Month: September 2017

Broadjam Artist: Bobby Caputo
Song: Where You Are

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: That intro is pure goose bumps!! What a cool sound of doom with that heavy bass and ominous 12 string riffing. Quite sure this is Bobby Caputo. As usual great vocals, and here the phrasing & melody are super strong. The mood is just killer here. It’s all good here, and this belongs out being heard by a larger public.

Constructive Comments: The “happy” cut time sections are of course musical, but I hate to leave that heavy mood. See what others think about it.

Broadjam Artist: Mikee Lee
Song: Tryst

Reviewer: Mike Cantwell – TalentEast Productions

Positive Comments: OK. May have a home in a TV or film scene.

Constructive Comments: Too shallow of instruments. The lower register is not portrayed at all. You really need lower sounds added. Possibly, you could do some of the instruments copied and drop an octave lower into the lower register. Add it to the existing music. If that is not enough, play/add in a synth bass line. You’ve got a great start, but it’s too thin, too shallow sounding. Occasionally do a walking synth bass for energy. And cut the damn Star Wars ending off. Hokey sounding. So, you’ve got a solid 2/3 of a full song in sound width. it needs some low sounds compared to others on Broadjam.

Broadjam Artist: Dave Haddad (CenterPeace)
Song: Apocalypse

Reviewer: Mike Cantwell – TalentEast Productions

Positive Comments: I like how you broke things up and didn’t let get boring. But, that may cut down on the marketability of the song because the publishers/producers need music for specific scenes. If that is your desire. And you are all over the map.

Constructive Comments: I enjoyed listening to it. Not great, but good. Definitely not boring.

Broadjam Artist: Wayne Ammons
Song: Swirling Dreams

Reviewer: Mike Cantwell – TalentEast Productions

Positive Comments: Good for the Discovery Channel.

Constructive Comments: No constructive comments. Lush nature sounds. Probably, limited opportunities for usage, but they are out there.

Broadjam Artist: Ronald Arduini
Song: PET SONG

Reviewer: Mike Cantwell – TalentEast Productions

Positive Comments: Well, “My Friend”, its short and sweet. Cute little tune.

Constructive Comments: Definitely not Soundtrackcks. More of a Pop or Easy Listening song. And yes, some soundtracks are songs. I don’t think this one is.

Broadjam Artist: Randy Calligan
Song: Movie Theme 2

Reviewer: Mike Cantwell – TalentEast Productions

Positive Comments: Very pretty. Very emotional. A pleasure to listen to.

Constructive Comments: Although beautiful and well executed, you may find it difficult to be used, such as TV or film. It takes a certain scene for this to be used in. But, they are out ther.

Broadjam Artist: Jimmy Michaels
Song: Gerhard Heinz With Jimmy Michaels – Yasmine

Reviewer: Mike Cantwell – TalentEast Productions

Positive Comments: Very nice. TV or film background music.

Constructive Comments: First section melody repeats a little much. Could break that up with nearly anything, then come back to it.

Broadjam Artist: Chet Nichols
Song: Chestterro (#1 North America,USA,New Age)

Reviewer: Mike Cantwell – TalentEast Productions

Positive Comments: Could have a place in a film or on TV, but limited to specific nationality.

Constructive Comments: Two places near the end where you hold the note a really long time twice and slur/bend it slightly, the note goes off into a bad sound. Maybe auto tune that note each time or allow some slur and then bring it back to proper pitch before it gets weird. If you like the weird slur, it turns my stomach.

Broadjam Artist: Margie & Art Corey, S. & A. Corey
Song: On An Ordinary Tuesday 9/11 NEW SAX/PIANO/BASS

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: What a moving and sad song! It sounds like you had Neil Diamond come in for the vocal. This is Pop for grownups of course, the ones who’ve moved past Saturday night obsessions. The arrangement and production are radio quality–I actually thought I’d left Radio Canada on and this was from that. I just got news that my father in law has died so the song has a lot of meaning at the moment. This is what songs are supposed to be about: the real things and trying to see the beauty of our experiences. Nice work that should be out there and appreciated!

Constructive Comments: The mix could be a bit more full range and fresh but there may be loss through mP3/speakers, etc. The vocal may be too gravelly but then again maybe not. This is excellent.

Broadjam Artist: Ante Novaselic
Song: Play Yah

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: This is big, badass tune. Love the Black Hole Sun guitar tone on the intro. There’s a really fat tone on the bass and it grooves tightly with the drums whacking totally in the pocket with that tasty just so little behind the beat snare. It’s a Punk meets Ska feel which makes it like a tune out of the UK except clearly American vocals. “rules are made to be broken” is a great moment of phrasing and vocal performance. That horn break on the bridge is superbly arranged and it really suits the tune. Very sexy female vocals. As a reference I’d point to Fitz and the Tantrums.

Constructive Comments: This is a tough one to critique because I think this is really good and could be on contemporary radio but it’s not quite there yet (IMO of course) The vocal multitracking / wide panning is really cool I think you’re overdoing it on the verses. The side voices are a bit out of tune, and there’s a weird mix because it’s not true double tracking and it’s not a chorus of different voices either. I think you’ve got a deliberate detuning effect there, and it’s too much. Do the multi/wide pan on key phrases rather than everything.On the chorus (which is a strong hook) I think you need more lyrical content. An answering line to “hey ya I’m gonna play ya” eg “rip your clothes off and lay ya” / “take a revenge porn video and shame ya” –just joking but some kinda of B line to the A. By itself I don’t think the current line is enough even though it’s great hook.On second thought I think the horns are working really well on the bridge, and those aren’t samples would like to hear the brass with more guts there. As much as I love the guitar intro I don’t think it fits the overall Ska feel that you have, and it sets up the wrong expectations for the song. I’d kick in with the beat and the horns that follow the guitar intro.On the chorus I think the arrangement is a little empty when it needs bigger. I think you need more instrument boost in the mix there and maybe bring backing harmony vocals in more with you on main line although the meandering parts currently sound good tune.This is good stuff GOOD LUCK!!