The BBS Mixtape Volume VII: Chinese Democracy

[Llamas]

Hey everyone, the 7th BBS Mixtape is now out! 18 tracks from 12 different BBS members... check it out, enjoy it, and let us know what you think!

The BBS Mixtape Volume VII: Chinese Democracy

Track list:

1. Roberta - Manic Subsidal
2. Philosophy - ad8
3. Dying Corpse - ThunderPX
4. Arrested Development + Rise - Homer
5. Space Ranger - Ryder1234
6. Ragnarok - T-6005
7. The Fackin' Gov'na - Allin All It's Not So Bad
8. Watching Waves - mrconeman
9. 9 Crimes - ilovellamas and Lost
10. The Osiris Myth - T-6005
11. I Stole This Riff - Manic Subsidal
12. Victory (With a Capital Why) - Static_Martyr
13. Little Space Kid - Ryder1234
14. Velouria - ThunderPX
15. Canadiens - coke_a_holic
16. Dr. Willy Stage 2 (Mega Man 3) - Homer
17. Wilderness (Golden Axe) - mrconeman
18. Chinese Democracy - Static_Martyr

[mrconeman]

Downloading . Glad it's finally done.
Due to the late hour though, I won't listen to it until tomorrow, expect a review when I feel I have a comfortable idea of what I think of all of the songs.

p.s. I really dig how I kind of named it.

[Llamas]

Due to the late hour though, I won't listen to it until tomorrow, expect a review when I feel I have a comfortable idea of what I think of all of the songs.

Yeah, my review is coming later... tired... bedtime.

p.s. I really dig how I kind of named it.

Well done Though I'm pretty sure the last two were on the brink of being called the same thing, hahaha.

[mrconeman]

Uh oh, you totally didn't give the tracks a number at the start of their name the order is all messed up!

I've ordered them into the proper tracklist on my own computer (and am currently listening) but I don't think everyone will be as dedicated.

[Llamas]

Uh oh, you totally didn't give the tracks a number at the start of their name the order is all messed up!

I've ordered them into the proper tracklist on my own computer (and am currently listening) but I don't think everyone will be as dedicated.

Does everyone use Windows? In the bar at the top that heads "Name" "Title" "Contributing Artists" etc, there's a "#" tab. If you push it, it orders the songs by number. And then I highlighted all the songs and sent them to a playlist. They show up in the right order!

[Llamas]

Alright, well strange for the uploader to review first, but I guess I've heard the songs the most so far... and I don't feel like getting ready for work yet, so I'll get the ball rolling - I hope more people follow suit! Edit: Taking too long, I have to get going... but here's the first few songs!

1. Roberta - Manic Subsidal

Well, the trumpet solo is my favorite part, for sure. But I like this whole song!! I'd never heard your music before, I don't think, but I like it! This song is a great time. Just a fun, upbeat tune with galloping, cool guitar licks, a nice melody, and of course a pretty trumpet solo What do you do in the band? Or is it all you? I give it a 9/10.

2. Philosophy - Ricetigers

I don't remember the last track I heard from you, but your skills at recording and mixing have come a LONG way. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about your singing - it's just kinda not my bag - so the song isn't my favorite, but for a kind of punk rocker with deep vocals, it works very well! The guitar parts are well-done, by all means! Props, dude! If I remember correctly, you sing and play guitar? Or maybe I'm remembering wrong all together Anyway, 7.5/10!

3. Dying Corpse - ThunderPX

This song honestly reminds me of some of Thibault's old stuff, but without the electronic parts and the breakdowns - and heavier overall. The programmed drums of course aren't doing any favors, but I understand, I've been there, there's no other option! I think this song is nice for what it is, but because there's no vocals, there are points in it where it kinda drags and I feel like there could be more going on. However, it showcases a decent set of guitar skills. It feels sometimes like instead of resolving the notes in a way that'd sound really nice, you went for something complicated and crazy instead, which kinda the song. I like your other song better, to be honest, but this song has definite potential! 6.5/10

