Another Song Fight challange. Another missed deadline. It was worth it though, because at the time of the deadline I was watching Beck perform Live. Then I was fortunate enough to meet the man. Woot. Anyway, this was what I was going to submit. This was about 5 hours of my time. Was unable to work on the drums for this tune, so its just using a generic loop for my click track. Last verse needs to be reworked. Would like to have a bridge in this as well. Oh well, another demo tune that can be approached again at a later date, like when I can record real drums.

(Crown)Royal Baby - Home Demo

After a long break, I have returned to submit my entry for the Song Fight 11/10/13 - Bully. This was an 8 day deadline. After a few months of not recording, it was hard to find my flow again. Although this started off with a lot of promise, it quickly turned into quite the battle. My original approach at a chorus for this fell through. The second idea didnt materialize either, so the chorus is extremely week in this tune, and will need to be revisited and approached differently. This ate up a ton of my time, and I never quite recovered from it. I was hoping to have a more detailed rhythm track in there, but time just ran out, and I had to settle with some generic loops that I had been using as my click track. EQ'ing was painful task as well. All the ideas/sounds I had in my head for this tune starting out, were just not materializing as I had hoped. Vocals are getting lost in the mix quite often. This is a constant battle for me. Must do more research into vocal compression / treatment / EQ. Solo gave me a tough time to, but it ended up passable, so not to many complaints on that. I actually missed the dealine on this tune because I was so unhappy with it that I decided not to submit. After sleeping on it for a night, and noticing the songfight songs had yet to be posted, I decided to take an hour and polish it up as best I could using what I had, and submit. So at least its submitted and I can chalk this up to succesful. Submitted means I actually practiced my hobby, and got something done (for the most part). I will post Reviews from the songfight community as they come in. Until then, I would like to share this quote from Ira Glass from NPR that made me feel a little better about my recording/songwriting ability:

For the first couple of years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer.And your taste is why your work disappoints you.

A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have.

And if you are just starting out or you are still in that phase,you gotta know it’s normal and the most important thing you can do is a lot of work. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close the gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. 
- Ira Glass (National Public Radio)

Reviews from Songfight

The intro hooks me right away. Great harmonies, heroic sound, nice changeup at :45 and again at 1:00. This has the push-pull I was hoping for from Hoglen. Nice eastern flourishes. Vote.
- Josh Woodward ( http://www.facebook.com/joshwoodwardmusic )

Like: Super intro, tricks me into thinking the "Who", lead guitar around 1:20, harmonized vocals. Dislike: nothing
- EvelBist/New Image

The droning, sparkling, reverberating, pulsating sound is what I would call "trippy" or "groovy," and I mean that in a good, retro way. Sweet harmonies. The vocals get a bit crowded and uncoordinated in the part around 00:54 -- the sibilances aren't timed with precision, for example -- and murky around 1:04, where they compete for sonic space with the low mids of the rhythm guitar. Hey, is that a backwards lead? Good call! As I say, it's got a good groove, and although it might benefit from a contrasting segment somewhere, it's short enough to work.
-James Owens

intro is quite nice. the spot where you are talking in the vocals reminds me of earlier (less poppy) incubus. I like the entire sound. The vocals feel more of a texture than a focus - but they sound good. Reverse solo. Please tell me how. I couldn’t pull much from the vocals but the overall sound is excellent. 
-Grock

Nice opening. Broad horizons and I'm digging the delayed Araby riff and vocals. I can't understand the vocals, but don't mind as the mood is good. This could use a face melting synth or guitar lead, maybe even some crazed mid-eastern horn all woodly. regardless, nice textures and good work despite lacking a change-up somewhere in there.
-Paco del Stinko

Bully

Got another home demo done. 1st song of the year, hell , first song in the past two years. God I'm a procrastinator. This was originally a Songfight submission, but I never hit the deadline, and just decided to finish it up. I am pretty happy with this. Some glaring Mixing issues, and a vocal performance that doesnt really reflect the creepy subject of the tune. I needed to deliver a way "greasier/creepier" vocal. Happy with the guitar part though, and am looking forward to adding real drums and jamming this out a bit someday down the road. Time to move on to a new tune.

Lurker (Home Demo)

My entry for SONG FIGHT Tuesday March 12th - Make the First Move.  This was another great exercise in time management. Got an earlier start on this one, but ended up playing with the sound so much that I sorta lost my original idea for the tune. Vocals get lost in the mix in quite a few parts, and I don't have a good control on the volume. Think this is a good start, and something to flesh out and clean up a bit more.

