And The Horse You Rode In On (I Hate You Reviews)

[j$]

Welcome to the summer. You should be asking yourself, what am I doing logging into a messageboard when the sun is shining outside ...

j$

[thehipcola]

4th Gert member reviews coming ce soir. 5 and 6...dunno.

It's huge fights like this that I love Dre and his superautomaticbandnameinsertreviewformatinggenerator thingy.

[edit] ..which ya'll can find here.

If it's easier, will more people stay indoors and review?

[Egg]

18 songs....only 10 reviews...any more?

And three of those reviews are from Gert members.

That's funny! We seem to only have two reviews from Gert members.

But who am I to complain since I haven't posted my reviews of anybody yet.

Pending, I swear. I can't promise much of anything constructive. This was a strong and awesomely weird fight.

Continue the songs.

[frankie big face]

These aren't great reviews, but at least I listened, right?

Caravan Ray
What have you got against Frankie Laine? Actually, it doesn't matter. This is not a bad song, but not something I can identify with very well.

Dean Sky
The sax gets annoying after a while. I like the mellow chorus. Strange song, but not bad.

Hillbilly
Guitar solo sounds like it may be in a different key, or it's possible you are just not too skilled at playing over changes. Nice voice. Song is not bad, but not my cup of tea.

Monosodium Glutamate
The right length to be sure. I could see someone laughing at this. I didn't, but I can imagine it.

Wally Harbinger
I'm not sure if this is supposed to be sad or funny or both, but it didn't really interest me much. Maybe if I knew why you hate this person so much. But probably not.

Gert
This rocks. There are times when I think you are overplaying, but I like the energy and the group dynamic.

Bax
What the hell was that?

Phunt Your Friends
Didn't make it through the whole thing; sorry.

Stuey M
I though this was interesting in a Magnetic Fields kind of way.

Chuck Chuck Moose
Trevor, is that you? Nice fake British accent. So, who wrote this? This is actually pretty nice. A little repetitive and feels slightly like ska, which I hate. But pretty nice.

Dark Liberty
Terrible performance of a bad song.

Rik Gerblick
Competent, but a style I can't get into at all.

State Shirt
Good to hear you again. Pretty intense song. I don't really care for the screaming, but damn, you rock, dude.

Latex Underpants
Good, but I kept waiting for the next part to come. And it didn't.

Takaxonic and the Mandown Five
Not a good start. Is this going to do anything else? No, I didn't think so.

Comfort
Nice sounds, but the way that progress bar is flying by, I'm guessing this isn't going anywhere either. Too bad.

The Rant
It's like the Ramones didn't want to wake up their neighbors.

[stueym]

Welcome to the summer. You should be asking yourself, what am I doing logging into a messageboard when the sun is shining outside ...

j$

Trying to escape a terribly boring conference call . Some of us have to work ..inside even!!

[thehipcola]

<b>Bax</b>
This is pretty ominous sounding...I could listen to this for awhile. Nicely played, nice guitar tones. Too bad it ends so soon. It needs vocals and more bandy stuff. Keeper though.

<b>Caravan Ray</b>
We're off on the wrong foot with you beating the title to death right off the bat, which doesn't appeal to me. But I'm here for a long time, so on we go. Uhhh. Those backups just before 1:00 start a bit out of tune...but you save it well by the time they finish. Love the line, "cheating Jezebel, put me through 16 tonnes of hell". Nice. I dont' know Frankie Laine, but if this song is done faithful to his "style" then I'm impressed. If not...it's still fun and a keeper, but far from the best I've heard from CR. There are some fine vocal moments however. I'll have to dig up some Frankie Laine. KEEPER.

