Commit your tune to Sacrifice! (C&S review thread)

[jb]

omg

[Billy's Little Trip]

omg

You're such a rebel.

[glennny]

Commitment and Sacrifice

Cord Smith- Yes! Off the bat with the killer riffage! Your vocals remind me of David Sylvian. I like the bridge a lot. The verse is okay. The chorus doesn’t grab me. This is good. The band riffing is fantastic, and among my favorite moments of the whole fight! I wish it was 45 seconds longer, and I wish those 45 seconds came after the bridge. I’d like to hear the guitar and drums and bass trade licks and then culminate in some more killer unison riffage, and THEN go back to the chorus. Okay the chorus grabs me a little, but I still think it’s the weakest part of the composition. This song makes me excited to hear your next entry!

DJ Ranger Den- More Sara Silverman silly little songs! This is cute. I like the sniff. I think you should do an album a day of these little whimsies. It still all sounds like an intro to me, or all a part A. This is very enjoyable. Nice chords, nice melody. Just write a catchy chorus, let the band kick in etc. This gives good color to the fight. I like it.

Foobar- The 6/8 is nice. The piano line is great. Not sure why the same voice is jumping back and forth between my headphones, though I never noticed before I listened on headphones. That ending is weak. The song is nice and dramatic; it should have ended with a bang. Okay, I like the lyrics as a poem. I wish the 2 voices were more dissimilar not just panned. I don’t think “I can tell you why” needed to be repeated. There’s a lot of superfluous H’s going on: “TeHell you…”, “EyeHigh can..”, “strangeHer”. There’s a lot of telling me that you can tell me why, but no telling me why. I’m thick. Overall I applaud the lyrical ambition, and I think the song is mostly a success. Cool vocals, sometimes the phrasing felt forced, but this was clearly a poem fit into a song.

Hortus Ortus- I like your vocals. I like the backing vocals too. The lyrics are true to a country aesthetic. Not my favorite genre, but you’ve done what the genre demands. The tempo is soooo slow. I wish there was more variation in the drums and guitars. Is there a bass? I don’t think there is. Maybe that’s why it feels so empty. Very nice singing! It’s actually a great melody too!

Jim of Seattle- I love the chords. We have different tastes when it comes to the high end of recording. To my ears there’s too much high end “sparkle” on your vocals. I don’t need to hear the hiss and the spit on your breath. I reserve that sonic area for cymbals, I don’t like hearing other noise there. So anyway, this composition is beautiful! Musically it is very interesting. Lyrically it is uninspired, or I don’t get it. It reminds me of one of my old Dust Pipe songs (my improv rock band) “Springtime is the best Time for having Arguments”. So if the lyrics were improvised it makes sense. I don’t get it as a poem nor as lyrics. Lucky for you I can still love a song with weak lyrics. And I do love this song. The vocal harmonies are awesome. The timpani sounds great. All the orchestral soundtrack stuff is very tasteful and interesting. VOTE

Klownhole- Classic Klownhole! It’s haunting and weird and monstery! At least the 1st 96 seconds. Then it’s space jam. This was very fun for one listen. On the repeated listens I usually just did the 1st 2minutes then skipped.

Paco del Stinko- Number 141 for this week (listens to unique PDS songs). I’m obviously a big fan! This is top shelf Paco. Excellent dynamics, funny lyrics, impeccable performance. I love the guitar playing! The strings are a great touch! I’m always impressed with the conviction you have in all of your performances. This is a contender for the win! VOTE!!!

