Review Faster (Run Faster Reviews)

[Me$$iah]

Hey,

All good songs this week and a lot of em too

Im not gonna review em properly so:-

Deshead -great as usual
CCS - Oh yes very good
Poor June -New mics Your just sounding better all the time
Edge of LA -Good Rock tune
Humbert -Beautiful guitar work
Andre -Needs more work
Jim Varney -Annoying vox
DDDog -nice snare rolls wheres the rest
Jack Shite -everybody love dem fiddles
C. Layne -Nice Bvox needs tighning tho
Historyman -I like your unusual style
fluffy Porc -Good song Dead abrasive sounding mix
Kapitano -Really good dude Great sounds
Children of God -Heavy as
Roymond -Top tune The rap is good
Honestand -Excellent bass riff
David Over -Top draw
Wreckdom -Catchy
Abecedarian -Too many voices good song
Location -Good song I like the drums
Johnny Cashpoint -Really loose and it works good
Lonlobby -Good experiment Did ya learn Now wat is that effect
Boltoph -Good song sems to be missing somthing tho


Good fight tough choice

My vote goes to:-

Well im just not telling

Kapitano Deshead CCS Location

Just soooo many good songs

[Edge of LA]

Abecedarian would have been better for me with tighter harmonies good guitar work

Dee Dee Dogg I couldn’t really find a melody in this one oh... there’s the poop line

C. Layne nice and bouncy mambo #5. Opening vocals were good but could have been tighter. I might have downloaded this. I’ll have to double check my work computer. I like the production of this song. All synth? Okay, the rhythm got to be a little droning and could use a bit of dynamics.

Historyman vocals are too low in the beginning. Very Oom Pah Pah! Points for the calyopy (?) Vocals are flat.

David ‘Over nicely creative. The lead vocals could have been brought more up front in the mix. And the upper vocals are a bit toooo up front.

Roymond feat Abom. nothing for me to critique here. Well done.

Location x3 this is also well done. It just didn’t grab me enough to download it.

Andre was here no melody here for me.

fluffy porcupine The opening bassline reminded me of The Chili Peppers. Although I didn’t download this, I caught myself singing it when I woke up Saturday morning.... Apparently a good job was done on this. A thousand curses!!! LOL

Kapitano Nicely done. This takes me back to my highschool days... yeah, that would be the 80s. The vocals could be tighter.

Humbert Very Falco... Der Kommisar! Whoo oh ohhhh. Very Good job! Okay gets to be a little long. This must be the hyperextended dance club remix.

Poor June nice production work . I think your songs are constructed well, and you vocals are coming along. Keep at it.

Wreckdom initially, I passed this one up cuz I didn’t like the yelling. But its funny enough!

Jim Varney All Stars - chipmunky

Honest Abe et al. groooooovin! I like this one. Nothing constructive to add here... okay maybe more guitar in the mix.[/code]

[historyman68]

Ping-pong style, backwards and forwards alphabetically.

abecedarian: creed style harmonies, when they work. nice coda.
engrossing beginning. a swearing superhero is cool. a lot of good moments: "I can run Faster than you" part, with backup vox.
Would Like to Listen to Again: definitely.

wreckdom: when abecedarian swore, it was in character. So was this, but I didn't like it here. The first time I was interested in what was gonna happen next. The second time, without the element of surprise or expectation, you got nothing. except the funny lines about finding your Shakra and drinking responsibly.
Would Like to Listen to Again: nope.

Andre was here at midnight: interesting, in a pavement kind of way. Even though nothing is quite together, all in all it's fairly compelling. Your voice is similarly not that great, and it kind of falls together near the end, but works at the end. Second time, I kind of lose interest.
Would Like to Listen to Again: Sure, why not.

roymond feat. abadtraom: Right off the bat, I can tell you're serious. second section doesn't fare quite as well. but the rap is great. and the french lady ... for some reason? Again, I'm not as excited the second time, but I do appreciate the production.
Would Like to Listen to Again: maybe in a bit.

boltoph: hot beat, man! but the vocals and lyrics don't quite stand up to the same standard. very R.E.M. harmonies. gets kind of tedious by end. Second time listening, got more into it, esp last verse.
Would Like to Listen to Again: Yes, I think I would "get into it" more.

