April Contest: VOTING

[runagate]

One song was only 0:24 seconds long when I downloaded it, 3 just wouldn't download for me at all. I don't know why. It was too freaking hard to vote for ten songs from this
crazy batch (and in order?!) so here's my admitedly whacko opinion:

By the way: I listen to them without knowing the artist who made the tracks so I may
get around to editing in the names here but I might not.

1 - XXX - I'm Feeling Odd (Yes? No!)
2 - XXX - One of several possible tracks
3 - XXX - anyotherwhen
4 - XXX - Oddity
5 - XXX - Feaster Bunny
6 - XXX - Prime Time Minister
7 - XXX - Overflowed
8 - XXX - Lie To You
9 - XXX - redsevn
10 - XXX - Dispril

Honorable mention:
4-18, forest, Duelling Sarods, A Sketch

I have comments for every song but I wouldn't read them if you don't like
unconstructive criticism! Ok? So that's fair warning.


Turned Down Blues - it's in 4/4

ThreeFourFree - Bad production, sort of generic but nice handling of the uneven meter

Soaring - video game techno - not my genre but nice stuttering uneven meter that highlights
the feel of the odd time sig (sometimes you can defeat the uneven feel by making it
too smooth) and then it kicks into guitar?!

4-18 - bouncing droplets, clanging metal - what a great intro... the bass, high rippling
synth and formicating percussion create a wonderful juxtoposition

Sing For The Day - I firmly believe that if you're making Yes-like prog that 3/4 is not
a challenging enough time sig but it made me want to put on green tights and play
fipple

TribeVibe - Although overall this is not my cup of tea I do like the percussion overlapping a
lot and that's a valient use of a dulcimer or something of that nature

about time - for some reason this cuts off at 0:24 seconds!?

Nile - makes me want to mention that 4/4 time in Egypt was called ballades and 5/4
and 7/4 are the common times - great playing that your virtual instruments can't
quite do justice but very nice

FiveFour - industrial classical soundtrack music

time constraints - 7/4 flutes, filtered synth and drums - a little hamfisted in the key
changes - holy crap more unlikely guitar riffing!? is this common in Europe?

anyotherwhen - instantly recognizable as funkylime! superb bass playing, weird harmony,
great touch on the drums (I could do without the panpipes sound) exciting and lovely

Overflowed - I'd turn up the snare in favor of the hi-hat because the snare ghost notes
are really quite nice but the high-end of the hats dominates the drum mix - holy crap
what great solo interplay - my bird's on fire

oddly enough - great percussion, interesting but ultimately just ambient synths

blahblahblah - damn, who made this? I'm interested as soon as it kicks in, nice outro

forest - sounds like an old beat machine (the kinds with drum machine and chords) got
possessed by Zelda elves playing the GM banjo! great arrangement

SomberSprings - some nice blippy sounds, sort of a Castlevania feel

I'm Feeling Odd (Yes? No!) - what the f**k? Crimson meets helium-huffing adrenochrome gnome -
nice old-school synth soloing and drum fills =)

Weird Shit Happens - some nice arranging, nice formented bass but a little monochrome overall
don't be afraid to let loose with those weird chords and background tension heard in
there

Duelling Sarods - I especially like how the bass has that passing tone in the stuttered off-
beat of the odd time - I love the sarod playing but not the piano or whatever that is
excellent tune

Lie TO You - Nice to see someone of this genre so deftly handling the time sig - also that
chord tension is brilliant, ear-catching breakdown, perfect sneaky bass underlying it
all - I'd normally never vote for this genre but it only proves my opinion that the
best musicians make a genre work if they're creative enough to surpass the pack

Oddity - well, what in hell - this is just great although the time is handled in a less habile
way than I'd expect from Zeoy - the guitar is smurftastic, a great song

A Sketch - I'm a sucker for this percussion (thumb piano?), nice bass,

Tempus Fugit - Contains most elements of electronic music that Im prejudiced against

