ST23.4 Reviews - Leonie Connellan

Glad I’m not choosing the winner this time. Unless it ends up being a four way tie, which I can totally see happening honestly. There is so little between all these songs that putting them in any kind of order feels like an exercise in randomness. At the end of the day, the winner on my list is the one that surprised me into crying the most.

The Pannacotta Army - Halloween Lullaby

I love this; it’s going straight to the Pool Room (my Halloween playlist that I broadcast to the Trick or Treaters). When I was a kid in Australia, Halloween wasn’t really a thing, which always made me sad because it seemed like such fun (because it is such fun). Now I live in the birthplace of Halloween, I go all in. I like that you’ve gone “magical” with the sounds rather than “scary”, not only because it’s more appropriate for a lullaby, but it actively makes the song better. The lyrics are doing all the heavy lifting for the “scariness”, leaving the song feeling balanced and right. Normally I’d complain about the line “the wardrobe is hiding no undead”, but the grammatical structure there seems to be working for the song in a weird way; it helps make the wardrobe a character as well. The tremolo picking of the mandolin/bouzouki/thing is to die for. I wouldn’t change a thing about this song, and the only reason I’ve ranked it second is Celestial Drift made me cry.

Celestial Drift - In a Quiet Room

Literal frisson on the refrain line. Actual, literal brain buzzing chills. That is why this song is number one. Also real tears. Are there songs I liked better musically this round. Yes. But this is the best song. The delivery on “delicious” is perfect. This is the most simple song I’ve heard from you, but it’s also your best one, hands down, in part because it is “simple”. I think making this probably made you quite uncomfortable, but it was worth it. The rhythm and instrumentation have a distinct Rainbow Connection feel, which honestly could account in part for the emotional reaction I had. I really like the way that the instrumentation is subtle but builds through the song, especially when the glockenspiel comes in after the first refrain. It helps open the song up, while still managing to keep the straightforwardness that it needs.

The Alleviators - The First Watch

Follow my voice, wordless and warm is such a wonderful opening line for a song. I have a migraine today while writing these reviews, and listening to this is very soothing. The instrumentation and the way many of the words are drawn out is relaxing and warm; perfect for a lullaby. I found the tradeoffs with the vocals a little discombobulating on the first listen, but repeats have made it feel more natural. I’ve loved every Alleviators song this Spintunes, so thank you.

Cavedwellers - The Only Way Out

I love the line “your limbs paralyse”, but it’s setting up a different song than the one we get. I feel like it’s one of those great lines that you couldn’t bring yourself to cut because it’s clever. “Limbs paralyse” is the setup for a lighthearted Halloween song, and while this is about death, it’s more than a lighthearted Halloween song. Beautiful vocal performance; it’s mixed in a way that highlights all the little emotional texture. The backing ooo ooo ooo’s are also incredibly lovely. Love that electric guitar. It almost has a violin-type vibe. It’s gotta be an ebow or something along those lines. If I was writing this, I would have made the final line “Is the way”, rather than “is a way”. A subtle difference I know, but it would make that last line feel like an eventuality rather than an invitation.

SHADOWS

I was at a Spoken Word Workshop recently where one of the participants said, “when we write, it’s our shadow speaking”, which is an idea I’ll probably steal from for quite some time, I reckon. Anyway, 13 shadows for round four!!!?!?! This is supposed to be the easy round for us judges! It’s probably definitely all your fault that these are definitely probably being submitted late…

Micah Sommersmith - The Rain on the Rooftop

I love that this is a song that is 100% authentic to you, but also feels like it’s deliberately trolling Chumpy and his God song comments in the podcast from last round. Well done. Thank you for the piano ballad. The pedant in me would like the final line of each verse to start with “As you”, but it also doesn’t actually matter. I think this ends on a suspended piano note, or one that doesn’t resolve, which feels perfect for a song like this, which is all about hope and uncertainty. I’m not sure if you intended it this way, but my instinct is to read the three verses as “I”, then “God” (being) and “God” (exclamation), as in, the “God” in the third verse is not the being, but a literary expression of uncertainty and quietly desperate hope.

The Moon Bureau - Let The Moonlight Carry You Home

I’m a real sucker for songs about the moon, as everybody probably knows at this point. “Unfinished business is tomorrow’s son” is an especially nice line, and a nice play on sun/son. If we were ranking shadows (what a perverse thought!), this would be right there at the top of my list. Beautiful understated vocal delivery. I don’t think that’s a real violin, but I appreciate it all the same. I wish you’d drawn out the last line of the violin and had it fade out underneath the verse. Overall, lovely. Five moons. (Later edit: do I love this so much because it subconsciously reminds me of I Still Call Australia Home by Peter Allen and I am a giant wet?)

