Okay, here are my reviews.
Starfinger - Oh, I adore this. The wacky space sounds, the bombastic singing, the hilarious lyrics. So good. My only complaint is the ending (presumably this is the guest part) feels tacked-on. If it weren’t needed for the challenge, you could just trim it out and the song would be better for it. It’s not a bad little mini-song, but it doesn’t really go with the aesthetic of the first part.
Moss Palace - I also dig this a LOT. Honestly to me these two are a tie in terms of quality and would I listen to them outside of the contest (hint: I would!). First of all, it’s using the title up front and frequently, instead of burying it in a throwaway line like last time. The guest guitar by Mo is great, lilting and flowing around the main electro-instrumentation like a river. My only beef with this one is friends (even imaginary ones!) are still people. That’s literally my only issue. Otherwise stellar.
Balance Lost - This has a cool Afro-beat sound to it that I liked a lot. I’m a sucker for those Zimbabwe-style guitar lines. Again the lead voice is too breathy, which bugs me a little, but musically I like the song. The guest on the chorus is ok, not great. Something a little Nico about her (?) prosody and intonation. They do sound very similar to me, perhaps it’s the accents and timbre.
FYI, playing coy about who your guest is and what they sang is not a way to earn favor with the judges, in fact it’s deeply irritating. We have to rank all these songs including how well they met the challenge, so please just try to make our lives a little bit easier by stating up front who the hell your guest is and what they did. You can do it in your lyrics post as many others did. It takes 2 seconds and would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
Also I still have a slight issue with the use of the title. As previously explained upthread, I read the title as “My Granddad was wrong about who are the best people” meaning some other group of PEOPLE are the best people. Failure to follow instructions. Also I think it goes on a little too long. Could stand to lose 30 seconds.
Frankie Big Face - This is extremely well done, but I didn’t love it. It sounds like a kids’ song. I kind of hate kids’ songs. Similar kind of tropical vibe to BL but I liked his better. That said, he nailed all the requirements. “Chinny-chin-chin” makes me laugh every time. Great job. Not your fault I have a genre bias against it.
Glenny - Which one is A Single Pint of Failure? Is he singing lead, or is that Gizo (? Stacking Theory?)? I didn’t love either of their vocals, tbh. This song is perfectly meh. Like it was decently written and performed, but it didn’t stick in my mind after I finished listening to it. (
PS I just read your song bio and awwww. I’m not crying!) Challenge was met on both fronts, however, which is why I ranked it as high as I did.
Cybronica - Cool opening. I gotta say Cybronica, you are hitting on all cylinders with me a LOT more this contest than you ever have. Bully for you. I like the verses and the instrumentation. Then the chorus happens. Suddenly it sounds like Hair. My musical ladyboner dies an undignified death. The first two lines of the chorus are okay, not great, but the third line really bugs me. I feel like you’re so busy vibrato-ing it up that you sound like you’re rushing, whereas if you just sang it plain and in a natural rhythm, it would sound great. There’s enough room for the line but the way you sing it makes it sound like there isn’t. (see attached, I’m singing it down the octave and I think I’m a little pitchy on the second line but you get the gist). Anyway I think this is overall a cool song, but I had to downrank for using a sample instead of a live guest.
Cavedwellers - first of two Pokemon songs. With a kid singing. Ugh. Sorry. Genre bias. But this was okay. EXCEPT for that line in the bridge (“To seek to seek to seek these kinds of friends”) where the kid was just all over the place! I think to me because it’s already so twee having a kid sing, that kid better be pretty good, because you’re not getting away with mediocrity or fuckups just because it’s “cute”. And I will admit that one of my favorite songs on earth starts and ends with a kid singing (“Dear God” by XTC) but she nails it! Anyway that’s my deal.
The Friends - I immediately wanted to like this because of the first lines. Everyone DOES suck in their own way! This is very antifolk. (If you don’t know what that is - and you probably don’t, no one has heard of it - look it up. Also this is reminding me of someone but I cannot think of who. If I remember later, I’ll come back.) Honestly I would have ranked this a LOT higher if the title challenge hadn’t been so badly failed. Musically and lyrically I enjoyed it a lot. The guests are used effectively throughout and contribute well to the song.
BSS - Immediately I was kind of turned off by the strings, and then the vocal came in. I am not a fan. Also the production is kind of flat, like it just doesn’t sound great. And then it plods along. The chorus is ok, I guess. But overall I found this aggressively mediocre. But it met both challenges so I had to rank it higher than Bluechip Ashram, which I liked as a song WAY better.
Bluechip Ashram - FUCK. I dig the sound instantly. I don’t know why I love his voice so much, it just sounds like he’s so world-weary in this way that I’m picturing a dude in the 70s sitting alone under the disco ball, he’s been up all night and he’s so drunk and lonely. Ahhhhhhhh I love it. I would buy an album of songs like this! I would have ranked this at number 12 if it weren’t for egregious failure to meet the guest challenge.
Spintown - This reminds me of Journey? I finally realized what I don’t like about ST’s sound. I cannot STAND Journey and their ilk. At least this lead singer doesn’t sound like Weird Al. I see the attempt at humor but it didn’t land with me. This is fine, I just personally really did not like it. I’m sorry.
MechaKarp - Oh god. A Pokemon rap. Really? What have I done to deserve this. This reminds me of “The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny” except unfunny and musically way, way worse. This was like nails on a chalkboard to me. It met both challenges, though.
UJN Corp - I get what you’re trying to do in the beginning, but it goes on wayyy too long. By the time the actual song kicked in, I was already bored and annoyed. Then it’s vaguely metal. Guitar playing is not bad, I guess. I just found it kind of an unlistenable mess. Like there was nothing catchy or melodically interesting that made me want to hear it again.
Kamakura - speaking of unlistenable messes! The samples (which as previously discussed does NOT meet the guest challenge) go on WAY too long. Nearly a minute and a half! Nobody wants to hear Neville Chamberlain & Winston Churchill for that long! And then the song itself starts and I’m not impressed. Like again, I see what you’re doing, but it doesn’t resonate. PLUS you also borked the title challenge, as discussed. Hence your ranking. Sorry dude.
Brown Word (shadow) - I really liked this and thought it was a hilarious and brilliant use of guest and title COMBO - this is exactly what I was hoping to get from this challenge and you’re the only one who did it. Musically it’s also pretty good - your voice sits nicely in this setting, which it doesn’t always do in your other songs. I really like the guitar work in the chorus. The freaking cicadas actually sound good! There’s a kind of almost medieval/60’s/90s sound to this that I really dig. I would have ranked this pretty high if it had been a regular entry, just so you know. Probably like 11. Outro gets heavy! Ha. Lyrics are great. Good job!!
chewmeupspitmeout (shadow) - I do not think what you tried to do with the title is cute. Samples don’t count as guests. That said, the sample singing riff in the verse doesn’t sound terrible. Is that an Omnichord in the verses? Ha. If so, points for that. I actually don’t hate this musically.
looks like we made it