Reviews

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o. Like those opening harmonies. Nice full sound. I dig it, lots going on with the drums that would sound cool on a real kit, but sound a little distracting this way. Still, great song. - Cord Smith

nice laid-back 6/8 groove, reminiscing. Vocals are a little distant in the mix, but that sort of suits the far-off-in-the-distance lyrical subject matter. - Nobody et al

Liked it in the beginning, changes and vocals kept me listening, song structure and chorus convinced me of the song's full potential. I easily see this in the top 5. Definitely a vote.
 - Dejected Motives

Sleek and subtle. Def the mercedes of the crowd. Takes some noticing to see the details but they are def worth it.  - Economy Biscuits

I love this tune, man. So much yachty goodness all in one place, and a beefy bass drum. Your vocals are fine, don't hate on em. Embrace that shit. You could slap that drummer around a little and remind him what the fucking genre is. If you have insecurity issues with your singing you need to get that shit checked, you have a really good voice. I don't love the single-note lead throwaway guitar lines over the chorus, you don't need it and we've heard Jonny Default Guitar Line too many times by now. Get some originality in there - play it on the piano and lay on the fuzz or something. Interestingly the drum overplaying makes a lot more sense on the later chorus than on the first - but it's still too much. - Blue

 Excellent. Bring the vocals up just a tad, I think. At the "make the first move" in the chorus, I think the supporting vocal would really shine if it stays up on the root of the chord - know what I mean? Happy to clarify if you want. Anyhow, that's a matter of opinion in any case, so please let me know if I should go piss off. This is a rare one that actually works with a longer length at ~4:30 too. A. Related: reading your review was fun, too, though I might be biased because you were awfully kind to me (thanks). - Tuners Union

nice soothing tune, love the final part. maybe a vote - heine

Nice groove and a pleasant voice. This sounds like a John Mayer type song, like something you'd sing for the girls. It's not wimpy (not that 'girl music', if there is such a thing, is or should be) but I can't help but picture a couple of young pretty people in this song. I like the chorus vocals and the instrumentation throughout is well chosen arranged. Great portamento-ish hook. Eh. Maybe I'm a girl. Teasing, this is very good. - Paco del Stinko



Make the First Move (Home Demo)

This is a submission for the "Lets Call It a Draw" Songfight for September 1st. Will update this page with results and reviews from the songfighters.

Reviews from Songfight:

Cord Smith says: This is some rockin' desert rock. I want to ride a 1966 GTO through the desert while smoking cigarettes and other things. HAND CLAPS AND HARMONICA Y'ALL

WreckdoMelle says: is that a talk box? I enjoy a song with clapping, and harmonica too? Fantastic. The driving beat makes this a fun listen. Someone put the needle back on the record!

Vom Vorten says: good desert-rock vibe to begin with and I like how you change up the feel with the handclaps before the chorus (like a darker My Sharona!). Layered vocals sound good and the harmonica break is an excellent way to change things up.

Paco del Stinko says: Driving my car, shades on. Right into and through the arcade. Awesome. The nearly non changing bass line is balls, as simple as it isn't. Love to rock this live, the added raw edge would slay. Love the end!

Sober says: Fun ZZ Top/Foreigner feel. Could use some more vocal takes on the chorus. A little more time automating volume and/or compression would make the vocal sit better, as it's getting buried. Guitar tone is great. Cut the harmonica solo down - you can only hide so much behind delay. Hate the lack of a real ending.

Jake  DeLorey's Album

Lets Call It a Draw (Home Demo)- SongFight Entry 09/1/20

Song Fight Entry for 9/11/20

Reviews from Songfight:

Balls to Monty says: Another really good one. I hate ALL OF YOU! Really like the overlapping vocals on this. Yet another good guitar track too. FUCK!

UJNHunter says: Heh, whatever that sound is in the background? Makes me think of the dentist in the previous song... not sure this is a good thing... I like the voices/harmonies here though too... and that "organ"(?) and the guitars sound good... I just don't like that noise that keeps happening... that drill/whine sound? What is it? Ahhh! The guitar/bass/drums are good though... I'd rock out to this. Like Pulp or Luna or something... Can I get a mix without that weird noise please? :)

lichenthroat says — The intro immediately hooked me. Genre bias makes me favor this, but think it’s an objectively good song, nevertheless. The screamy guitar in the background works well, even though I have no idea how it occurred to you to do include it. Top tier overall.

Shade&honey say: Mix sounds good right off the bat. I like the guitar sound. The doubled vocals sound great. I dig that weird drill sound hanging out in the mix. This has a good feel and energy and pacing about it. This is my fav this week so far. Dig the style. Do you like Dr. Dog?"

Phlebia says: Okay, now we’re upping the energy a bit, this is giving me some kind of new wavey vibes, and I like the new wavey vibes. But maybe that’s the wrong comparison, it’s something about the rhythm track and those sustained Is and IVs on the downbeats every four measures. I love that kind of electronic squelchy screechy synth going on, it’s getting me kind of pumped. Though I feel like it doesn’t quite know what to do with itself. And after that first chorus when it drops back to the instrumental break it needs something added to boost up the energy for a bit before everything drops out and the vocals sort of come to the forefront during the quiet part, feels like a void there. Basically this is a serious of really cool elements but the pacing of it just feels slightly off. Seems like the sort of song that could be workshopped into a real banger through repeated live performances. Vocal overdubs are gnarly. That melodic guitar line toward the end should have been introduced a bit earlier.

Jake DeLorey

Popular tracks