Broadjam Pro Song Reviews

Broadjam Artist: Ian Lee
Song: Rainbows without rain

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Malik Williams (Producer, Artist, Engineer, Composer)

Pro General Comments: Hi Ian,Thank you so much for allowing me to review your music!This is a really great story and a really nice pop/rock ballad.. It's timeless! I love the emotion you put into this performance as well. I like the simplicity of this song and the somber, but rich piano sound. "Why can't there be rainbows without rain?". Very cool.. that vocal line really drew me in! The lyric is well written and you did a great job with the vocal performance. Christopher Cross came to mind in regard to your vocal tone and delivery. As I listened to it, I could also hear this song produced with a bigger orchestral arrangement. I'm not suggesting that you do that because the "less is more" factor is working in your favor already. Indeed this a good soundtrack song and lots of people can relate to the theme. It has a lot of film and tv licensing potential. Overall, the songwriting, performance and mix of this song was very well done!

Quote From Pro: This is a really great story and a really nice pop/rock ballad.. It's timeless!

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: Frank Dixon
Song: Back to the Stars

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Chris Keaton (Music Publisher, Artist Manager, Song Plugger)

Pro General Comments: I am absolutely enamored with the gorgeous piano intro...the recording of the piano is exquisite!The lead vocal is enchanting and really attracts the listener's attention from the first note. Reminiscent of Michael Buble, yet still an original style and timbre.What a wonderful melody and lyric. They really work together well and deliver the message in a lovely style. The lyric is dreamy yet right on point and, to me, the message stays clear throughout.The chorus is memorable and singable and, again re-engages the listener and demands his attention.By the time you get to the "We're going home" section, the musical tension has built to a marvelous crescendo and the release at the end of the section is really climactic and effective.In my personal opinion the vocal seems to be a bit buried or masked when all of the instruments are playing and I think it would have been better if the vocal was brought out front just a bit.Your vocal range is excellent and never sounds strained or forced...beautiful. The e motion you display in your voice is truly magical and makes the listener want to hear more.

Quote From Pro: An incredible talent and song. If this song and performance are any indication, Frank Dixon will be a major star!

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: TBD...
Song: Half A Love

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

Pro General Comments: I appreciated being asked by the Artists to review "Half A Love" specifically because my previous Pro Reviews have been straightforward and honest--and they welcome the criticism, even if it's 'rigorous and harsh.' Sorry if this disappoints you then, guys--but I love "Half A Love", and the most rigorous criticism hardly turns up anything for me that's not to love. So, first and foremost, congrats on a truly exceptional piece of work. This is both a perfect Nashville artist pitch, and an extremely licensable song for film and TV.As I also say in previous reviews, I'm always on the lookout for what I call the 'holy trinity': excellence in songwriting, vocals/performance, and record/production. "Half A Love" nails the trinity--the song craft/storytelling is evident in every line, with a truly original central song idea the singing and playing is world-class the record is state of the art Nashville demo production that rises to the level of a broadcast/release-ready master. Anything less than that in today's insanely competitive indie music market doesn't stand a chance. So that, along with their willingness to dig deep and welcome the chance to always improve, points the way to an extremely promising future for Tell Her I Love Her.

Quote From Pro: I love "Half A Love", and the most rigorous criticism hardly turns up anything for me that's not to love. So, first and foremost, congrats on a truly exceptional piece of work. This is both a perfect Nashville artist pitch, and an extremely licensable song for film and TV.I'm always on the lookout for what I call the 'holy trinity': excellence in songwriting, vocals/performance, and record/production. "Half A Love" nails the trinity--the song craft/storytelling is evident in every line, with a truly original central song idea the singing and playing is world-class the record is state of the art Nashville demo production that rises to the level of a broadcast/release-ready master. Anything less in today's insanely competitive indie music market doesn't stand a chance. So that, along with their willingness to dig deep and welcome the opportunity to always improve, points the way to an extremely promising future for Tell Her I Love Her.

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: Ian Lee
Song: Missi

Broadjam Pro Reviewer:
Doug Beck (Producer, Remixer, Composer)

