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Latest Music Reviews
These are the latest 15 reviews that we've completed.
To read a review, click on the song name.
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Genre: Folk
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Nibbish gave a score of 3.58 / 10. Comments were:
Michael Dyer cares about the earth. Fantastic. Is the music he's penned to declare his caring any good? Unfortunately, I can't recommend it. The backbeat sounds tinny and fake. It isn't really fooling anyone, and desperately needs to be revamped. A real drummer - or at the very least a well sequenced drum machine - would do wonders for this song's listenability. The lyrics start out very trite, way too rhyme reaching. They get better, but he initial bad taste really never goes away. The vocals, like most of the rest of the song, aren't very well mixed. They sound like a live recording in a church or similar venue. Overall, the song needs a lot of work. I appreciate the message Mr. Dyer wants to get across, but he's going to have to polish things up a bit before he is able to make a good musical statement. As it stands, this song doesn't do that.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5.5, Recording: 3.5, Freshness: 3.5, Vocals: 3.5, Musicianship: 3, XFactor: 2.5
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Christian Lowensprung gave a score of 2.25 / 10. Comments were:
My review is for Earthsong II, since the original Earthsong is gone. The song, sounds dull, and flat with a regular guitar rambling in the background. There is also an ordinary electronic bass present, which suffer from the same attributes as the guitar does. The worst though, are the male vocals. He actually sounds really bored with what he is doing. He probably recorded the same song 20 or 30 so times, and at the last take, they actually got it. He by then sounds so drastically tired of the whole thing, that it actually sounds like he couldn't care less what kind of performance he actually gave through the microphone. So there you have it. A song which tried to be liked by its own staff, but failed miserably. I wonder if Earthsong 1 got a bit better treatment?
Scoring: Songcraft: 4.5, Recording: 2, Freshness: 2.5, XFactor: 0
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Jonathan Sanders gave a score of 5.37 / 10. Comments were:
Reviewed "Hummingbird In Flight." This is an interesting instrumental piece, but the guitar just seems to be noodling. I know that may be what a hummingbird in flight would do, but it's not something I'd want to hear for even the short three minute running length more than a time or two. If this kind of thing's your cup of tea however you might find it more interesting ... but folk it is not.
Scoring: Songcraft: 4.5, Recording: 6.5, Freshness: 5, Musicianship: 5.5, XFactor: 5.5
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nb gave a score of 4.25 / 10. Comments were:
A song for the past lovers of earth and then its about her dying or fear of dying ...too many ideas in one song. I would stick with the lamenting idea. A self reflective song which is ok. Melodically quite repetitive could use a bridge as it really drags. A demo quality production the guitars out of tune in parts and needs work on timing. Sounds like a jam a work in progress.
Scoring: Songcraft: 4.5, Recording: 4, Freshness: 3, Vocals: 5.5, Musicianship: 5, XFactor: 5
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The Goat gave a score of 3.91 / 10. Comments were:
A very messy recording, and an overly long and tiring seven minute arrangement mars this track for me. Poor eq means the vocals don't "cut" thru the lower mid-range instrumentation -- when the electronic percussion comes in, it detracts from the melody and lyrics again -- sorry ... but while I appreciate the effort and the sentiment, this one loses out for me.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5, Recording: 2.5, Freshness: 4.5, Vocals: 5, Musicianship: 5, XFactor: 1.5
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Genre: Hip-Hop
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Christian Lowensprung gave a score of 4.12 / 10. Comments were:
Couldn't find the song in question, so I am reviewing Have fun wit Chall." I don't know if Chall is a name, and "wit" is a case of badly written English, or the song is translated from slang "have fun with you all," or if it is a little case of both. In any case this is plain hip-hop fare, with a loop in the background and a guy who can talk fast. Nothing really breathtaking about it. If you are into people who talk fast, then this is for you.
Scoring: Songcraft: 2.5, Recording: 3, Freshness: 5, XFactor: 6
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Nibbish gave a score of 4.91 / 10. Comments were:
Please note: 'Underdog' was unavailable on the artist's MySpace, so I'm reviewing 'Bring It Back', instead. We're brought a nice, piano-driven beat to start things off. The rapper has an easy way about him, and his lyrics, while fairly standard "I rule" nonsense, have a certain sense of wit to them. All of this makes the next portion of the song so infuriating/saddening. Hip-hop songs live and die by the chorus, and this song NEEDS a different chorus. I understand that the name of the song is 'Bring it Back', but there's really no reason to repeat that phrase 24 (!) times and call it a chorus. That's repetitive and monotonous, and it hurts the song greatly, considering that we hear the chorus 3 times in all (making for almost 80 times in all). The verses have flair, the beat is groovy, and the song shows promise (except for the drastic cut off ending... perhaps this flows into another song??). Without a different chorus, though, I can't even see this sog as filler on a successful CD.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6.5, Recording: 6.5, Freshness: 4, Vocals: 6, Musicianship: 6.5, XFactor: 4.5
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BillyJean gave a score of 7.91 / 10. Comments were:
Very Fresh new music. Something in his vocals reminds you of John Legend.
