lidlurch's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[(AD) Carol Of The Bells]

Couldn't dream of making something like this!

This is a great song! However:
1. I feel like the bass drop-out at the beginning comes in a little too soon and maybe this is just because this is more of a halftime feel song, but it seems like it would be more fitting for a single bridge
2. The Bass drum crescendos at the beginning, but the rest of the music doesn't really crescendo with it. try equalizing that a bit more
3. Generally, it seems that the bass is extremely overwhelming over everything else ( and i guess that's why it's called Drum n Bass ;)) But I figure making the melodies stronger would be helpful to make the song more identifiable
4. use of the choir towards the end would help to conclude the song more. just using it at the beginning kind of leaves you feeling empty
I hope you enjoyed my review! Good luck in the contest!

alextheDJ responds:

Great suggestions! Thanks for the helpful review :)

[<A> Never Forever]

fantastic!!

I have a feeling you use FL9? lol, lemme think of some things that might help with the song.

-the "de layering" starting at 2:48ish lasts too long! instead of making that part, i suggest making a bridge that incorporate modified versions of the melody. That way it won't be as repetitive at the end when it fades out

-cymbal crash at the end is sort of random, might wanna crescendo up to that rather than fade down into it

-at 1:16 when you fade down the backwards sound effect, try to fade it down later when the synth starts to come it, then it won't be near as noticeable, and will flow much more

otherwise, it's an incredible song. I had to think a little before i could find some stuff that could be changed. mind reviewing a song or two of mine? I'm into mutual reviewing

DJArrow responds:

WOW! THATS QUITE THE REVIEW!

"at 1:16 when you fade down the backwards sound effect, try to fade it down later when the synth starts to come it, then it won't be near as noticeable, and will flow much more", well i did want it to be noticeable so that there be a bit of a break and it would be quiet enough for the melody to philter in.

Thanks for all that advice ill be sure to try all of it. and yes i did use FL9 :3

[[J-B]Starting Destruction DEMO]

sounds like metallica

pretty good for just being bored when you made it!

the transition is a bit....extreme for my taste lol. if you listen to a lot of heavy metal, it starts the same way it ends, except for one by metallica, which has the longest fricken transition in the history of music :P you're probably going to have to extend the transition. or split the two ideas, i like the latter idea personally

nice job overall!

Jnr1114 responds:

Yeah. I think I slowly get heavier. I'll keep it clean for awhile then get XTREME! :P

Thanks for the review!

[Ending Destination]

sorta generic

the up front synth is a little loud, and the bass synth isn't really a bass synth, move it down a few octaves. the background fx at 0:18 are sick, continue them out through that area! if you could some how make it longer, that would sound sick. the synths are also a little too generic for my taste, along with the clap. just mix up the fx a little more to personalize it to your taste.

the rubs that start around 0:40 are a bit discomforting at first. It might sound a bit more like they're supposed to be there if you added in more substance to that part, mebe a bass/ rythm going on in the background

this thing is a piece of work, but you definetly could go somewhere with it! Don't give up on it... it's just one of those pieces that requires some messing around with. keep it up!

Jnr1114 responds:

Thanks!
Yeah, looking back on it know, I notice alot of flaws. It needs a lot of work. . . I may get to it sometime but for now I have to finish all my other crap lol.

[My Baby's Gone]

build on it, bro :P

nice chord progression start, but it might help if you made it just a bit shorter, or added a bit more to it before the sudden stop.

the solo is pretty cool! I must say that much! you used the motive well and transitioned the chord progression pretty well. I just feel like this song is more of a solo section to some song than an actual song, u know?

the piano...lol, a bit fast? i'm guessing that you didn't play that xD anywaays, it's a little plucky and fast for a style like this one.

you've got a really nice idea here, but you gotta add some more stuff to it before you call it a song. if you ever listen to some jazz, or blues, you'll get a feel to where the solos fit in and how to transition to other parts of the song. pretty good solo's though! 3/5 7/10

VGstudiosTeam responds:

Oh yeah! Like the majority of my stuff, I make a demo sorda lol... I plan on shortening the intro, adding lyrics, recording on an "Actual Piano"... Alot needs to be done, consider this my "Frame Work" lol. The Piano makes me laugh xD I needed it there so I'd no what to actually play... but it sounds a little... Robotronic... xD Anyways thanks man!!

[The Kings Defeat]

effin awesome intro

i really liked how you introduced the rythm guitar with a james bond lick in a different order, it adds a "dude, you're bad!" feel to it.

