MalTheDestroyer's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Apple Tree]

Good!

Musically, this song is really lovely. I love the sound of the guitar, the riff is memorable, and the harmonies sound great.

So why am I only giving this 7 stars? Two words: the lyrics. I fail to see exactly what the apple tree is supposed to be a metaphor for. The singer's overbearing parents? The part about God would make very little sense then. A codependent relationship? Then the part about waiting for the tree to pass away would make little sense (unless he's dating an 80-year-old woman).

Bottom line: I haven't a clue what you were trying to say with the lyrics here, and that's bad. You really should think your words through more carefully next time.

monkeycat responds:

I strongly disagree, there are many songs that make no sense. When a poet or a song writer writes a song we aren't always trying to communicate something to someone else, we are trying to get something off our chest that isn't always easy to put into words.

Thats not the case however with this song. It makes perfect sense if you know your literature. The Tree is a Metaphor for the "Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil" which is found in the account of Adam and Eve. Traditionally painters have portrayed this tree as being an apple tree even though the type of tree was never specified. In any case we all have a side of our nature which works to bring us down and this part of us can be traced back to that tree.

The reference to God hanging on the apple tree is Christ dying on the Cross and paying the price for our fallen nature. I didn't want the song to be blatently religious which is why its a bit obscure.

That is what the tree stands for. I hope it makes sense now...

K

[Highland Dream, Celteach Grá]

Very good!

Aside from the fact that this is a nice melody and very well-orchestrated, your instruments sound fantastic. My only complaint is that you overuse portamentos during the first half of the song. To sound authentic, you should really only be pitch-shifting the last one or two notes in a phrase. It makes it sound almost more Middle Eastern than Celtic when every note in a phrase uses a pitch bend. Other than that, though, I can think of nothing else to improve upon. Fantastic job!

Bosa responds:

To be honest, this was actually a portamento experiment. Sorry if I disappointed anybody.

[Death of a Ranger]

Sorry

I kind of laughed too, honestly--the title is just funny in juxtaposition to the actual music. It makes me think of a dead power ranger, and combined with the extremely serious, sad music, I just have to giggle.

Musically, though, this piece is well-produced and pretty. It's not the most original thing I've heard by any stretch, but I'd say it deserves a solid 8/10.

TheCrazyPianist responds:

The last reply was a joke. Do you think anybody who would make a sad version of power rangers wouldn't have a sense of humor? I mean really.