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Monday, August 17, 2015

Champions Vs Shadows #1 Champion: Zoe Gray

Winner: Zoe Gray (28)
Runner Up: Bubba & The Amiable Kraken (21)
3rd: Jenny Katz (21)
4th: Governing Dynamics (20)
(9 competitors voted)

Zoe Gray - 3 - 4 - 4 - 3 - 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 - 4 (28)
Bubba & The Amiable Kraken - 4 - 1 - 1 - 4 - 1 - 1 - 4 - 2 - 3 (21)
Jenny Katz - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 3 - 2 - 4 - 1 (21)
Governing Dynamics - 1 - 3 - 3 - 1 - 2 - 4 - 1 - 3 - 2 (20)

Congrats Zoe!  You have defeated the mighty Champions & will from now on join their ranks in future CvS contests.  You will also get a t-shirt that you can flaunt in front of everyone in the near future.  Don't let your dad steal it...

Popular Vote:
Bubba & The Amiable Kraken - 5
Governing Dynamics - 3
Zoe Gray - 1
Jenny Katz - 0
(9 total votes cast)

Judges: Joe "Covenant" Lamb, Ross Durand & Cherry Pi
Guest Judges: Laura MarieKirby Krackle & Klopfenpop
Alternate Judge: N/A

I want to give a big THANK YOU to all the competitors, judges, guest judges, fans, Tom for hosting the LP's, Matt for the album art, and anyone that had anything to do with this contest.  None of this is possible without the participation of all you wonderful people.

If you noticed that Bubba & The Amiable Kraken got the runner up spot over Jenny Katz with the same score, it's because the judges ranked Bubba higher, and that is the first tie breaker.

This was a fun side project, but we will get back to SpinTunes in January.  The exact date won't be set for a few months, but expect sign-ups to go up in mid-late December.  Make sure you follow @SpinTunes on Twitter for contest updates.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Champions Vs Shadows #1 Round 2 Reviews: Klopfenpop

I've found a number of musicians on Twitter lately.  Follow one musician, they retweet a different musician, so I listen to & follow that musician as well.  Pretty sure that's how I stumbled on klopfenpop.  Sifting through his SoundCloud account I was impressed with his producing.  I'm very glad we have him as a guest judge this round.  As usual I'm going to highly recommend that you listen to the embedded track as you read his reviews.

- Spin

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“The Dream Is Winding Down (Lucid)” by Governing Dynamics:

Composition
Excellent progression. I love the powerpop sensibility to the colorful chords and key modulations within the verses and chorus. Strong vocal arrangement, which always makes a big difference.

Lyricism
I like the subtle use of clichés as a lyrical device, here. Not overdone. You also have a way of making of turns of phrase and delivering them in such a way that they feel like they’re everyday figures of speech. Very well done.

Production
This is a solid mix. For the acoustic demo feel, this is well done. All the elements are audible and discernable. While maybe not great, it’s definitely a successful mix.

Aesthetic
I’m a big fan of a good pop song, so I’m into it. This reminds me of some of the more stripped down Linus of Hollywood songs.

“4-3-2-1” by Zoe Gray:

Composition
The only thing jumping out at me is that the chord progressive behind the third line of the verses has a very conclusive-sounding cadence. It feels like you are using the progression to end the verse earlier than a standard four bars, but when the fourth line comes up afterward, it’s a bit jarring to the flow of the song as a listener. Points for being unique, though! There something to be said for formulaic compositions, but there is easily as much to be said for experimentation. The key is finding the balance between surprising the listener, but not setting them up for something then letting them down.

Lyricism
You’ve got some great color words in here (tumbling, pretending, etc.). A few of the lines feel like they could have been cleaned up a little to be a bit less clumsy and more “showing, not telling” (“well I know what I’m doing then”) I like the lyrical motifs you setup and call back—very effective.

Production
The mix could be a little less muddy. The low knocking (maybe hitting a guitar case or a desk) is a great choice, but it’s a little indecisive mix-wise. Not enough body to be a bass drum, but too much bass to be McCartney tapping his foot in Blackbird.

Aesthetic
The clapping is fantastic. I absolutely love how all the rhythms build on each other as it progresses. It really give the track a sense of compositionally maturing along with the narrative. The ukulele is a bit out of tune and sloppy, but I actually dig that. It works for the track and together with the impromptu rhythms and xylophone, it reminds me of Adem in a good way.

