And The Horse You Rode In On (I Hate You Reviews)

[Future Boy]

post all negative reviews here, no niceties allowed.

[Rik]

The fightmasters must have enjoyed opening their mailbox this morning to a bunch of messages declaring 'I Hate You' as the subject. One wonders if today's mail subjects are any different from the ones they get every other day.

[Bjam]

The fightmasters must have enjoyed opening their mailbox this morning to a bunch of messages declaring 'I Hate You' as the subject. One wonders if today's mail subjects are any different from the ones they get every other day.

I'm not sure if the fightmasters are used to some sort of unlove from people. However receiving an e-mail from your own father with a subject of "I hate you", well... that's just sad

[chuckstas]

Nice keytar future boy. Way to represent.

[tonetripper]

Bax - The idea of doing an instrumental for this tune is an interesting one albeit it never really sells me the title better than when there is lyrics. Compelling anger pushed through the contemplative chording forced to the driven conclusion. Close, but I thought if you were going to take this direction you needed to get angrier with the distorted guitar by the end and make it shrill and feedback. That would have pushed that understanding of the title harder for me through the music.

Caravan Ray - The SF chameleon strikes again with a cowboy tune. The back-ups are so perfect for the genre you're shooting for that it's hard for me to criticise it for it's lack of originality because you do them so much justice in the LSD cowboy moment you attack. The tune makes me want to listen to some Frankie Laine and then promptly put on some Johnny Cash and then rip the eight tracks out of the deck and chuck em out the frickin window. Good one. Keeper. Contender.

Chuck Chuck Moose - The trumpet is sweet. Lots of great hooks in this tune especially the part where the vocals emulate the guitar line when the double time tambourine comes in. Bridges are always difficult given the time restraints in SF and you do it well with the trumpet solo except for that bad drum moment. Very cool moment all in all, but that one drum moment is distracting and you lose points for the non-fix.

Comfort - Lots of interesting space utilized, but the offset of major movements with the "Why don't you die" vocal is not enough to sell this musical idea for the title.

Dark Liberty - Lots of great raw energy. I can totally vibe off of the natural punk quality that it possesses. The drum solo is great, but when the guitar moment comes in you start leaning hard to the Sex Pistols "God Save the Queen". I love the energy. It just sounds like you need to refine these ideas of yours. No vote.

Dean Sky - The transition to the lounge bossa nova moment is cool. I love the space you create there. "Ola Muchacho" is a great hook. Makes me smile. The sax sounds like it could have been tightened up. I generally love the various moments, but feel the ideas are a bit loose in the ways they converge.

Frankie Big Face - Bowie would be proud of the way you have paid tribute to him at various moments in this tune. I find the treble a little strong in this tune. Sounds really strong in the 10 to 15 K region which sort of has a tendency to make the bottom not as prominent. It's almost as though there is too much of a disco smile on the mix. The highs and very lows are there, but it's kind of missing some meat on the bone in the 400 Hz to 1 k region. It's almost like you took too much frequency out of other instruments to make room for your voice which is a good idea, but I think you could have achieved better results by using more of the space in the mix. The snare sound is the thing I think that could have used beefing up to support the voice and guitar better. Too much clutter in those frequencies. I love the chorus. Good, clever hook. The final close of the tune kind of doesn't charge me up like I think you may have intended. Kind of hangs limp after the plinky snare sound.

Gert - Duelling solo work by Des and Boltoph is just awesome in this tune. Gertilicious.

Hillbilly - The direct acoustic is a sound I'm not fond of. The lead guitar work is nice stuff. Think about micing the guitar for future submissions. It'll give it a more natural sound which would be good for Hillbilly music. Good lyrics. What one might expect from a Hillbilly.

Latex Underpants - I love the distorted drums and keyboard movement. The voice, sonically, fits right in and the performance is good. Sounds all a little obvious for me for the title. I think you needed to be more visceral sonically to make this work. Kind of too little in the mix.

MSG - The dying bagpipes combined with the Debbie Cakes making you fat as hell (or is it hail - which is funnier) is far too funny. I love this snippet. Just doesn't make me think it's a song and as a result of it doesn't garner my vote.

Phunt Your Friends - The gated hits at the beginning are pretty fuckin cool and I like the strange crystalline transition. Interesting, obvious ideas, but just leaves me asking why it had to be 4 minutes long.