Poor June: I'm starting to like your voice. But that chorus synth effect has got to go. Ooh, great backup vocals. The atmosphere is great. The chorus is quite nice. You've got a lot of potential, man. The organ at the end could be powerful.
Would Like to Listen to Again: Yes, preferably after my girlfriend dumps me.

Carol Cleveland: AHHHHHH! your song just attacked me! when it slows down is a great transition. A very visual song. The song wants to go on!
Would Like to Listen to Again: yep.

Lonlobby etc.: Quite a groove you got going, there. Evocative of Air. Nice chromaticism. Best use of the title so far. "when I kiss you my blood runs faster" This is perfect formula chill-out, except the vox. But I think the autotune works, largely.
Would Like to Listen to Again: definitely. and play for other people.

Children of God: Edgy! Definite hardcore edge here. Like NIN, Chemical Bros, I dunno? Oh, crap. No, you lost it. Not into the screaming. I would prefer that you gently sing or croon in contrast to the loud guitars that started off so promisingly. I like your fusion of electronic and heavy guitars. I guess I'm just looking for something maybe more NIN, more tuneful. Cause as of right now, it's unlistenable. Some people may be into the screaming, but not me.
Would Like to Listen to Again: if you put in a different, more tuneful vocal track.

Location Location Location: Sounds like the beginning of an emo song. But a pretty good one (oxymoron?). I love the backup vocals. The drums do not need a delay. But there is no dynamics. Taking Back Sunday (to pick a random emo band) has loud and soft parts. You know what, team up with Children of God, because they sound like the loud part, and you're the soft part. Oh man, I just need those loud distorted guitar. C'mon! Scream! Please?
Would Like to Listen to Again: with less emo expectations.

C. Layne: you and your silly harmonies. Haha yes I was hoping you'd go into nice rhythm stuff. Man, I need tablas! Someone please make a tabla mix of this song! Other than that, it's a nice groove. All of these songfight songs are just making me want more dynamics. You know, loud and soft. But you are still quite good. Just not quite notable enough.
Would Like to Listen to Again: yeah.

Kapitano: I think there's a nice voice there, somewhere, under that mix. If your goal, like 1995-era R.E.M., is to be inaudible, then you're doing a good job. But other than that, you have a nice New Wave groove, though honestly it sounds kind of empty. By halfway through, I've lost interest. Sorry.
Would Like to Listen to Again: Sure. I might get more out of it then.

David 'Over: Does that stand for, like, do-over? Oohh, I'm a big fan of the a capella. Gutsy move (I've been there). As in the one I did back in the day (Under the Horse) the lyrics were completely besides the point. But you have a really nice atmosphere going. Sounds like the soundtrack to a movie on slavery or something weird.
Would Like to Listen to Again: Definitely.

Johnny Cashpoint: Nice cowboy chord progression. But it doesn't sound quite J$ professional. I like a lot of elements of it. This seems like it has some basic mixing issues. But maybe not. What do I know about mixing.
Would Like to Listen to Again: yeah, i'd like to.

Dee Dee Dog: Hey, did I press start? I must have, because the slider is at the right... But I honestly don't remember anything of the song I just heard.
Would Like to Listen to Again: Would I?

Jim Varney: I appreciate the 50s do-wop progression. But it's kind of hard for me to appreciate the voice. It's mixed kind of weird, but has a nice charm. I like the soloing guitar, unaware that the song is about to end. In a few years you could become the next Carol Cleveland Sings. But no sooner.
Would Like to Listen to Again: sure.

DesHead: Oh man, this is a driving song. This grabs my attention immediately. Is this the one about a man's internal organ? I like it. Organific. Wasn't there something in Fight Club (the book as well as the movie) about this? This is a great song structure, as well as progression, etc. I like this song a lot. Unlike a few others I just listened to, this has everything: instrumentation (love the organ), drums, vocal harmonies... everything works. On this listen.
Would Like to Listen to Again: Yes!

