Time left




Saturday, May 26, 2018

SpinTunes #14 Winner - MICAH SOMMERSMITH!



Winner: Micah Sommersmith (29 points)

Runner Up: Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken (34 points)
3rd: Temnere (44 points)
4th: Megalodon (46 points)


CONGRATULATIONS, MICAH SOMMERSMITH!
Congratulations on a job well done, and you are extended an invitation to judge SpinTunes #15 this fall! Your theme song will be used to introduce each Listening Party in that competition!





Rankings (small numbers are good!)
Micah Sommersmith: (1 + 1 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 1) = 26 
Bubba & TNLAK: (4 + 2 + 1 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3) = 34 
Temnere: (2 + 3 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 4 + 2) = 44 
Megalodon: (3 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 3 + 4) = 46

Votes were cast by*
Edric Haleen - Megalodon - Temnere - Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken - Ominous Ride - Jordan Carroll - Micah Sommersmith - Governing Dynamics - Menage a Tune - Heather Zink - ShyFox - Bobby Matheson - Boy on the Wall - Glen Raphael - Riker's Island

* votes are private so the order of both these names and the scores were scrambled.


Judges' Rankings:

Artist Jerkatorium Paul Tom Allan Dave Travis Total
Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken 1 1 1 1 2 3 9
Micah Sommersmith 2 2 2 2 1 1 10
Temnere 4 4 3 3 4 2 20
Megalodon 3 3 4 4 3 4 21











ST14R4 Reviews - Dave Leigh

This was haaaaaard....

I changed my mind a lot. Naturally, I had my own preconceptions coming into the round (full disclosure: I've already written a theme), and this challenge has been bouncing around in our suggestion box since before I took over. But the judges like the challenge, and after much thought, so do I. Cons of the challenge include replayability... but that's exactly what we're looking for! It has to be played at the start of each show, so it better hold up to repeated listens. Another con is that it could be perceived as self-serving. Well... sure it could. But presumably we're all playing this game because we like it. Besides... we didn't float the challenge until I already wrote a theme (so it's not because we need it, but to open it up for group participation).

But the challenge isn't what made this hard. It's the entries. Every single one of them deserves to be played in future listening parties, and I'm happy to say that after SpinTunes 15, they will.

Well done, all!


Micah Sommersmith - The Tunes are Spinning
This was the hardest for me to get behind. And then it just kept being an earworm. And when juggling these songs around repeatedly, it just kept moving upward. The lyrics are clever, with a great deal of specificity, and also just the right amount of ambiguity (in case Tom needs to move the listening party to another time or day). Plus the fact that it's just a really nice, catchy, quirky theme that seems to capture the eclectic mix of our participants. So... number one it is.

Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken - Listening Party Theme
This one is my hands-down favorite when Micah's isn't. Seriously, there's about zero-point-zero-zero-one percent difference in ranking between this and Micah's entry for me. It's catchy, it's got specificity, and I absolutely love the "Get to the point, Tom!" line. It's also short and sweet after the instrumental break... just a repeat of the chorus and the show starts. When all was said and done, the separator here for me was that it's slightly too specific as to the time and day of the show, and that could limit it in the future.

Megalodon - STLIP-15
Things that I like about this most... you get to the point right up front. You're introducing a show, so it's nice to know when the pre-show ends and the show begins. I think you've got a good intuitive handle on that. It's not as lyrically dense as the higher entries, but this is still really impressive.

Temnere - Saturday Morning SpinTunes
I've been most impressed with the solid consistency of your entries this whole contest. We know your style, we know where you're going to go, and you go there. Bam! The reason that this lands behind the entries for me has to do with the feedback I gave Megalodon. You're introducing a show, so it's important to solidly break from whatever was previously playing. And here it takes right at a minute into a 2-minute song before you introduce us to the contest. That's not horrible... there's no criticism I could give that wouldn't overstate the difference in quality between these entries. Fantastic job!


SHADOWS

Glen Raphael - SpinTunes Listening Party
Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! You Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! did Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! this Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! to Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! me! Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! You Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! made Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! me Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! hear Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! this Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! even Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! in Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! my Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! sleep! Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! Darn Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! you Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! to Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! heck! Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! Ba-duh-pah-te-bum! Ba-duh-pah-te-bum!...

Menage a Tune - SpinTunes
Nice and bouncy. I'd say that the second verse needs to be moved down a bit closer to the instrumental break. It's a good intro, so you should just hand it off to Tom for his voiceover without the "write a shadow" portion in the way. IOW, I'd reverse those. Musically, really commit to the shouting. If you're going to shout, SHOUT! And both of you do it, and layer it. Nice shadow! 

Menage a Tune - TailSpinTunes
It's a filk, and the tune's unoriginal, but you already know that. But it's a nice way of showing the same lyrics set to a completely different tune.


