Bezman's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[BoomChick-Demo-UMSL]

overly simple melody. Nothing much happens.

It was kinda interesting reading those stats, though I must admit I don't know what automation clips, sound fonts or percussion fonts are.

essentially, this is a cool tune, but way too short to really be enjoyed, I felt.

The starting melody is simple, enjoyable, but sounds a bit derivative. Maybe too simple.

The melody that comes in at 0:22 was pretty funky, if uninspiring, but just as it seems to be leading to something, it stops.

With a tune this short, I suggest you maybe have it loop.

The instruments you used do sound pretty cool. I'm guessing most of those tracks were echoing one of the 3 frontmost tracks I hear?

I didn't enjoy this too much, but I hope my criticisms were useful for you.

-Review Request Club-

umsldragon responds:

just a demo man... just a demo

[2'29'']

Enh.

There are a few bits of noise in the audio. I dunno if that's the mic hitting off something else or what.

I would have expected you to just leave the mic unplugged for this!

Regarding the piece - whether the sped-up version or the original - I guess the most interesting part is in the reactions. Sitting in a concert hall, I'd be interested to wee how others were reacting - specially on the opening night.

4:33 seems similar to Duchamp's urinal, which created the field of modern art. Uninspiring in and off itself, but its mere presence sent shockwaves through the field, though not necessarily changing it for the better.

Haggard responds:

"I would have expected you to just leave the mic unplugged for this!"

I don't even own a mic! :P

[Metal (S.C.)*]

Great song, well played.

The tune rings a bell, but I can barely remember the original so can't compare.

I like the piano intro and the little roll and harder beats before the vocals work well.

I understand that you've probably distorted the voice to make it fit better, but it does mean I can barely understand any words. If you're gonna distort it that much, I feel lik you might as well distort it more, making it sound more instrumental, alien and maybe interesting - as is, because I can 'almost' understand some lyrics, it becomes annoying - I feel like maybe I'm meant to know what you're saying.

The instruments that pop up at 1:48 are pretty cool.

I feel you could have had some harder beats and some more variations in volume - at times it was lacking a little punch.

Still an awesome tune though and nicely performed.
-review request Club-

BreakingFaces responds:

Excellent review, thank you.

[Prelude pour la Gaieté]

Beautiful. Uplifting, yet sombre.

A beautiful piece, the bass drums, tinkerbell(?) and choir work wonderfully. Another piece that I struggle to criticise.

Instead, here's an exploration of the story I'd animate if I were to spend the time to do this tune justice:

As a young boy, I sat down, doodling in my German book, avoiding work. the character came alive for a moment, but walked ungainly. More characters were created and more characters joined the flock. With better-drawn arms and legs, they were freely able to walk and exist with each other!

The stream of creations became a river that poured from my pen; from my mind; from my computer; from my fingers. They raced through the internet, through paintings, games and other art, finding a place in people's hearts. Worlds became populated and soon flourished!

But nothing lasts forever. Eventually, the flow was stemmed and my ideas waned. I passed on and was eventually forgotten about. My work went out of fashion and after my death my world started to die too.

But there were a few who continued to read, to look, to play, to explore. And my world planted its seed in a fresh mind and the cycle started anew.

-Review Request Club0.

[Thoughts*]

Another wonderful piece of music.

Sounds like your typical techno-jazz style but it seems you're using a greater variety of percussion here.

What's that sound that first pops up at 17s and then once ever 2s for a wee while?

Specially when we get into the middle of the track, there's a lot going on. Melody, counter-melody. Electric piano, scrapey wood thing, bells, drums, change, move, change, go on. I do so love the way you change it up.

You'd like a shining example to everyone - of how a tune should meander. Of how it can use a few well-placed instruments here and there to massive effect.

Bearing in mind that I'm only throwing in this criticism as I consider a review without criticism to be not a proper review, you could have maybe returned to the starting melody less often.

-Review Request Club-

[Swimming]

Fantastic. (use for a Crimduder pickle flash?)

I love this track! Such an upbeat vibe, it'd be great for a CD to play during a limbo party or just when jiving along.

Or maybe for repeatedly shouting 'pickle' to and making a flash honouring Criminal Duder's love of pickles. For some reason, I think it works really well.

The 2 vocal samples both work really well. What are they?

I liked how - though the steel drums get into a routine for the first half of the song - it really meanders and keeps itself fresh, as is your typical style.

Is it maracas that I hear at 0:40 and 1:14?

I'm not gonna find anything to criticise, so I'm gonna stop trying.

Well done. You've surpassed yourself and it's great to hear a new sound from you.

[Untitled Orchestral Piece (SC)]

Love that change from minor to major...

This seems like quite an uplifting piece - when the violins(not sure - what are they?) come in at 0:32, it really starts transforming. The shift from minor to major is something to behold.

The slow violins end up as something quite beautiful and it just leaves me yearning for more.

I feel maybe the 5-note melody (that arrives at 32s) could have been shifted a bit - maybe if it started meandering around the 1 minute mark and didn't die out so suddenly, it'd be a stronger piece.

Not that it isn't strong already! I'm sure this'll be great to hear at your concert!

Well done on what is already a great composition.

-Review Request Club-

BreakingFaces responds:

Thank you so very much!

[Beaten into a Pulp (DjD)]

Great fresh vibe. But go further.

I really like the beats here. The techno vibe makes it sound like something the Black Eyed Peas would use as a backing track for their vocals.

The cymbals work well, but start to sound overused. Maybe because it sounds like the exact same sample each time.

I love the instrument you use that pops up at 1:34, 1:49 and later.

I liked the chords you're playing in the beat and the little instrument shift around 0:30 and 0:50.

However, the instruments you're using don't have as much soul as the original guitars, so I feel like you need to bring in more of your own flavour.

I read your response stating you didn't intend for this to be a dance tune, but assuming you agree it sounds good as a dance track, maybe follow that vibe further.

Maybe mix up the beats a little. Try some different drums or beats here and there. Try composing a new counter-melody, or cutting and pasting those that existed to come up with more going on.

I loved listening to this - the original tune is great and you're moving it in a new direction. I'd just like to hear you go further with this.
7.5/10
-Review Request Club-.

Mad-Muppet responds:

Wow, thanks for a great review! I think the Black Eyed Peas actually has done a version of this song, if i'm not wrong. The crash thing i totally agree with, it's just that i was a bit lazy and didn't really find any strong sounding crashes that wasn't choked.

[(FMC) -=Hamburgers=-]

Can really see this as an animation...

An excellent song that just keeps building and manages to throw in a few surprises.

I liked the fast scale at 1:15and the fairly frequest changing up of loops. All worked well together to make a really adrenalin-pumping whole!

from the little roll as you start, to the few drop-downs where you totally keep the beats going, to the mixing up of the electronic synthy melody for the first half... also, I like the final note at the end. (Kinda reminds me of Cowboy Bebop)

My only crit/suggestion - maybe you could have added some more pounding beats at some point?

-Review Request Club-

FunkmasterCatking responds:

Yeah, I need to work on my beat-making skills...

Thanks!