Read on for EmKayDeeBee's reviews!
General thoughts…
I am really short on time this week (I am submitting these reviews on Tuesday, the day after the listening party) so I haven’t been able to give the amount of listens I would have liked. And similarly, I haven’t taken handwritten first impressions, then further listening notes, which I then brought together into a cohesive review like I did in the three previous rounds. I am straight to computer on only my fourth or so listen. So these reviews are not as structured nor as balanced (positive – criticism – positive sandwich style) as I would like. Anyways, I’m delighted the four of you are in the final - you deserve to be here, and you have all turned out something special for the occasion. Great job, and thanks to all for entrusting me as one of your judges for Spintunes21, it's been a privilege and a pleasure.
Reviews in order of bandcamp album:
Stacking Theory – Goodbye Baby
I love this! The feeling of connectivity through the whole piece, yet not repeating lyrics. Your music base helps create this. I love the thinness you open with, the gentle drums coming in with the voice, the backing vocals creating a bed to luxuriate in, the build through, the emotion in your voice, the ‘fucking joke’ that fits perfectly (great job!), the textural changes in the sunlight bridge, and later the last verse. Your lyrics tell a heartbreaking story, bloody hell that’s deep. Your line “the rope’s tied short/shorter than the fall” is a masterclass in succinct but beautiful visual creation for the listener. (I’m reminded of the ending of Brave New World…) That said, it sounds like “the rope’s tied sure”, which works too I guess. The ending is musically purposeful, though I wonder at the delivery of the final word ‘baby’ – might it have warranted more emotion? Could your voice have had a different treatment here - reverb/delay… I don’t know what, but something to instil it with a bit more of the moment it depicts?
Hot Pink Halo – Mimeograph
This feels like a stream of consciousness –The melody of your first verse does return for the Connect the dots and later for Try to find the words so it is there, but the nature of your piano playing doesn’t make it feel like a return. I can tell you have had a lot of fun putting this together, and I must say your vocals are lovely here, especially in the “try to find the words” verse. The piano is too high in the mix, so we don’t get to hear your vocals as well as would be good for a final of a songwriting competition. It is lovely to hear a real piano and the atmosphere that creates is pure magic (and the slightly off tuning only adds to the vibe you’re after). I love the way you have written for this challenge a song about machines designed to repeat, so very you. Careful on the sound cutting out before the bridge – the magic place you have put us is lost in that split second of no bass.
Tunes by LJ – Watermelon
This is very much you – your sound, your music preferences, your structure and texture… and why wouldn’t it be? I think I’m just feeling a bit of what I talked about with GFS on round 3 – how much variety would there be if I was listening to an album of your music. (I know, who does that anymore…) In this instance, the ending of Watermelon is almost identical to the start of Beneath You/Over It. I would caution against reverting to your norms too much, much as they serve you well when taken as a song alone. (All that said, the fact that I always know your song without seeing it written means you have made an impact on me.) I’m not a big fan of the regular stop on beat 4 with silent 5 and 6 in the accompanying pitched instruments… using it once and once again later might make a point, using it regularly grates, especially when it lines up with the end of lyric lines. On the positives, the piano is just beautiful in the choruses, as are the bowed strings, and your voice is among my favourites for Spintunes21. I’m not sure I fully get what your song is about – I feel like if I did, I would be applauding all the references. Am I being dim? (I could well be…) The lyrics do seem to tell a story, and they do seem to relate to each other, even if I don’t know what it is. (I’m getting meteor shower / end of the world / with religious overtones type thing?)
The Dutch Widows – Finish on a High
I love the last line where your voice goes right up for the “high” – I think I really like men’s voices that take that risk to go higher than their natural comfort zone (see my opening lines to Sober on his round 3 entry!!). You’ve taken quite a subject here, and found a hell of lot to say (that effectively says the same thing). I don’t mind your verbosity in your songs, you generally make it work, but this one could definitely have been shorter overall for me. You do some interesting things with the end of your lines, eg there/hair/square/air – it feels very intentional but I can’t work out what the intention is. You then go on to over articulate the We are capable etc. – it’s a little odd! The night/light endings are spot on - clear and not overdone - and then you do the same interesting end with ‘prayer’. I love your female backing vocals, and that your partner gave you the title; how special to have family involved like this. Your vocal placement overall is grand for me – it feels well balanced, and the way your voice sometimes comes from a different side is effective. Well done.
Shadows:
GFS – Belated Eulogy
Well done for creating a different feel here – this would provide great contrast on your album! You create a superb picture here, and I love the darkness of this. Death can bring someone to life *sigh*. Brilliant. Thank you for opening up this rawness to us, it’s a superb song.
Jim Tyrell – A Word
You create your story, make your point – all without repeating words, really impressive. The music is, however, very repetitive. This creates coherency, but with all the spoken word never broken up by singing it is a risky move. You do break it up as you start the final verse, giving us the thinner texture, and letting it all go. Typically me, I’d have considered leaving it on “we hope to have a word” rather than bringing the same music in just to fade out. Your lyrics are clever, I especially like the crow’s ‘murderous refrain’ and ‘Christmastime increasingly resembles Halloween’… And the idea of a corpse wondering if he ever once
looked like himself. I would have loved something sung in here somewhere, even just as backing vocals.
Micah Sommersmith – Indistinguishable
Another piano song – piano has been the go to instrument this round it seems! And a real piano, played beautifully (love the creaky pedal sound!). I would have considered a higher key for this – I feel like your voice is too low for you to deliver it at your full potential, I’m not totally sold on the vibrato. I like the variety in this piece as you tell the story, whilst holding together well – I especially like the ‘his arm, my wrist’ etc. delivery, really nicely done. And letting the last note ring on a decent length before bringing it to an end. Great job.
Siebass – Shin Spoons
Oh bravo… you capture everyone so well. Does it all coherently sit together, I dunno, but for what you set out to do, well done you, great job! Smile on my face to finish, thank you!
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