“Goodbye For Now” by Jenny Katz:

Composition
Nothing too interesting, but it doesn’t get same-y, which is good. While the base progression isn’t unique, it switches up even before the verse is over. I definitely enjoyed the minor four at the end of the bridge, too.

Lyricism
These lyrics show some maturity, but also a little bit of misguided grandiosity. There’s nothing wrong with sincerity and there’s nothing wrong with lofty writing, but somewhere between “the galaxy holds us in golden arms” and “check out my mixtape,” the sense of consistent tone is lost. I feel like some of the metaphors used could be much more powerful if cleaned up a little bit. Instead of “the galaxy holds us in golden arms” (because what is that even supposed to mean?) the galaxy metaphor seems more apt for a comparison like “my arms surround you like the spiral of the Milky Way”. A lot of the imagery feels halfway there—good ideas, not fully realized.

Production
Props for the full band mix. That takes a big commitment for competitions with a quick turnaround like this, and this isn’t bad at all. The drums could definitely use some better treatment, but honestly, the drums aren’t as important in such a vocal-centric song as they might be in other contexts, so I don’t feel like it’s much of a detriment.

Aesthetic
I’m not super into this style, but you definitely nailed it. Success in art is measured by achieving what you intend to, and I definitely get a sense of you as a musician and songwriter from this.

“Tired Of Counting Down” by Bubba & The Amiable Kraken:

Composition
This might be an example of being a little to formulaic in the progression. Fortunately, though, this aesthetic lends itself to simpler progressions. Unfortunately, the vocal arrangement feels largely “first-draft.” It sounds like you two are both relatively adept singers and improvised the harmonization. This will get you a passable result, but taking the time to work out the harmonies with some intention can make a world of difference. Specifically, be mindful of when harmonies bump into each other and end up landing in unison. Unless done for a really good reason, that will always feel off to the listener.

Lyricism
I’ve got to be honest, nothing really stands out lyrically at all. It feels very, “These words that go together in songs.” I do like the imagery of “half-drawn maps” and that you rhyme it with “collapse,” but even the use of “codes and ciphers,” which lend themselves to some great imagery, falls flat.

Production
The drum programming is not obtrusive, which a huge accomplishment with fully synthesized drums in a slow, guitar-based pop song. I like the use of heavily distorted guitar as more of a washed-out pad then as a typical rock rhythm guitar.

Aesthetic
This song feels kinda like homemade Nashville Christian worship music, which is not an aesthetic I’m into. A lot of that might be the simple chord progressions and the way the male vocalist uses his voice, but it’s definitely a barrier for me getting into the song. The way the two singers use their voices make it tough for the timbres to work well together. Very breathy and raspy from him, very clean and chesty from her.

Champions Vs Shadows #1 Round 2 Reviews: Cherry Pi

These are late. But maybe it can be like when an apple and an orange are expected in the same bowl at the same time. You get good fruit salad if you pop in the right banana at a good point in time. Right? Ok! Grape!
BTW, because all these entries were first place worthy--even shadows.

ZOE OF THE APOCALYPSE 
Sorry about those teenage boys. Ugh. I'd recommend selecting an older vintage of fella from the dating pool but you probably wouldn't be able to get your father to play xylophone on your tunes anymore because he would be hiding in the bushes waiting for your geriatric zombie dates! A well constructed, finely produced tune with thoughtful lyrics! Start a Grey-Label!

T NOR
I had this dream once that I was tied to a tree. There were bears riding tricycles and a woman with flaming hair serving me drinks. I walked right out of that bar because the band certainly can't play like you kittens can and didn't have half your chemistry. If I could lucid dream, I'd go to the Florida Keys.

THE JENNY
This song has already been passed along by Dude Companion to some Responsible Collegiate Parents within my circle of friends. Combined with my own feelings of warmth and fondness for a couple grown up podlings and my appreciation for your skill at fine barding, this tune hits me in the feel-stones. Oooof.

BUBBA AND DAT KRAK
there's something about this time shifty-shift that makes me think of the classics. Probably because you're using some antiques in your production (YuxYux, #drumfill). But all us elderly know a thing or 3 (2, 1..) about quality...and this was so catchy! You pulled out some studio gold this round- a real top dog in a crop of tasty cream. Crushed the competition with your cha-cha. This song rules.