R. Mosquito- This sounds great! Great vocals! I love the delivery! I like hearing the key strokes on the accordion. I hate that drum sound at 1:03 the electronic drum, but when the kit kicks in it’s great! Nice banjo too! I wish this was longer! Well done! VOTE

Son of Supercar- I’ve liked this all week. This is the 1st time I’ve listened with headphones. I have to say it makes a lot more sense with headphones. Your vocalist has such an awesome voice! Someone mentioned Gomez, I hear that but I also hear that guy from Satchel. In any case strong vocals! I wish the shouty part was more shouty. The swagger of the verses is the best part. I'm ambivalent about the guitars: on one hand they provide nice atmosphere, but on the other they drive me a bit nuts in how directionless they seem at times. And what’s up with the extra long strummy outro? Of all of your songs this one sounds the least live. That can’t be Blue on drums, or it must be a Blue loop. I really like the doubled vocals slightly separated. Great vibe! I yearn for a guitar solo. The bass sounds fantastic and is in the pocket! There’s a lot of undesirable hiss and crackle, but maybe that’s part of the vibe, making me feel like I put a vinyl on. VOTE

Steve Durand- This is nothing like I expected it to be. I keep waiting for this harsh intro to have a drum fill and then the serious Bop kicks in with a wailing trumpet solo. I really like your lyrics and the vocal phrasing. As it is an art piece, it was wise to keep it as short as you did. I like this, I don’t love it. It is very cool to hear it coming from you. What kills me is the thought that someone new might not know just how well you can play the horn. I’m impressed you don’t have to show that off every song, but being a fan of it, I still yearn to hear it!

Takoyaki- This is sweet and sparse. I think it’s too slow. I think it needs more counterpoint, and more melodies. It all sounds like one part, it’s a good part, just needs some other chords and melodies and voices to juxtapose with what you got.

William Lane- Serious low rez compression issues going on. The drum machine sounds like it’s down the hall. Your vocals aren’t bad. These lyrics however are my absolute least favorite approach to lyrics. I much prefer nonsense, or scatting or grocery lists, anything other than a string of clichés that fit in an ABAB rhyme scheme. There’s no original thought in the words. It’s very long too. You had nothing to say and you said it for 5 and a half minutes. The whole song as a vehicle for some guitar soloing makes sense to me. I like the noodling the most. I’d let this one go, move on to the next song. I still appreciate the effort, and hopefully you learned something in the recording and writing process.


The Berkeley Social Scene is : Ken, Martyr, Lunkhead, glennny (me), and Erin. No Erin this week. The rest of us were like we were in FAWM mode. Great title I suppose.

The title was given and I started writing what would become the glennny track. Just chords and structure: drums bass and keys.
Tuesday nights are the BSS nights at our studio. We had 2 Tuesdays in this song cycle. The 1st Tuesday night coincided with the MC Frontalot show. Ken and Lunkhead (I think) went to the MC Frontalot show. Martyr and I went to write something at the studio.

The Older Brothers: This is what Martyr and I came up with. It was a really fun writing experience. I was bouncing beats off of him until he liked one. We looped it while he wrote lyrics. He formulated the chorus melody in his head, then sang them and we wrote the chords around his melody. We continued in that fashion for the verse parts. I was exhausted, I took a nap on the floor while martyr did lots and lots of takes for his 2 verses and chorus. The result was well worth the effort. Excited by what we had I kept working on the song aiming to be done by the 2nd Tuesday. So that BSS could write another song. There was talk of making this song the BSS entry, but I was so close to finishing it off, I thought to make it an Older Brothers song and just write a new song for BSS. Ken and Lunkhead gave me some excellent notes on the 2nd Tuesday which advice I took. vote

The Berkeley Social Scene: That Monday before the 2nd Tuesday I wrote this chord pattern. Ken had written lyrics for that 1st Tuesday, but Martyr had something else in mind for the Older Brothers entry. I really liked these Ken lyrics. I wrote the music with those in mind. I threw a demo together. Tuesday night was all going to be execution. It was cool how we had more time than usual to focus on certain details. The hesitation in the chorus is brilliant, all Lunkheads idea. If anyone knows Idiot Flesh they all called Dan “the Improver” , my nickname for Lunkhead in the BSS is “the Improver”, I never call him that, but it’s always in my head. I love the drums in this song! I love we all sing. I think my vocals are the weak link. I really need 30 takes, this was a 1st take. 30 takes is tedious for 4 guys. If this were the 1st Tuesday, I’d probably work on the vocals more. So there’s martyr on Chorus vocals “Commitment….” And Lunkhead on “we will not withdraw” then Ken sings harmony on “last hurrah”. I love working with these guys, they are all so brilliant and talented! vote

