Where Frosty Brings Hookers (Snow Fort Reviews)

Discuss upcoming, current, and previous song fights.
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Bolio
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Where Frosty Brings Hookers (Snow Fort Reviews)

Post by Bolio »

At least one reason Frosty is so damn Jolly. :!:
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MintyHandy
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Only one thing to say

Post by MintyHandy »

Only one thing to say before I go to bed: Forty Second Songs would take this immediately if the judging were limited to my wife and myself.

(putting on my snowpants)
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my 2 cents

Post by phisto »

This is my first review (not that I'm qualified or anything) but here you go:

CSO: The story of Bill and Dave and of the snow fort destruction is going to take a prominent place in my personal mythology. The sound montage bookended by the chant-song is really a lot of fun.

8LO: I love the style. It reminds me of an Elvis Costello tune. I know some people don't like comparisons, but that's the only musical vocabulary I have, really. The humor is great.

40SS: I like this song a lot. I feel bad for Jonathon. It's kind of an 80's snow fort anthem!

Impudence: Overall, this song seemed really heart-felt. I had some trouble hearing the lyrics. For some separation on the guitars, maybe panning the lead would be effective.

IM: Well, that's me. So I'll let others critique.

LRF: I definitely hear some Cure going on here, with a little Yo La Tengo thrown in for kicks. The vocals seem a bit down in the mix.

MTC: I lauged out loud. Your metaphor skills are very impressive, as is the song.

Med: Very cool beginning: Primus meets NIN. Great texture in this song: nice instrumentation.

XTRG: This one actually made my spine tingle. I got a little creeped out: this could be in "The Ring" or something like that.
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Post by tonetripper »

Yay for another 40 second songs song!!!! Good job!
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Post by Niveous »

Niv's Review Paragraph

Damn I thought this would be the small fight. But no short fight. Oh well. Starting the reviews with the yellow fight and 40 Second Songs. 40 Secs is a talent especially when he bases songs on his childhood (see "As Icons"). I like the cheesy synths. Very good. Next. Scott Helm. Nice ambient sounds. It's a decent tune but I don't find anything remarkable about it. I bet in a week, I won't remember it. Sounds harsh but true. Next up, Max the Cat. And it sounds like it was Virgo Slam night at the Nuyorican and Max came to battle. It's almost Mars Volta in its salvo of words. Very nice. Currently the frontrunner. Oh I'm up next. I'm the x-tokyo-river-god. I was inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia. There's a part in the Magician's Nephew about "the deplorable word" that Queen Jadis says and destroys the world of Charn. So, I ran with that and wrote some lyrics then did what I usually do with x-tokyo tunes- take a sample and butcher it into something different then add the talkany. For fun, if you have Windows Media Player listen to the song with the Battery Randomized visualization. It becomes the Ring. I hope people enjoy it and it's good and eerie. Next up 8LO. The beat is too hot not to make it frontrunner. It's a mix of rock and reggae. Very good and the solo at the end is a nice touch. Next, Mediteraniem is back. Another funky beat. Another nice little solo. 8LO was very Hot Hot Heat while Med brought the !!!. But I didn't dig the little breakdown, then came the cheesy keys. Ruined it at the end. Next. Chop Shop. I think I'm in there somewhere. Holy crap. Nearly 6 minutes. Poor Dave. Insanity. But you know it's probably more coherent than the SFO :P. Bangs, your production skills are top notch as always. I can't wait til you get a hold of the M@RS stuff. Oh, reminds me to send you a PM. I'll do that later. Next l.r.f. The guitars are pure Cure. Decent drums. Lyrically doesn't do much for me. Lastly, Impudence. Sounds like me when I'm doing my usual no-fi goth punk. It was ok. It set a tone and ran with it. Vote time. I'm sending my vote to 8LO with Max getting 2nd and 40 Secs in 3rd. With an honorable mention to me. Off to review another fight. Probably Cyan.
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Post by WeaselSlayer »

