Month: June 2017

Broadjam Artist: Kate Carpenter
Song: Great Commission Instrumental

Reviewer: Jeff Maguire

Positive Comments: This sounds like it could be useful in any number of western type setting as underscore or background music. Somewhat reminiscent in tone and style to Wanted Dead or Alive by Bonjovi.

Constructive Comments: I do feel it could be used, at least parts of it, in a film type setting but I really don’t see any reasons for it to be almost 5 minutes long when there isn’t really anything going on other than the repetition of a single riff. Unless someone asked for it specifically like this, I’d compact the small changes that do take place into about 2 minutes at most.

Broadjam Artist: George Molden
Song: Trap beat

Reviewer: Calico King

Positive Comments: Nice little instrumental. I think it has a nice tempo, nice bounce to it, decent recording as well. The quality feels better than a home recording. For it’s length i felt it accomplished quite a bit, it has a central lick, it has a nice catchy synth, and nice heavy bass. The drum track sounds marketable as well.

Constructive Comments: I understand that this is a very short piece and most likely a quick cue or underscore so I won’t give criticism for what it lacks in comparison to a regular hip hop beat. if this was one verse to a rap song, I would say it has a lot of the hall marks to get picked up, it’s perhaps a little bit dissonant. I played along with what you were doing on my piano and I think if you picked out a stronger melody line, and put it on top of this you would have a far more intriguing piece.

Broadjam Artist: Produca X
Song: We Bout Dat

Reviewer: Calico King

Positive Comments: As a big fan of southern hip hop, and all the bad ass southern hip hop from the 90s, I really dug this. I might be biased, but I think there’s marketability in this cut, and i’d definitely want to hear more from this artist. The verses are strong, lyrics strong, and the hook is solid. The instrumental has all the cadence and hallmarks of southern beat. It sounds like some gangsterfied outkast, or some 8ball/MJG mixed with some ATL/Memphis flavor. The hook is stuck in the head easy. Love the reverse drums used in the instrumental, almost sounds like it’s borrowing a little bit from a screw tape. Keep it up the good work.

Constructive Comments: The only criticism I have would be small stuff, and it would be stuff on how to take this from a really fair song, to like an explosively marketable song. Really the only thing I feel it’s missing is a little more production value if you are trying to make it marketable, however I tend to favor the bare boned feel of it, so it really is up to yall. I think at times the instrumental could benefit from a little more depth, or perhaps a section (like a bridge or refrain) that doesn’t do the hook or verse, and parts from the same loop on the instrumental, a break down, maybe. Other than that, keep grinding– as good as any other southern artists putting work out right now and I was very happy to hear something reminiscent of the old school.

Broadjam Artist: Patrick Dude
Song: Leave Me Alone

Reviewer: Calico King

Positive Comments: Props for doing something that no one is really doing. There is definitely nothing in the hip hop or alternative genre that has this sound or feel to it, and I think there is promise in that. Pretty much everything about the tune is unorthodox and unique, from lyrics/hook/instrument/vocals and the genre mix is entirely in its own lane.

Constructive Comments: My biggest hang up with this song on is despite being very unique and perhaps innovative, it is almost too unorthodox. There’s a bit too much going on all fronts, both sonically, lyrically, melodically, and structurally. There are moments where the instrumental is decent as a hip hop/grunge/alt rock mix, but the vocals are often flat and the lyrics are disjointed, it needs focus. The writer needs to strip down all the things going on in this tune, hone in on what is best, and work on making them more accessible to the listener.

Broadjam Artist: MES
Song: One Shot

Reviewer: Calico King

Positive Comments: I think the Instrumental is strong. The arrangement of the instrumental is structured uniquely. The way it bounces back from the arpeggiated keys against the boom bap, the mid section refrains with the bass drone is spaced well. I definitely want to hear more from this artist, especially if the spacing was managed or revised. I think the “One shot” vocalist could potentially be a decent hook, if built upon a little more.

