june contest ... GOSSIP

[kovacs]

"Rocktronica" Kovacs
It's starts off like the worst of the 80 power pop and morphs into the oddest unclassifiable thing. From awfully cheese to chaotic ataxia in 28 seconds. I wish it was sooner. Once we've safely arrived in the dog's breakfast, all is well. Not a catchy song, and I could have done without the obligatory fusion rock solo starting at 1:10 but pretty interesting on the whole.

Thanks! Unclassifiable is cool. Yeah, I could have brought the wicked cheesy mayhem in sooner but I felt I needed to establish an expectation for something completely different first...

[You™]

"Four Flavors Of Guitar" Gregjazz
Pretty impressive guitar work for seven months at it. I've had guitars around for twenty five years and I'm still mastering "Smoke on the Water!" There are parts I like (O:57-1:14) and the end but it's not because I don't like the harder stuff, it's just that the other parts are too ostentatious for my tastes. It's more of a solo vehicle than a hit song.

"Loser" Rockstar_not
A surprising and honest-feeling confession. I really like the mix and the (free)verb - it's a little low-budget-Christion-singer-songwriter side - but I don't hear that much so it doesn't bother me. I think it's worth doing a couple more vocal takes to get each word right and I'd consider changing "burdens" to just "burden." You've got a great voice. The more I hear this, the more I'm sure you could go somewhere with this song. It's appealing and has a good enough foundation to shape into almost anything you want. Well done.

"I Can Hear Her (Sellout Mix)" Oliver Davy (odavy)
Very enjoyable - both the original and this mix. The original has a bit too much compression on the vocals for my ears but I didn't notice that in the new mix. You could have put some more of the original lyric in there too - maybe over the guitar solo part. With the right marketing and prodcution flair, this could be a hit.

"baby" astanine
Hey I think you're using the same patches as one of your old chestnuts "sparkle." It's pleasant, and yes, lightweight and doesn't break the retro neu-wave synth pop mold you champion. My favorite part is after 1:25. I think you could expand from that catchy little drum and bass interplay to a even better song.

"Sunday" sttjelle
This sounds so Eurovision. It could have been a Chris de Burgh song. Its got great production and a decent groove but I can get down with the autotune or the vocoder and the twee lyrics don't do it for me. Sorry. I think you're one of the best composers and performers around here and I can see that several others have good things to say about this so I hope you take my criticism with a grain of salt. I know you've got better material yet to come.

"Sunshine" Patrick9
I'll refer you to my comments about sttjelle regarding the lyrics and tone in this. The mix is kind of uneven and blurry. The drums (which I like best here) are are just doing all kinds of weird stuff and the rest just has to much delay and filtering effects to fit tightly with them. I'd chuck the rest and make yourself a really angular dnb composition with them. You're half way to an Autechre song. Just run the rest backwards through some stomp boxes and chop 'em up. I know that's not what you intended, but a lot of your songs have this duality - between singer/sogwriter and electronica experimentalism. Work out the balance of those energies and you'll be right as rain.

[rockstar_not]

rockstar_not quoth

whyterabbyt - alabaster

I wanted to hear more of the background stuff

You mean you wanted it mixed higher, or just a longer version?

Length is limited to the 2 minutes so not longer - but on my playback system, the 'overdriven electric wire' pad just dominates everything. Like at 1:20, there was something rhythmically happening in the background that I couldn't hear. Once I got to 1:33, where that electric wire thing cuts out, then I kind of heard what I was missing in the rest of the track and went back for a re-listen and heard that there were little bits going on that just got covered up. Sorry I wasn't more detailed first time around. It's quite a bit of work to go through and try to review each submission so sometimes, while shooting for clarity and brevity, meaning isn't communicated.

-Scott

[griels]

Thanks for the No.3 vote Zio... Votes coming Real Soon Now (TM)

[knoob]

I don't really understand what you mean by corporate videos; my english's a bit rusty, you know.

Also want to thank to Hovmod for his review.

Cheers.

Here's a corporate video I did the music to. It was more that a year ago. I'm not that happy with it now, but I got PAID!
It's a rather big windows media video file, 50 MB or so, but if you're on DSL it shouldn't break your system...

Thanks for the link. I tried to download the file (with getright) but....err after ten minutes i've lost connection and unfornately the "server doesn't support resuming" so.... but thanks anyway

[You™]

"Undercover" Diek
I like the retro-electro-Kraftwerk think you suggest but there isn't a real riff to pull me into this just a lot of progressions and with the delay there's a few times when the notes blend unharmoniously. There's some bad clicks that go through the delay in there around 1:29.

