| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
RnBMrE
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 683
Location: Washington, DC
|
 Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:52 am Post subject: Elon Sweet Signatures - Coming Into Focus |
 |
|
Congrats to the Sweet Sigs on an awesome review. Great compliments and helpful critique. These girls are a talented bunch! "Coming Into Focus" seems quite the appopriate title indeed. I definitely agree with Tekay that Magic Tree is the coolest, most well-executed female track of the year (possibly any that I've heard).
Kevin, can you talk a little more about how you didn't like the album art in your next review, though? Only three mentions leaves the reader wanting! x-(
In all seriousness, there is some insightful and valuable critique for the group in your review (similar arrangements, breaking the mold and covering a cool rock group, stepping out more/staying edgier), but it's hard to take seriously because of the snark. A "schizophrenically spelled" title because they replaced an apostrophe with a 'g'? Petty much? Borderline offensive, too (I work with schizophrenic people). And you're "not going to dignify [SexyBack] with critique"? What the hell, man? I'd be pissed if a track off my group's CD didn't even receive comments because the reviewer thought he was too cool to do so.
Oh, and the tampons comment. You stay classy, San Diego.
_________________
Matt Emery
CASA Membership Director
SoJam Marketing Officer
Three-time Recipient and Current Holder of RARB "Post of the Year" Title |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
H.F.
Joined: 04 May 2005
Posts: 460
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:23 am Post subject: Re: Elon Sweet Signatures - Coming Into Focus |
|
|
| RnBMrE wrote: |
Oh, and the tampons comment. You stay classy, San Diego. |
Indeed. Class personified. Really looking forward to future reviews from Captain Sardonic. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
billhare
Joined: 13 Feb 2003
Posts: 1843
Location: Silicon Valley, CA
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Reviewer #3 wrote: | | Take Me or Leave Me from RENT puzzles me somewhat. Why cover an unmemorable song from a decade-old musical? |
| Reviewer #1 wrote: | | I'm one of the original Rentheads and a music theater lover — so I get especially giddy when songs are covered by a cappella groups. So I was looking forward to the Signatures's signature take on Take Me or Leave Me. |
When you see such different viewpoints between two reviewers in the same review, let alone the general public, it just confirms that the "different strokes for different folks" rule will always apply!
-B
_________________
Bill Hare
Bill Hare Productions
Silicon Valley, California
www.dyz.com
CASA Board of Directors
Former Holder of RARB "Post of the Year" Title |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
JtheLegend
Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 518
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
nah, you're wrong bill. there can only be one true opinion on everything.
_________________
j. cannon
Cornell Chordials::2004-2007::
the panic room::producer-engineer::
member of the VocalSource network |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Brojo
RARB
Joined: 23 Dec 2003
Posts: 252
Location: Dtown
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
| THE SIEGE IS COMING |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
J Fi
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 87
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Congrats to the sigs! They've been a pleasure to watch these last four years at Elon, and regardless of the tampon-esque cover have released a hell of an album.
Can someone from RARB explain to me why a man who won't "dignify" a song with his response but will spend so much time on an album's artwork is reviewing? Isn't that vaguely unfair? i could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the focus of these reviews should be the music. To not dignify a song with a response is arrogant to say the least. I realize that what Bill has to say about different strokes for different folks is true, and if the third review set out to point out things in a more constructively critical way that would be one thing, but Mr. Sawyer seems to be trying to get in his pot-shots on a female group (to which he openly admits being biased, as stated by his expectation of "trebly Avril Lavigne and Sarah McLachlan covers.")
Art is supposed to be opened to interpretation, not subject to the firing squad.
_________________
John Fiander
Producer
Web Site Coming Soon!
Elon University Twisted Measure (2004-2008)
www.twistedmeasure.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jimmy
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 183
Location: Washington, DC
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Matt wrote: | | I'd be pissed if a track off my group's CD didn't even receive comments because the reviewer thought he was too cool to do so. |
Amen to that. However, I would extend this even further, because I know that some people will respond that "the reviewer's responsibility isn't to the artist, but to his readers." As a reader of the review, I noticed that they had recorded SexyBack. Having heard the Back Row version (which was recently picked for BOCA and is quite distinctive for its heavy production), I was curious to hear how an all-female group might have approached the song. (Not that I enjoy the original by any means, but I was curious if a less-produced sound could be effective on this song.) The comment on SexyBack only served to hurt the artists' feelings. Not helpful to the potential buyer, not helpful to the group... what's the point of writing it?
Anyway, this sounds like a good album. When I first saw the cover art (before the review was even published, actually) I remember thinking that it was cool and very simple (in a good way). Out of curiosity, who did the production on this CD? Magic Tree is f'in awesome.
