The Song Fight Bulletin Board

The songs have been posted. Feel free to enjoy the tunes and review as the jury deliberates. The jury will also be posting reviews in this thread but the actual scoring will not be announced until friday. On Friday, you will find out who has been eliminated as well as the new title, non optional challenge and the immunity challenge.

NUR EIN!!!

<a href="http://www.songfight.org/nur_ein_2.m3u" ... stream.gif[/img]</a>

Thanks Spud. I put a link to it on the page. (I would make these streams myself if I could FTP from the job. Damn firewalls.)

There is one for stage one as well, you know:

<a href="http://www.songfight.org/nur_ein_1.m3u" ... stream.gif[/img]</a>

J$'s reviews, now in the review thread:

Jim Tyrrell - awesome. Great take on the 'no rhymes' challenege - what I would have done Iif I had thought of it - the chorus is a tad too metal for my tastes although the squidgy almost prog moog off-sets it very nicely. Yeah, the mix isn't so great, but the quality of the song shintes through - sounds like a bit like a Rage live recording, although twiddly keith Emerson keyboard solo gets a bit much ... It's kind of done at 2.30 but hey it's churlish to complain ...

Wreckdom - Not quite as immediate as your 'Pencil Me In' - it's a nice groove but i kind of getting a little bored at 1.15ish ... it feels a little pissed out lyrically to me. Nice theramin-y style guitar thing in the background. Good solid bass. Certainly a nice filler but lacks the cohesiveness and sharpness, that crispness, of my favourite Wreckdom songs (of which there are maybe two)

Sausage Boy - I really like the lyric to this. Like the nice jazzy keyboard and the weird almost swing standard feel but not a huge dynamic variation - needs something else in the mix to give a bit more depth - maybe a nice choppy metal guitar - really helping to layer it on thick. The change is 2.47 is great though maybe comes 15 to 20 seonds too late. And I don't really want the groove to come back. Should have stayed in the freakout moment right until the end .... a good bare bones of a song, but only ok in realisation.


Tex Beaumont - You're my stepping stone? I really like the verse guitar and structure - I wish the vocal was a bit louder there. the layering of 'again and again' works well - I just can't get the idea of the Monkees out of my head when the chorus hits and that spoils my enjoyment... seems a lot longer, somehow, than the 2 and a half minutes it is?

Leaf 62 - Rawk. Part of me wishes you had just shouted 'wake me up' all the way through. But this is awesome within that metal genre of which I am not a fan. I wanted a big poodle wig-out that never came.

Heuristics Inc - there's some weird crackling going on here - good spooky feeling going on - I'm not really engaging with the samples though it's good. I think the two sections (yr singing, the samples) sound disjointed somehow. I love the instrumental break outs - really good swells and strangeness nailed to the beat, especially aroun 3.10 when it goes all Residents.

Kamakura - Ah, the 'Floyd - or should that be ARGH! The Floyd!? Let me say first I love the last line. This feels like song 3 in a huge concept album. Some nice rhythmic word play going on which I appreciate. Why is everyone's song so long this time round? Oh for a 90 second punk buzz ....

Ken - I wasn't expecting this! It's like the Human League Dare-era. Well, a little like that anyway. It's a bit repititive, lacking in any solid hooks or riffs, but the melody is great and there's some interesting bonkers percussion going on.

# - I know within 15 seconds that this is prime octothorpe. It's that absurd keyboard crashing that does it for me. And the feamle backing vocals. Apparently random guitar solos and motorbike noises are great as well. And it's short! Yay #!

Denyer - This is a really good mix. Only the complete lack of a) a chorus and b) much more importantly, the complete lack of connection to the title stop me promoting to top of my scoring list so far.

Deshead -hmmm, I was really worried for the first 40 seconds, but the kick in is awesome. Great bass work. I don't really like the growly vocal take (or at least it seems more growly than usual to me) - this sounds like EMF or one of those indie dance bands of the 90s, when they wanted to show they had more meat and went a little rawk (cf 'Lies' by EMF). I find myself at 2.35 worrying that slower, earnest slow-rock interlude will return. I'm glad it doesn't and there 's still something overall about it that I don't warm to, but it's sharp as a bucket of knifes so I'll let it pass.