Falcon Artist - Lullaby My Baby Boy

I have spent far too long this week thinking about the Irish pronunciation of “lullaby” thanks to this song. Love the strumming rhythm here, and the slightly Spanish feel to the chords. The melody itself feels like a bit of an afterthought, and the song is very long. I think you could cut it in half and not lose any of the sentiment.

Joshua Enby Drake - Yapping

I love 4’33”. Despite being a musician, John Cage is one of the patron saints of printmakers. What a fantastic artist. I appreciate that you’ve mashed up the whole skit idea with an actual song here, but you could take away the skit part and the music would be totally appropriate and enjoyable, so I’m not 100% sold that the skit part is necessary.

My Broken Demo Tape - Little Prince (Benji’s Lullaby)

I love The Little Prince. One of my souvenir things when I’m on holiday is buying a random musical instrument, but the other thing is buying a local translation of The Little Prince. Very glad to add this song to my collection. The doubled vocal on the “You have much to know” section is wonderful. I could do without the breathing. I get why it’s there, but I’m very much not an ASMR person and found it a little distracting. I’m absolutely certain that your child will love hearing you sing this as they grow up. Congratulations!

SpinTown & Company - Villager Lullaby

Turns out that Halloween lullabies are my jam. Really enjoyed this. I admit, I don’t understand how using AI in any part of the writing process is easier or better than just picking up a pen and doing it yourself. The lines that you’ve used AI for are so run of the mill that I really struggle to see how it’s an advantage. All the clever, good lines that you have in this song are the ones you’ve written, so don’t shortchange yourself or your skills! I particularly like the zombies are lurking, with maybe some drowned, btw.

Stacking Theory - Am I part of the problem (a lullaby for the broken hearted)

Is there anything more soothing and lullaby-like than an electric piano? No, didn’t think so. If I ever have to do a sleep study, I’d like to fall asleep surrounded by at least 10 people playing Rhodes. And some fuzz guitars. (I know it sounds like I’m being facetious. I am not.) I love the idea of a lullaby that you use to sing yourself to sleep; it’s a nice take on the challenge. This one has grown on me a lot over the week. Originally, I’d typed for your other song, “If I had to pick only one Gizo song to love from this round, it would be this one.”, but now I’m not so sure. Nice work finishing on the word “deep”, baby.

ChasRock - Wherever We Go

Moonlight / spoon right. A+

I also love “pull the curtains, that’s the show” and “on the bridge from brain to soul”, but they’re no moonlight / spoon right. Lovely. Could be developed into some big shoe gaze festival with 10 Rhodes and a fuzz guitar and I would also love it, but it’s also perfect as is.

Stacking Theory - Harvest Lullaby

As previously mentioned, I may have cried just reading through the lyrics. I love how short those lyrics are; very appropriate for a lullaby. As someone who is not particularly good at sleeping, I feel the line “uncurl your fist” deep in my heart. The snippets of trumpet layered in are lovely. Great use of the fade out.

cardamom seed - Lullaby for the Lost

There is no way, no way I swear, that whatever you’re saying where you’ve typed “rest your head” is actually that, lol. I hope you’re specifically trolling me here for the Enunciation note last round. Thoroughly enjoyed this, regardless. As much as I’ve enjoyed all the traditional lullaby instruments in everyone else’s songs, it was nice to hear something a bit different with this one.

Hot Pink Halo - Circle Back Around

It’s me, hi. Couldn’t let a whole Spintunes slip by without making at least one shadow. It was Climate Action week here in Ireland, and a friend was running a Spoken Word workshop as part of the council’s Climate Action Festival, so I went along and decided to use it as my hour for getting this song started. When the workshop was over, I didn’t think I had anything substantial bar a title that I liked. Later in the week going through my handwritten ramblings, I cut the title and used a lot of what I’d thought was nonsense word for word. I’m pretty pleased with how this came out in the end, and hope we get some other shadow reviews for purely selfish reasons.

Definitely Not Secretly Glennny - Glennnouement

Love this. Will probably never listen to it again, lol. Thank you for the excessive amount of work you’ve put into this joyous nonsense over the past couple of months. Definitely worth at least five times the official prize money. Props to Micah and Tommy for the special guest appearances!

Siebass - Goodnight SpinTunes

Well, now I regret not shadowing before Round 4! Lose or winchoons, I'm also glad we have Spinchoons. <3