august contest ... REVIEWS

[fucanay]

Fucanay - Another well-written song. The lyrics struck a chord with me, maybe for a different reason than was intended, I dunno.

I'm curious as to what you got out of the lyrics. I actually had written them a week before I even started on the contest tune. It was inspired by the lack of decent popular music that gets played these days. I was thinking about all of the sixties stuff that I love and listen to non-stop, and came up with them.

Then seeing vurtstock, I knew I had to use those for the contest.

Thanks to everyone who shared their music and wrote reviews. I haven't done any reviews, but I also don't feel I'm qualified to judge anyones art. Especially for those who have a style I am unfamiliar with.

fucanay

[Glassback]

Glassback - Garden Party : That's some powerful bass(and kicks)!!! I like how it's neither imitating vurt or trying to sound woodstock. Instead, it's just f**ked up on drugs, in classic vurt and woodstock fashion and, especially, VURTSTOCK fashion. It's quite an achievement. It sounds completely different from all the other tracks(in fact, it sounds tailor made for the dancefloor, which is something I definitely did not expect this month) but manages to do so without disregarding the rules. This sounds like a bite sized version of vurtstock. A whole lot of smoking and coughing. The people talking on the background... Is that a sample of the garden party? ... And the repeating vocal sample... is that donkey saying "cnut off"? IT IS, ISN'T IT? Please, tell me it is. I want to sound perceptive.

Hey thanks for the words, man!
I honestly didn't think anyone would like this just because it's so different to all the other tracks. Directly relevant to vurtstock though - upbeat, humourous and just very slightly mad.
Yup, the voice samples are indeed from vurtstock itself, along with me reading a short roll-call of a few names who've attended taken from something I did for a thread in the cafe some time ago.

And yes, you're perceptive.

Thing is, I didn't interpret vurtstock to be a 60's theme. vurtstock is pure noughties.
But I can see how it can cause confusion to anyone who hasn't been.
To me, vurtstock is about people coming together, having fun, being vulgar, listening to music and getting shitface drunk and, for some, schtoneded.
Put another word on it - community. Sorry, did I just swear?

[thomekk]

HovMod, nikp2000, techbot, GuitarJeff, Glassback, liquih, Katanaman, Marc JX8P, Xander - thank you all, gentlemen for the nice and informative reviews!!

[Max el Belga]

50 songs, 50 reviews... This has nothing to do with music, this looks like working ! But people over here gave me so much pleasure with their free plugins and I think this is the most interesting part of the contest. BTW, thank you for the great reviews you gave my song. I ran all the songs through MP3Gain (seems we all have a different concept about max.vol.), ok. "God damn the bloody torpedos, full steam ahead !" Here I go... .. .

Freestar - The way forward
Sound landscape or a demo of a sample-cd ? Beautiful sounds though, I´ll get that cd !

Katanamen - Special girl
This must be the Spinal Tap band !

KnockmanWildchurch - Vurtstock dreaming
Sounds like a new-wave song. Love the snoring bass.

Mystahr - Believe in the power
I don´t know what you smoke, man, but I would like to try it !

Wopelka - An aquarian intrduction
´69... you took me back in time, I mean it ! I can see them before me : a little drunk, stoned and what else, a few guitars, the flute (very handy to carry around) and there you have the occasional band in the crowd on the festival (any)... .. .

Andreas Ehrhardt - Changes69
Strange way to play a guitar...

Beardedone - Vurtstock
Sounds to me like film music for an underwater battle scene !?

Markleford Friedman - Sax, dub, understanding
If I remember well, you play the sax for only a month. I hate you for it ! I nearly got a divorse, years ago, when I had a few saxes. I must admit that my wife was right, even after a month trying ! Your a good musician and a good composer... .. .

Sepheritoh - Nshawu
Oh yeah, I´m in the cinema again. I see Zulu´s, red uniforms and vast landscapes with mountains... Film music by excellence. Good stuff.