Edge of LA: The synth drums are killing this. Though I do like the $6 mil. reference. The synth drum fills should not be happening either. I'm sorry. This is competent. But hardly. Guitar solo not bad.
Would Like to Listen to Again: yeah.

Jack Shite: Wow. Hot stuff. I am a big fan of the fiddle music. The voice could be mixed a little higher; it could be a little better, too. But I like it. I'd like to hear you do a cover of "Fitter Happier" this style. This is getting under my skin. Great stuff, man.
Would Like to Listen to Again: I'll be durned if I don't!

Fluffy Porcupine: Ooh, the syncing isn't quite there. Someone mentioned the RHCH bassline, and I can't not hear it now. It sounds pretty good though. I like your drums. But your song is not really grabbing me quite that much. My dad says "good sound. Sounds like interesting lyrics." I suppose the lyrics may be enough to sustain it. I like the drum break at the end of the song.
Would Like to Listen to Again: yeah.

Honestabe + Emanciraptors: not a bad groove. The bass is hot. Don't really have any specific comments. Nice guitar stuff. I like it, though.
Would Like to Listen to Again: yeah, for sure!

Historyman: That's me. And I just happened to have managed to make it the very last one I listened to, going completely by my oddball ping-pong order. That's pretty cool. Oh, except Humbert. Well, I'll get to him in a second. But first, me.
Yeah, the vocals are kinda quiet. I like the drums. And lots of dynamic changes, which is what I like. I like the drums in the second part too. But yeah the vocals are still quiet. I really should have done something about that. And the tremolo piano is something cool. I like the weird switch-ups from 3/4 to 4/4 and back again. And the "remembers." And the chord progression right after it.
Would Like to Listen to Again: Of course!

Humbert: I kinda like the groove. But I kinda don't. You see, this is why I did the kind of entry I did. Because I like changes. Though I see you do too.
I like your lyrics. Your style is fun. But I'm not sure if it really quite holds together. The chromaticism is just unnecessary, though. Or is it? I think this would probably be nice for background again.
Would Like to Listen to Again: No reason not to.

still have no idea who i'm going to vote for.

[c.layne]

finally, i'm going to try to finish these.

dee dee dog
weird.. and boring... at the same time!

deshead
vocals sound forced. the production is very nice, but the song itself really grates on me for some reason. i'm pretty sure it's just the vocals.

edge of la
this is actually my favorite of the fight so far. production is a bit muddy, the guitar is pretty run of the mill and blah blah blah. but i think it's your singing that seals the deal and really pulls it all together. has a very late 70's-early 80's indie feel to it.

fluff
abom's got you beat in song length, but other than his track and the one LEF song that's like 5000 minutes long, this is 3rd longest i've ever seen on here. but... wait. it says 3:32 on the scroller, but 9:18 on the playlist. wtf? i guess i'll find out here pretty soon. i love the hugeness of the sound going on here. sounds like a bunch of well-controlled noise, which is pleasant. this would be a rad song to hear live. ok, yeah it wasn't 9 minutes long... that's weird! with a little better production (it sounds like there's a lot of clipping going on) this would be totally friggin awesome, instead of just plain old friggin' awesome.

historyman
quirky, but there wasn't anything that i took away from this. the talking that repeats the singing is silly... this was just kind of boring. maybe it was lyrically driven, which never grabs me.

honest abe
ooh, this is interesting. great sound on the bass, and the drumming is fairly imaginative. wow, this is a cool song. don't really having anything to say as far as critiquing goes. keep this stuff up.

humbert
i really didn't enjoy this at first, but i dig the drum machining going on when that finally kicks in. the panning on the organ doesn't seem to follow the rhythm, which makes it distracting more than anything else. this is definitely creepy.

