Month: December 2017

Broadjam Artist: Chet Nichols
Song: Texacan Love (Alt. Country – from “Taxi To Tonganoxie”)

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Right out of The Band collection–this is so much like The Weight, and that’s a winning formula. Chester is stretching out here with a very well constructed song. The key is still under the mat–great hook, and “barking on the stairs” ha ha!! I like those backing vocals. Killer slide solo. On the second listen it really shines.

Constructive Comments: The vocals feel too strained too much–I think you want to have more relaxed vocals like on 3rd verse “had to leave that Texas town”. You can hear the backing vocal samples cut off abruptly–gotta make that smoother so you don’t see the keys going up.

Broadjam Artist: Jeff Maguire
Song: Light Shine

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Great groove and the opening melody sounds like a George Harrison tune. Nice easy guitar soloing and a convincing vocal performance. It kinda straddles Country and Roots Rock with an almost Everly Brothers result.

Constructive Comments: You start with a chorus and kinda never stop. I think you need to have more contrast between high energy/tension in a chorus and then backing off a bit to tell the message in the verses. You’re making pitch for the most part but you’re at an uncomfortable extreme of your vocal range. What about putting it in key where you can sing *easy* ? Adding a 2nd harmony vocal on the chorus would be goo.

Broadjam Artist: Powerklash
Song: Lamplight

Reviewer: HarryBudini

Positive Comments: A bouncy and playful piano intro take us into the song, trimmed with a cool twiste boogie bass line. Ace harmonized hard-rockin’ guitar solo, excellent drums for this old style pop-rock tune.

Constructive Comments: It works. Which is not a very useful comment.

Broadjam Artist: Jeremy Price
Song: Sunshine & Good Fortune

Reviewer: HarryBudini

Positive Comments: A rich acoustic sound for this brief instrumental that could be an interlude in an album or part the musical commentary in a movie or documentary. It’s an easy and pleasant listen, well played and with a nice ending.

Constructive Comments: I have no idea.

Broadjam Artist: HarryBudini
Song: The Skeptical Inquirer

Reviewer: Brenda Craven

Positive Comments: Bouncy little groove. It is reminiscent of something the Beatles would do. I like the concept of the song and believe you have the beginnings of a great piece here. Good transitions and rhythm.

Constructive Comments: There’s a little space at the beginning of the song that you may want to remove. (Unless you placed it there as part of the song.). I really do feel that the vocals could be a little stronger. The tone is perfect for this style of song, but I could not understand any of the lyrics …the message that was being presented through this song. My suggestion would be to record this again and relax when you sing. Make sure you are comfortable with the music, it’s changes and the lyrics…Have fun with it.I would also bring down the volume of your organ a little bit to make sure it doesn’t overpower your vocals. You have a really great start to a song here. It’s a little short, but it is a great song. With some minor adjustments in mix and with vocals, it will be terrific. Keep up the good work.

Broadjam Artist: SeedMusikGroup
Song: Rockband

Reviewer: Spider kiting

Positive Comments: Love this groove great work

Constructive Comments: Production!

Broadjam Artist: Felice Kaye-Cooper / Songwriter
Song: Felice’s Polka Dot Polka

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: The world needs more Polka music!! This is a jam, and I want a beer & a dirndle wearing Bavarian madchen to bring it to me. This rocks and it’s a total mood booster!!

Constructive Comments: Adding a bass and rhythm guitar would really make this rock. The machine gun snare rolls sound to mechanical–this really should be improved.

Broadjam Artist: Randy Steward
Song: Crispin

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Wow this sounds like an Andrew Lloyd Webber tune. And that’s high praise. It reminds me of one of the Judas tunes from Jesus Christ Superstar. What a smooth baritone/tenor voice and performance. This is a real pleasure to listen to.

Constructive Comments: The guitar lead is bit too far back, and the piano could use more sustain/reverb. The string patches are cluttering the sound a bit–too trebly and cheesy. A smoother, more elegant string patch or samples would be a good improvement.

Broadjam Artist: Powerklash
Song: Hang On

Reviewer: HarryBudini

Positive Comments: The singer has perfect control of his vocal instrument, it’s perfectly pitched, it’s a very radio friendly voice reminding of Bon Jovi. The song is a sad and broody acoustic ballad, excellently played.

Constructive Comments: It’s a very good work, although I personally find it unoriginal and too BonJovian. I’m not a fan of the lyrics, also.

Broadjam Artist: Chet Nichols
Song: Water Sand Castles (2015)

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: You got me with the guitar intro–there’s lots of energy. Oh shoot now I know why it sounds so familiar. That motif is unmistakable. This is Chet, and maybe a new version of this tune? I already loved it, and damn it’s good to hear it again. This is a masterpiece!

Constructive Comments: What would I say? Go on tour and let me do bass and backing vocals.