Welcome to Sprawlmart! (Old People Shopping... Reviews)

[ken]

Shoplifters will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Speaking of which: http://houston.indymedia.org/news/2005/08/42397.php

[j$]

Anthony "A-Log" LoGatto - I don't really have to much to say about this - it's oddly charming but way too long and the charm wears thin as a result. I like the shopping list at about a minute a lot. Maybe just base the song around that rather than the extraneous scene setting stuff about balloons and cancoon.

Basket of Hands - lovely riffing. Has a sample quality about it ... oh there it goes ... this reminds me a bit of Sandcastle Surgery's stuff. Why do we wait until the last 30 seconds for the best part? This is good but you need to reconsider exactly what you want - the soundscape or the pretty tune - there's room for both, but not in my opinion, here. You could just repeat what you have at the end somewhere near the beginning ... i dunno

Dogballs - good opening, nicely sung - cute harmonies. Bass sounds a bit thin. And the drums are a bit sparse - maybe a bit of verb / delay - just to fill in the gaps - oh I take it back about the bass. This has a cool sloid groove, and the kick in at 1.12 seals it for me. This is a good good song, and becomes a CONTENDER. Spaceman shoes is the icing on the cake. Good stuff.

Johnny Cashpoint - is me. A conversation with my boss about fear of death, and a tribute to Land of the Dead, which opens today in the UK and here we are.

Menbah - I am now suspicious this isn't another rip-off of a song I don't know. Either way it's a lovely tune. Great bass. The lyric is a bit earnest in the first verse, then goes all cliched in the next. Doesn't really suit the lovely chirpiness of the music. This is a good song, I'm just not sure about the lyric. 'Let's goooooo' indeed, to the next song ...

Phunt Yr Wreckdom - nowthere's a collaboration to chill my ass-bone to the very core. But here we go *clicks play* Hey Romero! I watched Dawn of the Dead last weekend, or I wouldn't have recognised it. Actually brilliant from 1.40 to the end. Terrible up til then. Start it from then and loop twice, and you would have a song I might have voted for. Never thought I would be saying that to either of you ...

Wages - I like the 'in the garage' tone on the guitar. But i fear it's not going to go anywhere beyond the practice in the garage. if you don't tell your friends you play guitar, how can they ever invite you to join their band? Don't be shy - get out there Why is the vocal thrown so far right? I see no purpose to that. I hate windows media player - this song should have finished at 1.12 according to the screen. Actually when the vocal for no apparent reason slips into stereo, it sounds better. Still far too underdeveloped and thus a bit dull by 2.26ish

I think it's gonna be Dogballs. But you could all vote for me instead and buck the trend

[Egg]

Sober reviews may follow. For now, this is what you get. Thank time zone differences.

ALOG - This is long. It started off reminding me of our friends at WreckdoM with a strange narrative and some vocal a capella, but then it just kept going and going. I like the way you say bolloon. Sometimes. Oh my god, you faked me out and I thought this was ending. This is sort of funny and probably worth about as much effort as you put into it. The echo kills the old person impersonation. I think this track should be shortened before being used again, if ever.

Basket of Hands - This sounds so pleasant after that ALOG business. LUKE HENLEY, you dog. I know what you've done. "Plunderphonics," shouted my collaborator. "I think we should engage in it as well," I paraphrased him. Yes, this works. I like the vocals since I find that they sort of fill some of the emptiness between the fun samples. I also still think the kids are perfect in the background there. In the future, I'd like to hear more hands in this basket...with surprising numbers of fingers. More samples, more complicated loops.

Dogballs - Electric. Now funky. Poppy and weird like those bands that do poppy and weird things that I like. You know, like ... umm.. I like how Presidents of the blah blah they make poppy songs that are still a little weird and.. look, this is funny but not very crazy. I like it, but I'm more into the insanity of the other entries.

Johnny - "we don't need people shoppin' in the afternoon" [edit, this is misquoted!] is verging on soothing. And that's something I never thought I'd say to you, Mr. Cashpoint I like the way that synth business rises up against the electric guitar. Handclaps are hard to use a little bit of like that without going all out. After hearing this, I hate old people shopping in the afternoon but I'm really relaxed about said hatred. Weird.

