Month: June 2018

Broadjam Artist: Steve Dafoe – Songwriter
Song: Won’t Be Hurt Again (Adult Contemporary)

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: I went for one more review… So glad I did. This is wonderful Americana with gorgeous guitar playing and tone and very mellow, soulful vocals. It has parts that fit in with the current wave of Americana but also some parts that sound like 70’s Glen Campbell. The bridge is so harmonically sophisticated and artful–it’s a real surprise and treat for the ear. This is could cross over a number of radio listening channels, and it is outstanding work!!

Constructive Comments: Not a damn thing, and I can usually find something to poke at. This is great work!!

Broadjam Artist: Steve Dafoe – Songwriter
Song: Won’t Be Hurt Again (Adult Contemporary)

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: I went for one more review… So glad I did. This is wonderful Americana with gorgeous guitar playing and tone and very mellow, soulful vocals. It has parts that fit in with the current wave of Americana but also some parts that sound like 70’s Glen Campbell. The bridge is so harmonically sophisticated and artful–it’s a real surprise and treat for the ear. This is could cross over a number of radio listening channels, and it is outstanding work!!

Constructive Comments: Not a damn thing, and I can usually find something to poke at. This is great work!!

Broadjam Artist: George Michael John
Song: The Kettle Black

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Hard rock that avoids the typical with some tasty arranging and more harmonic subtlety. There are some classic Jeff Beck tones (OK maybe Michael Schenker) here. I’ve banged on a couple reviews for being mindless shred, so what’s different here? This has great tone, restraint, variety, and really lyrical playing. It’s a huge cut above the herd. With the prog touches this could be an album cut from Porcupine Tree.

Constructive Comments: After the great intro it doesn’t really go anywhere new. I think you really need some more material in this. There is so much talent and potential on display here.

Broadjam Artist: George Michael John
Song: The Kettle Black

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Hard rock that avoids the typical with some tasty arranging and more harmonic subtlety. There are some classic Jeff Beck tones (OK maybe Michael Schenker) here. I’ve banged on a couple reviews for being mindless shred, so what’s different here? This has great tone, restraint, variety, and really lyrical playing. It’s a huge cut above the herd. With the prog touches this could be an album cut from Porcupine Tree.

Constructive Comments: After the great intro it doesn’t really go anywhere new. I think you really need some more material in this. There is so much talent and potential on display here.

Broadjam Artist: Lars Michnevich, a.k.a. Chief Inspector of “Bunko Squad”
Song: Tossed Salad

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: This has a Tony Joe White meets Southern Culture on the Skids vibe. That opening vocal line is pure film noir / David Lynch. The backing vocals are ace –love ’em!! Nice spanky guitar leads with a great tone and snappy rhymic phrasing. The rhythm guitar is just as good. This is a way cool tune!!!

Constructive Comments: This is on the verge of being majorly camp cool. The bass is way too scooped out and deep–it drags the tune with too much low end and asks for too much attention. Keep that bass more 100hz with some 1K mid to keep it snappy and take the chorus off–also don’t play leads on it–play the beat. Much better drums needed–that is one crappy snare and the high hat worse. Where’s the kick? Seriously a good drum track and some percussion esp congas would make this swing hard.Some places the vocal phrasing needs to be more rhythmic and not sound like crowding syllables into measure. In that verse maybe don’t try to sing it–just narrate it. Have a listen to Southern Culture’s “Camel Walk” to hear a masterpiece in this vein. Maybe through some grit / lofi into the vocal track–you wanna avoid the mundane/sincere.

Broadjam Artist: Lars Michnevich, a.k.a. Chief Inspector of “Bunko Squad”
Song: Tossed Salad

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: This has a Tony Joe White meets Southern Culture on the Skids vibe. That opening vocal line is pure film noir / David Lynch. The backing vocals are ace –love ’em!! Nice spanky guitar leads with a great tone and snappy rhymic phrasing. The rhythm guitar is just as good. This is a way cool tune!!!

Constructive Comments: This is on the verge of being majorly camp cool. The bass is way too scooped out and deep–it drags the tune with too much low end and asks for too much attention. Keep that bass more 100hz with some 1K mid to keep it snappy and take the chorus off–also don’t play leads on it–play the beat. Much better drums needed–that is one crappy snare and the high hat worse. Where’s the kick? Seriously a good drum track and some percussion esp congas would make this swing hard.Some places the vocal phrasing needs to be more rhythmic and not sound like crowding syllables into measure. In that verse maybe don’t try to sing it–just narrate it. Have a listen to Southern Culture’s “Camel Walk” to hear a masterpiece in this vein. Maybe through some grit / lofi into the vocal track–you wanna avoid the mundane/sincere.

Broadjam Artist: Mark Tha Shark
Song: RAW TURBULANCE

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Yngwie has joined Broadjam!!

Constructive Comments: Personally not a fan of shred guitar since ’86 or so. The guitar tone is overblown–you end up with a top end raspy and a big undercurrent of low end without the nice midrange crunch if it weren’t so rectified. It’s personal taste more than honest appreciation so leaving most scores out of this and letting people who are into this weigh in.

Broadjam Artist: Mark Tha Shark
Song: RAW TURBULANCE

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Yngwie has joined Broadjam!!

Constructive Comments: Personally not a fan of shred guitar since ’86 or so. The guitar tone is overblown–you end up with a top end raspy and a big undercurrent of low end without the nice midrange crunch if it weren’t so rectified. It’s personal taste more than honest appreciation so leaving most scores out of this and letting people who are into this weigh in.

Broadjam Artist: Introducing Mister Frisky
Song: A Slap In The Face Is Worth Two On The Bass

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Really nice guitar tone here in the intro, and some way funky bass & drums. The breaks in between are almost Zappa level!! I think Jan Hammer showed up in the middle.

Constructive Comments: I hated the guitar sounds that followed that really tasty rhythm guitar intro. Actually the lead tone did mellow out a bit. I’d want to take the sweeter parts of this and bring lyrics/vocals in for a song. As an instrumental I didn’t like it much but there are some very cool things going on here. A personal opinion but I just don’t there’s room for the Vai/Satriani/Malmsteen riff rage any more, but if there are lots of girls at your house I’ll bring beer.

Broadjam Artist: Introducing Mister Frisky
Song: A Slap In The Face Is Worth Two On The Bass

Reviewer: Jeff Roberts

Positive Comments: Really nice guitar tone here in the intro, and some way funky bass & drums. The breaks in between are almost Zappa level!! I think Jan Hammer showed up in the middle.

Constructive Comments: I hated the guitar sounds that followed that really tasty rhythm guitar intro. Actually the lead tone did mellow out a bit. I’d want to take the sweeter parts of this and bring lyrics/vocals in for a song. As an instrumental I didn’t like it much but there are some very cool things going on here. A personal opinion but I just don’t there’s room for the Vai/Satriani/Malmsteen riff rage any more, but if there are lots of girls at your house I’ll bring beer.