Well, I love Niveous. Well -oh my god- done.
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Post by snowmanghost »

thanks for the input on my stuff (impudence)
unfortunately, i didn't realize that i had an extra week to submit, so i sent in a really rough mix...i panned the guitars a little better in a new mix and i boosted the vocals some, but i figured it was too late to re-submit at the time.

sorry i'm not actually reviewing anything, i haven't had time to listen to anything yet
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Post by boltoph »

holy shite!!! i was expecting Forty Second Songs' song to be forty seconds long and it's way longer than that and I can't express with type or words how psyched I am about that. I'm not even gonna try! This is great. I'm gonna have this in my head in a good way for about a week at least, on and off.
put on your snowpants, c'mon lets go!!!!
ahh yeah!!! thanks man

PUT ON YER SNOWPANTS, C'MON LETS GO :lol:
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Post by EightLeggedOedipus »

Eddie Bangs Chop Shopera
+++ Awesome intro. Whose sweet voice is that? Oh, wow, we get weird +++
/// What's with the chipmunk voices? ///
+++ Nice horn samples, piano... +++
--- Tribal elders part is pretty jumbled up ---

Eight Legged Oedipus
--- Crappy timing on the intro. Sounds really loose until the #! beat comes in ---
+++ Once we get funky it's rather nice. +++
/// Kind of loose around the waiting room part. ///
+++ Grandma, don't you swear... here's your solo, J$ +++
--- When you use a non-ASIO driver it tends to mess up your timing and make things sound sloppier than how you played it or sang it. Too bad. Fade out! ---

Forty Second Songs
--- Not the best choice of synth patch. Not my favorite pansy white-boy voice ---
+++ But good god, this song is incredible. +++
/// Beach boys meets weezer and maybe Eels ///
+++ "I love you, put on your snow pants, come on let's go" +++
Vote

Impudence
--- Not to listen while driving late at night ---
+++ In a strange way I like this song +++
/// Some happy accidents surprisingly save the arrangements ///

Scott Helm
+++ Nostalgic chill-out track +++
--- Chorus melody ---
+++ Enjoying this beat with the little syncopated bit in the fourth measure +++

LRF
--- It really sounds like you're trying to play your guitar poorly ---
+++ I like th eway the drums are done. It sounds like samples but I really can't tell for sure. +++

Max the Cat
+++ Two-fisted dictionary attack! +++
--- You just don't draw me in on this one. This first chorus kills it for me. "I cannot find my words" ---
/// You are a strong entrant every week, but this not a winner ---

Mediteraniem
/// SF Rave Mix '05 ///
--- Lyrics are OK, but I hate the way you sing them ---
+++ Now at 2:22 we start kicking ass. Then we go ambient and that's still cool. +++
--- Why'd you try to mix that melody over it? Off key! ---

X Tokyo River God
+++ OMG. This is like the third time I've heard this and it freaks me the FUCK out +++
/// TTS over repetitive loop, but it's so effective. What TTS you use? ///
DELETED

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Niveous
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Post by Niveous »

Thanks 8LO. Talkany is my TTS weapon of choice.
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One-liner reviews

Post by tonetripper »

Chopshopera - Sounds like a bunch of stuff glued together that don't really tie well together to unify the idea of the title.

8LO - I love the way that this song puts the idea that building the snow fort is setting up the idea of being at war which in a way could have the same reflection of buying a kid a toy gun. 8)

40SS - I feel the snow day in the music and I sure do feel sorry for Jonathon whilst he pleads with mom to let him out to build the snow fort. 8)

Impudence - Sounds like the vocals were recorded in a toque and not in a snow fort.

Scott Helm - Good sounds although the voice sounds a little out of the space of it I still enjoyed this song.

l.r.f. - Sounds like a lost jam recording from Head on the Door in pre-prod.

Max the Cat - "Old, stale, tundra cold" is a great lyric and the music makes me feel like I'm stepping out into the -9 degree celsius weather here in T.O. 8)

Mediteranium - The vocals sound like they could be sharpened up in the high mids, but the music, although kind of head boppy reminds me of Euro-trash Disco and not a snow fort.

