rdurand wrote:Ok, I was apparently listening to your song as you posted. I still don't get exactly why that reference is pertinent unless your song is a test.
I thought it the best example in songfight history of the I-can-do-whatever-I-want-and-you-can't-kick-me-out mentality I was making light of. Either it or one of LEF's many gems. It also works as a bait-and-switch: there's 10 seconds where (hopefully) the listener is thinking "OK, I know he had immunity, but did he really just submit Take On Me at double speed?"
rdurand wrote:Just for the record, "Welcome to (to the New Crusade)" Is one of my all-time favorite songfight songs.
Wow, I actually completely forgot I even recorded that song. Thanks Ross.
Knee jerk rankings. Based on one listen and a system that scores equally on: concept, lyrics, structure, arrangement, and challenge. If I was real judge I'm sure I would have had a second listen
1. Frankie Big Face - please come back, I'd rather lose to you than rap friend floods.
2. Cow Exchange (oops)
3. Steve Durand
4. Bewells (just too static of an arrangement)
5. Jim Tyrell
6. Paco (the beginning reminds me a little of Monks of Doom, in a good way)
7. BLT - Terrible sounding chorus but the song can come through anyway
8. TGFTF
9. Puce
10. Abom
11. Jolly R - I like the Metallica references, but the lyrics were a bit insipid
12. WreckdoM
13. Tex
14. Bryan - I'm not a fan of self referential songs, but good for not just throwing in the hat.
15. I'd keep myself in the top 15 somewhere
16. Merisan - Because of my little "system" - you lost points for both concept and lyrics. Realistically. based on performance and structure, I suspect you're really in the top 15 (sorry Bryan).
17. Cynthia, etc...(sp00n)
A pretty good set of songs. Nur Ein! is hard core.
Nur Ein!
Ross
Last edited by Ross on Sat May 19, 2007 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
Hey BLT, I have done a much worse job than this without screwing up the way you said you did. i think it gives the song more of a black sabbath vibe anyway.
Thanks for the frisbee is on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music ect.
Wow, this was a tough fight to rank. The top and bottom three were dead-easy, but the middle 10 were so tough to order that I ended up pairing them off into 45 little mini-rounds to determine the winner of each, and tracking it all on a spreadsheet. And yes, that did take 2 hours. But at least I feel confident in the final order. Also, I learned exactly what my criteria is for ranking songs: first - did the song hold my attention, second - is the melody catchy, and third - is the instrumentation novel or at least interesting.
1. Frankie Big Face - WTF, enjoy your immunity 2. Bovine Recyclery - The lyrics and general feel are well-worn cow-exchange territory, and there are a few sketchy moments with the vocals, but the melody and instrumentation seal the deal: totally catchy throughout. 3. Steve Durand - Wonderful melody, but the best thing is that the song really stomps along at a great pace. Because it's only 2 minutes long, as soon as it's done I immediately want to listen to it again. Love those horns.
--------- HERE'S WHERE IT GETS TOUGH --------- 4. Abom - This is my kinda song: totally cock-out rock. The chorus doesn't really grab me, but there's so much good stuff in the rest of the song. 5. TGFtF - I would comment on this, but the link is dead now. I vaguely remember being like "OK, this is nice. Very Thanks Glenny" until the bridge part kicks in and then I was like "WTF HAX this is the best thing ever". Sorry that this review reads like a myspace comment. 6. Wreckdom - This has replaced Punk Bartender as my favorite Wreckdom song. There are some lyrical moments that make me cringe, but there are just as many that make me smile. I never thought I'd say this about a Wreckdom song, but this gets stuck in my head. 7. Tex - Music is pretty damn generic sounding, but the melody is great and the lyrics are hilarious. Oh Australia, why are you so ridiculous. Nice dynamic shift between all the different sections of the song, and the vocals are quite good. 8. Jim Tyrell - Love the feel of the song, and that guitar riff in the verse if killer, but the hook in the chorus really fell flat for me. Still, fun song. 9. Merisan - Wonderful production and performance: the guitars sound fantastic, and I'm starting to suspect Erin might be the best vocalist on Songfight. But, the lyrics do absolutely nothing for me because I'm am a gringo if there ever was one, and I find my attention wandering after the first minute. Seriously good vocals, though.
