The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Here's a review thread.

Now all we need is art...

How about you use the SFL12 logo?

Not very Artsy, nor PG, nor my best work... only thing that came to mind.

dre, LOVE IT!!! Can we plz use that? Somebody needed to do something with the photo fluffy got of "the heckler" and dre, I think you nailed it.

OK, OK. It's up.

Between the new tag line on the forums and the small ss song icon, it's a good start to my day

Good luck to all! Oh yeah, this is the annual Hoglen & Wages check-in. Couldn't resist the live recording challenge!

I love this cover so much. xxxxxxxxx

Hmm. You guys sure that the Heckler wasn't a SongFighter? http://nurein.songfight.net/index.php?title=Starfinger

Paco Del Stinko wrote:Hmm. You guys sure that the Heckler wasn't a SongFighter? http://nurein.songfight.net/index.php?title=Starfinger

Hell no. Starfinger is like a really nice 7 foot giant. The heckler was a midget douche bag. Not even close.

Do you have face blindness perhaps?

Ken

Ha! No, I know he's a swell guy. But the only sight that I have of the midget is the obscured photo. Guess it made me think of that picture. No offense to the wonderful (and MIA) Starfinger. OK. Back to business.

Listening to the fight again, comments to come soon.

BTW, it's little person. Midget is a slur, even if the person you're describing is an asshole.

Geoff WreckdoM wrote:BTW, it's little person. Midget is a slur, even if the person you're describing is an asshole.

You're right, that midget asshole was a short person.

Mc,chicken, got a vote.

Ok people, let's go!

Add It's like an old timey song with modern flourishes. The vocal melodies are pleasant, the noodle guitar gets a bit irksome after a while although I enjoy it's tone. Sloppy ending to a happy tune.


Berkeley Social Scene Nice poppy chords here. The production is soft sounding right after ADD's bright song. Not soft in a wimpy way, more mellow, I guess. The song itself is fun and there are some good lyrics here. I enjoy the right to the point length and arrangement.


Birt Krinstin Muffly hippy groove, I dig it. The ooo-ooos on the chorus are a nice sell. The breakdown is a good idea, messily mixed and performed. Polish this up a little, don't want it glossy, and call it way cool.


FauX I like the long progression. I can hear a second guitar coming in on the second verse, picking the chords an octave up, tinkly. I say this only after initially being surprised at the keys coming in, thinking it was only a live G&G song. Could use an edit or replace half a verse with a twisty bridge, but nice enough.


Glenn Case I like this a lot, although feels unfinished. I understand it was for the live fight, just saying. Has a strong whiff of Guided By Voices here, but not a rip-off. The power chord section is the nuts, too. This shows how good melody works with just a guitar, but man, this would kill with a band and smoking drummer. Very nice, a fave this week.


Gloop I do and don't like this. There are some lite chuckles, but the end is more dumb than funny. The mood of the music is like grey clouds rolling through the sky, and the guitar riff (keys?) is neat. Glad it doesn't go on too long, keeps it fresh.


Greggers Inc. Love the harmonics on the 12-string. Dark, moody progression suits the melody well. I don't understand the decision to pan and reverberate the bridge vocal. I like it's melody but get ? when the pan happens. How about keeping it dry there, but double the vocal and pan hard left and right? I've done that and it's an easy, non jarring effect. Good tune, anyway.

Grid The verses are so moody, the chorus comes and feels like a relief. A full band there might sound nice as well, but works as is. I'm a little weird on the run into a ditch line although I get the meaning. NIce pondering ending.

The HATE Noise The low throb/pulse is great. Menacing. This is druggy in a good way, if I were (a lot) younger, I'd rip some bong hits to this and enjoy the gonzo effects and erie backing sounds. I lke this a lot, even if I don't understand half of what you're saying.


Hip Hop Anonymous There are some good lines in here and rapid fire lyrics, I didn't expect when the song started. The production grows as the song progresses as does the likeability of this as well. The sparse instrumentation is wise, I like the rising synth swirls. Good work and well written lryics.


