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Posted by Buffalo on 01-22-2003 at20:49:

  DAmb it Reviews

Well, I promised this some number of days ago. What can I say? - the best laid plans of mice and me… Anyway, here is my review of the first disc of the awesome DAMB FAN ALBUM, DAmb it.


1] Strange Days – Dw. Dunphy:
The piano starts and I think, “How dorky.” Vocal sounds good, though. Then the orchestration begins and it’s becoming cool. Then the piano hits me as “Lennonesque.” The ending’s softly wailing lead and thundering percussion seals it – this is a fantastic rendition, simultaneously haunting and beautiful, causing one to consider the words in a new, more solemn way.

2] God Went Bowling – carl (Simmons):
Pretty darn good for one strumming guitar with vocal. (I’ve come to generally dislike one guitar strumming so this is actually a darn good compliment.) I’m envious of the vocal quality. (Superb video on the second disc.)

3] Happily Married Man – Rev. J.T. Tucker, III and Aunt Betty:
How loose are the strings on those instruments? Tell that lady in my left ear to shut her pie-hole! Harmonies and percussion included - a good thing. Sounds like it was an impromptu performance in a bar with the patron(s) providing the extra vocal and instrumental effort(s). Ah, the family that plays together… causes the bar to close. Rev. is stretching his vocal range, or trying to. In spite of, or because of, all that, it’s great fun to listen to.

4] In The Calling – Buffalo & Dolphin:
Well, this is my little one and me so, what to say? Best one guitar strumming (see above) I’ve done in a long time and probably the only time I’ve successfully combined the melody into the strumming. If you were to see the video that this audio was pulled from you’d see Dolphin showing off for the camera with little dance moves and “I’m so cool” moves that took some quality away from her vocal. Our best rendition was in the actual performance at our church but there was a lot of audience scuffing, coughing, and other noise so that that recording was not usable for this purpose. In all, we’re pleased, and grabbing the audio from this practice video meant we could include the pre- and post- sound bites. Thank you to all who have made complimentary statements of our version of this beautiful song. (If you haven’t heard the original, you’ve got to – Tim Chandler’s bass work on it is AWESOME!)

5] Red, White And Blue – wes berlin:
Oh no – more single-guitar strumming! Wait, lead guitar and more vocalists. (Even sounds like a Lost Dog in there.) Wow! A full band!! They’re rockin’!! Decent recording quality. Very good execution of one of my faves. I’ll listen to this again.

6] I Love You #19 – The Banos:
Did BD mislabel this one? This ain’t ILY#19. Wait, I recognize that riff now. “Bluesy.” Hmm, I never thought of this song in this style. Man, this is workin’. Slide guitar starts OK but gets a little monotonous (just like my experiments at playing slide, years ago.) But this slide ends much better than I could ever have done. I never would have thought this song to be anything other than a rocker, but, man, this is thoroughly enjoyable. Tasty!

7] The Unsuccessful Italian Missionary – jamespop:
Cross-culture rendition of the original (with added pertinent dialog.) Fun.

8] The Big Guns – JiMinY:
Ethereal, I think. Actually evokes images of a smoking nuclear aftermath just from the aural image it creates through the guitar (nice playing) and vocal - as though the last man standing recorded it (with a singing mutant cockroach doing background vocals.)

9] Fortunate Sons – Jonny Edwards & Wife:
Guitar and violin expertly creating the feel of the original – that certain tension of despair and grief. Jonny, turn down the vibrato knob on your vocal chords. (Actually, send me your excess vibrato, as I can’t get any going even with a gong implant!)

10] Darn Floor - Big Bite – wes berlin:
From the start I can tell this is going to be good. Adds a decadent darkness and persistent persistence to this great song that compels one to seek out a Hendrix recording even if one doesn’t care that much for Hendrix. For some reason I see it as appropriate for a song in a futuristic Sci-Fi movie for a segment in which there’s no dialog and the camera is following the leading male character through the decaying streets (with occasional spotlight beams crossing his path) on his search for (I don’t know what) while he’s slowly coming out of a drug-induced-like haze that was actually caused by memory-sensory overload. Excellent, wes.

11] Bibleland Suite – tm:
OK, so I don’t know how to make the “tm” correctly – sorry. OK, now… 3 Stooges intro with DA sample loop is quite creative. Funky groove. Expertly done all around, instruments, vocals, sound effects, mood. Where’s my drink with the umbrella? Do they have those in Bibleland? Expert mix with all the elements that are in there. Takes more than a half an hour just to hear it all. A very sweet suite.

12] The Wall Of Heaven – JiMinY CriCKet and Woggy:
I wish the recording quality were better on this one; some of the emotion/pain in this one doesn’t come through as it should. I’d like to hear this with less switching back and forth between vocalists (i.e. Woggy takin’ the choruses. Dolphin & I have considered doing this song that way.) Still, very enjoyable. Your voices go well together and Woggy shines in many places in this tune.

13] Angels Tuck You In – Theo:
OK, you’re a professional, but how can anyone actually improve another of my faves? Actually, I don’t think I can say improve, but definitely equal. I could not pick yours or DA’s version as more appealing to me. They are both GREAT! I can’t listen to yours just once; I have to repeat it before I move on! I love the overlaying vocals near the end and the “accordion” throughout. Excellent production, mix, and instrumentation.

14] Steal Away – brdhsnyrsoul:
What’s hidden in your name – what’s it saying – does it mean something or is it just meant to mess with my mind!?!?!? I can’t figure it out!! Anyway… Another Wow! Only a tremendously beautiful rendering of heart-stirring song. Perfect piano phrasing and arrangement. Also, perfection in the other instrument(s) mix enhancing the piano’s expression of lightly restrained joy and hope and love.