<b>Chuck Chuck Moose</b>
Did you play that acoustic part for Madonna's Don't Tell Me? heh...kidding. oooh...like the trumpet. Vocals are too quiet...I like your clever little rythmic thingies with the guitar and vox. Nicely done. The flanged drums are out of place. Or you've got two isntances of them running and forgot about that. Yah..it's really really hard to program tambourine. You should buy one and play it live. Love the trumpet again. I don't really like the sterile sound of the mix, but everything is present and accounted for. It just needs character. I want you to give your vocal performance more effort. Try to sound more convincing. You are being too quiet. Yes, you can record quiet and then just turn it up...but that sounds like you recorded it quiet and just turned it up. Belt it out a bit more, do an A/B test...you'll hear what I mean. Not a bad tune at all. Needs some excitement.

<b>comfort</b>
Cool. Wish I could understand what was being said. This has a Books/BoardsofCanada feel to it...and for that reason I like it. Too bad it's so short and unstructured. Nice work. I'm liking your ambient stylings for sure...but they are a tough sell as songs that relate to titles. That said...I'm keeping this one, just like the last one.

<b>Dark Liberty</b>
Alright. I like the punky sound of this tunes opening. I have a problem with your less than enthusiastic vocal delivery...and did last week too. Is this your thing? See by 1:00 you become boring. Ok...big drum break here...where does it go? Back to the beattodeath groove? The dirty bass at the beginning garners this tune this review..the rest of the tune is fighting to have me delete it. You have something...not sure what.

<b>Dean Sky</b>
I like this! Napolean Dynamite soundtrack-ish. Love the O-la Muchacho vox...LOVE THAT. Great change at 1:10. This is really great. Nothing like a big plate of gouda, blue, and parmesan! There are some moments that sound kind of loose...it would make a big subtle difference if you tightened them up. 'k...don't like the change as much the 2nd time, but it's still cool. I need the elusive SF bridge/middle8 or whatever...but this song is great. KEEPER.

<b>Frankie Big Face</b>
yah...very Bowie. But Frankie, I don't mind. Your voice is really sweet...has such great character. On to the mix...way to crispy...roll off some of them highs...The guitars sound great tone wise..but the cymbals and vox are way to sizzly. The drums too. I'd like to hear this with real drumming...sounds like a drum machine. As such though it ain't bad. The pattern suits the song. Good solid song, exceptionally Bowie-esque, and maybe too familiar sounding because of that. However, I like it enough to keep and listen to again. No vote though. Nice work FBF. I like the lyrics too. I'll call this classic pop.

<b>Gert</b>
Gert is floating my boat these days. I really really really enjoy working with these guys. I'd like to get on stage with 'em and let it rip. THAT would be a trip.

<b>Hillbilly</b>
Now that's a nice intimate voice! For some reason the guitar doesn't sound as obviously direct input as it has in the past, so nice job there. A little verb on the lead would be nice. Roll a bit of bass off your voice to smooth out those lows a bit. Pretty sad song. I don't like the ending. It doesn't suit the rest of the song imo.

<b>Latex Underpants</b>
This was ok. Didn't go anywhere that interested me after the first 20 seconds. Too bad.

<b>Monosodium Glutamate</b>
you are weird. just like your friends.

<b>Phunt Your Friends</b>
Love those stabs. They are tense. This is wacky and creeping me out. The most songlike thing I think I've heard you do. You are either some crazy musical prodigy or a victim of a bunch of not-so-happy recording accidents. Either way, this listener has a tough time listening to all the harshity going on in this tune. I won't vote for this, but I will keep it. Something to play on Hallowe'en. Keep the kids away. Wow..no distortion on the end?

<b>Rik Gerblick</b>
Hey this is pretty ok. Nice drum programming and guitar playing. The singing performances are good too...but! BUT! The days of the week lyrical motif is BAD. BAD. It's been done a hundred times...and I know you can do better than that. That's the easy way out. This is a pretty straight ahead AOR tune..that is easy to listen to. The kick drum is mushy on my system..but I'm not one to talk...it's a tricky one to nail. Otherwise..nice, if a little plain, mix.

