Month: August 2021

Broadjam Artist: Steve Dafoe – Songwriter
Song: Time 4U (Electronica)

Reviewer: Will Sims

Positive Comments: The beat in this song is very driving, and I like the sound effects going on in the track. I could hear most of the song being synced in a night club type scene. Especially in a 90s movie club scene. The samples used mesh well (for the most part). I really liked the higher pitched synth part you can hear a little clearer at the end of the song.

Constructive Comments: The horn playing felt very out of place to me. Whenever it was playing I felt like it was not very good for syncing because it’s such a juxtaposition within the song that makes it hard to figure out what mood the song is trying to convey. I go from picture people dancing, to picturing people dancing then some guy walks up with a saxophone and starts playing and everyone is like “What is going on?” I appreciate the style and you could definitely build a fan base with this as a performance art style. Not sure what else you could really do with it.

Broadjam Artist: SKY HIGH MUSIC LABS
Song: Clouds Above Denver

Reviewer: Will Sims

Positive Comments: This song gives me hardcore video game vibes, like I’m solving a puzzle or putting my brain to the test. I could here it in a Tetris style game or a platforming adventure game. The level of instrumentation is just right where it would be soothing to listen to and not intrude on your mental process of playing a game.

Constructive Comments: I can’t see this song being used for much else outside of a video game. There’s no vocals to keep the listener engaged, and the song doesn’t go through enough changes to keep it interesting for a long period of time. Unless there’s something happening to keep the listener engaged this song is kind of boring. The quality is there, it’s just a matter of knowing what you plan to use the track for.

Broadjam Artist: Hartmut Oberdieck
Song: till the end

Reviewer: Will Sims

Positive Comments: The song has some pretty decent performances and a lot of elements that could make it syncable. The guitar playing is well recorded and performed. The song has a very soothing style to it. I could see something like this synced in video game, though I’m not sure what kind. I like the use of percussion in the song.

Constructive Comments: I feel like this song has a lot of space that could be filled with a vocal performance, it feels like it’s missing something in the front to keep you interested. After about 2 minutes I find myself wanting something more exciting to happen, but the song just kinda keeps going the same way. The Bass Guitar sounds very artificial, I don’t know if it is or not, it just does.

Broadjam Artist: John Hazlett
Song: Patrick Wants To Rock

Reviewer: Will Sims

Positive Comments: I could hear a song like this being used in a side scrolling platformer game. I image jumping through a video game level with this song playing in the background. It has the sounds for a video game and could be looped in a way that video game tracks often are. It has a very uplifting, adventurous feel to it that would lend itself well in a video game soundtrack.

Constructive Comments: The intro and build up to the rest of the instruments ended felt unnecessary. Song could of just kicked right in and saved a lot of time. The quality of the percussion does not lend itself to being singled out on a track like this. This kind of music and recording style definitely has a market.

Broadjam Artist: George Michael John
Song: kill switch

Reviewer: Will Sims

Positive Comments: A really solid instrumental, I love the vibes at the start of the song and how it builds to something more heavy. I love the accents in the playing, how it’s not perfectly in 4/4 all the time. All the musical performances are great across the board, the guitar solo, bass playing, rhythm guitars, and all the atmospheric effects. This is a great performance all around.

Constructive Comments: Not a lot of criticism for this song, I think the recording is good. The mix of sounds and effects on this one is really good. I did find myself wanting some kind of vocals on it, but that’s a nitpick. Some people may be thrown off by the combination of Rock guitar riffs with the electronic nature of the song, but it was fine for me.

Broadjam Artist: Fred Kimmel
Song: Spiral

Reviewer: Will Sims

Positive Comments: This is a really good song, I really like the arrangement, The energy in the playing, the vocal performance and layers of vocals. It’s got a classic rock vibe to it but has some really cool elements to it that makes it feel a little more modern. Overall a great song and performance from the band. I wouldn’t mind hearing more of their music.