ST14R4 Reviews - Paul Rosenbluth

Paul's reviews will be coming soon. In the meantime, here are his rankings:

Order
Artist/Song
1
Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken - Listening Party Theme 02:13
2
Micah Sommersmith - The Tunes are Spinning 02:06
3
Megalodon - STLIP-15 01:45
4
Temnere - Saturday Morning Spintunes 01:59
5
Glen Raphael - Spintunes Listening Party (SHADOW) 02:17
6
Menage a Tune - Spintunes (SHADOW) 02:22
7
TailSpinTunes 01:12

ST14R4 Reviews - Jerkatorium

As before, Jerkatorium's reviews will appear in PODCAST form at https://twojerksonevote.com/. They inform me (Dave) that it was verrrry close (and I'm sure you'll hear about that in the podcast!) 

Here are their rankings:
  1. Kraken
  2. Micah 
  3. Megalodon 
  4. Temnere

Podcast:


You can directly download the mp3

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
05:20 Micah Summersmith - The Tunes are Spinning
12:00 Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken - Listening Party Theme
18:19 Megalodon - STLIP-15
23:00 Tenmere - Saturday Morning SpinTunes
28:15 Glen Raphael - Spintunes Listening Party (SHADOW)
32:19 Menage a Tune - Spintunes (SHADOW)
36:23 TailSpinTunes (SHADOW)
38:55 Rankings
49:41 Wrap-up

ST14R4 Reviews - Tom Giarrosso

(Dave's note: Tom is travelling today, so he sent me these reviews from his car somewhere near Toledo, Ohio)

First thoughts- I loved all of these songs, and will literally be using them for future listening parties.

I’m on the road with just my phone, so here are some abrevaited notes on the tunes

Bubba- 
loved the 70’s feel. Instrumental was just the right length, and the retort just put you over the top. 

Micah-
awesome bubbly tune, with lots of history. Well done!

Megalodon-
nice and meta. I liked the self referential lyrics. 

Temnere-
a hard rockin theme that works great! 

Glen-
I love the multiple versions. Definitely a catchy bed to talk over

Ménage-
bouncy tune for a bouncy LP. And a spare one as a samba/conga line!


Good luck to everyone, and thanks for making some totally amazing tunes for ST14!

ST14R4 Reviews - Travis Langworthy (Guest Judge)

Before I get going, I just want to say that everyone has done great to get this far.  I don’t run the contest anymore, but I do listen in & enjoy it as a fan now.  Like the competitors, the judges have done a wonderful job, and I’m thankful for their time & efforts throughout.  HOWEVER!  When I heard what the round 4 challenge was, I was not thrilled.  I thought it was a bad challenge for multiple reasons.

  1. It seems too self serving.  I’d have been worried that newer SpinTuners & possible future SpinTuners would see this as someone just trying to get a free theme song with the challenge & nothing else.  I’d thought of this challenge before, and that’s exactly why I never did it.  I’m sure that’s not the only reason this was selected as a challenge, but again...bad optics in my opinion.
  2. The final challenge in past SpinTunes has been a lot more interesting or challenging than this one.
  3. It’s bound to create an album of songs that will have little replay value other than being played at the SpinTunes listening party.

I’m not trying to throw all the judges under the bus for this one bad challenge though.  Hell, I ok’ed the worst challenges ever (Sad song about birth).  I also ok’ed a challenge that I knew would have little replay value (jingle challenge).  So yeah, everyone makes a bad call from time to time, and I just thought this was one of them.  Oh, and maybe link to the examples mentioned in the challenge considering both aren’t exactly well known.  Enough time talking about the challenge... onto the songs.


Micah Sommersmith - The Tunes Are Spinning
I was at the listening party, and while this was playing I couldn’t think of anything good to say aside from the fact that I love accordion.  AFTER the listening party I listened to everything again on BandCamp and it sounded so much better.  The audio quality on YouTube really sucked I guess, because I didn’t have any major issues with this song.  The lyrics got the point across in a catchy humorous way.  You had the break in there.  Thought it was sang well enough, and did I mention I love accordion?

Because I feel the need to nitpick there are a couple things I felt could have been better.  I enjoyed the build up for Tom, but the line “I’d tell you more, but I think he might be onto me” feels off.  I mean I get he’s about to have to judge you, and it’s a joke about your sucking up to him with this song.  But in future contests, he won’t be judging you... and this is a theme song for future contests.  So it didn’t feel like a good choice.

The other small issue I had was with the line “Rhymes so sick you’ll need to take a couple days off ”.  I actually LOVE the line, but you rhymed it with “face off”.  Not exactly a sick rhyme. ;p

But like I said...nitpicky because overall I really enjoyed the song, and if this wins, I’d say it was deserved.