Ken’s Super Duper Band and/or Stuff- So when I arrived, I was 2nd to arrive on the 2nd Tuesday, Ken was rockin’ some drums. It sounded soooo good. Not sure if he was recording, or rehearsing, or just playing along because it freaking rocks. At the end of the BSS session we had a listening party, because we had 5 songs going in between us all. The glennny and Older Brothers tracks felt feeble next to the Otalgia and Ken songs. It’s nice to hear ken rockin his guitar, and the drums kick so much ass! I love his vocals too! This is very Weezer, which is a great thing. I want this album. Vote!

Otalgia- Ear Pain! Oh man! This is amazing! I haven’t laughed this hard since my introduction to Vegan Black Metal Chef. Lunkhead is such an incredible musician. He’s too good at this Death Metal. When the Cookie Monster kicked in it just killed me. It’s a silly genre, but it’s also awesome. It’s really good to hear Lunkheads straight up rock vocals in the refrain. We don’t get much of his rock vocals, and I think they’re really good! Ken wrote the genre appropriate lyrics I think. We have neighbors at our studio that play this stuff. Anyway, I want more Otalgia! I want blister solos too! This is a contender too! VOTE!

glennny- So it was the 2nd Tuesday night, just had the listening party. The guys left it was like midnight, I was alone in the studio. My goals were to write guitar parts, guitar solos, write lyrics and record vocals. This is my favorite way to record lead guitar. I put the mic about 3 feet from my amp, and I played really really loud. I must have played over the solo section for an hour, just jamming and feeling and writing the solo. I recently changed departments at work. My new boss told me his favorite book was Ender’s Game. I never heard of it. Sci Fy wasn’t really my genre. So I read Enders Game. I loved it, and I think about it a lot. When it came time to write lyrics and vocals, I just improvised over and over riffing on the book. I like what I ended up with. Vote.

[William Lane]

Glenny - No review for DJ Ranger Den or Hortus Ortus?

[Jim of Seattle]

Jim of Seattle- I love the chords. We have different tastes when it comes to the high end of recording. To my ears there’s too much high end “sparkle” on your vocals. I don’t need to hear the hiss and the spit on your breath. I reserve that sonic area for cymbals, I don’t like hearing other noise there. So anyway, this composition is beautiful! Musically it is very interesting. Lyrically it is uninspired, or I don’t get it. It reminds me of one of my old Dust Pipe songs (my improv rock band) “Springtime is the best Time for having Arguments”. So if the lyrics were improvised it makes sense. I don’t get it as a poem nor as lyrics. Lucky for you I can still love a song with weak lyrics. And I do love this song. The vocal harmonies are awesome. The timpani sounds great. All the orchestral soundtrack stuff is very tasteful and interesting. Vote.

To be sure, the "sparkle" on my track is too much. For whatever reason, I've been having some trouble getting clean vocals the last couple songs, and I agree with you that there's too much high end. Maybe what I'm hearing on yours is that the vocal is fighting with something else in the same register. Being in a coffee shop with no earbuds right now I can't listen to check. As for the lyrics, I can't really say that's what they are. Mostly they are syllables used to get the vocal sounds in there. There's no meaning to them whatsoever. Anyway, glad you like it!

[Paco Del Stinko]

Berkeley Social Scene Lovely progression/verse and lead-in to the chorus. I like the dark change in the lead section, but it gets a bit wandery at the same time, losing a bit of it's intensity. All in all, a lovey feel.

Cord Smith The drumming is tight enough here, so good job. Good riffage and the chorus is very effective. I think the lead vocals on the verses could use a little more oomph on the delivery, just to match up better with the rockitude of the song. Good tune, I dig it.


DJ Ranger Den Sounds like an intro to a song. Cute, though, and almost a taunt in the story. I'd like to hear the rest someday.


