Song Fight Review: Boron Rod

The last challenge over at Song Fight was titled "Via Sunderland", and my favorite song was from Na Style Jaa. Turns out most people agreed with me, and they got the victory. A new batch of songs can be found over at Song Fight, so I suggest you go pick your favorite songs for the current round. My picks are listed below:

Voted For:
(Right Click "Save As" on the artist's name for a MP3 of their entry.)

Lonbobby - This is such a strange, but catchy sound. A smack down...has been laid. I didn't even like all the lyrics, but they won't get out of my head.

bgm - Such a sweet song considering the prompt is "boron rod". Song felt shorter than it really was, but that's better than feeling too long. Probably just me, but the line "Like those spikes for old wood so the house doesn't rot" just seems awkward. Overall I enjoyed this a lot.

Others:
(Head over to Song Fight to listen to these songs.)

Manhattan Glutton - Probably my favorite musically, but lyrically it just wasn't for me.

Big Crouton - First couple minutes I was bored, even though you finished strong. The music wasn't bad, it was actually really relaxing. There just wasn't anything about it that could hold my attention for 2 minutes without mixing it up a little.

Caravan Ray - Once I looked up the term "White anting" the song made more sense to me, but I still didn't care for it lyrically. Even though it's not required via Song Fight rules (it's clearly inspired by the title), I usually don't vote for songs that don't use the entire title.

Berkeley Social Scene - Really rockin' entry. Music was badass, and I enjoyed the performance. Didn't care for the lyrics though.

Schlimminy Cricket - Aside from the glockenspiel & kazoo it made me think of a few cowboys singing by the fire or along a trail.

The HATE Noise - I usually wince a little when I hit play on one of your tracks. It's just not a natural thing for someone to do if they've heard past entries. I probably would have just passed on writing anything, but this time it was especially painful. More than 8 minutes of someone who sounded like they couldn't make up their mind on what they wanted to do. You don't have to use the term "Fuck You" over & over. Trust me, I felt like someone raped my ears already.

UPDATE:

"I've done rock, rap, acoustic, experimental, noisy, subdued, even stuff with a swing feel to it, and you always seem to have something nasty to say about me. Pray tell, Mr. Town, what type of music DO you like? I understand that you must be a 'hard sell,' but I get the feeling that you're more like an Appalachian moonshiner firing off rounds from a Civil-war-era rifle at all the many things of the modern world he doesn't understand. I.E. somebody who is NOT a selling point for me anyhow. But, just because I'm a tolerant man, give me a genre/style/mood to work with, and the next Songfight I enter will be just for you.

P.S. Your response to this track was exactly as I anticipated it would be. Maybe that was the point? Something to think about...Do you write music? I'm betting not... - The HATE Noise"

Where to start...

I don't really have 1 genre that I prefer over all others, although there are some I can't stand. Death metal has very rarely done anything for me...opera always sucks...and I hate instrumentals when entered into songwriting contests (techno walks a very fine line with me). I enjoy country, rock, rap (not gangsta though, I don't like the cursing & stuff that comes with it), musical/broadway, pop, big band, and the list goes on... That should cover the genres well enough, on to what type of things I like in songs regardless of genre.

I typically like songs that tell an interesting story, and that are not ambiguous. I often enjoy novelty type songs that are humorous. The lyrics need to be clear enough that I can EASILY understand them without needing to read them in the forums.

As for how you should take my 'reviews'. I'm the first to admit that my reviews suck ass. Even for songs I like, I'm rarely able to give much feedback about the music since I'm not a musician. You will read some of the same shit over & over like "I didn't care for the lyrics." (I should have a t-shirt made saying that) I write them because I (overall) enjoy listening to each round, and people seem to want feedback wherever they can get it. When I do write them, I'm not thinking "How can I help this guy improve as a songwriter?" I'm telling them why I did or didn't like it, so they can get my vote later on. However, getting MY vote shouldn't be anyone’s goal (and I don't think it is for anyone). So there's a few very good reasons to give little or no credence to my sometimes nasty reviews.

If I'm not liking your stuff on a regular basis, we just have different tastes. Center Of Mass just said he's enjoyed your work, and I've read other positive comments about your work. So you're doing something right...what I don't know...but something.

If I remember correctly...I did like (or not hate) 1 song you entered. I'm not 100% sure on that, but I kind of remember being surprised during 1 fight. I'd have to go look at my past reviews to be sure.