Month: July 2016

Broadjam Artist: Ron Wilson
Song: Bye Bye Orlando

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Nikki Hornsby (Songwriter, Artist, Producer, Arranger)

Pro General Comments: Demo quality of instruments arrangement producer is not good for this catchy product song. Let me share something from our CJP-NHRecords files we give to our clients that might explain why it is important: "[Quoting G. Marshall Instructor, H. Musicians Institute. Source: Disc Makers Fast Forward, Vol. 5, No. 3 Issue 1997]"Years ago you could have given A & R reps and publishers a demo with just vocal and guitar on it, and they may have been able to hear how it would sound with a full band behind it but today they don't have time. They want to hear a fully produced, finished album. Remember, your demo is your business card. You get one chance to make an impression don't give out your card until you're sure it's ready." Hope this helps since I and my staff have been telling this in CJP-NHRecords clients in the one to one consultation since 2000. Hope this helps explain what is needed since I know your material has great bones! Maybe it needs some better clothing to be shopped for acquisition if that is the goal you are working towards. I would love to know who your professional studio musicians and even the name of the studio where you recorded your song(s). Now back to my listening as I do this over & over to make sure I am touching all bases with my personal knowledge. I do this technically as a producer including like publisher would do for your production towards marketing it to the consumer which a label with staff would also do plus the responsibility of a studio engineer that cares if his name is on it would help improve your product and not just engineer it for the money and get it out the door. I believe good money spent should have a good product and anything less is bad character in an honorable profession of the recording music industry.

Quote From Pro: The introduction part of this song could be improved but the complete song does sound like a commercial for the Auto Train if that was your intent. It is a catching melody message but like the ones they made many years ago for radio advertising. But in my opinion the fact that it's a demo is no excuse for the song suffering by what you present. It is still only my opinion of a poor production for your song which no professional in the area of acquisition or marketing would take now. Sometimes the better dressed get a better seat at the table and you want to give your songs a better chance to be heard without the negative distraction of such mistakes in the recording process especially the notes that were sung off key with the music or as I see it musicians are off from the vocal lead. Thank you, Ron, for sharing another catchy melody that you have written even with the flaws I heard. I look forward to reviewing others of your creation and I look forward to a better demo production if you can afford doing that for songwriting your talents. God bless.

Broadjam Artist: Sergio Simone
Song: Partners In Crime

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Diana Williamson (Songwriter, Music Supervisor)

Pro General Comments: Please note: I don't comment on individual instrumentation- since my specialty is more in the marketing, overall vibe, presentation, lyric, etc..Great title, great vibe. You did it on this song. The vibe doesn't stop- what a feel good song. Arrangements and singer really bring this to life- good selections.Opening has that Joe Cocker vibe- "You can leave your hat on".... With a little mix of Stevie Wonder on the side. Nice influences.Solo is tasteful, works to give the ear a nice break just like it should.I like Partners in Crime for the title however for marketing "Summer of 73" may be a bit better. The song has a retro vibe and Summer of 73 is in the hook therefore more memorable for a music supervisor sifting through music.The hook works like it should- it makes you want to hear it again. There could possibly be a bit more melodic contrast between verse and hook but it works just the same. You don't want too too much going on since the lyric needs a simpler bed to tell its story. Maybe another instrumental bed of some kind in the chorus to give it an extra flavor and signal it has arrived?You're giving me a very hard task to critique this song because its very very good. Your lyrics paint a picture just like they should. We can see these guys and maybe even want to join them on their escapades. You give life to a place in time in a very dynamic way. Lyrics full of action and colorful descriptions. "We love to talk about the good old days Acapulco Gold and Purple Haze"- your description takes us right there.You're smart and work with people who bring out your lyrics. That's the secret of success- just ask Madonna. You may want to pitch this for retro films and tv when you get a good mix on it. It is very specific- but it seems the songs I think are the hardest to place are sometimes the easiest because they're so specific. Niche things can work in your favor.

Quote From Pro: Sergio paints a very colorful picture of the good ole days, bringing you right into his world. Great work.

Broadjam Artist: Tom & Mary Erangey
Song: Blue Umbrella

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Jonathan Weiss (Music Supervisor, A&R)

Pro General Comments: Great chorus in this song. The chorus, lead and background vocals remind me of something that Carole King would've have sung back in her hey day. I felt the verses let me down a bit after lyrically, melodically and rhythmically after hearing such a strong chorus, each time it went back to the verses. The chorus seems to be in sort of a cut time, or doubled rhythm, whereas the verses do not have that same sort of forward movement. I think in this case, the verses need to be as strong as the chorus, and in this piece, in my opinion, it's not. Lyrically, it's a lighthearted song about being with someone you care about while its raining. Think we've all been there at one time and this is a great representation of what an experience like this might be like. Solid lead vocals do a good job of expressing the joy of this experience. The background vocal arrangements are also quite strong and harmonically work perfectly.