Scoring: Songcraft: 8, Recording: 7.5, Freshness: 9, Vocals: 8, Musicianship: 8.5, XFactor: 7
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Jonathan Sanders gave a score of 4.75 / 10. Comments were:
"Underdog" isn't there anymore, so I'm reviewing "Secrets." The rhymes are way up in the mix, compared to the beats, but he's got a great background vocalist, and his rhythmic style is to go fairly slow over the beat, which helps out the listener in following what he's got to say. But he tends to lack rhyming skills. A dictionary might have helped out, since he tends to rhyme me with me and drugs and drugs, not to mention "boom boom" (sex) and "boom boom" (percussion). In the end this becomes a one time listen, not much more or less.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5.5, Recording: 6, Freshness: 4.5, Vocals: 4.5, XFactor: 4
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nb gave a score of 7.83 / 10. Comments were:
The link went to Secrets. The groove settles in nicely and the rhyme flows easily and effortlessly and the word is thought out and intelligent. The chorus of the gorgeous sultry female voice is deluxe and rich and really lifts the song giving it an instant hook. This has big time written all over it. Accessible to a crossover pop audience with ease. Well written and produced..overall great job congratulations. nb
Scoring: Songcraft: 7.5, Recording: 8, Freshness: 7, Vocals: 8.5, Musicianship: 8, XFactor: 8
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Genre: Heavy Metal
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Nibbish gave a score of 6.2 / 10. Comments were:
Parum mixes in grungy lo-fi hard rock with metal riffs and growling in 'How Time Slips Away'. The voice is appropriately dire, and while it's not pretty by any stretch, it does the job. The riffs are all well played, but none of them catch the ear that much, either by technical skill or hookiness. There's a slight run toward the end of the song that has a little flash. I'd like to see that expanded upon. I think this song could stand to be looked into further, stretch things out a bit, don't be afraid to meander a little. This isn't a pop song, and it doesn't have to be treated like one. There's a good foundation here, there just needs to be a little more built upon it.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 5.5, Freshness: 6, Vocals: 6.5, Musicianship: 7, XFactor: 7
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E n V o L gave a score of 3.83 / 10. Comments were:
The Metal is there, but it's old and been done before. No certain something special...
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 6, Freshness: 3, Vocals: 3, Musicianship: 5, XFactor: 0
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The Captain gave a score of 5.25 / 10. Comments were:
Metal is tiring to listen to; it must be absolutely exhausting to play. Parum's offering here, entitled 'How Time Slips Away' starts the race at 100 miles an hour and never slows during its 3:05 course. Actually, it even manages to kick it up a few notches, not in tempo but in intensity, when the refrain hits. Due to three elements I find this to be a more attractive than most metal numbers I've reviewed. The voice sings for much of the track, reserving the screamo affectation for latter portions. Secondly, the beat on the refrain, with the double stroked rhythm is kicking; I quite like that. Finally, the lead work is quite good. All said and done, though, like most metal it mars its art by creating an intensity that makes distinction of sound difficult to achieve or to receive.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 5.5, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 5.5, Musicianship: 7, XFactor: 4
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Axeman gave a score of 3.5 / 10. Comments were:
Maybe if Parum had it made it more obvious that he was trying to be a Spinal Tapesque parody of metal, doing a bad imnitation of Bruce Dickinson, i might have given him high marks. Cause the song was actually kinda fun, and i started laughing uncontrolably mid-way through. I just don't think it was laughter he was going for. This might have gone over well 20 years ago. But time slips away, dude, and it's time to move on.
Scoring: Songcraft: 4, Recording: 4, Freshness: 3.5, Vocals: 2.5, Musicianship: 5, XFactor: 3
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MongoKnowsRecords gave a score of 7.58 / 10. Comments were:
parum and "Time Slips Away". Right into the stream of the metal world. Everything's very tight here - well recorded - mornful voice waifing across a landscape of nails. Well done for this genre but nothing really new here. parum certainly has the skills - try expanding beyound the forms.
Out of 9 Bonez - Mongo gives 90
Scoring: Songcraft: 7.5, Recording: 7.5, Freshness: 6.5, Vocals: 7.5, Musicianship: 9, XFactor: 9
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Genre: Power Pop
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nb gave a score of 5.5 / 10. Comments were:
To my ear this song is much more country rock than power pop. The harmonies really lift and the solo is standard fare. Your chorus is solid burning deep inside of you a good hook and the playing tight. Pleasant enough and would appeal to most.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 6, Freshness: 4, Vocals: 6, Musicianship: 6, XFactor: 5.5
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Ms. Commerciality gave a score of 6.33 / 10. Comments were:
When this song first started I instantly thought of the Monkeys. I don't know why. Maybe because the song had a really nice, fun, up-tempo feeling and I liked it. I also thought that, overall, the recording quality was good. Production ok. The instrumental section I had a few issues with. Nothing too major. I felt that having 2 solo guitars at the beginning there led to fighting for my attention. I didn't really care for that. Once one guitar came our or went to the background chords, I enjoyed it better, but I would have liked the solo guitar to come forward in the mix more. Listening to the lyrics I again had a bit of an issue. Why would you be all these things and why would you "always be with you". That question really needs to be answered somewhere in the song. Otherwise, I felt this was a really good start here! Good job!
Scoring: Songcraft: 5, Recording: 8, Freshness: 8, Vocals: 7, Musicianship: 7, XFactor: 5
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MongoKnowsRecords gave a score of 5.91 / 10. Comments were:
Sort of a Power-Pop-Country - goes the Weasel. To canned for Mongo. There's some good musicians hiding in this tune - but to Mongo's ears - less is more. The song is canned as well, almost as if GE5 is trying to write and perform what they thing somebody else - in a Glass Tower - wants to hear... Not for me my dear..
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 7, Freshness: 5.5, Vocals: 6, Musicianship: 6.5, XFactor: 5
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Christian Lowensprung gave a score of 5.25 / 10. Comments were:
This song falls flat between the good, and the bad. There is nothing really enticing about this song, nor is it totally dreadful: I have heard so many songs like this before that it is just sad. I Will Always Be With You isn't bad in any case. There is just too many of these songs on rotation. I'll handle this to the other 4 on here, since, I have heard enough already.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6.5, Recording: 4.5, Freshness: 4.5, XFactor: 5.5
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Miss CindyKnows gave a score of 8.75 / 10. Comments were:
Very catchy song that I found myself humming after it was over. The vocal harmonies were tight, and the overall blend and balance is very good. The lyrics are full of good imagery, and fit very well in the context of the song. I'd like to hear some more from the GE5 to see if they can follow this song up with another strong one. The harmonies remind me a little of the Bodeans or possibley the Hooters, and the jangly 12 strings are reminiscent of some Petty or Beatles sound. While the sound isn't new, it is still put into a new context, which give it a fresh yet familiar.