Foobar The piano is delicious but the vocal tone is a bit too cutting, I think. I'd like to hear the voice in a more lush setting, reverbed and all wet. The teh-hell me why-he is borderline annoying and the panning of the voices both does and doesn't work. Nice instrumental atmosphere overall.


glennny Digging the manicy beat and soaring keys. I like the arpeggiated stuff very much and go numb trying to imagine myself programming that. Sounds great, however you do it. Good area for your vocals and the tasty lead is in a delicious bed of reverb that adds depth yet retains clarity - nice!


Hortus Ortus I like the chorus here very much, and it transitions back into the verses nicely. The lack of polished production keeps this feeling intimate and organic, very live sounding. A simple, fretless bass line would finish this song off nicely. Good work.


Jim of Seattle Something about the vocal lines remind me of Syd Barret era Pink Floyd, with keyboardist Rick Wright singing. See: Remember A Day. Quite a cinematic feel to this, a dream sequence, perhaps. I don't know what you're singng about but the vocals are lovely, as is the arrangement. Love those rolling up, rolling back down chords at the end.

Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff Tight and driving. I like the Goodbye To You keys. although they are almost cheesy. An ugly, bullying lead pushing its way into the song would make me happy. Just a whiff o' the ugly, is all. Sugar and spice.

Klownhole Sloppy this week and what is that: a drum machine? Thor have the week off? I enjoy the trip this takes even though it has no idea where it's going. Maybe not good for back to back listens, but I am not a skipper, Skipper.


The Older Brothers Ha! Miami Vice freshened up. Actually, I hated 'the Vice' and did not watch. The chorus makes this more real and the bubbling keys pull the guitar lines along until they trade places. Complex but easy to digest, this is very good work. GREAT bridge section.


Otalgia This is too tight and fun to ignore although the vocals are not up my alley , as a rule. But what an excellent job doing the C-Monster and saved by the melodic parts. The clean guitar is beautiful, Caress Of Steel era Rush or something. I know you're a Metallica guy, you should've come in with a way too fast lead after the sweet bridge.


Paco del Stinko I don't know if the sing is all that good, but I thought the mix was pretty decent. Stacks of small amps and my JB voice on the chorus. Ha! I wish!


R. Mosquito This feels longer than it is, but that's a good thing. Great production and feel. Dark, mysterious and gypsy campfire. I am not smart enough to understand what you're singing about but I dig the overall effect of this very much.


sonofsupercar I love how this moves. Overlapping horizontal lines of color, ragged but fluid and vibrant. It gets a bit scruffy but still rocks and brings the sun along with new bands of color. This song is excellent.


Steve Durand Glad to have you back. How ominous and foreboding sounding. Just need Death himself to deliver a verse. I think the understating works very well here.


Takoyaki A bit wobbly but a nice bittersweet feel. I suppose this could have been submitted to any fight, but it's a nice, unpolished tune.


William Lane The mood is good here. The guitars sound like Roland or Boss demo track stuff. I little more vocal development wouldn't hurt but the overall vibe of the song is effective.

[foobar93]

Berkeley Social Scene

I like the lead-in, but I can't hear the vocals very well on my earbuds. I like the transition to the more aggressive guitar sound around "commitment." I like the chorus much better than the verses, but the backing vocals don't sound right to me. I didn't care for the distortion guitar solo, but I do like the ending verse/chorus, something different there.



Cord Smith

Catchy tune, has me tapping my toes. I can't make out all of the lyrics (on my earbuds), so I don't think I know what the song is about. I really like the moment around "nothing" in the chorus. And the ending break is awesome. I think that would have worked earlier in the song, maybe as a break between choruses, too.


DJ Ranger Den
Once again I'm waiting for something horribly creepy to happen. Annnnnd... there it is.


