“Far Cry” Lakky Ninja a review [In one part]

While I do want to encourage a variety of artists to submit their music, yet I have less to offer about some genres than others. In this case, the best I can do is describe what I hear and how it impacts me.

So, play by play, 14 seconds of gliding, slightly flanged synth, is then joined by an electro-beat, with a voice saying 'ight-ight-ight' over and over, which lasts until 31 seconds have elapsed when there is an explosion and a reflexing reverb. Following this the electro-beat resumes. Beneath the insistent beat, the same notes as in the intro continue, but the actual synth has morphed, I believe. At 51 seconds the beat suspends, leaving the synth accompanied by an anomalous reverberating sound to hold court, which it does until 1:07 when the beat resumes, now underlain by faint 'ooo' sounds. This obtains until 1:38 when the beat disassembles down to just the bass hit and then slowly reassembles to full health. By circa 2:00 minutes it is again in full bore with a nice skip double beat at the end of every second repeat – that's maybe the best part, I think. Then at 2:08 it experiences a dramatic downshift in tempo to perhaps half speed or less, after which it gradually fades in volume over a 40 second period.

And there you be.

The picture in the video intrigued me perhaps more than the music. What I found myself wondering about, is why two guys dressed in black outfits, and adorned with golden chains, are standing forlornly peering down, into bleak terrain, during a  snow  flurry. Are they looking for some lost article? They give that impression. Presumably it is a very small object, since nothing large is present, except the black basalt slab on which they are standing. Unless they are actually on the back of a whale and are wondering what on earth they shall do when it submerges beneath the frozen waters. That would make one stare, for sure. 

Well, the track did make me tap my hand to the beat in time, so it induces movement. Even my feet were moving and my toe-tapping. If I were younger I might even move my whole body. The beat has a good bass thump to it, and the sounds are varied enough to keep it interesting. The fact that there is variety within repetition prevents tedium. It's billed as industrial, and – when much younger -- having worked in a factory with rhythmic ball mills grinding vast amounts of carbon ink, my ear approves of the labelling. I think it is the sort of beat that might inspire stoned people to dance. And I guess you might enjoy listening to it if you had previously used it as a dance track.

I'm not stoned and I no longer dance, so as a source of listening pleasure, this has limited appeal to me, but then it is not  truly intended for careful listening, I think.

I'm not qualified to rate such a track. If it is intended to induce movement, it does, and that is good. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

“Farewell, My Fair-Weather Friend” - Ironknee - a review [Pt.1]

This track has been submitted by Tom Tognaci, also known as 'Ironknee'. Tom was the recipient of a special award in our songwriting contest last year. He won best lyrics for his excellent track 
								 IronKnee - That Could've Been Me
							 I'm not sure how many of Tom's songs I have reviewed, but his work always impresses me.

Now right at this juncture, before truly beginning, I'm going to admit to some confusion. [At 70 years of age I feel I am entitled to a certain amount of confusion, so I have no shame in admitting that.] Tom asked me to review a 'cover' of one of his songs, but although I can find two versions of the song “Farewell, My Fair-Weather Friend” on his page, they are both – I believe – his own work. Probably that is why 'cover' was placed in quotations. So, while I stand to be corrected, I believe this is a new recording by Tom of one of his earlier songs.

So that we are all starting equal. Here are the two recordings:
The Original:

								 IronKnee - Farewell, My Fair-Weather Friend
							
The Newer

								 IronKnee - Farewell, My Fair-Weather Friend [1]
							

Before comparing the original to the new version, I think it is right for me to simply honour what Tom has asked and review the more recently uploaded 'cover'. 

To begin with, then, this is a lovely recording of a very moving song. The song is moving because it is authentic and that authenticity communicates itself. Without a back story provided in the libretto, I think I would still know – or at least strongly suspect – that this is based on the pain of a real life breakup. The sentiment is understandably bitter and cutting, but the regret is easily discerned in the tone, both of the music and the voice.  As it is also plain in some of the lyrical content: “...all the places we haven't been.” This employs an ongoing tense to something no longer ongoing! Something living has been [perfect tense] cut off in mid action. There is an anticipation of something to which the former lovers had looked forward, that will now never occur.

As to the bitterness, that is most clearly seen in the words, 'you jump from sack to sack.' Nasty, but probably necessary to exorcise the feelings of betrayal. 'Keep on going, and don't come back!'

