Sammy Kablam (Reviews: Threatening to Some)

[Billy's Little Trip]

Billy and the Psychotics - Billy Ray Vaughan, ladies and gentlemen!

You bass'turd!

And thank you for wrapping your stink around this song and DJ for drizzling her honey voice all over it.

[Paco Del Stinko]

Ha! Great guitar playing throughout, Maestro.

[Dejected_Motives]

@Happy: Thank you, I was trying to go with a creepier, more juxtaposed, Skrillex-esque dubstep tune, but I ran out of editing time. As far as lyrics go, the only lyrics are "It's threatening " and "It's threatening to so-o-o-o-ome."and I just threw in slightly different and with different effects. I tried to come up with more lyrics, but I couldn't really find any that complimented the theme I had going...
@Paco: I'm not sure exactly what you mean by visual aid exactly, but thanks for the positive feedback. Indeed, the song could surely use more lyrics and more changes, but the repetitive and creepy nature of the song kept pace with the theme I was going with; "Threatening to Listen To." If, I ever work with this song and remix it, I doubt I will ever add more lyrics. Instead, I'll add some synth lead and another, heavier drop at the end. All in all, I was pleased with how my first dubstep attempt turned out.. My next entry will likely be much more vocal-centric...

[Ebola-Cide00]

You know king arthur is a smart man when it comes to comedy advertising, he should do that and make jingles. He coulda a wrote some nice lyrics on that sammy guy

[king_arthur]

You know king arthur is a smart man when it comes to comedy advertising, he should do that and make jingles. He coulda a wrote some nice lyrics on that sammy guy

Why, thank you! I'm knee deep in putting together a flash video / lesson to teach kids how to make piano chords right now, and that remark gave me the energy to plow back into it for another day

Charles (KA)

[Paco Del Stinko]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by visual aid exactly,

I mean that it sounds pieced together, usng a monitor screen to assist in where to align sections, stretching segments out. LIke, assembling the music by eye, not ear. Hey, whatever works, it's just a tool, right? I'm old fashioned and do everything by ear (not saying that method or my music is better) including rare cut and paste jobs. Hell, I'd use a dictaing recorder if it was all I had! Keep'em coming.

[inevitableguy]

OK, then. I haven't reviewed in quite a while. However, as usual, here are my first impression, largely unhelpful reviews (and I can tell I was getting tired of writing these as I went on, my apologies to the bands late in the alphabet). I can always elaborate if anyone asks...

Anomaly Jonez & Yeshinte - The vocals should shine in a track like this - turn them up. After a while, the riff gets too repetitive. I do like the lyrics, though.

Berkeley Social Scene - This is a catchy little tune. The vocals are on the weak side. I know glennny will disagree with me, but not every song needs a solo, and this one didn't need one - it distracts from the rest of the song.

bgm - I thought I wasn't going to like this, then the chorus hit. Well done.

Billy and the Psychotics - This is very well put together, but for some reason does not grab me.

Black Russian Futurists - I appreciate the sentiment. The vocals need to be tightened up - it would be OK as a live performance like this, but not as a studio track.

Bubble Pipe Media - I like the groove of this. I'll confess to complete genre bias here, but I hate this style of vocal.

Chadderandom Abyss - This really falls apart, doesn't it?

Dandy Hen - The lyrics make this feel like it belongs in a musical. It makes me wish I knew more about the characters' backgrounds. Very pretty.

Dolphins in Pain - This one seems to drag a bit for me. I'm not really sure what can be done to make it better, though.

Ebola-Cide - This is fun, but it's way too gimmick-y for me to want to hear it again.

Evils That Never Came - Haunting and beautiful.

Hostess Mostess - This is well written and well recorded, but it feels generic to me.

J@M35 & Dejected Motives - I find myself oddly entranced by this, but not quite enough for a vote.

King Arthur - I love these lyrics, but the music isn't really my thing.

Lord of Oats - Nice work.