UNOFFICIALS

ROB of 'FOOT
All I'm going to say besides that listening to your material this contest has been a joy and a delight is that if you listen to 'Countdown to Nothing' backwards while the people in the next hotel room are {EDIT}knitting a sweater{EDIT} then it'll make you need to {EDIT}eat a ham sandwich{EDIT}.

MR. GREY
too bad this isn't official. This is my favorite and even edged out the officials which was hard because it was hard to edge out catchy by being weird. You were odd AND catchy. And yes, this was very .... Star Turtle-y in a lot of ways. But so very much YOU. :) And you know it pleased the Pi! :)

Champions Vs Shadows #1 Round 2 Reviews: Laura Marie

4 minutes & 16 seconds.  That's how long it took me to become a Laura Marie fan once I stumbled onto her BandCamp page.  I was listening to her newest album, and I was impressed from the get go, but when "Long Slow Burn" came on....I was hooked.  So as you're reading her reviews, give the song a listen, and I'm sure it won't be too long before you'll be going through her entire catalog on BandCamp.

- Spin




lauramariemusic.com@lauramariemusic - lalaontube

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1) Goodbye For Now - Jenny Katz. Strong, focused lyrics. You have something to say and it comes across clearly. Nice feeling of change moving to the chorus and to the bridge. Excellent build up to the outro. Love the use of "going, going, gone". Really well done!

2) The Dream Is Winding Down - Governing Dynamics. "Grasping for the feeling just before the feeling dies" Nice imagery! Nice build up to the chorus. The grammar in the chorus throws me a little if I'm hearing it correctly "So long away" and "You've went far enough". That's what I'm hearing. If that is what you are saying, the grammar will definitely put people off. "You're so long ago" or "So far away" may sound too ordinary but they aren't as distracting. And "you've gone far enough" would be the way to put that second line. Song structure is good. Good use of imagery.

3) Tired Of Counting Down - Bubba And The Amiable Kraken. Good song structure. Rhyme scheme was clear but, at times, felt forced to make the rhyme rather than fit a central idea. There seemed to be a theme of time but then also the theme of this "finding you" that seemed disconnected from the rest of the song. Still the style and sound was very nice and satisfying, reminiscent of the Steve Miller Band. Classic sound. It could be very sing-a-long-able and could "hit home" more if the central idea was more focused. Loved the easy going vocals and sweet backing vox.

4) 4-3-2-1 - Zoe Gray. Clever and sweet. The 4-3-2-1 gives it a sing-a-long-able quality but the rest of the chorus doesn't because each chorus changes at the end. That's not a bad thing at all. It's simply a choice but, it's something to consider if you're pushing for a sing-a-long song (Ex: When I'm gone-Anna Kendrick). Another thing to consider is that the verse and chorus have the same rhyme scheme and melody so there's not a big distinction between verse and chorus (other than lyrically)and that takes power away from the chorus. The melody, however, is quite pleasant and memorable. Lovely voice.

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Countdown To Nothing (Shadow) - Rob from Amersfoort. "Crazy business man running for President...ignorance is bliss" very engaging line! A timely commentary on the current state of affairs. Nice touch with the "ticking" in the beginning.

Off The Grid - Brian Gray.  Has a quirky Ben Folds feel that I love. The apocalypse subject matter is unique and original. Good chorus! Favorite lines in the song: "Sidestep the impending apocalypse", "Time to do the things I never did", "Other people suck". Though,  I think the lyrics in the first part of the second verse could have ended stronger. The first verse set it up very nicely. Then, 'per' and 'were' paired nicely in the rhyme scheme but "that were" wasn't as satisfying an end to that part of the verse because it wasn't as clever as the verse that came before. Just something to consider. Well done!

Champions Vs Shadows #1 Round 2 Reviews: Kirby Krackle

Early this year I somehow stumbled onto the BandCamp page of someone named Kirby Krackle.  After a mild disappointment when I realized it wasn't the side project of one of the Rice Krispy mascots, I was blown away by the music I heard.  I was reminded of someone who is very important to the history of this contest...Jonathan Coulton.  Without JoCo...without Masters Of Song Fu...there wouldn't be a SpinTunes.  So I made a mental note to myself that I needed to inquire about Kirby Krackle guest judging a round of SpinTunes.  Luckily when the time came, he was happy to participate.  As you're reading his reviews, please give the embedded song a listen (it's my favorite from his latest album), and afterwards maybe check out his website for more.

