Let me just say before I begin that I am also writing reviews for round four. I was proud of Bram's development. Also in round five I missed Billy a lot.
I get kinda quiet when things get funky (not in a goodway) in life. This is ALWAYS reflected in my music and I have not managed to develop a way to get a professional hat on about that. I s'pose that is what the contests are about - training.
This doesn't sound at all like a blog, does it
[aside one: Billy, I very much appreciate the remix and it sounded wonderful! If I get through I'm going to sit and think about how to bust out. I know that for me it is a big *IF* … so i sit nervously…. #eek!]
Anyway, without further doo-doo, moving along …
(that's two allotted smileys already!!!!)
REVIEWS: Round 5: "Everyone Was So GOOD.."
(these reviews are embarrassing)
FBF:
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this sounded like a Zappa tune, the name of which I can't remember. Although you asked nicely to hush-hush re: the clipping; I am going to say that perhaps it added a bit of distortion to things which was not horribly unpleasant due to the way that you handled it in the mixing process (this is what I say to myself at night when *my* tracks clip - but I AM being serious!). I disagree with the no-falsetto thing. Bring it on. I don't nececelery agree with you taking the chorus off of that one verse and leaving yourself so exposed (now I contradict myself!).. perhaps it takes a bit of continuity out of the track? hmm? dunno…
Your usage of the flat tone was subtle and one of the top two most creative! They made me listen to your lyrics. You make up melodies in a way I don't think to and have been consistent during this whole contest.
{addition: you have the seal of approval from my fella as wella. you're one of the ones that when I lose to, he will take me out and buy me a sno' cone and tell me to shut up and learn.)
Manhattan Glutton:
Another fantastic use of the non-optional challenge. I almost feel as though you are making fun of it a little bit … flirting with the challenge and throwing tones around in busy fashion saying "ha! ha!" here is ANOTHER place where I have Just Met the Challenge Right here, it Says so in the dictionary of Challenges! Production is great and lyrics quick and well done.
I think all the sounds blended well together but I am not sure how your vocal in verse one merged with the one in verse two and am trying to decide if the guitar makes it all stick together nicely or if it needs even more nit picking to move onto round 12 and beat the other big names on the radio. I am not sure if I know what I am trying to say. These are decisions that I certainly don't know how to make within software quite yet. I am a bit intimidated.
I can't decide if your hook is too cheesy and too often repeated or if I am just jealous at my complete lack of ability to write a hit song anymore.
I can see this catching on in a big way.
ps. the tones fit together well and make an accompaniment, curious considering that my piano didn't even accompany me this round! clever!
Mersian:
Tight as usual. I STILL have that feeling that I want to hear someone really break your heart and rip your guts out and take some effects off.. and then hear what you can do. I heard it a bit in ginger - although you were still so pretty then…
Here is a nice (ha, ha) Nur Ein scenario:
We are in a bar. We are dating the same man (this is an alternate universe of silliness and fantasy). Fantasy Mersian and Fantasy DJ Den are dating the same man. We didn't know it till just then. We find out! You're off on your ginger drink and I'm blaming the next song challenge flavor. We have a sing off and fighting about it and pouring our angst-pain - with nothing stopping us. The clever lyrics are flying, the underwear is hitting the stage…
Oh what fun it is to ride…
Back to reality… because...
…you get the idea.
I think you would probably win, because your production is better and cool usually wins the day - but you have a bitter edge to things; a sardonic quality that I could REALLY stand to hear amped up. I could scream at that all day, could learn to do it if I had the production in my brain like that… I think you could poison people and really sneak up behind them and slit throats. Together you could do murder. This review is confusing me. I stop now.
ps. you are inspiring me to perhaps try writing lyrics with a little bit more structure if I make the next act. just a thought though. #crossfingersandtoes
Paco Del Stinko:
I actually pumped my arm in the car at the rifftacularness of it all. You have a signature thing that you do that I've started going "yep. that's a 'You' thing." You go into these modal little 'thingies' and i just want to kind of do funky little maneuvers, depending on what the song says to do. Right when I think the song is about to go on for too long (which i don't like), you change it and it is all okay. I liked the subject matter. We were sort of writing about the same things but for very different reasons but you stayed on point and I completely internalized mine. But perhaps I am full of crap. You are another Sno Cone contestant - who I'd come pay tribute to with cookies or something. Vocally you vary some… but that's okay, because so do I. I will have to listen again to make the lyrics stick. Could be my attention span. Maybe the other awesome is too distracting. Is your voice strange or sexy? Could it be both??????
Ross Durand:
Risk which pays off. Story line and transitions 89-91% seamless. Vocal mostly awesometoast but filled with conviction and character and can't really pin-point anything wrong about it so never-mind then. The lyrics were well done. I wasn't quite convinced about the wrap up until the very-very end so I think you might could have said more with less. Maybe this is true in a couple of your sections. And yet, the whole idea and the instrumentation is so well done that perhaps this does not matter. I couldn't have pulled it off without a partner. Not with all the .. STUFF!
Wreckdom:
Basically, this was just a song that rocked and had a lot of structure. It reminded me a little of the feel of 'Cherry Bomb'
I do not know how else to say this, but the vocal in the bridge is too jarring for me.
The band sound is really tight though. I think that this is a song that I would feel differently about live than I do with a recording, which reminds me of me a bit because I think I would have come across better in a stage play and probably done the belting out thing a little more toward the audience. The use of the tone, conversely to the rest, was cool and tasteful. I think I would describe your song as niftycool.
WSA:
This has that confusing Steely Dan quality where you know something is going on that is over your head. Then the dental drill comes in and that makes you REALLY feel like you are in a place that is like you at the wrong concert or doctor's office. I feel kind of intimidated and want to whine about this. Does the instrumental stuff work or is it gratuitous? I don't know! Everything is structurally REALLY well orchestrated. The vocal is not quite making it for me. It's hard for me to make criticisms. The way that the instruments are played is incredibly skillful. I think that whatever you were going for was a success - simply because the production, once again, is well done. I'm going to say bravo - and also that I am not good at writing reviews. What a damn weird review. I am sorry.
Again, reviews are hard for me. I feel like they are all horrid and unequal. These are messy. I can elaborate or clarify or expound more if desired. (yeah… oh great). I am still working on the others. I feel like I am stabbing people and making hurty feelings. I have lots of respect for everyone. I know people want criticism. This will take a while for me. I'll get there.
I really appreciate criticisms though, ironically. And agree with many/most of them. They are quite helpful.
Oh yeah … and The Tension is so thick you could cut it with a pie ….