CaptainCrunch:

Zand88:
Well I guess it could at least be entertaining.
Besides, that's not the point, I'm saying she just doesn't seem to actually like/play games, from what has been show so far.

You weren't entertained by the songs. Perhaps she wasn't entertained by the games.

She expressed her lack of entertainment in the form of a song. You expressed it by attempting to discredit and devalue her expression, with baseless claims of unoriginality. Whether she cares about games at all is not something you can possibly ascertain by merely listening to a few songs. That would require knowing her personally.

What are you, her boyfriend? Chill out. She's a big girl. If she wants to be in the entertainment industry, she'd better have thick enough skin to deal with worse than this.

I get the same vibe as Zand about whether or not she actually plays. She even says on her website, "In many ways I represent all the people who know nothing about games, who are uninspired and uninterested in games."

I don't see the harm in Rebecca's songs and her style. I think it's kind of nice and relaxing. As much as I love the harsh electronics and the shredding riffs of a guitar, it's nice to have a change of pace and listen to something different.

Truly awful chorus, try to keep the lyrics focussed on gaming and don't stray off onto other things.

I like your tunes though! I actually found myself humming your Sims 3 one the other day. Keep it up.

I dont really get the point if the song it wasnt very cohesive, but still better than anything shes done since ghostbusters.

I actually just registered so I could comment on this song. I liked it. It felt like a sad resignation over the overwhelming mediocrity we see in the game industry right now. (Granted there are pearls here and there)

As a side note, I found myself going back to the zero punctuation review of this game. (When we saw the shot of her laying in the bed I could hear ZP's voice talking about her "dreaming about her favorite throat slitting moments" LOL) As I haven't played this game I can't really say anything about the game mechanics and what does or does not work, but my reason for not buying this game was indeed that it just looked like more of the same.

So with that in mind, Bravo! That Rebecca chick is a new and quirky voice and I think we are better off for her offering us a new perspective.

A very good video and song this time, I liked it a lot.
You have finally dropped that annoying chorus that plagued your earlier videos.
Good job!
This video has received the j0z Seal of Approval

Like this one! Melancholy sound to show feelings of disappointment in the game perhaps?

Anyway this one is the best one I've seen

Loved this one, It had that nice bittersweet lilting quality to it that you don't find in many artists. Just how many instruments did you use to make this one? I saw at least four different string instruments.

The Jono:
First one of these I've really liked since the Sims one. Re't nice.

I have to agree. I've read comments in past threads about her videos and found that a lot of people didn't appriciate the Sims video, but I honstly thought that was her best work up until this point. She's a brave girl to attempt as many different styles as she does, especially when it seems that many here are quite happy to criticise her from behind their keyboards without being in the least bit constructive about it.

Zand88:
There are a lot of people who hate videos games who never play them, as well as hate books/movies/shows they never watch.
Any comment she says could be found off of a review on IGN, so it's hard to say she has to really play the games to make a video about it. Besides that, it's usually just rambling.

People who hate something without having a passion for it don't generally write songs about that thing. If she didn't enjoy playing certain other games then she wouldn't be emotionally moved enough to write a song about the ones she didn't enjoy... And before you make the point that most of (if not all) of her songs thus far have been less than complimentary about the games they are focused on let me say that it's harder, in some cases, to write a song/poem about something you love than it is to express a more negative perspective on things. Also, she may not be the one choosing what games she writes about, in which case she may not be getting to play the games she enjoys.

kiteviolet:
It's a lovely song, but there's no point in having a song be three minutes long if the second half is identical to the first half. The lyrics still lack a sense of coherency, but it's much better than the last video.

There has to be a point to songs now? I thought music was art and therefore meant only to inspire emotion and thought personal to the listener... Not to satisfy some undefined "point".

JusticarPhaeton:
All things considered, this is one of my favourite periodical series on The Escapist. If you don't get Rebecca Mayes' style, then fine. Everyone has different tastes. But please quit nitpicking and saying she's uncreative or untalented; i think it's pretty obvious from the massive slew of instruments and her beautiful singing voice that she's incredibly talented indeed. (Actually, whenever i see these i can't help but feel she's almost too talented to be just writing songs about games for a gaming site).