Feaster Bunny - the rhythm isn't tight enough for odd-metered metal but great song taken
all together

Take5 - As a stuck-up jazzbo I'm afraid I can't get behind this one

route 118 - hokey

one point se7en five jam - too tepid for me

Zeropoint_eightsevenfive - nice drums but bass doesn't hang well, sitar is a nice touch
It seems to have the hesitancy of someone not used to odd times and if so you've
made a very nice start

One of several possible tracks - excellent, I assume this is laguna

atlanticies - some nice'n'freaky classical music with synths is always nice

Doina - too sparse for my tastes but an excellent example of flutes and pond animals jamming

Hot Chilli - a splattering of gumbo on my face! hilarious and original

Ward - perfect handling of the uneven time, a lovely ballad

Dispril - instantly involving but due to the steadiness of the downbeats and rhythm playing
I think this song would benefit a lot from the guitar breaking up the rhythm not
just echoing the "hits", some syncopation would be nice, a great transition that
becomes maestoso and then drops back into the original theme - excellent

The Golden Pavilion - very original, classy, nice strings, kind of reminds me of Shankar/Glass
collaboration but there's some out-of-tune parts towards the end (in the jarring way -
normally I love dissonance) but a quibble only

One eighth short of a full bar - What can I say? Professional, engaging, tight as hell

Prime Time Minister - gamelan Dylan? rhythm is handled perfectly, excellent production,
it makes me think of the musical montage of a newspaper being printed but on mescalin
it even somehow has the lyrics on my media player which is a huge plus

redseven - very odd drum tone but I like the guitar a lot, very off-kilter - it's hard to win
me over with this kind of guitar song but you nailed it, creative intervalic soloing

gotte reete die narren - the odd-time turnarounds are perfect, very good production, too


u-bahn - another creative and original sonic idea, I approve

finished article 145 - nice first half but really takes off in the second! great, crazy
sounds

Jar Fool of Pennies - too minimalist for my taste but skillfully done

life is shit - hilarious, perfect use of a tiny xylophone, excellent drumming and nice
smartass chord changes - badass

Garcia - some visionaries get locked up for shit like this, sort of reminds me of Tiamat
in a good mood - excellent guitar work, gently unhinged prophesying

wombat fight - an excellent program music interpretation of wombat fighting, a sort of
Japanese monster movie version of Hall of the Moutain King as surf rock, great solo

7-8 - excellent accoustic guitar recording technique, smart arrangement, but lacks a certain
sense of drama - the backing strings start out sounding out of place but quickly
create a nice crescendo - skillfully done

[nikp2000]

_

1 scoops take 5
2 barnadine ward
3 knockman golden
4 markelford blah
5 hovmod dispril
6 beardedone 11
7 slartibartfast feeling odd
8 freeztar jar fool
9 gumbo overflowed
10 watto lie to you

HMs
vic diesel dueling sarods
system era stormy weather

Nick

_

[Unfocused]

1. oddbods finger - Life is Shit
2. slartibartfast - I'm Feeling Odd (Yes? No!)
3. funky lime - anyotherwhere
4. You™ - Prime Time Minister
5. autodafe - Time Constraints
6. pepelogu - Somber Springs
7. Jonny Quest - Red Seven
8. algodon - Nile
9. farlukar - Shear Stress
10. gumbo - Overflowed

This month's thanks-giving: we get all of this great music for free!

Great month again all of you talented people!


-u

[Hovmod]

1 - Slartibartfast - feeling odd
2 - Barnadine - Ward
3 - Watto - lie to you
4 - SystemERA - Stormy Weather
5 - Steve Newton - Werd Shit
6 - Farlukar - Shear Stress
7 - LagunaRising - One of several
8 - Oddbod - Life is Shit
9 - Beardedone - Eleven
10 - Knockman - golden pavilion

Probably one of the best months. Thank you to reviewers. It's a big job...

