Here fishy fishy... (Maki Reviews)

[martyr]

Can't wait!

Anticipating many references to fish, Japanese culture, and old school mixing boards.

[furrypedro]

In retrospect I should've attempted to be a bit more liberal with the deadline and re-record the bit where I sing "through" and do a bit of a mouth fart, that's gonna bug me. On the other hand I should do more intentional mouth farts....and I should enlist Plat to do some of those hand-farts he promised but never delivered.

more reviews to come

[Sick and Wrong]

Sorry... the posting of the songs has been delayed, possibly until next week.

[jackfrost]

Why? Is Hoblit not finished yet?

[erik]

Sorry... the posting of the songs has been delayed, possibly until next week.

Passive-aggressively whining about how admins are not adhering to a non-existant schedule is probably an effective way to make the songs get posted faster. Keep up the good work.

[Sick and Wrong]

Passive-aggressively whining about my post is funny and ironic -- keep up the good work! Let's hope the admins aren't as petty as you (sarcastically) paint them.

[j$]

Actually I didn't read anything passive into Erik's post, but there you go ...

[bz£]

Also, we're still sorry that you have an opinion.

[Sick and Wrong]

Ouch!!

[rone rivendale]

Burn!

[Cärpetbürn]

All in good time grasshopper

[Ross]

The version of "Maki" I submitted is the album cut. Those interested in the Single edit can hear it here It is a little shorter and has few other things tightened up.

[EmbersOfAutumn]

Reviews for “Maki” (Warning…surly mood today)

Blues Manufacturing Facility

Comments: I couldn’t decide if you were constipated or psychotic. The blues are about inner pain, not necessarily timpanic pain. The music is rather catching, as far as blues goes, but the ramblings just don’t make it worth it. Sounds like the improv on the lead guitar was a little confused the key it was in at one point. This is just simply a demo jam session after too much alcohol… and not in the good way. Boo, sir… Boo.

Rating: 1 of 10
Carl Salbacka

Comments: The first thing I can’t help but notice is the harmony mismatch on the chorus. I got no idea what you said at 1:18. Something about eating my guitar, I think. I think I finally realized you were singing in Japanese. At least, I hope you were…

Rating: 3 of 10
Carpetburn

Comments: Timing-wise, the drums and the guitars match. I think you needed some more snare hits on that intro though… The chorus jumps a little too hard, as well. In general, the song just doesn’t have a governor on the speed. I thought the bridge at 1:45 was well done. Everything has a lot of potential—it just comes out at me like a 30 minute block of cartoons… each segment of the music just doesn’t fluidly lead to the next. I think it gets a little better as the song progresses, but it’s really black and white from the first verse to the chorus.

Rating: 6 of 10
Cynthia Size, et cetera.

Comments: You matched the Japanese-ness of the name of the song. But I’ll be danged if you could convince me otherwise that you’re singing “Meow, meow, meow, meow” during that one point. Other than that, you’re just singing the menu at Sarku’s Japanese Restaurant at the mall.

Rating: 2 of 10
Doom and Destruction

Comments: I see you went to the “Blues Manufacturing Facility” school of metal: Incoherent mutterings and out-of-scale licks. Also, Tambourine does not a Metal song make.

Rating: 1 of 10
Jimmy Jet and his TV Set

Comments: Actual music? What a respite! While the singing and the performance could use a little shining-up, I like this song. I think that (Harp or Steel Drum, can’t tell) is just a tad overbearing on the mixing. Otherwise, good song.

Rating: 7 of 10
Lights in the City

Comments: You almost had me fooled with a catchy intro. Like smelling a delicious soufflé walking into the kitchen only to see that it had fallen into a mush inside of the oven. Popping mics, off-timing licks, poltergeist singers, bad mixing. Certainly wins the “Fallen soufflé” award of the week. I really think there’s a song here, but you gotta do some major renovations to get it out.

Rating: 2 of 10
Lockheed Symphony

Comments: Waaaaaay too long intro. Audience is asleep by the time that the instruments come in. Meanwhile, Lights’ soufflé hasn’t just fallen, but burnt to a crisp. At least, that’s what it sounds like in the background. I know there’s a mood to establish, but my attention span is short and my tolerance for ambience is only so high.

