The Song Fight Bulletin Board

We wouldn't want everyone to forget about Coverfight...

I'll repost mine, just to get things started:

<b>15-16 puzzle on The Sober Irishman</b> It's a little dull at points, but at others it's a fun, jaunty little tune. I think it would've gone a long way if you'd built up a lot more towards the end--throw in some hand claps, maybe even some horns and some oohs and ahhs. Decent, overall, and I like it better than the original.

<b>Abominominous on roymond</b> Fuckin' awesome. You tore this song to shreds, in a good way. The singing droning over that heavy guitar makes this song drip with sarcastic-sounding despair, or something like that. Great job all around.

<b>Andre was here at Midnight on Niveous</b> Oy. Everything is so disjointed and out of tune. Not so good.

<b>Blind Mime Ensemble on JBB</b> I don't remember the original, but it's not saved on my computer which means I didn't like it. I really like this, though. It sounds like any other classic Blind Mime song (different tune, of course--it just has a very similar feel: dark undertones, but with sort of a glorious coat over everything, as portrayed by cosmic circus clowns). So, uh, good job.

<b>Bolio on Loyalty Day</b> The sounds are a little too cheesy and midified. Also, the singing sounds a little off, sometimes rhythmically but moreso in pitch. I think a fair amount of reverb would've helped with the voice. I <i>do</i> like that sweet electric guitar. Still, this doesn't really come close to the original. But the original is also <i>really</i> good, so you had your work cut out for you.

<b>Brad Sucks on KSDBnS</b> So you went with the straight up rock. And you did it well. Somehow though, this one doesn't quite have the soul that Ken's has. I think it's mainly just his singing that makes it better. Also, if you're gonna rock like that, you need cooler drums--more cymbals in particular. Anyway, I do like this a lot--Ken's was a great song, and difficult to cover well.

<b>c hack on Leaf 62</b> Ahhhh, very nice. That constant organ is perfect. So's the whistling. You took this song down a great road. Good job.

<b>Caravan Ray on Marcus Kellis</b> This is pretty decent. Very quirky, to be sure. I like how emphatic the singing gets by the end, with all the layers and whatnot. The drums are so robotic, and the singing is so not, and that's cool. In the end, you took a Marcus Kellis song and made me like it, and that's a respectable task.

<b>Charcoal on c hack</b> Whoa, the singing is really out of tune. Really. Aside from that... You're pulling what was a beautiful, slow, lo-fi song in the heavy metal/rock direction, but only half-assedly. The drums are very weak (too quiet, too fake, not rockin' enough rhythm), and the singing is closer to c hack's familiar style than to a hard rock singer's like it oughta be.

<b>Dylan Nau on sonofsupercar</b> I like how you start and end with cacophony that bleeds into the non-cacophonous part. The sax adds a great degree of smoothness to this. You're singing also really pulls this song up. Good job.

<b>Eddiebangs on Hoblit</b> Very cool. This rambles around so many styles, but they're all variations of grungy, creepy, kick-ass rock. The robotic voice under the human saying "Why don'tcha give in to..." is really cool. Nice job on the drums, too, though they sound a bit too much on the fake side. Overall, this is quite good.

<b>Feldspar on Level Nivelo</b> Hm. Three things that don't go well together: jaunty piano; quiet, super-distorted, crazy sounding rock guitar; weakish, joky singing.

<b>Frankie Big Face on Jon Eric</b> Whoa, this is smooth. As usual, your singing is just top-notch and really helps make this song--but also, the violin, castanets, and occasional flexitone are really awesome. Absolutely nothing wrong with this. Jon Eric should be very proud to have his song reach its full glory.

<b>Future Boy on Caravan Ray</b> While a tad bit silly, this is nice. It's a little thin, and the voice could be mixed in a little better (maybe more reverb and a bit quieter). That weird spacy noise is what adds the silliness to this. But the long synthy organ sounds have a rather happy quality to them, as if to say, "See, nerdy 80's stuff <i>can</i> be fun." And it is. Good job. The [whatever it is] solo towards the end carries this away quite nicely.

<b>Glenn Case on Jute Gyte</b> Everything fuzzes together too much, mainly the guitar and vocals, cuz they're just too darn loud for your equipment to handle, I guess. I can't deny that you sang this well, by which I mean that you ripped you larynx apart with a scalpel. The clipping/fuzz is just too much, though. I don't know how Jute Gyte makes the freaky-ass sounds that he does, but I doubt it's just by pouring distortion on stuff. <i>Great</i> job on the screaming--I can't emphasize that enough--but the mix just came out a little too indistinct. Perhaps you should have taken this in another direction, like tried to make it into a slow song or rock-n-roll or something. After all, making a Jute Gyte song better than Jute Gyte made it, and in his own style (I'm not even sure what to call it--freak metal, maybe?), is a next-to-impossible task.

<b>Henrietta and the Hostage on Brad Sucks</b> There's nothing wrong with this. Great production, great performance, as usual.

<b>Heuristics Inc. on Andre was here at Midnight</b> That didgeridoo sound is cool. The rest of the song, though, is just sorta boring, despite the nifty sound effects.

<b>His Name is Dan on BME</b> Really out of tune singing. Pretty weak all around. Your apathy is boring.

<b>Hoblit on Charcoal</b> Pretty badass way to cover this. This reminds me of Moby's cover of the Schoolhouse Rock song "Verb: That's What's Happening" (don't be offended if you hate Moby--trust me, it's good). Your voice suits this perfectly, especially with all that scary echoey stuff going on. Nice screaming, too.

<b>The Idiot Kings on The Voice Inside Your Head</b> That's a really cool use of steel guitar--it seems so out of place for IK-type music, but it fits in perfectly. This gets better every time I hear it. You nailed this one.

<b>Jim of Seattle on WreckdoM</b> Hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahaha. Ha. Kudos to Covermaster for a hilarious joke. And the best part is, you actually pulled through. Using the kid was a good move. I particularly like the pause with "So, it won't be silly?" This is really funny, especially if ones considers the context. The ridiculously out of place, intense brake drum or whatever is a very WreckdoMish thing to do, so good job. Ain't it nice when a father and daughter can get together and think, "Man, this is one screwed up song," and then have a good time covering it? <i>I</i> happen to like most of Wreckdom's stuff, and I like this too.