X-Tokyo-River-God - The inverted sounds are very cool with the spoken word and give me the feeling of a dark snowy night in a park hiding in a snow fort that some kids built during the day that I'm using to shoot up in. 8)

Vote is between 8LO and 40SS. 40SS takes it cuz I felt so bad for Jonathon on the snow day. Max was third.

Good fight! Thanks for the music.
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Post by HeuristicsInc »

new expanded-half-assed review format.

1: scott helm (vocals a little off, but catchy and good anyway)
max (cool)
chopshop (weird, very weird)
lrf (interesting)
40ss (awesome)
8lo (neat instrumentation, vocals fit well)
2: medit (music is great, vocals not as much)
xtrg (didn't like it at all the first time, but now i do)
ok: impud (didn't grab me)

my vote went to 40 second songs!
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Post by j$ »

I really loved xtrg's song this week. Really clever build on the swell kept my interest and not being able to hear the words made no difference to my enjoyment of the song, indeed it made it creppier. Like little girl ghosts whispering from the next room ... good stuff - that is proper soundscaping in my book ...

j$
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My (second) feedback

Post by MintyHandy »

40 Second Songs:

+++ The synthesizer line makes my head explode with joy!
+++ Loose, jangly vocals feel warm and inviting
+++ Makes me feel like I'm being asked to join the gang
/// Polyphonic Spree meets Presidents of the United States meets my inner child
/// Wish I could write percussion like this, minimalist yet compelling

L.R.F.

/// The eighties are back, and not just on VH1
+++ I appreciate use of actual drums instead of drum machine
--- Must be very cold day, as vocals muffled by a particularly thick scarf
/// Looking forward to louder vocals and some harmonies next time

Max The Cat

+++ Technically pretty good, nice arrangement
--- Too much talking, not enough singing
+++ Enjoyable when there's singing going on, though
/// Speaking can work (see Soul Coughing) but this doesn't for me

Impudence

/// A lot of background noise with some music hidden inside
/// Do right by your talent and learn home recording 101

Eight-legged Oedipus

+++ Beck, is that you?
+++ Fun, bouncy, hooky, terrific
--- Loses a bit around puddles of blood and such
+++ But then it comes back and I start dancing again
/// Beck and M. Doughty's mutual cousin says "hi"

xtokyorivergod

/// Bonus track from "The Ring" soundtrack
--- Not much of a song
+++ But creepy as hell
/// I won't temp you, I promise, just don't say the one word

The Incoherent Mumblings

/// Hard to judge, because the singer's voice reminds me of me, and I hate listening to my own voice
+++ Interesting song, better than many
--- Not as cohesive or melodic as the best in this group, and too long
/// Listen to 40 Second Songs and Eight-legged Oedipus in this contest, and know you're -thisclose- to crossing into that territory

Mediteraniem

+++ Synth and drums makes it more interesting than it might otherwise be
+++ The vocals remind me of They Might Be Giants
--- Unfortunately, the lyrics do not
--- Wandering guitar wanders too far
/// Like The Incoherent Mumblings, you're -thisclose- to top tier; think brevity, and follow your penchant for oddity further

ChopShopera

+++ Reaching for big things with this arrangement
--- Production quality keeps you from getting all the way there
--- Oh, now it's just gotten kind of random
--- And stays there


Very, very close. A teensy tiny bit of positive childlike glee gives my vote to 40 Second Songs, but Eight-legged Oedipus almost had it. Both terrific songs, really, and both are now in my music collection. The Incoherent Mumblings and Mediteraniem would be neck and neck in a field without those first two.
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Post by jb »

<b>Forty Second Songs</b> your song is really great. I had to listen to it twice in a row it was so good.

PUT ON YOUR SNOW PANTS, COME ON, LET'S GO!

JB
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Niveous
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Post by Niveous »

Congrats on the win 40 Secs.

And a gigantic thank you to the Fightmasters for making my song a FM Pick. I feel so honored. :D
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