15] All That Remains – Jim (jwaltb) and Melody Butler:
Listening right now I just got tingles up the spine (a very good thing – indicates excellence) as soon as Melody started singing, and again with her first overlaid harmony, and again, and again… I’m assuming that Jim overlaid the instruments (guitars and bass) which could have been tighter but is probably better than I’d likely be able to do. The tone of the first guitar in the solo is perfect evoking such emotion that it can make one cry with joy. Ever been so happy you cry? – here it is.

16] Home Permanent – arcticsunburn:
I don’t really like using the adjective “tasty” when speaking of music but it fits here. Parts of the vocals sound like they were laid down when the singer(s) should have been laying down snoring. That distorted guitar is probably the cause of the arctic sunburn – it’s hot! I don’t know how to describe the sound and feel in general, but there’s a section that is definitely Jazzadelic or Psychajazzy, whichever you prefer. It instantly sends you on a trip through a Psychedelic Jazz-Fusion coffee house.

17] She’s A Hard Drink – Dr. Sticky:
Reminds me of Lost Dogs’ cover of “Little Red Riding Hood” in that is sounds like friends sitting around the living room and having fun with a tune. You just can’t go wrong with kazoos in harmony!? Listening to this is not as hard a drink as that Adam’s apple would be!

18] Babble On – Shemp:
A sampling tour-de-force! How can one take so many diverse samples and combine them to make such an entertaining piece. Includes most of your favorite sound bites that would not normally be considered the main course of any particular DA/TST/SE/LD album to serve up a yummy side dish. My favorite moment: “…I love, I love, I love, I love… my hand or my face!”

19] (40 seconds of silence):
Just as good as the similar tune recorded by John Denver oh so many years ago.

20] (Hidden) Bibleland Suite (reprise) – tm:
A welcome second serving of the ending (“Barbara Ann” style) of the Bibleland Suite.


I’ll review disc 2, MORE! DAmb it, sometime in the near future, or sometime after that, or earlier, perhaps.

(If someone knows of a pre-existing thread that this should have been in, let me know, I can repost there and then request that this thread be killed. Otherwise, please add your reviews to this thread.)

BD: Thanks for the return of the zips and the other item with them. Great letter you wrote for JT/Terry. Your words gave this father and his daughter another reason to hug each other - I treasure each opportunity to do that.
And, like others, I'm dreaming of DAmb it! 2!

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Posted by Mark on 01-22-2003 at21:05:

 

This is my favorite review of all. I like how you combined them all onto one post and really spent some time discussing each song. Thanks Buffalo.

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Posted by Baxturd the White on 01-22-2003 at21:51:

 

Well done buffalo! Very well done.

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Posted by BD on 01-22-2003 at23:36:

 

"BD: Thanks for the return of the zips and the other item with them. Great letter you wrote for JT/Terry. Your words gave this father and his daughter another reason to hug each other - I treasure each opportunity to do that.
And, like others, I'm dreaming of DAmb it! 2!"

I can't take credit for the letter (which reminds me, I should post that on the DAmb) I had some help from a good friend. I had writers block and could not get the words down on paper myself. (ok, so I'm a sucky writer)



thanks for the wonderful review of dämb it!

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Posted by Mark on 01-23-2003 at09:20:

 

Writer's Block - A good song from John Wayne

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Posted by jiminy on 01-23-2003 at09:39:

  buff

Appreciate the song by song-
yer brutally honest- which is very cool
I had to look up ethereal..just to be sure...!
Thx-
JiminY

btw- those were singing bedbugs- I was in me daughters "studio room".

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Posted by Woggy on 01-23-2003 at10:26:

  Thanks

Very honest and revealing review, Buffalo.

Thanks for those compliments I am humbled.

I must give ALL credit to JimIny - who without the music, the words, the ideas, the boombox, and his daughter's bedroom studio, we'da had NUTHIN.

Next time? strive for better sound.

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Posted by Shemp on 01-23-2003 at12:26:

 

Buff,
Thanks for takin the time.... Honesty rules...

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Posted by Jim Muglia on 01-23-2003 at12:29:

 

I've been dying to do a song by song listen and analysis myself, but things have been SOOO busy. Hopefully in the coming days.

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Posted by Shemp on 01-23-2003 at12:31:

 

Me 2

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Posted by Jevon the Tall on 01-23-2003 at14:51:

 

Nice job - I agree with your stab at Woggy. The recording is terrible, but the emotion is great.

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Posted by jiminy on 01-23-2003 at15:20:

 

AS A PRODUCER , I'M CRUSHED.
AS A DAMBER- I'M THRILLED!!!!!!
JimIny

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Posted by brdhsnyrsoul on 01-23-2003 at16:12:

 

he liked me, he really liked me.

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Posted by Mark on 01-23-2003 at16:15:

 

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Posted by carl on 01-23-2003 at17:34:

 

quote:

Originally posted by Buffalo 18] Babble On – Shemp: ....My favorite moment: “…I love, I love, I love, I love… my hand or my face!”

Kinda makes you think of C-Boy, dunnit?

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Posted by jiminy on 01-23-2003 at17:37:

 

...chortle.......

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Posted by BD on 01-23-2003 at17:51:

 




I try not to think of him

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Posted by Mark on 01-23-2003 at18:53:

 

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Posted by BD on 01-23-2003 at19:45:

 






those are my eyes, please find your own.

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Posted by Joey T. on 01-23-2003 at19:52: