Runner Up: Chris Cogott 3rd: Zarni De Wet 4th: Rebecca Brickley
Congratulations Mitchell! You survived all 4 rounds, and you've earned the blue ribbon. Wish I had more to give you, but everyone knows the real prize the music you helped create & share. It was great having you involved in the contest, and I do hope to see you in SpinTunes #3 as a judge or competitor. (expect an e-mail in early June about judging) If we ever get t-shirts made for SpinTunes, I'll make sure you & Kevin are the first to get one.
I want to say well done to all the other finalists as well. You all earned your way into the finals, and I could have been happy with any of you being the SpinTunes #2 champion.
Totals & Reviews: In the end 21 of 25 people sent in their votes/rankings, and the final count was:
Guest Judge's Review: Sara Parsons Alternate Judge's Review: Spin
Album Cover: Dave tied JoAnn in the album cover vote (31-31), and since I never made a tiebreaker rule I guess that means it's my decision. Well, I'm going with Dave. I liked both, but his gave me a chuckle when I first saw it. Congrats Dave, your cover will be used. Thank you both for contributing.
Thank You Not only to the finalists, but to everyone that signed up or participated in SpinTunes. Judges, shadows, fans who listened & voted... I think this contest had far less bumps in the road than the first one. There are still a few improvements & adjustments to make, but don't expect major changes in the next edition...just a few minor ones. Please feel free to leave feedback about the contest in the comments section or e-mail me your thoughts. I'll read through everything before starting the next contest.
I'll be updating the "SpinTunes Hall Of Fame & Records" page sometime this week. In case anyone is interested knowing more about how the stats have changed from 1 contest to the next. I will also be announcing the first SpinTunes 'side project' in the next week or so. This will not be a 'contest'...but more info on that later.
The next contest will probably start around late June or early July. (I plan on it being after Nur Ein VI)
If you need something to keep you busy until the next contest there are plenty of options. You have Nur Ein VI in the spring, Song Fight always has something going on, Edric has his Song Writing Cycle starting in March & like I said...there will be a side project posted here in a week. Keep an eye on the blog & the @SpinTunes twitter feed for updates.
I'm very happy to have Sara (a former competitor) return to give feedback as a guest judge. I've respected her work in Masters Of Song Fu, SpinTunes & on YouTube. She's always welcome around these parts.
Zarni De Wet - The Bleeding Effect Your chord progression is super dark and lovely, and your voice is plenty easy to listen to, all stuff I’m sure you’re used to hearing. I really enjoyed the build into the second minute, well executed. As far as the challenge goes, you obviously met it. You did a really nice job of telling the story. I guess I just felt like things were just kind of left hanging, like I wanted to hear a resolution, or a bit more development of what your character is up against. A pretty tune, but it left me wanting more.
Mitchell Adam Johnson - In Another Castle This song is painfully catchy in the best possible way. Brilliant use of sampling. I mean, seriously. I’m struggling to really review this one because I’m enjoying it so much, so, good job there. Perhaps it’s just my limited knowledge of video games in general, but this one was the most clear to me in terms of the character and the situation without the blatant mentioning of the character’s name. The development of your story is clear and fun and the whole thing just makes me laugh and smile and feel like a huge dork. But that’s a good thing.
Rebecca Brickley - Where I Am I really enjoyed the groove you had going on here. It’s pretty danceable. I do feel, however, that the lyrics showed you trying rather indelicately to get the context to show through. The chorus works well, but the verses seem to say the same thing without any real growth throughout the song. I found it a bit repetitive towards the end. I feel like I got it after the first two minutes. Perhaps if you had just gone a little bit farther with the concept... It’s still a really fun tune, though, one that I enjoyed listening to. Good job!
Chris Cogott - In Bright Falls This sounded like a cross between Nirvana, Weird Al, and The Beach Boys. I don’t know, maybe that’s your thing, but whatever it is, I really liked it. I really liked your backing vocals too ohmygosh! As a self-professed non-expert in video games, I really appreciated your mentioning of your character. And you did it in a way that wasn’t particularly awkward, at least not to me. You used rhyme to your advantage and you used it well. Everything seemed kind of seamless and it just made sense, which is important. I just wish there were more to it. I felt like I was just starting to get into it when it ended. I could have used a bridge, or maybe even another verse. But still, I really enjoyed this one as well.
Pop yummy candy! The female vocals are excellent! I love the beat and the video game noises! The production is awesome! Yeah I love this song! The 2:06 running time is perfect for this song. The melody is super catchy. I wouldn’t mind at all if this won. The horn blasts are tasty. It’s all so very tasteful and delicious! You may have played it too safe and not been ambitious enough to rise above 3rd place for me. This is a keeper! Great job!