Hoglen & Wages Noodley, loose, but as always, your voice always delivers a sense that you enjoy what you do. Your pitch is better than it used to be, but could still tighten up. Meaning to be helpful, not hurtful. The backing vocals are very insecure, better off not doing them or getting them a lot better. The song has a nice bittersweet feel to it. Take it around the block a few more times. I like the dog in the background though.


JB and Sam
Sam played guitar on this, eh? I hope that you played it up for the crowd: Roy Orbison moving like Elvis. Great soaring and delicate, at times, vocals. I wrote a song, 20 years ago, called Sometimes I Love you, that used similar lines to that, reversed. Because you are awesome, I won't persue the plagiarism suit. Great tune here that could be fleshed out a bit more although too long might take away from its power.

Jon Eric I thought this was DJ Ranger Den when I first heard it start! Piano and a voice higher up, ok? But then it becomes distinctively you both vocally and pianoally. This works fine as G&P, a brushed drum kit and lite backing instruments wouldn't hurt it in future incarnations. Good work.


The Kenzie School for Wayward Chickens The Club Chicken Experience continues! Good story telling and an authentic feel although a little more sleaze wouldn't have hurt. I'd like your voice to sound more raw on the "I'm a blues man!" lines, but it still works fine. Very live sound indeed, the drums especially.


The Lamentors Very low key, late night urban music. Nice instrumentation and playing. This isn't the recently transplanted Signboy family is it? Production doesn't sound big enough for them, though. I like the layered voices and late in the song drum fills. Good tune.

The Lookouts Sorry, still reminds me of BLT. I like this progression and groove, but it needs a change somewhere and a snip of a verse or two to tidy it up. The moral of the story is good and told well. But it comes back to overdoing the groove. Yeah, I hear the variations on the theme but maybe a breakdown with narrator only or a return to the one-off bridge. Still, I appreciate the work done here.


Manhattan Glutton Good arrangement and use of dynamics. Clear mix, too. I don't know why spoken verses threaten to get older quicker than sung ones, but I don't feel that here. Nice builds to the big chorus which is strong and evocative of something from the closing credits of a movie. NIce touches are the claps, extra strums before verses. All the little one-time bits. Good work.

New Image I like the main melody including those falsetto leaps. Very 70's AM radio over a more recent supporting track. The instruments could be stronger/shinier in the mix, the guitar sounds gravelly. But I like the song and the arrangement over the, basically, one groove. Good tune, weak mix. Of course, tune wins.


Nobody, et al Great job with the live playing: I thought you'd just be strumming and playing harmonica, not picking. And cleanly, too. Capo somewhere not too far up the neck. Nice feel here, lying in bed with white linens and sunlight. The harmonica adds so much earthy here-ness to the song instead of being dreamy and riding a pillow of clouds. Another win? The fine lyrics on top of all that may say yes.


Paco del Stinko One of my worse songs of the year, if not ever. But had to do my annual 'live' song. Man, I miss being able to play real drums. Sloppy guitar and vocals were kept that way to maintain a live sound.


roymond Another fave from this week is this slightly gonzo Pixies riff song and caveman drums song. Good key change as a bridge, but the main riff, alongside the vocal is great. I don't understand all of the lyrics but the energy and fun vibe here make that fact not matter. This could be fleshed out more, but I don't know that it needs to be.


Sockpuppet I like your music, but this comes off as what it is: underdeveloped, rushed, sloppy. I get it, and understand, but it's a mess. I'd file this one under fail and move on.


Tokyo Expressway This is sloppy, but fun. Man, those drums sound huge. Did they sound that big there, or just on the recording? There's an intensity here, a passion, that reminds me of Dre's music, and I'm wondering if that's his inspiration or that you all share it. The oh-oh's and their Indian (Native American) feel are the big sell here. Messy, but good.


TV's Tile The Pretenders open it into a Mother's Ska TV theme. This song is nuts and all over the place, I love it. The trips to beavers and thumbsuckers are great and the end is the nuts wth the screaching in the background. This won't, but should, win. If it were still one vote only here, I'd probably cast it for this. So much work in a condensed package.


WreckdoM Another great one. Stripped down for you guys, it's still plenty wacked. The lyrics are classic WreckdoM and still fresh. I wonder how many lines are from direct experience and those of others. The did it anyway line is hooky enough. I'd like to hear the guy in the next cell tell you to shut the fuck up with that poor harmonica playing. Loses a bit of mojo at the end, but a great ride.