<b>State Shirt</b>
holy shit! This is driven. I love the guitar tone! This song has a kind of Filter feel to it..as does your voice..that's intended as a compliment. The prechorus build at :50 is noisy and crazy. Love it. The guitar's need a touch more definition when everything is kicking, but that's a minor gripe. I forgot how hard SS rocks. Great live sounding mix. All parts are well played. This is heavy as fuck. And I for one really really like how convincing it sounds. Major freaking contender. Nice and dark. KEEPER. Wow...and I'm only at 3:13. Great breaks here. Damn. There is alot to like in this. The screamy bits might be a bit over the top there...but I hear ya. Will this be a fight of darkness?

man...hats off to you and your band. Fuckin' right. Not diggin the silly vox at the end..cheapens things.

<b>Stuey M</b>
My impression is that this drum loop is a time keeper only...it should sparkle more! I like the tuba/strings or whatever that comes in around :35 . Now I find the guitar should be more distinct sounding and maybe panned to the left a smidge. Or stereo mic'd and panned. This could be a hiphop backing track without the vox. The mix is uninteresting, the song is good. Not making me really feel excited or moved, but it doesn't bother me. Pretty up the middle. Nice job.

<b>Takaxonic and the Mandown Five</b>
A bit to crispy with them cymbals...I'm generally not a big fan of sillysonicness, and unfortunately this tune doesn't change my mind. It was fun while it lasted..but I won't listen again. No offense intended.

<b>The Rant</b>
This is cool...kind of Ramonesish. Needs more dirt..I think it sounds too smooth. Nice playing. Not much to say about this song. Well, maybe you should up the key a bit, that register of your voice doesn't have alot of power. Good work.

<b>Wally Harbinger</b>
Ha! You make this timezone much less fun. Great lyric. This is great. Love the vinyl crackle on the snare sample. A pleasant funny way to close out this pretty kickass fight. Your voice is perfect for this genre. Take that how you like. Oh man...the super cheese keytar played by a Triton keyboard or something...that is freaking hilarious! Inexcusable, but you get away with it for this song. Good job. Not a bad mix. I laughed enough to garner this tune a spot on my mp3 player. No vote, but keepin' it for sure.


Wow. Great fight. Long fight. For my money, it's between State Shirt and Gert. Gert really appeals to me, but I'm biased and I know that. I was totally blown away by State Shirt who I haven't seen in a fight in a long time. Blown right the fuck apart. So it's a big decision I have to make. And I have to make it tonight. I'll extend SS a serious congrats on a kickass tune right now though, and I won't be disappointed if Gert loses to that song. It really kicked ass. Too bad about the quirky ending that served no purpose other than like an outtake on a movie. Oh well...nice work all the same.

See some of you in the One Less fight tomorrow!

[thehipcola]

gert it sounds like you want to be in the radio and be popular. i guess you could, but why would you want that?

umm...i dont' speak for the other 5 but.....yes!

why not?
what is the point of having your music remain largely unnoticed by choice, except by family and friends at Christmas time when you hold them all hostage by the stereo to listen to the tunes you wrote this year....?


Hey...I'm just being FASEESHUS...Thanks for listening!

[Caravan Ray]

Love the line, "cheating Jezebel, put me through 16 tonnes of hell".

Heh! thanks - but I can't really claim authorship - that whole verse is made up of Frankie Laine song titles and lyrics (eg. Jezebel and 16 Tonnes)

[Egg]

Love the line, "cheating Jezebel, put me through 16 tonnes of hell".

Heh! thanks - but I can't really claim authorship - that whole verse is made up of Frankie Laine song titles and lyrics (eg. Jezebel and 16 Tonnes)

In case if you were wondering whether or not anybody got it, I did. I thought it was cute. or something.



Incidentally, time to post some reviews. I'm sorry if they're not helpful. Let it be said that I thought the fight as a whole was enjoyable and strange.

Bax
A slow, languishing kind of hatred that builds. Yes. I feel like this is similar to the feel I was going for with our instrumentation, but I went and ruined it with a whole lot of song whereas you just let it stand on its own. You might get flack from some listeners, but I think this is an interesting focus.