<b>Jim Tyrrell on Dylan Nau</b> Not bad at all. I don't like it quite as much as the original, just because I prefer more intense genres over folksy laid-back gutar stuff. But in some contexts or moods, I could enjoy yours more than the original, so I guess you did a perfect job--you made a good cover that's different enough to not be accurately comparable to the original. Nice picking and strumming.

<b>The John Benjamin Band on Henrietta</b> Great angle to cover Henrietta. The singing is really good, and the bouncy rock feel suits this song very well. The electric guitar's a little bit muffled, as are the vocals at times. But other than that, this is quite nice.

<b>Johnny Cashpoint on Mother Funker</b> Nice funky-ass drums. The background vocals are really cool, with all the reverb and the Cher thing. If that's you singing them, you oughta do that more often. My only real complaint with this is that it gets old after a while--4:33 is a little much for it. But I guess you didn't write it, so you couldn't very well lop off full verses. Overall, pretty cool. The synth stabs are nifty.

<b>Jute Gyte on Future Boy</b> Holy shit. You absolutely demolished Future Boy's poor song--in an awesome way. Man, this fuckin' rocks. And the lyrics are great--"It's more of an instrumental... Fuck yeah!" is my favorite line. I like Future Boy's version, but this just tears it to pieces. Good job.

<b>Kamakura on Jim Tyrrell</b> Really good cover. It's pretty straightforward, and you performed it well. Ever notice how the chord progression starts to follow "Let It Be", but then just hovers for a moment and loops? I like the guitar picking you tossed into the second chorus. Overall, you made a great cover that I like considerably more than the original.

<b>Kaptano on His Name is Dan</b> Very cool take on the song. I like the creepy, building intensity. The beat is cool, all the synthy shit is cool, and the horror B-film narrator voice is awesome. Good job.

<b>Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff on Frankie Big Face</b> Classic KSDBnS style. I can't tell which version, this or FBF's, is better--they're both just great and different.

<b>King Arthur on Kamakura</b> I can't fault you for a nearly flawless performance. I just don't like your usual style very much. But you do it as well as anyone could, so good job.

<b>The Landfills on Rabid Garfunkel</b> The singing and guitar are decent, but this needs a backup band--some bass and drums would really help bring this thing closer to its full potential. As far as guy+guitar stuff (and not whiny, so extra points) goes, this is alright.

<b>Leaf 62 on Eddiebangs</b> Rock! Man, I thought the original rocked (as it does), but this rocks even more. Your voice has more energy, and so does your guitar. Great job.

<b>Level Nivelo on King Arthur</b> This is a little dull. Sounds like I'm hearing it through a wall. The harmonizing doesn't sound right, either. Meh.

<b>Liechty on Feldspar</b> The rap is very lame. If that wasn't dull enough, the music makes it even duller.

<b>Lonbobby on Puce</b> This sounds a lot like Evanescence. I like the ride cymbal on the 4th 16th note of each beat. No complaints here--very professional sounding.

<b>Loyalty Day on 15-16 puzzle</b> Beautiful. The Santana-esque guitar is great. The angry conversation in the background is also really cool. There's nothing wrong with this, and many things right. Great job.

<b>Lunkhead on Sven Mullet</b> While this lacks a tiny bit of energy, mostly in the vocals, it's rather likeable. The organ picks it up a lot, as does the electric guitar toward the end. And this is a nice compliment to Mr. Mullet's heavier version.

<b>Marcus Kellis on Caravan Ray</b> Whew doggy. You must be ahead of your time or something.

<b>Michael Maas on Johnny Cashpoint</b> This was a j$ song? Wow. Great vocals all around. I like that weird ticky noise that comes in around the middle--an organ, maybe? The build-up is great, especially the point with the pause. I'm not sure you should've done that weird effect with the drums--they probably would've sounded better with realer sounds. That's a pretty minor complaint, though. Splendid song.

<b>Mother Funker on The Landfills</b> The intro, if that's what you call it, lasts way too long (a third of the song). The guitars that come in after that are pretty awesome, though. The vocals don't match the music well at all, especially with that watery effect. So I'm not crazy about the song as a whole, but the guitar soloing stuff is really cool.

<b>Niveous on Kapitano</b> Your singing at tapping seem to imply that this is supposed to have a frantic feel to it, but it's just a lo-fi guy+guitar song. Also, you're not really singing--you're doing that thing people do when they sing along to music but don't want to offend passersby with loud singing.

<b>Octothorpe on Bolio</b> I like the accordion intro. The music is very nice, and also very uncharacteristic. I'm not crazy about the vocals, especially when the two voices are wavering across each other so randomly. The electric guitar and saxophone solos are both really good. The music's just so happy, I can overlook the singing and enjoy.

<b>Puce on Lunkhead</b> Starts out a tad bit lame, but then there's the rock, and it is good. Your singing is great. That heavy guitar is definitely awesome. Great cover.

<b>Rabid Garfunkel on redcar</b> I really like the quirky, half-cajun music. But I was expecting some loud, enthusiastic, gospel-y singing along with it. The talking/rapping doesn't clash well at all. Neither do the synthy drums. You should've kept this as old-school rural as possible.

<b>Raised by Wolves on Michael Maas</b> The synthy pulsing is pretty cool, but you shouldn't have tried to sing like Michael Maas, which you can't do nearly as well as he can. The way you sing for the last part is closer to how you should've done it the whole time. Also, needs much more drums, and less mic poofing.

<b>redcar on Starfinger</b> Awesome performance/production. Major complaint though: You're rockin' out pretty heavily up until about 1:45, but then you never return to that level of intensity, not even when you return to that section of the song. So after 1:45, the rest is sort of just a disappointment.

