Broadjam Pro Song Reviews

Broadjam Artist: Randall Rutledge
Song: Non Stop Flight

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Tirk Wilder (Songwriter, Performer)

Pro General Comments: Randall and Raymond,First, I want to apologize for the length of time it took me to get this review back to you. In my defense, I got back form a medical mission trip to central Guatemala on March 18th, and I myself was sick for a week after we landed. Then the family showed up for a weekend, and that shot everything too. Not an excuse. Just an explanation.Now to the song.Love the groove you have going on here. Top-notch studio musicians.I think the idea of the song is excellent, and very hooky.I think that you could successfully place this song with some production libraries and do some good with it. Just on the strength of the tracks.Everything I say here is only my opinion. All I would try to do is inspire you to greater heights.I believe there is room for a lot of improvement in this song, and I will give you my suggestions.But please keep in mind they are only SUGGESTIONS.There's an old catch phrase among commercial songwriters. It's become an indispensable arrow in the songwriter's quiver. I give it to you as it was given to me long ago. Made me re-write every song I had with it in mind."Less is MORE".Every syllable must count. If you can think of a way to squeeze the number of syllables down, the further down you get it the stronger it becomes.For instance:"We taxi down the runway hand in hand". There is no need to add the words "We taxi". It makes it sound cumbersome, as if you have to hurry the lyric to get them in. And you can drop a few syllables in the second part of the line, and have it look like THIS:"Down the runway, hand in hand, we take off on our own flight plan"...Much easier to sing, much more fluid on the ear.Every line has to SNAP with cleverness and be different than the lines before it and after it."As we take off on the go" is kinda meaningless here. For one thing, you've already used the phrase "take off" in the first line. I'm of the opinion that the only thing that should be allowed to repeat in the whole song is the HOOK. It makes the hook more POWERFUL.You could get crazy and say "Leave our baggage in the hold, turn off air traffic control". (You can use that, free of charge, if you want to.)Every line in this song needs to lose weight to gain power, if you know what I mean.And do your best, whatever you have to do, to make sure you have NO CLICHES in your lyric, unless you are presenting them in a fresh way. These are words or phrases that have been used so many times, they lose their meaning.For instance:"On the go", "Our love is true"."Well around the world many things I've seen but loving you I've earned my wings" is repeated three times, which is okay if it's the chorus, but it doesn't stand out as melodically different from the rest of the song. The most successful song form in the history of the recorded music charts is Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge Chorus. The chorus, in this form, should be completely different from the verses in melody and lyric. It's usually the only place where the hook is heard.I'm not really sure it matters in this song. It seems to have it's own form.But if that's the case, I would urge you to consider making every verse different, as in NO repetitions. If for no other reason, you are repeating the heck out of "Non-stop Flight, when I'm a-lovin' you", and everything else should be different, IMHO.Also, I would encourage you to try to make the verses a little less cumbersome in places. For instance:"We ignore radio frequency cause we're flying frequently" sounds a little tough to sing, and frequency and frequently are the same words, really. See if you can come up with something to beat that.Remember, you don't HAVE to have EVERY line be an airplane reference.If you give this song a re-write with these ideas in mind, I think you may end up with a stronger, more commercially viable piece of music.And I wish you the best of luck.

Quote From Pro: Randall Rutledge can take you around the world on a NON-STOP FLIGHT. Fun music, good times.

Broadjam Artist: J.J. McGuigan
Song: Letter

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Robert Dellaposta (Writer, A&R, Publisher)

Pro General Comments: There's a lot I like about this song. You chose rock alternative as the genre but this has other influences I can hear as well...Country, Americana folk rock. Your vocal has a little Neil Young mixed in with Bob Dylan and Daughtry. the tempo was a little on the slow side which added to the length of the song. 4:54 is outside the time restraints of commercial radio...my advice is do a radio edit and end it around the 3:45 mark which will greatly improve your chances for radio airplay ...4:54 is fine for a download or cd...increasing the tempo will give it a little more edge and movement in my opinion and help shorten the song. The electric guitar is a little loud in spots but it fits this genre...I love the intro with the string pad ...the vocal has a lot of reverb on it which makes it difficult to understand the words and in this genre the lyric is very important. The lyric I did hear was well written and meaningful. It was introspective and poignant... a lot of people will relate to this... You have a very smooth voice and unique style...your pitch is excellent...you might want to be a little more aggressive on your consonants which will help make the lyric stand out... add a harmony part starting on climb every mountain...verse/pre-chorus/chorus...melodically all three sections were well crafted...the chorus is catchy and memorable and I liked the chord progression and arrangement... songs like this are good pitches to music libraries for use in tv and movie background... make it as broadcast ready as you can...this is a good song and it's worth a little more time and effort to make it a great song...I hope my suggestions and comments are helpful. You are a very talented writer and artist.

Quote From Pro: J.J. McGuigan has both the musical talent and lyrical talent to be a competitive artist/writer in the Alternative Rock world. I would not be surprised to hear one of his songs on Americana radio or in a movie or tv show in the near future.