Glenn Case - Oh starts like Elvis Costello. And the middle too That chorus is great, I like the phased/flanged/whatever effect it is leadwork there a lot. really gives a depth that sets against the skinnier verses very well. Could do with a bit more kick in the bass tone to accentuate that great playing. The breakdown end is silly but I like it (although the snare is almost unbearably too loud in that section. And now I've noticed it the drums are very forefront in this mix.)

Bjam - 'sun is settinG on the pale orange moon'? The mix works well for the W'N'G stylings. I don't really know what else to say. The lyric is very good in parts, not in others (I like 'I am sleeping to escape from you' but not 'Wide-awake nightma-a-ah-ares'). Hmmm, yeah. Quite good.

Calfborg - This is cool. Like the microphone effect, although i'd like to hear it turned off occasionally and turned back on. I like the double tracking towards the end, and the riff is good, but there is not enough here to justify 4 minutes in my opinion. that said, I like it, it just feels a bit 'just add water' to me.

The BeWells - Is this the BeWells Rockin' out? Sounds so REM-y - you even used the word 'reveal' Like the little falsetto peaks very much. Nothing much else to say. It's well done but I don't think I'd rush out to buy it - personal taste.

Ross Durand - 'The world out here is changing a lot' - what, as opposed as 'changing a little', or 'changing, but hardly so as you'd notice'? I like the bass tone. The slightly hectoring tone of the vocal makes me step back a few paces. I like the power boost as 1.15ish - but I'd like the rhythm go all wiry and sharp-edged here - I guess this kind of American swamp rocky thing goes beyond my taste-realm, and takes up residency in the next kingdom along. It's certainly not bad. Apart from the repeated 'sleeper, can you hear me, it's time to wake up' when you don't seem to be offering anything in the lyric to wake up for?

Jolly Roger - That guitar riff is too prominent for something not that interesting. The bass and second guitar don't really notice when they come in for several seconds. maybe this just needs mastering? Heh cute take on the lyric - obvious rhyme not arriving. Again, there's a lot of interest here but it's not quite the finished product - not that I am going to judge on that. That take on the lyric seems to have got forgotten. A little shabby but not bad. Oh I like the drum rolls and tom use a lot.

Thornberry - I wish the heavy drumming had carried on a bit more. I feel a bit cheated by the drop back into half-time. yet this is also messy and garrulous and therefore I love it. A bit pompous and I don't like the 'American Rock' stylings to the verse vocals, and I can hear harmonies on the more beatles-ish ones. You know I can't decide if I like this or hate it, and therefore for the time being I like it. It's suitably 'come along for the ride' for my tastes! Assume Power Focus!

haven't scored yet. There was a lot more variety in this stage than the last which is good. And some interesting takes on the tricky lyric challenge too. Things sounded a bit rougher, mix-wise, which may indicate people are finding the turn-around trickier, but colours in my own personal taste-spectrum in a pleasing way.[/b]

Here are opinions
You may or may not agree
This is what I think

<b>The BeWells</b>

This has a nice vibe
Vocals and playing are good
You get a gold star

<b>Bjam</b>

I like how you sing
Your production has improved
Your future is bright


<b>Calfborg</b>

Trippy lead vocals
And odd chord combinations
It's slightly creepy


<b>MC Paul Denyer And The Coaliton Against A Segregated Nation</b>

The beat is okay
I don't care for the lyrics
Sounds like I.C.P.

<b>Deshead</b>

You are a bad-ass
I vote you as most likely
to get rich from this

<b>Glenn Case</b>

I like the music
I hate my own lead vocal
I guess it's okay

<b>Heuristics Inc.</b>

Intro drags a bit
Very Floyd-ish vibe to this
When it does kick in

<b>Jim Tyrrell</b>

The drums DO sound good
You're right about the mixdown
Very King Missile

<b>Jolly Roger</b>

Intro drags slightly
The drums overpower this
Unaffected voice

<b>Kamakura</b>

Second Floyd-ish song
And the vibe fits the title
Pace made me sleepy

<b>Ken</b>

Bright and punchy song
I do like the percussion
Head bobs side to side

<b>Leaf 62</b>

Freaking sweet guitar
Hello Mister Black Sabbath
This song tears up ass

<b>Octothorpe</b>

Vintage Octothorpe
This sounds like the old entries
No one sounds like you

<b>Ross Durand</b>

Guitar tone is cool
I can't warm up to your voice
And I'm not sure why

<b>Sausage Boy</b>

I like the song's groove
Vocals buried and pitchy
But I have heard worse

<b>Tex Beaumont and the Dirty Hearts</b>

Howdy, Tex! Hello!
Caravan Ray would be proud
This is a fun one

<b>Thornberry</b>

The round one winner
May have just struck once again
Nice composition

<b>Wreckdom</b>

Y'all are so crazy
This song is the perfect length
Could have gotten old


ROCK!

