| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 682.1 | Revised Table of Contents | 16514::MOELLER | Music that hurts | Mon Feb 09 1987 14:56 | 23 |
| Side I
"Woo-Woo Love" Karl Moeller
"The Kiss" " "
"Satan Never Sleeps" Mark Schmieder
"Across The Ocean" " "
"Vocal Ease" " "
"I Just Wanna Be On MTV" Rik Sawyer
"Still Loaded" " "
"Cruise Control" Jamaican Vacation (Stevie K)
"Be My Girl" " " "
"Top Of The World" John Sauter
Side II
"Cannes" Edd Cote
"Rio" " "
"Pastorale" Dervish (Rob Davis)
"Sveinung Hovensjo" " "
"Cruisin' For you" Dave Bottom
"Slow thing" " "
"Prelude" " "
"You're The Best Thing" Paul Kent
"Just Like You" " "
"Instrumental" " "
|
| 682.3 | it slipped through the cracks! | MTBLUE::BOTTOM_DAVID | | Tue Feb 10 1987 12:11 | 20 |
| Just a short note, my submissions are in undecoded dbx, they are
very bright sounding and not at all what was intended.....this will
be fixed on the master as soon as I resubmit to Edd.......
I listened to the tap last night, several things jumped out at me
(not ot be confused with a detailed review)
I just wanna be on MTV
Cruise Control and Be my girl
Rio
both dervish tunes
and of course the Moeller openers
Good stuff guys!
dave
hmm the net demon got me so I've resubmitted this......
|
| 682.4 | How do I draw a 'stupid' face? | JAWS::COTE | Fenimehi, kikey bobo! (I'm lying..) | Tue Feb 10 1987 12:57 | 14 |
| Uh, gee, how do I get outta this one...
In addition to Dave's copy, 3 others are out with undecoded dbx...
Europe (Argh!), KMII and Todd. I have Mark's and 2 for Len still
at home. I'll hold on to them untill I recieve the tape from Dave.
Sorry folks, the Commusic II devil strikes in mysterious ways....
Why? Well with the sustained high level of Dave's opening tune,
I didn't notice the characteristic 'breathing' of undecoded dbx.
My fault entirely.
I will send everyone $1000 in cash, hoping to be forgiven....
Edd
|
| 682.5 | don't I wish! | BIGALO::BOTTOM_DAVID | | Tue Feb 10 1987 15:55 | 4 |
| re: -.1 when do I get the check or is it cash? I can see it now
a new synth..hmm do I want a sampler or......
dave :-)
|
| 682.6 | Yeh Yeh Yeh | MINDER::KENT | | Wed Feb 11 1987 07:18 | 5 |
|
Edd Does this mean you have sent the tape to us ?. If so if you
let me know which are the DBX tracks and I will get them decoded.
Paul
|
| 682.7 | I such a twit... | JAWS::COTE | Resident Curmudgeon | Wed Feb 11 1987 11:17 | 6 |
| The European tape was mailed last Saturday.
The undecoded tracks are Dave Bottom's on side 2. (The three right
before yours). 2 Rockers and an acoustic piece.
Edd
|
| 682.8 | Open season on Edd!!!! | JAWS::COTE | Resident Curmudgeon | Mon Feb 16 1987 19:56 | 158 |
|
Someone has to go first....
:^) :^) :^) :^) A masterpiece! Outstanding!
:^) :^) :^) Good schtuff....
:^) :^) Well, it's OK...
:^) No comment...
:^( Utter Crap...
Karl Moeller :^) :^) :^) :'
"Woo-Woo Love" HA! Just when I thought I knew what Karl's music
sounded like, he sent me this. I cracked up at
this; that's a compliment. It made me smile.
I was a tad disappointed with his 'unreleases'
but this piece renewed my faith that Karl is
indeed the best composer in his cube. Makes me
glad I lived through the '60s...
Uh, that drum pattern could use some work. Did
you steal it from me? And that applause and thunder!
How tacky! I loved it...
"The Kiss" So who's this Darius and will she fly to Mass.?
Reminded me of "Taxi" by Harry Chapin. More of
the Moeller we've come to know. Karl, I hope you
don't take offense at the "New Age" label. You're
stuck with it. How many overdubs on this?
Rik Swayer :^) :^)
"I Just Wanna Be On MTV"
If I liked this type of music, I think I'd like this
tune, but I'm not sure if Rik's gonna take that as a
compliment. Although the copy everyone is getting is
raft with the hiss-monster, it should be obvious that
some production went into this one. That caught my ear
immediately. I'm not sure that this is the type of
sound Rik wanted.
Good guitar playing, Rik and Dave. Nice synth-horn
bit! I thought the lyrics were anemic.
This piece got stuck in my head one day and I ended up
singing it. Not fair! Subliminal bullshit...
"Still Loaded"
More rock. More Rik. I'm not gonna judge this one other
than to say if whatever you think of the first one you'll
think of this one. Listen for yourself...
Stevie K w/ Jam-Vac :^) :^) :^
"Cruise Control"
I like it. Good production. Interesting vocals and I
always wanted to hear Steve play without going to
Boston. Really laid back stuff. Why do I keep thinking
about Leon Redbone when I isten to this?
"Be My Girl"
Wasn't as impressive to my ears as "Cruise...", but
all the same qualities are there. Nice background
voxes...
John Sauter :^) *
"Top Of The World"
John *did* say his stuff was different.
*Obviously this one can't be judged or 'reviewed' on
the same merits as the others. It's a cover. I'm
willing to bet John wrote all the software himself
and until he lets me play with it I can't judge. Is
this step or real time John? Nice sequencing.
Edd Cote
"Cannes" & "Rio"
Don't you wish you'd bought stock? ;^)
In Lexicon? Gawd, that spring sounds awful...
Rob Davis w/ Dervish :^) :^) :^
"Pastorale" and "Svienung Hovensjo"
I fell asleep to this, which is not intended as a
derogatory remark. Interesting effects, voices and
rythyms make this a real trance-like experience. I
wish I could think along these lines. I'd be better
it. Nice job...
Dave Bottom :^) :^) :'
"Cruisin' For You"
As I said about Rik, this isn't my style so I can't
really comment one way or the other. Proficient gui-
tar playing. Ride cymbal drove me bonkers, but all in
all, a nice little rocker...
"Slow Thing"
Still a bit much for me, but closer. I see this as
part of a bigger work. How can your fingers go that
fast? Doesn't it hurt? Keep it up Dave.
"Prelude"
Nice little acoustic work! One question; how come
panned so hard to one side.
Paul Kent :^) :^) :^)
"Now this one was really interesting. Isn't it
amazing how as soon as you hear something fam-
iliar you begin to feel some affinity and warmth
for it..."
- Paul Kent, reviewing Edd Cote
How true, Paul, how true...
"You're The Best Thing"
If I ever get to England I wanna meet this guy.
It should come as no surprise that I eat this type
of thing up. That brass patch needs some help in
the sustain. Good stuff indeed!!
"Just Like You"
Funky bass line, nice pads... sounds like something
outta my studio! What higher compliment can I pay!