Scoring: Songcraft: 8.5, Recording: 9, Freshness: 8.5, Vocals: 9, Musicianship: 8.5, XFactor: 9.5
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Genre: World
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MongoKnowsRecords gave a score of 10 / 10. Comments were:
Wow. Woke Mongo up from nap he been taken for about two years. This is where your Karma runs over your Dogma. Most excellent. Take listener were-ever they want to go - nice ambient dreamer music. Shaki meets the Gods enterance to Valhalah. Out of ten bonez - 72
Scoring: Songcraft: 10, Recording: 10, Freshness: 10, Vocals: 10, Musicianship: 10, XFactor: 10
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Christian Lowensprung gave a score of 8.62 / 10. Comments were:
This is a very beautiful song, even though the language escapes me. It sort of works as a choir, chant, dance kind of thing, but fits in the genre world music. The record quality of everything sounds crisp, and the nice reverb added, gives the impression that this was recorded live. Lokah has here made their first step, standing right beside artists like Enigma, Era, Deep Forest and even Dead can Dance. The artist asked me to please check out their CD "The Ivy Ceiling". If the CD is half as good as this track, I have a lot to look forward to I'm sure. This act, and music gets my ""Highly Recommended"" mark.
Scoring: Songcraft: 7.5, Recording: 8, Freshness: 9, XFactor: 10
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Andy Chapman gave a score of 6 / 10. Comments were:
'Lokah' is an interesting listen. The authors are experimenting with sounds, meters, layered vocals and rhythms, all within the context of the world music genre. There's a well constructed and eccentric fusion of Indian and modern western styling that creates an uplifting and positive vibe. The recording is lacking a bit of sparkle, and I didn't quite feel connected with the song, but overall I certainly recommend visiting their site and giving Lokah a listen.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 5, Freshness: 6.5, Vocals: 7, Musicianship: 7, XFactor: 5.5
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g.mstrflash gave a score of 9.08 / 10. Comments were:
Introduction to a completely new type of music. Out of this world. Gotta listen to it, to understand how Lokah is redefining the music scene one song at a time.
Scoring: Songcraft: 8.5, Recording: 8.5, Freshness: 9.5, Vocals: 9.5, Musicianship: 9, XFactor: 10
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BillyJean gave a score of 9.16 / 10. Comments were:
WOW--unlike anything I've ever heard! This song makes you want to hear more. Soothing vocals flow perfectly with an eclectic mix of music. Despite not knowing what the lyrics actually translated to (The lyrics were in Sanskrit, as the group is influenced by the ancient art of Kirtan, the energy from the artists makes you feel you clearly understand what they are singing.
Scoring: Songcraft: 8, Recording: 9.5, Freshness: 10, Vocals: 9.5, Musicianship: 9, XFactor: 10
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Genre: Electronic
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MongoKnowsRecords gave a score of 2.62 / 10. Comments were:
Holy Zooks. The Businessmen should stick to the Bikes. Sort of trying to catch the eighties with your computer. Next...
Scoring: Songcraft: 4.5, Recording: 4, Freshness: 1.5, Musicianship: 4.5, XFactor: 0.5
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Christian Lowensprung gave a score of 3.37 / 10. Comments were:
The song doesn't start before 5 seconds have passed. Don't know if this is intentional, or if the artist forgot to drag the song to the beginning of the recording queue. Ah well, businessmen on bicycles is a cute tune, with some random beats and twinks that you'd expect from electronic music. Kind of new style Kraftwerk. But I guess that is where the appraisal ends. The thing that doesn't give this song top score is that the mix sounds a bit strange. Some instruments are way too high, and others way too low. There is also something that can be said about the record quality, but I am not going to say it, since just listening to the track seems to be enough. Good attempt though, and will fit well with the jungle of electronic stuff already available from different artists worldwide.
Scoring: Songcraft: 4, Recording: 2.5, Freshness: 4, XFactor: 3
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Andy Chapman gave a score of 4 / 10. Comments were:
'Silver City' is a quirky and moody little tune, with 80's style synth sounds and drums that could be coming straight from a Casio keyboard. It reminds me of something The Flaming Lips might have created... but without the charisma. It's not as though Silver City is painful to listen to, but it doesn't really grab the imagination or the heart strings.
Scoring: Songcraft: 4, Recording: 4, Freshness: 5, Musicianship: 4.5, XFactor: 3
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Axeman gave a score of 5.87 / 10. Comments were:
This is a mixed bag. I like the main theme/riff, it's kind of catchy. Overall, though, i sense the artists lack a degree of focus. The first part of the song is pretty raw, then it softens to a more atmospheric tone, closer to the Vangelis and Tangerine Dream influences cired by the band. Then, back again. It could be they're trying to accomplish too much--i dunno. Some promise, needs refinement.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5.5, Recording: 7, Freshness: 5.5, Musicianship: 6.5, XFactor: 5.5
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Norm Bowler gave a score of 4.62 / 10. Comments were:
This song reminds me of trying to set up a still life. All the items are on the table. Now the trick is to arrange them so they look artistic.
If you look at the song as an arrangement, it's got lots of good bits. I particularly like the B section with the low menacing bass line.
But this song falls down in two areas -- the mix and the drum track.
In terms of mix, most of the parts are mixed fairly dry and way up front, which flattens the soundscape. More contrast between wet and dry, near and far, soft and loud would improve this song quite a bit.
