ST20.4 Rankings and Reviews - See-Man-Ski
1 The Alleviators
2 Sober
3 The Pannacotta Army
4 Ironbark
Introduction
And so we have arrived at the finale, well done to all the competitors. This has been a hard journey and I always knew judging was incredibly hard, but it really hits home how hard giving it a go. I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity and hope that I haven't gone off on one unnecessarily.
I did have a go at this, this made judging harder because I felt like massive hypocrite. A lot of the things I mention I am super aware I am doing myself, and probably worse.
Loudness
Averages
As always, I like to see the averages. I find this interesting as it gives me gauge of what to aim for when I attempt some kind of mastering on my own stuff.
LUFS
-12.65
LRA
6.46
Peak
-0.41
Reviews
1. The Alleviators - Stone Lions
An emotive powerful take on the imagery placed. So much so that you actually gave me goosebumps whilst listening. The words are well crafted, the paper tigers line is great, and you delivered the emotion in spades.
Performance
You gave me goosebumps and I was totally emersed listening to you essentially pour your heart out. Bliss.
Music
I thought the music fitted well, I really liked the guitars following on from the vocals. Everything worked for me, you just managed to nail right at final hurdle, precisely when it matters.
Idea
You clearly have taken inspiration from the picture. What I liked about your take is that you didn't go with what you could see i.e. a library, the lions etc. Instead, you took a part of the image that was striking and based your song around that, and sprinkled a few story and book references i.e. paper tiger, new beginning etc. Really clever, and unique.
Lyrics
Loved them, subtle references to what stories and books, but you have everything focussed on the lions and the emotions that they made you feel. I was completely drawn in.
Production
I had a few niggles with the production. They are nitpicking. Firstly the drums sound out of place, I presume they are some form of superior drummer or ezdrummer sound. The problem is they didn't feel like they belonged with the music. I felt you could have done something to make them fit more, possibly some saturation or reverb to help blend it more.
The other thing I spotted, but this is really nitpicking, I noticed that you have the tail end of you guitars in between sections and it kind of sounds like a bumblebee flew in on your recording session.
Lots of speal about minor things, it sounded ground and captured the emotion in the piece.
LUFS
-12.98
LRA
11.5
Peak
-1.77
Performance
9/10
Music
8/10
Idea
9/10
Lyrics
8/10
Production
7/10
Total
41/50
2. Sober - A Place in the Choir
A much-needed positive spin on the challenge, I love your interpretation of it. For me, the challenge was about looking at the photo and taking from it what it means to you. You saw a place for people to meet and found something that is dear for you, I think that's really lovely. I also love how you have given something back to your community, I bet they loved listening to the track and that means so much more than anything you could get from this competition.
Performance
I'd be a fool to critise this, you are incredible. OK, the last 2 choruses are shaky and if I hadn't read the liner notes I would have said they need to be bolder and bigger to make it really feel like a choir. However, now I know to backstory I feel differently, it's about your community and that is them.
Music
I really liked it, the chorus was catchy and uplifting, the precision of how you play is wonderful.
Idea
I do like the idea of community and I love that you have involved your local community. There is nothing in the song that is directly referenceable to the photo in any way. I couldn't listen to it and have a picture of library in my head. However, the challenge was for the picture to inspire you, so it shouldn't really matter, but I would have liked it to be linked to the photo somehow.
Lyrics
For what you are going for, it ticks the boxes. You wanted to give something back to your community and show how grateful you are. That comes across extremely well.
Production
Everything sounded great. I just think you could have done some clever production trickery to make the backing vocals in the last 2 choruses bigger. They didn't feel like a choir in the grand scale that the rest of the track puts forward. However, I think that could take away from intimacy of the piece. I'm torn.
LUFS
-16.48
LRA
8.5
Peak
-0.03
Performance
8/10
Music
8/10
Idea
5/10
Lyrics
7/10
Production
7/10
Total
35/50
3. The Pannacotta Army - The Baglady Bossanova
I really enjoyed the story telling in this, the idea of someone seeking refuge in the library during the winter months works. I do have issues with the music, I think you did it on purpose, but I don't like how it sounds like I'm visiting Hawaii rather than being stuck in blistering horrible cold weather. I would prefer the music to sell the idea of it being cold and harsh and but comforting. Wrong time of year but some sleigh bells and a Christmassy feel, maybe.