:^)
"Instrumental"
Ooooo! Do I hear a cheesy organ in the opening? Nice
synth pop. Real interesting to hear how you've progressed
since tape I.
ba-de-ba-de-ba-de-ba-de That's all folks!!!
|
| 682.9 | Nice try, Cote... | MAHLER::KLOSTERMAN | Stevie K | Tue Feb 17 1987 14:36 | 13 |
| re:.8
> I like it. Good production. Interesting vocals and I
> always wanted to hear Steve play without going to
> Boston. Really laid back stuff. Why do I keep thinking
> about Leon Redbone when I isten to this?
Tom Waits...not Leon Redbone...
Like I said, the tape is *not* representative (of either Jam Vac or me).
So, Edd, you're still on the hook. Next Tuesday at Celebration...be there and
I'll introduce you to the waitresses :-).
|
| 682.10 | it's open season on my submissions... | REGENT::SCHMIEDER | | Thu Feb 19 1987 16:20 | 61 |
| This is going to seem like a "let's pick on Edd" note, but I want to qualify
my complaints by thanking Edd for the considerable time and effort he put into
making these tapes for us. It is only natural that mistakes will be made when
dealing with other people's (unfamiliar) material, and he did take the trouble
to correct the undecoded dbx on somebody's tracks after having already made up
the tapes, so none of what I have to say should be taken as direct criticism.
My only gripe is more a suggestion than a gripe. I would suggest that future
tapes be sent in those nice little mailers available at the local post office.
I've been mailing tapes for years, and have never had problems with the
mailers. My tape arrived wrapped in thick paper, and the shell was crushed so
severely that a shard from the bottom had just missed splicing the tape
itself. I'm sure Edd wasn't being "cheap" but is merely inexperienced in
sending casettes through the U.S. Mail. He probably really believes their
slogan about handling packages with care and delivering in all weather!
Aside from that, I noticed no problems with the tape other than some "hissing"
between tracks, whose source was uncertain but which did not occur in the songs
themselves so was not objectionable...and the inevitable screw-up with my own
material, which occurred because I resubmitted for tape II six months later
and when Brad forwarded the tapes the documentation and hardware somehow got
screwed up in transport. However, I am going to allow criticism of my
contributions anyway, as long as people keep in mind the following:
1. Since these are from the first submission, these are not the "current"
mixes of the songs. For the instrumentals, this is minor since all I
did was improve the mix. But "Satan Never Sleeps" was completely
rerecorded as well as a longer James Brownish-version being completed
and submitted as the first choice (this wasn't clear in my notes). The
version on this tape is less an embarassment to me than to my sister,
because...
2. The tape is at the wrong speed. Since this older master was made on my
old Yamaha K-960, BEFORE I corrected the speed on it, it was recorded
at a speed roughly 5% too slow, so that the versions on COMMUSIC II are
roughly 5% too FAST, making my sister sound like a munchkin. The speed
doesn't really hurt "Vocal Ease" and in fact might help it as it needs
to sound bright anyway, but makes "Across the Ocean" WAY too intense.
3. The tape is undecoded dbx (maybe I mean encoded dbx on a tape that is
dolbyB), so there is some pulsing (not always obvious due to the swaying
nature of the music itself), and the bass register is almost totally
absent (this is pretty obvious when going from Moeller's material to
mine to Sawyer's).
4. The end of "Across the Ocean" is infinite digital delay, which is very
important to the way the song resolves. On this tape, the infinite
delay tapers too fast and cuts off abruptly, but that is more likely
due to the wrong source tape being used ( I know this was corrected
with the resubmission tape if it was ever a problem to begin with),
than to Edd being used to louder music and thinking the song was
already over. A minor point overall, though.
5. Fortunately, except for the wrong take of "Satan Never Sleeps" being used
and the mixes of the instrumentals being dated, the material that was
included is material that I was pretty comfortable with and didn't play
around with much after first recording it, so I would not be embarassed
to receive scathing criticism as long as the first four points are
taken into consideration.
I was going to include my review here, but I babbled too long so I'll make
that a separate reply following this one.
Mark
|
| 682.11 | | REGENT::SCHMIEDER | | Thu Feb 19 1987 17:00 | 105 |
| Well, I'm glad I contributed now (in spite of the tape screw-up), because I
came off a hell of a lot better than I thought I would. And, fortunately, I
wasn't the only person to submit jazz-oriented material, so I didn't get
buried in the swamp.
Overall, my feelings are similar as towards tape I; that the submissions are
almost all very professional sounding, the material is fairly well organised
and of a songwriting (vs. "noodling") nature, but the performances are overall
very dry and studio-slick. To some people, this would not be a criticism, and
I do not mean it to infer that I think DECies have no soul. I just think it's
hard to do multi-tracking and overdubbing with feeling, and perhaps my own
stuff sounds a bit more "live" to me because its my own, or perhaps because I
concentrate more on the performance and feeling and less on the studio
perfection. Whether or not I get ganged up on for this comment or not, I want
to point out that I didn't look at the song list until AFTER hearing the tape,
and I also think just about everyone on the tape has definite potential for
professional stardom (although not necessarily in mainstream pop).
Anyway, I listened more carefully to side one than side two, so may clarify
with a second review later, but I'll see how well I remember things.
Side I
"Woo-Woo Love" Karl Moeller
"The Kiss" " "
Sorry, this isn't my kind of music at all, it's professionally
written/peformed/recorded but I don't feel qualified to comment on it due to
my extreme distate for this genre. A few years ago I would have eaten it up.
I hate to be the lone dissenter on KM, and don't mean this as a personal
attack. It's simply not my cup of tea.
"Satan Never Sleeps" Mark Schmieder
"Across The Ocean" " "
"Vocal Ease" " "
I am surprised at how fresh the latter two still sound to me, six months after
temporarily retiring from songwriting and over a year since spending any
serious amount of time at it. These are well over a year old now, but hearing
them again has inspired me to go at it again. I hesitate to say this since
it's my own material, but they strike me as the most lyrical contributions
aside from my Gold Medal Winner coming up...
"I Just Wanna Be On MTV" Rik Sawyer
"Still Loaded" " "
I'll have to listen to these again. I remember them sounding new-wavish,
fairly complex structurally, but remember the performance sounding
disinterested and clinical. The musicianship was of a very high calibre on
all of the instruments, though.
"Cruise Control" Jamaican Vacation (Stevie K)
"Be My Girl" " " "
GOLD MEDAL WINNER! I had this tune ("Be My Girl") going through my head all
night long, and couldn't help but dance to it! This stands out miles above
the rest of the material on the tape, as the most musical, most soulful, most
fun, and most professional even if somewhat less ambitious in terms of
songwriting complexity than much of the material here. I recognised Stevie's
bass immediately, quite a funky reggae beat there and very tight on the
"dubbing" with the drummer. I had heard this tape once before and wasn't
happy with the vocalist, but it didn't bother me as much this time. I think
this song is definitely Top40 material, even perhaps in its current form.
Only the vocals might need a reworking to add quality to this track.