"tiholasciato" aieda_cin
You had such nice things to say about my song and I do for yours except that is sounds slightly familiar. I love the cyclical beauty of the track. Reminds me a bit of Single Gun Theory blended with Amanda Sex Garden. Mix is pretty good if a bit mid-freq centered, the hi-hats get mildly monotonous in some spots but I like 'em around 1:35 when the rest drop back. Did you know you song title is an anagram for "Total Chaos II" or that your nick is "A nice aid?"

"Deal with It" 1-2-Many
Man you've got a lot of talent. It's too bad your musical tastes aren't well honed. Just kidding. If you restructured the mix and orchestration of this slightly, you might have a decent Blue ÖysterCult song, circa "Spectres." They had a major label deal. Don't be afraid to turn down instruments (like the bubbly synths) in different parts to make the song more dynamic.

"The Making of Ricky Krews" Ricky Krews (PawPawPatch)
I'm sorry. I have tried and tried to grok this, but I just can't. It's too unintelligible and disjointed for me. The only words I can make out are the "Rick Krews is..." sample and it just doesn't seem to fit. The music is... well, let's put it this way: I can tell you made it in FL. What happened with the ending? I would rework the arrangement a bit until it flows more naturally (play it on a keyboard or guitar) then add the drums and bass and sing the vocals. The lyric is funny - it should be a funny song.

"hora" damstraversaz
Very moody and beautiful. That's an accomplishment for such a short song. It won't be burning up the charts, but it's got class. The mix could be a bit louder. Superb.

"The Arrival" Splynter (sp0rk)
It really fascinates me how many people come to creating music inspired by game soundtracks. I'm pretty ignorant of most of today's video games so bear with me. You've got some nice parts in here and it would be very good soundtrack music, but its not what I image would secure you major-label future. Now if you had a rapper and some samples of the Sister Sledge, you'd be counting the benjamins. PS: I love sporks, I tried to get an 8 piece serving set when I got married but.. well, that another story...

[Hovmod]

I don't really understand what you mean by corporate videos; my english's a bit rusty, you know.

Also want to thank to Hovmod for his review.

Cheers.

Here's a corporate video I did the music to. It was more that a year ago. I'm not that happy with it now, but I got PAID!
It's a rather big windows media video file, 50 MB or so, but if you're on DSL it shouldn't break your system...

Thanks for the link. I tried to download the file (with getright) but....err after ten minutes i've lost connection and unfornately the "server doesn't support resuming" so.... but thanks anyway

It's not important. It was just to help you get the point of "corporate video"... It's a promotional video for some new navigation equipment, meant to be shipped around to potential customers and to be shown at trade shows and stuff like that. And I made the music, which sort of makes big scary waves in the North Sea and makes navigation seem like it's dramatic stuff (which it admittedly can be...). It was printed in the hundreds (or even thousands) and has been shown on repeat on many shows, so I guess I can call myself a PRO!
(no deals yet, though)

[whyterabbyt]

rockstar_not quoth

Length is limited to the 2 minutes so not longer - but on my playback system, the 'overdriven electric wire' pad just dominates everything. Like at 1:20, there was something rhythmically happening in the background that I couldn't hear. Once I got to 1:33, where that electric wire thing cuts out, then I kind of heard what I was missing in the rest of the track and went back for a re-listen and heard that there were little bits going on that just got covered up.

Yeah, it was done fairly quickly, and mostly 'live', ie all MIDI tracks recorded in a single pass each, no MIDI editing, and no mixing to speak of. Kinda going for that boy-and-his-portastudio immediacy

I'm actually quite pleased with the overall feel, though, so I do think I might go back and revisit it and lengthen it a bit, tidy up the mix properly, and a bit more detail. Thats why I was wondering, ie whether yoou were saying you thought it would work out if extended.
I definitely agree that some of the detail gets swamped.

Sorry I wasn't more detailed first time around. It's quite a bit of work to go through and try to review each submission so sometimes, while shooting for clarity and brevity, meaning isn't communicated.

No I appreciate it in the first place, and more so for taking further time out to explain what you meant. Thanks.

[Jongleur]

"jongleur" mchlwlsn
This is certainly clean and well played. Maybe a bit too perfect. It tends to be so easygoing and smooth, it doesn't get my attention until the mysterious flute-like sounds in the second half. I hate to say it, but I suppose this would be at home playing in some new age 'candles, kites and wind chimes' shop or on Windham Hill.

No need for apologies! I would be at home in a "new age 'candles, kites and wind chimes' shop". And thank you for mentioning Windham Hill. That would be the label I'd be aiming for. Your whole review sounds great to me!