Rating: 2 of 10
Lord of Oats

Comments: Chanting… an oft-overlooked genre of music… for a good reason, no offense----ohhhh I get it now. Ok, missed the satire of the situation. This is scary for the reason that it sounds legitimate as a war chant. For what it’s trying to accomplish, I like it. I just wasn’t in the… I guess you could say mood for it. I’ll rate it as appropriate for what was trying to be done.

Rating: 6 of 10
Lymph

Comments: 80’s punk rock. Haven’t heard this style in awhile. Gotta give a few points for going back to my roots a little. Mixing could have been a little better though.

Rating: 6 of 10
Melvin

Comments: I’m glad that you never disappoint when I need to hear a good song. They may not always be #1 chart-toppers, but they’re always enjoyable, listenable, with plenty of replay value. Lessee here… specifics… Nice phaser on that second guitar after the little bridge. Thought it was a nice touch. Outro with the multi-vocal tracks were cool.

Rating: 9 of 10
The Mexican Chimpanzees

Comments: This is obviously a cry for help. Either from loneliness or having too much time on your hands, or for an understanding of what music is. Either way, it’s a big ol goose egg from me.

Rating: 0 of 10
Mime

Comments: Ok, I listened for 40 seconds, and that was about 40 seconds more than I needed to hear. Though I’m not big on using language myself in music, I can understand when there are appropriate places they can be put in for extreme moments of emotion or whatever. This is just simply a 5th grader saying “How many times can I say the ‘F’ word in a row?”

Rating: - 3 of 10
No Horse Town

Comments: How do you take someone “Out to sushi”? You don’t say “Hey, John, you want to go out to hamburger?”. Music was alright, learn grammar.

Rating: 3 of 10
Punglect

Comments: 60’s style sci-fi schlock background music. Not exactly listenable without actually watching a movie, sorry.

Rating: 1 of 10
Reist

Comments: Didn’t play at the time of these reviews. If they come back up, I’ll post a review then.

Rating: ?? of 10
Ross Durand

Comments: The guitar is a little too distorted… the notes are getting clogged up in themselves, it just seems like a ball of music mess. Maybe the echo/phaser? Harmony could use a little work during the choruses too. Nice breakdown around 2:00. And especially the piano around 2:20. Unfortunately, you feel privy to the “Should’ve ended about a minute earlier” problem. This song would have been great to end right around 3:00. It starts to attack a little bit, because of that echo level, closer to the end before the fade. All in all, it’s got some niceness to it though.

Rating: 6 of 10
Suburban Bear Quadrant

Comments: Music, good. Mood, well established. Voice, insanely unnecessary. Especially if the invitation was asking if we want to rock and then proceed to definitely not rock. Did you ask Blues Manufacturing Facility to provide your vocals? Someone has got to learn that vocals, even if you can’t sing well, require some effort. Dear god, this is just sad. I’m talking about Mime sad here, just without the language. I have to give you a 0, which makes me very sad, because the music is very nice.

Rating: 0 of 10
The Weakest Suit

Comments: : ( All I can say. I’ve heard some great stuff come from this band, and this just kinda hurts. It’s nice in it’s way, but it’s too soft, too short, and just lacks the effort that a great song needs. Sorry guys.

Rating: 1 of 10
Zipline

Comments: Alrighty, last on the list and I’m expecting some guitar licks, and lots of them from you guys. … And it looks like I’m gonna get them. Vocals are just a little… um… I guess strained is the word. Axl Rose strained. An alcohol-induced Axl Rose, I might add. But, as always, the music is great. I always love the music. Just… those vocals…

Rating: 7 of 10.



Final Comments:

We shall never hear the words saki or sushi used as much as we have this week. This will be the legacy of Maki, I’m afraid.

[fluffy]

Huh, relatively small fight. Maybe I should have tried harder to finish mine. Oh well.

[Reist]

Oh ... my song's not working. Dang.

[No Horse Town]

No Horse Town

Comments: How do you take someone “Out to sushi”? You don’t say “Hey, John, you want to go out to hamburger?”. Music was alright, learn grammar.