Rant - The Ramones would be proud of your use of the I-IV-V progression. Needed to be more angsty in the vocals to really sell it. Sounds too pop-corish. The space of the vocals doesn't sound in the same space as the music. Kind of not very original and doesn't really move me for the title.

Rik Gerblick - Nice job in the various performances I guess. It all sounds too sugar-coated for me to really dig this for the title. The kind of mindless music that you hear on the road and don't bother changing the station because all the other stations are playing crap and your hoping that it'll all be over soon, so that something cooler and less formulaic would come on.

Stateshirt - The opening riff combined with the vocal is pretty cool. The whole energy is reminiscent of older Soundgarden or Skinyard. The guitar breakdown is pretty cool. I find the "I Hate You" screaming a little forced to make me buy it for the title. I think you could have avoided that and still made it work with the odd chorus that you reflect in the tune and the breakdown with the screamed vocal. Sounds like it would be a great tune to play live. The compression is a little heavy on the mix. The angst alternative energy is a bit obvious for me as is the whole tune in concerns to the title.

Stueym - The guitar playing is pretty good. Your vocal could have used a few more takes, but definitely have a quality to them. Just gets a little pitchy at points, but don't necessarily leave me with the feeling that they are pitchy for personality. The rhythmic string sample is a nice device. I'm sorry to say that I don't like the whispering vocal. Effective in a strange way but just makes me feel a little embarrassed for you. For some reason I kind of like this tune. Just needed a lot more production.

Takasonic and Mandown 5 - I love the visceral energy of this. Kind of disturbing and surreal. It's like a pitch-shifted Mushroom vacation into the cerebral understanding of the title. I love all the vocal effects. Kind of gets under my skin without behaving like a shitty sliver.

Wally Harbinger - "Big foam finger" is very funny. It's like Barry Manilow gone wrong. This is easily my favourite tune of this fight. "Arrogant, redeemable Fuck!" is fuckin' hilarious. The obvious Frampton style solo moment is great!!!! I love the novelty of this song for the title. The lyrics are so great. Contender.

Great fight all. Going to listen more this week to decide.

[frankie big face]

Frankie Big Face - Your review....

Yes, it is too trebly--not too sure why/how that happened and I tried to fix it in the mastering, but what are you gonna do. I almost went with a fatter snare drum sound (this is a drum machine, dude--an almost 20-year-old drum machine!), but didn't like the "reverb" built into it. I figure one day I'll re-record with a real drummer and it'll have more of what you're looking for. If the chorus hooked you, that's all I really care about. I try to make decent recordings, but given that this was recorded in four hours the morning it was due, I'm cutting myself some slack.

[tonetripper]

Four hours...... well slack is cut...... impressive sir for four hours. Impressive. Sometimes that's when the best tunes come out. Be way better with a real drummer. For sure. And you'd probably rock the mic harder although you rock it pretty hard already. I review you harder cuz I know what you CAN do. Keep rocking!!

[johnsonic]

Okay - background for these reviews... Not in the best mood and reviewing songs named "I Hate You" didn't help. Way nitpicky... this fight was great with my song being the lowpoint, but I'm interested to hear what y'all say... And you get running commentary about the time spent.

Bax
Ooooh - like the start, like that tone too. Damn, that wasn't the start - it was the SONG? It could have gone somewhere awesome. As it stands though, I like it alot, just doesn't have the substance for me to listen to it again and again. This is filler between tracks, or an intro to the best song I've ever heard.

Caravan Ray
I think this kind of music is a cop out and sounds formulaic.

Chuck Chuck Moose
I really like this. It's clean. Love the brass. Damn - I like this.

Comfort
This is disturbing. It's cool, like the lo-fi distortion.

dark liberty
Not my thing

Dean Sky
Kind of a B52's guy vocal. How's this "I Hate You"? Unless you're going for inverse inspiration. Ahhhhhh.... Out the doorcast... This sounds weak, lyrics are pretty weak too. I like the mellow part... I think if you built up the percussion and added instrumentation could be more solid.

Frankie
It's thin sounding and waaaaaaay overcompressed (has nothing to do with the song). I agree with tonetripper on the eq'ing to bring out the vocs. There's A TON of emotion behind the vocals and performance. Very bowie. Also LOVE the hook!!! AWESOME take on the title.