4. Arrested Development + Rise - Against Belief

A lot of people here love your brand of hard-hitting punk, and I totally get why. It's not my thing, but it's well-done - you always deliver the rock! The sound is very, very good, and the song(s) is/are very cohesive. For my ears, however, it's pretty standard punk, and there's nothing particularly new here for me. I think I'd enjoy it if you took your recording skill and talent for putting together a strong, cohesive song, and mix in a dash of creativity! Mix it up a bit... I dunno, that's just me, though 7/10

5. Space Ranger - Random Goods

I think your melodies are the hardest part for me to enjoy in your songs. Your lyrics have improved, and the music overall has significantly improved. The song itself is nice, if not a bit dragging after a while... though I do like the bridge part with the distorted guitars. I think this song would go a long way with a little extra mixed in. A lot of it is just the same beat and guitar line with you singing. I know you said you would've added in more if we'd delayed it a week, so I'm actually curious about what you would've added - will you do it anyway and upload it later? 6.5/10

[T-6005]

I'm looking forward to reviews of this. I have yet to listen but then again, I've been insanely busy. Also, any members of the community who feel like it, give it a listen and give us your thoughts!

[Ryder1234]

Aghhhhh, I gotta review thissss. I've been busy with this week being my grad week, so my mind needed some time to recover Tonight's the grad ceremony, so I'll see if I can get one full listen to it today, if not tomorrow (I think I've listened to all the songs so far? Not all at once though for sure), so I can hear it straight through before reviewing it.

[Bazza]

Downloading now. I love coming back every so often to find a new BBS mixtape the music is always great!

[coke_a_holic]

Fuck you guys, I'm gonna do this right now.

1. Jim T - Roberta
A great opener, instrumentation is great; between the guitar licks and the trumpet, you could be a full band, not just a dude. There's a very Sublime sound until the breakdown at 2:00 where it gets hard. I like that. The guitar sounds and bass sounds are pretty incredible, well-recorded.

latin flava/10

2. RiceTigers - Philosophy
The vocals are kind of scary on this. Not, like, in terms of it being bad, but in general, it sounds like you are on a throne, far away, sending commands over the punk rock army. I don't know how to describe it better than that. A quick song, perfectly-lengthed for what you need to say.

watch the throne/10

3. Kiron Pubben - Dying Corpse
The guitar line reminds me of Hall Of The Mountain King? And the fucking synth metal shit in the back is just great, very symphonic/melodic black metal. I don't know if that's what you were going for, but fuck it, I'm going to tell it like it is. I'll be honest, your black metal backing track demands some lyrics about hypothermia or Vikings destroying worlds, growled over the badass synths and brutal drum machine; I think that would be a better lead part than the guitar, but who am I to say. You should pick up guttural roars.

headbang/10

4. Against Belief - Arrested Development + Rise
Man, this is so pro sounding. Do you guys play shows around at all? You guys are so tight, I feel like you guys should be on tour at this point. I found myself just listening to the lyrics hoping for some Arrested Development references, but there weren't any, which was a bummer. I do love the way you break up the two songs with the drum roll; very classy.

dick risin'/10

5. Random Goods - Space Ranger
I'd like to know what you've got that guitar going through to make those fucking noises for the riff. It sounds like a delay with some kind of filter? It's neat. I like your different parts, but I think they might repeat too many times. I know I'm the last person who should complain about that, but it's something I've been working on and I think maybe everyone should think about. I like that I can tell you've been working on your stuff over time, so just keep it up.

sky's the limit/10

6. Thibault - Ragnarok
Fucking Godspeed over here. Eight minute long song with death bells, violins, bassoons, key changes, and an overall general sadness. Very pretty, very exciting. I like your instrumentation and your arrangements. You know how I feel. When the synths come in and it becomes a psycho freak out, you know the build-up was all worth it. So sick. What did you do to sequence the dying synth sounds at ~6:30? They're just evil.

apocalypse/10

7. Allin All It's Not So Bad - The Fackin' Govna
I like how this was placed right after the last song. It's nice that someone is making something that's not necessarily even rock-based music for one of these. I like some dub stuff, but I'm not really into popular brostep stuff, which unfortunately, this falls into pretty quickly. It's cool that you know how to do this stuff, and it sounds pretty much exactly the way you would want it to if you were into it. But I'm not your target audience for this sort of thing.