(and one more thanks for hosting my entry!)

[Glooper]

"Hometown"
-----------------
This has got several things that combine to make it my #1:
- good 'pop' energy, with enough rock-y 'edge' for my taste.
- good guitar in the chorus part that doesn't overpower anything, just adds what it needs to
(though it could be just a little louder / 'chunkier'?)
- overall good mix; including clear vocals
- vocal is really well done, and the lyrics are good enough you actually care about hearing them!

Thankyou very much.. and a number 1 vote too..

[Glooper]

"Hometown" Glooper
You English baffle me. You make fun of us yanks for manhandling your precious language and then go off and try to rhyme "fellow" with "killer." And then all that slang. It takes me a good couple days to decipher Donkey Tugger posts. What happened to the bass? I think you need to tighten and simplify the drums and rework the bass into something a lot deeper and groovier that works with the beat. That will anchor your verses. The sibilance of your rhyme acts as the hats and cymbals. And you could cut back the effects on your voice a little or at least in parts. It's a terrific vocal sound but too much for such a fast-paced delivery. The marimba is a nice touch.

what yah talking about...
killa.. fella..
It Rhymes fine..

Ben

[You™]

"here comes dee bass" Liqih
I think it's hard to tuna bass. Do you play everything yourself or are you part of a grouper? I can play the drum.

OK, no more puns.

"Crazy Every Time" Griels
I still smirk when I hear this. But jokes aside, what do you use for bass? It sounds like you run a bus with a few tracks through a ring modulator sometimes. It made me think I should try that sometime. Pretty cool.

"The Kube" knoob
Not bad. I much prefer the second "improvisational" half to the first except the fade out is kind of abrupt. The sounds and style are a little too familiar but I don't think many here besides me have such a blasé attitude toward such stuff. I wonder how it would sound on acoustic instruments...

"kvr_star" nikp2000
Good adaptation, not bad performance, dodgy mix. It's funny how that opening repetition sounds like the Police. All you needed was a proper Virus and some tarnce and I'd never have to download anything from here evar! Thanks for the laugh.

"Sign Me" Niko
Great lyrics and pretty good song. I'm not a big fan of the metel solo or snarly lyrics (personally I like more angst and rebellion) but the line about your mother is pitch perfect! The mix is too "small" for the hellish blast of poison this should be. Those guitars should sting and drums be brutal. How I have no idea but I think you should cut down some of the extraneous solos and cymbals, focus on the riff and use a lot of compression and limiting to overdrive it into Marilyn Mansfield territory.

"Broken (raw demo mix)" Markleford Friedman

...Tip o' the hat to early 90's cybercore and industrial acts: that was the period during which I still thought I could be signed. I'm still wondering which band I subconsciously lifted this from, in fact!

76% Fact 22, 13% NIN, 12% Skinny Puppy = 101% Coolness Supreme. Very song. I love the overcooked drums. You've used the compressor as an instrument rather than effect. I was going to say it's missing a bit of high-end, but I'm beginning to think my monitors and headphones have become uncalibrated - thanks to songs like yours no doubt. No matter, it still works.

[liqih]

"here comes dee bass" Liqih
I think it's hard to tuna bass. Do you play everything yourself or are you part of a grouper? I can play the drum.

OK, no more puns.

nice pic, but please explain the pun to an humble
italian guy, <grin>

[Markleford]

"Broken (raw demo mix)" Markleford Friedman [...] Very song. I love the overcooked drums.

Thanks, man. That's all Reason (2.5), compression via the Scream4 Tape distortion setting. Heck, I think everything but the vox was through a copy of Scream4.

I was going to say it's missing a bit of high-end, but I'm beginning to think my monitors and headphones have become uncalibrated

Might be, couldn't say: didn't run any sort of scope/analyzer against it!

And nice subliminal reference to one of your songs...

- m

[Gregjazz]

"here comes dee bass" Liqih
I think it's hard to tuna bass. Do you play everything yourself or are you part of a grouper? I can play the drum.

OK, no more puns.

nice pic, but please explain the pun to an humble
italian guy, <grin>

"Bass", the word for the instrument, happens to also be a kind of fish. So, for example, if you look up "Bass" on Google, you'll get a mix of fishing websites and bass guitar websites. However, these two words are pronounced differently. "Bass", as in the guitar, is pronounced "Bay-ss", whereas "Bass", as in the fish, is pronounced "Baa-ss".

You can look them up on www.m-w.com and listen to the word being spoken, seeing I have a hard time writing pronounciations.