--------- SONGS I BASICALLY DIDN'T LIKE --------- 10. Paco - I usually dig Paco songs, but the melody and lyric and vocal delivery mostly irritated me here. Love the snappy snare, and the monster Rage Against The Machine riff that comes in at 1:05. Great bass tone. 11. JR - This is the best sounding Jolly Roger song I've heard, especially the drums. You need to get a real bass, man. The vocals start out promising, but I can't stand the melody or lyrics in the chorus. Great playing though, especially that bridge. Who is Kristin, and why is she a Buttock? 12. Rdurand - This isn't a bad song, but it really fails to engage my interest for some reason. Maybe I was hoping for one as fun as last week's. The melody is quite pleasant, but aside from the bridge and the ending the music is all very familiar. Perhaps I'm just genre-biased. The lyrics strike me as the most obvious interpretation of the title possible.
--------- NO. --------- 13. BeWells - This song cured my recent insomnia. 14. BLT - Yikes. 15. BK - I'm sad to see you go. I'd be lying if I said the time-signature banter didn't make me crack a smile. 16. Cynthia - Someday Miriam Stockley and the Yamaha corporation will be held accountable for their crimes.
Between writing #12 and #13 I went to a concert and a party. I'm back now, but with a few more drinks in me than usual (aka any at all). Apparently alcohol turns me into a glib asshole. Or, at least, moreso.
I thought Bovine Recyclery was awesome. Fun concept, excellent performance, recording, song--it was all good.
No-one seems to like the Sp00ns but me and honestly, this week the music end of things is not as strong as last week. But the lyrics are really great.
Thanks Glennny 4 the Frisbee = AWESOME. Replace that guitar with an organ and add a female voice singing unison and you have a new Mates of State song. Loved it.
Last edited by frankie big face on Sun May 20, 2007 8:14 am, edited 2 times in total.
We are still awaiting one judge's scores but I will say that currently it is...the closest Nur Ein ever. It looks like both the eliminations and the immunity will be photo finishes.
DEFINATE IN's
Thank Glennny for the Frisbee
Frankie Big Face
Mersian
Paco del Stinko
Steve Durand
The Bovine Recyclery
The BeWells
Ross Durand
Puce
Jim Tyrrell
------------------------------------------ EJECT TWO FROM THESE's
Tex Beaumont and the Dirty Hearts
Cynthia Size and the @eclectic spOOns
Jolly Roger
Abominous
Billy's Little Trip
WreckdoM
Bryan Kandel
Niveous wrote:We are still awaiting one judge's scores but I will say that currently it is...the closest Nur Ein ever. It looks like both the eliminations and the immunity will be photo finishes.
So in case of tie, I assume there would be two immune. In case of low tie, do you cut more or keep more?
Niveous wrote:We are still awaiting one judge's scores but I will say that currently it is...the closest Nur Ein ever. It looks like both the eliminations and the immunity will be photo finishes.
So in case of tie, I assume there would be two immune. In case of low tie, do you cut more or keep more?
NUR EIN JURY ***************************************BRIDGE
---->
(we'll cross that bridge when we come to it)
Last edited by Niveous on Sun May 20, 2007 9:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
Before the results come in, here is my quick order of preference after two or three listens at most.
1. Thank Glenny for the Frisbee
2. frankie big face
3. Merisan
4. The Bovine Recyclery
5. Jim Tyrrell
6. Paco Del Stinko
7. Puce
8. Abominominous
9. Ross Durand
10. WreckdoM
11. Steve Durand
12. Tex Beaumont & The Dirty Hearts
13. Billy's Little Trip
14. Jolly Roger
15. Bryan Kandel
16. Cynthia Size and the @eclectic spOOns
Hopfully beating the results. Quick comments I'd be glad to elaborate on if asked.
Abom. - Sabbath via Detroit, makes me want to bong hit, kick on the Big Muff and phaser and perform un-necessary guitar wankery.
Bewells - Smooth and easy, I like the darkish undercurrent.