Gert
These guys are great!!! And DAMN - Leaf rox the skins! Has a late 80's vibe for me... I'm a sucker for anything boltoph so I'm biased anyway... but this rocks out with the cock out, jams fine with the vagine, even rocks in with the cock in. Another great take on the title. Only criticism is in the drum mix - I'd like to hear a slightly brighter snare (but that's production, not song). AND - very PSYCHED with the deshead / boltoph dueling solo ... <---- drool

Hillbilly
dude. You always make me want to grab a bigass bottle of wild turkey and sit in a dark room feeling sorry for myself. You may want to back away from the mic a bit when recording guitar, or pull some ultrabass out - but yer a song guy and not a producer. I like your stories...

(my good friends Larry and Al just came over... doing the rest of my reviews with them)

Latex Underpants
Riff reminds me of In La Gada Divida (sp?). OK - I'm waiting for it to bust into clarity and open instruments... like a string hit and cymbal, real drums with an even eq and guitar. Bummer, it ain't coming. You have a good voice.

Monosodium Glutamate
Yeeeeaaahhh!!! Pitchshiftin... This Reminded me of Wreckdom for a minnute - what happened to those guys.

Phunt
I like the awkward pause. You guys obviously know your way around the tools. I think your concept may be a bit far for me to reach. I'd like real punkrock when it hits though. Very FNM this one is... like the satanchild of FNM and Mr Bungle. Linear songs have a hard time making their way into the brain. Agitated me. Which is what I'm gathering you're trying to do. Job well done, just nothing I'd ever put on, though good at what it does.

The Rant
If the guitar was less heavy and more twang... the riff and structure reminds me very much of Kings of Leon. I wish the vocals were as distinctive... they sound very typical. HAAHAA - the thing about the dude listening to the tune and not even listening to a word got my attention... (mental note). I like the break when there's about :30 left.

Rik Gerblick
Reminds me of Barenaked. Yeeeaaaahhh - dude... this is a solid song... Needs metal guitars in spots... Lush distortion in others... I dig. I'd really like to collab... Percussion could sound better too... and the mix sounds boosted in a weird spot, mastering... <my buddies the ellipses just came out...> I dig... alot.

State Shirt
Dude. Fuckin' yeeeeaaaahhh! Love it. Sounds great! I think it really sounds great... Gives me a mad solid deftones vibe, which is a good thing. After the crazy ride thing it needs to come in harder. Dig the screemin. OK, I'd like to hear really clean stuff at that dip in the middle. Lost me with the super screemin @ :55 left, pull'em back a bit through the rest of the song. Ending is ABSOFOOKINAWESOME. I feel like I was ultra-critical of your song because it was so good to begin with - so regard my comments as nitpicking.

~INTERMISSION: BUTTZ~
Ok, here's what happened on my intermission... Went out to the stoop, smoke a butt. Then we felt like having a high-quality beer, so we took to the street to hit the local bodega. Got a 6 er of brooklyn pilsner, and noticed that there was a box of 14 14mg nicotine patches up above the register. Strange thing to be in a bodega (or cumby's or hess or circle-k or lil' peach, or wawa), so I asked how much. I got a 6 pack of quality beer, and nicotine patches for $11.50, at least a $48 value. Cities may be expensive, but they're shady enough to keep it right. Anyway, long and short of it, saying goodbye to being a smoker. I have gathered a vast compendium of nicotine products, and will assemble them in a tray when my quit day comes tuesday, so I can remind myself I'm serious when my Zyban kicks in, and there's nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, tablets"?", and inhalers on my coffee table. Dude, Buttz. Or - everything buttz. My friend Al and Larry are clearly horrified with my ranting.

~on with reviews~

Stuey M:
I like the music... voice way too loud, harmonies would be cool. Autotune too (I use the demo everytime I reformat, $400 is steep ).

Wally Harbinger
Dude - good! I wanna hear it on a real piano or rhodes with increasing distortion. Needs guitar and live instruments.

____________________

Takasonic and the Mandown Five
One of my favorite things about songfight is the ability to come up with a new bandname every entry. This is mine... lissening now - Could master closer to the quality all of you guys had... This was a "dead song" that had a few starts. Fired it up over the sony stero, and sang live. Improv lyics of this feral cat that keeps spraying my windowsill. Kinda sux having yer bedroom smell of cat piss. I want this cat to get captured or die or something. At the every end, that's the sony speek falling on the floor. I know you shouldn't record vocals with live monitors, but whatever. I earn the "at least you had fun this week" award, which is what it's all about anyway. I vote for me because it will be the only vote I get.

