Nur Ein II Round Three "State of Emergency"

[Niveous]

Much love

Much love? No love here. This is a war zone. Nur Ein! Tell em to go fuck a cherry tree. This is a fight!!!

[Billy's Little Trip]

Billy's Little Trip- For the life of me I don't hear the Talking Heads in this. This is very rockin! The verse is much stronger than the chorus. Chorus is a little weak. The playing and production is Great! Love the breakdown too. I'm having a hard time distinguishing the guest vocals, but they're good.

Yeah, the chorus vox were recorded first so that I'd be ready for my "original" guest vocalist. I normally record my lead vocals straight through from start to finish to keep the flow. She has this awesome low female tone and an out of this world high tone. So I gave her something that she could harmonize with in her range. After things fell through, I had my son Cody fill in. I'm ok with it all, but it's not what I had planned on.
But I am picky, and if we didn't have a deadline, I'd still be working on it. Thanks for the rockin comment, because that's really all that matters to me.

edit: Opps, almost forgot......NUR EIN!!!!

[erin.]

I appreciate and encourage your input Ross
I heard you when you didn't think we executed the challenge correctly (You weren't down with the tupperware bongo kit) in round zero.
I paid attention when you ranked us #16 (ouch) because I sang the song in spanish during round two. (I thought you would be down with espanol living in the OC).
And your current ranking of #9 because you feel like I "squeezed in" the title has been noted.
All useful criticism.
Also, I did see that you ranked us rather high during round one...thank you.
It just may be that your comments drive us compete a little harder!

[Billy's Little Trip]

Much love

Much love? No love here. This is a war zone. Nur Ein! Tell em to go fuck a cherry tree. This is a fight!!!

That's what George Washington really did. They changed it to "chopped" when he became President. But we all knew the truth......we knew. 8)

[Lunkhead]

I think Niveous has a good point. I would like to submit my new ranking based solely on the criteria "does it sound like the lyrics actually mean something emotionally significant to the singer?"

Tops:
Merisan

Good:
Thank Glenny

Disqualified:
All others

Also, Niveous, you guys need to update the Nur Ein Live Journal site with the song links.

EDIT: THIS WAS MY 1000TH POST! WHEE!

[Paco Del Stinko]

Thoughts from the mindless one. Feel free to ask for elaboration.

Abom. f/Heather + Brian F - It may get a little herky jerky feeling, rhythmically, during the verses, but this is just good fun. The cheerleader stuff is the biggest selling point hook-wise. I like the lean, articulate playing/production too. I don't know that this is a winner, but it sure gets ya going.

Bewells - I was surprised by the sixties vibe here and it really sank in as it went. I love the dark themes so well delivered, and the intelligent chorus. Some of the best guitar playing on SF, always. The voices not lining up perfectly in spots felt a little too noticeable at times, but understandable as to why. I thought this one had overall vibe to it. Deserves to place very highly, if not win.

BLT - This is rocking goodness in a great direction. I like the chorus and it's 'ber-woop' guitar hook, sounding good against the funkified dissonance of the verses. The mix has nice seperation or definition, well balanced. I like this song a lot, would like to hear something smooth occasionally to soften an edge or two, and imagine the extra punch of this done live...SLAM!

BoRe f/Bfan and StueyM - Dishing out bloody noses on it's way to first place, this just kicks ass. The first time I listened, I thought it might have been almost too much, too all at once, and it almost worked against itself. But it jumped right out and grabbed me today with the driving melodies and arrangement. The lyrics add to the Saturday morning sunshine. Excellent.

Jim Tyrrell f/ Bob King - Very nice, and all you need: easy to grasp melodies, well written lyrics, toe-tapping rhythm all with no tricks up your sleeve. Some acoustic noodling or whatever could let it take a little breath somewhere, but this is complete as is. It may lack the punch to take immunity, but say hello to the next round at worst! Break this one out at an appropriate rally in the coming months. Just maybe not bike week!

JR and the Fam - There are some good riffs in here, and melodic ideas as well. The pop-ish change is very nice, and provides a good taste of sugar after the saltier first part. This is probably the best that I've heard from you. The vocals wobbley get the message across and the arrangemment makes sense instead of changes just smooshed in. Production lands some punches and misses others, but clear to hear. Good playing, too! Last night the swami thought you might be gone,today not so sure.

Merisan f/ AmyRichey and Geech Sorenson - This should be right at or on the top also, though it does so as a ghost brushing by on the wind. Beautiful, balanced, and complete. Nothing is overdone and the lyrics, which I found moving before I heard the song, are wonderfully delivered. The bridge and transition are gorgeous, but the autumnal feel to this is superb. Perfect vocals and some more of the best guitar playing on SF, without question.