- Spin





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1. Zoe Gray “4321”: I really like this concept for a song. The “Wake Me Up When I’m Older” hook is really great going into the chorus. As a listener, I’d like to hear the chorus simplified a little bit in terms of the vocal line…that “wake me up” hook is such a good lead in that I’d like to keep being able to sing along the rest of the chorus as catchy. I enjoy the percussion leading in and would love to hear this more as an electric drums type production. Great ukulele chords all throughout, and maybe in production that can be brought down a little to make the vocal shine even more. I’d love to hear bass on this to compliment the bells and uke, too. 

Fun song, Zoe! Keep up the good work. You’ve got a great concept here and I’d love to hear it (especially the killer chorus) go next level. 

Governing Dynamics “The Dream Is Winding Down (Lucid)”: I like the drums here a lot; a kind of trip hoppy vibe that really blends well with that descending guitar line. Just a thought, dial down the distortion on the guitar. The chimey notes are killer, but the heavy guitar takes me out of it a little bit. The vocals trading off in the chorus are really appealing. I’d love to hear the vocals overlap the entire time in the verse, and keep the chorus as is with the trading off. That makes it special instead of the trading off the entire song. Just a thought! The melody is great, and the structure is very nice. I like the rock guitar coming in during the solo. 

Great stuff, guys!

Jenny Katz - “Goodbye For Now”: Very nice guitar that I think would be even more powerful without the drums. A great voice and movement, especially in the nice bridge here. I think this song could be even more powerful stripped down to just guitar and voice. Maybe bring the electric in at the end as it is here? That’s a nice way to end it. I really like your voice, Jenny!

Bubba & The Amiable Kraken - “Countdown To Nothing”: This song has really cool chords that are appealing in the Beach Boys/ Fountains Of Wayne/ Beatles kind of way. Immediately likable right off the bat for me. The shaker lends a nice vibe, and the vocals are on point. I kept waiting for drums to kick in at some point. That would keep it evolving and engaging throughout. Killer melodies, guys!

Champions Vs Shadows #1 Round 2 Reviews: Joe "Covenant" Lamb

Judging this round was very difficult...
Mainly because I don’t think anyone met the challenge particularly well.
(I should note – just because you have a ticking sound going on somewhere doesn’t automatically mean it sounds like a countdown)

Anyway - In descending order:

Jenny Katz:
Not getting *countdown* from this at all.
But it’s a wonderful song. Well played, great lyric, produced very well and vocals are wondrous.
Clear winner.

Rob From Amersfoort (Shadow):
The melody of this and the music at least gives a hint of a countdown. (The falling progression)
Lyric, not so much. But it did sound countdown-y.. sort of...

The next three were pretty close together.

Governing Dynamics:
Not getting countdown at all. Song is pretty groovy, a lot more confident vocal by Travis (I’m assuming?)
But conversely the guitar solo sounded hesitant, which was a bit of a surprise.

Zoe Gray:
Didn;t feel like a countdown. Lyrically I think I can see what it was trying to do, but it didn’t do it for me.
(Maybe I *am* too old!) Smile  Really a shame about the ukelele... (I can’t stand ukelele’s – some of you may know this!) )
Overall production was very, very good. But the song didn’t grab me.

Bubba & The Amiable Kraken:
No countdown here for me.
Can I be frank? The lyric to this was really weak.
Musically, it’s fine (Like the harmonies) but doesn;t hold much replay value for me.

Brian Gray (Shadow):
The intro to this did not set up the melody that followed it.
There is a slight fall to the melody which remotely hints at the countdown aspect – but the structure reminds me of someone trying to do JoCo. If this had been in the challenge proper, I would have placed it slap in the middle... (Yeah, in the middle of six.. YOU work it out!!)

Champions Vs Shadows #1 Round 2 Reviews: Ross Durand

Ok, the Finals!!!!! There were four  parts to this challenge: (1) Write a good song, (2) have the song be about counting down to something (3) have the music also imply counting down (4) use an appropriate collaborator.

I assume everyone's honest about #4. I don’t feel like any of the participants hit challenge #3, I think I can hear what three of you were doing to attempt the challenge, but, for me, none of those hit.

All good songs on their own terms - but I had to rank, so I did.