_________________
Jimmy Leathers
MD, UMd Faux Paz, 2004-2008
www.myspace.com/fauxpaz |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
billhare
Joined: 13 Feb 2003
Posts: 1843
Location: Silicon Valley, CA
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:58 pm Post subject: Re: Elon Sweet Signatures - Coming Into Focus |
|
|
| RnBMrE wrote: | | A "schizophrenically spelled" title because they replaced an apostrophe with a 'g'? |
I went into the ol' CASA Library (which conveniently lives here at my studio), and I get what he's saying - heh...
On the back of the CD it says Believin'
On the CD itself it says Believing
On the liner notes it says Believen'
So yes, three spellings, so I'll give him detail points on that one.
| Jimmy wrote: | | Out of curiosity, who did the production on this CD? |
That would be the inimitable Dave Sperandio.
| Jimmy wrote: | | Having heard the Back Row version (which was recently picked for BOCA and is quite distinctive for its heavy production), I was curious to hear how an all-female group might have approached the song. (Not that I enjoy the original by any means, but I was curious if a less-produced sound could be effective on this song.) |
Being the guy who mixed the Back Row version, so was I - this version is VERY different, but cool in its own right. Get the album and take a listen! :-)
For the record, I don't have issues with the artwork...
Nice to see Vienna Teng being covered - she was a good aca-arranger herself a decade back when she was in the Stanford Harmonics.
-B
_________________
Bill Hare
Bill Hare Productions
Silicon Valley, California
www.dyz.com
CASA Board of Directors
Former Holder of RARB "Post of the Year" Title |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bstevens
Site Admin
Joined: 30 Oct 2002
Posts: 617
Location: Mid-Hudson Valley, NY
|
| Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
I've had "Dear Wally" and "Breathe" on permanent rotation -- I'm just amazed at the quality of 'student singing' these days! And in line with my music AD(H)D, I like the first half or so of "Magic Tree" but then wish for differences in the song itself; not a big fan of "you know" as metrical filler in adjacent lines within the same verse.
My kudos to the Signatures! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RnBMrE
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 683
Location: Washington, DC
|
| Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:07 am Post subject: Re: Elon Sweet Signatures - Coming Into Focus |
|
|
| billhare wrote: | | RnBMrE wrote: | | A "schizophrenically spelled" title because they replaced an apostrophe with a 'g'? |
I went into the ol' CASA Library (which conveniently lives here at my studio), and I get what he's saying - heh...
On the back of the CD it says Believin'
On the CD itself it says Believing
On the liner notes it says Believen'
So yes, three spellings, so I'll give him detail points on that one. |
Detail points, sure... but you don't have to be an ass about the way you bring it up. Seemed a common motif in the review.
_________________
Matt Emery
CASA Membership Director
SoJam Marketing Officer
Three-time Recipient and Current Holder of RARB "Post of the Year" Title |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dherriges
Joined: 26 Jul 2005
Posts: 550
Location: San Francisco, CA
|
| Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
| bstevens wrote: | | And in line with my music AD(H)D |
:: horrified gasp ::
First "schizophrenic" naming, now "music AD(H)D"! Don't you people have any respect for the mentally ill?!?! Geez!
.....
(PC Disclaimer: I actually do agree with people's criticisms of Kevin's review, despite above mockery.)
_________________
Daniel Herriges
Stanford Mixed Company 2004-2007 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
carlyonders
Joined: 13 Aug 2004
Posts: 253
|
| Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:46 am Post subject: |
|
|
eh...despite what looked like some serious and sustained consideration from sawyer yesterday afternoon on the forum I somehow doubt he'll dignify us with a reply.
_________________
Carl
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
GOBbluth
Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 7
|
| Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I just want to say that I enjoyed this album but as far as "Magic Tree" goes.....Duke Out of the Blue kills that track and should've been featured on BOCA..in fact..they have the best female collegiate album this year |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
WareHauser
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 294
Location: Greensboro
|
| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 5:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
| GOBbluth wrote: | | I just want to say that I enjoyed this album but as far as "Magic Tree" goes.....Duke Out of the Blue kills that track and should've been featured on BOCA..in fact..they have the best female collegiate album this year |
I would respectfully disagree. I actually have both albums spinning in my car right now, and while I like both, I think the Sigs have a bit more sass.
Where's the siege?
_________________
Nick Lyons
Liquid 5th
- Facebook
- Twitter |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RnBMrE
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 683
Location: Washington, DC
|
| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 6:35 am Post subject: |
|
|
| WareHauser wrote: | | GOBbluth wrote: | | I just want to say that I enjoyed this album but as far as "Magic Tree" goes.....Duke Out of the Blue kills that track and should've been featured on BOCA..in fact..they have the best female collegiate album this year |
I would respectfully disagree. I actually have both albums spinning in my car right now, and while I like both, I think the Sigs have a bit more sass. |
Absolutely, Nick. The biggest difference for me, by far, is the Siggies' soloist. She's just easily better.
I do agree with GOBbluth, though, that the Duke OOTB album will be a tough one to beat this year come CARA time.
More anonymity.
_________________
Matt Emery
CASA Membership Director
SoJam Marketing Officer
Three-time Recipient and Current Holder of RARB "Post of the Year" Title |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
