Rabid-Animals's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[.:A Gypsy's Festival:.(RAC 5)]

Lebanon sounds interesting!

As I listen to this, I picture a wanderer in the desert. It's a bit stereotypical, but I think that's because the music hits the core of what most would perceive to be relevant to the emanating region. As the song begins, the hits on whatever instrument (sitar, lute?) bring me straight to an "Aladin"-esque portrait: people garbed in fezzes and pet monkeys walking about in sand dunes.

The song changes feels often, which is kind of distracting, but also engaging on repeated listens. Initially, there a kind of inquisitive feel to the song, as if someone's exploring, but as the percussion hits, it moves the listener closer to a more serious feeling. When the speed picks up, a thriving market scene could be imagined, and after that, we can get a view of the Lebanon area.

I quite enjoyed the variation in style, as it provided a lot of fantastic imagery. Instrumentation, as usual, was impeccable. Flowing nicely, the music changed beats quite seamlessly, which made the song a lot of fun to listen to.

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camoshark responds:

Thanks alot for the great review!

I'm happy you see such image from this song, it's exactly what I was aiming for!

Also, thanks for the compliments!

Cheers,
Samuel Hébert

[.:Epiphany:.]

Relaxing

This is something I imagine at the end of a video game. The princess is saved, the town is back to normal, the dragon is dead. There's a certain kind of relief that this song brings about, almost a cathartic experience.

The sax sounds really smooth, and I enjoyed the few touches of eighth (or what I assume to be eighth) notes, just to cut things up a bit. They added a bit of a kick to parts that would have otherwise been bland.

I don't think you need much else. The song sounds very finished; any other instruments or percussive devices would either be tacky or simply extraneous. I could listen to this if I wanted to zone out for a little while, but it would have to be a touch longer. Good job.

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camoshark responds:

Thanks for the great review!

Lol, if I see your image the same way you do, than it would probably follow my other song Boss Battle!

The sax sound you here is actually a viola, but I thought it did sound like a smooth sax, so I kept it as is.

An eighth (or straight eighths, as you probably meant) is a for of metric used when you play, straight eighths being the opposite of swing.

I'm guessing thought that you saw the previous commenter below you and wanted to cheer me up, without even knowing what he was talking about. I appreciate the intention though, and I wont pull a grunge on you. ;)

Again, thanks for the great review, and fear not: the song is simply short because it's only one form (complete chord progression), but I'll do this song and many more at my next semester at school, and it'll then be MUCH longer.

Cheers,
Samuel Hébert

[[dB] Citrus WIP]

Nothing like I've heard recently.

As the song faded in, I kind of lifted my head and went "huh?" This song has a very interesting sound. I'm really not familiar with House music, but as far as my taste goes, this is pretty decent. It's nothing I'd listen to for a long time, but it's definitely not something that I'd shake my head at and ignore.

I think it's a little short, but that also might work to the appeal. The melody isn't exactly catchy, but I'm assuming that wasn't really the point of the song. This sounds like something someone would add to a remix of a popular song, so I thought that was kind of cool. I'd like to see you explore this piece a little more, maybe add a different instrument or melody, play with things.

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Decibel responds:

Thanks for Dropping by, I'm glad you like it!
Yeah, I'll fiddle around a bit more with the melody...
Thanks again!
[deiBel]

[_A Walk In The Woods_]

Very chilled.

It's a joyous walk in the woods here. Nature's all around, the birds are singing; life is good. I think you accomplished that in a very short amount of time, and I commend you for it.

It's that same short time that is the song's shortfall. If this were a loop (which it very well could be), this would be a different story, and I'd give you a 10, but it's a song, and as such, I expected a little more. I don't need a lot, just another minute or two of some variations on the melody or beat. Small changes would make me really happy.

Other than that, the song is fantastic. I really love the mood it creates, and if I ever need some menu music, or credits music, or even something for a happy scene, I'll come here.

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Birdinator99 responds:

Thanks; that means a lot!

[bad table]

Funky, clanky, but just a little off.

I liked the kind of gritty feel of the song. It sounded like someone was pounding away in an instrument factory. That said, the sound wasn't incredibly appealing to me, and I think the melody left a lot to be desired.

I realize this might be an experimental piece, but I would have enjoyed a little bit more of a coherent melody. There are the few bars that are repeated over and over, but they just were not enough to satisfy me. The percussion, however, was steady and very pleasant.