Paco Del Stinko wrote: Paco del Stinko One of my worse songs of the year, if not ever. But had to do my annual 'live' song. Man, I miss being able to play real drums. Sloppy guitar and vocals were kept that way to maintain a live sound.

I loved it and I wish ALL your songs were pseudo live.....ALL OF THEM! I always try to listen to all the things in the background. At the end, the raspberries had me laughing. Encore!

Paco Del Stinko wrote: New Image I like the main melody including those falsetto leaps. Very 70's AM radio over a more recent supporting track. The instruments could be stronger/shinier in the mix, the guitar sounds gravelly. But I like the song and the arrangement over the, basically, one groove. Good tune, weak mix. Of course, tune wins.

I know mixing has been my weak point all along. You're pretty good at it. Can I get some sage advice - I mean, using compressors, limiters, reverb, etc? I use Reaper and have access to the VSTs that can run in it. Any links to ideas I can peruse that cover those things? Thanks!

The Lookouts: Nice guitar, good message.

The Lamentors: Nice mellow feel. Vocal could have more emotion.

Manhattan Glutton: Amazing bass sound. Good guitars. Like this song all the way. Reminds me of Was Not Was. Vote.

John Eric: Bonus for trying to deliver a live track, but hard to hear the song.

BSS: Cool grove. Nice bass.

Wreckdom: Good drums. Nice bass. Could take more time on lyrics.

Paco del Stinko: Creative Paco. Good guitar. Could dig a little deeper for lyrics.

Holgen and Wages: Really like this vibe. Mix could be better. Some of the parts step on other parts.

Tokyo Expressway: Hard to hear song. Overwhelming kick drum. Can’t hear the lyric.

Sockpuppet: Bonus for trying to deliver live track. Can’t hear lyric. Song is not discernible.

Hip Hop Anonymous: Nice track. Like it. Like it a lot. Vote.

New Image: Respectable rock song. Take a little more time with the recording and the results would be better. Like the melody.

Nobody et al: Nice acoustic sound. Nice touch with harmonica. Good vocal as usual.

Greggers Inc.: Nice chord changes. Like to hear more body in the guitar and then the vocals would sit better.

Roymond: Bonus for live track, but the mix makes it hard to hear the song.

The Kenzie Chickens: Awesome bass. Great Idea. Timing between bass and drums seems off a bit. Love your voice. Can’t quite vote for this one.

Add: Like the vibe this is going after. Take a little more time with the mix. The embellishing guitar meanders a bit.

Glenn Case: Very hard to hear song.

JB and Sam: Bonus for live track. Hard to hear vocal/song.

Gloop: Cool drums. Nice track. Spend a little more time on mix. It would be better

The Hate Noise: Bombastic. Made me wanna go destroy something. Cool.

Faux: Nice simple structure. I like this. Interesting delivery of hook. Vote.

Birt Krinstin: Lice mellow vibe. Did not get vote.

Grid: Sung live into a Zoom H4n. Vote.

TV’s Tile: Nice loose horns. I like this a lot. Definite vote. Different and creative.

Paco Del Stinko wrote: roymond Another fave from this week is this slightly gonzo Pixies riff song and caveman drums song. Good key change as a bridge, but the main riff, alongside the vocal is great. I don't understand all of the lyrics but the energy and fun vibe here make that fact not matter. This could be fleshed out more, but I don't know that it needs to be.

Thanks, Paco!

I really like this song and want to record it proper-like. The band picked it up pretty much on the spot, with one run through, so it was great to have the support live. That's Glenn and Ken behind me. THANKS GUYS!

FWIW, I only even submitted the SFLive recording to have a record of the fact that I'd done it. I know it's horrible and boring. I probably should have done a studio version to submit but I never got around to it and it's not like it's a song I care about - mostly it was just to make an announcement.

ADD - I like this tune except for the lead guitar. Its tone doesn't fit somehow. Bitcrushed synth is kind of a neat effect. The two voices blend nicely and make it interesting to listen to. The round at the end is really neat the way it comes together for the last word.