Megalodon - STLIP-15
Creative title…  Again this sounds way better on Bandcamp than it did on YouTube.  The first thing that jumps out at me is the fact that “Spintunes Listening Party” is too much of a mouthful to be catchy.  Should have just went with “SpinTunes”, cause I don’t think “Listening Party” needs to be forced into the theme.  Something like “Welcome to SpinTunes” could be worked into the lyrics easier & people would still know it’s the listening parties theme. 
Really enjoyed the instrumental section, and the music throughout was really catchy so nice work there.  Lyrically I don’t always mesh with Megalodon, but I think you did a really good job aside from the chorus.  Vocals, performance...I just really liked everything other than your chorus.  Solid entry, you got a shot.

Temnere - Saturday Morning SpinTunes
I wasn’t really sure how your sound would translate into a theme song, but it turns out pretty well.  There are parts that I listened to without the lyrics in front of me, and I swear I couldn’t make out what was being said.  But when I had the lyrics in front of me I was like, “Oh yeah, I hear that now.”  Not sure if that’s just me, or if the vocals need brought up a little or what.  “where war's fought mind to mind” was probably the line that got me most. 
You definitely make the contest sound pretty badass, and you do it while laying out exactly how the contest works.  Honestly I don’t think anyone could have done a better job of making it sound so epic.  Up until the line “set your mark and write the perfect tune” the song could’ve been about something completely different...yet it still fits SpinTunes.  I don’t know what else to say other than well done, and you’re probably getting my top vote.

Bubba And The No Longer Amiable Kraken - Listening Party Theme
Another nice title…  Dang, another I could see winning.  Obviously I’m going to have a favorite, but I see all 4 having a legit shot at winning.  You did a better job of making “SpinTunes Listening Party” catchy than Megalodon did, but I know less about SpinTunes from listening to your theme vs the others I think. 
No question you got a bouncy feel that honestly suits what I personally envisioned for a theme more so than the others.  The production was good, vocals good, just wish you could have worked in a little more detail about the contest.  Also, what happens if Tom changes the time or day for the listening party? ;p

Glen Raphael - SpinTunes Listening Party (Shadow)
Acapella is a bold choice.  I think in parts it turned out great, and in other parts it felt like a “wall of sound” which I think is how you put it in the chat room?  And really those moments come so close together, there’s a fine line that you seemed to step back & forth across multiple times.  Lyrically it’s a bit sparse in terms of detail about the contest.  It was certainly fun to listen to, and I always love getting shadows, but I think it’s where it belongs this round when compared to the actual entries.

Rankings:

  1. Micah
  2. Temnere
  3. Bubba
  4. Mega


SpinTunes #14 Round 4 Songs

Here they are!

https://spintunes.bandcamp.com/album/spintunes-14-round-4














Monday, May 21, 2018

SpinTunes 14 Round 4 Deadline News

Congratulations to all those who made the deadline! Those that didn't are shadows.

For now you should know:
  • There are 4 official entries.
  • There are 2 shadows.
  • There were no deadline eliminations.
  • Remember...shadows are never late.  If you got a finished or near finished song...you can still send it in.
This round it's the SpinTunes 14 COMPETITORS who will rank the entries! Remember, if you've had a qualifying entry in SpinTunes 14, even if you were eliminated in round 1, you are now a judge! After listening, send your rankings to spintunescontest@gmail.com

Listening Party Location:
  • 9 pm Monday, 21 May 2018 



Deadline Eliminations:
  • None! Congratulations!

Saturday, May 12, 2018

SpinTunes #14 Round 4 Challenge

It's Round 4, so lets get professional!
Welcome to the Show: Write a theme song to introduce the SpinTunes Listening Party.
The winning entry will be played at the beginning of each SpinTunes #15 listening party. This round's entries must be between one and three minutes long and must include an instrumental portion of approximately 20 seconds over which Tom can talk for introductory purposes (don't worry about adjusting the volume).
Examples? There's the JoeShow theme song, or you could listen to the theme created by Jerkatorium for their judging podcasts.


Submitting Entries:

  • Your entry must be received by May 20, 2018 @ 11:59 PM EDTOtherwise it'll be posted as a shadow. Received means that it has to appear in my e-mail inbox (spintunescontest@gmail.com) by the given deadline. I will be going by the time stamp on the e-mail. One minute late is too late.
  • You are allowed and encouraged to submit a draft of your song early just in case something horrible happens and you miss the deadline. Then you can add polish to your song and send in a better version closer to the deadline. The last version received prior to the deadline is your official entry. 
  • Lyrics are mandatory. No instrumentals. Having no lyrics will get you disqualified.
  • Name your file your bandname and the song's title.
  • Title of the e-mail should be your band's name & the title of the Challenge. (e.g. "Dr Lindyke - Welcome to the Show")
  • Include information on anyone that needs credited if you collabed with someone. Remember, collaborations are OK. You must write your song, but if you want to use another vocalist or musicians, do so. 
  • 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. 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. 
  • If you're using something other than Bandcamp, It's best if you 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.
  • If you send me an MP3, I will attempt to convert it for you. But be warned... I will be strapped for time, and I will post whatever Audacity spits out of the conversion. So if you picked the wrong sample rate, your dulcet tones may wind up sounding like termites or chipmunks or random static. And that is what will be judged. So please... save and submit your files in the right format. 