So if I am ranking based on only two criteria, I guess I will rank on two criteria. The rankings are very tough for me because there really are different strengths and weaknesses in each song related to the challenges and composition. Here are my reviews in the order they appeared on the band camp album.

Zoe - I like the way you use the building percussion to build tension - not sure how I feel about that implying that time is getting nearer. It is clear lyrically that you are counting down to growing up. I just got back from four weeks of summer camps (which I’ve been doing for 30 years), one of our key campfire songs is “The Circle Game” by Joni Mitchell, which has a similar theme and structure, sort of, so it is hard for me to not compare in my mind. Singing is great, but I have to admit that as a guitarist the string buzz on the ukulele is driving me nuts, especially since it is pretty prominent in the mix.

Governing Dynamics - excellent use of the guest - you guys sound great together, and the song is written to use that duet tool very well. This is my favorite song in the set, in terms of listening to for my own pleasure and such, but I am trying hard to find the part where the music is also implying the countdown (is it just the mechanical sounding drum programming?), as well as being unsure about how vague the words are along those lines - except for the countdown reference in the chorus. Is that how they get out of dreams in inception or something? You sound great on this one Travis - the Governing Dynamics sound I love.

Jenny Katz - this is very pretty, but not very interesting to me. I think the lyrical sentiment fits the lyrical part of the challenge, and the ending build seems meant to imply counting down, but somehow it comes off as more like accepting loss.

Bubba - thoroughly enjoyable - also I don’t really feel like I here the music implying a countdown. but I really like your fun changes and harmonies both the chorus and the bridge (is this the only one in the group with a bridge, need to listen again) nice build - good sentiment, love the screwed up counting in the last chorus. Probably the most skilled “composition” in the group by my preferences.

Competitor Reviews

Reviews Posted Elsewhere:
- Dave Leigh of Dr. Lindyke posted reviews.

Reviews From Rob From Amersfoort:
They are are all good songs, it is difficult to rate them. But based on how they fulfil the assignment this is my ranking:

Bubba & The Amiable Kraken - Tired Of Counting Down
There is clear counting going on. Joyful song. The music does not really imply a count down, but the other songs are missing that as well I think.

Zoe Gray - 4?-?3?-?2?-?1
Great lyrics; especially the last lines of verse 2 and 3 (“I’m still young enough to…”)! I appreciate the sparse instrumentation (reminds me of Fiona Apple).

Jenny Katz - Goodbye For Now
Poetic lyrics, beautiful song, great vocal! The small guitar bits work out very well.

Governing Dynamics - The Dream Is Winding Down (Lucid)
Another good song, love the guitar solo!

As a said before they are all good songs, but based on the countdown intensity Bubba is my winner with Zoe a close second.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Champions Vs Shadows #1 Round 2 Songs

The songs are now available for FREE download. Until after the contest is over I will only allow people to download the round 2 album as a whole. But even after that, PLEASE download the entire album vs downloading just a handful of songs while the contest is on going. BandCamp limits how many free downloads I can give away, and 1 album download counts the same as 1 song download.

Now the most important thing for you to remember this time is that YOU get to help decide the winner.  Anyone who signed up for the contest & completed a song gets to send in rankings.  It's not required, but if you want to send in reviews with your rankings, that's an added bonus everyone would appreciate.  Just send your rankings to the same e-mail you used to submit your song.



The Showdown:


(Album cover by Matt Schubbe)


- Judges, guest judges AND competitors need to turn in their reviews & rankings by August 15th 11PM (Sat).

- Reviews & scores will be posted, and the winner will be announced August 16th before 8PM (Sun).

Links Of Interest:
- We got another cover of "Today's The Day" by Inverse T. Clown.  This time it's by The Porter Draw!

Round 2 LP & Deadline News

For now you should know:
- There are 4 official entries on the album.  2 from the Champions & 2 from the Shadows.
- There are 2 shadow songs on the album as well.
- The listening party will be hosted by Tom on U-Stream tonight. Watch the Facebook group for official start times announced by Tom.  Will probably be the usual 8PM.  Dave Leigh set up a chat room we can use during the show, it's better than the one U-Stream has.

Listening Party Location: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/spintunes
http://chatwing.com/SpinTunes

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Champions Vs Shadows #1: Profiles

Time to meet your fellow competitors!  I suggest you all test out your links to make sure they are working, and if you notice anything else that's missing or wrong just let me know.  I'll fix them as soon as I can.

