Charlie is on the road atm, and only has his smart phone available. He sent me his rankings, and said that he'll send in the reviews when he gets home this weekend. So until then...you have to wait for his reviews.
1. Felix Frost - "Moonshine Scoundrel"
2. The Chocolate Chips - "The True Way"
3. Edric Haleen - "(Vows)"
4. Ménage A Tune - "Poison, Or All Of Hamlet In 4:04
5. Governing Dynamics - "Dark Places"
6. Mariah Mercedes - "Dear Jeremy"
7. RC - "He's Dead, Jim"
8. Ross Durand - "Apart"
Felix Frost - Lyman Boone and the Moonshine Scoundrel
Composition: A-
I really like the intro section, and it's very effective when it comes back at 2:42. Overall very creative, but it could have benefitted from a little tighter composition plan, with some motifs repeated.
Production/Arrangement: A
Very detailed and unique production.
Lyrics/Narrative: A
Cool story, lyrics support the story well.
Performance: A-
Nice mix of different voices.
Memorability/Originality: A
Very unique style, cool way to approach a mini-opera.
The Chocolate Chips - The True Way
Composition: A
The "You can be my" melody is my favorite of the round. Some melodies could use a little more rhythmic interest.
Production/Arrangement: A+
I really like the overall sound. Sweet synths, awesome rhythmic electric guitar. Reminds me of some of the best Flaming Lips stuff.
Lyrics/Narrative: B-
Lyrics fit mood of the song, but they're not very fleshed out.
Performance: A-
Nice robo-vocals. Sometimes they get a bit off rhythmically from the synths. Guitar sounds great
Originality/Memorability: A
Although I'm not super engaged in the story, it's very uniquely produced and has catchy riffs. I'll be listening again.
Edric Haleen - (Vows)
Composition: A
Beautiful chord changes and melodies. Nice piano part.
Production/Arrangement: A
The strings are a great addition. Mix sounds very nice.
Lyrics/Narrative: B
The lyrics flow well, but the fact that there's no conflict leads to kind of an unmemorable opera.
Performance: A
Glad to hear you didn't hold back at all during this song.
Originality/Memorability: B+
It's not super original style, and not one I would think to listen to, but it's very well written and performed.
Menage a Tune - Poison, Or, All Of Hamlet In 4:14
Composition: A-
I really like the "It's poison…poison" section.Very unique but smooth chord changes throughout the song. Rhythmically, the melodies could be more interesting.
Production/Arrangement: B+
More instruments would help create a dramatic environment, but the piano arrangement is nice. Chair squeak sound at 2:33 is distracting.
Lyrics/Narrative: B
Poetic lyrics, but the Shakespearean-style lyrics aren't as engaging to me as a listener.
Performance: A-
Vocals are emotive and fit the style.
Originality/Memorability: A-
The Rennaissance style sets this apart. Creative chord changes and melodies make it worth more listens.
Governing Dynamics - Dark Places
Composition: A-
Nice phrasing and melodies, especially in the very beginning. Like the syncopated notes in the vocals.
Production/Arrangement: A-
Nicely arranged guitars. Female vox could use EQ help to fit the rest of the song's sound.
Lyrics/Narrative: B+
Nice lyrics, but I didn't feel sympathetic toward the characters.
Performance: A-
Vox sometimes shaky pitch-wise, but overall good, and emotional.
Originality/Memorability: B
Didn't stand out on the first listen, but it grew on me. Cool sound, and nice rhythmic hooks.
Mariah Mercedes - Dear Jeremy
Composition: B-
Feels like it starts and stops quite a bit, possibly because the vocal melodies seem like isolated phrases. There are nice moments in the melodies though.
Production/Arrangement: A-
The storm SFX are a cool addition. The mix is good, and I like the wind sound. Heard a slight glitch at 1:40 that took me out of the song momentarily.
Lyrics/Narrative: A
Nice, poetic story.
Performance: C+
Unfortunately the male vocals don't seem to fit. Maybe sung up an octave would have been better. Like the spoken word section, though. Female vocals sound great.
Originality/Memorability: A-
The mix and soundscape are nice, and it's a creative song.
RC - He's Dead, Jim
Composition: B+
Catchy, but it lingers around the same chords too much. I like the intro guitar line. Also like the tempo changes
Production/Arrangement: A-
It's well mixed, but not a super unique arrangment. I like the added sound at 3:15.
Lyrics/Narrative: B-
Okay lyrics, but it's not engaging and kind of strange when I don't know the story behind this song.
Performance: B
Instruments sound good, vocals seem slightly forced.
Originality/Memorability: B
Catchy, but not sure I actually want the lyric "He's Dead, Jim" repeating over and over in my head.
Ross Durand - Apart
Composition: B
Like the harmonies in the chorus. Catchy melody in that section. The chords and melodies in the rock section didn't really stand out to me.
Production/Arrangement: C
Vocals pretty dry, could use more reverb. The rock section arrangement wasn't very interesting.
Lyrics/Narrative: B-
There's a good story here, but the lyrics are a little generic.
Performance: B-
Female vocals shine. The second-chorus male harmonies are inconsistent with the first - liked the first chorus harmonies better.