The drums are all there, but they just sort of plod. Mid tempo songs are always a challenge. You can add more power to the drum track so it pushes on through, or add more lift to it so it gets up on its toes. This drum track does neither. Consider building additional drum tracks or layering in some 3rd-party loops to add variety and lift.
The ending is also unsatisfying, being a bit sudden and not delivering any emotional payoff. Explore alternatives here too.
This track begs for a rethink and a remix, even if you don't add a single note. Some suggestions --
* You're a 2 person group. Each of you should take the tracks and create 2 remixes without checking in with each other. Shoot for contrast in your 2 remixes -- big and little or conventional and outrageous. then play all 4 mixes to your friends without saying who did them and get feedback.
* get on Craigslist or activate the local grapevine and find a DJ or remix artist. give him/her your tracks and see what they do. Maybe you can trade mixes, doing a remix of one of their songs.
Any friend of Thomas Dolby's is a friend of mine. Keep pumping out the bits!
nb
http://www.normbowler.com
p.s. In a similar situation, I have done 3 completely different mixes of the same song, looking for that special something, and am still looking. The song is "75" in the Mermelada section of my web site. Free your mind!
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 4, Freshness: 4, Musicianship: 6, XFactor: 4.5
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Genre: Hip-Hop
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Nibbish gave a score of 6.83 / 10. Comments were:
'Take Off' was not on the artist's web site, therefore I will be reviewing 'The Urn'. The song begins with a fairly standard snare-driven drumbeat, and an urgent sounding synth line. It's nothing that hasn't been heard before, and it's not primo sound quality, but it works well with the the rappers, who lay down some nice flow, with cutting lyrics. I noticed a few lyrics which don't flow quite right, but it really isn't a cut against the rappers themselves, who are all competent, it's just the the English language reall doesn't allow words words with lots of 'R's to sound right when said right after each other. Other than that, the lyrics and performances are both above average. With a few reservations, count me in. I wish the group was still around.
Scoring: Songcraft: 7, Recording: 6, Freshness: 6, Vocals: 7, XFactor: 7.5
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Christian Lowensprung gave a score of 7.7 / 10. Comments were:
I couldn't find the song in question, and I guess that is partly our fault, since things have been kind of slow around here. But now that things are back and rolling, I am now reviewing "resuscitation" by Adaptamental.
This is one of the better acts I have heard within rap and hip-hop. Instead of having a music loop in the background, they actually make music that fits with their lyrics. That is something to truly respect, and other hip hop artists who make their loops on e-jay should use these guys as reference.
I haven't heard anything this good since Warlocks actually, and that band is Norwegian. So to any hip hop fan, I recommend this music, and I also suggest you go visit their web page. Highly recommended hip hop act this.
Scoring: Songcraft: 4.5, Recording: 6.5, Freshness: 10, XFactor: 10
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Jonathan Sanders gave a score of 5.66 / 10. Comments were:
Reviewing "Adaptamental." Nice beat! Got my attention. Good vocalist takes over on the mic with some smooth rhyming, rhythmically challenging compared to most MySpace rappers. Not a hit in waiting, but worthy of a play or two if you're into modern hip hop with a funky hip hop beat in the back. Not much of a hook to speak of though ... that might have helped it over the hump if they'd had one.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 6, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 6, XFactor: 5.5
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nb gave a score of 0 / 10. Comments were:
It is always a good idea to keep the song on that you want critiqued. take Off was not here. Better luck next time.
Scoring: Songcraft: 0, Recording: 0, Freshness: 0, XFactor: 0
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The Captain gave a score of 4.58 / 10. Comments were:
Hip hop is generally not my bag, but I can usually separate well executed spitting from poor work. There are good elements here, and less compelling ones as well. First, it's been my experience that hip hop is usually greatly improved by featuring a sung refrain portion. Sadly, that's not the case here. There is indeed a sung refrain, but it sounds out of tune. That won't help. The two rappers are able to turn their phrases rapidly - good, but the diction is obliterated by a too trenchant annunciation. The result is that the words are pretty much lost. I know that some rappers take pride in speaking so quickly that they can't be understood, but that technique leaves me cold. The music is fairly standard fare. What was it about? Not sure.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5.5, Recording: 5, Freshness: 3, Vocals: 5, Musicianship: 5, XFactor: 4
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Genre: Electronic
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Nibbish gave a score of 3.12 / 10. Comments were:
'Romantic' starts off as a 'decent enough' new age sounding song. It might be elevator music, but at least it's GOOD elevator music, for the first minute or so, it has the intended effect of operating as soothing, inoffensive background music. Whatever instrument comes in at 1:06 is another matter entirely. I'm not sure if it's poorly mixed, or if Victor didn't bother with normalizing the track, but it's too loud, and it dwarfs the rest of the tracks in the song. It may be a lead instrument, but that's no reason to have it pushing it's way to the front (and past), to me it ruins the feel of the rest of the song, which up til that time had been a sort of enjoyable experience. I would just make sure that - if absolutely nothing else - this track is at least kept consistant within the confines f itself (that is, parts of the one instrument sound so much louder than other parts in the same track, with no seeming rhyme or reason behind it). This combined with an uncertainty about exactly how to end the song (it just sort of fades out in a weird spot), make this one impossible for me to recommend in its present state.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5.5, Recording: 2, Freshness: 3, XFactor: 2
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nb gave a score of 5.12 / 10. Comments were:
Dreamy and wistful this tranquil electronica piece that meanders around never really going anywhere which is pleasant enough but a melody would be a welcome addition to introduce to keep this listener engaged.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5, Recording: 5.5, Freshness: 5, Musicianship: 5.5, XFactor: 5
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Martinho gave a score of 3.12 / 10. Comments were:
Victor , the basic of this track is beautiful and ambientic , curious and floating , but i miss some expresion and really romance , the "sax" plays to rough and hard , try to build up and beautiful uplifting melody and repeat that a few times , listen to Vangelis tracks and hear what i mean . I wish you good luck and lots of music .
