Songfight: Across The Dusty Plains

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The Fight: Loser out of 19 Entries

Reviews

Henrietta:

I've just listened to a few, but Josh W. & ADD vs. Blue both sound immaculate- and this Jonathan Mann track is so gosh darn catchy.

Frosty:

I like the singing. Alot. The music itself doesnt thrill me though. Just too sappy or something. Maybe too simple. Not sure, just doesnt grab me. "To feed my body and keep my mind from wandering away." I like it.

Elle 5 of 10 feet tall:

wow- this was awesome! piano was fantastic, great intro- vox excellent- lyrics were very good too!- this was my fav song ive heard of yours i think- im really into it!!

Yook:

Josh, you make music that sounds great. Consistently good sound. However, ir is consistently music that doesn't interest me much. Sorry.

C.Layne:

nebraska really is a dusty, god-forsaken land. this song is also begging for some drumming to happen. the accordian is really nice though. the piano is beautifully played. yeah, great song, i just wish some drums would come in at some point to build it up a little bit.

Jim of Seattle:

Under other circumstances Id give this a way higher rating. But since its you Im holding you up to higher standards. The piano playing is enviable, and the recording of it is too. Musically it fits your subject well. But Ive got a big problem with it being pretty clichéIve heard this story a thousand times before, and gotta tell ya, when you came around to telling us it was 1929, I sort of rolled my eyes. I want something about this story to be special, so that it sticks with me better. The way it is I kind of mentally tossed it in the sad songs about dead wife pile. Take a song like Ode to Billie Joe, which also deals with tragedy among simple country folk, and it works so well, in great part due to all the specific details thrown in that bring the whole thing to life. In your song you tell us youre happy and you loved her and times were tough, but those kinds of lines just lay there. Ultimately Im unmoved.

Jon Eric:

Damn. Knew it was coming. I didn't want to have to review this song, because it kind of defies analysis. It's getting hard to analyze lyrics in this fight, because so many of them are so similar. the piano is nice, but I wish it were a little bit more active. Sounds like a one-handed melody there. Hmm, I hear something weird going on with the vocals at the beginning of the second verse. Is it just really low chorus? Hey, Lafayette! I have some relatives there! Actually, I think one of the biggest problems with this song is the vocals. You need a little more oomph behind them. Sounds like your poor cords can't take it, so you're using this kinda falsetto to hit the notes right. I did this in my "Brown Boxes," and I find that now I can sing it pretty well, months later, but I couldn't then. So here, it sounds like your voice is very fragile, when I need something that's confident. In the end, the slow buildup of the song does actually win me over somehow, so you get a precarious thumbs up.

Leaf 62:

I like that arrpegiated progression. You have a nice voice, which has a quality of experience, and emotional control in it. This is good. Around 2:00 something's going on with your vocal line, I bet you already know what I'm hearing? Very nice piano playing... you said this was your first attempt at a piano song? Wow. you should do more.

Soda:

You seem to have production down pat. Now give me some lyrics and melodies that don't sound like they were generated by a computer that has analyzed all of alterna-soft-rock's greatest hits and we'll be talking. P.S. Indiana? Lafayette? I go to school in West Lafayette... eerie.

Forty Second Songs:

i completely agree with Jim of Seattle. I usually really enjoy your stuff.

Jack Shite:

the piano is pretty nice, has that david grey/bob geldof sort of feel. but it seems like you tried to force some of your lyrics. i wish the acoustic and harmonium? had come in earlier as they really help fill out the mix and vibe. you play piano pretty good in addition to your plethora of other talent. nice job

JoshyBlue:

at first i didnt like the feeling at all .. but it goes into some interesting places. somehow reminds me of jackson browne a couple of times... vocals seem a a slight bit weak at times or not fitting with the mood of the music... but other times sound really excellent.

The Human Cello:

if at all possible, this may be the prettiest song so far. (vote)

Heart Smacker:

I've never had much patience for pianos, and it was difficult to stay interested, but that's just me, and I hate babies.

The Voice Inside Your Head:

piano has a nice tone. sounds like you're trying to sing "new york state of mind" but your voice isn't so much suited for that style. the bit at 0.45 (and 2.10) sounds much better. the accordian part doesn't really add much to the song. the higher-pitched piano part from 2.45 on doesn't sound as good; you could've ended before that.