Sleek Month - Lemme be
What a pitty of the "muddy" sound. Not bad at all on the guitar !

Jefi Prentrix - Crosstown traffic
Talking about "bad timing", I wished you´d come up with something else... I started playing just before Hendrix appeared and for me he´s still nr 1. I could dream his music. So I must sincerely say... No, I won´t, because I admire you and your talent too much and with Hendrix I´m too... Very good voice and I liked your own little guitar rif. I´m sure it must have been an interesting recording-mixing adventure.

Jens Leuner - Relax friend
Sounds like a home recording on the good old Portastudio. Sympathetic !

Donkeyt - Shakoor rana
This IS very good. I love it. Super ! I wanna hear more from that donkey with a "t". One of my favourites...

Duncan Parsons - Summer loving
Well done, apart from that very bad "sax".

Nikp2000 - Space love theme in blue
You convinced me that there is life out there. Did you have a good landing ? The UltradiaSE plugin might be something good for your basslines...

Poepe - Rush ´69
This is by far the worst I´ve ever heard, send it back from where it came from...

Fucanay - Stop listen
Good all the way, until the guitar starts...

Kovacs - I weep
This is indeed a very nice song. A weak voice, but in a touching way.

Respirator - Vurtstock
Quiet windy with that open window, not my thing, sorry, my problem !

Art Gillespie - For Renais
Hey man, why did you stop. I was just enjoying it and now I´m stuck with hunger for more. That´s naughty of you ! Good stuff !

Astanine - Hey Joe
An other version. Starts ok but you loose inspiration in the second half.

Barnadine - A (not) very cellular song
You´re wrong with your title, I think it must be : "A very beautiful song" !

BitFlipper - The night they drove old Dixie down
Oh, what a relief ! A female touch, the voice of a women. Nearly forgot about them, in this KVR-male-world. My dear lady, if BitFlipper doesn´t like your voice anymore, it will be welcome in my studio ! (although you missed 1 note)

Caco - Blows
What can I say, guess I ran out of inspiration. Time for having a blow. Keep on blowing, Caco...

Col. G - KvR rabbit
Jefferson Airplaine, not better neither worse...

Diek - Love child
Woodstock, Ritchie Heavens... The el. guitar needs a shave.

Emdot Ambient - On my way to vurtstock
On your way to Vurtstock you stopped at Zappa´s place, nice composition.

Failed Sitcom - Coast midlife
Try and spend your midlife in the mountain, it´ll make you happy !

Farlukar - It´s a bunch of tree-huggin´hippie crap
That must have been a lot of fun recording that tune !

Glassback - Garden party
Idem dito...

Griels - That vurty feeling
Hay there, is that Jimmy Carl Black, the indian of the group ?

Herodotus - What it is
Back in songland. Very good, another of my fav.´s.

Marc JX8P - Coasting
Lekker, klinkt goed, fijne strakke drum. Een beetje te braaf misschien. Veel belovend, zou ik zeggen ! Een kanshebber ! Dat was leuk, zo´n beetje Dutch er tussendoor... .. .

Peppy197 - Magnetic hill
Beautiful, well done, very good, blabla... .. .

Richiebee - Peaches en cream
Nice song, only the guitar seems to play in an other tempo than the rest.

Rockstar not - What is Vurtstock
I like this one a lot ! Beautiful voice with that Neil Young vibrato...

Softegg - Smoked out
Guitar on guitar, not bad at all. Maybe it´s missing something, but also maybe not.

Techbot - Thru the crooked glass
Did you play the flute standing on 1 leg ? Good stuff...

Thomekk - Grausamer sommer
Cheer up, mate. Get yourself a ticket to the sun...

You tm - An aquarium implosion
That thing that sounds through your body, I guess it are just gasses, but you better check a doctor...

Wilkoryte - Hippie un jour
Catchy song.

WoJ - Whole lotta Woj
No thank you (this wasn´t me, it was J. Page talking).