[Smalltown Mike]

Bax

I was going to say that this was a long intro, but there are, of course, no vox. This is interesting but doesn’t really say “I hate You” to me. And it’s short.

Caravan Ray

I’ve gone on before about how impressed I am that Caravan can hit any genre—unfortunately (for me) this is a genre I don’t dig. Well done, though, and I like that the “I hate you” is directed at a very specific person.

Chuck Chuck Moose

Great intro. AAhhhhhh I love the horns. The vocals aren’t as funky as the rest of the song.

Comfort

Really, quite interesting but it doesn’t at all say “I hate You” to me.

Dark Liberty

Yours was the first track I listened to because I recognized the name from last week. Rough, obviously but I like it—besides the fact that the song isn’t called I hate you nor does it ever say I hate you nor is it really about I hate you. (Don’t want to think about you is a far cry from I hate You.) The drum solo is amusing, but the guitar at the end is pure masturbation.

Dean Sky

What’s with all the non-I hate you songs. I like the groove in this a lot, and I love the woman singing. The weird rewind effect at a minute in is great. Great story, great take on the title. It’s believable—uh, autobiographical?

Frankie Big Face

Great verse riff; not crazy about your vocals. Clever lyrics. The Bowie references are valid, I think.

Hillbilly

This sounds a little boomy in my ears. Your stuff always has a really nice, lazy Saturday morning groove that I like. Really great lyrics. I wish the vocals and guitar were recorded a little clearer, because your songs are great.

Latex Underpants

Your vox need to come up in the mix because they’re hard to hear. There also seems to be a lot of hiss. This could also use some more parts to it, but I like the take on the title.

Monosodium Glutamate

I think you were going for weird here, and I think you achieved it. But I like it because you were directing your hate at something very specific. I hope you feel better for getting that off your chest. Does it work without the pitch lowering of the voice? Would be interesting to hear it that way.

The Rant

I do dig The Rant. This is bordering on the new poppy “punk” that makes my skin crawl so much, though. Great lyrics. I’d like to hear you really get angry, really yell it out, because it sounds a little like people are sleeping up stairs. Good song, though, I always like seeing The Rant name on the list.

Rik Gerblick

Nice vox, funky. Nice chorus, not really my thing.

State Shirt

There’s a weird click when the rest of the instruments come in, it sounds almost like it was recorded with everything and then edited. It’s too bad because that’s a great intro. Nicely recorded. I don’t think those screaming vox work though. Great riff at 1:15—I want to sample it so bad. I love the guitar/hat thing at about 1:50, but I wish the drums came in at double time, because it seems anti-climatic. I really don’t like those I hate You screams. Great song. There’s so much good stuff going on here. It’s long but it’s deserving of the length. Seriously, though stop screaming. Great ending—until those weird mop mop vox.

Stueym

The vox seem really loud, they caught me off guard a little. The percussion is interesting, but it’s lost in the mix. I like the whispered vox, and the lyrics are great for that part.

Takasonic and the Mandown Five

Johnsonic, way to go on the quitting smoking front. I quit 13 years ago March 6. Stay strong, brother. This is some groovy, goofy shit. I like it. I just want to hear a rhyme kicked over that funky beat. I don’t know if I really believe it would be called I hate You, though.

Wally Harbinger

Great lyrics, and I really like the music. This runs the risk of losing its enjoyability after one or two listens—that novelty song thing. But it’s good, and I’ll keep it. I laughed out loud at the “I hate books because you might read them.” Your lyrics are great. Nice solo. It might be good to put an actual name of a person in the song, but it might spoil it for someone else who listens and wants to think of someone they hate. Nice work.

Gert

That’s me, of course, singing the intro. I like so much of this, and especially the verse vox and the chorus. Seriously, when Boltoph sings I tried so hard to love you/I ended up hating myself, it is 100% convincing. I just want to fly down to Boston and give him a hug. Don’t hate yourself, Boltoph, you’re a good person. Gert loves you.