Pro General Comments: Ian Lee-MissyIan. This is really nice. What starts as a gentle folk love song explodes into an emotional musical storm. The dynamics between the start of the song and the end are fantastic.The intro of acoustic guitar and bass is very nice. I love the keys and secondary guitar that comes in with the first verse. The keyboard break between verses is very tasteful. This track is almost a throwback to the great ballads of the 60's. It has a real hint of that favor for me while at the same time being totally contemporary.The overall production suits the song perfectly. The instrumentation you chose really helps to translate the mood of this song. I can't think of anything I would have done differently on the production front.Arrangement wise the only thing I would change (and this is pretty minor) is I may have gone back for a just one quiet vocal phrase at the very end.The vocal performance is very nice. The emotion is believable and I love the secondary vocals weaving throughout the chorus. Very nice.Artist's Submitted Question: Hi Doug, This song is certainly at the more Rock end of the spectrum for me, it has a gentle opening but picks up to a more Rock ending. Do you think this style suits me? If so how can I develop this style, and is it the right direction to go or should I focus on ballads, like my other submissions? Now I have completed and recorded an album (11 songs) how should I release this? Is it worth waiting and finding a label to support me or should I release on iTunes and see how it goes? thanks IanLBHi Ian. Thanks for being patient to get these reviews.This is a great song and I think these style suites you very much. I love the mood of this track. There is nothing wrong with branching out. Very few artists do just ballads and you pulled this style off very well. I would continue to write songs in this vein. It really does work for you.As far as releasing a record now? That is such a tough question. There is certainly no harm in putting this on iTunes and other sites and promoting it through social media. If you do live shows even better. Many artitst these days are building their following organically. I can tell you first hand that a label in not the answer to everyone's problems when it comes to releasing music unless you can find a label that really believes in what you're doing. I would search out similar indie folk artist like yourself and approach those labels.

Quote From Pro: Ian Lee's song 'Missi' is a gentle love song that explodes with emotion as the song progresses. Worth a listen for sure!

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: Ron Wilson
Song: The Guys In Las Vegas

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

Pro General Comments: First you should know that I do like your song but the instrumental introduction has the bass player playing the wrong notes at this exact meter point 0:03-0:04 which for the listener is a very bad negative point at the beginning of any song. It's more like what a live recording does without any editing control of the final song demo recording. Remember any recording IS your calling card as a songwriter. This is why a good engineer / producer / professional musician would hear these things like bad played notes, timing, or other balance points as I did and correct them for the songwriter or record label before it ever leaves the studio. The back ground musical arrangement and execution in this "The Guys of Las Vegas" demo production (as it is now) is very distracting to the song even as a demo. In my opinion the wrong person did the production & the instrument arrangement on this demo for your song and not good for any songwriter / artist. It would be like putting your beautiful child in, torn and tattered, dirty clothing to send them to their first day at school or on their first prom dance. It would be better as a songwriter to have your "The Guys In Las Vegas" sent to professional demo service. There are some really good ones online at a very reasonable cost. Do this please in the future BEFORE sending "The Guys of Las Vegas" to anyone who is a professional in the music recording business. A demo is still a release or potential recording release for the general public if it's uploaded anywhere online. This is essential to produce demos or recordings well and today it is the best to do for the music & lyrics even with a demo production in my opinion. Good thing is that your song "the Guys in Las Vegas" does have a haunting melody which sticks with the listener. That in itself helps take the first steps towards publishing, marketing, and sales of any song which should be the goal of being a professional songwriter. I listened to this song a few times and that is why I suggest with some good polishing in a demo it would be much better for your craft as a songwriter. It also would be better for any of your original songs to be posted ONLY polished this way online. Remember we all know NOTHING lasts forever but in the music recording business to be known for better than bad demonstrations of your songwriting (music & lyrics) I believe will help you accomplish your goals of which for each of us are achievable.

Quote From Pro: "The Guys of Las Vegas" has a haunting medium tempo melody but as the demo it is it does need some polishing. When that is done it could be a great gem for any listener as we as songwriters need to dress our recordings up a bit as if they were to be seen at the finest events, dressed up with a good and applicable instrumental balances too. At the least we as songwriters need to do the best demos we can afford therefore, I suggest your song "TGLV" now be sent to a professional demo service like many songwriters here on Broadjam have done. In my opinion you might do this before you start posting a lot of your songs even as demo's on your BJ Page in the future or replace them with the polished demos. That way in truth when the professional music or film industry starts searching for your work or when you send your product into the companies looking to license your songs, it will be acceptable rather than rejected. Potential is really there for your song certainly that you submitted to me once you take those suggested steps. Finally, let me thank you for sharing "The Guys in Las Vegas" lyrics & music. There is a message in this song we as listeners can relate to and I look forward to reviewing more of your work in the near future. Thank you.

Broadjam Artist: J.J. McGuigan
Song: In All Honesty

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

Pro General Comments: It's a little slow but the song is well within commercial radio time restraints...you could try a few more beats per minute but again that is subjective and would be subject to the scene narrative...it's a perfect length for a scene in a movie or tv show although it is lyric specific... very cool groove and arrangement...love the chord progression and melodic lines...the chorus works but I would have preferred more of a separation between the end of the verse and the start of the chorus...there wasn't much of a range difference or meter and phrase difference...great instrumental...professionally done...this is very pitchable on its own...the overall concept is common and there are no lyric lines that stand out as being unique...but that doesn't hurt your chances for movie or tv placement...the track sounds broadcast ready...good luck with this...as I said before the instrumental will be just as commercial as the master vocal...

Quote From Pro: Just my two cents but J.J. McGuigan is producing high quality instrumental beds and high quality masters that many music libraries and music placement services will be anxious to sign...