Alex James - Grab a cab
Kind a Tom Waits... Very good recording. Impressive !

ZioKiller - Born six years later
Soft Machine, Pink Floyd. The only thing I didn´t like was the ride cymbal : dull !

Hovmod - Surfing the rings of saturn
Watch that tempo !

Oddbods Finger - Peace now
Ladies (where ?) and gentlemen, this person has that thing, that makes the difference between "very good" and "top quality". (Confusius, or was it me...)
BTW I listened to all of his songs on his website and I think Oddbods Finger has a unique talent !

Vurt and friends - All you need is bud
Vurt, you have too many plugins, don´t use them all at the same time !

Liqih - Empire
An other alien music. Don´t smoke everyting they sell on the street !

Ixox - En été comme en hiver
La chançon française n´est pas tellement mon truc, ce mois -ci je prefère tes plugins !

Patatomany - Vurtstock anthem
Trying out a new guitar ? Could it be a PRS ?


Oh dear ! It´s over and done... This was a lot harder than making my song ! The worst is, my best friend just phoned me. He wants to show me his latest piece of music. An other song... I was working nearly the whole day on this review ! At least last month there was LadyJ to look at... I hope I haven´t offended nobody, this would be the last of my intentions. But if this has happened, then you can meet me tomorrow, behind the church. You may choose the wine (because I don´t drink, anymore) and I´ll bring the food !
In the meanwile I have a Top 10 ready, let me see... Holly shit ! Poepe with Rush ´69 on every post. I already told you guys to get rid of that person !
Sorry if my English is not perfect and for my limited vocabulary.

[Marc JX8P]

Marc JX8P - Coasting
Lekker, klinkt goed, fijne strakke drum. Een beetje te braaf misschien. Veel belovend, zou ik zeggen ! Een kanshebber ! Dat was leuk, zo´n beetje Dutch er tussendoor... .. .

Dank je wel voor de lovende woorden! Was even gek, plotseling Nederlands hier te zien. Te braaf? Ach, ik probeer iedere keer weer heavy te klinken maar ik houd teveel van pad klanken en galm denk ik...

[thomekk]

So here are the others reviewed missing in my 1st post (just my humble opinion):

Freeztar vs. Vurt - The way forward
Soundscapish, where is this way leading us? Maybe to the wrong paths, but for some it may be the nirvana?!

Katanamen - Special girl
Great comedish tune. What a great performance, could be by Ween (which I love!), please donate the video!

KnockmanWildchurch - Vurtstock dreaming
Nice song, yeah new wavy. Your vocals reminded me of Brian Ferry, Mr. Sylvian, it has a good athmosphere. The strange corresponding vocals fit well.

Mystahr - Believe in the power
Cool. Full of associations. Who needs a metronome?

Andreas Ehrhardt - Changes69
I like the athmosphere, though it's sounding too static for me. It's good soundtrack music though! Maybe you should play more with the velocity-levels?

Markleford Friedman - Sax, dub, understanding
So good to hear your saxplay! It's a little dirty, what I like. Musically I would locate the tune in the 90s though.


Sleek Month - Lemme be
This is R&B-Punk. Reminds me of Alvin Lee and Alex Harvey. Very authentic and excellent guitar work!

Jefi Prentrix - Crosstown traffic
Very professional Remake. Very good production! I'm missing a special interpretation (just my 3 cents and what I expect by myself from covers)

Jens Leuner - Relax friend
Strange little session. The voice is strange when saying "relax". Very intimate. Poepe nailed it.

Donkeyt - Shakoor rana
Very good arrangement and I like the donkey guitars!

Duncan Parsons - Summer loving
Very nice happy easy listening tune. Lovely swing, seems like the music for a sixties love story movie or comedy. Love the overfast guitar!

Nikp2000 - Space love theme in blue
Oops, very minimalistic but no background music!

Poepe - Rush ´69
Like it, as GuitarJeff said it's like having several pieces in one, have absolutely no prob with that.
JazzRock meets James Brown meets Blues meets modern samples work meets funky chick korea (?)