BLT - Good song underneath a production stumble, I can't help but love you. We'll hang out on the curb after being kicked there.
Bovine Recyclery - Sounds like fresh 80's. Nice and tasty and so very well done.
Bryan Kandel - I'm one of the people that squirms a bit at the self referential bit, but your confidence and strong timbres work well.
Cyndy n' Spoon - All over the place, some parts worked better for me than others. Liked the guitar-ish swashes at the start.
Frankie - Winner. THis would only be better with young Michael Jackson singing. Make no mistake, though, I enjoy your voice very much.
Jim Tyrrell - Love the Zep-like feel here. This would be a face puncher live.
JR - Good stop on a dime rock here. The vocals are the weak spot, but always improving. Is that key bass? Some good riffs alongside excellent drumming.
Merisan - Delightful. The guitar and voice combo is very good and all is pleasnt to listen to. Like the percussion and would hae loved a couple of high up the nylon stringed neck flourishes.
Paco - Probably my worst, to me anyway, SF entry.
Puce - Most excellent it kept getting better as it went. This would fight for top spot, methinks. Super.
RDurand - I like this much, but would prefer this accompanied by a somewhat mushy John and Mary montage. Good chorus work too.
SDurand - Super fun swing and good melody. A more live rhytym section would warm this up, but good good fun.
Tex - My favorite of this fight, mtime will tell if'n it's my fave from the Wonder Fronm Down Ubder. I laughed out loud and enjoyed this immensely.
TGFTF - Super combo, this is fantastic. Sounds like Yes early on and goes ...I dunno. But I like the trip-out a minute in. Super.
WreckdoM - Cool 3 parter. The sample voice and (?Distrted mouth solo) melody/riff in the mid
Last edited by Paco Del Stinko on Sun May 20, 2007 10:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
With an odd number of judges, tie-breakers seem obvious to me. Might I humbly suggest: of the bands in question look to see who had the majority of the "favor " of the judges. If David Bowie and Paul Simon were tied in points. Looking past the point totals if 3 judges preferred David Bowie to only 2 judges preferring Paul Simon, David Bowie would get immunity. Or if they were near the bottom, Paul Simon would get cut.
NUR Funfzehn!
Phillipso, Older Brothers, Semolina Pilchards, Zipline , Thank Glennny for the Frisbee, The Odoriferous Valley, The Worldly Self Assurance, Berkeley Social Scene, Very Gentle Knives, Daddy Bop Swing Set, GUNS, The Kraken Lives, Cavedwellers
Paco Del Stinko wrote:
Frankie - Winner. THis would only be better with young Michael Jackson singing. Make no mistake, though, I enjoy your voice very much.
Thank you! I was totally going for a Jackson 5 vibe (most obviously with the funk guitar), so I'm glad you picked up on that.
Frankie - Yeah, the guitar and also part of the progression around the "lovin' you the way I do" parts. Of many good songs, I thought that yours was the most natural sounding. Like, not too forced or scientifically created. Does that make sense? Smiling with sunglasses on and the top down.
Off topic but stirred by this fight: Maybe someday there'll be a Durand vs. Durand (Durand Durand!) battle of some sorts. Either a face off between the bros or a secret Santa jobby type thing. There's a whole buncha good songs from those two. Seed for an idea maybe.
Paco Del Stinko wrote:Frankie - Yeah, the guitar and also part of the progression around the "lovin' you the way I do" parts. Of many good songs, I thought that yours was the most natural sounding. Like, not too forced or scientifically created. Does that make sense? Smiling with sunglasses on and the top down.
Off topic but stirred by this fight: Maybe someday there'll be a Durand vs. Durand (Durand Durand!) battle of some sorts. Either a face off between the bros or a secret Santa jobby type thing. There's a whole buncha good songs from those two. Seed for an idea maybe.
Nice.
I was thinking they should join up and become a Durand Durand cover band. I can totally hear Steve and Ross belting out Girls On Film.
. It also works as a bait-and-switch: there's 10 seconds where (hopefully) the listener is thinking "OK, I know he had immunity, but did he really just submit Take On Me at double speed?"
)