(Profile order is based on who sent in their round 1 song first.)

Champions!



Jenny Katz:  Won the Yale Fiction Prize as a senior (two decades ago) and intended to be a novelist but it turned out songs were the right amount of story.





LinksWebsite

R1:  Thoughts On Leaving You

R2:  Goodbye For Now (placed 3rd)



Governing Dynamics: Governing Dynamics won Spintunes 5, allegedly.






LinksWebsite - @travisnorris

R1:  Room Stop Spinning

R2:  The Dream Is Winding Down (Lucid) (placed 4th)



Matt And Donna: Matt and Donna didn't know each other growing up, but coincidentally played the same instruments as children: piano and trumpet. After learning this they found they also happen to have a lot of other things in common, and since each deemed the other to be awesome, they got married in 2008. Matt and Donna both have some training in voice and piano but prefer to willfully ignore that training and do whatever they want musically because that's fun.

LinksWebsite - @sh00bs

R1:  Reasons My Kid Is Crying

R2:  Deadline Victim



MC Ohm-I: That random rapper.







LinksWebsite - @mcohmi

R1:  Voted Out Favorite Games (DQ)

R2:


Shadows!



Bubba & The Amiable Kraken: Bubba and his new friend The Amiable Kraken are teaming up for the first time to make some music!  Bubba plays a few styles with a few bands.  This is the Kraken's first go round at music making.




LinksWebsite - @WeeklyAwesome

R1:  Bluebird

R2:  Tired Of Counting Down (runner up)



Zoe Gray: Zoe is a 14 year old singer-songwriter hailing from Pennsylvania. She's inspired by the music of the Beatles, the Decemberists, and Marina and the Diamonds, and is in the process of working on her second album, a compilation of dystopian-themed songs of the apocalypse.



LinksWebsite - @OfficialRoadRun - YouTube

R1:  Satisfaction Guaranteed

R2:  4-3-2-1 (Winner)



Hotel Rex: Hotel Rex opened for business at 10:02 pm on July 16, 2015.






Links:

R1:  Voted Out Bridge

R2:



Jutze: Singing folky pop songs like "I Wish Natalie Portman Was My Neighbour", "The Fault in The Fault in Our Stars" and "It All Makes Sense at the End", Jutze has left marks all over the internet. He's currently busy releasing 52 52-second songs throughout 2015. Jutze is not Edric Haleen. Jutze's real name is Johannes Schult. He lives in Germany and is a fan of Roxette, Richard Shindell, Dar Williams, Governing Dynamics, Blind Guardian, Joe Lamb, statistics and white chocolate.

LinksWebsite - @schult - YouTube

R1:  Voted Out Ballad Of The Emperor (DQ)

R2:



James Young: UK-based songwriter and home recording enthusiast. One third of rock bands AvidFan and Good Guy Sôjàbé. SpinTunes 9 finalist.





Links@avidfanman

R1:  Sandcastles

R2:  Deadline Victim



Rob From Amersfoort: Although born one year after their break-up I grew up listening to The Beatles. I like to be creative, that's why I write and record music. I call my music PRIP (post-retro indie-pop); catchy, acoustic-electric slightly psycho/experimental songs with personal lyrics and lots of backing vocals. I don't like dull & boring so that's why most of my songs tend to be short.

LinksWebsite - YouTube

R1:  Voted Out Dream House

R2:  Countdown To Nothing (Shadow)



Brian Gray: If you don’t know me by now, you will never, never, never know me.






LinksWebsite - @BrianGrayMusic - YouTube

R1:  Voted Out I'll Do It Myself

R2:  Off The Grid (Shadow)



The Boffo Yux Dudes: Mesmerizing artists of unassailable virtue and prominence. We do fart jokes as well. Since 2009, Allan Morgan and Tom Giarrosso reformed BYD with the thought of them actually being able to see the sunlight once again. In that quest, they failed miserably. Now you get to hear them twang on things in public. Scott Mercer also adds his mirth and merriment as he coordinates the jiggerypokery stuff. Record holder of most shadow songs submitted. We've been in all these damn things!

