Like Mr. Brown, I think this round really pushed the limits of the scoring system for me. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing yet, but my final scores definitely don’t reflect the *order* I would have ranked the songs. But I think that’s the whole point. Anyway, I digress.
Also, just FYI, none of the judges can see each other's ratings until *after* the round is scored. I suspect we will fall in very different places this time around, based on the excellent reviews I've read thus far. Anyway, now it's my turn.
Add - In headphones, I found the doubled/alternate vocal melody to be a little distracting and annoying. (I have been a fan of that approach in the past.) But in monitors, it works just fine! I’m enjoying this new age of Add psychedelia. And because you’re sticking to the same instrumentation for this competition, I think you’re going to have a really nice, and cohesive, package of songs. There’s nothing to dislike about this song.
Caravan Ray - I’m not a huge fan of recitative songs, but it works really well here, probably better than a sung vocal. So congratulations on having that very smart instinct and selling it. The lyrics are really nice - specificity like “The Cross” and “Junior Murvin” (I have no idea who that is, but I just looked him up and if you put that in there to troll Mr. Orange's reggae comments, well done!) really elevates and elucidates the story. I ticked you down a bit for Performance because the sung sections near the end could be cleaned up a bit and I do think the song is a little on the long side. But these are quibbles - it’s a really good song.
Glenn Case - Nice job with the challenge. I always enjoy a god acrostic. This is one of those songs that definitely benefitted from the scoring rubric. My impression of the song is that’s it’s okay. It meanders a little bit and I blame the chord progression. (There’s nothing wrong with the chord progression - it just lives in a state of stasis.) But I can’t deny that the lyrics, production, performance, and challenge are all solidly good. So, even though I liked Mr. Caravan Ray’s song more than this one, you actually earned a slightly higher score. Again, this may be a feature and not a bug, but I noticed it in this round more than the others. Anyway, another solid entry.
The Idiot Kings - Three chords suits you well! At the outset, I feel like I’ve found a lost Modern English song. The refrain line “It’s just a good day to be dumb” is one of those lines that seems a little too goofy on the surface, but it’s got so much indie rock swagger, I can’t deny its effectiveness. (If Lou Reed sang it, people would have t-shirts bearing the line.) My real problem is with the rest of the lyrics. Hapless Avenue, Idiot Place, Unlucky Street, Imbecile Part—it’s all a little too predictable. I really like the tasty electric guitar that precedes the last refrain. I listened to this song many times and it kept growing on me. I even started to like the mandolin.
Tomorrow - Man, the first verse is the most I’ve ever liked your voice. (Try not to read that as a backhanded compliment.) That’s your sweet spot, man. There’s a lot to like about this song. The chorus is catchy and I love the bridge, especially how it builds and builds through that repeated line. (Your voice sounds great on the bridge as well. And nice slide guitar there as well. Or is it a theremin?) This song also grew on me a lot.
I thought all of these songs were really good. You guys are killing it.