Month: August 2020

Broadjam Artist: Ante Novaselic
Song: Kessel Run

Reviewer: MGB

Positive Comments: Dynamite intro. Song builds very nicely. Excellent instrumentation and arrangement. All in all, this gives you a bit of a Pink Floyd feel, which is not a bad thing at all.

Constructive Comments: Good work!

Broadjam Artist: Lostfollicles
Song: Last Kiss

Reviewer: CW Mullins

Positive Comments: Well done pop/rock track. I like how the lyric develops, changes up the lines beginning with “by the time.” Acoustic is well-played and supports the tune well. The verse has the part of the melody I find freshest. I like how toward the end the song brings up the dynamic level, before going back to that verse melody.

Constructive Comments: I just wish the chorus had a stronger hook. Like I said, I like the start of the tune. The rest of the development just doesn’t grab me like the first few lines of the verse does. I’d like to hear more from that brief keyboard part, or any other instrument to add some more color to the arrangement. And I think the track should be a bit longer! Which is a good thing, I suppose….

Broadjam Artist: Michael Centola (20 Minute Mission)
Song: Not Just Coffee

Reviewer: CW Mullins

Positive Comments: at first i was like “what the heck” but this got to me and I found myself nodding my head. Honestly I couldn’t hear the lyric clearly, but I don’t think that’s important for a song in this harder rocking genre. The chorus is fun, and the sort of 60s jangling guitar line is a cool touch. Short, not at all sweet, but fun rock track.

Constructive Comments: I don’t know what the market is these days for a punk influenced rock sound. I love rock myself, but feels like it’s slipping away…there’s is nothing to “fix” here, just a feeling it’s a fun number but hard to say where it goes in today’s marketplace, sad to say

Broadjam Artist: Kathyjo Varco
Song: We Aint Leaving

Reviewer: CW Mullins

Positive Comments: Wow fun track. Vocalist steps in at top and gets our attention. A really radio-friendly voice, and the harmonies around the lead are well done too. Chorus jumps, just as it should. I could hear Madonna singing this, but this singer has a BETTER voice so I’m glad I don’t have to lol. One of the more commercial tracks I’ve heard on Broadjam.

Constructive Comments: I am not a great home recording engineer myself. I don’t like the sound of most of this track. The vocal is the best part. To me, for a dance song, the drums are too thin and not active enough. The keyboard parts sound underpowered too. This might eb the mix the artists wanted, but for me, it doesn’t do the song any favors. Also, curious if song is called Good Time or This Place. It can confuse people when a song has two different lyric hooks being repeated….

Broadjam Artist: Thierry Coupey
Song: L toffe d’un Hro (thme orchestral)

Reviewer: CW Mullins

Positive Comments: Was curious about classical on here. This starts as a keyboard solo, and then develops in interesting ways with strings and other instruments. There are contemporary elements, and then a hint of great classical composers, like Chopin. So a nice mix of ideas and a very pleasing track. Could imagine the composer writing a really strong film score.

Constructive Comments: My own recordings need to get better, so I’m a bit hypocritical here, but I find the mix too loud, the piano sound not ideal, a little cloudy. Sometimes the theme’s development feels like “let’s try this,” “now let’s try that” instead of a cohesive composition. But that’s on only one listen, it could all pull together with more hearings.

Broadjam Artist: Mark S. Ludes (MSL)
Song: Out On The Road (instrumental)

Reviewer: CW Mullins

Positive Comments: yeah! So would like to hear vocal version, but this instrumental track really rocks out. Guitar sounds are classic, they integrate well. The chord slammin’ is just what we want in a great rock song. is it original? Well maybe the lyric is, but sometimes you just want a great old fashioned slice of rock, and here it is!

Constructive Comments: Can’t really pick at anything, except if there is a vocal version, you could unclick the instrumental version so it doesn’t come up for reviews. Unless there is something really different about the arrangement here, seems like it’s better to get that complete verison with vocal out there and feed back on it.

Broadjam Artist: Dave Haddad (CenterPeace)
Song: Himalayan Paradise

Reviewer: CW Mullins

Positive Comments: I was curious to hear something different, so I tried this genre. Glad I did. Five minutes is a long time to listen to an instrumental with no defined structure, but this held my attention. It sets a mood, but doesn’t stay static, gives the listener the feeling of going on a journey. Glad i took a chance.

Constructive Comments: At a couple points the lead instrument – a kind of strong instrument? – has a feeling like corny music in a movie about the middle east, like there’s suddenly going to be a belly dancer on screen. Maybe if that instrument wasn’t so dominant throughout the performance, that feeling wouldn’t come across. Or maybe that’s the point!

Broadjam Artist: Fred Kimmel
Song: Always Beautiful

Reviewer: CW Mullins

Positive Comments: I wondered what “dreampop” was, I wasn’t expecting a song to come kicking out of my speakers like this one does! Nice surprise. Interesting textures and arrangement choices. I can’t make any comparisons, which means this is a very original number, both song and performance. Builds to a nice conclusion, not enough recordings do that.

Constructive Comments: Got to be picky about the lyric. I don’t get why saying someone is “always there” is a compliment. Then it muddles saying ‘always beautiful.” And soem of the other lines are kind of “what the?” like the one about coffee and cake. But hey, what doesn’t work for me could work for most everyone else! Doesn’t really hurt the song.

Broadjam Artist: Greg Lambert
Song: Every Time You’re Near

Reviewer: CW Mullins

Positive Comments: genre doesn’t matter, so though I think this is more country than pop, it’s got a slammin’ chorus and the performance hits all the right notes, so to speak! It’s nice to hear dynamics, like the chorus kickin’ in as it does here. Vocalist has a really radio-friendly voice too, makes me jealous! Enjoyable performance.

Constructive Comments: This melody kind of forces the lyricist to come up with a lot of rhymes, and that is a tricky thing. Three rhymes in a row – it just starts to get a bit corny. But the melody si the melody, so I don’t know how that could be fixed, if anyone else thinks it needs to be! Also for the recording, I’d fade out. Chorus is the best part, and just sounds kind of everyone is in a rush to get out of the studio…

Broadjam Artist: Ladee V
Song: Day Dreamin’

Reviewer: CW Mullins

Positive Comments: So smooth, so nice. The singing is spot on, not all that showing off that distorts the melody. Such fine harmonies too. Instrument support is nice, really nice percussion choices. Little bit of the great Minnie Riperton feeling there at the end. Just a touch, not like an imitation. Lovely track. It even ended a bit too soon!

Constructive Comments: I am an older guy who well remembers the great Aretha’s song called daydreaming. It’s unfair to compare just because it’s the same lyric idea, but I guess I’ll be unfair – Aretha’s daydreaming song is more original. This song could use a couple more original touches to make it stand out. Got to grab people’s attention these days.