Impeccable performance, it even sounds like a live concert it has so much
warmth and energy! "Cruise Control" has New Order/Joy Division influence, but
sounds a bit unfinished in the songwriting or arranging department. Could be
a great song with a little more work on it.
"Top Of The World" John Sauter
Again, a genre I no longer like so I disqualify myself from commenting. I
felt it was a bit repetitive and went on a bit long, aside from other
considerations. Any other comments would be biased and invalid.
Side II
"Cannes" Edd Cote
"Rio" " "
Well, my memory's starting to fail so I'll comment again after another listen.
"Pastorale" Dervish (Rob Davis)
"Sveinung Hovensjo" " "
Ditto.
"Cruisin' For you" Dave Bottom
"Slow thing" " "
"Prelude" " "
I recognised Dave's contributions immediately, as he has a well-defined sound
that is different from what anybody else in COMMUSIC is doing. As I said
before, I'm really getting into early 70's blues-rock now, but I would have to
say these songs are less inspired than the submissions on volume I. Are they
newer or second-string from the same batch? They aren't bad; just not as
original and catchy. Fairly live sound to the performance instrumentally,
although the vocals seem a bit detached and studio-conscious.
"You're The Best Thing" Paul Kent
"Just Like You" " "
"Instrumental" " "
Are these the jazzy fusion ones, or were those the ones from Dervish? Better
check on that again. I liked them probably only because of the genre, finding
them overlong and repetitive but very interesting rhythmically ("Bitches Brew"
period Miles Davis influence). Don't forget I might be talking about Dervish
rather than Paul Kent. It didn't sound like overdubbing, so that's a
complement if it IS overdubbing.
Okay, so I didn't put on kid's gloves. Don't anyone put them on with me,
either! Criticism's OK as long as it's constructive. Since I tried to mix
the positive with the negative, I hope mine was constructive.
Mark
|
| 682.12 | just my opinions | SKYLIT::SAWYER | liberals unite! | Thu Feb 26 1987 12:47 | 220 |
|
I got the tape last night.
I listened to it between 9:30 and 11.
I did not have a list of who/when so i just turned on the machine
and critiqued the tunes as they played.
I did recognize Karl Moeller, Dave Bottom (1 tune), Edd Cote (1 tune)
and myself. Everything else I just critiqued without knowing who
wrote/recorded the piece.
but now i know cuz i just checked.
my opinions will follow just as i wrote them last night as I was
listening to the tunes.
memory is not being used.
karl moeller song 1
-------------------
keys: very nice, some exceptional parts
guitar: not bad, didn't turn me on...didn't quite make it for me.
drums: yes, there were drums.
vocals/lyrics/words: the keyboard stuff was very nice.
good mix, clear/clean...good tune but not on a level that
I expect from karl.
karl moeller song 2
-------------------
very interesting/ very nice song...my favorite on the tape!
violin/piano blend was extremely nice I LIKE THIS!...now
THIS is KARL MOELLER!...thanks, Karl!
mix was very nice...a little hissy...but if i forgive you.
all parts distinct and clear.
a tad long.....
mark schmeider song 1
---------------------
satan never sleeps?
nice mix, clear/distinct....wierd harmony...did not like
this song at all. AT LEAST IT WASN'T A LOVE SONG.....or..
was it?....kind of amatuerish and uninteresting.
mark schmeider song 2
---------------------
strange tune...did not like it. mix was clear/clean..could
hear everything well. musicianship was...ok.
did nothing for me.
mark schmeider song 3
---------------------
strange...did not like. mix, again, good...clear and distinct.
music weak in some places, uninteresting in others.....
musicianship was ok but far from inspiring.
rik sawyer/dave dreher/garret marotta song 1
--------------------------------------------
hissy....not recorded very well. musicians very good but
all parts not clear/distinct...good vocals...pro abilities
on almost all the parts...great lead (dave dreher!) very
good tune, vocals/lyrics/words...at least it's not a love
song....i like the words/lyrics...very nice changes...lots
of good stuff going on....my 3'rd favorite tune on the tape.
note: up to this point, except for K.M., everything pretty repetitive
and uninteresting.
rik sawyer/garret marotta song 2
--------------------------------
great intro/nice keys! not as hissy as song 1 but still
not perfect. Vocals a little low and unclear but words,
though still a love song (not another one!), were good
keys/bass clear distinct..everything else got kinda lost...
very nice guitar licks but lead break started a little
low in the mix...ended up ok...key/gtr duo/bridge very nice..
lots of stuff/changes...good ending...my second favorite tune
on the tape. Mix was..ok...not as clear as i would have
liked.
jamaican vacation stevie k. song 1
----------------------------------
good tune but nothing special.
nice mix, clean/clear....nice guitar work...vocals a little
low but i liked the style of singing. Good harmonies...words..
a little trite...but, for a love tune...not bad...
jamaican vacation stevie k. song 2
----------------------------------
vocals better mixed...but didn't like it as much...
good tune...words were (to paraphrase) a little anemic...
music was ok...nothing special...nice hearing a REAL drummer.
lead was ok...a little weak...overall, good clear mix.
these 2 songs, though i didn't consider them as highly as my own or
karl moellers...were better than most of the rest of the stuff.
certainly more professional.
john sauter song 1
------------------
hobby horse
carnival
cotton candy
community auditions
nice mix
aint computers wonderful?
keep smiling
brass ring
did not like this at all.
**************************************************************************
SIDE 2
******
edd cote song 1
---------------
a little hissy, clinical..obviously sequenced to the max...
there's an unadvertized bargain in corridor 3 near the
towels and blankets. Nice mix...clear...
boring tune. Did not like at all.
edd cote song 2
---------------
started with very nice drums...good mix...bass was
clicheish...typical..nice keys...repetitive repetitive
repetitive...boring...aint programming wonderful?
didn't really care for the tune. not my cup of tea.
some parts were nice but, basically, uninteresting.
rob davis song 1
----------------
Too much repetition! Not enough
changes..no life..spacey tune..nice mix..clear/clean..
got old fast. didn't like.
If the LEAD keys were live than very good ability displayed.
a lot of "noise" (not hiss!..noise!) just some drums
with a bass and some keys doing some spacey, uninteresting
stuff.
note: so far, not much emotion/life (except for k.m.!) seems to
be evident in most of this stuff.
no changes...part 1 part 1 part 2 part 1 part 1 part 2 end.
Or WORSE....part 1 part 1 part 1 part 1 part 1 part 1 end!
At this point i'd buy k.m. and me but that's it.
rob davis song 2
----------------
wierd..interesting..at first...schizoid city...nice mix
spacey...strange...a little far out...i've heard enough..
repetition...no changes...lost interest quickly...
12 13 14 all too spacey/druggy...no life!...not real!
long and boring and inconsequential. too much repetition.
dave bottom song 1
------------------
great intro! good basic blues rock tune! very nice guitar
licks (i've played with him and, though what he does here
is very nice...what he does LIVE is even nicer!) Good distinct
clear mix. good driving drums. This is certainly one of
the better/more interesting pieces on the tape. good vocals.