Caravan Ray
I think this does more than some of your style forays do because it's such a specific tribute and I think Frankie Lane would be surprised to hear this. *whipcrack* I can't wait to see what would happen if you sent us some recordings. Oh, I like it when you're raunchy. It's too bad this song didn't call for it.

Chuck Chuck Moose
That bit on the guitar is jarring without feeling awkward. That's interesting. This is all interesting pop schtuff. Horns do you no wrong. I feel like this changes just enough to keep me in the whole time.

Comfort
I am a fan of that accent but that is irrelevant. I am also a fan of your creepiness and that low scratching. This has some sounds I would think of as harsh, but like The Lemon of Pink, I can crank my volume up without killing my ears. These are soft and well-tinkered-with sounds.

Dark Liberty
Umm, I don't really like this as much as everybody else does. I think the music is there for some punky rocking out but I'm not going to flip out just yet. And I think the song needs to really engage to keep the listener through the majority, including the soloing toward the end. Vocals can do that, but yours didn't grab me. They seem off, and not intentionally. The instruments are full of energy like everybody is saying, and that is sweet.

Dean Sky
Really interesting, cool stuff. That huge shift is pretty sweet. I feel like I hate both genres you're playing with but love listening to this song.

Frankie Big Face
Sweet. I think this is spot on where you were aiming for and that's a cool place to be. It might run a little long, but you've got a story to tell and whatnot. Consider, just for me, eliminating the chorus. I know that I'm crazy. But ya, cool song.

Gert
Like I said somewhere.. maybe it was a PM.. or when I was gushing... this is cool like it should be with six people dedicated to making rock. Everything comes together like it should and I think the sum is greater than the whole of its parts in a couple ways.

Hillbilly
Cool voice. You can pull this off. I encourage you to make some more dynamic tracks and try to keep them this lowkey. I think you'd be able to do it.

Latex Underpants
A bit repetitive and I feel like the hiss didn't help since it felt kind of repetitive too. Umm, I think I like the elements present in this song and want to see you build beautiful cathedrals out of them next time.

Monosodium Glutamate
This track is cool to me because it broke the pace of this already wacky fight and introed my song which itself has like two intros. Thanks.
More related to you: I laughed.

Phunt Your Friends
Glad there's some enjoyment. Uh.. is it really too long? I guess it could lose a verse.

The Rant
Spunky. I kind of already PMed you about this. I think the blaze way you're talking about hatred has grown on me. You're almost excited about hating me. Good work. I think you hit your mark.

Rik
There is nothing wrong with what direction this song went in. It's compelling. I didn't like it as much on my first listen, but it's growing. I gives me the same type of feeling as a live recording. Your vocals always remind me of The Counting Crows.

State Shirt
Whoa. Rock. I like the screams. Ignore the others. They are there to trick you, I believe. Uhh.. ya, cool. I'd love hearing this live. I also like the crazy friggin ending. Good work floating my boat.

Stueym
Hah, the I need you and I want you whispers make me think of cheesiness like Gunter and the Sunshine Girls. This is pretty slick and dramatic. I really can't take this seriously. I think the mix is fine.

Takasonic and the Mandown Five
Hmm, dirty in a good way. I don't mind the reverb on the vocals and they've been going for a while. But the words seem like they're distracting me from the music which could probably carry its own weight. Non-word vocals are better here. I feel like you captured members of WreckdoM and made them jam with you. That's cool.

Wally Harbinger
This is pretty dramatic too. In a way I don't appreciate at first. But it grows on me. Has a Little Shop of Horrors type of comedy musical feel to it. heh.


This fight is full of really solid songs and I hope you all try to do something weird in the futre and a lot of weird songs that I hope get more and more solid as time goes on. Again, I find myself not sure about who is best.

[boltoph]

I hope you all try to do something weird in the futre and a lot of weird songs that I hope get more and more solid as time goes on.

Beaut! Word.

[Caravan Ray]

*whipcrack* .

Bugger - I can't believe I didn't think to include some whipcrack samples in there

And yes - I think it is high time that a Caravan was Phunted

[GlennCase]

Time to fess up.