<b>roymond on Walrus Gumble</b> Wow, not what I was expecting at all, but better. The stereo-dancing syllables are a great idea. I like how you start out really tense, and then that bass comes in and wipes the tension away. The weird drums are really awesome, too--sort of Postal Service-y, at least before the chorus. And the chorus just rocks. My only nitpick is that the syllables in the beginning are a little chopped off on the ends at times--for example, the word "time" sounds like "ime." But anyway, you did an amazing job with this, and I'm honored to have had a hand in it.

<b>The Sober Irishman on Liechty</b> The music goes on four times too long before the vocals come in. The hi-hat's too loud. I like the wah-wah thing--that oughta be brought out more. You say "Come on take a pill with me" way too much in this song--it gets old. I don't care if Liechty wrote it that way or not--you should've cut it short. After that big drum break, it would've been nice if you'd started hitting the snare and really grooving out.

<b>sonofsupercar on Lonbobby</b> The music is quite cool but doesn't mix well with the vocals. I think part of that is because this tune is too basic and *pretty* for sonofsupercar. The end is really cool, with the screaming and the constant "mmmm-mmmm" droning--that's more like what I wish the whole song was.

<b>Starfinger on Octothorpe</b> Well, you sound exactly like Octothorpe, if Octothorpe had good recording equipment, which takes talent to be sure. I wish you'd gone another direction with it, though, cuz I don't really like the Octothorpe version. But man, you sound just like them, which is freaky. As an <i>impression</i>, this is flawless.

<b>Sven Mullet on Raised by Wolves</b> I like that the disco feel is dampened by wobbling the hi-hat sound. The drums, particularly the snare, could stand to be considerably more emphatic, since you're doing that sort of thing. The rambly synth stuff is all pretty cool, as is the violin. It just needs a better beat, really. Good singing, and decent song.

<b>The Voice Inside Your Head on Heuristics Inc.</b> The rhythms of the guitar, bass and vocals are all a little shaky--they just don't seem to be on the same wavelength. That sorta kills the whole song for me. The tambourine helps throw some much-needed life into this, but actual drums would've been cool, too.

<b>WreckdoM on Jim of Seattle</b> Man, I didn't realize Jim's voice was so girly in coversation. This is hilarious. The giggling makes it even funnier. JoS should feel honored, though he probably doesn't. Awesome stuff.

.........................................................................

<b>Keepers:</b>
15-16 puzzle, Caravan Ray, Future Boy, Jim of Seattle, Jim Tyrrell, Johnny Cashpoint, Kamakura, Kapitano, Lonbobby, Lunkhead, Octothorpe, Sven Mullet

<b>Super-Keepers:</b>
Blind Mime Ensemble, Brad Sucks, c hack, Dylan Nau, Eddiebangs, Henrietta and the Hostage, Hoblit, Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff, Puce, WreckdoM

<b>Ultra-Keepers:</b>
Abominominous, Frankie Big Face, The Idiot Kings, The John Benjamin Band, Jute Gyte, Leaf 62, Loyalty Day, Michael Maas, roymond

Glad I checked for this thread before making my own.

EDIT: THESE ARE ALL OF MY REVIEWS

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Marcus Kellis covers Caravan Ray's "Please The Pig" - Marcus Kellis is the new black, therefore everything that he touches turns to gold. Even though I can't understand most of the lyrics as he sings them, I find the Spice Girls reference at the end of the song to nicely compliment the original songs content. Also, that is a flamingly good guitar solo. Also, he has a better vocal microphone than Ray. [good]

Caravan Ray covers Marcus Kellis' "Moscow, Idaho" - Ray does his best to lend tune to the tuneless. However, in my opinion, that takes away from the charm of Marcus Kellis. While Ray's version of the song is synthy and fun, it lacks the unbridled energy of Kellis' live rendition. Granted, it's hard to improve on something that is already perfect. [good]

Bolio covers Loyalty Day's "Talk About Your Feelings" - Bolio does his best to spice up the original a bit by adding piano and simple synthy drums. However, his vocal delivery is unconvincing and the arrangement is not as well conceived as the original. [bad]

Rabid Garfunkel covers Redcar's "Moscow, Idaho" - The main thing this cover has going for it is that it takes what was already a somewhat "down-homey" song and pushes it further in that direction. The use of the harmonicas at the beginning, along with the claps, and the brief appearance of a banjo later on all help to make it a convincing recasting of the original. I don't care for the electric elements that come in at the end and the vocal delivery is not quite as good as the original. [good]

Level Nivelo covers King Arthur's "So Long, Atticus" - Compared to King Arthur's well arranged and mixed version, Level Nivelo gives us a sloppy arrangement and a bad mix. One big problem with this cover is the vocal does not blend with the music at all. Another problem is the tempo, which is inexplicably slower than the original. The idea of the cover is good, true, but the execution is not. [bad]

Loyalty Day covers 15-16Puzzle's "Secrets" - While Loyalty Day's production abilities have rescued the original from the lo-fi ghetto it resides in, they have robbed the song of it's energy and forward momentum by slowing down the tempo and removing virtually all aggressive rhythm. [bad]

Cheesequake covers Abominominous' "Lucky Man" - This is like the silly version of the original and I like it a lot. I think it could do with a bit more punch, but I know that is hard to accomplish with cheesy synth instruments. The vocal could be louder, to be sure, but the delivery of the vocal is excellent. [good - though somehow I fucked up and ended up voting "didn't listen"]

Heuristics Inc. covers Andre Was Here At Midnight's "Between The Rain" - Heuristics Inc. has managed to take a song that was essentially a piece of crap and turn it into something interesting to listen to. Unfortunately, not even Heuristics Inc's most valiant efforts could save his version from becoming boring about halfway through. It's not your fault, HInc! [good]

Octothorpe covers Bolio's "Deuce" - Octothorpe also found themselves stuck with an incredibly boring song. Unfortunately, they chose to stay relatively faithful to the original and so they ended up with a pretty boring song as well. Where's the polka? Where's the crazy arrangement? Why isn't Mad Dog delivering lyrics is his typical barking style? While I can appreciate the wackiness of Octothorpe going in this direction, I don't particularly enjoy it. [bad]