MORE PUNCH than anything else on the tape!...my 4'th favorite
tune!
dave bottom song 2
------------------
a little hissy/noisy (dave, did you hit that "sour" note
on purpose?) very nice intro. Very nice guitar sounds
and very nice mix...clean/clear/distinct...great guitar
duo buildup into....hey!...another blues rock tune!
nice work...nice licks...very good change from one style
into another!...THIS IS NOW my 4'th favorite song and
the other one is 5'th.
dave bottom song 3
------------------
nice/very pretty acoustic intro, very nice/pretty tune.
something different!.. I like this. good mix/clear...but
too short....more! i want more!....
these 3 pieces show me a diversity of style and ability and changes.
In the rock arena, next to me..:-)...this guys got a great chance
at "musical success!" I like all three of these pieces very much.
a few more changes and.....
paul kent song 1
----------------
nice bass...nice solid punchy drums...nice vocals..
keys ok...good mix...clear/distinct...words a little
basic..i do get tired of love tunes...gtr was ok but nothing
special. I liked it. LIVE DRUMMERS ARE BETTER THAN MACHINES!
paul kent song 2
----------------
nice bas/drums..vocals ok...good tune...very nice arrangement!
i like this, too. CHANGES! he's GOT CHANGES! it doesn't just
repeat itself and then repeat itself and, finally, repeat
itself! gtr was ok...very nice piano licks....taste!
good mix/clear/distinct/punchy bass and drums...
paul kent song 3
----------------
nice bass/drums (this guy has very nice bass/drums on all his
stuff!) good mix...clear/distinct/clean...but..a simple song..
rather uninteresting...clinical?...i didn't like it as much
as the other two pieces. repetitive....
dave bottoms 3 pieces and paul kents first 2 pieces exhibited more
life and emotion than most of the rest of the tape (including mine)
((karl moeller is exempt from this))
overall: not much life or emotion in most of this stuff.
too much repitition.
too much spacey wierd stuff with no reason to exist.
too many love tunes....(there ARE other subjects!)...words
tended to be anemic/trite...
most of the stuff was mixed/recorded very well. clear/distinct.
|
| 682.13 | All you euro's get you tapes here! | MINDER::KENT | | Fri Feb 27 1987 07:15 | 13 |
|
We now have the tape available for distribution in Europe . I have
already mailed a copy to George in Austria. Could all you Euro's
mail me direct if you would like a copy of tape II.
Re .-1
If the inference re the reviews of my stuff was that The Drumming
was live. Then I am a better drum programmer than I thought. Also
"You're the best thing" isn't a love song. It's all about my
relationship with my manager ! :-).
Paul.
|
| 682.14 | everyone's entitled to my opinion! | 16514::MOELLER | DEC has it [backordered] NOW! | Mon Mar 02 1987 20:00 | 98 |
| The Long Wait for Tape Two is over. How is it? Of all of us only Rob
Davis seems to be doing anything (r)evolutionary. Then again, every-
one's at a different place... well, on with it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
'Woo-Woo Love' - Karl Moeller ... modesty forbids me ...
'The Kiss' - Karl Moeller ... ditto ...
'Satan Never Sleeps' - Mark Schmieder
Mercifully short. Thumbs down.
'Across the Ocean' - Mark Schmieder
I guess this is jazz. The drummer seemed to be on another planet from
the other musicians, quite frantic compared to the mild progression
being played. I liked the lead instrument, believed to be Echoplexed
flute. Otherwise I'm unenthusiastic.
'Vocal Ease' - Mark Schmieder
Out-of-tune guitar noodlings (3 tracks worth!) precede a strange jam
wherein the guitar and bass work fine together, but in which the
drummer barely listens at first, and then settles into a fairly
inappropriate pattern. Quite loose, sounds like an early 'working
it out' jam. Not quite rock and not quite jazz.
'I Just Wanna be on MTV' - Rik Sawyer
Wall of sound, indeed! Good rocker, good singing by Ellen Dreher
(I assume). This needs remixing.. all of the parts are there,
well-performed, but the mix is too dense and cluttered sounding.
Wicked hook, I walk around with it in my head. Everything can't be
mixed up front, Rik. Lots of promise. Try remixing and this time bury
the synth trax, they'll cut thru anyhow.
'Still Loaded' - Rik Sawyer
Lyrics. Yes, there are lyrics, occasionally legible. How did I like it?
See previous review and subtract 'Ellen Dreher'.
'Cruise Control' - Steve Klosterman
Good hook. Relaxed, clean, twin-guitar arrangement. You know, controlled..
'Be My Girl' - Steve Klosterman
Simple, direct. 'don't play dumb'.. I liked it. Clean retro-reggae.
'Top of the World' - John Sauter
I didn't care for this piece when the Carpenters or the Osmonds did it..
However, John probably etched the sequencer out of raw silicon..
'Cannes' - Edd Cote
Patented Cote lockstep piano parts. Erase the piano and it would loosen
up a lot. I like this easyrock instrumental style. Strange mix, though,
the only instrument mixed straight up (mono) was the snare drum.
'Rio' - Edd Cote
This one really worked for me, sent me ricocheting around the patio..
Liked the sampled trumpet soloing. Became a bit tense, though, due
to the doublespeed hi-hat. Would have benefitted from a half-time drum
part, keeping the incidental percussion as-is.
'Pastorale' - Rob 'Dervish' Davis
"Marhaba, ya Darwish! Salaam aleikum wa barakatu Hu !"
Well, THIS was cool, if a bit overlong. In the absence of 'liner notes',
I'd prefer to believe the piano part was played back at double speed
off tape and then echoed overdubs added. I liked it!
'Sveinungs Hovensjo' - Rob 'Dervish' Davis
Great percussion. Made my stuff seem stiff and tame by comparision.
Guitar (I think) kinda Jon Hassel-ey / humpbacked whale-y sounding,
good 'outside' playing over a fairly static background. Reminded me
of Miles Davis' 'In a Silent Way'. Great stuff !
'Cruising for You' - Dave Bottom
More time-warp blues-rock from Dave. Unfortunately this has major 'American
Band' Grand Funk overtones (for me). Hot, greasy guitar playing. Lyric
content minimal. Stadium-rock ending left me lukewarm.
'Slow Thing' - Dave Bottom
Five-guitar arrangement. Good harmony lead work over a 2-chord change.
Solo guitar up to the usual Bottom standard.. hahahahaha ! Wanna move
to Arizona ?
'Prelude' - Dave Bottom
Three-guitar acoustic arrangement. Simple drop progression, tastefully
played in a fingerpick style, good harmonics. I liked this one very much.
Watch it, Dave, Windham Hill territory... ya can't play around with it
without getting some on ya...
'You're the Best Thing' - Paul Kent
Usual attention to detail.. good stereo field around the drums. Lyrics
indifferent.. only he's got a knack of undersinging that makes me listen.
Guitar solo uninspired.
'Just Like You' - Paul Kent
Rap-funk bass/drums, lotsa percussion.. lyrics don't seem to match the
arrangement. Overall, though, easy to like. Good instrumental changes..
Edd Cote sat in on piano..