Scoring: Songcraft: 4, Recording: 3.5, Freshness: 2.5, Musicianship: 4, XFactor: 2.5
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seedsower gave a score of 2.87 / 10. Comments were:
Not my type of music
Scoring: Songcraft: 5, Recording: 5, Freshness: 1, Musicianship: 4, XFactor: 0.5
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Axeman gave a score of 3.37 / 10. Comments were:
Zzzzzzzz. A haphazard collection of synth sounds that sound like it was produced and recorded within the space of an hour. And not very romantic sounding, either.
Scoring: Songcraft: 3, Recording: 7, Freshness: 1, Musicianship: 5, XFactor: 2.5
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Genre: Folk
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Nibbish gave a score of 5.5 / 10. Comments were:
There's a certan charm to a folksy singer-songwriter, and Dan Weintraub uses that to his advantage throughout 'Drifting Through Places'. The arrangement to the song s extremely sparse and DIY, with only Dan's voice and guitar guiding the listener along during the song. THe strumming is pretty good, a littlecluttered in places, but it works. Dan's voice is a little thin, but with a little bit of production, it could be okay, I think. I must, however, review the song as it stands, and this song feels likr it hasn't been fleshed out to its potential yet. As mentioned, the production is DIY, which isn't in and of itself a bad thing, but Dan's voice could use a little polish, at least another take or so. Right now, the song feels like a coffee house one-take. Again, there's something there, there just needs to be a little more work done.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6.5, Recording: 4, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 5.5, Musicianship: 6.5, XFactor: 6
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Axeman gave a score of 4.83 / 10. Comments were:
Sounds like it was recorded in a living room. No compression on the vocals, which are all over the place in volume, drowning out distant acoustic guitar. A shame too, since the lyrics have promise. They save this from getting a real low score.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 1, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 4.5, Musicianship: 6, XFactor: 4.5
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nb gave a score of 5.08 / 10. Comments were:
Drifting along on this folksy demo recording. Pretty standard fare and predictable and chugs along nicely making it accessible for most folk listeners. If you want us to remember you though try and make it more memorable you know.. stand out from the crowd if that is what the message is. AN enjoyable listen all in all
Scoring: Songcraft: 5.5, Recording: 4, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 5.5, Musicianship: 5.5, XFactor: 5
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Miss CindyKnows gave a score of 7.33 / 10. Comments were:
Great and smart lyrical content, with dark minor chording. I need to hear more from Dan Weintraub to get a feel for his style of recording. The deep, dark tones work in this recording, although i think a bit more ambient sound in the recording process might have added to the overall quality. As it is, this recording sounds a bit dry. But that being said, many other artists overuse reverb and echo to cover an inferior vocal technique. This artist does not fall into that category, with a strong, intense voice and style that fits the song well.
Scoring: Songcraft: 8.5, Recording: 7.5, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 8, Musicianship: 7, XFactor: 6
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Norm Bowler gave a score of 6.75 / 10. Comments were:
"Drifting Through Places" is a solo acoustic folk song, performed live with one voice and one guitar. It's a song about always being on the move because you can't fit in. It has a great coffee-house open mic vib. The recording is pretty clean, with just a hint of room bounce off the walls. This is a good song if you are looking for introspective folk in a simple acoustic arrangement. Nice job, Dan.
Norm Bowler, www.normbowler.com
Scoring: Songcraft: 7.5, Recording: 6.5, Freshness: 7, Vocals: 7, Musicianship: 6, XFactor: 6
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Genre: Rock
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Axeman gave a score of 5.5 / 10. Comments were:
Decent, hard-driving rock. The vocals are the strong point, well-delivered and crisp. The rest of the recording is a bit muddy, particularly a horrid gtr solo toward the end. The song is at its best in the quieter moments, during a break for example. The fret-squeaks and grungy guitars really don't mix too well with the lead singer, who sounds like she would be more comfortable with a less grungy genre.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 3, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 7.5, Musicianship: 5, XFactor: 5.5
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Nibbish gave a score of 5.83 / 10. Comments were:
Los Angeles natives Neptune's Favor have crafted a solid, if unspectacular rock song in 'Static'. The main riff is decently catchy, and while nothing really sticks out, nothin sounds out of place. Lead singer Debbie Little definitely carries this tune, she's a strong vocalist, and he does a good job with what's given to her. The song itself has a sort of 90's indie vibe (sort of an unpolished, slightly less catchy Garbage). The recording quality is a little less than optimal, but decently in line with what one expects from this kind of music. Overall, I'd count myself a fan, even if I probably won't be humming this song a month from now.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 4.5, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 7, Musicianship: 6.5, XFactor: 6
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nb gave a score of 7.16 / 10. Comments were:
Melodic and accessible pop rock from the get go. Great dynamics and interesting contrasts, the chorus stands out as does the crunchy guitars sold backbeat and tasty vocals it has star power written all over.
I will listen again.. great energy.Good luck
Scoring: Songcraft: 5.5, Recording: 7, Freshness: 7, Vocals: 8, Musicianship: 8, XFactor: 8
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Norm Bowler gave a score of 7.75 / 10. Comments were:
Static is a great song. Kudos to the band and producer Will Kennedy. This has everything I want in a rock song: thrash, jangle, energy, and a strong melody. I could namecheck half a dozen people this song reminds me of, but Neptune's favor is carving out their own niche.
The only thing I would ask for is a way to make the chorus a little bigger. it seems that the verses have more instrumental drive than the chorus. Maybe adding background vocals to lift the melody?
Good song. Recommended!
