Month: December 2016

Broadjam Artist: Gary Mazzola
Song: I WENT TOO FAR

Reviewer: Randal Dunkle

Positive Comments: I like the lead vocals and I also like the beat and the sound of the drums.

Constructive Comments: I like the song, I really don’t like the keyboard solo – I would replace it with a lead guitar – best wishes!

Broadjam Artist: The Cram’s
Song: The Long Goodbye

Reviewer: Gary Mazzola

Positive Comments: love it. love the vocal is great.

Constructive Comments: i cant thinkof a single thing i would change. keep up the great work. sorry i could not be more constructive. you had me at “Why”

Broadjam Artist: Patrick E. Muth
Song: BEFORE THE WORLD STOPS SPINNIN!

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Not really Chicago Blues but so what? This a great Cabaret / New Orleans sort of tune in the Randy Newman vein. Rough recording but the vibe is terrific.

Constructive Comments: Rein in the backing vocals–too loud. Bring the lead vocal up so you can hear it. Back the drums down so they just provide pulse and let the piano be the focal instrument.

Broadjam Artist: Jeff Maguire
Song: Onion Head

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: You can hear the tubes crying Uncle on this one with the wailing, almost Santana-like tone. Good beat and changes choices–there’s a cool 60’s vibe, especially with that organ. I can hear Bowie joining in.

Constructive Comments: I really don’t get much out of all the guitar leads. It’s pretty hot playing but should be a spice not the main chorus? That’s all IMO. I think the bones of the tune are super cool and should be worked into a good vocal song!

Broadjam Artist: Randal Dunkle
Song: Golgotha

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Randal stretching out into new sounds, and I like it. The lofi vocal works really well. “some people watched…others mocked” has a really nice halting phrasing that reminds me of Tom Petty. The loose, jangly lead guitar parts with the heavy vibrato sound really really cool, almost sitar-like.

Constructive Comments: Better drums would make a huge difference and so would a more grooving bass. Randal I’d like to produce a couple of your tunes if you’d be open to me really running with things, even maybe getting a guest vocalist to do the main parts? Let me know b/c this one and Salvation Song are diamonds in the rough.

Broadjam Artist: Black Diamonds
Song: Air Strike

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: This has some good beat and heavy vocals that have strong phrasing and sound impact. The main beat is heavy as is and could be even heavier. There’s some compelling and meaningful lyrics–I love the “five year old girl walking with grandpappy” bit–that’s something that could be featured even more because it gets into story that pulls you in. The section with “airstrike…the shots ring out” is really strong. Full disclosure: I already listened to this and “dropped” five stars on it for the Milwaukee youngsters.

Constructive Comments: I think you’re wasting time with the intro–I’d just kick with the beat for 4 or 8 and then hit it. Is “dropping bombs” a fresh rap lyric anymore? I hate self-referential rap, ie “my rhymes better than everybody else, I kill ya, I had to try hard to make it etc”. I’d so much hear rap about something–and that’s where you go when you get into the “airstrike / sound of the angels / no safety” –that’s really meaningful and compelling. I think you could add a lot by putting in a heavy bass line tied tight to the kick part, whether synth or e-bass and some heavy string ensemble parts.

Broadjam Artist: Chet Nichols
Song: The Secrets Of Life (Instrumental)

Reviewer: Mike Cantwell – TalentEast Productions

Positive Comments: Good music. Nice transition at 2:48. Not sold on this as Smooth Jazz. Maybe easy listening. I know what you need…have someone on BJ add a sax or other instrument melody. Share rights. Pay them if needed.

Constructive Comments: At 4:36, maybe cut out some of the intro. It was boring. Dragging. Then it got good. Pleasurable.

Broadjam Artist: Earl.C.Webb
Song: Lenska’s Journey

Reviewer: Mike Cantwell – TalentEast Productions

Positive Comments: It is definitely in the soundtrack genre. Good attempt.

Constructive Comments: Slightly cheesy sounding instruments. If that’s a real piano, the mic is not doing very good. Simple little ideas that get repetitive near the end. Try breaking up the pattern, and then coming back to it.

Broadjam Artist: Fred Kimmel
Song: Into You

Reviewer: Gary Mazzola

Positive Comments: very Prince like.instrumentally very good

Constructive Comments: had trouble understanding lyrics maybe brought up front a little more. mix seemed cluttered but all the parts are there just needs some separation. good cut. would like to hear a remix of this.

Broadjam Artist: Nigel Barrett
Song: The Day That They Came

Reviewer: Mike Cantwell – TalentEast Productions

Positive Comments: Generally good. Well presented.

Constructive Comments: Not a clue what the song is about. On the day that they came. Whoever they are.