[stueym]

Bax – Short and sweet, but not a song in my mind. I really like the production values and it could have gone somewhere….anywhere. Good tones on the guitar!

Caravan Ray – Toe tapping tribute….nice story which always wins me. Nice lyricism but I’m getting tired by second verse and I promise I actually am one of those country music fans

Chuck Chuck Moose – vocals are a little set back….hmmm I agree the horns are dreamy…nice rhythm…Yes very pleasant and listenable to.

Comfort – Wow…weird….who is the chick and do you really hope she dies and why…..lots of ideas. Love some of the guit tone

Dark Liberty – Not a song that grabs me and really a sum of parts…the drum solo and guitar piece at end are disconnected from the main theme at beginning. Not sure I make the connection with I hate you either.

Dean Sky – Very progressive arty jazzy bosa. Nice tones on many of the individual elements but its not gelling for me.

Frankie Big Face – Great song, with weird sound as described above, I would have liked something that was much more punchy in the middle for this. Please re-record with some better drums and meat in the middle and I’d love to add this to the iPod. Good one FBF!

Gert – Good driving tune though it may make me want to speed just a little. Can I have a wav version please . Oh and please pan the two guitars left and right a bit more for that total rock stage presence feel.

Hillbilly – Hmmm this is nice, some hiss in the background I would have wished away and vocals a little more present. Good story lyrics with a great ending would be nice to see on the lyrics section.

Latex Underpants – Like the song but like others, I was waiting for and expecting a big kick up in more parts or something after first verse and chorus. Like big drums, big guitar…..still….good writing

Monosodium Glutamate – Nope not for me. Abuse of bagpipes is a serious crime which is punishable by more forced feeding of tastykakes.

Phunt Your Friends – Okay...well I promise that I did listen to all 4 minutes. Very technically talented but not my idea of song or music.

The Rant – Oh Yeah!!! Like the drive in this…lyrics are fun. And yes everyone… Hate is such a strong word!!

Rik Gerblick – Very enjoyable, percussion sounds all sound a little thin would have been nice to hear them pump a little more. Nice change ups. Maybe too chipry for the title but what the heck I have heard less relevant lyrics today!

State Shirt – Good rhythm and pumping sound. My ears (and talent ) aren’t good enough to tell if there is ‘noise’ in there, but it doesn’t sound as rounded as it might for the style. Still for a 4:32 could have used a quieter or different interlude at the 2.45 break point to contrast. Hmm scream at 3:30 is too much for me but I get where you are going with the stylistic screaming device throughout. Bound to make the mosh pit sweat!

Takaxonic and the Mandown Five – LOL….I am so glad I read you explanation before I listened, cos I can really sense the hate you have for this poor homeless kitty that is stinking you out. You are having so much fun LOL LOL….wild

Wally Harbinger – Hmmm nice vibe, like the build in music though there’s a weird crackling as the complexity builds. Great lyrics…..real sense of you really would be happy if they died! Love this one but not sure how it will endure multiple listenings

stueym– Me. God I sound so quiet after State Shirt….maybe that’s a good thing! As to vocals. One take….no punch-ins as we were rushing off to NYC for 3 days. Agree that I would have loved to work them more. As to Auto tune….maybe instead I should just try rehearsing/singing more and try to be less pitchy. Have invested in a copy of Wavelab so hopefully the overall mastering levels will improve…..or not. My keyboard skills are limited... so midi ‘icing’ (strings) is very simplistic. Hope those of who you enjoyed will listen again if I get a chance to work it some more.

[Rik]

I'd really like to collab...

I would love it, though I've never done one before. Name the time, the song and the tools, and I'm in.

[Rik]

I finally finished my reviews for this week, this was a big fight so I had to break it down into three sessions. I usually listen to each song 2-3 times while writing, so reviewing takes me a while. There's a lot here so without further ado...

Reviews for 'I Hate You', in the random order that the page gave me this visit:

Wally Harbinger - Nice start for this week's fight. Nice ballad, great music and a ton of killer lines. I was smirking through the entire song. Solo sounds great, excellent tone good volume and fits the tune perfectly. Your voice is like a broken drill, but overall this a cool song. In the running for my vote, but I still hate your golf clubs.

Latex Underpants - Granted it's short, but it still seemed very repetitive to me. Overall this song doesn't do it for me, it needs something to break up the monotony. Production lacks as well, the vocals begin buried in the mix. By the end the vocals are audible, but by that time I've already lost interest.