Fucanay - Stop listen
Sounds like a solid 70s song, good vocals, when the refrain starts I have some prob with the harmonies (the tuning? Though I formyself hate it when people criticize something stupid like that)

Kovacs - I weep
The mix is a bit strange. Very nice song, like the intimacy of the vocals!

Art Gillespie - For Renais
Still waiting for dramatical voices a la Carmina Burana! Hey you're tune is the shortest here! Good moviescape music, though not very 60s related, more timeless..

Astanine - Hey Joe
Good interpretation in 80s music style. Was there ever a midi-interpretation song contest, this is a good candidate!

Barnadine - A (not) very cellular song
Don't know the original, but anyway: Wow, what a fine song! Love it's intimacy, such a good arrangement with lots of small beautiful details. Perfect!

BitFlipper - The night they drove old Dixie down
What I love about this: It has such a charm of it's own! Beautiful vocal arrangement! Beautiful!

Caco - Blows
Gamelan-Style ambient music the steve reich way... should be longer to develop over 10 to 15 minutes

Col. G - KvR rabbit
Like the amateur-cool voice style, didn't get the lyrics comepletely but I guess I missed some good jokes

Emdot Ambient - On my way to vurtstock
This is a nice strange composition. Very 60s stylish. Good athmosphere and arrangement, yeah and feel the ghost of early uncle frank too, good work!

Failed Sitcom - Coast midlife
This appears very fragmentish to me. The drums let one expect a reggae, but - boooh - the song develops different. Sorry, nothing comes clear out here.

Farlukar - It´s a bunch of tree-huggin´hippie crap
Good song title! So it gives the imaging theme for the movie-music taking place here well. Very pleasant and 60ish!


Glassback - Garden party
Ok, I know that this one takes this summer's original vurtstock and the voices for its theme. Seems very 80s EBM like musically too. Don't get much out of it, sorry.

Griels - That vurty feeling
Good 60s summer mix, good mashed altogether samples. Oh, what a remix!! Like it.

Herodotus - What it is
Oh man, what a voice you have, so deep! And another contest-reflecting lyrics(!), goody good! The good thing about the vocals melody is, it works in its slightly arabesque scale athmospheric, so the content is surprising add-on.

Marc JX8P - Coasting
Starts very trancish (ok, it's the synth sound - possibly sytrus or vanguard?, after that it's a mixture between melody-rock-sologuitar, folkpop and oh yeah there's the oboe (?), a little static though..

Peppy197 - Magnetic hill
Wow, like the intro! After that it's getting confusing to me.

Richiebee - Peaches en cream
Has an odd measure which I like. The idea to play the rythmguitar is driving me nuts. And yeah, like the original too. Good work!

Softegg - Smoked out
This is great! Though more 80s style, but wtf. I like that it is so naked. Only fine guitars transportating the melancholic athmosphere so well. The other instruments/fx are very decent.

Techbot - Thru the crooked glass
What's that?? Ethno-Electro-Pop? Very intensive composition, like the clever progressions and the hectic.

You tm - An aquarium implosion
Meet old Ligheti and let him singalong with some braves voices and strings. Wow, I like this a lot! Damn, I have missed this somehow - but I have already voted ;(, this is also a candidate for nr.1!!!

Wilkoryte - Hippie un jour
Really like some french CCR . And it has this french easiness (don't find words to describe it correctly, sorry) Everything is easy and heaven is free (don't understand french)

Alex James - Grab a cab
This is great! Your vocals invoke fear. It took time to recognise the funny story which is behind.

ZioKiller - Born six years later
This evokes some sort of interim-state. A parallel world between the dramatic events that could take place.

Hovmod - Surfing the rings of saturn
Yes, I made my vote! This is so intensive and well arranged... The guitar solo begins with only one note and keeps tension, amazing! Go on, more!!

