I guess I'll carry on (I've Got Baggage reviews)

[Pigfarmer Jr]

What choice do we have?

[Pigfarmer Jr]

Unpack your lyrics here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12504

[Lunkhead]

Songs posted!

[sleepysilverdoor]

Wow, I think this is the longest hiatus I’ve taken from SongFight in quite some time. Anyway, I got inspired with the title so I guess I’m back in the saddle for the time being.

Okay let’s get started with the reviews. I’m making comments on my back porch waiting on my chicken to finish cooking.

Phlub - My dad died and I spent a few days going through his stuff and I was packing baggage into my Jeep when I saw the prompt. It wrote itself. Tuning is a diminished octave rank 2 temperament with a generator of 356.381c and period of 1197.176c.

Hoblit - You got the memo to rock the heck out. You passed near my neck of the woods in your lyrics. I dig the periodic backing vocals that come in this. This tune doesn’t overstay its welcome. I would maybe EQ some of the harsher frequencies in your guitar distortion or maybe double it in the studio with one panned to each side to make it sound slicker, but only if you want it to sound slicker. Pollyanna is one of my wife’s favorite movies. I got baggage under my eyes is a great lyric. Probably my favorite of the fight.

Freezing Hands - I hate it when my hands are cold! I feel like this has a lot of volume spikes. There’s some distortion that gets introduced in the vocals on the louder yells that doesn’t tickle my eardrums. And it’s not that I don’t like the distortion I’m just not huge on the way *this* distortion sounds. Song has a good groove to it. It kind of reminds me of Sister Ray at times. Mainly in the verses. None of the lyrics particularly jump out at me audibly but that’s mostly because of the way they’re presented. Take some of the vocal clipping/fuzz/overdrive out and this would be a lot better. Not necessarily all the guitar fuzz, I like that jangly scuzz.

Pigfarmer Jr - A much cleaner mix compare to the previous songs that I listened to. Poetic chorus, very direct in its earnestness. Your drummer in a box is well mixed and so are your guitar tracks. This comes across very clear on my laptop speakers. There are a couple spots right before the guitar solo where your autotune is a bit audible. I don’t know if you consider that a concern or not. It doesn’t detract from the song. One of the best Pigfarmer tracks I’ve heard in a long time.

Johnny Cashpoint - MIDI bass is FRESH. Classic songfight sound. The synth sounds are so dinky and casiofied that I cannot resist the charm. I also like the drums that sound like the ones that are built into my kids keyboard. Keyboard distortion makes this the second song this fight that makes me think about Sister Ray. Apparently we all rock the heck out with some high pitched brash sounds. I can get down with these high pitched brash sounds.

LYNKEN - ROCK. Yes sir I am having fun. Man this is one self-deprecating song. But it’s ROCKIN. This is so RAWK. Mix feels a little unbalanced, similar complaint that I had with Hoblits track. The way the distortion sits in the mix is just too…I dunno, some rolling off of the highs would be good. This too has moments that remind me of White Light White Heat.

John Benjamin Band - Unlike three other songs in this fight this does not make me think of the second Velvet Underground album at all. Instead it kind of gives me Weezer vibes. Well she said it and I kind of hear it. Once that big I’ve Got Baggage chorus comes in this song really gets memorable. I feel like there should be more changes in the drums and more dynamics during the lead up to the chorus. It just kind of happens. The vocal harmonies that come in sound great, though kind of obscured in the mix. Once that solo synth comes in the track gets some much needed time to breathe. The alarm bell is very fun.


I hate to vote for more than half so I’m gonna say my top 3 are

Hoblit
Pigfarmer Jr
Johnny Cashpoint

Also I find it fascinating how many of these had moments that brought to mind one specific classic album.

[Hoblit]

Hoblit - You got the memo to rock the heck out. You passed near my neck of the woods in your lyrics. I dig the periodic backing vocals that come in this. This tune doesn’t overstay its welcome. I would maybe EQ some of the harsher frequencies in your guitar distortion or maybe double it in the studio with one panned to each side to make it sound slicker, but only if you want it to sound slicker. Pollyanna is one of my wife’s favorite movies. I got baggage under my eyes is a great lyric. Probably my favorite of the fight.

First of all thank, thank you.

Yes, I took the 'easy-for-me-route' of just 'rocking the heck out'. The song is totally my comfort zone.

I've literally lived in each one of those cities. I'm not sure how far outside of Atlanta you are, but I've likely been to your neck of the woods.

I really wanted to slide from the bridge to the chorus and I'm a sucker for gang vocals, what can I say!

I kept it short on purpose, thank you for noticing.