Scoring: Songcraft: 8, Recording: 8.5, Freshness: 7, Vocals: 8, Musicianship: 8.5, XFactor: 8
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seedsower gave a score of 8.5 / 10. Comments were:
I am a person of 65 years of age. I am more into the old rock and country, but these guys sounded very good. I enjoyed the song and thank you for sharing
Scoring: Songcraft: 8, Recording: 8, Freshness: 9, Vocals: 8.5, Musicianship: 8, XFactor: 9.5
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Genre: Indie Rock
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Christian Lowensprung gave a score of 6 / 10. Comments were:
since the artist gave me two choices, I reviewed Designs. A very special song, mostly of vocals and piano in the foreground. Reminds me a bit of radiohead. What eludes me though is why the artist haven't made any download option available. This has nothing to do with the music itself, but I really feel it needs to be mentioned. A person who decides to visit the artist page will soon forget his / her visit, or why her / he went there if there isn't anything to take home, like a souvenir or something.
Ah well, good song nonetheless, but lacks any memorable moments. Hence the need for that little extra something mentioned above, yes?
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 4.5, Freshness: 5.5, XFactor: 8
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Norm Bowler gave a score of 7.08 / 10. Comments were:
This is a moody modern rock song. The first comparison that comes to mind is Arcade Fire. This style of music, though fairly recent has developed its particular hallmarks -- strong contrasts between acoustic instruments and sudden highly distorted bursts; mumbling vocals with a lot of reverb; and an emo-anthem mindset. "Covered In Acrylic" meets this checklist, which either works for it or against it, depending on how you feel about the style. Ten years from now this will either sound classic or dated, depending on whether this approach passes the test of time.
The song is well put together -- nice arrangments and contrasts, good dynamics. This is professional sounding work.
I marked the lyrics down because it's hard to understand some of the words, so I can't judge them well.
Overall, this song hits the mark. I'm just wondering if its their mark. It's the classic problem of wanting to sound of a piece with current musical trends while still needing to stake out your own ground
Scoring: Songcraft: 6.5, Recording: 8, Freshness: 8, Vocals: 7, Musicianship: 8, XFactor: 7
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nb gave a score of 5.41 / 10. Comments were:
Longing and wispy intro like aliens on the earth. Needs more contrast to the melody line becomes quite predictable and hypnotic. The mix is muddled and detracts from the singer he seems buried alive. Some of your ideas are interesting but seems like there is still work to be done (like practicing) to make this an appealing listen.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5.5, Recording: 5, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 6, Musicianship: 5.5, XFactor: 5.5
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Jonathan Sanders gave a score of 8.08 / 10. Comments were:
I'm reviewing "Designs." Nice piano opening, with creepy sound effects that throw the listener off base. Will the vocals be any good though? That's always important in songs like this. The answer is an unequivocal yes. This is a very indie kind of song, and it's not striving to be more than that. Think Arcade Fire on a smaller scale and you'll have these guys in your sights. This is an arrangement which actually improves the quality of what would likely have been an average song at best. But it gets me wanting to hear more, and that's what any good song should do. I think this one might surprise you if you give it the time to soak in. Nice job, Asbury! I'll be keeping you on my radar ...
Scoring: Songcraft: 8.5, Recording: 7.5, Freshness: 8.5, Vocals: 7.5, Musicianship: 8, XFactor: 9
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The Goat gave a score of 7.25 / 10. Comments were:
I love this kind of writing and arranging. The performances are as solid as they come. About the only thing I didn't like was a mix that sounded "two dimensional." Get a fresh set of ears in the mixing booth, and leave the band out of it. Everything sits too close to the "front" and leaves the vocalist's voice working too hard to be "heard." I could listen to stuff like this all day long. It's very fresh. RIYL: Sujan Stephens, Apples in Stereo.
Scoring: Songcraft: 8, Recording: 5, Freshness: 9, Vocals: 7.5, Musicianship: 8, XFactor: 8
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Genre: Pop/Rock
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Norm Bowler gave a score of 5.41 / 10. Comments were:
When you click on the song link the mp3 file name is "GunShy_rough.mp3". Advice #1: Don't send it for review if it's not done. This song sounds unfinished.
I liked the groove and the song. the lyrics are sort of disconnected and I'm not sure what the total message is, but they make nice disturbing little word pictures.
Some critiques: The song has no bassline. Adding one would add interest and drive, and a big bottom would balance the thin and high lead vocal. The harmony vocals are off pitch and don't phrase with the lead vocal well at all. the song would be better if you took them out. Better yet, retrack them and clean them up.
Finally, the backing track is floaty and ethereal, but the vocals are mixed dry and way out front. As a result, it sounds like a backing track with vocals on top, not a single song. I would recommend remixing to make the vocals sit with the backing tracks better. It could be something as simple as bringing the volume down 3db and adding a touch of reverb.
nb
http://www.normbowler.com
Scoring: Songcraft: 7, Recording: 4, Freshness: 6, Vocals: 3, Musicianship: 6, XFactor: 6.5
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Christian Lowensprung gave a score of 7.12 / 10. Comments were:
Jonathan Sanders has here produced a very brave song. What amazes me, is that the vocals is the most dominating thing in the track. Actually the vocals are overly represented. So there isn't a problem getting the message, or the lyrics if you will. I tried this song several times on myself, and I must admit, I didn't like it much at first. But it grows on you, and you appreciate it more if you listen to it more than once. Which in most cases is what happens when you throw a song in a play list for it to play at random. Jonathan takes up a very sad subject, which is suicide. Or at least, that is what I get out of the song. On a more personal note, I had a friend once, who chose that way to end his life. It was not easy to accept his choice, nor was it easy to move on after that. But life goes on, as with all things. That is what I got out of the song. So to you: Either this song will speak to you, or it won't. But it is good nonetheless. Recommended.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 8, Freshness: 7, XFactor: 7.5
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Mike Kovacevich gave a score of 6.66 / 10. Comments were:
First off the wave file says _Rough.mp3 so I'm guessing this is a rough mix and possibly not even the final takes. My comments will be based on that assumption.