jack shite
i've actually heard this one. a buddy of mine visited the site earlier this week and told me to listen to this, which i did. and i agree with what he said, the music is definitely very fun, but i can't understand a damn thing you say except for 'run faster, try a little harder...something something sisters and brothers" which sounds like it's pretty frequent, but it'd be nice to understand the rest. lots of springs going on... or is that jew's harp? is it even still called a jew's harp? or did PC kill that? actually, i don't care. fun song.

jim varney allstars
...yuck

J$
you have a distinctive voice, especially 'round these parts. didn't have to look at the player to see who it was. the deep vocals seem to cut off abruptly, was that intentional? not much to say about this, sounds a bit like some of the quirkier floyd.

kapitano
vocals are very sunken in the mix. sounds pretty standard 80's british .. erm, forgive me if i got my genre's mixed up.. new-wave-ish. don't really have much to say about this either, other than perhaps turn the vocals up a bit.

LLL
really pretty guitar pickin'. 'how it feels to be something on'-era sunny day is the vibe i'm getting. which i definitely dig, and don't hear too much of around here. i guess it's what you'd call emo, but that word doesn't even mean anything these days, kind of like punk. but written pre-2000 this would've qualified under that classification. anyhow, i'm blabbing. i really, really like this, and have no critiquing to do.

lonbobby
ooh, this is nice! it seems like i'm comparing everything to something.. bad habit, i guess.. but this is very AIR-ish. i consider that to be among the best compliments i can give somebody doing stuff like this. word up, dude, this is awesome... oh, and if anyone gave you shit about the auto-tune, i thought you did a good job with it.

poor june
you've got fantastic sense when it comes to composition when it comes to piano, but i rarely feel drawn in when you do songs like this. and my main gripe i think is the tone of the piano. it's very tinny, and doesn't have any body to it, mostly on the low end. but, other than that this is really pretty, and your vocals are sounding 100x better with the new mic.

roymond
this is one of the few i listened to when the fight was posted, and i really dig it. your songs always have this really strange aura surrounding your music that i really dig. and the rapping fits in surprisingly well. guitar has a really great tone to it. this shit is weird, but i love it.

wreckdom
heheh, standard fare from you guys. funny, but musically unsound. this place wouldn't be the same without you.

FRIGGIN HELL, there you go, sorry for the delay!

[j$]

J$
the deep vocals seem to cut off abruptly, was that intentional? not much to say about this, sounds a bit like some of the quirkier floyd.

I dunno, I write an honest song for the first time and people get a bit 'whatever' ...

this is the only song I have ever recorded stoned. the deep vocals are Mr Andy Balham. (Shame on those of you who thought it was me). The weird reverb is a result of a last minute mix of some mp3s when I realised with a few hours to go that the cd full of tasty wavs I had recorded chez Balham wasn't working. I applied my usual technique only to realise after mp3 was sent that there was room 'verb already on the files. This is a great song, possibly the best i've ever written imo, and when it gets no votes, I shall be validated. "Whatever comes next you only have yourselves to blame' he screamed rather trollishly in a German accent....

[c.layne]

don't get me wrong, i liked it, but it didn't excite me.

i think the deep vocals cutting off may very well have been where i expected to hear more reverb but the .wav cut out.

[j$]

don't get me wrong, i liked it, but it didn't excite me.

i think the deep vocals cutting off may very well have been where i expected to hear more reverb but the .wav cut out.

I trimmed it deliberately to have a stutter on the word 'war' but it didn't quite come off.

Mine was a more general comment on the reviews so far, not a personal reference, c lyane. Don't worry, I'm drunk. It will pass.

j$

[c.layne]

i love it when you call me c lyane, you silly drunken man.

[jack]

finally, i'm going to try to finish these.

jack shite
i've actually heard this one. a buddy of mine visited the site earlier this week and told me to listen to this, which i did. and i agree with what he said, the music is definitely very fun, but i can't understand a damn thing you say except for 'run faster, try a little harder...something something sisters and brothers" which sounds like it's pretty frequent, but it'd be nice to understand the rest. lots of springs going on... or is that jew's harp? is it even still called a jew's harp? or did PC kill that? actually, i don't care. fun song.