Performance
Every played and sang very well, I loved the slide guitar, and it definitely has a summer appeal to it.
Music
The summer appeal is where I struggle on this, like I've alluded to. You specifically mentioned winter time, I found the lyrics and message compare to the music to be confusing.
Idea
I liked the idea, a feeling of hope for someone who is down on their luck is something I can get behind. I thought the story was told very well, and it was coherent. Unfortunately, it jump on a theme that others have followed (including myself) so you don't get that unique one of a kind feel.
Lyrics
Big tick for me here, your story telling is great, it was interesting there was no real hook, it is all verses which tell the tale of this homeless lady.
Production
All sounds good on this end, nothing I can really pick fault at.
LUFS
-9.85
LRA
3.6
Peak
0.31
Performance
7/10
Music
5/10
Idea
7/10
Lyrics
8/10
Production
7/10
Total
34/50
4. Ironbark - Thorn
A heartfelt performance about the perils of the winter months and having a library provide refuge. I thought the music fitted well with the subject-matter. Admittedly I didn't clue on that it was a homeless person on first listen. The reason being is that you don't have anything apart from the line "lay my blanket on the snow" that kind of suggests they are homeless. The accordion is lovely.
Performance
I thought you delivered the sense of melancoly very well. I enjoyed all the instruments, and they sounded very nice in the mix.
Music
I thought the music blended well with the topic. You do get a sense of hopelessness in the way you have delivered it and I can get an image of someone wandering the streets looking for refuge in the music.
Idea
I like the idea, I'm fine with the sadness of the theme. Same as a few others, which doesn't help set it aside.
Lyrics
I thought these could have had a few more hints of the nature of the character of your story. I just thought they were having a bad day, if you could have included a few references to make it crystal clear that this person is homeless and struggling I think that could have added to the emotion of the piece.
Production
I thought it had a lovely quality to the mix, it built nicely and you introduced instruments in the right place. I didn't really pick up on anything in the mix.
LUFS
-10.62
LRA
5.5
Peak
0.03
Performance
8/10
Music
7/10
Idea
6/10
Lyrics
6/10
Production
6/10
Total
33/50
Phlub - The Hobo's Hideaway [SHADOW]
Another song about a hobo, that is true, but where this is different from the rest is that it doesn't hide from the fact that it is a song about a hobo. I really like that you have just laid it out and made it without doubt that you are singing about a homeless man taking refuge in a library.
Performance
It's played well, the standout for me are your harmonies. I really enjoyed your "The Hobo" sections and how you brought them in the elevate your vocals.
Music
The music fits well with the theme, you definitely get the sense that you are singing about a guy who is down on his luck and is desperate to just find somewhere to curl up, read a book and forget the world.
I did find it very repetitive, it feels like the same thing throughout, and it gets a bit much. Also, because you have buried your solo in the mix even the instrumental section doesn't feel like it changes.
Idea
You like others (including myself) have gone for a person down on there luck looking for refuge. Where you differ though is you are very clear about that, you know it's about a homeless guy and it's not abstracted away, which I really liked.
Lyrics
I loved the idea of going between libraries from the train tracks. I felt you told the story very well
Production
Overall it sounded nice, the only criticism I had is in the instrumental section. The soloing instrument just gets lost in the mix.
LUFS
-14.03
LRA
5.1
Peak
-0.99
Performance
7/10
Music
6/10
Idea
7/10
Lyrics
8/10
Production
7/10
Total
35/50
Hot Pink Halo - Our Missing Hearts [SHADOW]
A touching fast pace synth track that uses the idea of finding a book to describe a loss. I found it interesting that you are singing about something is very sad and irreversible but describing it as not lost, just not found yet. Possibly you are hinting at meeting again in another life.
Performance
I liked the synths and how they are played. I don't feel the vocals quite fit for me, I felt they needed to be a bit tighter and I didn't feel the sense of loss and hope in your vocal delivery. I do think a lot of that is to do with the natural reverb that seems to overpower your vocals, but it just didn't quite fit for me.
Music
I liked the music, it was fast and creative and held my attention throughout.
Idea
I liked this a lot, you have taken something that obviously meant a lot to you and put it in a song. The song is drenched in library references which is relatable for someone outside your circle just focusing on the photograph.