Paco del Stinko - Sounds like the Dead Milkmen...

Spacepub - This is too slow. I want to hear this turned into a 1:45 ska-core song.

Yen Sing Mot - A solid song that takes no chances.

[BBABM]

Paco del Stinko - Sounds like the Dead Milkmen...

lmao... i have decided that even though i think all paco's songs sound like dead milkmen sung by the aquabats, i will from now on refrain from using that likeness to describe his music any more. i know i have said it a number of times, and now i see that other people are saying it as well. it probably gets annoying hearing you sound like someone else all the time.

no offence to inevitableguy, it is always my first impression too.

[inevitableguy]

Maybe I should have said, "Sounds like the Dead Milkmen...more so than usual."

[Billy's Little Trip]

Billy and the Psychotics - This is very well put together, but for some reason does not grab me.

I know. After I sent this song in, I face palmed! I forgot to put hands in it! Ugh!

Fear not. The hat songs coming up has tons of hands in it. An old SFer will be joining the Psychotics for this one. Hint: she's cute!

[Paco Del Stinko]

RE: Milkmen and Aquabats - Too funny, I think. I have indeed been compared to both of those artists countless times here, yet am unfamiliar with their music. I may have seem the Dead Milkmen open for Violent Femmes 20 or so years ago, but still don't know their catalog. Perhaps it is a generational/similar influences thing. I dunno. Compare me, and others, to whom you please. Maybe one day I'll sound like me. And not like the other band I've been compared to in the past: Blues Oyster Cult! Certainly no offense taken, glad for the comments and that you guys take the time to listen. Hugs and kisses, Paco.

[BBABM]

Honestly, for me it is your singing voice... The music is close enough, especially the more punk/ska songs you do. But your voice is nearly identical. And it is hard, as a fan of both other bands, not to make that connection.

[glennny]

Inevitable Guy wrote:

Berkeley Social Scene - This is a catchy little tune. The vocals are on the weak side. I know glennny will disagree with me, but not every song needs a solo, and this one didn't need one - it distracts from the rest of the song.

I DISAGREE! This song TOTALLY needs a solo. However, it could really stand to have a much better solo. If it distracts instead of enhances and compliments then it needs to be better.

It's true not all songs need a solo, but not all songs need lyrics, or vocals, or drums, or guitars, or synths, or keys, or brass, or woodwinds, or choruses, or verses, or bridges, or pre-choruses, or codas, or percussion.

All songs need bass.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Inevitable Guy wrote:

It's true not all songs need a solo, but not all songs need lyrics, or vocals, or drums, or guitars, or synths, or keys, or brass, or woodwinds, or choruses, or verses, or bridges, or pre-choruses, or codas, or percussion.

.....vibroslap.

[Paco Del Stinko]

Honestly, for me it is your singing voice... The music is close enough, especially the more punk/ska songs you do. But your voice is nearly identical. And it is hard, as a fan of both other bands, not to make that connection.

I just hope it doesn't ruin your taste for those bands!

[bubblepipemedia]

Bubble Pipe Media - I like the groove of this. I'll confess to complete genre bias here, but I hate this style of vocal.

The rap style or the chorus? Just curious. I know my choice of chorus vocals were a bit strange. They were probably funnier than I intended them to be, though I do like to be quirky most of the time.

[inevitableguy]

It's the verses that bother me. I don't hear much rap that I like because no matter how good everyone tells me someone is, the flow just sounds wrong to me 99% of the time. I guess my ears just don't work the same as everyone else's.

The choruses, on the other hand, are just plain silly.

[glennny]

Congrats BGM!!! Well deserved!

[king_arthur]

Glennny, I was hoping you'd do reviews this week... I did something different for the drums this time, was wondering whether it was better or worse or different but still wrong...

On the other hand, it's been forever since I did reviews, so I know I should not complain. But sometimes I still do...

Charles (KA)

[bgm]

Congrats BGM!!! Well deserved!