This.

Taerdin:

JusticarPhaeton:
For all of you 'this is always the same' naysayers:
There is something called a song structure in music. It typically goes Intro -> Verse -> Chorus -> Verse -> Chorus ->Bridge or Break -> Verse/Chorus -> Outtro. Whatever music you listen to, i'm sure there's a pattern to it as well.

Fair enough. But even bands that use verse chorus verse chorus etc. don't write such similar choruses. So far I think... four or five of her songs have choruses where she repeats a phrase THREE TIMES. If you can name a band that does that that many times I'll be impressed. Most choruses don't have any repetition, let alone saying something exactly three times in every song.

Repetition is a staple of popular music in general, and is found at home mostly in choruses. Listen to songs by anyone from The Beatles to Katy Perry, Metallica to Fall Out Boy and within their back catalogues you will find songs with choruses which use repetition regularly. As a bigger music fanatic than gamer (and indeed a music critic) I would say that this is a pretty stable fact within music.

Taerdin:
Also I'm tired of people speaking negatively of the Overlord video. It was refreshingly different, and completely awesome. Yeah, you heard me!

It was refreshing, but by far my least favourite. Being a metal fan myself, when metal is done badly by someone who isn't a metal fan it's a little uncomfortable to watch. I understand why she tried it, and respect her for it, but I'd be happy for her never to do it again.

Now this is more your style. Overlord was fun but this song had the vibe that I liked about your work =)

I'm sorry but your song is almost as boring as the game. Women and war sell, especially to Americans. That's just how it goes, but it doesn't mean you have to play a cruddy game, or listen to a "meh" song.

It's charming how much effort you take in these videos and songs. I liked the travelling tone of this one. However your songs became faster and lesser lyrics exist in them than before. I still like them though.

I can honestly say that I neither liked the song nor the video, but I will say that Rebecca has a hell of a lot of musical talent. I hope that she continues on this site for a long time.

RaiZ-R:

Repetition is a staple of popular music in general, and is found at home mostly in choruses. Listen to songs by anyone from The Beatles to Katy Perry, Metallica to Fall Out Boy and within their back catalogues you will find songs with choruses which use repetition regularly. As a bigger music fanatic than gamer (and indeed a music critic) I would say that this is a pretty stable fact within music.

Repetition maybe. But no bands where half their songs have choruses where something is repeated EXACTLY THE SAME NUMBER OF TIMES. That was my point, it's ALWAYS three times. Watch her first three videos and then this one, if you don't see it then I fear for you.

Even boring acts like Metallica, Katy Perry and Fallout Boy don't do that. Though yes I will admit they use repetition, it wasn't my point to say no one does. It was my point that she always does it exactly three times, at some point that stops becoming original and starts becoming formulaic. Pretty sure we're past that point now.

As for me, I'm begging for another Overlord. Okay so obviously she didn't write the best 'metal' song ever. But at least that song was markedly different from her others, and also it contained like three or four different vocal styles in the same song. Basically the more varying music is the happier I am, which is probably why I mostly listen to progressive music... and stuff no one ever hears about or listens to where I live :S

PS. I also found it hilariously ironic that her chorus was "it's always the same" for the song when she went back to doing her same threepeat chorus. Reminded me a lot of this.

I don't know if she's doing that intentionally, but I find it hilarious. Keep up the good (unintentional?) work Rebecca! You've definitely got me entertained :D

kozmo:
No good jokes

Does it really need jokes? I thought it was a really good song.

She didn't even try and put jokes in, so nothing bad on that front.

If you want them, keep watching Yahtzee.

Glad to see the old Rebecca whose music I once fell in love with is back.
Slow, melodic and "tea-cup and blanket" style.
:)
Thank you.

SirBryghtside:

kozmo:
No good jokes

Does it really need jokes? I thought it was a really good song.

She didn't even try and put jokes in, so nothing bad on that front.

If you want them, keep watching Yahtzee.

