Bezman's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Lord of the Rings (Remix)]

Great idea, but could be improved further...

Crazy idea for a techno remix! Just crazy enough to work...

I liked the way it started. I like the minor key part that comes in around the 1 min mark.

But within those 2 halves, it just kinda seems like there's not an awful lot of progression. I did like the electronic pulsing note that fades in and introduces the 2nd part.

But really, I just would've liked to hear a few more prominent variations. Maybe some more layers.

Also, the beats kinda sound overpowering to me.

Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed it. Just pointing out the flaws.

endlessnumber responds:

THANK YOU!
This was made before I learned how to use FL Studio's mixer feature. I might do a Fix in the next few days. Thanks for listening/reviewing.

[Ghostbusters!!]

Obviously awesome melody but I wanted more remixin

When I first heard this come on in NGAPRadio, I thought, "YAY! ... Why don't more people do remixes of this awesome tune? This is the first one I've heard."

I like the ghostly intro and the basic melody is played accurately. There were a few minor twists that made it interesting.

But still, it's more like a MIDI keyboard recreation of the tune than a real remix.

From my perspective, it's played really well but really offers nothing new - I'd rather hear the original.

It'd be great to hear this being played on a keyboard in town and share it with the audience that I'm sure would have gathered. But on here, I was hoping to hear it developed and messed around with a lot more.

Hating4AM responds:

Yeah in the afterthought, I kinda just wasted Newgrounds space. This was more of a tribute to The Angry Videogame Nerd when he did his Ghostbusters three part review.
Check him out, he's hillarious http://www.gametrailers.com/screwattack.php

Thanks for the review, peace! :D

[Neon Lightning]

Great vocal harmonising but needs more layers

I loved the vocals that help introduce this.

Around the 50s mark, I was hoping for a new instrument.

I liked that you did have a build-up, kinda fading in that synthy melody. But it seemed really sparse.

To me it sounds like a great start, but you should add in way more elements whilst doing the build-up for added interest.

==
The vocals are by far my favourite element here. Keep working on it!

How did you do the vocals?

TheUrbanNinjaGirl responds:

to vocals are accually me singing. all i did was record and loop them. and, i relize i need more elements in the song. this was only a test of the update on GarageBand 3.

[[SR] Town Outside [Demo/Loop]]

Ideal for a town in an RPG. Safe, accoustic vibe.

I should definitely use this for something. Maybe a menu, a short section or a single level... something with little or no risk of death/failure.

I can definitely hear a sort 'RPG generic small town' vibe to the melody. Vaguely similar to Snes RPGs, it reminds me of a dozen and none.

I like how you used real instruments, but kept an old-school simple melody. I love the soft drums and also the way you share the melody between guitar/piano. the soft violin only became noticeable after a while. That sorta ties it together well as do the bursts of guitar during the piano playing.

What's the instrument you start with? Was the guitar real and the other instruments fake? (That's my guess...)

You've definitely added onto the melody enough to make it interesting to listen to for a while.

It's on repeat just now and I find myself getting tired after... I dunno... 7 minutes. Yeah. It's lost most of its charm now.

I think the piano should maybe be a touch softer and played slightly more legato. Also, maybe just as you have bursts of guitar during the piano part, maybe you could throw in a few piano chords...

Loops well.

So final thought - too short for a full game (as I'd expect for a loop of this length) but great for an upbeat acoustic-style menu, a single level of a puzzle game, an upbeat platform level with little (or no) risk of death or maybe even a town in an RPG. Heh.

Great stuff.

ShinRok responds:

I made a full one check it out when you get a chance =D

[Amazing Grace(Iguana Mix)]

Nice chords indeed, but short and lacking developm

I like the bass at around 12s.

Is this a single playing? Well played!

I did feel though, that the rhythm of 'treble solo notes' followed by chords was kinda simplistic.

The whole thing was exceedingly short too, for a non-loop.

Like your other piece, I'd have liked to see more development.

MrIguana responds:

and this is the original version. we were not allowed to use inharmonic tones or any 7 chords other than the dominant. We were forced to work with only this part of Amazing Grace and I tried my best to have the bassline be merely an accompaniment, not a melody.

i got a 97 btw. thanks for the review

[Amazing Grace (Insane Iguana)]

doubling-up sounds good. But develop it more!

I liked the way it sounded thanks to you doubling-up on all the notes.

I don't understand why there's about 20s of silence at the end.