Paco and The Greek Thunder - Well, I wanted to keep it simple after last week, and that it is. Once I knew the Thunder was in, I put together something to fit his vocal style and at least succeeded in that. Not for the weak of heart, I suppose, but if you need to be terrified for any reason, I'll call him back. Not good enough, I'm afraid, to make it to the next round.

Puce f/ Brad Sucks - Excellent riffs/rhythm established right off, danceable tension. The arrangement is kind of standard, but that's probably what drives it so well. The choruses are both darkish and memorable, I like the near drone of the verses as well. This would probably work just as well either stripped down or built up, it's strong enough. Sigh. Not bad for one day, eh? This should finish right near the top.

Ross Durand f/ Smalltown Mike - Holy humongazoid riffs and leads Batman! The rabble rousing here is great, all whilest getting your face properly punched. Nice and tight, the energy doesn't sag here at all, and the political themes are appropriate. Just give Smalltown a bullhorn and watch him crowd surf away as this monster roars into the next round. Another of SF's bets and perhaps under-appreciated guitar players as well.

Steve Durand f/ Wes Davis - This is like a soul song (verses) mixed with a Tom Jones chorus or something. I like it, but the breezey change of the chorus almost doesn't work. I like how it feels as though some pop star is singing to the kids or something, but the lyrics are darkish. I like Mr. Davis voice but wonder if the whole song up a step might've given it a bit more sparkle. This is good, but in this now smaller field, you might be sitting next to me in the stands.

Tex Dirty Heart and Chorus of Lost Souls - Great hooks keep this together as the layers start to swirl. There's a bittersweet feel to the progression here that works well with the jumping rhythms. The light instrumentaion allows the vocals to do their job well. It feels like it loses itself a bit as it nears the end, but it remains in my head after it's gone. This is gonna be a close one for you Tex.

TGFTFf/BL/BR - Packed with distinctive voices, and a pile of great guitar players, Glen must have been falling over himself with this guest list! Nice and heady w/o being gonzo, rolling clouds scroll by underneath the tasty melody. I love the slide on the left a bunch, but preferred it in the mix vs. soloed. Sunshiney and pleasant, this is a delightful little trip to take. Not a typical arrangement, which is good, I'd be surprised if this doesn't do well.

WreckdoM f/ Judge Wooly - Catchy chorus underneath the blurpy bippits. The siren was welcome and gave a nice heady feel to the driving electric feel of the rhythm. Nice scary lyrics that would work just as well in a creepy crawly song. Good insane fun and catchier than it may at first appear, it may not pack a big enough punch to make it to the next round.

I'd like to give a shout out to all the guest vocalists, as I didn't single them all out in the reviews. Nice to hear some good singers that aren't heard enough or are new, or retired from this competition even! Thanks for kicking the fight up a notch.

I am placing my bet on Merisan, as I think it it the most complete song, overall. Thanks for the great music, people!
NUR EIN!

[Niveous]

Also, Niveous, you guys need to update the Nur Ein Live Journal site with the song links.

You guys? You mean there's more than one Niveous. That certainly won't do for my solipsistic world view. But thanks for reminding me about the LJ site.

[Ross]

I think Niveous has a good point. I would like to submit my new ranking based solely on the criteria "does it sound like the lyrics actually mean something emotionally significant to the singer?"

Disqualified:
All others

I see, so you think Smalltown and I don't actually care about starving homeless people and asthmatic kids?

[Lunkhead]

Also, Niveous, you guys need to update the Nur Ein Live Journal site with the song links.

You guys? You mean there's more than one Niveous. That certainly won't do for my solipsistic world view. But thanks for reminding me about the LJ site.

I wanted to include the possibility of there being >1 admin, as I wasn't sure if Glenn was helping out with its administration, as he is with the updating of the SF! boards. Next time I'll be sure to address my complaint directly to you and to be as annoying about it as I can be.

[Lunkhead]

I can just see Ross kicking starving homeless people, and Smalltown Mike blowing smoke in the faces of asthmatic kids. You heartless bastards!

[erin.]

niveous said:
"That certainly won't do for my solipsistic world view"

Now, having said that...you do realize that "Solipsistic" should be the title of the next round!!!! (and you rhymed)

[Caravan Ray]

I think Niveous has a good point. I would like to submit my new ranking based solely on the criteria "does it sound like the lyrics actually mean something emotionally significant to the singer?"

Disqualified:
All others

I see, so you think Smalltown and I don't actually care about starving homeless people and asthmatic kids?

Yeah - or that Rabid Garfunkel and Sausage Boy aren't into "copulation, lewdness, lust and fornication"

[Caravan Ray]

At least he didn't call him a "sheila" , a "pink fluffy curtain", or a "handbag"...because that would make me really upset.

Handbag is good, though it is probably better used as an extension to something else - eg. you could say of a football team, they were playing like a pack of handbag-carrying nancy-boys. I could have also gone with the simple and elegant skirt. Sheila perhaps is a bit archaic nowdays. I like pink fluffy curtain - I have never heard that before. I will retain it for future use.