  • Side Notes:
    • You are allowed to send in a little background about your song. We encourage and appreciate "song bios". You don't have to do it, but if you want to write a couple sentences about your song I'll post it on the BandCamp page for people to see. I'll even link to longer blog posts if you want to explain your song on your blog. Some judges will read this extra info, but they aren't required to.
    • If you didn't sign-up in time to compete in SpinTunes 14, you can still complete the challenge and send in a song. It will be uploaded with the other entries as a "Shadow Song" and it will be played at the listening party. 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.

    SpinTunes #14 Round 3 Results

    Surprise! It's Dave! When checking the schedule, I forgot about the magic of Time Travel. So you'll be reading this 13 hours before it was written. Or something like that. All I know is it's going to be 9:30 am all the way home... ;)

    UPDATE AND CORRECTION:
     The standings as previously posted were incorrect. Tom's reviews were in album order rather than his ranked order (which were posted with the reviews). The corrected numbers are below. and the remainder of the post has been likewise corrected.

    Thanks to Edric Haleen, who brought this to my attention very early... although (being on a plane) I couldn't do anything about it until now. Note that it is MICAH SOMMERSMITH who takes fourth place and moves on to Round 4.
      


    So Round 4 has been judged! We have results, and they are as follows:

    Artist Jerkatorium Paul Tom Allan Dave Total
    Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken 4 2 2 6 1 15
    Temnere 1 5 1 4 5 16
    Megalodon 5 1 7 2 2 17
    Micah Sommersmith 2 7 5 5 7 26
    Edric Haleen 3 8 6 7 3 27
    Governing Dynamics 6 6 3 8 6 29
    Glen Raphael 9 4 8 1 9 31
    Boy on the Wall 7 3 9 9 4 32
    Jordan Carroll 8 9 4 3 8 32

    The top 4 move on to the FINAL ROUND. The rest of you, please shadow, in case the front runners flake out. You still have a shot at winning this!

    The tie for last place is resolved resolved in submission order. So Boy on the Wall gets 8th place. (which could be significant if there needs to be a reinstatement)

    Awesome job, everyone! Can't wait to see what you do with the next challenge!


    ST14R3 Reviews - Jerkatorium

    As before, Jerkatoriums reviews will appear in PODCAST form at https://twojerksonevote.com/, but to tide you over until they appear, they dropped of this note:

    Judging suuuuucked again this round.  Again we don't think anyone should be eliminated, but our reluctant rankings are below in order of preference (1 = favorite, 9 = least favorite):
    1. Temnere 
    2. Micah Sommersmith
    3. Edric Haleen
    4. Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken
    5. Megladon
    6. Governing Dynamics
    7. Boy On The Wall
    8. Jordan Carroll
    9. Glen Raphael
    Podcast:

    You can directly download the mp3
    And of course you can send comments to feedback@twojerksonevote.com

    Here are the timestamps:
    10:17 Temnere - Revolution
    16:31 Edric Haleen - With You
    22:31 Micah Sommersmith - I Sing For Clara
    26:48 Governing Dynamics - 45
    33:22 Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken - Revolutionary Love
    36:52 Megalodon - Magpie
    41:29 Boy on the Wall - Yesterday
    47:09 Jordan Carroll - Work It
    53:50 Glen Raphael - Yippee Ki-Yay
    59:38 Dr. Lindyke - Far Away feat Heather Zink (SHADOW)
    01:01:57 Boffo Yux Dudes - Siren (SHADOW)
    01:04:43 Boffo Yux Dudes - Ode To Marcel (SHADOW)
    01:05:14 Menage a Tune - Springtime Promenade (SHADOW)
    01:06:53 Jerkatorium - Today’s The Day (COVER)
    01:09:23 Final comments/shout-outs

    ST14R3 Reviews - Paul Rosenbluth


    I was really hoping we would do this challenge and I really like what you all did with it.  With every challenge I am always hoping for a song that meets the challenge but also transcends it and becomes a song I would want in my favorites playlist regardless of the challenge.  Several songs met that mark for me.  Quality work for all and my thanks for all or your creativity and effort!