Cool! Thanks!
Great fight, everyone.
Unfortunately with two kids birthdays and Canadian Thanksgiving, I never got around to getting reviews done this time.

I appreciate all the great feedback; thanks so much for the kind words.
Just to address a couple of specific comments:

bgm - really nice contrast between verse & chorus. I'm not totally sold on the sounds of the verse because they sound a bit canned, not much personality. But the chorus is pretty awesome. Love the harmonies. The way the acoustic guitar comes in there and the synthy stuff from the verse is still there in the background to tie it all together. I like the lyrics.

Thanks. I hear you on the verses; I had wanted to go back and layer on more stuff and add some variety but alas...time. One thing I am happy I managed to do is that (even though it may not sound that way...) nothing's canned, or even digital for that matter. It's all analog: an old Roland TR606 drum machine, a Moog and an acoustic guitar is pretty much the whole song. Thanks for the feedback!

BGM - pure catchy tune goodness with a great quirky sensibility that brought me in immediately. The mix separation needs a little work and I can hear it hitting the limiter pretty hard at point.

Yeah, I'm still educating myself about mixing; as I mentioned a few times before it's my least favourite part of recording and I generally do it in haste and still pretty much suck at it. But thanks!

Thanks again guys.

[roymond]

Evils That Never Came - I can't help thinking of Skeleton Killers. Sign Your Heart Over To Me is the one. I don't like to compare people here to other bands, but it's so uncanny. SK is so unique to my ears (and awesome) and you get there, too. I really like this.

[Spintown]

Hostess Mostess - I was only half listening when I first played this, and it came off really creepy. Glad I listened again...a song about mans best friend is a lot more fun than a song about a sex offender. (would have voted)

Yen Sing Mot - I had a thing for Ice on American Gladiators, and I pictured her during this. So I don't know what's more weird, the song or my reaction. Solid tune though, well done. (would have voted)

Dandy Hen - The message of the song is pretty lame, and even though it feels like it needs more, what is there is very pleasing to the ears. (would have voted)

Anomaly Jonez + Yeshintae - Bring the vocals up in the mix.

Berkeley Social Scene - I was eating a New York Strip medium rare as I listened to this...want to guess what I think of the song?

bgm - The song is pretty void of energy for the most part. The chorus isn't bad, but the vocals are a little too low for me.

Billy And The Psychotics - On first listen I thought meh...but after a 2nd & 3rd it grew on me a little. I didn't like the line "Gonna share the good and the pain". While listening you're so used to hearing "Good and the bad" that your line just feels off. It's not, but it's just I'm so conditioned to expect 1 thing that even though another thing fits...it doesn't. Make since?

Black Russian Futurists - Vocal performance bored me. The lyrical direction just didn't interest me...it's a topic I'd expect Billy to take on...but only he would do it better.

Bubble Pipe Media - The singer sounds like he's trying to fight off premature ejaculation.

The Chadderandom Abyss - Lets just try to forget this ever happened.

Dolphins In Pain - Not a lot of feedback...all I can say is this is the least painful song from a band with "Dolphins" in the name that I've heard in Song Fight. Oh, and use the lyrics forum.

Ebola-Cide - Any enjoyment I got from this has more to do with nostalgia from the samples than the lyrics. It's not bad, it's just not for me. Things like "Crazy ass fool" are just not things I want to hear Mario say. lol

Evils That Never Came - Depressing & slow...not really something to put on my MP3 player.

J@M35 & Dejected Motives - Attempting to find something to say about this would almost be as big a waste of my time as the "song" itself was.

King Arthur - Musically it was fine, I just didn't get into the story & going meta didn't help.

Lord Of Oats - I'm glad you like haters, cause you might get a few with this.

Paco del Stinko - I had to look up "portend". So the guy is either loved or hated...but why exactly? I think I just missed the point with this one.

Spacepub - The 2nd vocal doesn't sound very happy about being part of this.