[Billy's Little Trip]

BLT - I like the chorus and it's 'ber-woop' guitar hook, sounding good against the funkified dissonance of the verses.

So that's what they're called. All this time I've been calling them "boo-whips"

[Steve Durand]

My rough rankings with some comments


1) Puce-somehow you can take a song that seems only average and really make it kick butt
2) Merisan- Very nice, pretty song. You guys do pretty very well. I just have to comment that it seems like this song could have been written at any time in the past and then had the title fit in somewhere[DISCLAIMER, I AM NOT SAYING THAT YOU ACTUALLY DID THIS]. This song just isn't about "State of Emergency".
3) BeWells - The out of synch vocals in the verse are kind of distracting but the chorus makes up for it easily.
4) Ross- Great riff. Smalltown Mike was an inspired choice. Not really in to the politicized lyrics but overall a strong song
5) Bovine Recyclery-This would have ranked higher for me except the lyrics are just sooo dumb.
6) Thanks Glennny FTF. I listened on headphones and the panning was a drawback. That slide guitar really pokes you in the ear. This probably sounds great on speakers. I enjoyed the guest vocals.

Middle group in no particular order.
Jim Tyrell-Nice enough but just seem like a by-the-numbers song
Paco Del Stinko-I think only average for you Paco. Usually you put more variety in your songs. (Although, please give Ross some guitar soloing lessons)
Tex Beaumont - It was good to hear the lost souls get another shot in the Nur Ein.
BLT- really nice groove but the dissonance of the vocals in the chorus gave me a headache
Abominominous - After listening to your back catalog for the Hxaro I think that I have higher expectations of you. This is far from your best work.

Now the painful part
Jolly Roger - I know that you stated how happy you were with this in the prefight but to me it almost seemed like a parody. The screaming at the end was just ridiculous.

Wreckdom - I feel like I can always count on Wreckdom for a laugh but I think you guys threw an air ball this time. The constant sirens were irritating.

[Billy's Little Trip]

BLT - This is rocking goodness in a great direction. I like the chorus and it's 'ber-woop' guitar hook, sounding good against the funkified dissonance of the verses.

BLT- really nice groove but the dissonance of the vocals in the chorus gave me a headache

I think I'm going to change my name to Billy's Little Dissonance. Everyone will think I'm being true to my name.

[Adam!]

Just for kicks, a remastered version of my entry.

Ultra-short fight review: I remember liking (in no order) JR's, BeWell's, Merisan's, Ross's, and the ol' Bovine.

[Ross]

Smalltown Mike was an inspired choice.

I have good inspiration;-)

As for my guest vocalist, I've got to nod to my brother Steve for mentioning Smalltown Mike early in the week when we were having a chat and I was trying to brainstorm who I could ask to do this type of song for me. Steve said it, my Brain went "ding" ....

[Reist]

to me it almost seemed like a parody.

Could you elaborate?

[bwell]

I still need to give everything a closer listen, but things are getting too good now to easily rank the songs. Merisan and Puce would be battling it out for my top pick. I also particularly enjoyed Paco's guitar work. Great job all around with some strong entries.

Thanks for the comments. Due to longer time it took me to actually write a song, my sister's schedule was only open enough to record two takes via her built-in laptop mic. Those were noisy so I kept the song busier to mask some of the hum and ran out of time to clean up all the alignment issues only fixing a few of the most glaring spots.

[Niveous]

Round 3 Results:

It was another close one but in the end Puce was victorious once again; narrowly beating out Merisian 56 to 54.

Here are the total scores (out of a possible 70)

56 Puce f/ Brad Sucks
54 Merisan f/ Amy Richey & Geech Sorenson
46 Thank Glennny For The Frisbee
45 The BeWells
42 Abominominous f/ Heather Redmon and Brian F
42 Ross Durand f/ Smalltown Mike
41 The Bovine Recyclery f/ Bjam & Steuym
41 Paco Del Stinko and The Greek Thunder
34 Tex Beaumont and the Dirty Hearts f/ The Chorus of Lost Souls
33 Billy's Little Trip
30 WreckdoM f/ Judge Wooly
29 Jim Tyrrell f/ Bob King
24 Steve Durand f/ Wes Davis
8 Jolly Roger

Jolly Roger, Steve Durand, Jim Tyrrell, and WreckdoM have been eliminated.

This was an exceptional fight. Kudos to all.

[Paco Del Stinko]

Congratulations to Puce and Mr. Sucks! Thanks out to the judges, I really didn't think I'd survive the round. Special thanks to The Greek Thunder for bringing the POW!

Sorry to those that got cut, I'm shocked that I'm not with ya's! Good music from all, most importantly.

NUR EIN!