Month: April 2022

Broadjam Artist: Jim Aitken
Song: One Night Stand

Reviewer: Peter Boynton

Positive Comments: There’s a lot that works really well in the song. I think your verse lyrics are especially strong – conversational, and with good imagery. The players, arrangement and production values are all fine. Nice work!

Constructive Comments: -the vocalist is very nice to listen to, and I would have liked to hear her sustain some of the notes more. The vocals felt a bit clipped, and a bit of contrast with longer-held notes would be great- especially in the chorus to offer a change from the verse performance.-the chorus lyric is a bit vague and poetic for me – especially the ‘love’s more precious than poses’ line. It feels like ‘poses’ is just there for a rhyme with ‘roses’. The chorus melody is fine, and I’d consider re-working the lyrics to be more specific. I get that the singer’s not with this man anymore, but why? Did the singer fantasize everything beyond that one night stand, or did they have a relationship that then ended? I don’t get enough story, though the 1st verse sets everything up very nicely.-I think you have very good bones here for an even better song! Nice work.

Broadjam Artist: Bob Bentley
Song: Rivers That Flow

Reviewer: Peter Boynton

Positive Comments: Really lovely job on this. Good arrangement and players, easy, conversational lyrics, upbeat, happy message – very enjoyable.I heard a Willie Nelson vibe. I particularly liked the call/response idea on the last chorus, and the bridge delivers a nice change before heading back into the hook.

Constructive Comments: Keep it just as it is. This could work in a SYNC placement with the right mood and setting.

Broadjam Artist: Bob Bentley
Song: Reckless Lives

Reviewer: PHIL MITTEN STORYTELLER

Positive Comments: Nice and easy on the ear , shades of Kenny Rogers ! Loved the backing .

Constructive Comments: I just struggled to come up with a title , as the chorus didn’t point out an obvious one .

Broadjam Artist: Greg Lambert
Song: One More Yesterday

Reviewer: Bob Bentley

Positive Comments:

Constructive Comments:

Broadjam Artist: PHIL MITTEN STORYTELLER
Song: Teaching The New Dog Old Tricks

Reviewer: Kate Carpenter

Positive Comments: Interesting subject matter – teaching the old dog new tricks. Nice melody. Favorite rhymes: hips/tricks/back flips. Some really creative lyric writing here.

Constructive Comments: Please post the lyrics to your song. I had a hard time understanding all of them. Instrumentation sounded very “synthy” to me, which is okay for a demo. Some of the background vocals toward the end of the song need to be lined up a little more closely. Just a personal preference note: I didn’t like the comparison of the new dog being better than the old wife.

Broadjam Artist: Marshal Stacks
Song: The Hardest Shot in the League

Reviewer: Kate Carpenter

Positive Comments: Here’s an original song about a kid who LOVES to play hockey. I can honestly say that I’ve never heard a song about this subject matter before, so it gets high marks for originality. The guitar intro with harmonica was instantly engaging and pleasing to the ears. The story was very easy to follow, full of word pictures that were concrete and easy to visualize (the dent in the shed door). Calling a puck a frozen pill – loved that one too. “cave in your head” – great stuff! I hope this song gets heard a lot up in the hockey states. Minnesotans would love it!

Constructive Comments: The chorus was a little too much like the verses, melody-wise. I think you should just stick with a boy and leave out the girl. The shift didn’t make sense to me. Especially since a guy is singing the song. I don’t think it helps the song at all. I love your writing!

Broadjam Artist: Janet Murphy
Song: Washington Needs Washing Down

Reviewer: John Walradt

Positive Comments: Has the last few years left you despondent and disillusioned? This is the song that describes what we are going through, with its slow, contemplative melody and well thought out lyrics to match. It follows “Thy kingdom come” with a cynical “Maybe that’s the plan” which is a quite a poetic punch that shows how far things have seemingly gone. Eliza Gilkyson has written such lyrics for social comments. This one does the same and is done very well.

Constructive Comments: This is an interesting song. I can tell you put a lot of careful thought in what you’re writing. I looked up a few more that I’ll listen to. Some of what they list for ratings is nebulous: marketability is a crap shoot for any song, everyone has a different criteria for what a hook is so I usually place melody into that. The melody and arrangement is gray and droning which is appropriate. It keeps with a feeling of disillusion and despondence. I’d keep it. But I would also experiment with a new, different version by bumping up the tempo some and rocking it with raspier, harder vocals and electric guitars to give it a sense of urgency…to find out what happens! I’ve decided to do different versions on some of mine as well.

Broadjam Artist: Warren Hein
Song: Dark Forest Walk

Reviewer: John Walradt

Positive Comments: Variation and tenseness fill up this imposing melody. It builds to a heavy instrumental ending making it an excellent piece for a movie with anticipation or conflict. For such a movie, what producer wouldn’t need something like that? There’s a lot of interest as the melody progresses from eighth notes to whole notes, a great balance of one instrument to several instruments. It’s very well arranged. You won’t lose your interest listening to this!

Constructive Comments: This is ready for sending around!

Broadjam Artist: Warren Hein
Song: I Still Miss Her Kiss

Reviewer: PHIL MITTEN STORYTELLER

Positive Comments: A simple song that’s full of surprises ! Love the way the verses build up to the chorus .

Constructive Comments: Surely there has to be a place for this somewhere !

Broadjam Artist: John Walradt
Song: Stay Here Now featuring Clay Collins

Reviewer: PHIL MITTEN STORYTELLER

Positive Comments: Nice and easy on the ear , with some lovely harmonies .

Constructive Comments: Don’t think there’s anything to add , it’s purely and simply a nice song .