Quote From Pro: Strong chorus in this song that would evoke visual images from the listener. Creative and solid background vocal arrangements in the chorus, make this a very catchy song that would work well behind visuals in an advertisement.

Broadjam Artist: Bill Zeffiro
Song: Universal Truth

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Diana Williamson (Songwriter, Music Supervisor)

Pro General Comments: Please note: I do not comment on instrumentation since my expertise lies in marketing, lyric, melody, overall presentation, etc..Hi Bill- Good concept. It may be a hard sell to an artist though- universal truth- most artists want songs that portray them as virile, competent and a winner. It can be an uphill battle to sell a song where they call themselves a schmuck. This is the age of false beauty- where everyone edits their image until it's six pack, no wrinkles, etc etc. It would take an artist who has been on top for quite a while, with a great sense of humor to undertake such a song.It is perfect for theatre though where an audience can listen along and empathize. For some reason we love actors to look like schmucks because we can see ourselves in their shoes and feel less silly about our own foibles. However in music - its usually a more sexy thing- and the preening peacock artist rarely submits themselves to ridicule no matter how warranted. Sense of humor alas seems to be a rare quality in the music biz..You may want to decide on a sexier title- Universal truth can bring to mind some religious leader about to lecture us on the perils of sin (lol). You want a title that is going to bite and make us curious- so we just have to know more. "Just Another Schmuck in Love" for eg - gives us the tone of the song- we know its going to be funny.You have a great way with lyrics. Maybe you could research comedians that sing- a lot of comedy records are done and see who is working on an album. Adam Sandler? Steve Martin? Some who sing: Jimmy Fallon, Tom Lehrer, and Steve Martin.

Quote From Pro: Bill has a great flair for comedy.

Broadjam Artist: matt taylor
Song: Like A Mountain

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Jim Bruno (Songwriter)

Pro General Comments: Hi Matt, Sorry for the delay. I reviewed this song a couple of weeks ago but for whatever reason it didn't go through. I don't think that Broadjam like Firefox. Anyway...I really like this song a lot. The prosody between lyrics and melody is very strong. I think your bridge is especially strong. It did exactly what a well written bridge should do, it re-engaged this listener by having tangentially related lyrics and melody. Well written bridges are not easy to write. Your use of the title as a refrain was also very well done. I think that this form of romantic determination is a great subject to write about. It gives voice to so many who empathize with the singers situation. Due to its theme, the song is also highly coverable making it I would imagine desirable to a publisher. I could see any number of recording artists recording this song. I think your understated production is very effective and lends support to the sincerity of both the song and the performance. Your performance vocally matched your guitar work really well. If I were to produce this song I'd make every effort to keep the production simple. Maybe just add a bass and a lead instrument like a cello or how about a steel guitar? Overall a very well crafted song, performed in a very effective manner. I wish you much success!

Quote From Pro: If like me you appreciate sincerity in singer-songwriters, you're going to love Matt Taylor. Do yourself a favor and check him out!

Broadjam Artist: Andy Barlow
Song: Underneath the Mistletoe

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Doug Diamond (Music Supervisor, Engineer, Producer, Composer )

Pro General Comments: Hi Andy -Thanks so much for bringing this song to my attention. I have really enjoyed listening to it. I definitely think you're on target here for sure. You don't hear too many "new" Christmas songs, so for that alone, I applaud what you're doing. The song's writing style, arrangement, melody, production, etc. are all very well done and sound excellent. I can tell you've put a lot of work into it.Overall, I feel that this song does have potential to be a Christmas classic as it does have a really great holiday feel to it and does conjure up thoughts of family, Christmastime, exchanging gifts, and celebrating the real meaning of Christmas - especially the chorus.I think that the lead vocals are really great as-is, but wouldn't be adverse to hearing a more contemporary voice as well just for comparison. I like Kevin's voice and vocal performance a lot though, so it would really have to be excellent to be "better" than his vocal work. A determining factor might just be if another artist is willing to record it. If it were an American artist for instance, that would give it a totally different feel (not necessarily better, just different - again, I really like the existing vocal).I'll address some of your questions below...