You say it if you're gonna eat from a big trough of hamburger. It's a plural thing. Like a session of foodin' it up. Never heard "go out to coffee"? Out to lunch / dinner? You don't eat a sushi. Most restaurants I've seen that serve sushi (and of course, they serve stuff that's not sushi, too) bill themselves as "sushi" joints. Like "coffee" houses. Technically you're probably right, but believe me sir, I've learned me grammars. I think "out to sushi" deserves a little leeway. Oh well, thanks for the uh... review?

[No Horse Town]

GOOD SONGS I LIKED:
Carpetburn/ Zipline - ah, the good 'ol days when emo didn't suck. I don't mind the Zipline singing, it feels kinda Jeremy Enigk-ey in places. The Carpetburn one reminds me of The Smiths and Braid both, which is awesome. Carpetburn, don't take LoO's advice (for Night Terrors) about the distortion - the clangy sissy guitar is great. Zipline's song was prolly just a little better this time around, tho. I think someone or other was gettin' hyped about a fight with both these bands, and I can see why.

Lymph - hell yeah. This is a lot of fun. I might like this better than the two above, since it's short and happy. Not as musically interesting, but a lot more fun. Fine job.

Cynthia Size and the @eclectic spOOns - also a lot of fun! I think I might like this band. What I've heard from you so far has been consistently cute and dancey, with above-average music. More subtlety and weirdness than I expect from this kinda music. Pretty sweet.

GOOD SONGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
Melvin - The "drop it like it's hot", etc. part really bugs me. It's not my thing, but yeah, you're a good songwriter.

Ross Durand - sounds a lot to me like a certain era of Pearl Jam, which was creative, but not too fun to listen to. For me, at least. Good job, tho.

The Weakest Suit - it's a creepy little lullaby, and it's OK that it's so short. Not much else to say about it.

Jimmy Jet and His TV Set - You write good songs, but I don't think I'll ever dig your style. It's short and it doesn't try to show off, which is nice for this kinda song I suppose.

SONGS THAT I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT:
Reist - There are good parts and OK parts. I wish they blended together better. The get to work and digga digga sections are cool. The high-pitchedness/sustainy-ahhhhhh can get a little too shrill/overused in some places. I wouldn't get rid of it altogether, tho, maybe just tone it down a little. I like the epic thing, but the title does feel kinda tacked on, since Maki is just the name of the demon that shows up in the very end. It's kinda hard to understand what Maki says, too. Overall, I didn't like it too much, but definitely a good effort.

The Mexican Chimpanzees - sounds like a silly little filler track on an album that can afford to have one. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose, but I haven't heard the album, so...

Lord of Oats - I guess I'm kinda glad someone did this spin on it. I was thinking about it meself, but there just didn't seem to be much to the Maki party. With that in mind, good job filling in the blanks. I like the vocals mirroring the guitar riff. The multitracked vocals sound kinda bad in places. I'm starting to see a pattern with your last couple of songs and guitar solos. Overall I don't like the solo... part of it was OK, what was it, the beginning of the 2nd half I think? The song's nice enough, but it doesn't do much for me. Maybe more instrumentation as the song went on, or a different part in there or something.

No Horse Town - funny thing, I never really listen to music on headphones, and I probably should. The other day I listened to my three songfight entries so far on some headphones... and damn I don't know what the fuck I'm doing panning things around so goddamn far. In my living room it sounds pretty cool sticking one instrument all the way left and another one all the way right. On headphones it's horrible. Of course it was too late to fix it by the time I realized this, as I had already submitted Maki. I've got a mouth-farty thing there at the end. The vocals are a little too loud. I like the song anyway, but I'm biased, and it's probably not as catchy or nice to listen to as I think it is. I do think I struck a good balance between the me-so-horny Asian stereotyping and the you're-my-girl-in-all-the-world style, tho. It's a cute little story, for what it's worth.

Carl Salbacka - I don't speak Japanese, but that's OK. The lyrics are convincing enough for my barbarian ears. I'm glad someone did this. If you took out the goofy parts, it sounds to me like a good standing-on-top-of-cliff-looking-down-on-pile-of-corpses-at-end-of-movie song. We made it! Yay! I dunno, it was pretty alright.

Lockheed Symphony - Let's go to sleep. There's nothing wrong with this, I guess, but it bores the hell out of me. If I survive to very old age this might be good for euthanization, especially if I wanna meditate on "Maki" while it's happening. I don't listen to this kinda stuff, so I can't really say whether it's good or not.