Also, you could have developed the piece a bit more... it does sound like you kinda thought of something interesting to do with the tune, but then left it that. Develop it!

It does sound good though, specially if you listen to the other version just before, as I did. (Listening to NGAPRadio with shuffle off.)

MrIguana responds:

the other version was a music theory project that i did. i expanded on it with this. the 20s of silence was because i forgot to delete the extra measures in finale(oops). I should fledge it out more and add some of my own rhythms too.

thanks for the review

[Spring's Feathers]

Soothing... relaxing... I wish it lasted longer.

"Feel free to feel anything." heheh. Great line.

The whole piece is wonderfully relaxing. Soothing. Listening on NGAPRadio, I immediately jumped back to this and put it on repeat.

I just found it short for a piece that doesn't loop!

There are some beautiful parts, specially the chords around the 9/10s mark the parts around the 25ish, 37ish, 49ish...well, you have a beautiful melodic journey.

The last 10-20s seem kinda stuttered though as do a few points around the 1-min mark. That let it down slightly.

I do wish it looped or was longer.

Was this improvised? If so, I'd love to hear something similar that you spend time composing! If not, lengthen the piece!

==
I could fall in love with a piece like this.
It reminds me of XJapan's 'Endless Rain', which is a big compliment!

I just wish it lasted forever - or failing that - longer.

LfunkeyA responds:

thanks for the long review. this was in fact something like an improvisation, not perfect. I'll try to 'fix it' and possibly make it longer in some way. thanx!

[~If We Hold on Together~]

Fun to listen to. Not orchestral. LBT?

Orchestral? Sounds more like a piano-set keyboard, drums and a synthed violin kicking in around the 1-minute mark. When I think 'orchestral', I really don't imagine drums and I don't think of a piano playing the entire melody - I think of a symphony being orchestrated to share the melody.

Regardless, I enjoyed this. The melody had a pleasantly upbeat, uptempo vibe and when the drums kicked in, I digged.

The keyboard is really well played (if it's on a keyboard) and the various instruments well put together.

One question for you - what is 'LBT'?

I probably would have preferred it if it had actually been more orchestral, or if it had had some more variations, but it was good to listen to.

Good work!

EKublai responds:

The Land Before Time

[Dreams (Piano version)]

Like "Anthony and the Johnsons". Polished but...

The production is great. The piano is all fairly tight and the voice is never strained.

When the chorus comes in half-way through and again in the last minute, that sounds great. I heard a backing instrument that sounds a bit like a synthed violin chorus. Works well.

I felt the lyrics generally felt a bit cliche'd and false. You had some decent rhymes, but it never felt like you were writing from experience.

If you were, then sorry. You shouldn't dwell on such things.

The piano seemed a bit overly predictable and simplistic. There were some great chords and harmonies with the backing instruments, but I felt like a few diversions from the main theme, maybe even a few grace notes here and there, would have added to the piece.

==
I commend you and your friend's abilities in making it sound so polished. However, it just didn't sound interesting. To me it seemed slightly vacuous.

I'd like to hear something you wrote from experience.

Naitzmic responds:

Uhm, I hate to break it to you, mate, but it's very much based on personal experiences. Lol...
I don't know what to tell you, but yeah. I'm a manic depressive / bi-polar disorder patient, and I think along these lines... well, alot.

[<B.§> I Follow Unknown]

kick ass. Odd. Bubbles.

2nd listen:

Right the start (the 6s mark) you have a pretty odd slide, giving a good indication of the meandering twists this is gonna take.

The bubbling noise is bizarre and around 0:46 the guitar sounds vaguely like a creaking door.

I liked the increasing tempo of the rhythm guitar, but that faded away without me noticing...

2:35 - some interesting use of stereo. Picking up a real sense of rhythm... I'm getting in the groove... and then it decides to lie down.

3:49 - some crazy meshing going on with the guitar, the bass and the bubbles... what are those bubbles? It just reminds me of a hubble bubble - those bib bong-type things with a big pipe. Or maybe just a bong.

------------------------------------------------

Waited a while. Listened to it a few more times. I have nothing bad to say about it.

It could maybe be a bit more striking, a bit more surreal, a bit more beautiful, a bit more soothing... But how to get there... I have no advice on.

It's a kick ass track already in any case.

SensoryDecay responds:

I appreciate the in depth listen. Alas, this song is simply the exploration of sounds with no rhyme or reason. No drugs or alcohol influenced.