'Instrumental' - Paul Kent
Good solo textures, uninspired drop chord progression. The percussion
programming was the best thing about this piece.
|
| 682.15 | | BAXTA::BOTTOM_DAVID | | Mon Mar 09 1987 12:05 | 122 |
| Hmm I'm gonna do thie review now....
Woo-woo love-KMII
Hmm this has begun to grow on me to the point that I hear it when
it's not playing now.....nice hook made me want to play guitar with
it, is that KMII singing? Interesting voice, fits the song just
fine.
The Kiss-KMII
This is real nice the violins sing and I hear this one alot too.....
there's not much room left for any more songs to be stuck in my head...
Satan Never sleeps-Mark Schmeider
Hmmm.....
Across the ocean- Mark Schmeider
More hmm....I think the drums were a bit frantic...
Vocal ease- Mark Schmeider
A bit too unformed for me but the nicest of the three. Not my style.
I just wanna be on MTV- Rick Sawyer
My oh my....I liked it, then I got tired of it then I liked it again.
Give it to Mikie he'll eat anything....great song, nice hooks, good
singer.....nice solos....interesting synth...have decided you should
be on MTV....hang in there Rik
Still Loaded- Rik Sawyer
This may be a better song then the first...I didn't really go for
it at first, instead it grew one me through successive listenings.
Very nice song, backs up everything I said about the first one.....
Cruise Control- Jam Vac
Made me wanna jam... (i did!) I would have liked to see this band
myself..godd tunes and probably the best produced music on the tape.
BE my girl- jam Vac
Not quite as hot as the first one but definatley good stuff...and
I did ask for more...
Top of the World- John Sauter
DX7 does captain kangaroo....definately made me thing of
merry-go-rounds and a long hot summer of cotton candy. This was
sequenced right? A bit mechanical sounding but the illusion was
great. Shades of Ray Bradbury.....
Cannes- Edd Cote
It cooks but what is it? Interesting stuff...all sequenced I assume.
Rio- Edd Cote
More of the same.....
Pastorale-Dervish
Windham Hill on acid...interestting stuff...not my field tho...
Sveinung Hovensjo-Dervish
So what does this mean to you? Seriously what's the title about?
I liked this one best...especially the drums and all interesting
use of rhythms..
Crusin for you- dave Bottom
Hmm let me set all those rumors to rest.
I didn't write it....I didn't sing it...I did play the drums (if
that's what you call "playing a 707") and I recorded it and played
the sizzling hot solos....
Slow thing- Dave Bottom
I sorta wrote this but it really just happened..a jam with two
guitarists anda portastudio...steal the drum track form another
4 track master and mix......my first experiment with recording harmony
leads....made me buy my own studio stuff.....now I know what to
blame...
Prelude- Dave Bottom
4am acoustic blues in a barren barracks in San Diego...I can still
taste the salt air when I hear this one....composed entirely on
a diet of depression.....poorly recorded and panned to the right?
Oh well when you step on the wrong stuff some of it sticks to your
shoes.....Karl I got some on me now what do I do? An how do I keep
my nails from breaking?
You're the best thing- Paul Kent
Good tune nice hooks.....mildly interesting words....about your
boss eh? Hmm...
Just Like you- Paul Kent
the bass on this was so distorted on my tape.....it distracted
me and that's all I remember
Instrumental- Paul Kent
Hmm another blank? I owe you a review......I forgot this one too...
it's not intentional I assure you...I do have the distinct impression
that I liked these last two songs.....
Overall: The tape was very hissy in places......somehow the stuff
I sent still sounds too sharp on playback......one side of my tape
is dbx...if the other is it's breathing very badly.....
well that's all for me folks....
dave
|
| 682.16 | The UK Speaks | RDGE00::NORTON | | Fri Mar 13 1987 10:19 | 144 |
| My opinion for what it's worth:-
Karl Moeller:
"Woo-Woo Love" - I must confess to being unreasonably biased AGAINST
Karl because I HATED Alphaville and everybody else loved
it. I acknowledge he's an excellent player though.
The thing is though that I really like this song.
It must be good to overcome my predudice !
"The Kiss" - Superb !! I loved the volins. Perhaps a mite too
long though ??
Mark Schmieder:
"Satan Never Sleeps" - Terrific stuff. I loved the vocals. A really
strange atmosphere to it. It left me wanting
more - perhaps the best way to do it. Good
length.
"Accross The Ocean" - Clear, I get the idea. Bit bland though dare
I say perhaps boring ?? Guitar a bit to rigid.
Good length though.
"Vocal Ease" - Terrible beginning. I liked the up-beat bit
though. These songs have a nice feel about
them. Perhaps its the lack of high tech production
tricks jumping out. Not very tight sounding
though.
Rik Sawyer:
"I Just Wanna Be On MTV"
- Sorry but I hated it. At least you left the kitchen
sink out. Everything else is in there though !!
Boring wall of sound. Far too much going on. Far
too long. Melody is unimaginative (sp?). Ellen's
vocals just don't suit it.
I liked the instrumental break. Ellen IS a great
singer (usually). Good musicianship. Hated the synth.
"Still Loaded" -Really liked the song. Far too cluttered. Too long.
good synth intro but terrible diddly bits through
out the rest. Nice guitar licks. Really liked the
vocals.
I realise that the production was not entirely Rik's doing, but
I think these songs need LESS of everything !!
Jamaican Vacation:
"Cruise Control" - Nice tune . Nice clean sound. SPARSE. It doesn't
excite me though. The trouble is that it's a
recording of a band playing live. We've all got
tapes of our 'old' bands. It's a totally different
Scene to controlling everything yourself. Perhaps
Bringing in a couple of friends to overdub bits
that they can do better. I Can't fault these
songs but they don't get my respect!!
"Be My Girl" - As above but too long. Reminds me of Joe Jackson.
Not so catchy.
I'd just like to say here that I HATED HATED HATED Derek Speeds
songs from Tape 1. It was out of context with the rest of the
contributions as well as being trash.
John Sauter:
"Top Of The World" - Are you serious ??? This has to be the worst
piece of music I have ever heard in my life.
It sounds like it has been quantised at the
wrong intervals. It's worse than a music box.
the arrangement is terrible. The Timbres are
Lousy. Sorry but I hated it.
Edd Cote:
"Cannes" - I sort of like this. Its a bit monotonous. Too long.
BUT I like it
"Rio" - Much better than Cannes. I like this. A bit too long
though. Luckilly the trumpet(?) kept my attention just
When I was starting to get bored. Nice arrangement.
Dervish Davis:
"Pastorale" - TOO LONG. Didn't like it much but I thing its been
done really well. I'd like to see some sleeve notes!
"Sveinung Hovensjo" - MUCH TOO LONG. Liked this one better but still
didn't like it. I DO think it's been done
well though.
Dave Bottom:
"Cruisin' For You" - Seemed ok. not as hot as tape 1 stuff though.
To be fare the tape I was listening to has
destroyed Daves stuff. I think Paul Kent fell
asleep while his cat turned the record level
to full whilst biting the mains cable to make
it crackle and licking the tape transport to
vary the speed. In short - Paul screwed up
this tape and this is where it shows most.
