Month: March 2022

Broadjam Artist: Jeff Ashbaker
Song: Cold Dark Places

Reviewer: Bob Birthisel

Positive Comments: Solid energy for a demo.

Constructive Comments: Around the 0:25 mark I noticed the rhythm guitar out of tune, which kept bothering me. Vocals are supposed to stand out but these are way too loud compared to the backing. I’d turn those down 4-5db and re-record the rhythm in tune to improve.

Broadjam Artist: Uncle Spider & The Electric Dirt Clods
Song: My Mom Got Sick

Reviewer: Bob Birthisel

Positive Comments: The guitar tone is decent if not for all the background hiss.

Constructive Comments: Just sounds like someone practicing. Not a song.

Broadjam Artist: Greg Lambert
Song: Guitar Man (Instrumental)

Reviewer: Bob Birthisel

Positive Comments: Great energy and the band sounds tight. I’m guessing this is the instrumental version of a full vocal song? Tone on the instruments is exemplary.

Constructive Comments: Having dual “lead” guitars, I’d change the tone on one of them so they’re not identical to bring a little variety but good song.

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

Reviewer: Bob Birthisel

Positive Comments: Very well-balanced and the instruments sound great. Vocal fits the song well.

Constructive Comments: This would benefit a ton from some nice harmonies. The recording itself sounds either old or not particularly clean, but it’s a very good song.

Broadjam Artist: PHIL MITTEN STORYTELLER
Song: All The Lights Come On

Reviewer: Bob Birthisel

Positive Comments: Reminds me of 80s 90s wave bands like Human League.

Constructive Comments: Sadly, there is a lot of distortion on studio headphones, both on the drums and guitar whenever they crescendo.

Broadjam Artist: John Walradt
Song: We Didn’t Have Time Enough

Reviewer: Bob Birthisel

Positive Comments: The overall vibe is nice and guitar is beautiful.

Constructive Comments: I’m not really getting a hook and you need to re-work the early lyrics. Opening the song talking about a “phone booth” which virtually does not exist in 2022 makes the song sound very dated. Re-work that line and it would start the song on a positive note.

Broadjam Artist: Signal 30
Song: Tomorrows Children

Reviewer: Bob Birthisel

Positive Comments: Good energy, definitely leaning way more Pop than Folk Rock. I’m not getting that at all from it.

Constructive Comments: Has an ABBA throwback vibe in a way but the instrumentation sounds dated and very artificial. Maybe using “live” instruments instead of all synths would add life.

Broadjam Artist: Vi: 00110110
Song: Rage of the lemming (Rage 2011))

Reviewer: Bob Birthisel

Positive Comments: Man, there is some POWER going on here. I like the way the drums were incorporated and the bass tone is freakin’ awesome. Lots of potential.

Constructive Comments: The tone on the snare is SO out of whack with the rest of the track. Needs a John Bonham depth and attack, not a too-tight reverberating sound. Give it some meat! Other than that I really liked it a lot.

Broadjam Artist: Uncle Spider & The Electric Dirt Clods
Song: Rusty Day Signal / Heavy Metal

Reviewer: Bob Birthisel

Positive Comments: Immediately recognizable by this artist

Constructive Comments: just jamming noise. not a song.

Broadjam Artist: Ravensong
Song: If Wishes were Horses

Reviewer: Bob Birthisel

Positive Comments: Demo has decent energy

Constructive Comments: Hard to get past the fact that everything is out of time.