MENBAH!!!!!!! - This doesn't immediately strike me as another song I know. Which is maybe why it's not as catchy. I think that percussive loop doesn't really help you with the shakers and whatnot. It sounds like a crutch that fills sound without adding a whole lot to the piece, but then again, you've got a groove that some of these entries might be missing. I'm not sure I follow the lyrics. But your wailing strikes me as nice at various times, regardless of the meaning of those words.

Wreck my PhuntdoM - You guys are the best. Thanks for having us along. Please do this again some time. I want to go to Austin and make strange noises at one of your shows.

Wages - eep, this is electrified ... erm! I commend you for trying panning, but .. you know, I just looked at Johnny's reviews again and I agree with him a lot this week. An unprecedented amount even. Uhh, I think this is underdeveloped. It might have been more interesting to actually see the old people shuffling. But there's some raw potential, methinks.


BYE!

[MENBAH!]

Hrm... It occurs to me in this late hour that "Fax Machine" may not have been the best song with which to introduce myself to this crowd. Nonetheless, please let me assure you that I'm perfectly capable of writing thoroughly original songs... and also derivative (but fun!) tripe like FM.

I'll post reviews as soon as I get to listen.

[j$]

Johnny - "we don't need people shoppin' in the afternoon" !

Erm, 'hey old people shoppin' in the afternoon' actually ... this song is partly about the generation gap - the fear of getting old translating into a fear of old people - a view of what's to come that you'd rather not see. Which is ties into my cover art this week

j$

[Egg]

Johnny - "we don't need people shoppin' in the afternoon" !

Erm, 'hey old people shoppin' in the afternoon' actually ... this song is partly about the generation gap - the fear of getting old translating into a fear of old people - a view of what's to come that you'd rather not see. Which is ties into my cover art this week

j$

Oh, uh, yeah. heh heh. I uhh knew that.

[WeaselSlayer]

Rebboos:

Phunt Yr WreckdoM: It really stings me to say this, but I was much more terrified/excited by the prospects of this collaboration than I am by the final product. It just sounds kind of deflated. There are elements about it I like, but it seems like it's lacking the energy you both usually bring to the table. Anyway, please still like me. When it hits the like theramin faux-hip-hop WreckdoMC part it's a lot more engaging and that part is a lot of fun, but the rest I was kind of like, "aw AW."

MENBAH!: Shakey achey rakey. I was hoping you had a British accent, but you don't. In fact, your vocals took this in a totally different direction than I expected/wanted it to go. My bad, I guess. I really really like the instrumentation in the background (that kind of distant and dissonant jangley guitar in the background is REALLY cool) but the vocals are just turning me off in a really big way.

Wages: You take your dear sweet time in getting to the song. Oh wait, this is it. That's not a very interesting backbone on which to build anything, really. Also, your voice and the lyrics are not very engaging either. I am not engaged. Blar yar zar.

Basket of Hands: It was a pain in the ass doing this in Garageband, but I think it turned out kind of neat.

Johnny Cashpoint: I like it. It has some kind of poppy moments to it, which is fun. I don't really know what else to say. It's good. Oh, the break where everything drops out except for the guitar and the vocals is REALLY fucking good. Wow. That grabbed me. Could have used more of that. Like if it played that for a while and then other things were layered onto that and then like the organ and the choir came in. Anyway, whatever.

Anthony "A-LAsfkjaskfjas: Swump par brar hoombie kwan swump par dam yodomar. Skeef mar prum priddyum! Zar zar zar zar zar!

dogballs: I like this, it has a kind of old indie thing. Then it turns kind of Ween and TMBG which, you know, a lot of songs do here. But it's still interesting enough for me to not just think, "Oh, you fucking sound like Ween and TMBG, I'm over YOU." It's good to have a sense of humor. Also, I'm pissed that I didn't have the oppurtunity to say, "Oh great, a band who's so well-named that I don't have to listen to the song to get what they're about." So... you're a bastard.

