ST17.2 Reviews and Rankings - Guest Judge Dave Leigh

Other obligations have kept me (Micah) from writing reviews this week, for which I apologize. Luckily, I've enlisted a guest judge for the round. He knows how things work around here, because he ran the contest before I did. That's right, this time around you get reviews and rankings from former SpinTunes administrator and Dr. Lindyke member Dave Leigh. His rankings are weighted equally with our four regular judges. Take it away, Dave!

---

I saved these for a good listen during my (greatly extended) chemo session. Perhaps the poison flowing through my veins affected my rankings, but maybe not. I wasn't scientific about ranking this round... but I found myself preferring clean, clear lyrics and simple accompaniment because this is a round that begs for storytelling, and storytelling needs to be understood.

I also felt that it was important to musically capture the feel of the character. So (for instance) having Slowpoke Rodriguez sing about Speedy Gonzalez in heavy metal would have been jarring and would suffer in the rankings. To be sure, something like that has happened a few times in this round. 

Finally, since this is about a secondary character, I felt it important that even when the focus is on the secondary character, it's important that the context be set within the main story. So "points" for when that happens. 

Here are some comments in album order. I'm sorry they're terse, but typing is difficult right now. My rankings follow:

OFFICIAL ENTRIES:

1. Melody Klein - Samantha's Girl
Good use of stereo in percussion. If this were based on ambience alone, this might take the round. However, the diction is difficult to get through. I had to read lyrics.

2. David G Harrington - Starship Man in Red
Nice groove, awkward lyrics

3. See-Man-Ski - We're All Shameless
I like piano as percussion ever since the 70s (big SuperTramp fan, here). This gets a solid position in my rankings.

4. Also In Blue - Here On The Wall
I love this concept. I love the clarity of delivery and the conversational quality of the lyrics, which don't sound forced or contrived at all. The off-kilter chords in the bridge underline the emotion, and I'd havet o say this is a beautiful example of musical theatre. The only criticism I have is the change of address from 3rd to 2nd person, but that's a quibble.

5. Pigfarmer Jr - Such Evil Creatures
This has a nice garage band sound that is competent, but just doesn't grab me. The lyrics sound a little contrived. I'd say the same principle you'd use in prose is valuable here: show, don't tell. I'm not sure I get this POV from Beowulf, but hey... maybe it's there. I think I'd rather have gotten some of the main story in there. After all, Grendel is minding his own business when this aggressive creature attacks him in his home. You might have passed over the better story.

6. Dented Bento - Things Are Going Well (Pleakley)
The first five notes tell us that it's going to involve aliens. Unfortunately, they tell us it's going to be a completely different set of aliens. This is partly the fault of the challenge, but replay value suffers. 

7. The Dutch Widows - Hold Fast His Name

Love the concept. Not fond of the execution.
Writing as Shakespeare, I think you missed an opportunity by not putting this in iambic pentameter. Considering this as the song you did write rather than the one I wish you had, it's a bit messy... another one of those that I have to read the lyrics to understand.  There are two kinds of songs: stories and feelz. The lyrics here hint at the story, but don't tell it. But your take on the challenge really begs for the story. And while you kind of get there, you sort of passed over the character to go meta, so it suffers in my rankings.

8. EmKayDeeBee - Wishful Thinking
OK, you picked my favorite book of all time, so dammit, you'd better deliver. My heart sank when your song bio said it was written in first person from Charlie's perspective. If that were the case, this would be a clear DQ. My heart rose again when I discovered upon listening that it is actually written from Alice Kinnian's perspective. And you did deliver. A solid tune, solidly delivered. Kudos.

9. Sober - Take the Blame
Blues banjo points. Also points for vocal delivery. And in the interest of full disclosure, Hoover and I have tried to write this song more than once over a period of 30 years, and failed. You didn't fail. In delivery, this reminds me a lot of a short film called The Backwater Gospel.

10. rackwagon - Au Revoir, Mon Fils
Nothing to say about this one except I like it enough to rank it where I did.

11. Jealous Brother - A Perfectly Good Collision Course
Musically, this is bouncy and catchy. That's the good part.
Lyrically and conceptually, this is one that's trying a little too hard. It's a hot mess. There are some really awkward lyrics here, and they'd be awkward even if you already knew that "Steven Tyler's daughter's dad" is supposed to mean Bruce Willis. Bruce is never addressed as his character at all. Instead he's "John McClain", from completely different movie. This is so meta that it undermines the conceit of the song, which is that it's told from an asteroid's POV.

12. Vom Vorton - The Ship's Cat
I saw the title and said, "This is going to be about Jonesy the Cat from Alien". Sure as shit, it's about Jonesy the Cat. But then I thought, "Hey, it's Vom Vorton. At least it's gonna be catchy."  Sure as shit, it's catchy. Nice, bouncy, light. I can see this as an animated short. However, replay value does suffer.

13. Hot Pink Halo - Mind The Gap
Very simple melody and accompaniment. However, the story is well-told.

14. Good Guy Sôjàbé - Batman's Batman
When I saw this title I geeked out over it. It's perfect. It immediately told me it's about Alfred Pennyworth, in the best possible way. I wouldn't have thought of this style when thinking of Alfred, but hey, it works.

15. Regis Michelena - Maclunkey!
If you don't know who this is about from the title alone, you're living under a rock. Fortunately, I live under a rock with a view. I disagree with "the Internet", though. I think it means "Sayonara, asshole." Be that as it may, the lyrics here don't really flow as they should, and I'm not sure that's it's the lyrics and not the tune at fault. This plays like the lyrics were an afterthought to a "done" tune. Tunes are never done until the song is finished. For a song to sound organic, adjustments have to be made here and there to the words and to the music. This just doesn't feel like that.