Broadjam Artist: Punk Ass Mo Fo
Song: Taxman

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
John Anderson (Publisher)

Pro General Comments: Hey Punk Ass Mo Fo,We'll I like to think you're asking the right guy, I'm a big fan of the Rock/Punk genre. I had the privilege of working with The Cramps, The Bellrays, and Dramarama's catalogs to name a few. TAXMAN is a quality song all around. My overall impression is quite positive, you've managed to make a political statement and still rock it out.It's a great message that challenges the system in this politically charged environment. Perfect song to release in an election year.The recording and production quality is solid and similar to what I typically hear from young bands working with limited budgets. The production may be a bit polished or smooth for the hard core punk audience but the flip side is that it plays better for getting added at radio. The Lyrics form a great narrative and pulls you into the hook while the overall track kicks ass.I recommend self-releasing with Punk Ass Mo Fo as the artist but I'm sure there are song publishers out there that would be proud to submit "Taxman" for a major label or independent artist to record or cover.I personally focus my efforts on film/television/ad placement for artists. It does strike me as a song that would fit nicely into a film or TV show and really enhance the emotion of the scene. The limitations is the songs political message. Finding scenes that require this type of statement are few and far between but they are out there.Thanks for the listen.John Anderson

Quote From Pro: TAXMAN is a quality song all around. Punk Ass Mo Fo make a political statement and still rock it out.Hunnypot Approved!

Broadjam Artist: J.J. McGuigan
Song: Home

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Robert Dellaposta (Writer, A&R, Publisher)

Pro General Comments: Lyrically this is well written and the message is clear...Home has been and continues to be a popular subject matter for artist/writers and Americana and country artists...Joe Diffie had a huge number 1 country hit with Home...It's a theme a lot of people will relate to...this particular subject matter although not all that radio friendly will be tv , movie and commercial friendly...you drew me in on the downbeat...great sounding band...very commercial and broadcast ready...your vocal was spot on...a 100% improvement in diction, and mix...I could hear every word and you sounded great...the hook was delivered in a strong melody...I really think home is where I wanna be is the title people will remember...This is an A+....the overall length is well within commercial guidelines and to be honest you sound like a 20 year old indie singer songwriter...I know a young singer by the name of Adam Searan here in Nashville and you sound a lot like him on this song...he's a great singer...you really delivered on this and you got your money's worth on the demo/master...pitch pitch pitch...I would offer you a non-exclusive contract on this song but I want you to pitch it and get 100% of any synch license...you are headed down the "write" road my friend...the instrumental to this song will also be a great pitch to movies, tv and commercial leads

Quote From Pro: J.J. McGuigan's music is extremely commercial and easy to listen to...his Americana indie alternative singer songwriter style crosses over to country and in my opinion will resonate with young and old alike...

Broadjam Artist: Bob Hutson
Song: Run Til I'm Free

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

Pro General Comments: Hi Bob: As you probably know- Please note I don't rate individual instrumentation since my expertise lies more in marketability, lyric, melody, and overall performance.You have an interesting idea of mixing a rock-ish style with a gospel- type vocal. I could possibly hear a few more bluesy licks in there to really fuse the two together. They are two very rich styles that have the potential to really merge in interesting ways.My first initial instinct after reading the lyric says you have a powerful idea/concept. It's simple and focussed which is good. You don't always need overly clever or poetic lines. Just ask Adelle's "Hello it's me Again" or the Beatles "I Wanna Hold Your Hand". Simple and direct can be powerful and your lines ring with a good urgency. The visuals of chained hands and feet paint a vivid picture.However when the music first came in- it sounded pretty but I was waiting/hoping for a bit more emotion, a bit more tension in the melody/arrangement. It's a full 30 seconds before the verse and vocal comes in. This is an eternity in today's music- people are very used to short intros- (as opposed to the 80's). It's different if you are doing your own record and are not worried about selling it to another artist- in a pitch. But unfortunately people have short attention spans so cut to the meat of the song pretty quickly whenever possible. The vocal feels a bit buried in the track- the singer has a nice timbre so you want to showcase that. Also the guitar line might want to get a bit more sparse in the verse- it feels a bit like it's competing with the vocal. That guitar riff is also feeling a bit repetitive, can you change it up a bit?

Quote From Pro: A lot of heart in this song.

Broadjam Artist: Cindy Tuttle
Song: Did Ya Know

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

Pro General Comments: Greetings Cindy,Thanks for the opportunity to review another lovely song of yours. Your natural ability with melody and a catchy hook is alive and well again in this tune. Your lead vocal has a surprisingly soulful, bluesy color to it that serves as an interesting counterpoint to the positive message of the lyric.Your tendency to start with a chorus works especially well here, because it's always a good idea to begin with an opening question so that you can develop a number of multi-faceted answers within the rest of the song's story. Well done!In the second section of the first verse you might want to try singing the word vanish instead of push to see how it feels without it changing your intended meaning. Also the structure starts to fall apart in the second verse. Suggest you drop "new" before "hope", it sounds awkward and end the second verse with "look deep and you'll be glad" by deleting the "Taking One Step..." half verse. Then go directly back to repeating the chorus one last time. The ending/outro in my opinion would be much more effective using a slow fade by singing the line, "See the Light Within, See the Light of Love" three times. This leaves the listener with the memory of your main overall message, and sounds more organic than the abrupt ending that is there now. It's also why I think the title should be "See The Light". Your instrumental partner's musical tracks and arrangements are major assets to these demos and I encourage you to work together more on tighter structures that enhance your style of writing.