No
you misunderstood, I admitted the music was excellent and I watched it again for just the music, but all of her other videos had some jokes which kept it entertaining, but here there weren't any good ones, so when I said that there weren't any good jokes I just considered it to be obvious that there were supposed to be jokes

RaiZ-R:

kiteviolet:
It's a lovely song, but there's no point in having a song be three minutes long if the second half is identical to the first half. The lyrics still lack a sense of coherency, but it's much better than the last video.

There has to be a point to songs now? I thought music was art and therefore meant only to inspire emotion and thought personal to the listener... Not to satisfy some undefined "point".

Whoa, semantics, man. You've just told me that music doesn't need a goal, and then said that the goal of music is to inspire emotion and thought. And what I'm saying is that this inspiration of emotion and thought is undermined by the fact that this three-minute song is essentially just a 1.5-minute song, played twice. With a couple slightly different lines. As some people have said, repetition can be an effective technique in music, if it's used properly. Repeating the entire first half in the second half is not using it properly.

Job well done indeed :) This song has so many good things going for it. I was lost in reflection on the "women and war" line. Thus, I'd say you have succeeded as a songstress.

Clever and catchy. Keep it up and this shiny nickel I have here could be yours.

Thanks a whole lot for this video Rebecca. The "women and war" part is definitely my favorite, very strong!

STOP. JUST STOP. KTHXBAI

I think this is a really good song. Not as good as the madworld song but still awesome. Keep it up!

nah, i'm sorry but my faourite was and still is sims 3 it's got a good beat it may be a little sad but it's humorous all your other songs are really lame :( sorry

awesome

Yes, the song is very lovely. But that's about it. It didn't convey a good message about the game, you know? Yes, melancholy. Yes, mediocrity. But the mood of a song only takes you so far, it just really didn't tell me anything.

That's the avon valley railway. I ride past that every day to my office.

Awesome!

I just don't understand.

Taerdin:
Repetition maybe. But no bands where half their songs have choruses where something is repeated EXACTLY THE SAME NUMBER OF TIMES. That was my point, it's ALWAYS three times. Watch her first three videos and then this one, if you don't see it then I fear for you.

I see it, I just don't see the problem. She has to write a completely original song within the space of two weeks. Writing to a formula is completely acceptable, even when you don't factor in things like writers block and the like. I think that given how regularly she provides the site with original content she should be applauded for creating something entirely listenable and enjoyable for the majority.

kiteviolet:

RaiZ-R:

There has to be a point to songs now? I thought music was art and therefore meant only to inspire emotion and thought personal to the listener... Not to satisfy some undefined "point".

Whoa, semantics, man. You've just told me that music doesn't need a goal, and then said that the goal of music is to inspire emotion and thought. And what I'm saying is that this inspiration of emotion and thought is undermined by the fact that this three-minute song is essentially just a 1.5-minute song, played twice. With a couple slightly different lines. As some people have said, repetition can be an effective technique in music, if it's used properly. Repeating the entire first half in the second half is not using it properly.

No. I said that music has no point other than to inspire emotion and thought. I have may have worded it better I grant you, but you're asking for more than that, and that seems strange to me. I also find it odd that you have never heard a song which repeats itself like this one does. I'll admit I have a ridiculously varied CD collection, but even someone who only listens to one band would surely come across this kind of somg once in a while. Nevermind the fact that this is also to be used as a review of a game, which by all accounts is repeatative. We could get really deep into the analysis and say it was written this way specifically to show that, or we could just enjoy it cos it's pretty!

LTK_70:
Yes, the song is very lovely. But that's about it. It didn't convey a good message about the game, you know? Yes, melancholy. Yes, mediocrity. But the mood of a song only takes you so far, it just really didn't tell me anything.

What more do you want from a song? She's not going to go in depth about the plotline and physics engine is she.

Doctor VonSexMachine:
I just don't understand.

What don't you understand? Maybe someone can help you to.

Is it me, or is the recurring theme or is the recurring theme of these comment threads for Rebecca Mayes' videos being "how to improve on song quality" a bad sign?