Nur Ein VI Round Five "Heart Shaker"

[roymond]

Paco can get pretty out there and I don't know what the fuck is going on, but he paints pictures with words that work with his music so well that I love it. That's me.

Do I paint pictures for you too with my penis and vagina songs? Do you like coming along for the ride? Do I inject graphic images into your frontal lobe?

You, sir, don't even need words.

[bambamoozle]

Here are my reviews, based on my own now not-so-secret rating criteria, in order of my rankings:

Manhattan Glutton: My favorite! First off, my mom lived in Manhattan for about 25 years and I grew up going to NY City. On top of it I love to eat! Then topping it all off you're a SF vet. You'll pretty much win every round for me!

Ross Durand: Your last name is so cool, especially when you and your brother submitted as "Durand Durand". If you were also a Glutton it might elevate you to the top.

Paco del Stinko: Anything with smells is going to rank highly. Also sounds like a taco, and I love to eat.

Frankie Big Face: I've seen your picture, and your face looks normal so I took points off for exaggeration.

Merisan: Not sure what a "merisan" is, so I couldn't rank you too well.

Worldly Self Assurance: Too many syllables, had to rank you low.

DJ Ranger Den: I hate most rap, so points off for that, and I was a cub scout so the "ranger den" part gives me bad flashbacks. On top of it you always sound like Ani Defranco and that sends me into convulsions since I remember the concert where...oh yeah, I already mentioned that.

Wreckdom: Although I've been known to have an anal fetish, the spelling of this most sensitive part of my body disturbs me.

[Caravan Ray]

To all the remaining Nur Einers, Congratulations, best of luck, and many thanks for a most stimulating competition! Also an enormously heartfelt Thanks again to Niveous and all the judges, except Jast, for their hard work and insight. You guys are >awesome! Except Jast.

You was robbed Wreckdom. Sorry to see you go. You gave us some good stuff this year. Still loving the 'take you pants off" song

[Caravan Ray]

I mean you no ill will, Caravan Ray, I just feel like I've been singled out a lot in this contest with some "too poppy" comments here and there (not necessarily from you) and finally hit my threshold. I make all sorts of music. I'm just a guy in a basement doing his thing, so I don't really understand why ya'll have to take out your Lady Gaga frustrations on me. I'm not on the radio. I'll never be on the radio. I don't listen to the radio. So that type of criticism, while somewhat flattering, is neither constructive nor fair, in my opinion. Maybe my anger was misdirected - it could be, and I appreciate the elaboration - but I felt I needed to say something.

Actually, I think you along with DJRanger Den were the 2 big revelations in this Nur Ein for me. The fact that you have given us several very good catchy pop songs is very impressive. Keep up the good work.

But that is enough now. I am here to give random, ill-considered opinions. Not Dutch Rudders.

[Ross]

I mean you no ill will, Caravan Ray, I just feel like I've been singled out a lot in this contest with some "too poppy" comments here and there (not necessarily from you) and finally hit my threshold. I make all sorts of music. I'm just a guy in a basement doing his thing, so I don't really understand why ya'll have to take out your Lady Gaga frustrations on me. I'm not on the radio. I'll never be on the radio. I don't listen to the radio. So that type of criticism, while somewhat flattering, is neither constructive nor fair, in my opinion. Maybe my anger was misdirected - it could be, and I appreciate the elaboration - but I felt I needed to say something.

It's just the internet, it doesn't matter what happens here.

But seriously, you think "too poppy" is bad? Try being a GnG guy on songfight....

Yer kickin butt this ein - as you have observed, round 6 is nothing to sneeze at! Now just try to not elminate me this round, K?

[roymond]

Perhaps I've said enough already...

Ross Durand
There's a surreal dream going on here and I want to join in. This guy is going through some shit and you paint a picture that’s at once color blind and canvas-less. I want Torentino to produce this movie, or that Mexican guy. It seemed obvious that these scenes didn’t have any logical connection, so I sat back and went with it. I love the sonar challenge, very cute. The beeps’ occasional return suggests drifting in and out of awareness, and sure enough the end brings…the end. Brilliant.

WreckdoM
See my rant about lyrics addressed to MG. Applies doubly here. I like the chunkin rock but it needs a lot of beer to keep going. Most obvious use of the challenge, so that’s not helping.

DJ Ranger Den
this works on many levels. Your melodic approach is tremendous, and the obtuse story line entertains while frightens ("that’s what he does, he comes for me"). I like that the challenge was this lazy high pitched tone, almost nothing urgent, just inevitable. The auto harp or whatever brought some great nudging at critical moments. I like the pacing. So very beat.

Frankie Big Face
The style and over-all performance is really great, but while some of the chord changes are stellar the lyrics feel too stereotypical. I know I’m not aware of what’s happening to drive this, and I like that you break out of the falsetto, but Í don’t think it works the way it needs to. The backing vocals are tremendous! As are the string parts. And the challenge is perhaps the most creative, even though I can’t help thinking "this is the United States calling..." It just doesn’t stand up against your previous work.

Manhattan Glutton
I like the use of the challenge throughout on the off beats and the tie in with the lyric "stop" during the first verse. The guitar parts are great. Your lyrics hold this back the most. Really not very engaging, but the chorus is the most infectious thing I’ve heard all Nur Ein VI. That build up break with distorted drum and synth is wonderful, but distorted. Was that on purpose? Because it would be far more effective if it wasn’t. Like really powerful. The end goes on a bit long, but it is damn catchy. Yeah, totally Cake.