[MENBAH!]

A-Log: I hear this song with some alternating bass acoustic guitar, a la old outlaw country, and it makes me smile. This mental version still has the beatboxing, too--that's what makes it so much fun. It meanders less and the lyrics scan better. The song in my head is pretty good. The version you recorded at least gets points for inspiring that song, and for rhyming "balloon" with "Cancun."

Basket of Hands: This loop hypnotizes me in a way I like. It reminds me of the mood in the movie "Vanilla Sky," if that makes any sense, or maybe "Lost In Translation." The song could use development, and maybe the insertion of a breakbeat about halfway through, but what's there fills me with hope.

Dogballs: This one has a nice stomping groove, and the lead guitar riff that appears after "come and bug me" and "these things were free" adds to it a lot--I'd probably like more of it. By the time the chorus swoops in, I'm already won over. I must keep smiling. A bridge would be nice, as the verse is so sing-songy and homogeneous, but it's certainly not a dealbreaker.

j$: When I first read the title, I thought "what a Johnny Cashpoint title," and the song fails to disappoint. I very much dig the lushness of the mix--sort of a postmodern Phil Spector vibe here, broken up by the spareness of the occasional breakdowns. It's over too soon.

MENBAH!: Sorry 'bout the out-of-control vocals; I have a cold. Since a couple of you have asked what the lyrics mean, the title gave me a sad vision of old people who have accomplished nothing more than becoming ever-more-avid consumers. The song, then, is about dropping out of society to avoid such a fate. The happy disco beat is just something I do to make dark lyrics more interesting.

Phunt My Wreckdom: Forgive me for being new to Songfight. Everyone else seems to know (apparently both of ) you by reputation, and I do not. As for this song, it's interesting to listen to and conveys a mood well, but overall to me it has the feel of one of those early Ween songs that I always skip to get to "Nicole."

Wages: I like this song a lot, as it rocks a lot harder than anything else in the fight, and I do dig me some well-crafted butt rock. That said, used drum machines are pretty easy and inexpensive to obtain.

[hockinfinger]

Anthony "A-Log" Logatto - The lyrics are creative. The performance and production could use a little help.

Basket of Hands - I had to listen to this several times to see how this could be linked to old people or shopping. It wasn't as obvious as I'd hoped, but the whole thing did convey an interesting mood.

dogballs - I like the quirky melody and catchy lyrics. People really do still use the term whipper-snapper here in Florida.

Johnny Cashpoint - I read the lyrics for this song before I ever had a chance to listen, and knew I'd like it. The acapella parts, use of synthy sounds, and production all add up nicely.

MENBAH! - I like it in the beginning, but the vocals sort of deteriorate toward the end. The rhythm track sounds too busy in parts. I like the detuned guitar sounds. A good effort for the most part.

Phunt my WreckdoM - One of the things I like about Song Fight is that so many people push the limits of what constitutes a song. That being said, this song does not do much for me. It's sort of creative and bizarre, but nothing I'd listen to on a regular basis.

Wages - This sounds unfinished. It could certainly use a good rhythm track to bring it to life.

My favorites here are Johnny Cashpoint and dogballs. I must go shopping now.

[wages]

I'm a Wages. Been away for a while (1 1/2 years or so). Trying to improve my style and focus my life some. I pick up my guitar less now then I used to (sometimes as rarely as once a month!), but at least it feels more "fresh" when I do. If anyone remembers me, I hope this and future tunes seem better due to my hopefully improved focus on melody and guitar rhythm (however slight!). I know I need drums and I appreciate any tips in the recording department (or any other department)!

Anthony A-Log Logatto - interesting concept but it builds to very little OR I'm not much for accapella (spelling?).

Basket of Hands - Kind of cool but it doesn't build to much...perhaps a soundtrack-type tune.

Dogballs - I'm liking this...nice groove and melody. Don't have much to say about a song this good.