Foobar

This is me. My goal this week was to avoid using the song challenge as a lyric, so I'm happy about that - but not much else. I clearly bit off more than I could chew on this one, and spent so much time trying and failing to make the vocals passable that I didn't give the song a lot of movement musically. Listening to it now, I'm finding it way too slow. Very happy to have the reviews this week, thanks everyone.


glennny

Definitely digging the first 0:20. Sign me up! By 0:40 I'm a little lost. Liking the repeating riff around 1:20. Am I crazy or is this song about Ender's Game? If so, epic win. The space/future sound fits perfectly. Digging the guitar solo & all the high-energy drumming. Wish the next-to-last chorus was more different to create some contrast. Overall very fun track. Good ending. My nitpicking complaint is that the song is told from Ender's POV but not in his voice/style of speaking (other than the gate is down).

Hortus Ortus

I'm not following the verses, but I really like the chorus. Very poignant. Harmonies seem like they get better as the track goes on.


Jim of Seattle

I like the dissonant piano at the beginning. By the time the vocals come in, I'm thinking haunted house. I totally get the Pink Floyd/Syd Barret comparison. At "springtime in the morning" I practically was expecting "I've got a bike" to come on. Could make a great soundtrack for a silent movie. I'm picturing one of those far-too-avant-garde B&W student films. Creative and cool instrumentation.

Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff

Good hook to start. I'm in. Liked the synth at first, but after a few notes it started to distract me from the vocals. I really like the basic chord structure in the verses. Some of those transitions really give the vocals a strong emotional flavor. I'm also realizing how good the mix is - I can hear everything extremely clearly. I don't understand what the song is about, though I didn't mind listening to it a few times b/c it's catchy and fun.

Klownhole

Freaking me out from bar one. Luckily I skipped a few minutes ahead rather than hitting stop. I'm treating this more like a buffet where I can sample different textures by clicking around the track. Some of them are quite interesting, but most go on longer than I can handle.


The Older Brothers

First thought was 8-bit NES game with better synthesis. Having 80s nostalgia throughout, especially the chorus. "a real kind of rat" made me smile. Vocals really blend well with the chorus, but waver on the verses at moments in ways that I found distracting. +1 for the bridge. Feels like the high solo is literally floating above the stage; I really like the feeling of physical separation that the mix achieves there. Ending could be stronger. Very catchy tune. I have a feeling I'll be humming the chorus tomorrow.


Otalgia
Fun and creepy. I don't know if it's because I am using his review post as a template (or if he has mind control powers) but I find myself having the same thoughts as Paco. That Rush moment is awesome. I don't care so much for the growling vocals. I like how the distortion is extreme without being loud. The vocals cut through completely. I liked both songs married together here, but I didn't figure out how they related. Just felt like two good songs.


Paco del Stinko

Strong groove. Love the surprise when the loud guitars kick in. In fact, I like the great contrast between all of the song's sections. Well executed, although it's not my cup of tea.



R. Mosquito

I don't know what to think about this. Well executed, although I felt like the vocals were in a sarcastic or mocking tone. So I had a hard time taking it seriously. Not sure if there's a story being told or if the references are simply over my head.


sonofsupercar

Lots going on right off the bat, but well balanced. I don't have much constructive to offer. My mind kept wandering while listening and I couldn't seem to get a handle on what the song was trying to say.


Steve Durand
Ominous start. Excellent use of "anathema." Bonus points for vocabulary. And for using "vocabulary." Punchy and short, very nice. Extremely clear, too, which I appreciate.


Takoyaki

Sweet start. Takes it slow without being boring. OK, by 2:20 my attention is starting to wander. But not until then! This could really be a great song if it had more movement. Nice production too.


William Lane

I like the starting texture and riffs. Drums sound very far away when they kick in. I like the vocal tone, but not the processed/effects sound. A simple song but it works for me. If it's going to be this long, I think some contrasting texture sections would help. By 4:30 you've lost me altogether. But I think the first three minutes are strong, and I feel like a more natural-sounding less processed rendition of this could be really catchy.

[Paco Del Stinko]

Congratulations to Glennny! Of course, being involved in almost a quarter of the songs must increase your odds. Jarshin' ya. Good job!

[Lunkhead]

I really liked the Cord Smith song in this fight. Does anybody have any idea who they were? They only entered that fight and "Starting a Witch Hunt".