LinksWebsite - @BoffoYuxDudes - YouTube

R1:  Voted Out My Tiny House Is Too Tiny

R2:



Dr. Lindyke:  I'm supposed to give a brief description of myself in 500 CHARACTERS or less. I can do it in two: Dave Leigh & William Hoover. Dave communicates by computer; William by Pony Express and smoke signals. Together I speak in singular first person.



LinksWebsite - @dr_lindyke - YouTube

R1:  Voted Out Day After Day

R2:



Pigfarmer Jr: I wrote a song once. I'd like to do it again.







Links@TheDailyPrompt

R1:  Voted Out River Of Tears

R2:



Trader Jack: Singer songwriter with no food allergies. I can order literally anything.






LinksWebsite - YouTube

R1:  Voted Out Building

R2:



Ben Taggart: I'm a software engineer that loves music.  I have decided that I have music to share.  Time will tell if I am right, or if any of it is any good.





Links@glikker

R1:  Deadline Victim Building Me (Shadow)

R2:

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Champions Vs Shadows #1: Round 2 Challenge

Tick Tock - Write a song in which you're counting down to something.  Musically the song should imply that time is getting nearer to whatever you're counting down to as well.  Once again...avoid going meta.  As an added challenge, you need to collaborate with someone else on your team.  (2 minute minimum length) (your submission is due Sunday, August 9th 11:59PM)


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Submitting Entries:- Entries must be received by the given deadline. Otherwise it'll be posted as a shadow. Received means that it has to appear in my e-mail inbox by the given deadline. I will be going by the time stamp on the e-mail in my inbox. PLEASE do not wait until the last hour to send me something. If there is a blackout in your area, your computer crashes, or your dog actually eats your thumb drive...I will not care. You are allowed to send in a draft of your song early just in case something horrible happens & you miss the deadline. Then you can add polish to your song & send in a better version closer to the deadline. 1 minute late is still late, people.


- Send your file in a format that Bandcamp accepts. (.aiff, .wav or .flac) (at least 16-bit/44.1kHz) You can find the specific requirements for Bandcamp files HERE.

- Name your file the song's title, but without spaces & punctuation.

- Title of the e-mail should be the title of the Challenge & your band's name.

- Include the song lyrics in the body of the e-mail. (If your song doesn't have lyrics...consider yourself eliminated. Instrumentals can be pretty, but SpinTunes does require lyrics.)

- Include information on anyone that needs credited if you collabed with someone.

- If you have a BandCamp account, you can just send me a link to your song on BandCamp if you include all the info I mentioned above. Make sure you have it set as a free download, and have it set so that I don't have to put in an e-mail to download it if you pick this option. THIS IS THE BEST FILE SHARING OPTION!

- Other file sharing options if you need them: Sound Cloud (set to download a format BandCamp is ok with) & Drop Box. Please send an e-mail as I already stated, but with the download link if you need one of these services. Please follow directions so your file doesn't wind up in my spam or trash folder accidentally.

Side Notes:

- Remember that you are allowed to send in a little background about your song. Some people don't like to do that, and you don't have to, but if you want to write a couple sentences about your song I'll post it on the BandCamp page for people to see. Some judges will look at the lyrics & this extra info, but they aren't required to.

- If you didn't sign-up in time to compete in Champions Vs Shadows, you can still complete one of the challenges & send in a song. It'll be uploaded with the other entries as a "Shadow Song". Check the FAQ if you don't know what that means. You can even complete past challenges from previous contests.

- The only other way to get your music played at the LP is to cover "Today's The Day" by Inverse T. Clown.

- Feel free to leave any questions in the comments.

Champions Vs Shadows #1: Round 1 Totals

Here are the links to your reviews:

Official Judges:


Guest Judges: Edric Haleen
Alternate Judge's Review: N/A

Competitor Reviews: HERE

You can listen to all the wonderful songs from this round by checking out the free album HERE & HERE.

Unfortunately we had 2 disqualifications this time.  Jutze was DQ'ed for not reaching the 2 minute minimum, and MC Ohm-I was DQ'ed for not having enough original music.  3 other names were brought up as possibilities for DQ.  Mostly cause some songs weren't really about building something, but rather something that was already built.  In the end, we let those slide.  But be careful to make sure your song isn't just inspired by the challenge, but that it actually MEETS it.


FYI, the DQ's got moved to the bottom of everyone's rankings.  Also, the judges rankings are public, but the competitor rankings aren't unless they make them public elsewhere.  