Zarni De Wet - The Bleeding Effect
Holy Crap! Beautiful and dramatic! I couldn’t care less about the lyrics, but at least they don’t bother me at all. Your voice is amazing! Your delivery is top notch! The prominent piano is flawless and dynamic! Great playing! The drums are a good idea; you could have done better on the drum tone. I like the synth string accents a lot! They really mood up and embellish the song! I don’t like the fade out. I would’ve liked you to nail an ending. I assume the minute plus of silence is a mistake. I’m assuming you’ll win based on the poll. This isn’t a bad thing. You’ve submitted 3 awesome songs and one misguided one. You’re a star, you’re going to be far more famous in the future than you are now. Deservedly so. Great job! Good song! My 2nd favorite!
Chris Cogott - In Bright Falls
In my world, in my view, in my humble opinion, this hasn’t been much of a contest. Chris has again blown away the competition. I will find it somewhat disturbing if Chris doesn’t get this title. Were the criteria to be based on having the most music in one’s submissions Chris wins hands down. Not only does he consistently have very good lyrics, but he’s got the best drums, the best bass lines, awesome keys (Zarni has the best keys skillz), the best song structures, the catchiest riffs, by far the best guitar playing, and for me the best songs. This song belongs right up there with the other 3. The organ and the bass really make this thing groove! I love Chris’s vocals too! Chris Cogott does it again. This is my favorite song of the batch!
Hey everyone! I have mixed feelings about this round. I love video games, and I consider myself quite the gamer. However, I've been told that the judge's reviews probably won't matter this round, so I had a hard time being motivated to write the reviews. Nevertheless, now that I've found the time, I'm excited to hear the songs and what you guys came up with. Due to my procrastination, my time is wearing thin, so I will only be writing reviews for the four main songs. I did like a few of the shadows better than the main entries though. I will say that the entries were all fairly strong, but I wish the main entries had a bit more variety.
Mitchell Adam Johnston (In Another Castle) - Right off the bat, I knew I'd like this song. I love how the music incorporates Super Mario Brothers 8-bit sounds and in an original composition. I really love how the warp pipe effect syncs with the first "I'm so alive." I think the song also did a good job of capturing how the Princess might actually feel.
Zarni De Wet (The Bleeding Effect) - I have no idea why it ends with a long stretch of silence, but I'm actually glad the song was shorter than I thought. It was a nice song, but I feel it didn't benefit from the nostalgia that Johnston employed.
Chris Cogott (In Bright Falls) - This is perhaps the most literal entry of the group. It's about the Alan Wake, a game I grew frustrated with. However, in the past, I've mentioned how Cogott often walked the fine line of rock I liked and didn't like. This time, it happened to fall on the side I don't particularly care for. Still, I enjoyed listening to the song.
Rebecca Brickley (Where I Am) - I feel this song did the best job of turning the perspective of a character into a song that could be enjoyed by anyone regardless if they are a gaming fan or not. However, when it comes to the overall song, I enjoyed it the least.
Dr. Lindyke also decided to do his reviews via video. (Direct Link)
When we got to the Final Four of the LP, the one thing that immediately struck me was that this round would be great. The quality of the entries were uniformly excellent. This being a POV challenge, I'm judging how well the songwriter got into the head of the character he or she was portraying. I really wasn't looking for bleeps and bloops, though the 8-bit sound was appreciated, where appropriate. But it's important to remember that this challenge is character-based... NOT game-based. The successful entries get us into the head of the character, not the feel of the game.
Something different I've done today is I've noted the running time of each song. I did this after I noticed how incredibly short (time-wise) the playlist is. Fully 10 of the 15 songs clock in at under 3 minutes. NINE of those clock in at 2:30 or less. In keeping with my expectation that this challenge would knock a lot of folks out of their comfort zones, I got a general feeling of "get me the hell out of here" from some of the entries. I also think it's a general trend that the longer entries tend to be the much better ones. These come from the writers who successfully avoided the "game vs. character" trap. Those who took the time to develop the character tended to take their songs out of novelty territory and imbue them with genuine replay value.
The previously eliminated competitors are voting on this round, so my rankings don't count for much. Nevertheless, I'm presenting the four competitive entries in their ranked order, top to bottom. The shadows are unranked and appear in album order.
Zarni DeWet - The Bleeding Effect (4:07) Game: Assassin's Creed Character: Desmond Miles
You know what I said above, about taking a song out of novelty territory...? This is the quintessential example. I have to admit, I was completely unprepared for the superb quality of this entry. If you didn't know one thing at all of this game, or that the song had any connection to it, you'd still get an emotional charge from the hook, "I became a ghost / so you won't bleed...". What a selfless expression! The music is elegant and beautiful; I could listen to this all day long. Way back in the first round I noted Zarni's economy of words, and it's at work here again. Imagine for a moment all the different ways that you could express that you kill for a cause; that the ends justify your means; that you're working for a higher purpose; that contrary to appearances your focus is not on destruction, but life. Then consider the words, "If I gotta shed some blood to save some -- then I'll save some." Try to do that better, 'cause I can't.