Lyrics
I thought you described the sense of loss and grief poetically really well. They have personal references only you would understand e.g. "East to West" only really means anything if you read the liner notes, but because you have also described the idea of looking for a lost heart like you would be looking for a book in library, which is very relatable.
Production
I liked the synths, I just felt the treatment of the vocals were off, it sounds like you have recorded it in a small room and you are getting the natural reverb of the room. Unfortunately, for my taste and the blend with the clean synths, it sounds wrong. If you could get a dryer vocal alongside it then you might be able to control the level of reverb, but if it is in the mix already that would be hard to fix.
LUFS
-12.23
LRA
5.2
Peak
-0.7
Performance
5/10
Music
6/10
Idea
7/10
Lyrics
8/10
Production
5/10
Total
31/50
Cavedwellers - I Can Explain [SHADOW]
A song, which unfortunately for me, is about one of my least favourite topics, sport. Worse than that, it's about cricket (ah well at least it's a British sport). Well, your song did make it sound interesting at the very least. It was fast-paced, changed all over the place and had a nice hooky chorus. I may not enjoy the topic, but you almost sold it to me, almost, but not quite.
Performance
Nothing sticks out as odd or badly performed, I wasn't bowled over, there was no magic that gave me goosebumps, but it was very well performed.
Music
Lots of different artists popped into my head when listening. At first there is obvious Who comparison except they can't explain it. I also got a bit of a Manic Street Preachers Holy Bible vibe and the chorus reminded me of Blur (but I think that is probably the choice of Century as a hook)
There is a lot going on here technically that I can hear but couldn't tell you what you are doing, all I know is that it shifted like a mofo, and it did it seamlessly.
Idea
I wasn't a fan, from a personal standpoint I'm not a sporty person and I find cricket to be boooooorrrring! Most importantly for me, even though it does sound like the picture inspired the thought, reading through your liner notes (which ticks the box). I couldn't join the dots that lead to you thinking i.e. I wouldn't have been able to go library -> Cricket
.
Lyrics
Lyrics are compelling, lots of dates and facts that are not quite spelt out but interesting enough to keep you engaged. I didn't like the "I can explain" repetitiveness, just felt like you copied what the who did but in the verses instead of the chorus.
Production
I sounded good, but can't help but think you have used that modulation effect on your guitars a hell of a lot in the competition. I would have liked a bit of variety on the sound, but if that's your thing, who am I to judge.
LUFS
-11.28
LRA
3.7
Peak
-0.18
Performance
7/10
Music
7/10
Idea
4/10
Lyrics
6/10
Production
6/10
Total
30/50
Mandrake - Long Walk Home [SHADOW]
An awkward heavily synth based track which kind of feels like Mario decided to do some research at the local library and is making his way home. I found this challenging, I spent quite a few minutes counting 1,2,3,4,5 in my head to try and find the pulse (I was very happy when I did BTW). Musically I find this confusing. You mentioned in your liner notes this about walking home as the sun sets, when I go for a stroll I don't tend to walk in 5/8. I suppose it does give that sense of excitement about the cool stuff you have discovered, and it feels like it is a computer game. I just would have pictured walking home as the sun sets to be a bit more peaceful and less chaotic.
Performance
I loved the synths, they are all over the place and really bounced around the place. I thought the chorus was really good, and that's the point where I got the 5/8 rhythm. The verses were a bit ropey vocally though, there were a few dud notes in there that could have used another take.
Music
I didn't feel this gave the right vibe in my head. When I go for a walk it is to help me clear my head, I have a steady pace and I take in the scenery as I walk. This feels like a kid has just eaten whole bag of sweets and is jumping around the room.
Idea
I liked your take on the idea, you took what you saw and made your own. Can I put the picture in front of me and see that, I'm afraid not, the sound and vibe to me of your track screams 8 bit video game soundtrack.
Lyrics
They were OK, they didn't really captivate me, but you did sprinkle in a few choice words that you could tie in with a library theme.
Production
I thought this was fun to listen to and it sounded good. I think you could have tightened up your vocals in production, a bit snipping and pasting might have sorted out some of the ropeyness I mentioned.
LUFS
-13.71
LRA
8.6
Peak
0.03
Performance
5/10
Music
4/10
Idea
5/10
Lyrics
5/10
Production
6/10
Total
25/50
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