"run faster
try a little harder
another year's gone
and left behind
toast to you
my sisters and brothers
may fame and fortune
and happiness you find"

i kept the vocals muddy to make it sound like a hoedown recorded in a barn or something. i was going for the fake live over the clean studio sound, although i wish i had brought the fiddles down a bit and balanced the other stuff a bit more. but the vox are intentionally sort of ambiguous in addition to being repetitive and droney

hey, thanks to everyone that reviewed. much appreciated. good fight!

and heh, eric (the guy who played it) calls it a jew's harp (and he's jewish) but i prefer to the more PC correct juice harp. thanks c layne.

[Caravan Ray]

and heh, eric (the guy who played it) calls it a jew's harp (and he's jewish) but i prefer to the more PC correct juice harp. thanks c layne.

I've noticed at fish markets occasionally, that jewfish are sometimes being sold as dhufish. Which is wrong, because they're different fish. And both different to what Americans called a jewfish which is now called a goliath grouper. Which is weird because Goliath was a Philistine who got killed by a Jew.

And blackfish are becoming more commonly referred to as luderick. And never niggerfish or darkies, which is what my mother told me they used to be commonly known as.

I'm glad sooty grunters are still called sooty grunters though. That name always makes me giggle.

[Adam!]

Lude Rick... Niggerfish... Sooty Grunters...

I've added all of these to the Worst Band Names thread.

[thehipcola]

I apologize for not having time to review this fight...'cuz it pretty much blew me away top to bottom. ok, except for maybe 2 or 3 tracks.

A lot of personal bests here, in my opinion. Thanks for the great music!

[johnsonic]

buttz. nothin' but buttz, larry, billy, and of course, my good friend al. Alot of this stuff, seriously, listen to your voice... does it sound good? Does it sound like you know what you're doing, what note you want to hit? I'm severely lost here, but I can't believe that so many people have let themselves go with such note reachin' stuff. AND,(I'm a newbie) what freaks me out is so many people say they like these peoples valiant effort of hitting these notes. Anyway, I just threw 3 toons into this sys over the last few weeks, and I'm PSYCHED having something completely random given to write about makes it worth it. BUT, writing for songwriters is like painting for painters, like art for arts' sake. I suspect you'll see me around from time-to-time again, but I'm getting maaaad bizzy with my band, and have about 4 hours a night for sleep, on a good night. Don't think any of you will miss me. I hope to have a song or two that fits within the week format and coincidentally fits the theme of the week, Anyway, find some people and play live.

ROK

[j$]

Wait until you come down, then retype this so it makes something akin to sense.

[erik]

I'm severely lost here, but I can't believe that so many people have let themselves go with such note reachin' stuff.

It's quite simple.

Not everyone has the same opinions on what should be valued in a song.

[Andy Balham]

this is the only song I have ever recorded stoned.

Welcome to my world of rock and roll decadance.

the deep vocals are Mr Andy Balham. (Shame on those of you who thought it was me).

The masquerade has given me much amusement, but I take all the nice comments personally

[deshead]

writing for songwriters is like painting for painters, like art for arts' sake.

"Art for art's sake" would be more like "songwriting for trees" or "painting for penguins," where the artist cares naught about the reception his work receives, and is free to simply create.

I don't get the rest of your post, though. Are you saying goodbye, or just expressing frustration at the judging process?

Don't think any of you will miss me

FWIW, I've enjoyed all your submissions.

[c.layne]

CONGRATULATIONS!! to CCS!

[deshead]

CONGRATULATIONS!! to CCS!

Seconded! Good fight all around.

[Edge of LA]

Ditto. Congrats to CCS and everyone in the fight! There were a lot of songs to split 101 votes.

[Me$$iah]

An mee

congrats to CCS

good fight

[nicegeoff]

wow, kids...thanks for the comments & votes...I'm even more confused about what qualifies as a "winning" song now.