear winner to me. Don't be afraid of the length! It's entertaining throughout, and the payoff at the end is Awesome!

glennny wrote:Just listened to the whole fight. I lost all the reviews i was working on. I'll get to them again soon. (A little disheartened at the moment)

Just have to say WOW! that Jim of Seattle song is brilliant and hilarious! There's a lot of gems in this fight, but the Jim of Seattle is the clear winner to me. Don't be afraid of the length! It's entertaining throughout, and the payoff at the end is Awesome!

HaHa, you too huh? Jim's song was quite a production, I love it!
dot dot dot comma I just wish I posted in that thread now explanation point

Billy's Little Trip wrote:

glennny wrote:Just listened to the whole fight. I lost all the reviews i was working on. I'll get to them again soon. (A little disheartened at the moment)

Just have to say WOW! that Jim of Seattle song is brilliant and hilarious! There's a lot of gems in this fight, but the Jim of Seattle is the clear winner to me. Don't be afraid of the length! It's entertaining throughout, and the payoff at the end is Awesome!

HaHa, you too huh? Jim's song was quite a production, I love it!
dot dot dot comma I just wish I posted in that thread now explanation point

Yeah, that song MUST be listened to all the way through. The payoff truly is magnifiscent and that song is a mother fucking triumph.

there's heaps of real good songs in this fight

Good songs and good reviews too, people. Glad to see Egg back as well.