Merisan
Your lyrics don’t hold any water, like a girly pop rocker. The way you handled the challenge makes up for it each time, though. I like the bridge, but the chorus is so very limp. Nice guitar work and the changes are sweet. This needs to be really punchier in the mix, and edgier in the vocal delivery to bring it out more. The chorus should be screaming…it’s too limp.

Paco del Stinko
The flat tone drone is a great base from which to launch into your…trip. Fabulous riffs, performance and structure, this feels very organic to me, with transitions between parts that are fluent and the open arrangement refreshing and disarmingly pleasant. The middle section, on cue, justifies the return to the drone via an aptly placed Theremin solo. Then we're shown the way out and the bright light floods our eyes. Gong and all, this is a feast for the ears.

WSA
Catchy bridge and engaging music but I have to work really hard to stay engaged. I love the synth doubling the vocal lines in the chorus, and I like those simple elements more than the verses that work too hard to be busy for their own good. The postlog is nice, and lush in a very good way. I wish it went out with the jam and solo instead of going back to the verse, by then I’m exhausted. I’m reading Bill Bruford’s book lately and this reminds me of the sectionalized construction of Close To The Edge. But it just doesn’t hold together as a whole, too many sections that don’t complement each other. I do like that chorus, though.

[Manhattan Glutton]

So... is this a bad time to mention that the organ was not actually meant to be an EKG?

[Billy's Little Trip]

So... is this a bad time to mention that the organ was not actually meant to be an EKG?

So let me see if I understand what you're saying here. Your organ is NOT a flat line?

[RangerDenni]

Well I am going to say that I've definately grown here in the past few weeks. It's probably best I got elimmed.. cuz I set a personal challenge to do all posted fights while I stayed in Nur Ein- and I would have missed 'Bag of Bones' (sadly ) I prolly would have gotten in a bit of trouble because everyone's lives here have revolved around mine during this adventure and traveling to the wedding tomorrow would have been dicey. Its definately true that for a girl, at least 1 round of this contest is gonna be funky, if not twice. Too much info, perhaps, but there you go.. I am writing a little story about some of the thinking that went into my lyrics now that I am through because I - as a songwriter- ALWAYS write about myself in some way. It'll be on my blog when thru if any of y'all like backgroundy sorts of stuff.
Thanks for all the feedback. The good and the eek!-filled. ALL helpful.

[jast]

It's getting less and less easy to choose the bottom three in the ranking, except WreckdoM. Once again, I'm very sorry to see these three go. Except WreckdoM.

[glennny]

Roymond:

WSA
Catchy bridge and engaging music but I have to work really hard to stay engaged. I love the synth doubling the vocal lines in the chorus, and I like those simple elements more than the verses that work too hard to be busy for their own good. The postlog is nice, and lush in a very good way. I wish it went out with the jam and solo instead of going back to the verse, by then I’m exhausted. I’m reading Bill Bruford’s book lately and this reminds me of the sectionalized construction of Close To The Edge. But it just doesn’t hold together as a whole, too many sections that don’t complement each other. I do like that chorus, though.

Thanks for the review! There is no synth in this track (except maybe the flat-line, resuscitation bit, not sure how Melvin pulled off that brilliance), but those synth like lines are all E-bow guitar tracks. We almost ended on the jam, but I thought it'd be best to go back to the 3rd chorus (you said verse, but I think you meant chorus) and get the 2 vocal melodies in there for an intense ending with a bang rather than a whimper. In the last couple days you've mentioned Gentle Giant, Lamb Lies Down, and Close to the Edge, I thought for sure you'd love everything about our track. To be reminded of Close to the Edge is quite a compliment, that's one of my favorite compositions in rock music ever. I would bet with repeated listens you would get into all of the sections and their purpose. However, if those initial listens don't compel you to do so, it's a bit of a fail. I'm pretty proud of the chord pattern, and I love how Fris sharps the 4 in the chorus bringing us to Lydian! Sounds like the rest of the guys nailed it with the vocals, lyrics, production, drums, performance, and where we fell short for you falls on my shoulders with the composition. The real question is, should I rehearse this for the next time I play in New York?

[roymond]

In the last couple days you've mentioned Gentle Giant, Lamb Lies Down, and Close to the Edge, I thought for sure you'd love everything about our track. To be reminded of Close to the Edge is quite a compliment, that's one of my favorite compositions in rock music ever. I would bet with repeated listens you would get into all of the sections and their purpose. However, if those initial listens don't compel you to do so, it's a bit of a fail. I'm pretty proud of the chord pattern, and I love how Fris sharps the 4 in the chorus bringing us to Lydian! Sounds like the rest of the guys nailed it with the vocals, lyrics, production, drums, performance, and where we fell short for you falls on my shoulders with the composition. The real question is, should I rehearse this for the next time I play in New York?

Well, Bruford is pretty critical of the process (or lack there of) that went into Close To The Edge, and amazed himself about how well it came out in the end. I was thinking how similar this was and disjointed and my comment was about how it doesn't work for me the way Close To The Edge works. Which isn't to say it's not ambitious, and really impressive in many ways, just over-all it doesn't hang together. I will keep listening, cause it's very fun to do.

[dantes]

Just want to say: Close to the Edge ftw.

[Paco Del Stinko]

Hey! I am just back from a trip, and am amazed to see that I squeaked by to the next round. I haven't even had a chance to listen to the songs yet, as they weren't posted before I left. I will, and will offer up some cheap comments as well. Anyway, sorry to see a huge stack of talent go, and am thrilled (terrified) to remain this deep in the contest. Good luck, all, and NUR EIN!!!!!!