Glenn (DR FUNK)
http://glenncase.songhole.org

Glenn Case is funny
when he writes in structured verse
that doesn't rhyme. Yo.

Holy freaking crap!
I just read all of those - how
Could I have missed that?

# - This is a classic Octothorpe track if you ask me. I like all the different parts. Seems to lack development. Is Mad Dog singing the lead vocal in the beginning of the song? Song kind of just fades away and needs an ending.

Ross Durand – I am really enjoying the rasp in your voice. The song gets better (or grows on me) as it develops. Nice rocking tune.

Sausage Boy – I can hardly hear your vocals on this. It takes a long time for this song to change.

Tex Beaumont – Certainly my favorite contender in Nur Ein. This song is as good as your last.

Thornberry – Music is kind of blown out. Pretty darn rocking though. Something sounds broken about this track, like you recorded it on an 8 track and the tape is too old to use anymore. Was that your intention? I like the rocking sound of this track, but the vocals don’t do it for me.

WreckdoM – This is a pretty funky track. Almost sounds like a Beck demo. That is some excellent Theremin.

BeWells – I was going to use “Perchance to dreamâ€

j$ wrote: Heuristics Inc - there's some weird crackling going on here

What crackling? Where? What does it sound like? I'm not sure what you're talking about.

ken wrote: Heuristics Inc. – Interesting samples. Where did you get them? I’m enjoying this song, and just had the thought, “this is a passâ€

you know, i love seeing so many people still in this.

it would be soooo easy to just write it off as nothing is at stake but bragging rights, but you guys are real warriors.

for that, you get big props from me. all of you.

reviews tonight!

What's at stake, Jack, is being able to say we gave it our best shot.

i agree 100 percent spud. it's about pride. and obviously, you guys have alot of it the way you are bringing your collective A game.

the bewells
very nice guitar intro. damn, this is sweet. like matthew sweet even. production and execution is absolutely top notch. love the recording. i already think this will be hard to beat for me. i also just want to say that it's my humble and not so silent opinion that i think your scores overall last week were unduly low, and as long as i'm on this panel, you'll get my props with your style and execution. great job and an easy pass for me.

bjam
guitar is fine. cool arrangement. vocals are excellent, but still might be mixed a bit hot as they kind of overpower the guitar. i also wish you'd thrown some harmony vocals in there (especially as good as you sing, you really should double/harmonize more). timing kind of speeds up towards the end. overall, pretty good job.

calfborg
man, your tune last week was so good, and unfortunately i kind of mentally compare this to that, which might be unfair, but man, your tune last week was soooo good. this one might skirt by. production is pretty solid. drums are pretty hit or miss, no pun intended. and the singing fits the style i guess but it's not doing much for me honestly.

denyer
damn denyer, your mixes just keep getting better and better. lyrically this does absolutely nothing for me. raps are not terrible but are brought down by the stupid lyrics. sample at the end is cool though.

deshead
fantastic. 5 stars. i bow in homage. i still think you're the man to beat. production and execution is arguably the best on songfight. you consistently bring the A game. singing is wicked and that wah guitar rules. damn you and your bottomless pit of talent!

glenn case
very cool arrangement glenn. drums are pretty good, maybe the snare might be a little loud, but playing is very solid. i like the building chorus, and overall a really cool arrangement, and that bridge is such a cool interesting twist into the lead. very steely dan, but man, it ends abrupt, like you're waiting for it to come out of that lead into another 8 bar to verse. anyways, excellent stuff glenn.

heuristics inc.
mix wise, it starts out feeling all love and rockets like, and i'm wanting some badass vocals and instead get some talky samples. your singing is pretty cool though in a floyd sort of way, and the whole mix definitely has floydian overtones. the mix is really excellent though.

