Ericho's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Biggest Mistake]

When I saw the word "life", I thought it said "wife" at first. Speaking of which, I hope you do manage to get a wife of some kind. What I thought was good about this was how earnest it is. It doesn't try to be too fancy or anything. I can recognize most of the sounds and instruments. Once again, it isn't trying to be angsty or anything, just inform people of how you're feeling today. All should go well for you.

You may never achieve much success but at least you have support from people like me. I would think you'd be more popular given that you at least won one Daily Feature. Anyway, this song is great because it departures from montonousness and uses variety. It still manages to keep a consistent tone. I can recognize your voice from your flash cartoons now.

Affinitia responds:

Ah you watched my animations? Some of them are pretty silly. haha. I made the animations between 2002 and 2003 before I got heavily into piano in 2004.

[Younger]

I'm starting to feel for you more and more all the time and I understand what kind of life you are living. It's great to listen to music that really makes you think about personal relationships. I wish I could tell what instruments you were using for this. It's impressive when someone shows talent with so many different instruments. I will say that it got a tad repetitive at times. It's still nice to hear your singing voice.

Your songs really speak to me. This made me feel about how we all used to be young and had our own conflicts. Hopefully, we'll be able to move on in life with whatever we get. It may have a sad tone, but I try to be optimistic. Your voice seems especially soft in this.

Affinitia responds:

Thanks!!

[My Stray Bullet]

Congradulations on your most popular audio sbumission! It's too bad you don't have many reviews on this. Anyway, what I loved about this was how well everything was timed. It was weird to be playing a banjo for this. I expected this song to be about love, but it was really anything but! This truly is a unique idea for a song.

It's always great when people experiment with different styles. I love how subtle your voice is. You know how to give off a good sense of calmness, while still getting inside your character's head. You'd be surprised at how much characterization you can give to a guy in a song. I feel sorry for both him and the girl.

Affinitia responds:

Thank you! Yes I put a download link to this song on my website and it gets downloaded quite frequently. There probably aren't many reviews here because most of my fans are from Facebook and other sites so they don't realize that it's actually a song posted on Newgrounds.com. I really enjoyed making this song and writing the story for it. I was going through a heist obsession at the time. This one was recorded in November 2010 when I was trying to focus more on making music. It has also gotten a very positive reaction from my soundcloud following. Thanks for the great review, I like what you had to say about my song.

[To Follow A Lie]

This was, in my opinion, the best audio submission you've ever worked on! I think its strongest point is probably how well you try to appeal to your audience. The craziest part of this is probably around 2:09 when it starts changing completely. It seems like that would be the kind of thing that would show up at the end of the song. I was confused as to how it could only be half over by then. I love how strong your voice is.

You just don't go for any bullcrap. While it lacks a lot of fanciness, it doesn't need it, because it's so emotional on its own. I couldn't even tell what instruments you were using. You were really pouring your heart into this. I can see why it has a 4.59. It even has a bit of a sinister tone to it, although it's mostly sad. It's so nice to hear the things you've worked so hard on.

Affinitia responds:

What you had to say about this song really means the world to me. This is one of the nicest reviews I've ever read about my music and it gave me chills to know I've touched someone that much with a song. This song "To Follow A Lie" is about how people run themselves into holes with their own lies. I recorded it around the same time as "Bad Words" and for my 2nd album this is the first track and Bad Words is the last. My 2nd album hasn't officially been released yet but it should be coming out in early October to iTunes and everywhere else. This song I was using a Synth and a guitar mostly, I also had some drum machine and other keyboard effects. I'm glad you like the transition, earlier recordings of this song had a completely different distorted electric guitar for the ending but it just didn't fit so then I created this one and found that it worked perfectly with the rest of the song. Thank you so so soooo much for listening!

[Crush]

I thought this was going to be a remix of Jennifer Paige's song "Crush". Looking back, I'm glad it wasn't. It turned out to have a unique style of your own. The funny thing is while it was in fact about relationships, it wasn't about a crush in that sense. It kind of makes you wonder where the term came from anyway? I like how deadpan you sound in your songs.

You just try to be so earnest in this song. It's a great example of how you put your own problems into persperctive. It's about what other people think of you and how your personal life has been shaped. I'm referring to the song story, not actually you. The guitar uses are getting better all the time.

Affinitia responds:

Wow thank you so very much! I was going through some hard times when I made this recording.

[Why Even Try]

As I said before, it's fantastic how you make songs that reflect on how you're going through your life. Anyway, what I love about this song (and some of your other songs) is how subtly you swear. You just randomly say it and it fits the mood. I appreciate you telling us that everything worked out. Hopefully, with these songs released, you're become even better. This song just really spoke to me.