The Rant - Good punk name, good punk song. I am really liking this one. Nice production, everything is right there in your face and clear. My only gripe is the ending gets a bit monotonous between the repetitions of 'hate is such a strong word' and 'I need it'. Possible vote.

Caravan Ray - Clever bit. Having never heard Frankie Lane, I am assuming that this is similar in style to his music. Good production and all, it really sounds like an old C/W song. Unfortunately, I can't really think of anything I hate more than C/W 'music'.

Takaxonic and the Mandown Five - Damn, that beat got my attention right away. The freaky vocals come in with guitar (acoustic?) and really get the groove going. By about :30 I am waiting for something to happen. By 1:00 the beat has lost it's appeal, but the acoustic coming through is nice. Second listen now, still starts off with a bang. Just wish it went somewhere. (Edit: I went back and listened again after reading your review, I had to laugh at you singing about your speaker taking a tumble. That crash sounded pretty bad, I don't think I would've handled it so well. My song would have ended with me shouting SHIT!)

State Shirt - Holy crap, this is pretty damn cool. Your lead singer kicks ass, your lead screamer I could do without. I love this whole song, with the exception of the scream solo at 3:29. Great production, this is a fucking work of art. Odds on favorite.

Chuck Chuck Moose - I was pleasantly surprised by this. Call me stupid, but I pre-judged this one by the name. I really like this song, great sound - love the acoustic, the trumpet swings, this is good stuff. Is that Steve Durand providing the horn? Nice, my only complaint would be the drums during the horn solo sound like they lose time. This is a definite keeper.

Stuey M - This song sounds like it could be done by Morrissey, which is pretty damn cool. Sadly, I really didn't care for your vocals, the timing and inflection were cool but your voice didn't do it for me. Otherwise, this is a cool song.

Rik Gerblick - (Me) I really tried to change it up with this one: no distortion, syncopated lyrics, whatever. I, like many others who posted in the prefight thread, just let song lead the writing wherever it wanted. I don't really like where it went. Oh well, better luck next week.

Bax - Guitarstrimental, I'm not feeling this one. I have nothing against instrumentals, some of my best friends are instrumentals. This one just didn't do it for me.

Monosodium Glutamate - Little Debbie bastards, I totally understand. I can't stop eating those damn nutty bars. Interesting bit, direct and to the point, is that bagpipes? Now I have to run to the gas station to get some Oatmeal Creme Sandwiches, I can't stop thinking about them. I hate you.

Phunt Your Friends - Normally I don't get the Phunt tracks. This week I may not get it, but I did enjoy it. Listening second time now, I really like the intro and into the piano. I am really digging this when the meat of the song comes in, like old hardcore punk. It starts to get a little old after a minute or so, but not bad. Ending is awesome, everything settles back down giving the whole song a cool dynamic. I like it, still Phunt, still out there, but the best I've heard by you. It's Phuntastic.

comfort - Haunting, that guitar is incredible, both performance and tone. I can't understand the lyrics, could be the crappy speakers, could be I'm too distracted by the guitar and I'm listening to the vocals as ambient effects. Not sure, I'll listen later through phones and see. Kind of abrupt ending, but it left me wanting more.

Dean Sky - Definitely a B-52s thing going on here. I'm not really getting into it. I do like the way you change up the timing and bring everything down half time in the middle and end. The sax and guitar works well, but the organ sounds kind of out of place, except in those mellow lounge interludes in the middle and end.

Hillbilly - I like this, I am a sucker for simple acoustic bits done well. This is done well. Whoa just ended first listen, that came out of nowhere. I think the f-bomb was kind of out of place in such a mellow tune, but that's just me. After all, it is called 'I Hate You'. Great song, production is a bit dry, but overall good stuff.

Gert - Holy crap, Gert is the who's who of SongFight! This is going to be damn hard to beat. All of this talent combined will have no problem stomping us mere mortal songfighters. The whole song is great but, I think Smalltown Mike's intro is my favorite part. Not much else I can say. It's almost unfair competition, but I figure last week you only got 4.5 votes each. Hell, I did better than that.