Johnny Cashpoint - You've always written good material. I like yours a lot. This sounds like one of the songs on an album that isn't radio "quality" (that's a whole rant in that statement, but I'll spare you) but isn't one of the "Why did they even bother to put this one on the album?" It's in the "pretty good song I like to listen to but it isn't my favorite" category.

Menbah - Decent sounding tune but nothing that grabs me personally.

Phunt My Wreckdom - Sonically-induced madness! Cool idea, very strange.

[melvin]

I love this song title, and wish I had time this week to submit something! Oh well, I do have time for some reviews.

LoGatto: My goodness, this is annoying! Are the lyrics funny? Maybe, but this hurts my ears too much to keep listening.

Basket of Hands: Very interesting! Really like the mood of this. Funny at the end too! Good stuff.

Dogballs: Nice combination of sounds and lyrics, plus a catchy melody. This tune has it all!

Johnny Cashpoint: Good song, weird mix, clever arrangement, weak guitar sounds. And I’m still wondering where those drums are coming from? Is that a live performance? If so, it sounds awfully tight, and well-recorded. There are moments of this track that I just love, but they’re intersected by too many moments that I find lacking.

MANBAH!: Like the bass part and chord progression, but the vocal melody needs some refinement, and the singing really needs some work. There’s a wobbliness to the vocals that almost sounds like they were recorded live, while also playing the bass. Also, there’s a yellingness to the vocals in spots that made my cat grimace. Also, use a guitar tuner, will ya?! I’m amazed how many people will go to all the effort of writing and recording a song, but can’t be bothered to tune their instruments. Does that make any sense?

Phunt My Wreckdom: Funny! 2 out of 10 for “musicâ€

[A-Log]

In case you're all wondering, I'm the guy with the weird rendition of "Old People Shopping in the Afternoon" that has got some mixed reviews. For starters, I want to thank Johnny Cashpoint, MENBAH!, and hockinfinger for their helpful reviews. To begin with, I apologize for the quality of the recording; I used a program called Audacity to record it. Also, I was trying my best to sound like the elder rock statesman himself, Lou Reed. Don't worry, I'll try to do better in the next few fights. One the plus side, the renditions from J$, MENBAH!, Dogballs, and Wages were pretty good. I'll congratulate Phunt my WreckDom for use of samplings and a loudspeaker voice. Wish I'd that of using that for my song.

Anthony "A-Log" LoGatto

[pegor]

wagesThe guitar part was interesting but to overdriven for me to really enjoy it. I was trying figure out what this needed to make it good .... mix, drums, a non-farting amp, ultimately I think the guitar part could carry it all as an acoustic thing. (That's right tecnosnobs - guy-n-guitar would be a good thing.) The singing might be ok with some reverb and gotta give props to a dude who can sing about geriatric jock itch.
johnny cashpointIt amazes me how you can get so many parts performed and mixed so well in such a short time, you rock. but the staccato singing part makes me want to push you in front of a truck - uh - sorry a lorry. basically I wish it was more flowing/melodic.
Anthony "A-Log" Logatto It was cute in parts. Needs spoons and a minnie pearl hat.
dogballs yep that's it. best so far. funnyish and good music. How does one come up with that atonal kinda line(afternoon), and have it work -cool
phunt wreckdomIm just not a fan of spoken word chanting stuff
Basket of Hands Atmospheric and interesting, some kinda static noise on parts of the vocal track that took me out of the feel.
MENBAHThe singing wasn't always right on but I love that you are belting it out. The guitar sounds warped or out of tune. and there just to many damned syllables in the lyric. I liked it.

[john82]

i'll comment on the tracks i liked best:
wages nice track, might work acoustically too...
johnny cashpoint i didn't like the singing style so much, the rest is good
phunt wreckdom I'm afraid i didn't get what you meant with the lyrics here
Basket of Hands cool but there are some problems with the mix - some noise on one of the tracks - not sure which
Johnny from guitars101

[anti-m]

I just found this on my hard drive...

http://www.one-thousand-words.net/oldso ... OPSITA.mp3

My unfinished "first" entry!