BSS - Jangly-gritty and fun. Lyrics are intriguing but aren't coalescing for me.

Birt - Lo-fi, to me has kind of a late-90s feel (don't let anyone tell you that's a bad thing). Toward the end it gets a little minor and wierd. It doesn't seem like you're really using the expression "Strictly speaking" correctly - you're just throwing it in there for punctuation. Is there a high solo instrument in the back of the mix (mando or plucked violin), or am I hearing things? Bring it forward.

FauX - Nice, laid-back story song. I like the entry of the electric piano (btw, is that a Rhodes or a vsti?). Nice handling of the prompt.

Glenn - Am I really in a position to review a song by Glenn Fucking Case? Who the hell am I? Anyway I like this tune. Melody and chord changes are solid. Breakdown/bridge is a nice changeup. I only wish I could make the lyrics out better.

Gloop - My enjoyment of this is hindered by the immaturity. You've got some clever things to say, and the guitar in the backing is neat, but I dunno. Delivery could be a little smoother and tighter.

Greggers - Ooh, gloomy acoustic. Lyrics are interesting. Sort of a crisis of faith / seeker of truth motif? It's long but I think if it was fleshed out with other instruments it'd be appropriate.

Grid - dig this. Intimate and evocative. The pauses drive the "live"-ness of it. Your voice is great and delivery is spot on.

HATE Noise - You lost me at "faggots".

Hip Hop Anonymous - I dig this. It's got hints of Frontalot and a couple of other acts I've heard on radio free hipster. Which is as deep into rap as I get, unfortunately. Delivery is tight, backing track is good. Some very creative turns.

Hogler - This has a really nice feel. It's got the feel of a couple guys sitting around a house party jamming and really getting into it. Makes me miss my college days. Well done.

JB - Had me chuckling out loud. The lyrics are a nice alternation between the caress and the slap.

Jon - This is a pretty song - kind of annoying everybody was talking over it, I can't make out much of the first verse. V2 is kind of a neat image - the person trapped in her own story who can't let anyone in lest reality conflict. Chorus pegs the pain of somebody tired of dealing with aforementioned person.

Kenzie - Nice. The blues man. Good story, I got grins.

Lamentors - Smoky mellow jazz club soundtrack. It took me a minute to get how Strictly Speaking fit into it lyrically, but it's clever. Harmonies could be a little tighter but I'm hardly one to throw stones. Nicely done.

Lookouts - Once again, I like everything about this except the vocals. Good content, message is appropriate, incorporates the prompt well, arrangement is good, mixed well, guitar is solid. Just the vocal tone/pitch makes me cringe.

Manhattan - Tight groove, I like how it builds and recedes. Pre-chorus is a great transition into the chorus. Harmonies are dead on. Hand claps are a nice touch.

New Image - The melody and progression here is great. I like how the vocals skip to falsetto. You've got to be a pretty good singer to hack that. Paco can definitely give you some mixing tips. I like the flavor of resentment in the lyrics, mixed with the "F this I'm out" relief.

Nobody - This song represents about 75% of what I WANTED to do with it. Capo 6 if I recall correctly.

Paco - LOL at the intro and outro. It's got a live feel but still pretty damn tight and intricate by most standards. If there were like 5 of you and you put a band together out of the clones, I'd totally drive to Phoenix to see it. Just sayin, in case you ever get that clone thing going. And play in Phoenix. Love the chord progression and arrangement.

Roymond - Sounds like fun. Loose and free, among friends. I missed a party.

Sockpuppet - Sorry man this is sloppy. Sounds from your comments like it wasn't an entirely serious stab at songcraft though so I won't belabor the point. Congrats on deciding to move.

Tokyo - Huge drums, but they seem disconnected from the rest of the tune. Overall a cool feel, with a gang-vocal finish. Wish I could have been there to sing along. Chorus has an interesting lyric with the old place finding somebody instead.

Tile - Frenetic and random, sort of TMBG, and fun to listen to. Having glanced at your cartoons I can now imagine what sorts of distracting things might exist in your room. And now have a great mental picture for what the video would look like.

Wreckdom - Wierd as usual, but also as usual it's well put together, you've got a good lyrical sense and know how to make a listener pay attention.