JBB covers Henrietta and the Hostage's "Romantic Cheapskate" - The JBB brings a wonderful new punch to this song. In addition, he makes the clever change of singing it from the viewpoint of the boy in the original. Now <i>this</i> is a good cover. [good]

Henrietta covers Brad Sucks' "We're Not Friends" - Henrietta does an excellent job of changing up the genre of the song while maintaining the bitter meanness of the lyrics. Well played and well sung. [good]

Charcoal covers C Hack's "She's On My Mind" - Charcoal's version lacks the pathos of the original, however, the faster tempo is nice because it keeps the song from dragging and makes the story easier to follow. The result of this change is that the song takes on a more bitter feel, whereas in the original it comes across as being incredibly depressing. [good]

Hoblit covers Charcoal's "Bad Attraction" - Hoblit does a great job of rescuing the original from its plodding pace. Once again, the tempo lift makes it easier to follow the lyrics. Also, the scream is a wonderful touch, as is the tamborine at the very end. [good]

Jim Tyrrell covers Dylan Nau's "I Want To Get Better" - A rolicking lounge/rock piano version of this song would have been a much better direction for Jim Tyrrell to go. The acoustic guitar version he provides takes all the fun out of the original. The only thing it has going for it is that I can understand all of the lyrics. [bad]

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Leaf 62 covers Eddiebang's "WTF" - I really don't like the original version of this song, so it'd be hard to enjoy a cover of that song. However, Leaf 62's voice is not quite as annoying as Eddiebang's, so listening to this cover is not quite as unpleasant as listening to the original. As far as I can tell, the original is reproduced quite well. So, I have no choice but to say that this is a job well done. [good]

Liechty covers Feldspar's "Bad Attraction" - In short, this is a terrible cover. [bad]

Ken's Super Duper Band 'N' Stuff covers Frankie Big Face's "California" - What Ken brings to this song is a tighter, more fleshed out arrangement. What Ken takes away from the song is the immediacy and intensity of Frankie Big Face's voice. However, lacking the same vocal chords as Frank can hardly be held against Ken. I <i>do</i> think that Ken can be held accountable for leaving out emotional impact. This cover comes across as well-produced, but flat, in the sense that there's no tension-release and it doesn't really draw me in. It's elevator music, almost. The main thing that causes this is the super-fake drums and the squared off rhythms. Everything changes right on the beat, there are no rhythmic anticipations to bring tension to the song. Also, though this is not typically the case for Ken, I felt like the vocal was sung in a rather boring, disinterested way. [bad]

Jute Gyte covers Future Boy's "Hold My Calls" - I rather enjoy Jute Gyte's version of my song. I'm disappointed about two things: 1) he leaves out the secretary bit and 2) there are no glitchy drums. However, he nearly makes up for these omissions by screaming wonderfully and just generally making the song sound scary. [good]

The Voice Inside Your Head covers Heuristics Inc's "Accelerator" - I'm not entirely convinced that writing a new song using Heuristic's lyrics counts as a cover. Compound that with the fact that the new song is pretty cheesy and you have a bad cover. [bad]

Kapitano covers His Name Is Dan's "Tomorrow's Almost Over" - This cover is also guity entirely rewriting the music and using only the lyrics from the original. The main difference here is that Kapitano's cover actually improves on the quality of the original. And so, I like it. [good]

Eddiebangs covers Hoblit's "Cancer" - Eddiebangs does an excellent job of staying true to the original song but also introducing new elements that make it more like an Eddiebangs song than a Hoblit song. Again, not my cup 'o tea, but well executed. [good]

Wreckdom covers Jim of Seattle's "Field Day" - Oddly enough, the original is closer to the kind of thing that Wreckdom normally does than anything else in this coverfight. And so, they are able to create something true to the Wreckdom aesthetic while actually being relatively faithful to the original song. I found it pretty amusing. Kudos (and jelly doughnuts as well)! [good]

Kamakura covers Jim Tyrrell's "Between The Rain" - Kamakura's version of this song is just as cheesy as Jim's, but features piano instead of guitar. It is a proper cover, no doubt about that. [good]

Michael Maas covers Johnny Cashpoint's "Don't Forget To Come To My House On Wednesday" - I am quite fond of Johnny Cashpoint's style, so I'm not likely to enjoy a cover such as this one. However, it is nice to be able to understand all of the words. Also, this cover is well performed and recorded, so I can't fault it for that. My only suggestion to Michael Maas would be this: Stop singing through your nose so much. [good]

Mother Funker covers The Landfills' "Talk About Your Feelings" - I'm not pleased with the opening, for the same reason I wasn't fond of the Michael Maas cover, however, once the electro-drums kick in this cover improves drastically. If the whole song was like that, I'd be happier, though I can understand where the decision to do the opening with acoustic guitar came from. Overall, this is a totally awesome cover and I think The Attitude Adjuster probably likes it. [good]

Frankie Big Face covers Jon Eric's "Violet Wants It Her Way" - This is an incredibly wonderful reimagining of the original. The sonic difference between this and the original is a great contrast. The arrangement is brilliant. I just can't say enough good things. Jon Eric should count himself as incredibly lucky. This is, so far, the BEST cover I have listened to. [good - possibly best]

Glenn Case covers Jute Gyte's "Violet Wants It Her Way" - Glenn Case once again proves that he can do any style he wants to. I only hope his vocal chords recover so that he can continue being the Glenn Case we know and love. It was nice to hear a version of this song that's really in your face. I only wish he had opted to make the lyrics <i>more</i> comprehensible in the verses, rather than obscuring them even more. [good]

King Arthur covers Kamakura's "A Spring Of Teal" - King Arthur managed to take a bad song and make it a bit better. Can't say I approve of the synth-brass, however. [good]

Niveous covers Kapitano's "Goodbye Monster" - This first, of two covers, is a pretty serious reinterpretation of the original. But, I find it to be quite effective and, as with many of these covers, understand the words better. [good]

Niveous covers Kapitano's "Goodbye Monster" - I enjoy the first cover more. [bad]

