Gonna start with the art because the art is where it's at, doobiedeedoo, don'tcha know?
Jerkatorium: This one is perplexing. It reminds me of the Sistine Chapel but I don't believe it's part of that painting, although there is so much I don't know about it that it could be. I like the color and the feel of the painting and the black shadowing works well with both the red songfight and blue title. It looks good. More than serviceable.
Pigfarmer Jr: Technically not a handshake. Lots of references to this specific "shake" when googling handshake. I love this take on the title. If I were choosing I probably wouldn't have chosen it for the cover art, though.
crumpart: The simplicity of the idea is marvelous. I like this one. The only thing I don't like about it is the lettering is not readable in the smaller versions. Maybe a small outline in black or grey would help a lot. Block lettering on a tinted background. On the full size entry, though I can easily see why this one was chosen.
Jim of Seattle: This is cool. But it gives me an uneasy feeling if I look at it too long. Which is good art, really. This one wins my recently made up "most creative" award.
Pigfarmer Jr: I think this entry is the cleanest of the entries. Easy to see the title and I like the soft feel to it. Technically not a handshake, but it's cool. Of course I would think that it. I made it.
Coverbot: My favorite of the fight. Simple. Clean. Easily seen. Still, it seems that very little effort was put into it. Okay, that was rude to the other artists. I love this idea for the art, but it's the least creative of the bunch. I completely see why coverbot art rarely beats out any of the other entries. Still, this does have a certain attraction/sense of humor that I like.
And now on to things of lesser importance. I'm jotting a couple of thoughts down on first listen.
Berkeley Social Scene: The rapid fire verse took me off guard and wasn't immediately my thing, but damn, it was executed well. The chorus was just catchy enough to keep me interested but by the end I was liking it a lot. The solo was cool, too. But maybe a tad high in the mix or maybe a hair shrill in tone for my ears. A little nitpick. I would definitely listen to this one again.
Evil Grin: Voice came back more than I expected. The high notes were impossible the night before recording this one. That being said, I really love the tone on the verses. But, yeah. Not my best singing by a far shot. I like the song well enough, though. That bridge that seems to be popular was written by Amanda, btw.
gizo vs. the 17,455: That simple introduction drew me in, but once the verse/vocal hit it seemed a bit... dissonant?... uneasy? I like the melody. I really like that transition back into the music after "go by." The chorus is catchy without being ear wormy or ... without trying to be, I think. I like the bridge. I really like that solo, though. Simple in idea, straightforward but a cool tone and attitude. Minimalist in a way, but effective. Did I mention I like the choruses?
Glenn Case: Cool verse melody and vocal. I like how the vocal is clear, easily understood but still sits back in the mix a little. Ooh, another cool solo. That's pretty tasty tone and playing. This one maybe drug on just a hair and had the sudden ending that I don't like much.
Hot Pink Halo: The violins mask the vocal a little more than I like. The doubled vocal helps a bit. This has to be the song about the literal shake I read about above? Knowing that makes it hit a little harder, more deeply, I think. At any rate, I liked the lyric on first read and I like how the melody plays with it for instance on "atmosphere" in the chorus.
James Owens: I've written so many songs with "pretty baby" in it that I've come to loathe both that phrase and myself for using it so much. As a result, you're getting dinged for something that is an aside at best. Okay, not dinged, but... I noticed it. Also, I like that bass line, the groove and the arrangement. I cannot sit still listening to this... at least not for long. That's a good thing. Oh, I love that dissonant bit toward the end.
Jim of Seattle: This is an interesting song to listen to. Not knowing your stuff and only glancing at your music link didn't prepare me for the creative angle you took. Some of this seems amazing. Yet some of it just gets old. I think I'd rather see a live performance of this with a sort of orchestra or that style band. Or to put it another way, I think this would be moving and the creativity would be blaring, in your face with a live performance. As is, I thinks it's cool, but I am going to have to listen a couple more times to wrap my head around it.
King Arthur: Tasty guitars to start, KA. That's never a wrong thing. I like the exaggerated reverb on the vocal (that doesn't drown it out or anything like that.) There is something captivating about that vocal. Not a huge fan of that snare sound, but I like the rhythm. I think maybe more space between the bits would be welcome. The solo was serviceable and fit the song. It seems like this song would normally hit me as an okay entry but there's something charming about this song that strikes my fancy. I like it.
Lily Plus Martin: The intro vocals are a bit low in the mix. The main vocal entering is quite a bit louder (which I think is for effect and does give me one) but it was just at that point where I turned up the volume and BAM. Yeah, I think rendering/mastering this just a bit more hot would be welcome. I like that melody. I like the phrasing in the guitar and the music. This has a quiet charm to it that I like a lot. I want hit repeat immediately to listen again. It's leaving me with a feeling that I missed something.
The Magnetic Letters: I like those vocals together. That melody and rhythm keeps me bopping my head along. And I like the acoustic guitar "lead." I keep thinking "cute" when trying to describe this song.
Megadank Vs The Bloke Explosion: This one brought a smile. Not necessarily a knowing smile and wink, though. Kinky sex games! You just can't go wrong with that take, right?
Paco del Stinko: I would hate to have to play this song live. Maybe if I could rehearse long enough. It would be an amazing, yet colossal, mess, I think. But fun. SO MUCH FUN!
Phlebia: Sound art, much? There's so much here that doesn't strike my fancy on first glimpse. But I was really interested in the lyric. And that last stanza really sums it up. I'm super glad that the lyric was posted as I enjoyed this little journey lyrically and it hit a satisfactory ending for me.
Pigfarmer Jr: I remember vividly some twenty years ago when I introduced my wife to some friends back home and she felt completely left out. So I put myself in her shoes and wrote this from that perspective. A fast recording.
ShoehornTC: I love that vocal tone. A lovely take. Seems like I'm sitting at the coffee shop with one of the local guys and his friend singing a song. So cool and almost intimate.
Third Cat: I can appreciate the vocal delivery, I think it suits the song, but it isn't my favorite. I like some of the guitar work quite a bit. The ending cadence was a cool one. Probably not one of my favorite third cat songs, but I like that you went for a feel and got it. I'm betting that I'll like this more on the next listen.
TOSHIRO: I like the bass and drum foundation with sparse accommodation on top. The vocal almost wants to slip away, melt into the music. Not a typical vocal delivery but one I find I like. And it goes against my normal preferences. I think I want a bit of a change up or maybe I was expecting it and didn't get it? At any rate, enjoying this laid back take.
glenny: Not my most favorite vocal delivery, but I do like the melody and the almost staccato feel in some of the lines. That break at around 2:30 onward and the ending works very well for me.