I am responsible for the <a href="http://www.songfight.org/music/i_hate_y ... Monosodium Glutimate</a> entry in the I HATE YOU fight.

It was something that I threw together at the last minute before the deadline, with Spud's bagpipes.

It is meant as a tribute to a track from <a href="http://www.songfight.org/music/i_love_y ... ">Vanadium Pentoxide</a> in the <a href="http://www.songfight.org/songpage.php?key=i_love_you" target="blank">I LOVE YOU</a> fight (01/19/01 - 01/29/01). I even sampled that track.

I kept it short, to make it potentially less annoying.

That's it! Glad it made some of you laugh. It makes more sense if you listen to the <a href="http://www.songfight.org/music/i_love_y ... 3">orignal song</a> it is referencing.

ROCK!

Glenn (DR FUNK)

[Leaf]

Finally got reviews done...did half when the fight opened..just finished the rest. so..this fight was pretty good. Some good keepers, some crap. GLEN. DO NOT DO THAT AGAIN.


DO NOT WASTE YER TALENT DEWD. My god, I hated that track... you have stung me in ways you could never possibly know.... (heh heh heh. I'll be ok man....)

Rik Gerblick:
Immediately, I was thinking three things (since the brain apparently can accommodate 7 different focuses at a time...this isn't a stretch) .
1. boring.
2. It' s little miss can't be wrong...spin doctors were a one hit wonder. don't read into that.
3. The song is decent..the singing is good. Harmonies are great.

So..this is ok. I hear so many artists in this area that I live in that do this style...so it doesn't really pick me up. Plus..."sometimes I hate myself"..I thought it was supposed to be "I hate you"?
Nice solo. Also nice mix and production. This is slightly better than ok in my books. I'll listen with interest to other Rik G. entries...just cause I can hear some good stuff hear...just don't really get off on this tune.

Wally Harbinger:

First three thoughts...
1) Great name
2) you need prozac
3) I like the ironic tone of the mellow piano ballad with the mellow but negative lyrics....

Pretty good. I like your take on it. I don't like the sounds of your instruments. This isn't a song issue...it's choice I guess...and it could also just be the means you have... The drums sound fake. Sometimes your voice loses it a touch... I really like that guitar lead bit... great vibe too. A few choice chords in the comping behind the solo... you know, this is nice and entertaining. All the false stops get a little misleading after a while.. having the effect of making me think it's over...but it isn't. If you were going for this concept...then you pulled it off brilliantly. If not.. I dunno..think about it.

Monosodium Glutamate:
First three thoughts..

1) hmmm. This better go somewhere interesting or cool...
2) hmmm. this kinda sucks.
3) do I really need three thoughts on this one?

Thanks for giving me an outlet for my negativity.

Dark Liberty:

1) hmmm.. old school punk stylings.
2) It's snfu.
3) wrong title buddy.

Let's see. Songfight posts a title, and musicians write a song in a week about that title. You could have written this back in 1983 when this style was current. Solos... are fun but...well, the drums were fun. The guitar is just wankin..but the kinda wankin a 13 year old does until he suddenly requires a tissue. Too bad you didn't write a song called "I hate you"... that woulda been cool.

Bax

1.) nice music. Almost has this neo-classical movie soundtrack depressed moment vibe about it.
2) lyrics?? This sounds like it needs lyrics. There is no melody line to speak of...
3) This isn't I hate you..it sounds more like "I hate me"...

Nothing to really vote for. I enjoyed it...but ...it's not really saying "deadly songfight" entry... so it' sok.

Frankie Big Face

1) good. reminds me of sloan or some such thing.
2). Best song so far in my books.
3) I'm liking that riff.

I like this. I turned it up. seeing that I'm at work, in a cubicle, that's a compliment. Shit..you DO have a Bowie thing going on ...but it sounds cool..not really like a parody but more like an influence... great job. Great singing, great song. A definite CONTENDER and a keeper.