    Megalodon - Magpie
    I found this work quite intriguing.  A respectable homage to the very recognizable classical inspiration with an almost “Hotel California” flavor with the intro guitar and then we get the very catchy chorus which makes it completely Megalodon.  Really intelligent lyrics.  Incredibly creative and excellent performance value instrumentally.  A very well delivered piece. 

    Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken - Revolutionary Love
    Another fine example true to the challenge.  Song stands on its own without knowing it had a classical inspiration.  I really like the way the song starts musical with a very catchy “bouncy” melody and rhythm.  The “this is bizarre” stanza seems a little disjointed from the rest of the track but I think that of a lot of great songs I end up loving, so never mind, forget I said that, personal quirk.  Great work! 

    Boy on the Wall - Yesterday
    Man, this really works on all levels.  The classical motifs are so incredibly relevant.  Thoughtful yet simple lyrically but it’s the music that drives this one for me.  I could listen to that supporting bass line with the active melody work in a song twice as long.  Musically this could be a ten plus minute jazz improv piece I could get lost in.  Such a tease.  Most excellent!

    Glen Raphael - Yippee Ki-Yay
    Okay, this was certainly a giggle.  Very creative and well-constructed to be sure.  Props for working in “defenestrate.”  I want to believe this was a call to the line “Karl, Schieß dem Fenster” (which of course is grammatically incorrect and mistranslated as “shoot the glass” in the movie).  This song was definitely all about the lyrics and quite entertaining on that note alone.  Lots of smiles indeed.  Well done.

    Temnere – Revolution
    I like the way this song starts with an ominous tone befitting Beethoven and then launches into the rapid percussion, driving, hard-rock style I would expect from a Temnere track.  Loved the lyrics and rhythm especially in the couplet lines before the chorus which has a nice hard rock anthem style.  Excellent lyrics and executed musically very well.  A solid, quality song.  Very nicely done!

    Governing Dynamics - Forty-Five
    This is a really fine example of what I was hoping for in this challenge.  If you didn’t know this was inspired by a classical piece it would stand alone as is.  Gee, I wonder who this song could be about?  No points off for that though.  Veiled political polemic certainly has its place.  A very well crafted and executed song.  Great work!

    Micah Sommersmith - I Sing for Clara
    I really liked your take on this, telling the story inspired by the music as an homage to the subject.  For me you did justice to the lament of the story (lost opportunities, etc) but gave it a feeling of hope for the future if we will study the shortcomings of the past and commit to do and be better.  A very nice treating of the musical idea with thoughtful, reflective lyrics.  Very well done.

    Edric Haleen - With You
    Really enjoyed this one.  Loved the foundation of the classical melody overlaid with the listful, longing vocal.  This could easily be an aria in a Broadway musical.  Beautiful lyrics and emotion.  Really excellent work.

    Menage a Tune - Springtime Promenade (SHADOW)
    A nice contemporary spin on a classical melody.  Nice uplifting lyrics and well-delivered.

    Dr. Lindyke - Far Away ft. Heather Zink (SHADOW)
    So this begs the question, was “Mack the Knife” based on “The Beautiful Blue Danube?”  An entertaining little number but definitely can’t get past hearing “Mack the Knife” to give this propers.  As always, excellent craftsmanship and performance. 

    Jerkatorium - Today's the Day (cover)
    A quality cover. 

    Jordan Carroll - Work It (ft. Natalie Carroll)
    I thought the lyrics were very creative.  Musically I was hoping for the underlying inspiration to create something new and I’m not sure I got that from this.  I liked the perhaps unintentional irony of a dulcet, rather proper, vocal issuing graphic street-style dictums.  The interjected spoken lines suggested a whole 50 shades of Mozart thing but overall I think the star was Mozart and not Jordan Carroll and I really wanted Jordan Carroll to be the star!  I think this was a fair and fine entry for this challenge.  Creative and well executed!

    Boffo Yux Dudes - Sirens (SHADOW)
    Good, creative story-telling lyrics.  Curious to know how the music inspired the storyline.  Would have never put Jason and Pachelbel together.  A good entry.

    Boffo Yux Dudes - Ode to Marcel (SHADOW)
    I’m not sure Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” meets the year cutoff in the challenge. 




    ST14R3 Reviews - Allan Morgan

    Allan gets straight to the point:


    Glen Raphael - Ki-Yay
    Score: 9 Ranking: 1
    Was wondering if "Ode To Joy" would show up.  This is prettier than it has any right to be, especially for a "Die Hard" tribute.  Defenestrate, hah!  Show off.  I probably laughed harder at "Even if you are a Jew" than I should have.  Oh, you're good.

    Megalodon - Magpie
    Score: 9 Ranking: 2
    Nice incorporation of the challenge, good arrangement, a very pleasant song about hoarding, who'd'a thunk it?  Lovely mandolin (?) work takes you up a notch.