Your votes will determine if Zarni's won the contest, but this song says she's won me over completely.
Rebecca Brickley - Where Am I? (3:33) Game: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Character: Carmen Sandiego
I had an internal struggle over whether Chris or Rebecca got the #2 spot. In the end Rebecca got it because she's got a better handle, I think, on her character. I like the vocal performance. I like the fact that she's not just singing it, she's acting the part. I like the fact that she can do that because she wrote a part that could be acted, and set it to music that allows and furthers that performance. Through this we get a sense of Carmen's playfulness and her sense of superiority. Great job!
Chris Cogott - In Bright Falls (2:30) Game: Alan Wake Character: Alan Wake
I like Chris' music, his sound, the arrangement, and his unique choice of character. The song has a bit of a happy-creepy quality to it that both works for and against it. For it, because it's catchy, and just really, really nice to listen to. Against it, for the same reason. We have here a character whose wife has ben dragged into a lake; whose life is a veritable horror show: yet I keep expecting the Munstermobile to drive up and Eddie and Grandpa to jump out. Though the song is undeniably in Alan's POV, I don't get the feeling that Alan is feeling anything. But again, it's a great poppy sound and it meets the challenge, and I love both the organ and the guitar work and the "Paperback Writer" homage. All things considered, it was the musical production that took my 3rd spot.
Mitchell Adam Johnson - In Another Castle (2:06) Game: Super Mario Brothers Character: Princess Peach
I hate that every round has to have someone come in last. I'm surprised in the extreme that we didn't have a slew of Mario-themed songs; and that the one we have here is so damned good. The POV is good, and I like the little twist that Peach could probably escape anytime she really felt like it. The game sound effects are a little tedious for a prolonged listen: I suspect that Mitchell knows that, too, as the song is just over the minimum length. In the end, it was the novelty nature of the song that kept it from ranking higher with me.
================== SHADOWS ==================
Charlie McCarron - The Pac-Man Duet (1:09) Game: Pac-Man / Ms. Pacman Character: Pac-Man & Ms. Pacman
If you're thinking that you'd wish the overly-busy dot-eating noises would go away during the song, keep in mind that it's not just background noise. Each leg between gulps is exactly 4-beats, or a measure. That makes this sample part of the instrumentation. Still, I wish it were pulled into the background a bit. This is very cute. The voices, with their vibrato and ever-so slight Chipmunkification, sound pretty much as I'd expect Pac-man and his Ms. to sound. There's not a whole lot on either of our protagonists' mind: eat, avoid death, love your significant other. Simple game, simple sentiment. Alas, it's too short to have met the challenge.
Mark Humble's Q*Bert is apparently the alien answer to Leisure Suit Larry. You might find riffs like this in a 1970s-era soft-porn flick... or so I've heard. *ahem*. Tries for "geek-chic", but winds up overshooting and going a little too meta. If you've ever wondered why Q*Bert is so keen on clearing those levels, you're not going to find out from this song... unless it has something to do with getting into your pants. Entertaining stuff, though. Mark, I'm still trying to decide if you deserve cake or death for near-rhyming Nietzsche and pizza. Oh, hell, take a coveted no-prize.
Brian Gray - Hard to Get (4:06) Game: Donkey Kong Character: Donkey Kong
Brian wrote an excellent little bio of this song. The concept: what if Donkey Kong were classically educated, and in love with Mario to boot? And what if he only used the captured Pauline as bait to attract his beloved Mario? Brian does an excellent job of getting into the big ape's head, and keeps the song focused on that POV. Picking out the longhair references is entertaining for those who are well-read. Musically, this is excellent... eminently listenable, and Brian's vocals are great, meshing well with the acoustic guitar. I've rated Brian highly previous rounds and feel more than justified by this great entry. He's one of my favorite performers. I feel Brian would have done extremely well in this round.
Boffo Yux Dudes - Floating Away (2:30) Game: Asteroids Character: The Asteroid ship pilot
Not quite matching Duality's four-song tour-de-force in Round 3, BYD have submitted not one, but three shadows. This one is the weakest of the lot. The "character" is the implied pilot of the asteroid-shooting spaceship. They describe it as their homage to Major Tom... and that actually makes a bit of sense. Take it from someone who put more than his share of quarters into one of these arcade machines, the primary winning tactic in Asteroids is to ignore the big rocks. Shoot the little ones, and keep the overall number of asteroids on the screen low. At the end of a screen you can then take a rest by leaving one asteroid fragment which you can leisurely dodge. At this point you're just floating away, as the "pilot" is, knowing that at some point you're going to have to destroy that last rock and embark on a fresh cycle, never to gain a permanent victory. Musically this drags a little bit, but I think that's intentional. Performance-wise, there are a few places where it could benefit from a visit by the Autotune-fairy.