HillBilly

1) I turned this up...but only cause I couldn't even hear it over the trucks outside my window.
2) You have a specific sound..this is a keeper.
3) Great mood music.

It's good..but after 1 minute...I've heard enough. I know I like it, I know it's going into my rotation, I know I wouldn't vote for it though. It's nice, good music, but not a stellar "wow" blow me away tune.

Dean Sky

1. )IMMEDIATELY interested.
2.) Reminds me of level nivelo's "danger bus"
3) fun.

this is a fun tune.. some interesting textures and moments. It has an odd blend of really good sounding ideas and some really off sounding stuff. I liked it..it was fun.

ChuckChuckMoose:
1. I like it.
2. the trumpet is cool. Didn’t expect that.
3. the production seems tight..the guitar sounds good but not as tight.

So you have a good voice. And good production. There’s something rhythmically distracting here and there… I can’t quite put my finger on it… but man, I dig the overall tone of this. Mellow and quirky. Maybe the kick pattern is a touch too busy. It sorta stumbles a bit.. is it a program? That’d be weird. Trumpet and vocals sound great. Yeah… honestly, I don’t like the drum part. The tone of the drums is fantastic, but the part does not match the tune. This is a good song. This is a contender.

Stuey M
1. ) I hate you…life in all it’s glory… that’s …funny.
2) seems thin
3) You need to push it harder.

The first thing I’m thinking is “you have a good voice but you seem to choke it back”. Your family (you and Bjam) have such a theatrical vibe to your voices…you should just milk that puppy! I like the backing music. It almost sounds like your rehearsing rather than performing. You gotta SLAM that thing man! Anyway..that’s my thought. Funny thing is..that music with a fat hip hop beat would make a deadly rap track… the Frontalittle Squad should sample your work.



stateshirt remember first three impressions…

1)fuck yeah!
2) fuckyeah!
3) uh… I like the energy.

So..there’s some “pitchy” moments in the vocals..but I really dig the sound, the production, the vibe. Maybe everything is a bit trebly..but honestly it’s hard to say considering I ‘m sitting at my desk, trying to discreetly review. Basically, this is the kinda tune I like. One that rocks. Is that a live drummer? Drums sound great. Yeah, I like this. Maybe the whiny quality of the vocals (see radiohead) turns me off a bit…but …no. No. This is good. A contender.

Carvan Ray

1. Rollin rollin rollin….RAWHIDE.
2. you country bumpkin.
3. This is the best I’ve heard your vocals for production…

Yeah…man, the production on this is great. Good…. Funny, in someways I hear Jack Shite in your vocals on this one. A Keeper. I love your humour. You are a violent man.

Phunt your friends

1. Interesting. Like the shots
2. now’s it all eclectic…
3. uuh…. I really liked yer nicely toasted a way back…

It’s an interesting choice to mix such contrasting ideas. Really, it just sounds jarring and annoying. When it started, I was interested..it sounded tight.. and then it just went nowhere really. I understand the idea of doing something “different”…but different is not necessarily good, or original. This sounds like a spastic temper tantrum. That being said.. I respect the place your coming from, but I just won’t listen to this again. It has nothing to offer to me…of course. Some masturbatory materials are fun to watch, some are disturbing. Maybe that previous sentence is disturbing…


The Rant

1. Yeah. Nice tone.
2. this production is way ahead of the last song I heard of yours.
3. Reminds me of lots of things…

Sounds good. This kinda snotty punk rock is fun. It has a good sound, but still retains that punk sound that ISN”T all blink/sum/simpleplanish. I’d mix the vocals a tad lower…cause it’s almost at pop volume.. It also sounds a tad TOO CONTROLLED… relaxed. Rancid. That’s what I get out of this. But a rancid on prozac. I don’t feel like you all could fly off the handle at anytime.. I kinda expect some sense of danger… like at any moment…yer gonna fly off the handle and spit in your own face.. but still, I like.

Latex Underpants

1. The name had me worried…but the groove off the top was neat
2. this needs more stuff going on…it’s got a great foundation but the vocals don’t carry it…
3. yeah.