"Slow Thing" - The impression I get from this is that I'd
like it. Sizzling lead lines....
"Prelude" - Bit slow for me. Good guitar work though.
Paul Kent:
"You're The best thing" - I liked the arangement. I liked the Production.
Good Stereo. I liked the song. I didn't
like the singing.
"Just Like You" - I think this is Pauls best song so far. One
of the best on the tape for me. Loved the Bass
and even the vocals are ok. I like you're rhythm
guitar playing (generally) It sounds a bit
like mine !!
"Instrumental" - Sounds like a filler !!
There you go then. The BRUTALLY HONEST SUBJECTIVE BIASED thoughts
of an Englishman.
Generally I wish people wouln't be so self indulgent. I think we
all are so impressed with our latest hot riff that we thrash it
to death. We then process it with all those expensive gadgets. I
think that 90% of the songs on this tape are too long. Its better
to leave people wanting more. They can always play it again if they
want to.
Perhaps if there's a TAPE 3 I'll submit something to let you all
get your own back on me !!
Andrew
|
| 682.17 | My reviews | DREGS::BLICKSTEIN | Dave | Mon Mar 23 1987 20:14 | 104 |
| I've been listening to the tape for a week now. Here are my thoughts:
-< Revised Table of Contents >-
"Woo-Woo Love" Karl Moeller
I didn't care for this.
"The Kiss" Karl Moeller
I thought this was excellent. Very thoughtful piece. Only negative
criticism is that much of the violin part sounded like an added
after-thought. I think the violin part should have been more
sparse.
"Satan Never Sleeps" Mark Schmieder
"Across The Ocean" " "
"Vocal Ease" " "
I didn't care for any of these. Guess it wasn't mainstream enough
for me.
"I Just Wanna Be On MTV" Rik Sawyer
"Still Loaded" " "
Hard to assess these tunes. The hiss on my copy was so overwhelming
that it was hard to hear anything else. I really liked the guitar
solo on "MTV", it was very expressive. It was a good example of
how playing something within your ability with feeling comes off
sounding so much better than a flashy solo that isn't performed
well and doesn't say anything. Rik got a great crunch guitar sound on
the rhythm guitar. One criticism I might express is that both tunes
sounded very typical of radio tunes. I didn't get a sense of
unique style, even though I know that Rik is very much a stylist
from jamming with him. I thought this was one of the better uses
of drum machines on the tape.
"Cruise Control" Jamaican Vacation (Stevie K)
"Be My Girl" " " "
Good quality recording although it was hard to pick out the bass
guitar. The singer really has a distinctive voice and uses it well.
I've found myself spontaneously humming "Be My Girl" a few times.
"Top Of The World" John Sauter
Not sure how to comment on this. Evaluating it as an interpretation
of a piece, I didn't find it too interesting.
"Cannes" Edd Cote
"Rio" " "
I liked these pieces although it's not the kind of music I would
listen to frequently. Good quality recording.
"Pastorale" Dervish (Rob Davis)
"Sveinung Hovensjo" " "
I normally don't like stuff like this, but the honest truth is that
I really loved both of these pieces. I also think the recording
was perhaps the best on the album. The drums on the 2nd tune were
really terrific. Don't know how they were done but they certainly
didn't sound machine-like and were very interesting. All the synth
sounds were very creative and interesting.
I think this is some of the most creative stuff on the tape.
"Cruisin' For you" Dave Bottom
"Slow thing" " "
"Prelude" " "
I liked the second and third pieces much better than the first.
The first piece sounded pretty basic early 70's stuff. Was very
glad to have finally heard some of Dave Bottom's stuff. He is
deserving of compliments he's received from various people I've
talked to. Nice stuff.
"You're The Best Thing" Paul Kent
"Just Like You" " "
"Instrumental" " "
Liked the first two songs. Had an identifiable "slick" almost Knopfler
like style.
All in all, as a beginner in this kinda thing, I was both impressed
and encouraged by what people are doing. Am anxious to start doing
stuff of my own. Maybe I'll eventually get enough nerve to contribute
something to the next tape so you guys can tear me apart the way
I've torn you apart (just kidding, I seriously hope that no one
considers any of my comments in that way).
I'll tell you though. A few days ago Tom Benson played me a theme
he recorded for "The Boingers" (something having to do with one
of those preppie comic strips). I think it's the most impressive
amatuer 4-track recording I've heard. Well recorded, well performed,
well written, creative, funny. I truly hope that Tom will allow
the rest of the COMMUSIC world to hear what he's done.
db
|
| 682.18 | Public apology | RDGE00::NORTON | | Wed Mar 25 1987 06:57 | 30 |
| When I think about it, I was a little unfair to Derek Speed in my
review. As he pointed out to me, his music WAS in context as he
took the trouble to check that bands were acceptable contributions
and it was generally agreed they were. Perhaps what I 'm saying
is that FOR ME it's not the same at all and as such I judge them
differently. I admit that this is unfair since music is music and
it shouldn't matter who, how many people, where it was recorded
or how much fancy equipment was used.
I also hate myself for calling his music 'trash' since it was an
emotive unjustified meaningless critisism. When it comes dow to
it, I just don't like rock and roll AT ALL. Dereks songs are probably
very effective at a live party where dancing and a good time are
the name of the game. ( Personally I would go to the bar !). I was
wrong to call them trash as they are well executed examples of what
they are aiming for.
So please accept my appology Derek for my scathing emotional response.
lets just say that I hated your stuff because that style of music
is the ONE style that I really can not get into. I found the songs
very clicheed (?), monotonous and uninspiring. But that's just me.
The songs ARE NOT TRASH since many people liked them. They just
leave me cold for reasons that I can not quantify. Music is mostly
an emotional response, its nothing personal but that band gave ME
a powerfull negative response.
You implied in your mail that you are working on non-band work.
If so I look forward to hearing future work, maybe I'll like it ??
Andrew
|
| 682.19 | Constructive Criticism, Hopefully | REGENT::SCHMIEDER | | Fri Mar 27 1987 16:19 | 224 |
| Well, there hasn't been much constructive criticism offered thus far
(including my own initial "gut reaction" review), and I finally reached a good
stopping point in all of my projects, so I spent several hours last night
listening to and analysing the tape.
One thing I have definitely decided is not to take part in future tapes. This
has nothing to do with getting negative reviews (I have no emotional
attachment to such old material anyway), but the realisation that the whole
concept of a COMMUSIC tape is a good idea that doesn't work. Many people may
be in situations where they can't readily get listeners for their work, and I
believe that was the initial motivation behind the tapes. I have no shortage
of willing listeners myself, and I will continue to volunteer myself as a
willing listener for anyone else in this conference.
Side I
"Woo-Woo Love" Karl Moeller
This tune reminds me of Blancmange, Some Bizarre Album, the whole early synth
pop movement in the U.K. A bit too riff-oriented for my tastes, and there
doesn't seem to be much direction, but it's pleasant to listen to. A bit
busy; it could stand to breathe a bit more. Great vocals!