    Jordan Carroll (ft. Natalie Carroll) - Work It
    Score: 8.5 Ranking: 3
    I love the sheer chutzpah of imagining this tune as a dancefloor boast.  Nice job wielding the vernacular from my middle-aged dad perspective.  Smart, fun, if you kicked the production up a notch or two it'd be a monster.

    Tenmere - Revolution
    Score: 8.5 Ranking: 4
    A toe-tapper!  Gonna play this at D&D tonight.

    Micah Sommersmith - I Sing for Clara
      Score: 8 Ranking: 5
    Well-performed and arranged, though the main vocal can be a bit wobbly at times.  Nice squeezebox!  In this #MeToo moment in history, this tribute to an overshadowed composer feels timely and touching.

    Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken - Revolutionary Love
    Score: 7.5 Ranking: 6
    Despite the name of the act, quite amiable, actually.  

    Edric Haleen - With You
    Score: 7 Ranking: 7
    A bit generic, TBH.  A nice, heartfelt performance, as usual, and completely professional, just really nothing to make it stand out.

    Governing Dynamics - Forty-Five
      Score: 7 Ranking: 8
    I applaud the sentiment, no question, and like the guitar work.  The song itself doesn't leap out at me, though.  

    Boy on the Wall - Yesterday
    Score: 7 Ranking: 9
    Pleasant enough, but a bit light lyrically.  As a purveyor of cheesy synth patches, game recognize game.


    SHADOWS

    Dr. Lindyke - Far Away ft. Heather Zink (SHADOW)
    Oh, Jesus, I'm going to have to compliment Dave now, won't I?  Fine.  Very enjoyable, well-written, performed, sung by both leads, great concept, Dave's Dino (or it it Tony?) impression is classic, yadda yadda yadda...will you untie me now?
    (Dave's note: It was Dino... from the Flintstones. And no, not until you sign the Power of Attorney)

    Boffo Yux Dudes - Sirens (SHADOW)
    Being exhausted paradoxically allowed me to loosen up a bit and deliver a more relaxed and assured production (albeit a bit basic; thank God Tom was there to flavor things up), IMHO.  Yeah, it's still BYD.  But at least we covered the BYD Brain Wall with some wallpaper.

    Boffo Yux Dudes - Ode to Marcel (SHADOW) 




    Menage a Tune - Springtime Promenade (SHADOW)
    This song is perfectly timed, as we are finishing up our annual week of spring here in Chicago.  Good use of the challenge, love the syncopation.  Very pleasant and well-done.

    Jerkatorium - Today's the Day (cover)
    I do not understand the obsession with this song, but I like this version.  Good power-pop with great squelchy synth sounds.

    ST14R3 Reviews - Dave Leigh

    ROUND 3! Awesome challenge, awesome responses! I'm in Thailand business this week, so I got a lot of listening done while winding down after work.

    When ranking these, I had a number of things in mind. First, that the classical tune was recognizable. Also, that all of the aspects of the challenge were met, including the fact that we asked for a contemporary song. To me this means that the work should be significantly transformative. I wasn't looking for you to set words to the tune as-written. Rather, it's taking the tune and making it your own. I also considered whether it was a "qualifying tune"... that is, did it meet the time and genre constraints we placed on it. If it was written on or after January 1st, 1900 it would be immediately disqualified. Beyond that, it's all personal taste and listenability, folks. I did listen to the original composition and the submission.

    I should point out that I don't like eliminating any of these competitors. But it's a game, and games have rules. As in Highlander, There Can Be Only One.


    Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken - Revolutionary Love
    based on: Etude Op. 10, No. 12 in C Minor, by Frederic Chopin (aka "Revolutionary")
    Before even listening, I had to laugh at the pun in your title, as Chopin's piece is commonly called by the title "Revolutionary". And this is a brilliant adaptation. We wanted classical, and you picked a genre-defining piece by Chopin, no less. We wanted it recognizable, and you included one of the most recognizable keyboard arpeggios in all of Western music. We wanted contemporary, so you gave it a drum-machine beat and squashy synth for a danceable, club-worthy song, as well as a nice repackaging of the tune itself.
    I love the easy listenability, the lyrical humor, and the excellent balance of the classical tune with the contemporary aspect of the challenge. And way to hold a note! You go, boy! As far as I'm concerned, this knocks it out of the park.

    Megalodon - Magpie
    based on: Hungarian Dance No. 5, by Johannes Brahms
    I love this for all the same reasons as I love Bubba's number (with suitable allowances for instrumentation). Only personal preference separates them, and then mostly because Bubba picked a harder tune to adapt. The varied string instruments in Magpie grab me instantly. Lyrically, there are some really fun rhymes in here. Some of the figures make for some light-hearted transitions, and that's just what I needed to hear this week.
    Fun fact: my sister actually has a collection of dolls with missing heads. I swear it on my mother's eyes. So if Edric wants to know why you're ranked higher than him, he can stop wondering. You have better spies.