The left and right instrumentation is way in the background so when the drums and vocals came in (panned close to center) it caught me off guard. The dry vocals also caught me off guard. My initial thought was I don't know if I'm going to like this, but the opening line "I got a gun for the power trip but I haven't had the guts to put a bullet in it yet" demanded that I keep listening! What a powerful attention getting line! It's so good I would suggest getting back to that a little sooner and more often. It's the hook. And what a simple, powerful, hook indeed. If it is interspersed throughout the song more, you may not need to repeat it five times at the end. The vocals get a little pitchy here and there but are solid.
The lyrics move the story along but I miss it in a couple spots, such as when you ask "what about you?" You don't seem to expand on that or speak from the other person’s point of view. It seems the lyrics could go further, deeper. Being that suicide is the most selfish act a person can commit, maybe you could expand on how “he thinks” people would react if he did go through with it. Also, friends and family can get so caught up in there own selfish little worlds that they miss the signs or give canned little words of encouragement that do more harm than good. You touched on that a little. Maybe that could be expanded as well.
The music is good. Very simple, minimal, and because of the subject matter, it works. I would even be careful on how much harmony and vocal double tracking you do. This is a very isolated, alone individual.
Typically I wouldn’t go here, but do to the subject matter I feel I must. Just incase this is not just a story and is more of a personal battle, I’d like to say that this life can be hideously painful, yet it is still a gift from God and only God can take the hideousness and pain away. Being that I know nothing about you other than what I just heard I can at least comment on that. You’ve certainly got a lot of talent as a singer/songwriter and you do have much to live for. I know that may sound totally trite but I mean it in the most sincere possible way.
Subject matter aside, this song is moody, has a good vibe, and is catchy. All the makings for a very good song! I am anxious to hear the final mix!
Scoring: Songcraft: 7, Recording: 5.5, Freshness: 6.5, Vocals: 6.5, Musicianship: 6.5, XFactor: 7.5
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Ms. Commerciality gave a score of 3 / 10. Comments were:
Downloading this I see the word "rough" - so I am critiquing it AS A DEMO. Here goes... First off, you're on the right track by keeping it simple and clear. Submitting this and working on it will keep it easier to correct and allow others to get the basic idea. Lyrically this needs more work. I get the feeling this is about committing suicide, but listening to the song over and over, I don't know why the subject is considering it. What's going on in his/her life to make this a possibility? Who is talking to him/her about not doing it? And, when you talk about "power trip" and "do nothing crazy" - could this person be considering murder of someone? We don't really know what's going on at all. That has to be explained. Musically, I'm not certain as to what the verses are and what the chorus is. I have a general idea because of the repitition, but there needs to be more change and distinction between all the parts. Lastly, work on the vocals. There are several areas where you are out of tune. Since this is a demo, that won't be critical, but it does help. Good start!
Scoring: Songcraft: 2, Recording: 6, Freshness: 2, Vocals: 3, Musicianship: 5, XFactor: 3
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nb gave a score of 6.33 / 10. Comments were:
Beat is reminiscent of late 90’s hip hop feel, a vibe Neneh Cherry used to use alot. Vocals are soulful and haunting and the highlight of the tune. The production is abit thin for my taste. I like things meatier with substance. Am so glad you didn’t have the guts to put a bullet in it yet and hope you never do. Interesting contrast with the delicate gentle vocal over the darker lyric. Good job Jonathan.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 5, Freshness: 6, Vocals: 8.5, Musicianship: 6, XFactor: 6
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Genre: Rock
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Christian Lowensprung gave a score of 8.25 / 10. Comments were:
You get a lot in one package with Melee Beats's "my baby." It is electro funk. Kind of like the stuff that Phat Boy Slim makes, and Daft Punk's previous work. The sound quality is good, and the mix seems way above standard fare. So to all DJs and casual listeners, this is a nice song to add to your collection. I even danced it about the room myself on one occasion. Recommended.
Scoring: Songcraft: 7.5, Recording: 7.5, Freshness: 8, XFactor: 10
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seedsower gave a score of 3.75 / 10. Comments were:
Find the song sort in lyric and not smooth in sound.
Scoring: Songcraft: 0.5, Recording: 6, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 4.5, Musicianship: 4.5, XFactor: 2.5
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Jonathan Sanders gave a score of 6.58 / 10. Comments were:
Nice hip hop / r&b beat and a solid male and female r&b vocalist make this one worth giving a listen. It's smooth and catchy, and though it becomes a bit repetitive I think this is something fans of the genre will enjoy. Not too much to say beyond that. A good track you may want to hear a few times, though I don't know how much staying power it'll have once it gets stuck in your head and starts to wear out its welcome.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6, Recording: 6.5, Freshness: 7, Vocals: 7, XFactor: 6.5
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nb gave a score of 6.83 / 10. Comments were:
Original and funky I hestitated on the casio intro and then loved the shift (a shorter pause might be in order). Very 70s kool and gang meets peter framptonish in the new millenium. My baby title has been used a few times but you redo it with a freshness and groove that had me noddin along. This one just feels good despite the abrupt ending. Well done!
Scoring: Songcraft: 5, Recording: 5.5, Freshness: 8, Vocals: 8, Musicianship: 6.5, XFactor: 8.5
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MYSTR Treefrog gave a score of 4.83 / 10. Comments were:
Up-jumpy post dico presto erotica. Loved the female answering voice. Otherwise kinda dreamlike and mechanical.
