Author: bjamreviews

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 .

Broadjam Artist: Marshal Stacks
Song: His Light is Guiding Me Home

Reviewer: Ravensong

Positive Comments: Good sing along gospel song, strong back beat and the hand claps keep the song moving along well. The track has a bit of a live feel to it.

Constructive Comments: A better recording would help this track out greatly. Thanks for sharing it.

Broadjam Artist: Marshal Stacks
Song: Snow

Reviewer: Lyfe Concierge Publishing

Positive Comments: You really got a film and tv style piece of work her!It has alot of emotion and passion to the melody and arrangement.I can hear this in the old movie “Vision Quest” look it up,great 80’s style flick!

Constructive Comments: Just keep this one as is.Kind made me a little emotional reflecting on teenage years! Thanks