JoAnn Abbot - Go For The Eyes (2:44) Game: Baldur's Gate Character: Boo
The POV here is indeed a hamster. While there are definite bonus points to be had for thinking outside the box, there's a limit to the depth of character provided by what is arguably a completely normal rodent. But what if he's not exactly normal...? Most of the idiosyncrasies -- and potential -- may appear to be in Boo's owner, Minsc; but here Jo takes him at face value and explores Boo as if Minsc's wetware didn't need a reboot. Jo does a very decent job portraying their relationship from Boo's perspective, though I expected Boo to be... er... wiser. The tune is simple -- the sort of thing you'd write for your grandkids -- and Caleb Hines' accompaniment is very well done. Jo gives us a good sampling of catch-phrases, so fans of Baldur's Gate should really like this song. I strongly, strongly, strongly recommend the "hamster mix" of this song.
Boffo Yux Dudes - One level Down (1:58) Game: Space Invaders Character: a Space Invader
Sam -- I mean, Tom -- and his invisible friend Al have brought us yet another shadow, this one better than the first. And yes, it's about one of those Space Invaders, advancing in rank and file with their zig-zag motion. There are a number of things I like about this song. I like the gradual accellerando, as in the game. I like the alien perspective of "...follow my brothers all the way to the ground." Apparently, Space Invaders are a bit monomaniacal, so this song wouldn't compete with the more character-driven ones, but I really don't think it tries to. It's worth listening to on its own merits. Sadly, they cut it exactly two seconds too short, and it doesn't meet the letter of the challenge.
David Ritter - Pitfall! (2:01) Game: Pitfall! Character: Pitfall Harry
I think this song has a great character and a great concept and a bit of a missed opportunity. David has given us a good sampling of the "whats" of Pitfall!, but gives us none of the "whys", and that's a huge difference. This song could be twice as long as it is, and be more entertaining, if we have a little hook into Pitfall Harry's psyche. I think that for a jungle vine-swinging character, acoustic is a good choice, but we do need to hear more of Harry's thoughts as opposed to his actions.
Boffo Yux Dudes - The Elf Shot The Food (2:02) Game: Gauntlet Character: The Party
If you've only played Gauntlet as a console game, then you missed out. Gauntlet truly shone as a four-player stand-up arcade game. Gauntlet was one of the early games where your character actually had to eat. Those who've played it with partners know the frustration of having a weakened, hungry character approach bounty, only to see it accidentally destroyed by a stray arrow. So this song is sure to get a smile from old-school arcade gamers. However, that's pretty much the whole joke, so we don't mind that the song's over in 2 minutes... that's actually about the right length for it.
Caleb Hines - The Writing On The Wall (2:16) Game: Portal Character: Chell
What! you say... didn't Jonathan Coulton already write the definitive Portal song? Well, maaaybe... his did actually show up in the game, but it's written from the perspective of GlaDOS, the AI. Caleb Hines gives us the story from the viewpoint of Chell, GlaDOS's victim. He crams an awful lot into two and a half minutes. The song is firmly focused on Chell's thoughts. Ultimately it's a build-up to the punchline best associated with Portal. Musically... well, I'm not convinced that Chell would sing something so tuneful and carefree after her ordeal. GlaDOS would, but she's not real.
Governing Dynamics - One Four One (Roach) (4:07) Game: Modern Warfare 2 Character: Gary "Roach" Sanderson
Travis has an interesting storytelling style... he reveals his character's thoughts through his impressions... those things that are noticed by the character. Don't expect to understand Roach's thoughts... expect to share his feelings. In this case the lyrics turn out to be a recounting of the game itself aside from some wordplay around the names Shepherd and Ghost. The mood here is carried by the music, and by the choice of adjectives.
OK, when you listen to this I want you to consider something: ITC doesn't play a note of his music. He scores every bit of it by pushing notes around on a music staff. Now keep in mind that he generally gets this stuff done early (when not plagued by equipment malfunctions). Given that synthetic music is ITC's briar patch, I fully expected him to run away with this challenge. He very nearly does so... he has far and away the best videogame soundtrack-styled entry on the playlist; made all the more impressive in that this isn't done with samples (save for one effect at the very end). Please, somebody, give this guy a job writing actual videogame music! Lyrically, ITC gives us a unique and clever take on a tertiary game character from Megaman 3... Topman. Here Topman poo-poos the suggestion that he's named for his top-like weapons, insisting that it's because he's the best of Dr. Wiley's Robot Masters. Uh... yeah. I really wish this challenge had come earlier in the competition.