16. Cavedwellers - My Unlikely Best Friend
I like it when the subject matter and the music match. Many of these songs suffer in ranking because they don't have that synergy. This one does. It gives me that appropriate 80s vibe. And I love the choice of secondary character.

17. Keen Observer - Salem 1693
This is a great choice of character. Typically, I'd want to hear something that evokes the character. In a book, that's open to a lot of interpretation. In a movie, less so, as we've all seen and heard the character. This is just too busy. I have to question whether the key is right for your voice.

18. Governing Dynamics - Neil, From Toronto
I really love that you're giving us different sounds and increased energy. No more "music to slit your wrists by". This one's just a few bpm too fast, though. I think you were hitting the pace of the movie and not the character. Nice epilogue.

19. Giraffes for Wings - Caribou Crosses the Maskwa
Unusual choice of character, but hey... at least it's alive. Until it isn't. There are two ways to die today, and in both of them, you're cooked.  Very catchy.

20. Ominous Ride - The Ballad of Poor Yorick
I told The Dutch Windows they missed a bet by not doing Shakespeare in iambic pentameter. And you nailed it. It's a neat dance you're doing. In print, it's five iambs, but by shifting the stress you get to sing in 4/4. Musically, you capture the malais of an Elizabethan tragedy with a modern flavor. I'm not worthy.

21. Night Sky - Nancy by Gaslight
This is a song that displays its DNA. It has the flavor of something where the tune was written and then the lyrics added. They just don't mesh very well. It's a good tune, but it needs to work better with the words.

22. Boy on the Wall - I'm Scared of my Dad
I'm not sure I agree with you on the choice of style, but I'll throw that aside and treat it in the same way as Jesus Christ Superstar. If that can re-imagine the NT in terms of the 70s, you can re-imagine the OT as the 90s.

23. Jon Porobil - Bald, Green, Boneless
OK, Jon, ya got me. Great character choice, great execution, lyrics that don't sound tacked on. Go to the next round.

24. Lucky Witch & the Righteous Ghost - The Only Way 04:51
Hey, it invokes Inception for me. A solid song. I say move on to the next round.

SHADOWS:

25. The Brewhouse Sessions - Cat Rhapsody
Surprisingly, rap is your thing. I did NOT expect this. It didn't need to be quite as long as it is, but great job!

26. Lichen Throat - Skulker
The rhythm could be a LOT tighter on this. 

27. Declan IOM - The Saga of Snae Bane
GOOD LORD, MAN! Eight and a half minutes of cloister bells! I'll be honest with you. I'm a fan of Icelandic sagas and variant folk tales, and I'd love to read your variation of Snow White. But I don't want to hear this song again.

28. Menage a Tune - Fifteen Minutes
When the song started, I did a double-take. Menage a Tune? Yup. Stock backing track. The thing is, the vocals have to be dead on for it to work, and they're a bit wobbly on the rhythm. Friar Lawrence is perhaps a good choice if you were to be musical of Romeo & Juliet, which this is. As a pop song it wouldn't really work.

29. Little Bobby Tables - Red Hood Girl
Nice!

30. All the Robots - I'll Have What She's Having
Well constructed, but has the air of a novelty song.

31. Mandibles - Lapis Lazuli
I'm a sucker for simple tunes and clear understandable melodies. You hooked me on the first verse, and kept me the whole way through. I wish this were an official entry.

32. Temnere - Go Beyond
Not having read Chip Runner (and not having the time to do so now) I don't know what character this is, and whether it's a secondary character. So I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on that... though having read a summary, the doubt is there.

RANKINGS

OFFICIAL ENTRIES

1. Also In Blue - Here On The Wall 
2. Ominous Ride - The Ballad of Poor Yorick
3. Jon Porobil - Bald, Green, Boneless
4. rackwagon - Au Revoir, Mon Fils
5. Cavedwellers - My Unlikely Best Friend
6. EmKayDeeBee - Wishful Thinking 
7. Sober - Take the Blame 
8. Good Guy Sôjàbé - Batman's Batman
9. Melody Klein - Samantha's Girl
10. See-Man-Ski - We're All Shameless
11. Lucky Witch & the Righteous Ghost - The Only Way
12. Governing Dynamics - Neil, From Toronto
13. Vom Vorton - The Ship's Cat
14. David G Harrington - Starship Man in Red
15. The Dutch Widows - Hold Fast His Name
16. Giraffes for Wings - Caribou Crosses the Maskwa
17. Hot Pink Halo - Mind The Gap
18. Jealous Brother - A Perfectly Good Collision Course
19. Pigfarmer Jr - Such Evil Creatures
20. Regis Michelena - Maclunkey!
21. Night Sky - Nancy by Gaslight
22. Keen Observer - Salem 1693
23. Dented Bento - Things Are Going Well (Pleakley)
24. Boy on the Wall - I'm Scared of my Dad

SHADOWS

1. Mandibles - Lapis Lazuli
2. Temnere - Go Beyond
3. Little Bobby Tables - Red Hood Girl
4. All the Robots - I'll Have What She's Having
5. The Brewhouse Sessions - Cat Rhapsody
6. Lichen Throat - Skulker
7. Menage a Tune - Fifteen Minutes
8. Declan IOM - The Saga of Snae Bane