"The Kiss" " "
I pretended not to be qualified to review this the first time around as I
didn't want to be completely negative about anything on this tape, especially
something that everyone else seems to be in awe of. Sorry, but I have nothing
good to say about this piece, except for that the piano technique is crisp and
rhythmically exact. Musically, I find this piece too diatonic in nature,
heavily dependent on cliched arpeggios. No clear beginning or end, too many
repetitions. The counter-theme is very interesting and a good contrast to the
main theme, but needs to be developed and emphasised more before returning to
the head. Clean and emotive string playing. Bear in mind that these
criticisms are based on personal preferences and do not reflect upon the high
level of musicianship evident in this work.
"Satan Never Sleeps" Mark Schmieder
I'm surprised anyone can hear what's going on in this piece due to the
undecoded dbx compression. This song makes me very happy (I can say that with
no ego since my sister wrote it), and I'm glad that it at least made SOME
people in this conference happy. This song suffered the most from the tape
transfer screw-up (and wrong mix selection), so I attribute the negative
reviews to the fact that most people weren't able to really hear what was
going down.
"Across The Ocean" " "
Not tight enough. That's what I get for recording drum machine first, then
bass, then guitar, then clarinet. I played this for a professional jazz
drummer last night, who was very fond of it and understood it perfectly. His
comment was that the drum part was much faster than EXPECTED, but not WRONG.
To come up with another drum part, I would probably have to listen to the mix
WITHOUT drums, as this version is so ingrained in me now that I can't hear it
in my head any different way. Still think it should be expanded, plus a third
theme added somewhere. No longer feel it needs an extra lead line; that's an
illusion caused by the drum part being busier than the clarinet part. Guitar
playing is very choppy, which is to be expected from someone who has only had
a half dozen or so lessons. The pro drummer pointed out that doing something
funky on the bass in the upper register might be a good alternative for
someone who's not good on guitar but wants a full sound on their home
recordings. The reason the harmonies are "weird" (all the pros who hear this
use the term "interesting" instead; but then, they LIKE the piece) is that I
try to be original in everything I write. Unique chord progressions, harmonic
support that pushes and pulls away from tensions. Not exactly a mainstream
rock approach to writing music. I also make sure I never repeat myself (at
least, I add subtle variation each time. In this case, the acompaniment has a
different length than the main theme).
"Vocal Ease" " "
Not tight enough. Second guitar line is too busy at times, and buries the
melody as a result. Could possibly use a third theme on top of the two main
themes and the bridge. The main section has one too many repeats due to an
error in programming the drum machine, but I let it go at the time and didn't
realise until I was done that it had made the song overly long. Otherwise,
still happy with the main section. The intro was basically free form improv,
with some preconceptions guiding the improv. Lots of quotes of well-known
themes if you listen for them, which was the idea of the intro. I would like
to sketch it out, work on it some to clean it up with a bit more form. Guitar
playing is choppy as usual, and lead playing is rhythmically sloppy.
"I Just Wanna Be On MTV" Rik Sawyer
Good intro and overall pacing. Great synth lines! Vocals not focussed enough
in pitch. Chorus should have a bit more rhythmic variation to provide better
contrast with the main theme. The arrangement underneath the guitar solo is
distracting. Solo itself is rather generic, but very clean in execution.
"Still Loaded" " "
Intro would be better without the drum machine, otherwise the pacing is good.
Vocals need to be more up front but are very clean. Chorus is too repetitive.
Main theme has a boss bass line, but the arrangement needs some variations on
repeats. As a result, the perception is that this piece is overly long.
"Cruise Control" Jamaican Vacation (Stevie K)
Still reminds me somewhat of New Order, at least at the beginning. Later, it
begins to sound a bit like The Cars. Vocals have lots of personality, but are
a bit too airy and lacking in punch. Guitar never breaks out with a
convincing solo, and the rhythm never seems to vary although it's a great
riff. Needs a counter-theme to break the monotony. Very crisp and
professional in execution. This is very strong material, but seems to be at
somewhat of a preliminary stage of development.
"Be My Girl" " " "
Guitar line again too restricted. Bear in mind that all of my comments are in
addition to what I said before, and I already said quite a bit about this
tune in my previous review.
"Top Of The World" John Sauter
Is this a variation on "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain"? Sure sounds
like it. HORRIBLE keyboard patch, but that's my taste probably. Is this for
kids? Not to sound insulting, because I don't have any genre hang-ups except
perhaps New Age Music. Couldn't find liner notes on this one, so I'll refrain
from further comment since I don't know what the artist was trying to
accomplish with this piece.
Side II
"Cannes" Edd Cote
No movement to the main melody, too many standalone notes. Finally breaks out
a bit in the second theme, but overall this piece is way too scalar in nature
and very repetitive.
"Rio" " "
Good intro, but would be more effective with less busy drums and no solo drum
machine intro. It's too long before anything substantial happens in the
piece, though, and the counter-theme offers no real contrast.
"Pastorale" Dervish (Rob Davis)
Effective intro, great keyboards/piano. Very original, lots of form to keep
everything together - represents a clear progression of musical ideas. Poor
mix, though (or poor dub copy?). Everything is elongated a bit much, and the
sequencer clashed with the feel of what else was going on. Could benefit from
some free-blowing horns over the top.
"Sveinung Hovensjo" " "
Reminds me of Weather Report, Bennie Maupin, early 70's fusion. Much more
effective than the previous piece due to more balance in the range
("Pastorale" is a bit too mid-rangey for these ears). The lead line reminds
me somewhat of Robert Fripp's approach, also mid-70's Miles Davis (from the
"Aghartha" period). Especially with regard to overall form. Very live, very
tight sounding.
"Cruisin' For you" Dave Bottom
Best vocals on the tape! Melody a bit too repetitive.
"Slow thing" " "
Mostly just an extended guitar solo; would work well as an instrumental break
in a larger vocal composition.
"Prelude" " "
Pleasant acoustic guitar number, very polished. Short and concise, never
overstated nor underdone. Flute solo on top might give the piece more
longevity of interest, but it's nice for an occasional listen even in its
stripped-down form.
"You're The Best Thing" Paul Kent
Boss bass line! Very real-life drums. Vocals OK, but could use more emotion.
"Just Like You" " "
Unhappy sounding, but good funk. Missing something I can't quite place.
Perhaps harmony vocals on the chorus?
"Instrumental" " "
Didn't care for lead keyboard patches. Fairly weak composition without much
forward momentum. The other two pieces seemed about the strongest on the tape
to me, with the least need for revisions. Strong form, catchy hooks, etc.
Well, I hope these comments help people. I have tried to separate legitimate
musical criticism from personal taste, but it isn't always easy. Overall,
this isn't very experimental music (and I withheld my own more experimental
music due to the poppiness of Tape I), and I'm not sure what purpose the tape
serves at this point. Lest anyone think my criticisms negative, remember the
qualifier that covers this entire tape (minus the one song who's purpose I
didn't understand due to lack of liner notes for it): I feel everyone on the
tape has strong songwriting and playing capabilities, and a professional
attitude about recording and music in general. Everyone represented on this
tape has the talent to fill a niche somewhere in the music world.