Quote From Pro: Your natural ability with melody and a catchy hook is alive and well again in this tune.Tom Bocci

Broadjam Artist: Maxim Senin
Song: Murder Ballad

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
John Anderson (Publisher)

Pro General Comments: Hey Maxim,We'll I like to think you're asking the right guy, I'm a big fan of the Murder Ballad genre. I had the privilege of working Nick Cave's catalog for a decade and know his work well. It's quality song all around. My overall impression is quite positive, you've managed to truly capture a dark solemn feeling. Made my also think of the Bob Dylan song "Death Is Not The End" as well as the band The Pogues and their song "Fairytale of New York". Easily crosses the Singer Songwriter, Indie Rock, World Music genres, incredibly universal. Could also work as a Duet or for a solo artist with prominent backing vocals, Male or Female leads. Big Celtic influence. Scottish or Irish sounding. The Lyrics form a great narrative and pulls you into the story.I recommend self-releasing with you as the artist but I'm sure there are song publishers out there that would be proud to submit "Murder Ballad" for a major label or independent artist to record or cover crossing several genres.The demo recording and production quality is superior to what I typically hear. Solid production, instrumentation with lovely backing vocals. GREAT! It a timeless sounding record.I personally focus my efforts on film/television/ad placement for artists. It does strike me as a song that would fit nicely into a film or TV show and really enhance the emotion of the scene as well. Relaxing and evocative, well done!

Quote From Pro: Murder Ballads (The Hangman, the Chariot a Queen of Hearts) tells a dark engaging story that takes you on a man's journey through time that leads to a violent end. Hunnypot Approved!

Broadjam Artist: Cindy Tuttle
Song: Someday

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

Pro General Comments: Greetings Cindy,Thanks for the opportunity to review your song. "Someday" is very straightforward with its hopeful message of letting the still small voice inside be the guiding light for overcoming life's challenges. It also is a positive reminder that living without a connection and commitment to love in the form of another person or perhaps The Source of love itself, is the best approach one can take for a full existence on Earth.Your "spoken/sung" vocal captures an innocence that sounds heartfelt with good intentions, but the overall construction would be stronger with the inclusion of a brief lyrical bridge that would come after the instrumental, just before the last verse. Some of your other tunes have a similar format of CH/V1/CH/V2/CH/V3 WITH AN INSTRUMENTAL SECTION. Suggest you try including a bridge, when appropriate, that would further the story lyrically and break up the same musical pattern throughout so the listener hears variety and depth.

Quote From Pro: "Someday" is very straightforward with its hopeful message of letting the still small voice inside be the guiding light for overcoming life's challenges.Tom Bocci

Broadjam Artist: John Hazlett
Song: No Longer Home

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
David Weiss (Music Supervisor)

Pro General Comments: John, thanks for submitting "No Longer Home." I thought this was a stronger track than "I'm So Lonely Without You," primarily because I think the chorus has a good, strong hook. I like the way it has a motivational feel to it, like something or someone continuing to drive on in the night. That would be a good scene choice for this song, BTW -- someone or something that has to keep on going. Again, your instrumentation/arrangements need some work. There's not enough going on to maintain listener interest throughout the song. It seems to wander again in the verse sections, but again the chorus is a nice strong hook. It reminded me, in a good way, of Giorgio Moroder's sounds in "Scarface," which is a great soundtrack. The military inspiration of your work makes this a good match for themes of battle/war. I could also see it being used for montage scenes, where they have to show a lot of progress being made to build/rebuild a vehicle or something similar. This song shows more of your potential as a songwriter. Keep it up!

Quote From Pro: A moving and motivational track.

Broadjam Artist: TJ Doyle Band
Song: We Are Here

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
A.J. Gundell (Songwriter, Composer, Music Supervisor, Producer)

Pro General Comments: "We Are Here" is an emotionally gripping and effectively evocative classic rock protest song. The subject matter--a generation's promise to bring about social change, its successes and disappointments--is a refreshing change from so much of what makes the charts and trends on the socials these days. TJ and the Band absolutely crush the performances, sonics, and the recording. The guitar-centric band slams with heartfelt intensity and totally sells the messages that the song intends to convey.The chorus sings, "We Are Here, We Are Here.... Raise your arms into the air." We can see an entire arena of fans, and possibly a whole world of followers, following along. Feelin' it, guys. Right on.

Quote From Pro: "We Are Here" is an emotionally gripping and effectively evocative classic rock protest song. The subject matter--a generation's promise to bring about social change, its successes and disappointments--is a refreshing change from so much of what makes the charts and trends on the socials these days. The chorus sings, "We Are Here, We Are Here.... Raise your arms into the air." We can see an entire arena of fans, and possibly a whole world of followers, following along. Feelin' it, guys. Right on.