Brad Sucks covers Ken's Super Duper Band 'N' Stuff's "Too Goth To Rock" - Brad Sucks gave this song some teeth. They are welcome teeth. And, as much as I hate fade outs, I think it was a good choice because the way Ken ends the song, on a major chord, just doesn't work so good. [good]

C Hack covers Leaf 62's "Across The Dusty Plains" - The organ is a really nice touch, I gotta say. I also like the faster tempo and slightly different feel. I like this a lot better than most of C Hack's original songs. As the announcer in "Super Smash Bros." says, "Sussess!" [good]

Feldspar covers Level Nivelo's "Danger Bus" - It's just not as entertaining as the original. If I heard this as a Feldspar B-Side, I'd wonder why he'd bother to cover a song such as this. However, Feldspar could hardly escape from the will of Covermaster. I think he could have done better. [bad]

The Sober Irishman covers Liechty's "Take A Pill" - While this is one of the better Sober Irishman songs I have heard, I fail to understand how it is a cover of Liechty's song, unless it's that you used the same chord progression. In my book, that doesn't count. [bad]

sonofsupercar covers Lonbobby's "She's On My Mind" - sonofsupercar did rather well with a song that is far sappier than their usual kind of music. The resulting affect is a little bizarre, to tell the truth. But, it is well done. [good]

Puce covers Lunkhead's "Violet Wants It Her Way" - I like Puce's version of this song a lot more than Lunkhead's. The music and his voice are more aggressive, which fits well with the lyrics. The strings are also nicely done. [good - possibly best]

Raised By Wolves covers Michael Maas' "Fight The Sea" - This is an awesome synthy cover of the original song. RxW's voice is in a bit better shape than usual, as well. But someone needs to buy him a better microphone. [good]

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Johnny Cashpoint covers Mother Funker's "Gettin' All Sweaty" - This is some seriously hip shit. Johnny Cashpoint proves that he can, in fact, write techno music in addition to his ability to write wacky music. This cover was particularly effective at making the song more of a cohesive whole, rather than being in three parts, like the original. The extra bits at the beginning and the end are nice for the way they reinterpret the lyrics of the song. You get a "Good Jorb!" [good]

Andre Was Here At Midnight covers Niveous' "Red Zero" - I have to admit I found it difficult to see the relation between the original and the cover. However, Andre Was Here At Midnight was smart enough to use more than just hard center and hard right in his mix. I am voting this one as good only because it was more interesting to listen to than the original. [good]

Starfinger covers Octothorpe's "Do The Math" - Covering a song of this stature would be a tall order for anyone, but Starfinger accomplishes it incredibly well. The thing that makes this cover as good as it is, is that Starfinger replicates the "canned music" sound of Octothorpe without actually mimicing the specific "canned music" sound of the original song. It has a Starfingerian feel through and through. The vocal is also quite remarkable because it sounds like both Octothorpe <i>and</i> Starfinger simultaneously. I wish that he had kept the melody of the chorus, however. [good - possibly best]

Lonbobby covers Puce's "Brown Boxes" - Lonbobby has done an excellent job translating Puce's edgy original into a washy quasi-lullaby. His diva is good, his mixing skills when it comes to vocals are not. Technical skills aside, this is a very good cover. [good]

The Landfills cover Rabid Garfunkle's "Upcoming Downtime" - A very clever matchup by the fightmaster. The Landfills present yet another inexplicable introduction of chords and melody that are not present in the original. However, when all you've got to work with is a guitar I guess you don't have much choice. I do think this is one of The Attitude Adjuster's better vocal performances. But, in all honesty, I'll be happy when the Adjuster gets his programmer back. [bad]

Sven Mullet covers Raised By Wolves' "Keys" - This cover is, like, ten times better than any other Sven Mullet song I have heard. I especially like the combination of funky bassline with fakey cello at the beginning. This is definitely better than a lot of covers I've voted "good" on and is making me wish, once again, that there was a "very good" option. [good]

Abominominous covers Roymond's "Feathers" - Abominominous has gone in an interesting direction with his cover. I am really quite fond of Roymond's song, so I am already biased to not really like any kind of cover. But, Abominominous has pulled his off pretty well. The decision to slow things down a whole lot offered a good groove to the chunky, rockingness of it. I am unsure why Abom decided to put the vocals so far back in the mix. They are nearly buried by his pounding drums and guitars at times. [good]

Dylan Nau covers sonofsupercar's "Red Flag" - This cover is a little bit like Tom Waits Lite. I'm not terribly fond of the noise-y beginning, but once things get underway it's a very well done cover. I agree with the reviewer who said that D.Nau managed to make the chorus sound less trite. I do not find the whole experience terribly mind-blowing, however. [good]

Redcar covers Starfinger's "Space Cadet" - Redcar's cover is what might have happened if Starfinger had taken a listen to his song a month later and revised it. They make the high-pitched vocals work really well and the guitars are also really nice. [good]

Lunkhead covers Sven Mullet's "Dog Without Warning" - Lunkhead has come up with a nice sort of countrified cover. It's competent and has a good guitar solo. [good]

His Name Is Dan The Apathetic covers The Blind Mime Ensemble's "In Full Effect" - I would be more satisfied with Mr. Apathetic's cover if the drums were as low-fi as the guitar and vocals. Although the combination of the hi-fi electro-drums and lo-fi guitar/vox is interesting I think it takes away from what is a really striking difference between the original and the cover, namely high production verses low production. [good]

The Blind Mime covers The John Benjamin Band's "Indie Rock Bottom" - Despite the fact that he is covering the JBB, The Blind Mime still sounds like The Blind Mime. He has a knack for that, I think. There's not much more to say than that. [good]

15-16 Puzzle covers The Sober Irishman's "Texas" - An interesting take on the original, can't say I like it better though. I miss 15-16 Puzzle's super-whiney voice on this cover. However, he seems to have the lo-fi lounge guitar genre all wrapped up. [good]