I was having technical difficulties during the mix & master and recognized several issues. On one of my sets of speakers the mix is far too wide, and on another set, that distortion IS pretty harsh.

I actually DID double the guitar(s) in my original haste, panning it to both sides just as you are suggesting! I might have left it that way if I had just a little more time to re-record them a little tighter. I thought it sounded "slicker" but I also lost a lot of the punch and it got kinda' messy.

"I've got baggage under my eyes" was THE first lyric that came to me and I made sure it was part of the song. Thank you for the compliment on that, I really appreciate the validation.

I'm pretty stoked that you liked it as much as you have and thanks again.

[Lunkhead]

A late Berkeley Social Scene entry has been added to the fight.

[Hoblit]

Extra, unnecessary post.

[Hoblit]

Great Fighting!

Berkeley Social Scene

Nicely put together tune. I dig the soulful keys weaving in and out, adding a dynamic to the other instruments holding the rhythm. I like the changes to help break it up a bit as well as the minimalistic guitar solo. I appreciate the mix and charming 'aged' sound it has. Almost late 60's early 70's... I can't place it, but it does sound a bit retro. Nice song overall.

Freezing Hands

This has 90's college radio all over it. It's catchy and it sounds like a bands' 'early stuff'. I mean no disrespect, it just has that rawer sound that happens often at the beginning of some projects. It has a little 'Modest Mouse' vibe going on but like, mixed with Spoon and or Pavement. But with a very Talking Heads vocal style. I like it overall.

Hoblit

Technical difficulties all the way through. Issues stemming from not being in-practice. I ended up recording it with a the Shure SM 58 because of problems with the pre-amp and my Sterling S50. I would later realize I recorded the whole thing via Tape-Out from the board because 6 months ago I was recording in a small live set-up. So I've purchased some new cables, an air duster, and plan to re-record this whole thing over again soon.


John Benjamin Band

Excellent work, again. Your voice is always the best as singing comes very natural to you. I appreciate both the lead and the wonderful harmonies. Another great production as I can hear the parts clearly and the soft center breakdown is a nice relief from the harder tones as you bring it back around. I particularly admired the rhythm guitar sliding through the half-steps on this specific entry.

Johnny Cashpoint

I've got to be honest, the whistle'y distorted keys were a bit distracting for me. But the vocals are classic JC if not a bit off this time. I have been having issues getting a song written and recorded by deadline lately so I am with you. It's nice to get the idea down if you have spent time on it and I hear some good ideas in there. It's just not grabbing me although I can appreciate it's uniqueness.

Lynken

I feel like this is a Weird Al version of a classic 70's rock song. Specifically drawing on AC/DC vibes. I can dig the groove, both the simplicity in the guitar and vocals. Keeping it simple allows everyone to ride along. I want to shake my fist along with this, but not too seriously. I can't help that you're singing about me just a little bit in there, as you may be for a few others. I like the 'bag under my eyes' reference, but of course I would.

Phlub

I think this is creative and I can get into the music. Which is something that wouldn't have been true 15 years ago. I didn't like the 'bloopy bleepy' stuff all that much back then but I've come around since. I like the production and key trigger choices. Especially the horn sounding stuff. The descending and ascending notes in the beat are a very nice touch. While it's a little long, I suppose it's dance music and I'd shake my hoblity butt to this and I appreciate your entry.

Pig Farmer Jr

This is pretty good, along my more favorite Pig Farmer Jr stuff, even. I like the driving beat, snare hits to produce a slight intensity. Which is a nice emphasis to the theme of the lyrics. Which are among the better ones of this fight, in my humble opinion. I am always a sucker for guitar solos that ride the scale. That simplicity is still powerful and I like how it glides into the chorus at the end, giving that part more intensity as well. Good entry!

I want to note that this is a solid fight where I find quality in each entry and I appreciate them all on some level.

My favorites/votes are:

Pig Farmer Jr
John Benjamin Band
Berkeley Social Scene

[sleepysilverdoor]

BSS - Keys are terrific, and I like the edge of the lyrics about road rage. The shifts in timing and rhythm, especially the transitions after that short bridge at 1:42, are clever. Would like to hear the electric guitar a little bit cleaner in the mix, it's kind of muddy and I feel like it's getting lost in the flange, especially with the keys and drums as clean sounding as they are. I like how you keep on including switchups with atypical beat counts -- the one at 2:40 is also a treat. Really my biggest gripes with this song are all mixing-related.

[Lunkhead]

JBB and BSS tied!

[Pigfarmer Jr]

Congratz JBB and BSS!

For the record, just one of all y'all that didn't vote for me could have. I've never been in a three way (tie) before.