SOMESONGS - ROUND FOUR

[Mr. Pink]

SOMESONGS - ROUND FOUR

Title: Hapless Avenue
Oblique Strategy/Challenge: Idiot glee
Send completed songs no later than 1 November at 23:59 EDT.
Send songs by email to somesongs2024@gmail.com.
Use "Hapless Avenue" as your subject.
In the body of the email, write your band name and paste the lyrics to your song. Feel free to explain how you executed the challenge as well.
Results will be posted no later than 4 November at 23:59 EST. Fingers crossed.

Now go write SOME SONGS!

[Caravan Ray]

lol

I have no idea what to do with it ATM. But I love it.

[the idiot king]

I feel as though I have an edge here.

[BoffoYux]

SomeSongs Round 4 LP & SongFight 'The Idle Rich' LP
Monday 11/4 10 PM


https://www.youtube.com/live/g-JLOqU-LpQ

[Hoblit]

Hey, I'm not sure how much thought was given to this so I want to raise my hand about the holiday.

Yes, Halloween is a bona fide holiday ... for me, at least. And I'm sure at least a couple of other entrants have kids ...

And we all have parties to go to.

I am wondering ... if there is any way we can flirt with the possibility ... of maybe...if we could... extend the deadline on this one by one day?

[ujnhunter]

Where the parties at?

[Hoblit]

Where the parties at?

Well, last year I was here: https://www.halloweenonchurch.ca/

This year we're just going to a couple of house parties here in Charlotte.

[the idiot king]

Hey, I'm not sure how much thought was given to this so I want to raise my hand about the holiday.

Yes, Halloween is a bona fide holiday ... for me, at least. And I'm sure at least a couple of other entrants have kids ...

And we all have parties to go to.

I am wondering ... if there is any way we can flirt with the possibility ... of maybe...if we could... extend the deadline on this one by one day?

I'm going to make the deadline but I have zero opposition to people taking an extra day if they need to. Having said that, it's not my choice to make of course.

[frankie big face]

We're going to keep the deadline because I've already received at least one submission. We've accepted slightly late submissions already, so I can't imagine we wouldn't accept something that came in modestly late. Just get it in as close to the deadline as you can.

[Hoblit]

We're going to keep the deadline because I've already received at least one submission. We've accepted slightly late submissions already, so I can't imagine we wouldn't accept something that came in modestly late. Just get it in as close to the deadline as you can.

I can respect the answer but I can't let the illogical explanation stand. Your reasoning does not make sense.

[MicahSommer]

We're going to keep the deadline because I've already received at least one submission. We've accepted slightly late submissions already, so I can't imagine we wouldn't accept something that came in modestly late. Just get it in as close to the deadline as you can.

I can respect the answer but I can't let the illogical explanation stand. Your reasoning does not make sense.

It does make sense. Someone has already submitted who might have spent longer on their entry if they knew they would have an extra day.

[Hoblit]

We're going to keep the deadline because I've already received at least one submission. We've accepted slightly late submissions already, so I can't imagine we wouldn't accept something that came in modestly late. Just get it in as close to the deadline as you can.

I can respect the answer but I can't let the illogical explanation stand. Your reasoning does not make sense.

It does make sense. Someone has already submitted who might have spent longer on their entry if they knew they would have an extra day.

I actually came back here to delete my post. But it looks like we all have to live with it now.

I would argue that anyone who already turned theirs in either didn't need another day or had to because they were going away and in either case, they too would now have an extra day. But I'm not arguing, I'm conceding... makes enough sense.

So to everyone, my apologies, I do not mean to cause a fuss and I suppose now I'll just stop fussing.

[frankie big face]

I can respect the answer but I can't let the illogical explanation stand. Your reasoning does not make sense.

It's no fuss, but is it not logical to think that someone who was faced with the same situation as you (loves Halloween, has parties to attend) submitted their entry early *because* they knew they wouldn't have time at the end of the writing period, just like you??

Illogical. Hoblit, you insult me.

[Hoblit]

I can respect the answer but I can't let the illogical explanation stand. Your reasoning does not make sense.

It's no fuss, but is it not logical to think that someone who was faced with the same situation as you (loves Halloween, has parties to attend) submitted their entry early *because* they knew they wouldn't have time at the end of the writing period, just like you??

Illogical. Hoblit, you insult me.

I'm sorry.

Yeah, I regret not being able to withdraw that post for this very reason.

I was wrong and it's a matter of my own responsibility that I cannot hack the deadline due to this particular holiday and time management.

[frankie big face]

No worries, man. Just submit when it’s finished. This is a fun competition. We need “deadlines” to keep it moving, but we’re not psychos.

[Mr. Pink]

we’re not psychos.

You can't leave this guy with them.

Why not?

Because he's a fucking psycho. And if you think Joe's pissed off, that ain't nothing compared to how pissed off I am at him, for putting me in the same room as that bastard!

[frankie big face]

HAHAHAHA! I really need to watch that movie again.

[mo]

Frankly I’m surprised “reservoir dogs” hasn’t been an oblique strategy challenge yet

[frankie big face]

The songs are posted! Go listen to SOMESONGS!