This is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, i suppose, but the bass drum has too much of a plastic against plastic sound to it, which appears in alot of fast bass drum lines. I just thought it might sound a bit better with more of a "thump" feel to it, maybe by putting some felt on the end of your drum pedal, or if they're computer drums, i would suggest just turning up the bass and down the tenor. but it may just be my taste, everyone has their own liking

At 0:43 where the snare hits come in, the drums sound ever-so-slightly behind. or maybe the guitars are rushing if the drums are computer made.

the background synth (orchestra strings?) need to change in the really quiet part in 1:00, because it really gives the calm part the wrong kind of edge, with the bells and everything, it feels like it should be a major note, or just go along with the bells. suggestion: maybe instead of having the electric bass being the main part, use an orchestral bass, i think that would give it a more ominous feel and fit in better with the fxed acoustic guitar

the lead guitar that goes into 1:44 is a bit loud, or maybe just too thick, I think that it should be more like the icing on the cake rather than the thick of the song, because the surrounding parts are thick enough.

Totally expand on this sucker, dude. it's really really good, but you should include the part at 0:28, in variation of course, perhaps as a transition to the finale of the song. I really really like it, the extensive use of the drums, the hemiolas between the drums and rythm guitars, and the tone of the song is dead on. It's incredible, keep on adding to it!

oh, last thought, at 0:23 where the two guitars fade out, make them change to enharmonics (at least i think that's what they're called, when they go from low to like five octaves higher, u used one in 1:22)

VGstudiosTeam responds:

I actually agree with everything you said! lol

I had a problem with the drum mixing, but I think once I actually complete this song, I'm gonna remix it.

With the strings, in the program I'm using, I JUST found a good bass strings sound. And I might add it. Then again, I may loose the strings there and turn the bell down.

and yeah, the guitar part gets slightly behind at times... I actually looped it lol, it was just a liiiittle off and annoyed me. I'mma re-record it

And I got some new Guitar Mics that REALLY changed the sound, I think the next version will sound MUCH better.

Thanks for your input!!

[Blossom]

nice beggining chords (fifths?)

The synths are really nice and relaxing, and the edgy bass gives the song intensity, but still blends with the synths

the edgy bass synth at 1:05 is a bit loud by the time the other synths come in. it just feels sort of crowded at places, and maybe it would help if you turned it down, or leaned it to one side

the drums seem like they could also go a lot farther than they are going, maybe a few drum fills here and there might help

the high synth at the end suggests that the song will go on into a bridge or something, so it felt like the song just ended at the middle. it's really good where it's at, but the ended suggested that something more was going to happen.

some high, smooth, quiet synths in the background would sound nice if you put it in when the edgy synth at 1:05 comes in

i really enjoyed this piece! It's definetly not something i would make (though i don't know anybody that makes music like mine), but the melodies and blend are really nice. Great job! 8/10 4/5

JohnLeprechaun responds:

Thanks for the thoughtful review. I'm actually redoing this song again as we speak, so I'll be taking all this info into consideration.

[Red Bull in a Photoshop]

awesome to see a band getting somewhere

I really like the indie genre, and it's really hard to find good indie-rap-industrial. the "open mic" style you guys put into is really awesome.

There's a lot of buzz in the background, as if the speakers are blown out, and i don't know if you guys wanted that, but it is a little annoying. other than that, there aren't any other technical issues, and you guys might have wanted it that way, idk. either way the song is awesome!

I'm sorry, but i can't think of anything else to say! nice song you've got here, and i wish you guys the best of luck!

btw, i make music as well. if you have the time, could you review a song or two of mine? thanks! i'm into mutual reviewing

-lidlurch

Apilot responds:

this is the longest review we have ever gotten so i will be sure to check out your stuff! thanks for listening man. Its just the fuzz on the drums. Its kind of on purpose lol.

[All The People Of The World]

very smooth

i really like the chords you put together with the saxes and trumpets, especially when the bari comes in. the complaint i have is that it's not so much of a song as it is an idea, or an unfinished song. you really should expand on it! it's really good right now, the rythm section just needs to be changed up every once in a while you know? itunes huh? how do you get on there?

VGstudiosTeam responds:

Lol, in all honesty, this was something my cousin wanted haha, he was like "Make me a reggae song!" so I did this, and just uploaded it. to get on iTunes I use TuneCore
Check it out and thanks!!

[PrTr: 02 Little Suzie]

feels mysterious...

very creepy indeed, but the piano could be less plucky. maybe some more reverb would help with that.

You could add some more of the carousel sounding bells through out more of the song, especially when the piano has it's own part at 0:26. the piano part could be a little louder as well.

incredible job on this one. you gave it a mysterious, scary, but at the same time intense feeling. unlike a lot of scary sound tracks, it doesn't need an actually scary movie; the soundtrack would MAKE the movie scary, which is exactly what scary movies are about. Great job!! fav'd and downloaded :)

EvilRaccoon responds:

I love the carousel bells idea! I need to do another creepy one and add that in!

Thanks for the score and the download! =D