If you could extend this mix, I think it'd be great. Leave the melody alone, don't mess with its length or tone, and it will sound a lot better. Add a couple more sounds or instruments, to make it sound less like an experiment. Other than that, it's pretty enjoyable.

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DXsamurai responds:

thanks for the review, i will see what i can do.

[.:Project World(Middle-East):.]

Mmm... exotic!

I have to say, I'm very impressed with your choices of instruments. I'm not sure if that was a qanun in the beginning, but I'm thinking it was. That shows a real breadth of knowledge when it comes to your subject. Representing cultures through music can sometimes come off as disrespectful or even ignorant, but I'm glad to say that your piece was well thought out and tasteful.

I really enjoyed the melody of the song, even though the instruments sometimes make it a little hard to follow. My only complaint is whatever happened at 0:38. The instrument that takes over there is unidentifiable to me, but I know it has to be some kind of wind instrument. The notes just don't sound crisp enough to me to be catchy. That's no huge issue though, because the problem doesn't last long.

I'm really looking forward to seeing this project completed. It's a very interesting concept, and this song works very well as a bit of a teaser for future releases.

Review Request Clib

camoshark responds:

Thanks for the great review, I'm glad you enjoyed!

Thant's actually the sound of a Sitar, but it was indeed meant to represent a Qanun!

The weird wind instrument you hear at 0:38 is actually simply a Tango Accordeon. I guess it can be a bit problematic when you first hear it, but I assure you that they use it quite often, mostly in the nomad culture.

I'll probably shoot the second part soon enough, it's been lying on the workbench for some time now, I've simply been caught in schoolwork and other projects.

Once again, glad you enjoyed!

Cheers,
Samuel Hébert

[.:The_Awakening:.]

Mindblowingly triumphant!

I'm picturing somebody climbing a mountain, somebody being chased, somebody fighting incredible odds for a hero's goal, something that saves the world. That's why I call this epic, not in the way that skater kids call their boards, but in the "Beowulf" sense.

The buildup got my heart beating; it really did. I was so consumed with the drums, the rising strings, the whole piece coming together, that I kind of lost touch; the music is just that consuming. I feel kind of bad, though, because I'd love to animate to this, but my skill level just isn't there yet. I'll keep this in my Favorites though!

The outro is beautiful. Satisfying, but not droning. It's a conclusion not unlike one in a superhero movie, where the hero finishes what he/she needs to do, and the camera zooms out-- no epilogue, no images during the credits; the whole shebang's just through. Excellent work on that; oftentimes people don't know how to end their stories, just look at the work of Mark Twain.

Great job!

Review Request CLub

GronmonSE responds:

Haha, I love this review. It's my favorite so far :)

Glad you liked it!

[House of Rising Sax Sample]

Sounds much better!

Great to see you've got a much better setup. I really appreciate the clarity of this recording. I'm not hearing so much interference by filters, which was my main complaint with the other recordings.

I'm digging the slow groove of this recording. I'm getting a kind of 60's New York noir feel from it, maybe like a black and white gang drama or something. Perhaps even one of those detective stories; I think they'd all work well. You've managed to create a very versatile piece.

There's some really technical skill for a musician displayed at 0:12. That little jump in the notes sounds really good, and it's impressive to a fellow woodwind player. I'd love to hear more like that.

I was a little disappointed that the song ended when it did. I could have done with thirty more seconds of this. Definitely consider extending the song. It seemed to get better as I listened to it more. It's funny that it loops so well; it could even be used as a menu theme. Great work!

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AccountableMasses responds:

thanks! yeah that's pretty much the song right there... all it does is start from there and 'loop' on the written sheet music. if you PM me I'll send you the link to the song and show you what I mean..
Also did a coarse pitch change (FL8 three semitones down) on this track so it play like it was written.

[Epilogue Title]

Fitting.

With the description you've provided, I don't think there's any better way to make this composition. The instrumentation is perfect because it's not overpowering, signifying the emptiness of the world around. Chilled, uncaring winds could roll by as the character shivers, for no one to see.

The piece goes on for just long enough to capture the images you seem to want to portray. After that, there might be a slight feeling by the player of "You've left me hanging!" but that's fine. Moments like that only serve to draw a deeper connection between player and media. What we end up with is an engrossing experience, something that the viewer will think about long after it's over.

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F4LL0UT responds:

Wow, that's quite a mouthful of professional and positive feedback. Thank you very much. :)