Frankie Big Face - Four hours, I am damn impressed. I agree with past posts, this does have a Bowie vibe to it. That is a good thing, you have a great voice. I wasn't expecting much after hearing the first few bars of the intro, i was pleasantly surprised by the end of the first verse. To hell with production, this a really cool song. I am starting my third listening and I'm hating this less and less. Another probable vote. Damn, this is a tough fight.

Dark Liberty - I'm usually into the punk tunes that show up on songfight, but not this one. Sorry. I couldn't understand many lyrics, with the exception of the 'not anymore' that ended almost every line. I found it a little to repetitive. And don't get me started on guitar bit at the end.

This is the biggest fight I've been in yet, and there is a lot of solid competition going on here. It's going to be tough deciding between my favorites. Wally Harbinger, The Rant, State Shirt, Gert and Frankie Big Face are all riding in the car with me the rest of the week until I decide who to vote for.

[johnsonic]

Rik - collab? Sent you PM. RAWK!

[Caravan Ray]

Bax – Very cool guitar – but it’s not really selling me the title

Chuck Chuck Moose – I like this a lot – good melody, and trumpet is great. Very enjoyable

Comfort – Interesting. Australian accent? I like it

Dark Liberty – Great energy. Off-key and off-time vocals let it down a bit though. Good effort, shows a lot of promise. (BTW: I’d love to have a go at doing vocals for this if you want to send me lyrics and backing track)

Dean Sky – A little sloppy – but very cool all the same. Great work.

Frankie Big Face – I like the lyrics – reminds of Tim Rogers for some reason. I really can’t fault anything in the song other than the sound of it just doesn’t excite me much.

Gert – Hello Songfight! Are you ready to raaaawk!?!
All a bit too big-hair and tight-trousery sounding for me. I’m picturing head-bands and flash-pots. Not pretty.

Hillbilly – Came across far too bass-y to hear properly on my car stereo. Listened later on headphones – I like the song a lot, but the performance/arrangement/recording lack enough dynamics

Latex Underpants – Love the little riff. I’d like to hear a more deranged Tom Waits-style vocal. Pretty good stuff though.

MSG – No thank you

Phunt Your Friends – You’re starting to grow on me! This is pretty good – but you should always bear in mind the golden rule – less is more.

Rant – I love this! Happy jaunty music and excessive swearing – it works for me!

Rik Gerblick – Entirely competent – but unfortunately it’s a style of music that I personally dislike intensely.

Stateshirt – Great vocals – but the whole thing has a sort of Soundgarden-y thing to it which doesn’t really appeal to me.

Stueym – I like the sound of this – pretty good vox and I like the whispers. Guitar and strings arrangement work well. Unfortunately, from this example I don’t think you quite have your daughter’s gift for lyrics! Love to hear more Stueym/Bjam collabs.

Takasonic and Mandown 5 – No thank you

Wally Harbinger – These lyrics are just superb! Delivery is excellent. Great stuff. “sweet God how I hate you, and it might not be your fault, but still…” ha ha ha!

And…
Caravan Ray – I actually love Frankie Laine


2 standouts in this one – Wally Harbinger and The Rant. My wife also liked The Rant a lot – so we’ll vote for that one.

[h]

i must say that i wnted to turn in a cover of the cure's "how beautiful you are" for this fight.

the lyrics start with

"You want to know why I hate you?
Well I'll try and explain...
You remember that day in Paris
When we wandered through the rain"

but no covers, right?

ok, review time.

hillbilly very nice and mellow. i could listen to a whole album like this. really like the little solo guitar sound. and nice little sound effect while talking about the harley and washing machine... is that a car driving by sound? story song style. i like it.

stueym hehehe, one of the coolest songs i've heard on songfight... reminds me of something like gainsbourg and morrisey as performed by my dad. which is disturbing! HAHAHA i also like the bassline

monosodium glutamate sigh... somebody mentioned that you were going for weird and achieved it... i don't think it is that weird. it's more like going for annoying and half achieving it. if you really want annoying plus weird, listen to this: http://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=7015

state shirti like the very very end... that contrast in the voice

chuck chuck moose sounds like frente or the sundays but with a really effeminate man voice on it. if it was a girl voice i think it wouldn't distract me as much.

comfort this is me... a couple of technical comments. danelectro inuendo through a valve rp20. the woman's voice is grabbed from an australian police scanner that i found online.

gert it sounds like you want to be in the radio and be popular. i guess you could, but why would you want that?

