SpinTunes #8 Round 2 Review: Joe "Covenant" Lamb

Alright, you guys probably know enough to know what I am looking for... But don’t let that sway ya!! ;’ ) This was a VERY difficult round to judge. We are talking micro-metres between most of the tracks here.  A low placement is no shameful thing when surrounded by talents like those on display here...

 

Now... personally, I think that at least 6 of the contestants should be concerned with being DQ’d for not strictly meeting the challenge. I will list the potential DQs in order of preference amongst the rest. I don’t personally want ANYONE DQ’d!!! But I guess rules is rules. And hey – I am but ONE voice!)

 

So... In order of preference...:

 

Dr Lindyke: Knocked this one out of the park. Only criticisms: Has shades of “Bad case of loving you” about the chorus, and the vocals were a little subdued. even a crank on the high end would have helped this I think.

 

Ross Durand: Really well done, great balance of emotions and well put over, middle eight is brilliant.

 

Ryan M Brewer: When the 2nd and choral vox come in in the last minute it lifts this song so much – could do with losing one or amalgamating two verses to get to this a little quicker as it was beginning to drag.

 

Sara Parsons: The first (in preference) of the possible DQ’s. Hate wasn’t coming over too much- shame, regret, but also pining and well.. more regret. May squeeze through for the “Scars and bruises” and feelings of SELF hatred for feeling even the smallest regret here, but ... down to the judges vote... The song is wonderful. Good to hear some double tracking going on. (if DQ’d – I had you 4th)

 

Cararvan Ray: GUYS... You keep DOING this to yourselves! Bouncy, funny, clever.. but then let down by appalling rhyme which seemed placed only in order to gross out the listener... if the *turd* line was not in this song it would have been placed first... (well... maybe second)!

 

Jailhouse Payback: The second of my concerns. Another good workhorse of a song.. Good performance, well played, well sung, well mixed, bonus point for mentioning Spin Town... but is it a hate song...? (If DQ’d – I had you 6th)

 

Brian Gray: The third of my concerns. Great song, bounces along well, funny.. Don’t hear the hate though. (If DQ’d – I had you 7th)

 

Jutze: Nice little comic song- Great to hear a bit of Mock Death Metal (A first for me in these contests!) For all that a class parody!

 

Jenny Katz: a nice little pot boiler this one. Lyric is clever, but seems a little convoluted as to whom the victim of the hate is... A.N. Other... or a bit of self-hatred-or both!

 

Governing Dynamics: Nirvana?? Alice in Chains?? (Ah.. no... Radiohead!) ;’ )  Vocal is a bit muddy, but song is well played. Didn’t seem to be able to hold it all together to the end though. Kept wonder what this one would sound like acoustic!

 

Turbo Shandy: My next concern. Song is just below GD’s (11th if not DQ’d) Decent vocals, decent instrumentation, decent mix.... A decent song. But not sure of it hits hate.

 

Zoe Gray: Seems to be trying too hard. Seemed pitched a little too high and could easily have come down a key (ort two) and been a better song for it. Staccato section came out of nowhere and seemed tacked on for effect, but was the best part of the song.

 

T.C. Elliott: Nice little workhorse of a song – just seemed unfinished somehow. Needs a little polish, but could be a great song... but it all needs tightened up a bit.

 

Edric Haleen: This is a song... but only just. Does it meet the challenge? Yes. Is it well produced? Doubtless. Is it well performed? Honestly? Not to my mind. Off piano there is too little to tell, and of the vocal too much is spoken. Did it need the NSFW language? ‘I’ don;t think so... maybe once? As a song, it doesn’t make it, and as acting it’s hammy. Is it good? Well... It’s a filler from a nightmare broadway show about war – but there is no context for it. (love you!) ;’ )

 

Army Defence: Some great guitar work in here, but the vocals are pretty bad. The song itself doesn’t strike me as anything too bad, it’s just that the rest had more to offer to me. This is the last of my “Does it meet the challenge” concerns.

 

James Young: Bad mix, vocals very muddy, song sounds alright, but really needs mixed better. Comes across as being too long as it’s a bit of a chore to listen to.

 

Adam Sakellarides: Another “Does this actually meet the challenge” one... I hear envy – but no hatred. Vocal is too forced and seems to be trying too hard to hit too many pop culture references. Just saying “Could it be... this man I hate”... doesn’t do it for me. Recording seems a bit loose.

 

Felix Frost: I wanted to like this. I thought the vocal melody line was interesting, but the instrumentation was pretty bad, drums were astoundingly distracting. Too discordant and too long.