Month: June 2021

Broadjam Artist: Russ Steele
Song: Simple Life

Reviewer: Nigel Barrett

Positive Comments: Very dated sound and arrangement. Nothing wrong with that. I could hear this as a country and western tune. Great vocal performance and playing.

Constructive Comments: For me I have never liked entire panning for individual instruments – the lovely sounding rich guitar being panned way left and harmony full right puts me off. My preference.

Broadjam Artist: Felice Kaye-Cooper / Songwriter
Song: Can’t You See

Reviewer: Stanford

Positive Comments: Nice dual sound of classical guitar and vibraphone I think, driving this instrumental. Has a sort of French 60s style I feel. Romantic, wistful, love lost.

Constructive Comments: I think for the instrumentation a gentle touch of upright bass would fit well and give it some solid grounding. It’s just a little too all upper range. A breathy female chanteuse singing about love lost would be ideal.So it’s difficult for me to pick out a melody without that vocal, possibly a piano could drive a simple melody line barring a vocal for it otherwise the main ‘instrument’ is driving the arrangement and the melody.There’s a small touch of sample issue, an artifact at note end that’s noticeable in parts, the sample cutting off, you could either edit it shorter or cover with another sound maybe.

Broadjam Artist: Tony Tersmette
Song: Blue Chalkin’

Reviewer: Stanford

Positive Comments: Bright, up tempo happy sounding arrangement. Very engaging and up lifting. The intro is great.

Constructive Comments: I like that repeating, pumping airy pad that leads in but otherwise I don’t like any of the sounds, I mean I may be on my own but all the sounds are too basic synthy and thin for my ears. It sounds like an 80s home keyboard kind of sound palette.The intro is great but as soon as that brass comes in the sounds after are a bit cheesy, sorry!I think that really detracts from the arrangement for me which, when I listen in, is quite interesting, building, pumping and flowing well. Interesting breakdown too.I like that ahhh you give at one point like you’ve just had a drink. That gives me a point of focus for what’s going on. I mean you could add vocals or just play that up and repeat it as an instrumental with fx, a jazz bar cocktails song.

Broadjam Artist: SKY HIGH MUSIC LABS
Song: A Happy Man Derrick Procell

Reviewer: Jeff Ashbaker

Positive Comments: Great vibe, the groove you create is sooo soulful and full of feelingThe playing is tight and the recording is right there…NICE JOB!

Constructive Comments: Very Well done

Broadjam Artist: Ras Zero
Song: Warrior’s Call

Reviewer: Stanford

Positive Comments: I always love a good bit of Reggae and this has real promise. Great reverb and echo piano, guitar and sax, just the right components for that feel. Nice sax lead lines. Soundscape is very laid back and moody just like it should be.

Constructive Comments: You need a vocal to take this to next level for me. Without that there’s not enough changes, a vocal melody line would probably lead you to some changes. If that’s what you’re looking for, I mean I’d like to hear it. Your vocal stabs are just that at the moment, I’m not picking up a melody line really, the sax is nice although a bit off in parts but again I think if it’s playing around a vocal melody then it would work better for me. Sometimes the timing is just slightly off. And it’s too long. I love the sound scape you have there, it’s got that laid back island feel for sure but it’s too meandering for my ears without that vocal and story.

Broadjam Artist: Fred Kimmel
Song: Always Beautiful

Reviewer: Stanford

Positive Comments: Great energy in the vocals, lots of variety in the musical arrangement and vocals. Lots of musical interest, surprises and ideas, all working well.

Constructive Comments: Love the energy in the vocals, sometimes the scanning isn’t quite right but the energy carries it.More surprises coming through with the female background vocals, very nice, I think they should be higher in the mix for sure, they’re too faint.I want that bass at the start to be much more forceful. The guitar tone is a little too EQ’d for my ear. I think it should be thicker on the rhythm, it’s good like that for the little lead parts though and outro is great.Lots of great variety and interest in the arrangement, not so much in the lyrics, I think more could be added to the lyrics.I think some strings in the “always there” build would thicken and give some great sweet contrast to the throaty aggressive parts.Lots of ideas, which I love, almost too many though to grab onto as a listener and give me a real hook.Overall I think that’s it there’s almost too much, more lyrical content, fewer changes but emphasising the hook even more would make it more commercial but then you may not be looking just for that!

Broadjam Artist: Vivian M Woods
Song: This Is The Beginning

Reviewer: Stanford

Positive Comments: This is fun. I think it has commercial appeal as a novelty song related to education. The instrumentation is fun too, nice steel drums and interesting percussion.

Constructive Comments: I think the fun aspect could be played up a bit more. One line says your a Grandmother, if that’s the case then it should be repeated in the chorus, that’s the selling point, Grandma Sweet Bee. Would be a great feature to have some kids voices in the background too I think. Then I think you’ve got a radio friendly song with a good story and a bit of fun and pretty good rap too.The lyrics are pretty good but I do think there’s room for improvement to make more of the story.

Broadjam Artist: Norb Studelska/Upper Air Disturbance
Song: Walk the Malecon

Reviewer: Fred Kimmel

Positive Comments: Very nice violin on this ditty

Constructive Comments: None I can think of

Broadjam Artist: Russ Steele
Song: Hold You In My Heart

Reviewer: Fred Kimmel

Positive Comments: Nice country pop with accordian

Constructive Comments: None I can think of

Broadjam Artist: Antho
Song: test

Reviewer: Fred Kimmel

Positive Comments: Nice short 80s sounding piece 39 seconds. This could make an excellnt slider or jingle.

Constructive Comments: I can’t figure out why this piece is under “Blues”