wally harbinger enjoyable all over... i could send this song to a couple of people. excellent.

frankie big face fun singalong, good songwriting. the voice is very cool too. a bit foo fighterish, a bit hot hot heatish, a bit bryan adamish... the song is more personal and not so literal

dark liberty rocking out. i like it a lot. awesome drums solo!!!!!!!!!
YEAH!!!!!! GUITARness!!!! vote contender

caravan ray hmm... rolling rolling rolling the savings are rolling to steve and emmas furiture barn

latex underpants simple and clean, nice

rant this sounds like dead kennedys being defecated by avril lavigne after consuming it in a flash of mass media attention in the sake of fadish economic cannibalistic exploitation. culture is eating its own head.

dean sky i like the hola muchacho, oh, man what a strange song this became. HAHAHAHA a green card!!!!!!!! this has gotta be a true story! hAHAHAHA freakness

i gotta do the rest tomorrow...

/h

[G. Rant]

Hey H,

Please never mention my name and Avril L's name in the same sentence ever again . . . Anyways, what the hell is your review of my song trying to get at? I'm assuming you didn't like it by your "culture is eating itself" thing you wrote. I don't know what that means, but for the next songfight I'm planning on doing something along the lines of Hanson mixed with Slayer all the while throwing in hints of Oingo Boingo and some Creedence Clearwater Revival. Waddaya think?

[Egg]

Hey H,

Please never mention my name and Avril L's name in the same sentence ever again . . . Anyways, what the hell is your review of my song trying to get at? I'm assuming you didn't like it by your "culture is eating itself" thing you wrote. I don't know what that means, but for the next songfight I'm planning on doing something along the lines of Hanson mixed with Slayer all the while throwing in hints of Oingo Boingo and some Creedence Clearwater Revival. Waddaya think?

I think the implication is that your song claims the sort of genuine punkiness of something like the DKs but also has something too naive and unpunky about it so that it doesn't sound too legitimate. Like the musical style is stolen and then the vocals, which are the most personal part of this piece, sound a little forced. That's how I read it. Culture is cannibalizing itself which is not good for it. I look forward to next week's!

Edit: Incidentally, I don't think it's that bad.

[gert]

Gert – Hello Songfight! Are you ready to raaaawk!?!
All a bit too big-hair and tight-trousery sounding for me. I’m picturing head-bands and flash-pots. Not pretty.

Gert is most pleased with your description of your visualization of Gert. We welcome such a rawk stereo-type, albeit we do feel it's pretty. And well the flash pots are what make the rawk, tight trousers are for the ladies and head bands are to keep the sweat off our brows. We're sorry you don't like the aesthetic. All hail Metal and Rawk. We also feel as though this song sounds more in the vein of S. Wonder and Jamiroquai to sound so... as you call it.... rawk.

We of Gert also wonder about your reviews and how it's possible for you to have such genre bias when you seem to skip across genre like a small stone across a still pond? Gert loves Caravan Ray.

gert it sounds like you want to be in the radio and be popular. i guess you could, but why would you want that?

..... uh ..... money...... fame......notoriety....... to get better suits.........sex..... drugs..... tour bus........ alcohol....... better instruments..... expensive studio time with great producers....... should Gert continue? Gert thanks "h" for the ..... uh..... review.

[Rik]

tight trousers are for the ladies ...

The ladies are all quite fearful, I mean you all have armadillos in your trousers.

Don't forget to remove the tin foil before you get to the airport.

[Caravan Ray]

We of Gert also wonder about your reviews and how it's possible for you to have such genre bias when you seem to skip across genre like a small stone across a still pond?

My mummy always told me:
"If you can't say something nice about sombody - blame a genre bias"

[Bjam]

We of Gert also wonder about your reviews and how it's possible for you to have such genre bias when you seem to skip across genre like a small stone across a still pond?

My mummy always told me:
"If you can't say something nice about sombody - blame a genre bias"

Zing.

[G. Rant]

To Egg (haven't figured out how to quote yet . . . ),

Do the vocals really sound forced? . . . maybe I should try singing in a different key . . . I've never had any type of formal musical training (taught myself guitar, bass, and drums . . . and the tambourine and shaker egg too!), so any tips on how to belt out vocals better would be appreciated. I also greatly appreciate any type of constructive criticism . . . so criticise away, please!