Quote From Pro: Andy Barlow's "Underneath the Mistletoe" is an excellent, upbeat and unique Christmas song that blends traditional holiday music of the past with a modern touch - and gives the listener a new Christmas classic for the holidays.

Broadjam Artist: matt taylor
Song: I Can't Help It

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Jim Bruno (Songwriter)

Pro General Comments: Hi Mike,Another strong song and this one is really different from your previous one but both were well crafted and performed. I categorized the song as R&B mainly for its influences and not for the marketplace.Your vocals and the treatment sounded to my ears a bit like David Bromberg, who's one of my favorites. There's a sincerity that I mentioned in my review of your previous song that I'm hearing hear as well. The recording is very tastefully done. The main thing I liked about it was your restraint. In this era of Pro Tools too many songwriters/ artists feel that since they have endless tracks that they need to fill them up. Don't they realize that music isn't spackle? You didn't make that mistake. I like how every instrument and vocal are clear and discernable. That bridge worked well too. Came at just the right time. The harmonies were absolutely on the money. I always liked the way they were mixed. Too often harmonies are considered background vocals and not mixed hot enough. Regards,Jim

Quote From Pro: Matt Taylor writes songs that stick to your ribs. They have very deep roots and definitely stay with you. He's on the way up!

Broadjam Artist: Tony DeSimone
Song: Stay Beautiful

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Jonathan Stone (Publisher)

Pro General Comments: Really good all the way around. Reminds me a little of U2. I think this will have great opportunity for film and TV use as well. Its clear that the author/artist is experienced and professional. This is a perfect example of writing an idea that has practical application to many visuals which is great for sync opportunities. The lyric never really gets to specific and they bring forth a very positive message "Stay Beautiful" inside. Don't know if this was the author's intent but never the less it opens up a wide variety of potential uses by doing same. I often get songs pitched to me and the artist wants to get syncs, which all tracks have potential for such, but as soon as you go off into subject matter that is too specific like "my pet butterfly flew away" your song can only be pitched for projects about pet butterflies. You get the point. It could be that the artist here just wrote from his heart and out came the perfect "sync" song. I hope thats the case, so much the better. Or perhaps we have a wiley craftsman here who intended to write a song just for sync ops. Doesn't really matter. Regardless, he has one here and he would be well served to get this out to as many film and Tv libraries as he can that accept outside "songs" and see what happens.

Quote From Pro: Tony DeSimone nails it with "Stay Beautiful". Great track, message and performance! Check it out!

Broadjam Artist: Andy Barlow
Song: The Beauty Inside

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Tom Bocci (Music Supervisor, Producer, and Publisher)

Pro General Comments: Greetings Andy,Thanks for the opportunity to offer comments on such a beautifully melodic,heartfelt song. The verses are well-constructed by using a personal past/present reality check in the lyric that foreshadows the emotional longing in the hook and chorus,and captures additional imagery within each time it comes around. This form is unusual and effective, especially if used to underscore a visual illustrating inner thoughts.The bridge offers a lovely lyrical chance to pause and reflect on a momentary safe place to go when these feelings are too much to endure.The half chorus #3 is a strong device that builds to the modulation into Chorus #4 and the sensitive vocal performance that supports the final plea.From a recording standpoint,at times the dynamic string/woodwind presence in the first two choruses seems bit much in contrast to the lead singer's airy vocal. Try reducing the volume and balance the low tonalities to the vocal more so that it doesn't get lost. "The Beauty Inside" demonstrates your in-depth knowledge of the marriage between a theatrical song form and a poetic presentation.All best wishes for future success.Tom Bocci

Quote From Pro: "The Beauty Inside" demonstrates your in-depth knowledge of the marriage between a theatrical song form and a poetic presentation.

Broadjam Artist: IamLegendBeatz
Song: Choose w/ Chorus Drums

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Diana Williamson (Songwriter, Music Supervisor)

Pro General Comments: Please note I do not rate instrumentation as my expertise lies more in overall presentation, marketing, lyrics, etc.Great track. Your vocals work nicely to promote your song and the arrangements are very tasteful, not too much and not too little- so another words you have a great sense of proportion.It has that deep, poignant delivery overall appropriate for the occasion. Song has a really pleasant groove and the keys and synths work well to support your theme.You set up conflict "that you were never going to fall in love again"- which is good. Songs need conflict to keep interest. Maybe suggest something about them that let you know they were the one? The keeper?You are far ahead of a lot of people and lucky that you can not only write but record your own material- which is a very great advantage in today's market.

Quote From Pro: Track would fit nicely for a TV show about weddings and proposals.