I'm certain that this is the highest quality fight I've heard in the year and half or so being involved in Songfight. There is some truly exceptional stuff here!
Fractal Elves - This is damn funny and I just love the chorus. The sparseness of the instrumentation works really well for the first and final sections, the choice of synth sounds during the middle part is excellent. I just love the quirkiness of this, really great stuff.
shrts - Firstly, I love the discipline of you guys to keep these songs so short, it must be seriously tempting to develop them in to more 'normal' length tracks. What's more, there is invariably enough interesting content in these tracks to sustain a far longer track, which makes it all the more impressive that you resist lengthening them. This week's entry is no different, plenty going on in there to make it interesting and memorable. Plus kudos for accepting the optional challenge of getting straight into the chorus.
Jerkatorium - This has the feel of an 80's TV show theme tune (in a good way). Good grief, this is just excellent! Just so catchy, a great bridge, and an excellent chorus, nice backing vocals, good lyrics, a proper sing-along. This is surely the song of the fight. Well done, guys, exceptional stuff.
Glennny - A touch chaotic at the start as it somehow struggles to settle into a groove, but this is being a bit picky to say the least as after around the thirty second mark it really starts to sound great. Overall is has a sound like The Beat, which is clearly a very good thing. The guitar and horns sound glorious in this.
Vom Vorton - A particularly good start as it ploughs straight into the chorus line. Really enjoyed the lyrics in this and the bouncy progression of it. The little guitar riff works really well too. Good stuff.
Tuners Union - This has a bit of the feel of Fleet Foxes, and it is very well done. The build-up in the middle section works superbly before it gets cut back again for the last 30 seconds or so. You seem to have nailed the sound and style you were after. Superb.
The Magnetic Letters - A cheery sing-along about bollocks. Certainly a genre not often explored. It all feels a bit awkward at times but fun nonetheless. Whilst not trying to make the obvious joke, I do like the, errrrm, organ in the middle of the track
Mess Of Fun - Straight into the chorus as per the optional challenge, excellent. Another really catchy sing-along pop song with an old-skool vibe. This is another exceptional entry into this week's fight, another genre absolutely nailed. Brilliant.
Lichen Throat - Absorbing lyrics which I believe are inspired by Anna Karenina. This grew on me over a few listens. A nice idea executed in an interesting way.
James Owens - Sounds like the offspring of Magnetic Fields and Bob Dylan, which is a great thing. The piano on top of the bassy synth/pad between the verses is just lovely. This track really generates a atmosphere like none other in the fight. Another truly superb entry.
Pigfarmer Jr - Musically really enjoyable, but needed some lyrics in there rather than the repeated line in order to keep the interest up. That's just my personal taste though, of course
dark side of the son - Would be improved, in my opinion, without the very distant sounding recording. I'd have been tempted to lose the last minute or so and wind it down after around the two and half minute mark, but that aside I really love this. I find this a really compelling and gripping song. This is the one song in the fight that I find myself going back to more than any of the other. Really great stuff.
WreckdoM - "I sharted my pants during confession, sat in the filth of my transgressions." Not only is this lyric the finest line in the fight, it could well be the finest written sentence of 2018.
Berkeley Social Scene - More bouncy sing-along pop, and another track that's very nicely put together. You can't go wrong with a good solid anti-Trump pop song. Guitar lines work really well and the solos are very nice. Another really good entry.
Macaque Attack - This is us. The idea was a granddad sitting giving advice to a young grandchild. I'm not sure it worked as well as I had imagined, it all got a bit sickly sweet and hackneyed. Still, I was really pleased with the kinda muted piano, drums, and strings. Perhaps we'll turn it in to an instrumental
Wow, that was a marathon reviewing session. There's an old-skool pop vibe going on this week and some exceptional quality. Multiple votes issued. Brilliant stuff everyone.