    Edric Haleen - With You
    based on: the second (“Largo”) section of Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, by Antonín Dvořák
    You tear-jerker, you.

    Boy on the Wall
     - Yesterday

    based on: Pavane, Op 50, by Gabriel Fauré
    Overall, I enjoyed it. ;)
    I was tempted to leave my review at that, but damn, you did a fine job. If you're curious as to what caused others to rise higher in my rankings, it boils down to your lyrics being less intricate and more repetitive.

    Tenmere
     - Revolution

    based on: Egmont Overture - by Ludwig van Beethoven
    When my kids heard your style they told me they hoped you would pick "Ride of the Valkyries". That said, you picked the right song to match your chops. It's hard to find a piece with more in-your-face attitude than this. That said, you stepped up the attitude by wrapping it up in hard rock. Talk about transformational. I can actually imagine this as background music in a 1980s-style shoot-em-up arcade game. That's not a dis. Kudos. 

    Governing Dynamics - Forty-five
    based on: Asturias (Leyenda), by Isaac Albéniz
    Some of the best vocals I've heard from you. And a great choice of tune. Although I most often hear Leyenda played on guitar these days, it was written for piano, so I've linked to that above. I mention that because it's nice to see you take it back to guitar, but in a completely different direction. Everybody else plays it on Spanish guitar, whereas you whip out the amps and the ebow and streeeetch and slur those notes like you own them. I wish we could have ties in the rankings so I could put this higher.

    Micah Sommersmith - I Sing for Clara
    based on: Piano Trio in G minor, movement 3, by Clara Schumann
    You are the king of the near-rhyme. Nice job in not only picking a suitable tune, but also in making the lyrics hark back to the original composer, the wife of Robert Schumann. This should inspire anyone who listens to look up her Wikipedia page and listen to a few songs. 
    This might come across as a backhanded compliment, but I think you did such a good job picking a tune that it hurt you in my rankings. Piano Trio in G minor is one of the most emotional pieces I know. It's one of the very few that I can get moist-eyed just from being exposed to a performance. Your adaptation of it is so faithful that I can't help but notice that this rendition falls short of the emotional range of the original. Nevertheless, this is a fitting tribute.

    Jordan Carroll - Work It
    based on: Turkish March, by Mozart
    Way back when I was a larva practicing my piano lessons, I hated playing Mozart's Turkish March due to the mechanical precision of timing required and relative lack of dynamics (typical of Mozart, who apparently makes babies smarter). Later I associated it with the game "Jawbreaker" on the TI-99/4a. Mozart's pieces make great retro video game music for all the same reasons that they're insufferable for humans to play.
    Why did I mention all that? Because I appreciate the fact that you broke up that mechanical feel with the off-kilter, slow drums. They give the piece a completely different feel even though you're playing it at roughly the right tempo as-written.  

    Glen Raphael
     - Yippee Ki-Yay

    based on: Symphony No. 9 in D minor (aka "Ode to Joy"), by Ludwig van Beethoven
    I hate putting this one here. But I have to rank them somehow, and I picked my criteria in advance. Honestly, Glen, I think this one's a little light on the "contemporary" part of this challenge. And given that it's pretty much a straight rendition plus lyrics, it comes across sounding more like a parody number than something you've taken and made your own. That said, it's a pretty good parody. I enjoyed it. And I'm going to be dodging blows from my son for ranking it last.


    SHADOWS
    (in submission order)

    Dr. Lindyke - Far Away (SHADOW)
    based on: The Beautiful Blue Danube, by Johann Strauss II
    A mini-bio instead of a review: We had a lot of fun making this one. The Blue Danube has been my favorite bit of classical music since I was 6 years old, and since Hoover wanted me to re-do a set of lyrics I'd done years ago, I took the opportunity to shadow. So technically it's a DQ (since it's not "new" new). I set the tune to 4/4 time, and originally imagined it with a vaguely Caribe rhythm, but it kept wanting to be Mack the Knife, and to an extent it finally won. I passed this adaptation around a little bit for feedback, and everybody thought the original horns stunk. So I minimized the brass ensemble, scaled back the piano in the opening verses to let it build, and threw on some trumpet and trombone solos. It's mostly trumpet because I'm blatantly pandering to Paul. I'm really happy about the piano on this one. I'm also thrilled with the Doris Day quality vocals Heather provided. She keeps it grounded when I'm tempted to overdo the nightclub cheese.