The Idiot Kings cover The Voice Inside Your Head's "Brown Boxes" - The Idiot Kings have managed to turn what is really a pretty gawdawful song into something that's at least listenable. But, I still don't really like it. [good]

Future Boy covers The White Hat's "Driving" - I actually really can't stand the original song. The chorus, in particular, strikes me as overly repetitive/repeated and incredibly cheesy. So, I did what I could to make a happy synthy version that doesn't have digital distortion in it. I think I succeeded. I do wish I could sing in tune better, though. [good]

Roymond covers Walrus Gumble's "Say The Word" - This is not what I expected from Roymond at all. It is a pretty pleasant surprise. I like that Roymond tightened up the song so that it doesn't drag on for so long. Also, the vocal panning action is pretty fun and he makes the singer sound more angry than pathetic, which I enjoy quite a lot. [good - possibly best]

Jim of Seattle covers WreckdoM's "Dinga Da Donga" - I would love to review this cover, I know it exists because I heard the first few seconds of it when I first put my huge ass playlist together. But now my computer is telling me that jimowen.org does not exist. What's the deal, Jim? [good because I know Jim prolly did an excellent job]

********************************************

And so, that brings me to the end of a VERY LONG set of reviews. I'm surprised I made it, I almost gave up a few songs ago. Well, now for the decision about who to vote BEST COVER.

Just to recap, the covers I deemed possibly the best are as follows:

Frankie Big Face's cover of "Violet Wants It Her Way" by Jon Eric
Puce's cover of "Violet Wants It Her Way" by Lunkhead
Starfinger's cover of "Do The Math" by Octothorpe
Roymond's cover of "Say The Word" by Walrus Gumble

I think the honor belongs to Franke Big Face for not only uncovering all the good things in Jon Eric's song but also for the incredible singing near the end of his cover.

Alrighty...here are my first batch of reviews... Fresh ones to follow in the days to come.
------------------------------------
Marcus Kellis - Please the Pigs
i'm sorry you wasted my time on this.

Caravan Ray - Moscow, Idaho (Live)
dig the world-techno groove...great vox. all the rythmn bits are nice and warm and soft... I'da liked the vox to be panned around more...there seems to be a lefty thing going on. Overall nice sounds, nice interpretation of the original.

Bolio - Talk About Your Feelings
great piano-i-zation of the main riff. I like this electro groove/beat, very deadpan. LOVE the organ/warbly bit at the intro to the 2nd verse...wickedass. Sooo subtle. Not as sold on the main vox performance, but its ok. This was all in all a great cover.

Rabid GarFUNKel - Moscow, Idaho
Great job. This was a tricky one, gotta admit, wasn't sure how it was going to go down. The GARF rocked it organic style... and I'm a fan. Thanks Rabid!!!

Level Nivelo - So Long Atticus
I'm sorry, this aint jiving wit me. The mic technique is fadey at times...and the lounge treatment is, well, campy. I know (I think..), that's what you were after, but aint happenin' for me. The vox make it seem like you just don't care. I'm not buyin'...too dullsville..not enough ActionTown... To be fair, the orig. didn't do it for me either.

Loyalty Day - Secrets
wow..nice sounds. I listened to originals just before covers..so HUGE juxta there. I'm in love with her voice...is it single? Nice mix. Great treatment of the song...makes it real. Like the guitar lead tone..very delicate and organic sounding. This is a real treat, a definite keeper. Can I buy you a drink?

Cheesequake - Lucky Man
This is actually pretty good...could have been beefier to fit the speedy juice... I think you had your work cut out for you on this, the orig is so fuckin' hot. But, you kept your shit about you and got in it. Hats off... I will say that the total environment lift is troubling for me..not so keen on the bar/show live feel with the cover..but by the time you get snappin, it isn't an issue any more. A Best vote here is doubtful, but a solid cover and great rendition it is.

Heuristics Inc. - Betwixt the Rain
This is sonically interesting. I like the different elements. I'll say now, that the original didn't ever do it for me. The vox and effects on 'em are edgy. the whole thing is kind of unnerving, but it doesn't clarify the original at all for me, nor does it really do it for me now. The music textures are cool...but they never develop into anything I'd like to hear. Of course, maybe thats the intention....hmm... I'll say great mix tho, aside from the feedback sounding bit on the vox.

-----------------------------------
Vol. II coming soon.....

Peaks In Valleys wrote:Stella Artois is the shit.

It's much better from the tap than from the bottle.
It does, however, have the peculiar distinction to be the first beer that my fiancee liked enough to order one of her own.
I think I felt like I was beholden to remain more faithful to the original than many people expected...
-bill

HeuristicsInc wrote:

Peaks In Valleys wrote:Stella Artois is the shit.

It's much better from the tap than from the bottle.
-bill

Very AGREED. Though I will buy the odd 12 bottles for home use on those days I can't get down to the local watering hole...

...concluded from part four.

<b><font color="purple">His Name is Dan</font></b>
It's kinda cool to hear a BME song without the nice sheen on it. I'm starting to miss the fullness as we move into the chorus, but this is still a decent cover for changing the sound so much.

<b><font color="purple">Blind Mime Ensemble</font></b>
When listening to the original, I was hoping for the cover you'd lose some of the huge, reverby atmosphere, since it got to be a little much. Ah, but you kept it, with synths instead of the voices. I'm getting the same kind of listening fatigue I got from the original: things get a little too spacey. You've increased the sharpness of the chorus hook, which is nice. It sounds like this is a tad too high for your voice, though, which is thinning it out in places. Maybe drop the key a step or two?

<b><font color="purple">15-16 Puzzle</font></b>
The way you've set off the chorus (tempo, drums) is great. I don't know about dropping everything out again for the second verse. You could have kept the fuller production and just used the ritard to set off the second chorus. Ditto with dropping for the third verse. This feels much longer than the original, which probably isn't a good thing. Still, a pretty good cover.

<b><font color="purple">The Idiot Kings</font></b>
You've stayed true to the emotion in the lyrics. Your version is more listenable than the original if for no other reason than the bigger production.