“Farewell, My Fair-Weather Friend” - Ironknee - a review [Pt.2]

As to the music it has an easy conversational feel, perfect for a folk song. It's a sound I've often striven for and greatly admire. In vibe, but not in tune, it is similar to 'Two of Us'  by the Beatles. The actual playing is – as is always the case with Tom – very skillful.  It is the sort of plucking pattern that creates a crocheted hammock for the ear to rest upon. Love it. 

The percussion sounds like someone patting a guitar, and again that works very well with the coffee house vibe. And that coffee house feel is augmented by the sax. For me, mournful sax always conjures a vision of cigarette smoke curling under low hanging ceiling lights. 

The sax (synth sax I would imagine – but these days it is very hard to tell) is an excellent addition. Sax is such a sonorous instrument: instant emotion poured out of a horn. It is very well modulated and a perfect adornment for the music, thoroughly on point with the idea of painful regret.  

What is not to love? Oh, yeah, it is not to love the lost lover, but that is much easier said than done.

To digress for a moment, no one would choose the pain of a failed romance, but it is interesting how often powerful art emerges out of pain, loss, and misfortune. I don't say in makes the pain worthwhile, but it is a form of compensation. Would you buy art with pain? Some of its forms are not for sale to any other form of currency. In his book, "Modern Art and the Death of Culture', H. R. Rookmaaker observes that Switzerland had 400 years of peace and made Swiss Chocolate and cuckoo clocks. Italy had 250 years of turmoil created by the Borges and produced all the great artists for which the Ninja Turtles are named.

Okay, digression ended.

Now, I mentioned that Ironkee's work is always well played, but it has another feature noticeably absent from this track. Tom's work is usually pretty rough hewn, the musical equivalent of unpolished wood. That is very much NOT the case here. This track is very polished. To put it another way: this has a professional feel to it, from the silky smoothness of guitar and sax, to the perfect harmony work on the vocals, to the excellently balanced recording, and nice aural spread of the simple instrumentation. This feels quite commercial, whereas all of the tracks of Tom's that I have heard in the past, though multi-tracked, had a sort of live recording feel. Certainly, in this case, he has been very much more careful and exhibits a skill in engineering that he has not previously troubled himself to achieve.

“Farewell, My Fair-Weather Friend” - Ironknee - a review [Pt.3]

And that, in a nutshell, can serve as a comparison between the two versions of this song available on Tom's page. The earlier recording is rough but appealing. The instruments are not as well balanced. There is no sax. There is no real effort to make the track commercial sounding. It is raw and beautiful. The song is the same and equally excellent, but the recording is markedly different. How was this achieved? It almost feels like Tom used an AI engine to smooth out the rough edges, enforce perfection, and provide gloss. Not an accusation, understand, but the difference is that striking. Tom, what happened, new DAW?

Which do I prefer? I think I like the slick new version for everything except emotion. The earlier one communicates the bitterness more clearly. It is raw like the feelings it expresses. Maybe that is at least in part the passage of time, but I have no idea of the time frame involved.

So, as to the new version: excellent song, excellently performed, and wonderfully produced.

Musicality..........= 🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹
Lyricism.............= 📄📄📄📄 📄
Vocals ...............= 🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️
Overall Appeal..= 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Production.........= ✅✅✅✅✅

As mentioned, what's not to love?

Greetings Captain (salutes)

It's not in my habit to ask for reviews, but I admit that I am curious to see what others (not in the post punk loop) think of Drop Zone.

You requested lyrics and so here they are.


Drop Zone (The Delivery System, 2020)

They're up to something, there is no doubt
from an open window, the sky's gone out 
from an open window blotting out the stars
an ominous sound, and they know where we are.

Just a lottery, our number came up
from the notes in our files, it was pure bad luck
and should we try to run and duck?
Black helicopters.
Black helicopters.


They're spraying something over the town
they're falling to their knees and they're laying down
they jerk and convulse and they hit the ground
and over our heads, that terrible sound

Just fickle fate, our number was drawn,
and arbitrary date, against the day we were born
can we go to ground and weather the storm?
Black helicopters
Black helicopters.

Our own unfortunate situation
will have lasting benefits for our nation
animals subjects of limited use
but the human experience....
reveals the truth


It's a clinging mist, that feels like rain
cool at first, then searing pain
we're coughing up blood from burning lungs
holy rolling, and speaking in tongues

To those above, we're figures on a chart
for serious men, with leaden hearts
should we be proud to play our part?
Black helicopters
Black helicopters.

And finally, the link:

					

					

						
08 Drop Zone by The Delivery System
						

							

								Stream  08 Drop Zone by The Delivery System
							
							
https://soundclick.com/song/14406428
							

						
					
				

Thanks in advance.