    Boffo Yux Dudes - Sirens (SHADOW)
    based on: Canon in D, by Pachelbel
    The portion of Canon in D that you used is pretty much all chord changes and light on melody. And we asked for melody. Sigh. Since it completely coincidentally has sirens and contains the phrase "trial by fire" I would suggest submitting it to Nur Ein... it might have better luck there.

    Boffo Yux Dudes - Ode to Marcel (SHADOW)
    based on: 4'33", by Jon cage
    I'm pretty sure you guys know this is a DQ, for several reasons. First, the original piece was written in the 20th century, thus failing the time restrictions. Furthermore, despite replacing "orchestra-ready" background sounds with passing traffic, I don't think I found your silence to be significantly transformative enough to count as a contemporary piece. Also, it contains no lyrics, in a blatant violation of our submission guidelines. Couldn't you at least have submitted lyrics and claimed they were performed in ASL? This is what you get for not bringing me in to collab. You should feel bad... very bad... for having submitted this.

    Menage a Tune - Springtime Promenade (SHADOW)
    based on: Pictures at an Exhibition (Promenade), by Modest Mussorgsky
    Mussorgsky's Promenade is a stately number, transformed here into a light and bouncy celebration. It's the tune, alright, but in a completely new setting. That's what this challenge is about. The main (constructive) criticism I have of it is that it's too restrained for what it needs to be. A fuller piano sound would be nice (this one's a bit tinny); the drums and bass are too muted, when they should be driving the emotion; and probably both of you should be singing as a duet. And when you sing, back off the mic and just belt it out like you want your neighbors to bang on the walls. Perform it with as much joy as the arrangement allows.

    Jerkatorium - Today's the Day (COVER)
    based on: Today's the Day, by Inverse T. Clown
    Bravo! That is all.

    ST14R3 Reviews - Tom Giarrosso

    Once again, I’ve listened to theses a number of times in the car commute, as well as at the Listening Party. Same rules apply - I ranked for replayability and how well the challenge was accomplished, and reranked towards the end of the week as things grew or didn’t grow on me.



    Temnere - Revolution
    From the driving drums to the metal riffs, this one caught my attention. Sweet, building from the pre-chorus to the vocals in the chorus. I liked this one a lot.

    Edric Haleen - With You
    This one is right in Edric’s wheelhouse. The emotion and range hits all the right notes. 
    The synth strings do set the mood.

    Micah Sommersmith - I Sing for Clara
    It’s not easy to get melancholia out of an accordion, but I think you've managed it 
    Another tune that I kept playing all the way through in the car. 

    Governing Dynamics - Forty-Five
    I liked the new guitar tone. Also the vocal doubling. Works better the more you hear it.  I think Travis has the Tom Petty effect down pat.

    Bubba and the Not So Amiable Kraken - Revolutionary Love
    I liked the unconventional drums and the lyrics popped as a crazy love story. The chorus was odd, but the hook stuck in my head - so you got replay ability out of it. Nice piano run at the end. 

    Megalodon - Magpie 
    Nice guitar work! You seem to hit the tone of the old and modern and make it work together. 
    I liked it.

    Boy on the Wall - Yesterday
    I don’t know if it was the minor key choice but this one just didn’t hit me. I liked the synth horns. but it just didn’t feel as strong as the other entries.

    Jordan Carroll - Work It
    I wasn’t expecting a smoky, dialog driven song. Surprising on several levels, in a good way. Dripping with attitude.

    Glen Raphael - Yippie Ki-Yay
    You made me laugh with the body count, which is too true for a Bruce Willis movie. Smart and snarky with a grain of truth. Love the writing, some funny lines as well.  Only downside was it didn’t hold up to repeat playings. Felt more like a novelty song. 

    SHADOWS

    Dr. Lindyke - Far Away
    I loved this song. Wasn’t expecting a torch version, which got me singing along. And when Heather jumps in the chorus, it’s magical. Nice counterpoint. Would have made my top 4 if it wasn’t a shadow. 

    BYD - Sirens -
    I’m biased, but I liked the way this one came together, and snuck the classical theme into the bridge. 

    BYD - Ode to Marcel
    Repeatability - Zero. Thought behind it? Priceless. 

    Menage a Tune - Springtime Promenade
    Springy piano and bouncy beat. Using a backing vocal added to the tune. The mix sounded off - I didn’t realize there were drums and a bass line in until I cranked the song. 

    Jerkatorium - Today’s the Day
    I wouldn’t have thought it was TDD from the intro. Nice way to make it your own!
    Interesting choices in changing the vocals around. A solid addition to TDD cover lore!

    RANKINGS

    Temnere
    Bubba and the No Longer Amiable Kraken
    Governing Dynamics
    Jordan Carroll
    Micah Sommersmith
    Edric Haleen
    Megalodon
    Glen Raphael
    Boy on the Wall