jim tyrrell
rawk dood! those drums are massive. haha, this is so jim carroll. excellent choice of arrangement, and that chorus is huge! damn, jim T....i never knew you had it in you! damned impressive.

jolly roger
cool panning on the intro guitars. drums sound real so points for that, but they're pretty hit or miss. and guitar still sounds a bit out of tune. or maybe it's just the droney combination of e minor and g.

kamakura
that intro is huge man. and i like how the arrangment drops back in the verses. singing is pretty good, this whole thing reminds me a bit of robbie robertson's solo stuff. nice job man, this is really pretty solid. i like how the slowed down, fat sustained lead kicks the mix up and then drops back for the verse. great dynamics.

ken
wow this is a pretty big departure for you. love the rhodes. very cool ken. it's such a quirky and odd arangement, which is highlighted by your instrumentation. good job sir.

ok, i just want to say i'm really digging the way people adapted to the challenge. i think everything so far has met that challenge remarkably well. i'd be dumbfounded myself.

leaf 62
jesus, did you hire the guys from soundgarden to play on this? this is fucking huge dude. those guitars are massive. it's truly hard to believe that not only is one guy the whole band, but one guy is playing all these instruments in real time. absolutely fucking impressive. damn dude. it must be the new house. or that bitch on the ferry.

octothorpe
absolutely vintage octothorpe. i can barely understand a word but i'm still smiling.

ross durand
nice capoed guitar. mix is pretty good. when the electric guitar and the harmony vocals kick in it picks up a notch. i dig the rockin lead too. this is well done, recording is good and the vocals are recorded and sung pretty well too. although the arrangement is pretty simple, you keep it interesting with dynamics and instrumentation and build.

sausage boy
this has a very les claypool feel to it with the warbly vocals and bass. the really thing about your mix is that with headphones on, it's pretty hypnotic.

tex beaumont and the dirty hearts
damn dude, you shed a personality and you've been holding all this back? this is awesome. vocal work is exceptionally strong. fantastic. this might be the best thing i've ever heard from you man. this just needs a couple choice bullwhip whacks.

thornberry
i think i'm turning into a thornberry fan. another excellent epic production and mix. the swirling harmonies are a perfect set up and frame for the rock that follows it. excellent guitar work, excellent vocals. another stellar piece of work man. i'm hooked.

wreckdom
that is some awesome theramin you got going on there. production is solid as usual, but thematically, it kind of wanders. could be the business of the mix, which like i said is really well done but lacks the usual coherance, or humor at least. it's like i think you guys always do good production so that never figures into my thoughts about your music, but to me, the best wreckdom songs are the ones that make me laugh.

anyways, another excellent set of tunes you guys. you keep bringing your best stuff. awesome. may the best man (or girl) win.

jack wrote:drums sound real so points for that, but they're pretty hit or miss

The drums are real ... I had electronic drums first, then I went and recorded real drums because the other ones just didn't cut it.

jack wrote:guitar still sounds a bit out of tune. or maybe it's just the droney combination of e minor and g.

I tuned my guitar right before I recorded this ... maybe I just suck at guitar tuning.

JR: guitar sounded better than last round. maybe it was the effect you had on the track. it didn't sound way off.

jolly roger wrote:I tuned my guitar right before I recorded this ... maybe I just suck at guitar tuning.

Maybe your intonation is bad. Check the notes at different frets with a tuner. Perhaps is it time for a professionsal set-up?

Ken

Reviews

Bewells - I really like this one ... for some reason the start reminds me of sweet home alabama ... You've got the whole jumping to falsetto thing down. Only one problem I have ... there's one spot where the vocals get really quiet. Aside from that, great. It's a good start to the fight.

Bjam - I like this one ... not as energetic as I would like it to be, but that's probably just personal taste. Try getting some drums or something in there. If you want my personal opinion, I'm not sure if you'll make it to the next round. Not a bad job overall though.

Calfborg - Interesting ... I'm not a huge fan of the way you yell ... the guitar tone is pretty cool though. Try working on your yelling voice - it gets tiresome after a while.

MC Paul Denyer - Very explicit ... I do like the backing tracks though ... and the overall sound of the song is pretty cool. I like how you apologize at the end. That's cool.