[Mr. Brown]

Some thoughts after several listening sessions but before scoring is finalized.

Add - I feel the organ parts would work better for me if the first and second verses were switched but then I don't think there would be enough of a contrast with the bridge*. But it seems to take a step back from V1 to V2, where the rest of the song seems to build nicely. I especially like the vocals on the last verse. And I like the AABA form, it should be used more. (*For ease of conversation I called the B section a bridge.)

Caravan Ray - I like the arrangement well enough. The half spoken vocal delivery is something I usually don't gravitate to but it also works fairly well for me in this song. Are the bright guitars panned a bit to the right? The lead vocal to the left a bit? The panning seems a bit odd but there's a lot to like here. This one is a grower. I like/appreciate it more on repeated listens.

Glenn Case - The lyric angle of the challenge is creative. Your production skills are consistently good. There's a lot to appreciate in this song, but... It feels like it doesn't really go anywhere for me. A pretty steady and decent entry with a higher score than I expected once I finished the initial rankings. (Queue up another plus for the rating system, I think.)

The Idiot Kings - I think the vocal and melody range combine to give this a feeling that it's slightly more complex than it is. Your arrangement doesn't hurt, doing a lot with not much, which is good song craft, in my opinion.

Tomorrow - I listened through a few times and then came back today and listened through a couple more times while finishing up scoring and jotting down a few thoughts. My thought for you is that this is the song I enjoyed the most when listening again today. The cackling is probably a bit too pronounced for my taste. If I listen multiple times in a row they get more annoying than effective.

Philosophical question: Should the arrangement of the song be scored under Song Craft or Production or maybe a little bit of both?

[Mr. Orange]

Trying to say at least one thing stupid but true (deal with it!) in each review, to meet the challenge from the reviewer's side. Not too difficult for me.

Add - For some reason, I have Add in my mind as a guitar band, but no biggie; there's that trademark slightly too loud keyboard. Nothing wrong with the song at all, but just a bit predictable overall. Points for the lyric but also points off because of the 'avenue' rhymes are a bit basic. I guess that applies to everyone though, so I'll take that into account when it comes to scoring. I guess if I squint my ears hard enough, I can just about hear the later Kinks in this, so that's points as well. OK, in case you couldn't tell.

Tomorrow - Good song, for sure - the laughter, though a little loud (especially on headphones) is a near perfect encapsulation of Idiot glee, at least for me. Especially as it doesn't feel wedged in in any way but doesn't get in the way of the song you are making, which is an excellent realisation of a challenge, in my opinion. Good.

Glenn Case - I don't think an acrostic nails the challenge but I can't dismiss it out of hand as easily as I can the 'Idiot King singing a line' thing - that just smacks of 'I don't get how to realise the challenge and here's someone who happens to share a name with half of it'*. Another good Glenn Case song, which in of itself may be a problem overall, but again I am judging the song on its own merits not on the back catalogue. Just, I would be a little bored by the lack of variety so far if I was listening to an album. but what do I know, right? The fact I have spent all this review talking about things that irk me, and nothing about the song itself speaks volumes. OK!

Idiot Kings - I really like this one, however I think to really ramp up the Idiot Glee angle, the rhythm section should be mixed more prominently. It lacks the requisite drive I think it needs. However, really love the flabby guitar riff. Not sure I approve of the use of 'simple' chord progression in your explanation - nothing wrong with simplicity! However this may be the best song in this fight just not presented the best. Good.

Caravan Ray - I so wanted you to include some elements of reggae this time, so I could really wind you up again with a 'idiot glee' review, allowing me to claim a challenge point from this side of the creative divide; but no! Oh hang on, this makes me think of The Beautiful South! Hahahaha! There is probably a less specific example and also they would make their song catchier; but in defence in advance, I give you the whole "mentioning the homeland while telling a story of (not limited to) drinking/gambling/wistful youthful memories'. I like the vibe but I don't feel you needed to include the challenge in the lyric as the implicit judgement of the song lyric takes care of the challenge. OK flirting with the edge of Good.

*Unless of course a) The Idiot King is in reality an idiot, which I strongly doubt; but having never met him, cannot confirm or deny or b) this is a joke, which again cannot be confirmed or denied; but if it is true, adds too many layers, man!

[Caravan Ray]

Oh hang on, this makes me think of The Beautiful South! Hahahaha! There is probably a less specific example and also they would make their song catchier; but in defence in advance, I give you the whole "mentioning the homeland while telling a story of (not limited to) drinking/gambling/wistful youthful memories'.

I don’t know who The Beautiful South is, but I will disclose that this song is a homage to “Post” and “Gossip” era Paul Kelly - hence the Randwick and Kings Cross references. The title immediately made me think of “Incident on South Dowling St” and I went from there. I lived on Baptist St. Just around the corner and down Cleveland St from South Dowling St. I knew some hapless people. So I moved it from Surrey Hills to Randwick. Both suburbs are equidistant from The Cross - so it still makes sense.

I did an Ed Keupper homage last week. Next week could be Tim Rogers or Jeremy Oxley.