It seemed to be mostly about how you viewed a certain girl. I kind of wish I could at least get a girlfriend at one point to understand this. You don't seem angsty at all, but more effective. You are just trying to appeal to people like you. We all know what it's like to go through pain.

Affinitia responds:

Yeah this is another one of those songs...

[Hiding The Sunset]

Here's another great submission from you. Hey, you didn't make every single one on August 3rd after all! Anyway, it was great to see how your life affected your music. It's too bad you were kicked out of your band and all this happened. I couldn't help but think you may have been referring to the band members. Whatever the intention, it's a great song.

I'm starting to recognize the standard voice that you use. It suits the themes of most of your songs well. There will always be sorrow, but we'll be able to cope with it. You have such a soft voice in comparison to some darker cartoons you've made. It really does make you think.

Affinitia responds:

My cartoons I made to cope with some messed up childhood and teenage angst so my songs are a bit different. This song was mostly just referring to my band mates and I was really upset that they kicked me out because I did so much for and put so much into that band. They were all my good friends and when they kicked me out I kinda lost them as friends too. But Karma is interesting and when the drummer and main guitarist heard this project that I call "Affinitia" they actually quit that band and played for mine for about a year. Then the drummer moved to Portland to tech music at the college and the guitarist had a baby and a wife. Now the guitarist drums for me but only for my live shows, he hasn't worked on any of the recordings with me. I like to maintain a lot of independence with my music because it is all so special and personal to me. Oh and although I am inspired by Radiohead, Elliott Smith, Margot and the Nuclear so and so's , and Bright Eyes I never try to sound like them. I will always write songs in my own style, some day this uniqueness might actually pay off! But between Radiohead and Elliott Smith I really learned how to sing. I'd just sing along with their songs until I got the confidence to sing and make my own music too. I've really been inspired a lot by them.

[No Reason/No Rhyme]

Congradulations on having such a higly rated audio submission! Granted, it only has 12 votes, but that's still something to be proud of! I really liked how you seemed to learn a lot from your previous song and didn't focus on incomprehensible stuff this time. It's nice to hear you just let it all out. I can get the feeling you really put emotion into this, which is always great to hear. Your use of the guitar seems to have improved as well.

I guess unlike the flash portal, there's no limit to how many audio submissions you can make in one day. It's nice to make songs that appeal to people on such personal appeals. I've realized that I was growing up as well. It's great that you're putting all your old songs up here now. It's nice to know we still mature.

Affinitia responds:

Thank you. I wrote this song after one of my first real nights of "partying" back in my early 20's when I was going to reckless times. I woke up in the morning/afternoon and I wrote it that same day.

[Affinitia: Allison]

I liked this song, but I felt some of it came off as a tad weak. I guess it does really fit the theme, because you intended to write a soft song. I didn't know Affinitia was another one of your nicknames, but I guess that makes sense. It's great to hear a song with such sincerity in it. You really seem to be devoted to this sort of thing. It's nice to listen to what will come out next.

The lyrics themselves are really good. It seems like I shoudl hear a lot more songs about love than just this one. I guess this website isn't like others. You seemed to have a more feminine voice in this. I guess that's what you meant by "soft".

Affinitia responds:

Yeah I call my music project/band "Affinitia" and I hope some day everyone knows that name. It's kinda weird and can be pronounced a couple of different ways. This song I wrote in February 2011 on Valentines day... "Allison" is the girl I was looking for back then. I wanted someone that I could write sincere songs for.

[Cloud Of Smoke]

I thought this was a good song, but there was one major thing that annoyed me. It seemed like the audio was a tad too loud. It just came off as a tad screechy to me. It's still a nice song, because it shows you attempting to put a new kind of emotion in your song. Addiction is a sensitive subject, so it's good to know you can write about it. I appreciate this more for its message than what it actually has.

Let me say that you are an expert on changing your voice. The guitar parts might have been a tad too loud as well. My favorite part was probably at the end when it became softer. You manage to keep a good tone at least. It's amazing how many audio submissions you put here in one day.

Affinitia responds:

I actually have to agree with you there! The guitar track wasn't balanced correctly with the vocals. That is my bad. I'm gonna upload an alternate version to the song from 2006. I make multiple recordings of all my songs and this was one from 2011. I released a lot of songs in 1 day but they took me several years to record. I use a Zoom 16 track mixer and a BOSS 8 track mixer and a lot of this has been a journey. I'm getting better every day, this has been quite the learning process. I love to sing and I'm glad that you enjoy what I can do with my voice. Thank you SO SO SO SOOO MUCH for the support!