Constructive Comments: The quality of this recording leaves a lot to be desired. I wish bands with this much energy and talent would spend a little more money and go to a studio that’s gonna give you a better quality recording of the song. The quality of this recording is good enough to give fans an idea of what the band sounds like but most Music Supervisors looking for songs for sync and licensing are not gonna like the sound of the mix on this song. If the individual performances of each part are good enough you may be able to get a skilled engineer to remix the parts you have now and come up with a better mix. I also felt like the count in to the start of the song was unnecessary, just let the song kick in and go from there. This is all said in support of this song, it’s a good song just needs to be recorded better.

Broadjam Artist: Bill Dake
Song: Strange Fruit (Smooth Jazz)

Reviewer: Suzy Haworth

Positive Comments: Loved this song great lyric great players, really cool arrangement. Very smooth vox style lead vocal cross between Michael Buble’ and Sting!! The intro was nice could’ve left out the strings into synth piece…… it was cool but, to me, it could have been in the background a bit more and detracted a bit from the opening piano riff, lyric and vocal. But hey not much else to add . Really enjoyed your work great job.

Constructive Comments: Really liked the outro guitar playing would have liked more. All I can say is “smooth as…people” great tune, well sung and played . Lyrically the only thing I would add would be to perhaps go over the lyric and anything that sticks in your delivery ……usually words that are at the beginning of a line i.e that…..that’s or and. But hey just a suggestion here, it all worked really well congrats. Nice work.

Broadjam Artist: Ronald Arduini
Song: CHOOSE A WAY

Reviewer: Suzy Haworth

Positive Comments: The change of tempo on the outro at the end of this tune was really great. Should have been in earlier really nice playing lots of texture and interest here. The vocals were interesting…. the style was very cool…..Tom Waites comes to mind. Added great emphasis to the lyric. I felt first listen, that the first verse of the song needed to be a bit more space just the double bass , drums and grand piano. The drums needed to be warmer to wrap around your subject matter. I can see this song working well in sync with a little tweeking. Nice work thanx.

Constructive Comments: I found the reverb a little too much over the piano/vocals in the beginning. I really liked the vox style… half spoken, gravelly it gave lots of atmosphere and a tip of the hat to your subject’s pain. Loved the pick up of tempo at the end it would be great to have this bringing the tune in, then retreating till the outro, adding a bit of light and shade, great playing!!

Broadjam Artist: Russ Steele
Song: Just Joan

Reviewer: Suzy Haworth

Positive Comments: Really loved this song what a lyric and if you are the vocal ,you have a lovely, gravelly jazz crooning style!!!!! Joan must be amazing to have inspired this. You remind me of a Michael Franks crossed with Tom Waite!!! If that makes sense. I felt that the intro could’ve have had a theme and the solo….I could hear some nice muted trumpet playing through that…… both fell a little flat for me in those spots. Loved the song thanks for sharing!

Constructive Comments: Dont change the lyrics at all keep it loose and bubbling along. I felt the trac would have benefited from a gun trumpeter or solo guitar ala George Benson style chops. The chorus hook was really smooth but needed to be lifted up from the rest of the song just a little more. Congrats great tune well sung.

Broadjam Artist: Hart Brothers
Song: Tempest

Reviewer: Suzy Haworth

Positive Comments: The guitar player rocks this trac!!!! Great work. Reminds me of a jazzy Santana. I think it belongs in the R & B genre though much more rock chops than jazz. Enjoyed the song. Would have loved to heard a lyric something about a lost soul in the city maybe, anyway great work. Suitable for a movies soundtrack or TV.

Constructive Comments: Great playing nice uptempo feel as I said before it belongs more in an R & B/rock fusion genre than smooth jazz. The arrangement was fine but maybe a bit of space could have been left for some breakdowns, a drop in volume and a build up to the outro? Just a thought. Sorry that I only gave you a two stars on originality as the trac screamed Carlos Santana to me! But hey what is originality these days we all get influences from everywhere. Roc on enjoyed listening muchly!!!