Yeah…you know this is the makings of a good fun song…but it needs some melody bits…or a climax or something. I like the feel, the groove..but it’s thin… you know if this was an intro on a cd and then some lush full heavy ass thing kicked in…whoa. As it is, alone, it’s a good idea…but underdeveloped. It needs something.

Comfort

1. NICE intro…for somereason it’s got me thinking chilis or jane’s addiction…
2. oh..that’s not an intro…it’s a soundscape
3. this just isn’t a song. It’s a …I dunno.

This sounds nice, and neat..and quirky. But there really isn’t much here. It’s just background stuff. Not bad, but not a vote either.

Takasonic and the mandown five

1. fun groove right off…
2. sounds like your having fun…
3. its’ going nowhere….

At first.. I was like…yeah…this is cool…but then it just stayed in the same place…the kind of repetition that prompts me to basically tune out what’s going on. The verbal scratching trip is interesting…basically, this sounds kinda fun, but also quickly boring. It’s just ok.

~~ Well… Stateshirt, Frankie, you stood out for me. The Gert…well, it’s Gerty. Get’s me kinda happered, but hey, that’s just the luck of the draw really. A very fun project. And the online drinking parties…. Shhhh!! SHUT UP MAN… damn, you’ll make everyone jealous…

Sorry bout that. Sometimes I blurt through the fingers.

[Wally Harbinger]

Latex Underpants
A confident and restrained 8-bit interpretation. I want to hear you snap in there somewhere, just start screaming like Wildman Fischer or something, bending the needles. But that's just me. Look into compression for the vocals maybe.

Bax
I like this. Bit of a Neutral Milk Hotel aesthetic, makes me wish i played guitar. I'd love to hear it even slower.

Hillbilly
This sounds very genuine, musically and emotionally. If I say that the recording quality is a bit of a distraction it's only because there's not much to criticise about the song itself. I don't think you need the bass in there if you don't have drums – I would have left it out and given the second guitar more to do.

Takasonic et al
What the HELL is going on in there. I wouldn't have thought I'd like that pitch-shifting vocal if you'd told me about it beforehand, but it does work. I especially like the rhythmic vocalisations that I can't quite make out (if those are even lyrics). Would have maybe stopped just before that "speaker" coda.

StueyM
Guitar sounds great off the top, and I wish it didn't get buried as the tune progresses. Drum track is tastefully understated with some nice turnarounds. I might quibble about a few notes in that instrumental break.

State Shirt
Wow that's like a whole band and shit. Great live sound. Nice subversive outro. Master it and press it.

Rik Gerblik
Hooky. Reminds me of the jobbing gig, which must mean that it's pretty close to real pop music. Nice job on the harmonies. Not my kind of thing, but who cares really.

The Rant
Nice crunch guitar. You strike me as having found a voice. Comparisons are inevitable and not necessarily a bad thing; makes me think Cramps/DKs/Ramones but a little more refined. Should play well to a live crowd.

Phunt
I can feel the hate. I hate that snare sample. Lots going on here. Hm. Uh... ah. Well. Oh nice contrast with the music boxy stuff, clean with dirt in the background creates an interesting space.

MSG
I love bagpipes. No really. And the outro rhythm track could be a whole tune. Oh I see, it was. I getcha.

Gert
The digital breakdown stuff mixed in with real and decent playing gives a real sense of "yah we can do it all, and well, and with a sneer". I'd like to hear some more structure, using a juxtaposition of these elements to build and take the song somewhere. At the moment it sounds a bit "now we're doing this, now we're doing that". But all the elements are there in full force.

Frankie
I'm sure you know how good this is. Nice lyrical stuff, box of nos, hate you less and less, I really like the metaphors but you might be able to fine tune some of the words so they flow a little more smoothly at times. Pretty fully realized. It's kind of a throwback production approach, hard panning and all, but it works.

