Month: July 2017

Broadjam Artist: Uncle Spider & The Electric Dirt Clods
Song: The Minutes Tick & The Years Tock/ Pop

Reviewer: lost on foot

Positive Comments: Sounds like fun to jam with this hook which wasn’t bad in itself and I liked the guitar sound and timing. Easy listen, not pretentious or asking to be heard just moves on nety

Constructive Comments: Drums had some sort of delay {I think} that didn’t quite match up with the guitar and the levels on the recording could do with some work so maybe a remix required

Broadjam Artist: Jeff Maguire
Song: Do The Monkey ( short version )

Reviewer: lost on foot

Positive Comments: Enjoyed the hook and the guitar sound with some solid sounding drums, very retro sound and reminded me of the Stranglers in terms of arrangement and melodyGot a good vibe going and certainly has its own style

Constructive Comments: Needed to be built up and broken down more and it was only at the 1:21 mark that there was a change which worked well would have a like a bit more variety even if the track was only 1:49 in total

Broadjam Artist: Bob Bentley
Song: What If You’re Wrong = Original Version

Reviewer: lost on foot

Positive Comments: Serious message in the lyrics with a very full and lush arrangements. Loved the lead guitar sound/playing and string soundKind of took me back some years with the production but it worked with all the sounds working together

Constructive Comments: For me just a touch on the long side and would have liked to have heard a bit more of an aggressive delivery from the singer the lyrics are challenging with the question being asked and I just felt it would have added to the story line

Broadjam Artist: Charlie Shock
Song: IT DON’T MEAN NOTHING

Reviewer: lost on foot

Positive Comments: Really enjoyed this track, it’s got real attitude and swagger. A classic build into the chorus enjoyed the organ touches. The arrangement really works but the standout is the lead vocalist who has a great voice, delivery and attitude

Constructive Comments: The tracks well put together so just from a personal opinion I would have had less backing backing vocals in the last chorus just felt it lost its edge a touch but overall a great job

Broadjam Artist: Uncle Spider & The Electric Dirt Clods
Song: Remember When

Reviewer: CAEDMON’S DREAM

Positive Comments: * memorable hook and lyric with a story* lead and backing vocals well sung* instrumentation and performances support lyric well* recording/production quality is clear and panning balanced* savage guitar licks, nice relaxing tempo

Constructive Comments: – intro a little long and has no hook or “melody” to grab you- nice job getting to chorus early- if a Pop-tune ballad, some parts are too “classically structured” (ie. vocal and pno unison/doubling parts, pno runs)- “chorused/flanged” with spread pan on lead vocal verses sounds dated- somewhere in tune try something to change overall feel, melody, instrumentation, key then come back to restate song- good writing a nice piece for tv/movie backdrop

Broadjam Artist: Bill Dake
Song: The Fall

Reviewer: Dave Haddad (CenterPeace)

Positive Comments: Big sound right out of the box. What a groove!! Ok I’m ok with the effects on the drums. I totally love this energy and love in this song. It’s a great groove on the blues side all the way, down home with soul! Sweet bridge! Man, great changes there!! A very good song which I listened to several times. The lyrics got me from the first line… dang the whole first verse is cool. The band really jams, love the keyboards and bass and the singer well, he makes it all come together.

Constructive Comments: This is not a polished pro recording, I dig. It’s probably old too so I will try to consider that. I’m a drummer so it’s tough, there are places everywhere where the programmed drums get a little too funky lets say (timing off). Plus there are so many doubled notes…. anyone with experience in programming would cringe like I was. I am cool with the flanged out space drums, it actually was a good feature here. It was the doubled notes (on top of one another) which sound different and unpleasing to me. You’re probably the singer songwriter and not into production but it is just important in the presentation as the song it’self. Really the ONLY THING MISSING HERE IS LIVE DRUMS… Everyone else is jamming!! Also the low end could use a little cut in the subs 30 to 50Hz.

Broadjam Artist: Uncle Spider & The Electric Dirt Clods
Song: Lost In A Blue Serene / Jazz Standard

Reviewer: Dave Haddad (CenterPeace)

Positive Comments: I got into the abstract elements in this song. I liked the muted trumpet and Rhodes piano a lot. Echos of the great Dave Brubeck in the melodies. Good interaction with the horn and piano. I think you should keep making music, these melodies are stuck in my head!!!

Constructive Comments: Sounds a lot like it wants to be the great song “Take 5”. Not really together for me. the drums are just doing their own thing, nobody is really forming a pocket for the song to settle into. You should be following the drums and bass. Maybe the piano was played (improvised and edited) and then you added other instruments like drums and everything?? Final recording process should start with whatever rhythm section you are using then add melodies, solos, changes, breaks, tutti’s and whatever. Try to lock in more with the rhythm section. I think the drum loop is in 3 and the melody is phrased in 5 so for me, as a drummer it feels very uneasy. Piano distorts here and there. ok I know you’re not a professional, I apologize for the numbers. Enjoy making music, I did like the song.

Broadjam Artist: Mark R. Harris
Song: BDA

Reviewer: Dave Haddad (CenterPeace)

Positive Comments: perfect intro with the groove then guitar after 8 (Walk this way beat though! lol). Up to date sounds. Oh yeah, great bass fills around 2 minutes. Excellent programming. Very sweet song, funky and melodic. Incredible sax work throughout. Sweet changes, caffeine jazz. Great playing by everyone.

Constructive Comments: When the saxes come in the backing tracks are buried. I love the sax but it is way too much louder than everything else. Bass solo was a let down in the respect that he didn’t leave me with anything… a lot of notes but no hooks. I liked the space that he gave, that was nice but the riffs could have been more memorable. My only real complaint about the instrumentation is that you can tell (an experienced ear) that it’s live sax and bass with everything else in the box. Live band would certainly complete this and bring it up the level it needs (in my mind and some production) to compete with the bigs. Good luck my friends.

Broadjam Artist: lost on foot
Song: chicago girl

Reviewer: Norb Studelska/Upper Air Disturbance

Positive Comments: I really liked the addition of the second voice at 1:37. The acoustic rhythm guitar was very well played very precise chording and EQ’d well. The simplicity of the lead guitar was just right stylistically for this song, with a hint of jazz. The vocals were EQ’d just right (not too much effect).You have produced annice piece.

Constructive Comments: This song stands well on its own, as recorded. However, my ear wanted to hear a simple percussion track, and a simple bass track to add depth and contour to the composition.My only other thought was to end with an instrumental fade, rather than the abrupt oval end, creating time foryour lyric line(s) to “sink-in” and register longer.

Broadjam Artist: Patrick Dude
Song: 76 Degrees

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Badass intro–starts out like Metal but you take it into other places which makes it more interesting. This is really compelling and original. Great rolling beat, the voice is passionate and commanding. It’s a mixture of vulnerability, artistic delicacy, and macho screamer, ie quite good. The middle break is interesting…but you turned it into outro. This is really impressive stuff –it’s of the quality that with some serious attention to details of arrangement, engineering and mixing could be a band/artist with a following.

Constructive Comments: Overall the sound is thin and missing the oomph and clarity it needs. Your voice should be much more up front and dominating the mix. Do that cool dropout section much earlier in the tune–it’s a great part. And you gotta end a song like this with a bang. There are a lot of things to do here, and a lot depends on the tools you have available. This is first rate work, and very exciting. Please let me know if you’d like more feedback or a follow up listen.