Deshead - I love the mix of your sound and the electronica-ey thing. You are definitely my favorite songfighter at this point in time. Keep it up. Definite pass to next round.

Glenn Case - I like it. There's some vocal issues, but I like the way you get into the song ... and the harmonies are pretty cool. I'd say this one passes to next round no problem.

Jim Tyrell - That first riff feels very ripped off ... not sure what from. Spoken vocals sound like Weird Al Yankovic in Albuquerque. I really like the chorus. Well done. Definitely one of my favorites.

Jolly Roger - Sorry for the quiet mix ... that is a lot due to the actual drums I used and how they are a bit less easy to control than hammerhead drums. That's me on the drums. Great fight, by the way.

Kamakura - Good start. I love the opening guitar and very fake drums. I like the way you've got the vocals mixed at the start. I honestly love this one. It's so atmospheric ... really good.

Ken - Pretty cool ... I like the beat ... really compliments the song ... I like your voice a lot too. I wish you had built it up a bit more.

Leaf 62 - You're the drummer, right? I really like the drums, guitar, and voice. You could definitely make it to the end of this competition on songs like this. I like it a lot.

Octothorpe - I couldn't get your song to work.

Ross Durand - I like the recording, but I'm still not a huge fan of your voice ... you gotta just keep working on holding your notes.

Sausage Boy - Are the vocals supposed to be that low? This song seems kind of boring to me. I guess there is some variety later on, but the song just seems too long for how interesting it is.

Tex Beaumont and the Dirty Hearts - I like this so much more than your Caravan Ray stuff. This could be immunity for you. I really like the vocals, and especially the energy in the chorus.

Thornberry - Great intro. Great voice. Great ending. Great guitaring. Great song. What else can I say? Nothing.

Wreckdom - I couldn't get your song to work.

Overall a pretty good fight. It'll be interesting to see who's out this week.

jolly roger, you missed my entry?
-bill

Ok, these are all I've managed to write reviews for so far.

Heuristics Inc: This has a solid backing track, and the switching between the vocals and the sample works well.

Jim Tyrrell: I wasn't expecting anything this heavy, but it rock hard. Reminds me a bit if Refused, what with the heavy guitars and the pitch and tone of your voice. I see we both came up with the highly original 'don't wake the sleeper' line

Glenn Case: The more I hear of Glenn Case, the more I grow to love him. Not in a gay way or anything. More like 2 soldiers, away from home, at war, having a cuddle in bed.

MC Paul Denyer: Good thing I didn't stick this on the playlist at work. The tune is good, and I am impressed you have managed to do a rap without actually rhyming.

Leaf 62: Awesome drums, kick could come up a tiny bit, but maybe thats me and my obsession with everything being bassy. I love the guitar part when the 'it burns' lyric comes in.

Bjam: This is nice. I might have to move it from being after Leaf in my playlist, the jump in genres is disturbing. I don't thing I have ever told you this, but..... I love hearing you play acoustic.

Thornberry: Vocals are a little buried. Yes, I know, I'm one to talk.

Jolly Rodger: Everything is recorded really well, but the lyrics don't reall grab me.

Wreckdom: You should have done the 'Zombie Queen' vocal in a Rob Zombie-esque voice. Apart from that, I can't fault this.

Thats as far as I have managed to write reviews for so far, so enjoy some of the snaps I took on my trip.

Selection of wines from Dudley Wines. Don't drink and drive!
An emu
If you ever visit Kangaroo Island, you HAVE to try the home made honey icecream. OH MY FUCKING GOD! Delicious.
Koala in captivity
Koala in captivity
Koala in the wild
Look close. Penguins. Taken at night, with no flash in the almost pitch dark.
Myself eating some cheese
Sea Lion
Sea Lion
the 'secret beach' at Stokes Bay
Doing my best Hoblit at Sunset Wines
Wallaby.

LEAF!!!! Your song is awesome! Holy Crap! I'm totally inspired, if we manage to get in to round three I'm bringing the double fisted powerhouse of rock or die trying. Baaaaadass.

HeuristicsInc wrote:jolly roger, you missed my entry

I like the quality of recording ... pretty cool sound overall ... I like the whole speaking sound ... well mixed ... I like the tune later on once it builds up again. I think you can make it to next round with this one.

thank you!
-bill