Oddbods Finger - Peace now
Great song!! Reminds of the Beatles and yes, one of my favourite bands, Ween. Perfect!

Vurt and friends - All you need is bud
A reverby resume of all that beatnik-hopes and fears, eerie!

Liqih - Empire
Since I got the idea of a musician being on stage after having taking an acid overdose mixed with (?) not being able to play anything at all (who knows, it's just an excerpt), I have to say: Brilliant!! It's like a short novel by TC Boyle.

Ixox - En été comme en hiver
I'm not able to understand french, but this is real sad song.

Patrick9 - Love and Peace
Had a problem downloading this. Very beautiful one. And good hippiesh.

That's all, didn't want to offend anyone, hope it's ok with my opinions...

[emdot_ambient]

Emdot Ambient - On my way to vurtstock
This is a nice strange composition. Very 60s stylish. Good athmosphere and arrangement, yeah and feel the ghost of early uncle frank too, good work!

Thanks!

After I asked for an explanation of the Zappa-ist comments I think I know why that keeps being mentioned, though in my mind the qualities people are hearing as Frank are actually early Pink Floyd references. Both of them played a lot with changing the sound world mid-song, strange breaks and slow-fast pacing. And, as my song doesn't really fit the early PF sound, I can see where the Frank comments are coming from. But that's baby, Mr. Z. was awesome!

[emdot_ambient]

Markleford . . . Damn, I want a sax now! Your entry this month proves they work really well with synths. I'm not convinced by your entry's intro, but once the sax/bass/drums start working, that's a pretty hoopy piece of tune you got going there, Earthman!

[emdot_ambient]

Andreas Ehrhardt, Changes69 is really reminding me of a lost Camel tune. I'm not sure it really works overall . . . but I've got a really sentimental/nostalgic spot for Camel's early work that this song tapped into. Touching.

[jens]

Andreas Ehrhardt, Changes69 is really reminding me of a lost Camel tune. I'm not sure it really works overall . . . but I've got a really sentimental/nostalgic spot for Camel's early work that this song tapped into. Touching.

if you promise to vote for me then I'll provide a Camel-tune as well next month!

(something I had planned to do for a long time but never actually came around to it )

[emdot_ambient]

emdot
groovy quirky breezey 60's california vibe, and that's where all this aquarian shit started, baby

Thanks! Then it's not just me who heard that early CA influence? The first two stanzas of the vocals were changed very late in the project to a key that reminded me of The Mommas & The Pappas or some other early 60's US act. Groovy baby!

[emdot_ambient]

As you might can tell, I'm piecemealing a lot of individual reviews, not expecting to be able to get through all of them . . .

ZioKiller, your entry's reminding me of an old Happy The Man piece. And, exactly as I said about Andreas Erhardt's song, I'm not sure it works overall but you've hit a sentimental chord with me. Kind of a sweet but melancholic chord. Thanks.

[kovacs]

Kovacs - I weep
The mix is a bit strange. Very nice song, like the intimacy of the vocals!

Thank you! Yes, the mix really didn't turn out well at all. I need to start listening on other monitors than my KRKs. Can't wait to get my new mic...

[xander]

So here are the others reviewed missing in my 1st post (just my humble opinion):
Alex James - Grab a cab
This is great! Your vocals invoke fear. It took time to recognise the funny story which is behind.

Thanks thomekk!

You're the fouth or fifth KVRer to mention fear!

It's well that I am invoking at least *some sort* of feeling yeah? At least wrong numbers and telephone sales people never call me twice and when I tell the dog next door to shut up, he doesn't bark again for days and some kids actually pee their pants when I scold them...

Underneath my main vocal is another lower monotone harmony vocal track that I did to give it a kind of nasty, corrosive edge -- you can just hear it if you listen closely.

Cheers & Thanks,
Alex

[Caco]

Caco - Blows
Gamelan-Style ambient music the steve reich way... should be longer to develop over 10 to 15 minutes

Obviously I was guided by the spirits with this one ,

Steve Reich