<b><font color="purple">Future Boy</font></b>
Ahh.... this is very, very nice. The poppy intro was a breath of fresh air when it came up. Some of the bg vocals are out of tune in the chorus, but it's minor. I wanted a bigger boom in the second verse (more drums, bass, something!), but that's probably just because that's the formula. I'm sure breaking the formula is a good thing, but I still keep wanting this to start really driving (no pun intended). The rhythm is there, but it's not breaking through.

<b><font color="purple">Roymond</font></b>
Creepy! Reminds me of a play I saw where the lines were all broken up and were pieced together word-by-word by an ensemble spread around the stage. That sucked, this doesn't. Ah, and then the nice poppy song comes in. I dig it. The "don't you love it" part doesn't quite rock hard enough. Maybe more of the distortion guitar there, or harder drums?

<b><font color="purple">Starfinger</font></b>
This is fantastic. I so fucking love the synth pad behind the verse. Absolutely makes the song. Oh, wait, no what actually makes the song is the freaky synth after that. Aw, screw it, there's just so much ear candy here it's impossible to pick a favorite. The original was funny, but you've trumped it by a factor of... well, it's a complex algorithm. But it's big. Awesome production, I'm glad the fact I couldn't stream this one caused me to save it for last!

Well, well, that was a very long process. If I missed anyone, lemme know. If you missed your review on the old board, I've thrown them <a href="http://www.michaelmaasmusic.com/cover_reviews.html">up here</a> for now.

It'd be cool to have a longer-than-a-week Song Fight! every once in awhile, to see if the quality would compare to these.

A short list of contenders/definite keepers/favorites:
C Hack
JBB
Frankie Big Face
Puce
Starfinger

Can somebody remind us of when we have to have the reviews/votes done by? I started mine and can't remember how long we have, sorry ...
-bill

by the end of the month, i think.

or until all the covers are submitted...

You mean Thursday?
Ouch!
-bill

Ok, if we're on a deadline I'll post these in chunks. I was going to do them all at once, but I changed my mind. If the deadline approaches, not everyone will get a review.

i'm listening to each original before the cover. this is going to take a very very long time.

1516 does sober's texas - i'm not fond of the vocals. i wasn't that excited about the original, but at least it was peppy. this cover version makes me sleepy. it picks up later, but i still don't like it that much.
do i think it improves on the original - no, except at the end.
rating: (bad)

a-bomb does roymond's feathers - i like the guitars, and how the voice seems kind of chaotic. solo section is very nice. i like the end, but it might linger on a little long.
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (very good)

andre does niv's red zero - i like the music here a good bit. the vox aren't as good. i do miss that clangy percussion thing from the original. actually i like this vocal section around 1:15 when it sounds like you're singing backup to nobody. that's cool.
do i think it improves on the original - yeah, some.
rating: (ok)

blindmime does jbb's irb - the original, i hadn't heard before. it sounds kinda off balance. blind mime's version really strengthens it. seems a little samey throughout though. cool ending. have i heard that sound somewhere before?
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (good)

bolio does loyalty day's tayf - neat vocal effect. the vocals really give this a different feel. they're not quite as good-sounding, though. the music's very nice.
do i think it improves on the original - not sure. different.
rating: (ok)

brad sucks does ken's tgtr - brad sucks has done a great job here. this feels a lot more solid than the original. nice vox.
do i think it improves on the original - definitely.
rating: (very good)

caravanray does marcus's moscow - just a note - i like the live version of marcus's way better than the studio one. ok, now on to ray's. the kraftwerk-lite synth bloops are fun. this is different. voice is too far back in the mix. fun.
do i think it improves on the original - they're hard to compare. but ... sure.
rating: (good) - it would be even better if the vox were re-mixed.

c hack does leaf's atdp - this seems to have a better mix/master than the original. the different cadence on "across the dusty plains" is pretty cool, as is the organ sound in there. nice spaghetti-western soundtrack sound. all that said...
do i think it improves on the original - i think i like the original better.
rating: (good)

charcoal does chack's sommmmmmmm - woo, i almost fell asleep there. the cover version is more upbeat, which is good for my tuesday afternoon mood. however, it's got less coherence. it feels kind of sloppy.
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (ok)

cheesequake does abomb's luckyman - the way it drops down into the slower section is good. i felt like the original felt kind of samey. the instrumentation is better too. i think the vocals are a little more interesting here, and the song feels a good bit more concise, dropping over a minute from the original, which i think is a good move. good backing vox.
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (good)

----- end part 1 -----
-bill

Here's a bunch more!

dan does blindmime's ife - it'll be interesting to hear bme's lush arrangements taken into dan's style. i have the idea this'll be different. i think the vox need to be compressed/mixed further forward in the mix. also, i do miss the lush arrangements. on its own, it's pretty good though.
do i think it improves on the original - not really.
rating: (ok)

dylan nau does sos's red flag - the original felt too off-balance to me. this one keeps some of that feel while solidifying the rhythms. i like that. the instrumentation is cool here too.
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (good)

eddie does hoblit's cancer - i've never heard this original before, and from listening to it i think the song has more potential than it shows in this version, so i'm looking forward to this. the beginning part simultaneously rocks out and settles down the original's problems. the quiet section might drop out a little too much. but this, in general, is great.
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (very good)

fbf does joneric's violet - now this is cool. i love what you've done with the instrumentation. i think i talked about this elsewhere already, did i? it's a great transformation to a new idea, and... oh yeah, it was on somesongs. here's what i said there: (I just listened to the original. I miss the "full" nature of the beginning section's vocals from je's version. the castanets are brilliant. also the instrumentation on this is very cool, cabaret style stuff. later on i think the "chorus" part is fine, but at the beginning i was bothered by its aloneness...) ok, now, forget what i said before... i am no longer bothered by that.
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (very good)

the real feldspar does lnivelo's bus - I miss the cheesy 70's tv show themeness of the original, here. Unfortunately I think this one isn't as interesting, not as much "character." also i think you plose into the mic a few times. not bad, though.
do i think it improves on the original - no.
rating: (ok)