Mark
|
| 682.20 | Don't be so serious all the time | DREGS::BLICKSTEIN | Dave | Fri Mar 27 1987 20:09 | 16 |
| re: .19
Mark, I think the purpose of the tape was nothing more than to give
people a chance to hear other peoples stuff. These tapes satisfy
the interest and curiousity that we all have in each others efforts.
It also gives much of the discussion in this file context and
persepctive.
As such I think these tapes are TREMENDOUSLY successful.
I'm greatly looking forward to hearing (and hopefully participating
in) the next tape.
I doubt anyone expected to be "discovered" from this tape.
db
|
| 682.21 | Tape II review. | PILOU::MULELID | Going for broke! | Sun Mar 29 1987 18:25 | 124 |
| 682.22 | Why pay $80/hr for counseling? | 16514::MOELLER | Drink & mow, lose a toe! | Wed Apr 01 1987 16:20 | 11 |
| >the whole concept of a COMMUSIC tape is a good idea that doesn't work.
>Many people may be in situations where they can't readily get listeners
>for their work, and I believe that was the initial motivation behind
>the tapes.
Gee, I was *wondering* why I "bother" to participate in the COMMUSIC
tapes... my cassette tape sales and sold-out concerts notwithstanding.
Well, now I know ! Thanks for setting me straight.
karl moeller
|
| 682.23 | The Rewiew II | MINDER::KENT | | Tue Apr 14 1987 15:33 | 150 |
|
Well Chaps after much cogitation and thought provoking review
listening, here are my thoughts on Commmusic II in playback order.
Generally I liked the tape although the overall recorded quality
wasn't too hot. I'me not sure whether the inherent hiss was
Edd-induced or whether it was on the originals but in certain
places it was quite distracting.
Side 1
"Woo Woo Love"
Really liked this one. I didn't know Karl had this sort of stuff
in him. I really liked the atmospherics at the beginning and did
wonder whether this had actually been recorded live. Great song
reasonably stupid lyrics which I liked. All the musicianship was
good, generally I approve.
"The Kiss"
I really can't get into this sort of stuff. Its pleasant enough
but doesn't seem to go anywhere. I would be interested to know if
you just sit down and play this sort of stuff or whether it has
some preconceived form and notation. I certainly think that
without the Violins it must have sounded pretty bare. I didn't
hate it but I didn't like it either. It reminds me of the stuff
that British Airways put out over the tannoy after a safe landing
in A 747. I hope I don't find out what they put out if you don't
have a safe landing.
"Satan Never Sleeps"
I liked the Beat but thats all.
"Across The Ocean"
Sounds like one of those Jazz Bands who have forgotten who was
supposed to be taking the lead break and the drummers having a
nervous breakdown trying to get them all together again. I am
afraid the only jazz (if this is jazz?) tha I like tends to be the
stuff with some definite beat more on the Blues/Funk lines. I'me
afraid this one wasn't for me. Guess I'me just a rock and roller
at heart.
"Vocal Ease"
Sounded like somebody tuning up at the beginning. Once it got
going it sounded a bit like an early english piece with a drum
machine played in realltime. After all the hype from Mark this
wasn't what I expected at all. But I notice some of the other guys
liked it so I guess I'me just a square.
"I Just Wanna Be On MTV"
Ellen on Vocals always sounds good. I'me afraid that the quality
of the recording on this let it down a bit. I liked the synth
parts, and the guitar break in the middle was good also. Overall
however I fealt that the song was a bit obvious (listen who's
talking). The basic sound was exciting though and had a really
good feal about it. Sounded like it was an enjoyable recording
session. Was it ?
"Still Loaded"
Again I liked the basic feel and atmosphere on this one. Same
comments almost as the last one. Not too good a song but great
synth lines and general atmosphere. Phil Spector look out. Loved
the ending.
"Cruise Control"
Brilliant !!!. My favorite track on the tape. Loved the voice and
the simple hook. I think the less than average quality of the
recording improved the whole thing it would probably be spoiled
with any other treatment. I would even go out and buy this if I
could. Can I ?
"Be My Girl"
Didn't like this quite as much as the previous one, but nearly as
much. Same comments as before. Not too sure you could get away
with those lyrics on U.K. radio. (shit etc...). And a real
drummer! The last one I played with ran off with a TR707 years
ago. I hear they've got 2 kids (a boy and a 505). I also thought
the subliminal vocals were an interesting touch at the end of
this.
"Top Of The World"
I play this to my new son, he prefers it to the Brahms Lullaby
music box he has installed (stereo) in the cot (crib for you guys
across the water). So it must be O.K. I quite enjoyed it too as a
"one off". I'me not sure if I'd want a whole sackfull.
"Cannes"
Hmmm. Liked the bass part. Liked the tune. But didn't really enjoy
the whole thing.
"Rio"
Preferred this one. I really liked the latin drum programming and
the synth swirling around the bass line. I still hate the sound of
that RX21 snare. I think that sounds going to live with me till I
die. I really liked this piece all in all.
"Pastorale"
No not me I'me afraid. I was never into flower power or
Appregiators and I couldn't develop any wish to sit down and
listen to this at all.
"Sveinung Hovensjo"
Preferred this one, basically I think because of the drum sounds
at the beginning, which I thought were stunning. In fact if there
had been a definable theme, and a middle, and an end I might have
got to quite like this.
"Cruisin for You"
Bit to heavy for me but thought it was pretty good of it's kind.
Good guitar paying. Terrible lyrics. (listen who's talking). I'me
almost sure I've heard all those guitar licks somewhere else.
"Slow Thing"
Well it was slow. Quite nice harmony guitar. More plagiarised
guitar licks.
"Prelude"
Yep better. Better recording. A semblance of a tune.
Nice guitar sounds.
------------------
No comments on the rest of the tape I'll opt for the fifth
amendment.
|
| 682.24 | | REGENT::SCHMIEDER | | Wed Apr 15 1987 20:03 | 28 |
| RE: -.1
Nice to see some more CONSTRUCTIVE comments on Tape II (and I DO mean the
ENTIRE tape, lest anyone misconstrue my motives again).
I find it humerous that Paul's comments are almost the polar opposite of my
own, even though they go into even more detail. It just goes to show how much
of our listening is context-dependent.
Actually, there are a few tunes we agreed on, but the REASONS we both gave
for the varying opinions just go to show that ALL of this music on the tape is
valid (which I pointed out time and time again in my reviews, although that
message didn't seem to sink in); it's how you listen to it that counts.
My motto is: If ANYONE likes it, it MUST be good, because music is communication
and if someone else likes a piece then it has succeeded in communicating an
idea or set of emotions or moods.
Due to being too busy with performing/rehearsing this past year or so to have
time for songwriting, I won't be participating in Tape III, but I look forward
to it when it comes (hopefully soon) and hope to see some new names this time
around. I still volunteer to take charge of the Tape III project with my
high-end setup if no one's worried that I'll process the tapes too heavily
with my equaliser.
Mark
|