Originality/Memorability: C-
The chorus hook is good, but the rock section would keep me from listening again.
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Felix Frost - Lyman Boone and the Moonshine Scoundrel
Composition: A-
I really like the intro section, and it's very effective when it comes back at 2:42. Overall very creative, but it could have benefitted from a little tighter composition plan, with some motifs repeated.
Production/Arrangement: A
Very detailed and unique production.
Lyrics/Narrative: A
Cool story, lyrics support the story well.
Performance: A-
Nice mix of different voices.
Memorability/Originality: A
Very unique style, cool way to approach a mini-opera.
The Chocolate Chips - The True Way
Composition: A
The "You can be my" melody is my favorite of the round. Some melodies could use a little more rhythmic interest.
Production/Arrangement: A+
I really like the overall sound. Sweet synths, awesome rhythmic electric guitar. Reminds me of some of the best Flaming Lips stuff.
Lyrics/Narrative: B-
Lyrics fit mood of the song, but they're not very fleshed out.
Performance: A-
Nice robo-vocals. Sometimes they get a bit off rhythmically from the synths. Guitar sounds great
Originality/Memorability: A
Although I'm not super engaged in the story, it's very uniquely produced and has catchy riffs. I'll be listening again.
Edric Haleen - (Vows)
Composition: A
Beautiful chord changes and melodies. Nice piano part.
Production/Arrangement: A
The strings are a great addition. Mix sounds very nice.
Lyrics/Narrative: B
The lyrics flow well, but the fact that there's no conflict leads to kind of an unmemorable opera.
Performance: A
Glad to hear you didn't hold back at all during this song.
Originality/Memorability: B+
It's not super original style, and not one I would think to listen to, but it's very well written and performed.
Menage a Tune - Poison, Or, All Of Hamlet In 4:14
Composition: A-
I really like the "It's poison…poison" section.Very unique but smooth chord changes throughout the song. Rhythmically, the melodies could be more interesting.
Production/Arrangement: B+
More instruments would help create a dramatic environment, but the piano arrangement is nice. Chair squeak sound at 2:33 is distracting.
Lyrics/Narrative: B
Poetic lyrics, but the Shakespearean-style lyrics aren't as engaging to me as a listener.
Performance: A-
Vocals are emotive and fit the style.
Originality/Memorability: A-
The Rennaissance style sets this apart. Creative chord changes and melodies make it worth more listens.
Governing Dynamics - Dark Places
Composition: A-
Nice phrasing and melodies, especially in the very beginning. Like the syncopated notes in the vocals.
Production/Arrangement: A-
Nicely arranged guitars. Female vox could use EQ help to fit the rest of the song's sound.
Lyrics/Narrative: B+
Nice lyrics, but I didn't feel sympathetic toward the characters.
Performance: A-
Vox sometimes shaky pitch-wise, but overall good, and emotional.
Originality/Memorability: B
Didn't stand out on the first listen, but it grew on me. Cool sound, and nice rhythmic hooks.
Mariah Mercedes - Dear Jeremy
Composition: B-
Feels like it starts and stops quite a bit, possibly because the vocal melodies seem like isolated phrases. There are nice moments in the melodies though.
Production/Arrangement: A-
The storm SFX are a cool addition. The mix is good, and I like the wind sound. Heard a slight glitch at 1:40 that took me out of the song momentarily.
Lyrics/Narrative: A
Nice, poetic story.
Performance: C+
Unfortunately the male vocals don't seem to fit. Maybe sung up an octave would have been better. Like the spoken word section, though. Female vocals sound great.
Originality/Memorability: A-
The mix and soundscape are nice, and it's a creative song.
RC - He's Dead, Jim
Composition: B+
Catchy, but it lingers around the same chords too much. I like the intro guitar line. Also like the tempo changes
Production/Arrangement: A-
It's well mixed, but not a super unique arrangment. I like the added sound at 3:15.
Lyrics/Narrative: B-
Okay lyrics, but it's not engaging and kind of strange when I don't know the story behind this song.
Performance: B
Instruments sound good, vocals seem slightly forced.
Originality/Memorability: B
Catchy, but not sure I actually want the lyric "He's Dead, Jim" repeating over and over in my head.
Ross Durand - Apart
Composition: B
Like the harmonies in the chorus. Catchy melody in that section. The chords and melodies in the rock section didn't really stand out to me.
Production/Arrangement: C
Vocals pretty dry, could use more reverb. The rock section arrangement wasn't very interesting.
Lyrics/Narrative: B-
There's a good story here, but the lyrics are a little generic.
Performance: B-
Female vocals shine. The second-chorus male harmonies are inconsistent with the first - liked the first chorus harmonies better.
Originality/Memorability: C-
The chorus hook is good, but the rock section would keep me from listening again.
Thank you for getting your scores in on time, even when on the road- I am sure it was difficult to do. Thank you for considering me good enough to advance to the final round, too, I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteOK, it's about a week after the judges' deadline. Are there going to be reviews here?
ReplyDeleteHmm, guess I'll never know why he put me last.
ReplyDelete