futureboy does white hat's driving - hey, this is nice in that it keeps the feel of the original while improving its sound. i like the synth solo a lot.
do i think it improves on the original - yes
rating: (good)

glenn does jute's violet - copy from somesongs: (just remembered how much i liked the original. wow, this is like all square waves or something. i actually like what you did with the verses. i couldn't understand jute's lyrics in his version either, so no foul there. i feel like i want to hear a non-distorted sound in here somewhere though. It's getting a good from me.) i also think the vocals are a bit more understandable here, so i'll say...
do i think it improves on the original - yes
rating: (good)

henrietta does brad's wnf - this oddly reminds me of bon jovi. nice, though. not much to say...
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (good)

hinc does andre's btr - this is mine. i have probably talked about it enough already
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (good)

hoblit does charcoal's badatt - nice, i like this. vox and instruments are both good.
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (good)

j$ does mf's gas - i love this. the synth stuff is awesome. this takes the kinda jump-around original and stays consistent, which i like. the background vox are awesome.
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (very good)

jbb does henrietta's cheapskate - this is interesting, the gender comparison... how will that work? ah, got it. not bad, the lyrical contortions, they sound natural. this is great. i like the guitar here. a bit less cute than the original, but very nice.
do i think it improves on the original - not sure. maybe.
rating: (very good)

jimt does dylannau's better - i really enjoyed this original. the ska is awesome. let's see how i like jim's. oh no, it's slow and acoustic. that's not necessarily bad, but i liked the energy in the original. sorry, this is competent and fine, but i like the original better.
do i think it improves on the original - no.
rating: (ok)

jimos does wreckdom's ddd - wow, i like madi's voice in this. it's gone from something silly to something from a horror film. that's awesome. the clangy wharf bell is great. really creepy.
do i think it improves on the original - definitely.
rating: (good)

jute does futureboy's hmc - was that the same song? bizarre! and interesting. i don't know what to say
do i think it improves on the original - i can't tell!
rating: (ok)

king arthur does kamakura's teal - ah, the king arthur stamp. this is very nice. i like the king arthur sound, but for some reason i think i prefer the vibe of the original.
do i think it improves on the original - no, but it's not bad either.
rating: (good)

----- End Part 2 -----

-bill

I finally got around to voting for many people, and will try to work up the remainder of the reviews sometime soon as well. And reply to the awesome kind words people misplaced for my cover.

But when I cast a Best Cover vote for Dylan Nau, it turned yellow and the x implies "didn't listen". Red Flag still can't find a friend! Does this match expected results?

HeuristicsInc wrote:Here's a bunch more!

jb does joneric's violet - now this is cool. i love what you've done with the instrumentation. i think i talked about this elsewhere already, did i? it's a great transformation to a new idea, and... oh yeah, it was on somesongs. here's what i said there: (I just listened to the original. I miss the "full" nature of the beginning section's vocals from je's version. the castanets are brilliant. also the instrumentation on this is very cool, cabaret style stuff. later on i think the "chorus" part is fine, but at the beginning i was bothered by its aloneness...) ok, now, forget what i said before... i am no longer bothered by that.
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (very good)
-bill

this was Frankie Big Face. shows i read these things. and listen too!

jack shite wrote:

HeuristicsInc wrote:Here's a bunch more!

jb does joneric's violet - now this is cool. i love what you've done with the instrumentation. i think i talked about this elsewhere already, did i? it's a great transformation to a new idea, and... oh yeah, it was on somesongs. here's what i said there: (I just listened to the original. I miss the "full" nature of the beginning section's vocals from je's version. the castanets are brilliant. also the instrumentation on this is very cool, cabaret style stuff. later on i think the "chorus" part is fine, but at the beginning i was bothered by its aloneness...) ok, now, forget what i said before... i am no longer bothered by that.
do i think it improves on the original - yes.
rating: (very good)
-bill

this was Frankie Big Face. shows i read these things. and listen too!

thank you for defending my honor. or something.

Right, I noticed that when writing the review that I'd miswrote that for some reason, but for another reason I forgot to fix it before posting. Sorry.
-bill

Well, I've listened to most, and If I get time tonight I'll reviews... if not, oh well. Bottom line: great job everyone, real nice to see the lvoe and respect everyone (eric????) dolled out, the great work that can be accomplished in a month, and the creative twists put out by all. I think it was a fantastic collection. Admit it, is it not super flattering and a mental trip to have someone cover your work?

I loved it!

I got parent teacher meetings tonight, so assuming that the kids are doing well, I'll try and post the rest of my thoughts and move my previous reviews over....

roymond wrote: But when I cast a Best Cover vote for Dylan Nau, it turned yellow and the x implies "didn't listen". Red Flag still can't find a friend! Does this match expected results?

Wow, thanks for the potential vote. i have not been around much lately and now I must listen to all of these great covers and do some reviews I suppose. Really enjoying the new forums. I have 2 weeks of bachelorhood coming so Ill have plenty of time to review soon.

Hey, shouldn't we have an extra week to review since the deadline was extended by a week?

Man, this is such an impressive collection of songs. I think I've almost decided my vote, but I'm really torn between JBB, FrankieBF, Dylan Nau, and Starfinger. Where's a two-party system when you need one?

Henrietta wrote:Hey, shouldn't we have an extra week to review since the deadline was extended by a week?

Man, this is such an impressive collection of songs. I think I've almost decided my vote, but I'm really torn between JBB, FrankieBF, Dylan Nau, and Starfinger. Where's a two-party system when you need one?

The choice is clear, my dear.

(It's me, Frankie Big Face.)

i just wanted to say that I will probably not have reviews done before the voting is over, but they will be done eventually.

and also, I think you are probably a very nice and wise person Henrietta, who has a lot better things to do than vote for Frankie.

-craig

still working on my reviews... don't tally votes yet please...

Yeah, I've been really busy with stuff and haven't even started my reviews yet, can you extend the deadline a week so I can do them the night before?

Thanks,
Ken

P.S. This is not true. I have started my reviews and have heard all the songs, I would just like to finish them before I vote.