Scoring: Songcraft: 4, Recording: 6.5, Freshness: 4.5, Vocals: 7.5, Musicianship: 6, XFactor: 3.5
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Genre: Folk
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Christian Lowensprung gave a score of 8.62 / 10. Comments were:
This song only needed one more opinion posted, so I took it upon myself to post one. The original song wasn't available anymore, so I listened to Sunshine Angel. A beautiful mix between folk and pop. Both female and male vocals are very good, and as subtle as you would want to expect from this type of material. But what caught me ablaze was the incredible atmosphere within this song. Kind of melancholic. Powerful. I didn't listen to "storyu" as mentioned, but ben nelson band is one of the best bands I've ever heard within this genre. I dare say that it beats much of the stuff I have heard on radio. Recommended to all dreamers out there.
Scoring: Songcraft: 8, Recording: 8, Freshness: 9, XFactor: 9.5
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Jonathan Sanders gave a score of 5.91 / 10. Comments were:
Reviewing "Sunshine Angel." Acoustic guitar meets the occasional other instrument, but with vocals that are low key and somewhat too dry for the lyrical content. It ain't folk, that's for sure, unless you think Dave Matthews is folk, and this isn't even Dave Matthews caliber, though the art rock leanings suggest he's got aspirations to that level. Needs some more production time and some effort in evening out the mix (particularly the vocals) before this one's ready to be a prime time player. It's a start though. And the second vocalist, the female, really has a good voice. This one might even benefit from putting her at the front instead of the guy. They just don't duet well.
Scoring: Songcraft: 6.5, Recording: 7, Freshness: 5.5, Vocals: 5.5, Musicianship: 6, XFactor: 5.5
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nb gave a score of 4.66 / 10. Comments were:
A good demo and so you see is a good hook. A simple little song about destiny or fate. Singer needs to work on his pitchand whole sound needs to be tighter and more engaged. A good start all in all.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5, Recording: 4.5, Freshness: 4, Vocals: 5, Musicianship: 4.5, XFactor: 4.5
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MYSTR Treefrog gave a score of 2.08 / 10. Comments were:
Wait a minute..it's Your Saviour? Whoa...I thought it was MY Saviour. Good thing God isn't a bunkbed. No one would EVER sleep in the bottom.
Scoring: Songcraft: 1.5, Recording: 3, Freshness: 3.5, Vocals: 2.5, Musicianship: 2.5, XFactor: 1
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MongoKnowsRecords gave a score of 0.5 / 10. Comments were:
Mongo going to give Ben a .50. that's for not having tune on web site that Ben wants to have reviewed. Either get your tune on site or withdraw your request Remember ben;
"Bad Doggie - No Biscut".
Scoring: Songcraft: 0.5, Recording: 0.5, Freshness: 0.5, Vocals: 0.5, Musicianship: 0.5, XFactor: 0.5
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Genre: Rock
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Mike Kovacevich gave a score of 5.33 / 10. Comments were:
Initially it's the, I've heard this song before, feel. A little David Bowie, a little 70's Southern Rock, a little Pink Floyd. I'd like to hear your voice without so much double tracking (I should talk, I'm the king of double tracking the vox). Good lead guitar. There are some syncopation issues with the acoustic guitar here and there. Might want to tighten up the rhythm section a little. It's this big huge sound that kinda stays in one place. Yet, maybe that's the point. I gather from the lyrics that you are in prison. Now that I'm on my 4th or 5th listen and have put aside the "it sounds like this or that" and am just listening to a song, it's growing on me... Glitchy ending, you may want to look into that - it starts fading out and then pops back in for a second at the end. Overall, a simple groove that tells a story. Both have a lot of potential. The groove could use some dynamics. Change it up a bit, let it breath. The story could go deeper into the loneliness, the desperation to get out, the importance of hope, etc. There is a dated sound here but you picked a good date! Keep going, keep pushing it, I could see this a little more gritty, a little less polished.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5, Recording: 6, Freshness: 4.5, Vocals: 5.5, Musicianship: 5.5, XFactor: 5
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Mr. Lexicon gave a score of 4.4 / 10. Comments were:
Covering the classic Dylan finds god tune "I Shall be Released", Seph de Montreal captures the essence of the orignal. The music is outstanding in this recording. I think the double tracking on the vocals is a bit ditracting for my tastes. Overall a very enjoyable version. Hard song to rate as it is Dylan's song....How do I rate Seph's songwriting skills..freshness...or lyrics???? No more covers please!!!!
Scoring: Songcraft: 1, Recording: 7, Freshness: 2, Vocals: 5, Musicianship: 9.5, XFactor: 7
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Jonathan Sanders gave a score of 4.41 / 10. Comments were:
Not sure what to think of this one. It's overly long, almost for the sake of it, but there's some good guitar playing going on. And the vocals sound kind of Black Crowes-ish (almost deliberately so). Still, there's nothing to really grab onto here. Might be enjoyable if you like long-winded classic rock attempts, but otherwise it's just too much of too little.
Scoring: Songcraft: 5.5, Recording: 5, Freshness: 3.5, Vocals: 4, Musicianship: 4.5, XFactor: 4.5
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nb gave a score of 6.5 / 10. Comments were:
Wow I have not heard this old classic for a long time. You have a Bowie type vocal approach which is unique.In fact I think if he did this tune it would osund very similar. The performance is a genuine and appealing jam.
Scoring: Songcraft: 9, Recording: 5, Freshness: 5, Vocals: 6, Musicianship: 6, XFactor: 5
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MongoKnowsRecords gave a score of 5.75 / 10. Comments were:
Seph de Montreal is doing a cove with "I Shall be released". It's a good tune and Seph and his friends put alot of work into it. Seph also put great effort into singing this 80's classic derge and make it somehow his own. Good try but to Mongos' ears this tune belongs with Robbie and the boys. Seph has some talent going but Mongo think he need to loosen up a bit and put some of that effort into writing his own material. Somehow, we possess it better when it our own.
Out of 9 Bonez - Mongo give 20
Scoring: Songcraft: 5, Recording: 6.5, Freshness: 5.5, Vocals: 6, Musicianship: 7, XFactor: 6.5
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