wub wub wub/10

8. Ciaran Lyttle - Makin Waves
Got kind of a podunk Western sort of sound. Fantastic use of reverb on the lead guitar and the percussion adds to that same sort of slow-moving, easy feeling. It's just a nice sounding piece, and the small bits added in (birds, sea sounds) are very awesomely done. Very pro, reminds me of your more recent contributions in a good way; you've got a sound and you follow through with it.

beach lyfe/10

9. 9 Crimes - Brianna + KD
This is a cover, right? I think I've heard the original. Very melancholy, with nice instrumentation; simple piano with some synth strings are perfect for the way the song plays out. While I listen, I wish for a better recording on the piano, but I know that it's not always possible to do that (guilty), so for what you've got, it works fine. I hope there will be more collaborations on other mixtapes, because it works out really well here.

rice/10

10. Thibault - The Osiris Myth
This song reminds me of something, but I can't think of what it is. It's a good thing. I just like your instrumentation on these songs; the synth sounds are so fucking dark. They really compliment the drum machine sounds and the guitar tones. Just so weird and evil. Also, BALLSY falsetto is BALLSY. Most dudes wouldn't go for it, but it's great. I love your theory knowledge - it lends itself to making clever and interesting passages; cool key changes, neat rhythm changes, etc.

BALLSY/10

11. Jim T - I Stole This Riff
I do like the riff! It's kind of ironic because I don't really like the lyrics, and the lyrics are about how unoriginal the song is. Okay, but lyrical content aside, jesus man. Those harmonies and the melodica and the everything. What a badass song. Plus, your own ballsy falsetto! What!

i stole this review from my previous review/10

12. T3 - Victory
Man, that guitar is so fucking fuzzy. Fuck yeah, I love fuzzy guitars. You have a great voice and the guitar tones are so great. One thing -- rhyming day with decay is such a no-no. I don't know why, but that stuck out way too hard on me. I like the everything else except for that one rhyme. Nice energy, good melodies, and a great ending line.

big muff/10

13. Random Goods - Space Kid
I fucking love bass parts like your opening lines. I might practice it a bit more, because there are some dead notes, but fuck that, it's so nice to hear bass chords and melodies. And the kick into the rest of the song is really well done! I already mentioned that I love fuzzy guitars, but, what the shit, did I miss the memo for BALLSY falsettos? I feel like I need to submit a new song with falsetto on it. This song is your Ziggy Stardust, btw. Just saying. That's a good thing. You just gotta fucking live it -- sometimes the vocals fall flat because you won't commit to being a singer: get WAY into it while you're going at it. Seriously, you'll feel it when it hits right.

i'm an alligator/10

14. Rosa Mystica - Velouria
This is such a 90s hit song. When I listen to this, I can see hundreds of people, holding cellphones up, at your reunion show. Weeks earlier, when you announced the show, people went "oh shit, they broke up? and now they're back together??" Now they're here: they pregamed, then packed into some stadium, and everyone knows the words to this song, and when you start playing it, they all scream, and then when the song is over, everyone stops paying attention, or leaves. This is your Wonderwall.

what?/10

15. Primary Tones - Canadiens
I wrote this song in May 2009; I don't feel this way about music at all anymore, so this will be the last song I ever write in this style. I was sick when I sang on it, so it's fairly off-pitch, the drums are out of time, there are other problems, but goddamn if I don't love the way my friends backed me up for the group vocals and with extra instrumentation. It's hard to find people who will sit down and record themselves with you, and I'm so proud of this song and the way it turned out, but I'm ready to move on.

me/10


I generally don't do reviews for the last few songs on the mixtape because of the content, so I'm going to just say that they sounded great. It's always cool how you guys all approach these video game soundtrack pieces and that they come out so different from each other.

18. T3 - Chinese Democracy
Wow, I can't believe I just got <CENSORED FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT>'d.

fuck you/10