SONGS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN GOOD IF THEY WOULD JUST BE SHORTER AND NOT GOOF AROUND SO MUCH:

Suburban Bear Quadrant - the vocals are just way too loud. And pointless. There's a lot of changing instrumentation, and some of it is pretty good. But the rest of it sounds like farts. At least you must have had fun making it. It is a joke, right?

Blues Manufacturing Facility - reminds me of The Cap'n (Beefheart) at first, but no, that's not it at all. Cut this thing in half. The singing style's not bad, but it's aimless. I don't find the lyrics funny. The change in the middle is definitely good, but you need to scrape away all the waste and get to that good song hiding in there.

SONGS WHAT SUCKED:
Doom and Destruction - that ascending guitar riff thing is OK. I don't like anything else here. I especially don't like whatever you're drumming on. And it's too long.

Punglect - after Lockheed Symphony's song euthanizes me in my very-old-age, my soul or whatever might end up somewhere. I sure hope it's not the digital purgatory of this song.

Lights In The City - oh gods below that's awful singing / mic popping. The opening riff and the verse riff both sound ripped off from Bush or some equally shitty band that ripped off Nirvana. Each rip-off down the line the music just gets shittier and wussier. Damn. I guess if the song was better quality, and the singing was way better quality, and I was feeling generous, this might be a "good song I didn't like". But probably not.

Mime - so I think I got it figured out: Nerdcore is shitty rap music. The backing track is decent. The swearing doesn't bother me. It's the rapping that's bad. But I guess that's what you're going for. And you achieved your goal. Great job!

[Mime]

Mime - so I think I got it figured out: Nerdcore is shitty rap music. The backing track is decent. The swearing doesn't bother me. It's the rapping that's bad. But I guess that's what you're going for. And you achieved your goal. Great job!

Err, wasn't really trying to be nerdcore, but thanks for the review. Any tips on the rapping? And this is probably going to take any respect you guys had left for me away, but what exactly do you mean by "flow" and how would you suggest practicing it?

[sabbacc108]

Carl Salbacka
Comments: The first thing I can’t help but notice is the harmony mismatch on the chorus. I got no idea what you said at 1:18. Something about eating my guitar, I think. I think I finally realized you were singing in Japanese. At least, I hope you were…

I'm have no idea what you mean about the "harmony mismatch".

Sorry about the Japanese lyrics; they're posted (with translation) in the lyric archive, if you want to know what I'm saying. And at 1:18, I say "Iku yo, ii deshou" (I don't think it's on the lyric post), which means, "(Let's) go! This should be good".

[No Horse Town]

Mime - so I think I got it figured out: Nerdcore is shitty rap music. The backing track is decent. The swearing doesn't bother me. It's the rapping that's bad. But I guess that's what you're going for. And you achieved your goal. Great job!

Err, wasn't really trying to be nerdcore, but thanks for the review. Any tips on the rapping? And this is probably going to take any respect you guys had left for me away, but what exactly do you mean by "flow" and how would you suggest practicing it?

Oh, sorry. I must have been amalgamming you with someone else. OK, I guess it's not necessarily nerdcore. Hmm.. rapping tips/flow.. I'm not any kinda expert, but I could probably come up with something. I'll send you a private message later rather than jam up the board. Sorry I was so harsh, and please don't think it means I have no respect for you. I just really didn't like your song, and yeah, I thought it was bad. You seem like a nice fella, tho, and that's what deserves respect. See?: I'm an asshole, and therefore I get very little. Don't sweat it, Mime! You can turn the world on with your smile!

[Ross]

Ross Durand
This song would have been great to end right around 3:00.

The version of "Maki" I submitted is the album cut. Those interested in the Single edit can hear it here It is a little shorter and has few other things tightened up.

[EmbersOfAutumn]

Hey all, I just wanted everyone to know that I wasn't attacking anyone or anything with my review yesterday. Combination of a really bad day and my poor attempts at roasting the songs. I'm one of the sadistic minds that enjoy tearing apart something, pointing out the flaws, for humor, ala MST3K. Not trying to flame or troll or anything, in most of the cases, I was looking for the bad stuff on purpose.

Not to excuse those of you who suck though...