Dean Sky
An excellent source of irony. Dial back the verb on the vocals maybe. Dude's voice sounds better in the bridge than in the verses, can't put my finger on it; more relaxed and legato. I understand you're going for a dreamy contrast kind of thing... I guess what I'm getting at is the verse vocals bug me a bit.

Dark Liberty
Angry. Punky. Like the drum break. I've been a sucker for a good drum solo ever since that Partridge Family episode where the youngest one, not Danny, the blond kid, wanted to quit playing drums suddenly because he met this chick who kicked his ass, and they had the drums in the living room and she played a solo and she was excellent. Did you see that one? A bit before your time maybe.

Comfort
A pleasant interlude. I needed that. I'd EQ those processed vocals, like a real heavy bandpass, so they're not dominating the mix.

ChuckChuck
Good pop potential, kind of Train meets Cake (sorry, any pop tune with solo brass is going to hit the Cake button, not your fault). Drums are a bit heavy for the style at times. Good ideas, nice vocals, needs some production and some timing fixes.

Caravan Ray
Very idiomatic. Not sure the backup dudes are singing the best notes at times, but the idea is right. Some layering would be nice, you know, the Bolero thing, start building it way up at around the 2 minute mark.

Wally Harbinger
Novel rhythmic structure. Chords on the quarter. Chord chord chord chord chord chord. Some say love, it is a flower, that bores me half to death. As for the singing, well we only had to put up with it for 3 minutes and you get that voice for your whole life, so we'll let that one go. Sounds like it was spat out of a machine, overall, which I guess it was. Not having any friends who play guitar is dangerously close to not having any friends, so watch that. PS heh heh heh you said "fuck".

Excellent competition all. The world is too big.

[gert]

Gert is pleased.

This was a splendid fight with many good, worthy songs. Gert spent many an hour raising a glass and discussing the merits of various "I hate Yous" this week. In typical Gert fashion, various Gerts had conflicting opinions regarding favs of the fight, but well done all, and thanks to those that found the time to review!


Gert6

[stueym]

Stuey M
1. ) I hate you…life in all it’s glory… that’s …funny.
2) seems thin
3) You need to push it harder.

The first thing I’m thinking is “you have a good voice but you seem to choke it back”. Your family (you and Bjam) have such a theatrical vibe to your voices…you should just milk that puppy! I like the backing music. It almost sounds like your rehearsing rather than performing. You gotta SLAM that thing man! Anyway..that’s my thought. Funny thing is..that music with a fat hip hop beat would make a deadly rap track… the Frontalittle Squad should sample your work.

Oh man I would be so stoked if someone wanted to sample some of my stuff.

I really enjoyed doing this one. Getting better every time if only I wouldn't leave it all to the last few hours before its due.

This was a good fight this week, with much worthiness and thanks to the 3 who granted me their votes. Cheers!!

[Caravan Ray]

Caravan Ray
Not sure the backup dudes are singing the best notes at times

Yeah - I've given all those clowns a good boot up the arse. They'll never work in this town again.

Congratulations Gert, bastards.

[thehipcola]

Thanks Caravan Ray...and kudos on your song. I get it now. Well well done.

[stateshirt]

Congratulations to Gert! Well done. Though I thought Frankie had this fight in the bag.

Thanks for the kind words and for the suggestions for my song. Now I'll go sit in the corner and wait for my voice to come back.

[frankie big face]

Congratulations to Gert! Well done. Though I thought Frankie had this fight in the bag.

Thanks Stateshirt! I don't win very often, but it's always fun to play. Enjoy a lozenge on me!

[mico saudad]

Wally Harbinger.. Holy crap I love this song. I would love to hear Kevin Spacey singing this for some reason.

That is probably THE best keyboard guitar solo I've ever heard.

[Wally Harbinger]

Wally Harbinger.. Holy crap I love this song. I would love to hear Kevin Spacey singing this for some reason.

That is probably THE best keyboard guitar solo I've ever heard.

Wow. That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all day. Thanks.

It also may be the first time the words "I'd love to hear Kevin Spacey singing" have ever appeared adjacent to one another.