Feel free to check for mistakes in my math...as always.  The names in bold are moving on to the finals.  But even if you're not a finalist...you might be able to still help your team.  Read the final challenge later tonight for more details...

Champions:
(Joe - Cherry - Ross - 
Edric - Rob From Amersfoort - The Boffo Yux Dudes - Brian Gray - Hotel Rex - Bubba & The Amiable Kraken - Pigfarmer Jr - Jutze - James Young - Dr. Lindyke)
Jenny Katz - 4 - 4 - 4 - 3 - 4 - 3 - 4 - 3 - 3 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 (52)
Matt & Donna - 3 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 2 - 2 - 4 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 3 - 3 (37)
Governing Dynamics - 2 - 3 - 3 - 4 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 2 - 3 - 3 - 2 - 2 - 2 (37)
MC Ohm-I - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - (14)

Popular (12 Votes)
4  Jenny Katz (5)
3  Matt & Donna (4)
2  Governing Dynamics (2)
1  MC Ohm-I (1)

Joe
4  Jenny Katz
3  Governing Dynamics
2  Matt & Donna
1  MC Ohm-I

Cherry
4  Jenny Katz
3  Governing Dynamics
2  Matt & Donna
1  MC Ohm-I

Ross
4  Governing Dynamics
3  Jenny Katz
2  Matt & Donna
1  MC Ohm-I

Edric
4  Jenny Katz
3  Matt & Donna
2  Governing Dynamics
1  MC Ohm-I

Shadows:
(Joe - Cherry - Ross - Edric - Jenny Katz - Matt & Donna - Governing Dynamics)
Zoe Gray - 10 - 3 - 9 - 7 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 11 (70)
James Young - 8 - 10 - 6 - 11 - 10 - 7 - 10 - 6 (68)
Bubba & The Amiable Kraken - 9 - 8 - 4 - 9 - 7 - 11 - 7 - 10 (65)
Brian Gray - 11 - 6 - 10 - 10 - 4 - 4 - 9 - 9 (63)
Dr. Lindyke - 7 - 11 - 3 - 4 - 6 - 5 - 8 - 9 (53)
Rob From Amersfoort - 4 - 7 - 11 - 8 - 3 - 8 - 6 - 4 (51)
Pigfarmer Jr - 6 - 9 - 7 - 3 - 11 - 3 - 4 - 4 (47)
Hotel Rex - 5 - 4 - 8 - 5 - 5 - 9 - 3 - 4 (43)
The Boffo Yux Dudes - 3 - 2 - 5 - 6 - 8 - 6 - 5 - 7 (42)
Trader Jack - 2 - 5 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 (21)
Jutze - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 6 (13)

Popular (15 Votes)
11 Zoe Gray (10)
10 Bubba & The Amiable Kraken (6)
9  Brian Gray (4)
9  Dr. Lindyke (4)
7  The Boffo Yux Dudes (3)
6  Jutze (2)
6  James Young (2)
4  Hotel Rex (0)
4  Rob From Amersfoort (0)
4  Pigfarmer Jr (0)
4  Trader Jack (0)

Joe
11 Dr. Lindyke
10 James Young
9  Pigfarmer Jr
8  Bubba & The Amiable Kraken
7  Rob From Amersfoort
6  Brian Gray
5  Trader Jack
4  Hotel Rex
3  Zoe Gray
2  The Boffo Yux Dudes
1  Jutze

Cherry
11 Rob From Amersfoort
10 Brian Gray
9  Zoe Gray
8  Hotel Rex
7  Pigfarmer Jr
6  James Young
5  The Boffo Yux Dudes
4  Bubba & The Amiable Kraken
3  Dr. Lindyke
2  Trader Jack
1  Jutze

Ross
11 James Young
10 Brian Gray
9  Bubba & The Amiable Kraken
8  Rob From Amersfoort
7  Zoe Gray
6  The Boffo Yux Dudes
5  Hotel Rex
4  Dr. Lindyke
3  Pigfarmer Jr
2  Trader Jack
1  Jutze

Edric
11 Brian Gray
10 Zoe Gray
9  Bubba & The Amiable Kraken
8  James Young
7  Dr. Lindyke
6  Pigfarmer Jr
5  Hotel Rex
4  Rob From Amersfoort
3  The Boffo Yux Dudes
2  Trader Jack
1  Jutze