Constructive Comments: So if my ears heard correctly, there’s three vocalists a dude singing the “one shot”, a rapper who starts and finishes, another rapper that comes in about midway. My biggest hang up with the track is the pace. There is way too much space in between sections, and I thought that the song was over a couple times these mid sections have the right idea, but they are too sparse and could benefit from building the beat a bit more. Also the beat could be mastered to bring out the snare, kick, and really make the bass come alive. As for the lyrics, the one shot chorus gets a bit redundant, and if the hook man could find away to put variations on this section, or expand upon what one shot hes talking about, instead of speaking in really vague hooks that sort of just act as pauses in between each verse. As for the lyrics on the verses, I think the rapper in the middle had a very crisp voice and decent flow, the rapper who starts and finishes it needs to consider an alternate approach to his rhyme scheme, it sounds a bit off at times. Also, with the song being about one shot, I didn’t see how the hook and verses really worked in tandem, or built upon each other. Id advise the rappers to play on the idea of one chance , there’s lots of ways to make that unique, as oppose to more generic rhymes.I would be interested in hearing more though!

Broadjam Artist: The Melody Stuart Project – Remerge Band
Song: Nothing Over Me – Ameila Profaci

Reviewer: Kate Carpenter

Positive Comments: Here’s a very nicely produced teen pop girl power song. Perfect for anti-bullying movement, it shares the triumph of this kid over her foes. The chorus is empowering and something I can hear the 13 year olds belting out in unison at their slumber party. Nice intro, excellent instrumentation. I love the clarity of the vocal. Thanks for not overdoing the effects! The instrumental section and bridge are nicely done. I wish you every success with this song…bravo to the young artist!

Constructive Comments: Stick em out on a deserted island, leave them to slay the dragon…both of those solutions are creative, but unfortunately, unrealistic. Those girls are NOT going away. So how can you help Miss Lonely to deal with them beyond the song? That’s the question left to me after listening. I like the words of the chorus, but did I hear “You’re weaker than me”? I would say that is the one flaw in the chorus. The whole thing should stick to the first person. Maybe I heard it wrong?

Broadjam Artist: Jeff Roberts
Song: The Emperor’s Clothes

Reviewer: Kate Carpenter

Positive Comments: Definitely a creative piece, the songwriter is telling a story here backed by a tight rock band. The story is clearly laid out in the first verse: to see the clan (Klan?) defeated. A lot of thought went into the original lyrics with some humor infused.

Constructive Comments: Is this a song about the Ku Klux Klan? That’s the first impression I got from the lyrics. In the first listen, this was hard to figure out. The effects on the vocals at the end did not enhance the quality (in my opinion). I’ll have to check out your lyrics after I submit this review.

Broadjam Artist: Randy Calligan
Song: Soanata In D Minor

Reviewer: Kate Carpenter

Positive Comments: I’m hearing a huge stroke of genius and originality here. There’s something very unique about this voice: the intensity, the emotion, the gut-wrenching sincerity of it comes across like subtle lightning. I heard something very special in this song and this voice. The piano is remarkable and beautifully suited to the voice. I like the way the flute and strings come in. The teardrops to rain imagery is excellent. I would definitely like to hear more from this artist!

Constructive Comments: Although it is evident that a great deal of thought and time was put into this production, I think that some adjustments could be made to make the vocal more stand-out/understandable than it was. It seems like at times the effect was a bit too much. Maybe I’d have to listen again to try and figure out all the words. If I had been able to follow the whole thing, I would have given it 5 stars all the way down.

Broadjam Artist: Jeff Roberts
Song: What You Do

Reviewer: Denis Hackett

Positive Comments: Good tune, well balanced, fits the genre well, reminds me Boston from some years back.

Constructive Comments: Probably needs something of a breakout moment to highlight the song/song purpose. Overall a good well performed tune, but possibly lacking a little variation and impact. Still, good work.

Broadjam Artist: Randy Calligan
Song: Hundredth Valentine

Reviewer: Denis Hackett

Positive Comments: Love this tune, nice sentimental feel, and pleasant to listen to. Nice pace too, meanders along with a lovely relaxed feel. Some nice changes in there too. Good work.

Constructive Comments: Would’t change much here. The only area that I might look at is the opening few lines of the lyric, references to Pantry etc. Not sure about those, but otherwise a lovely piece.