[goldbaker]

OK, here goes my attempt at a virtually impossible task. A very enjoyable listening experience for every entry (really).

1. Gott Rette Die Narren -- Fritz Fiedler
2. Lie to You -- Watto
3. One eighth short -- richiebee
4. Oursvince Forest (?) -- Vincent Bernay
5. Soaring -- Arglebargle
6. Life is S-- Oddbod
7. Doina -- Petrudamsa
8. Dispril -- Hovmod
9. I'm feeling odd -- Slartibartfast
10. Blah Blah Blah -- Markelford

I would also note that I thought Scoop's Take 5 was fantastic, but I'm not sure I can vote for a cover in this type of competition. It's tough being a judge. (Although I'm still available for the American Idol job.)

[deaf dunderkwac]

I chose to do things in a particular way and if I was unable to download it, I couldn't hear it (streaming not really an option)
voting is hard, although I prepared a longish post last night, it got lost in the ether somehow.
Unfortunately I don't have the 'real'time to redo it, and my voting notes are a bit undecipherable. As tomorrow always brings new challanges for me, I thought best to put up a vote now. I did use the 'rules' to help toss contenders because it's really hard to choose a 'best' when they are all so darned good.

1 VicDiesel Duelling Sarods
2 autodafe Time Constraints
3 Marc JX8P Tempus Fugit
4 Arglebargle Soaring
5 gumbo Overflowed
6 Laguna Rising One of several possible trax
7 respirator Hot chili
8 Patrick9 TribeVibe
9 Beardedone Eleven
10 funky lime anyotherwhere

HM's to everyone else
congradulations to all!
and how come the lot of you aren't out being signed by major labels...

[pepelogu]

1. slartibartfast-feeling odd
2. Barnadine-Ward
3. Life is Shit-oddbods finger
4. watto-lie to you
5. Hovmod-Dispril
6. 1-2-Many_ThreeFourFree
7. Jens_Leuner-Sansibar
8. algodon-Nile
9. ArtGillespie-FiveFour
10.MarcJX8P-TempusFugit

Impressive songs, many more besides this few too!

[Jonny Quest]

1. slartibartfast I'm Feeling Odd (Yes? No!)
2. zeoy Oddity
3. watto Lie To You
4. Unfocused Wombat Fight
5. Barnadine Ward
6. Peppy Atlanticies
7. Former Pharoh Feaster Bunny
8. You Prime Time Minister
9. Runagate Unevenly Spread
10. Scoops Take 5 (even though it's a cover )

~jonny

[autodafe]

1. Arglebargle - Soaring
2. Fritz Fiedler - Gott rette die Narren
3. Barnadine - Ward
4. OddbOds Fingers - Life is Sh*t
5. slartibartfast - I'm Feeling Odd (Yes? No!)
6. watto - lie to you
7. torhan - Only 7 will tell
8. goldbaker - Scherzo in G minor
9. niko - Corporate Scum
10. Steve Newton - Weird Sh*t Happens


HM: , System ERA, VicDiesel, PepeLogu, HovMod, Scoops, Zeoy, FunkyLIme, algodon

congratulations to everybody who entered!

[gumbo]

Ok, here we go...

1. Barnadine - Ward
2. Watto - Lie to You
3. System ERA - Stormy Weather
4. Funkylime - anyotherwhere
5. Slartibartfast - I'm Feeling Odd
6. Autodafe - Time Constraints
7. Hovmod - Dispril
8. unfocused - Wombat Fight
9. You - Prime Time Minister
10. Jens leuner - Sansibar

HM: alchemystic, zeoy, beardedone, oddbods finger, and all the other good ones that I'm forgetting

[Fritz Fiedler]

Greetings. There were so many fantastic songs. Each song really had a special quality. My top 10:

#1. Barnadine - Ward
Reminds me of Leonard Cohen. Beautiful.

#2. Markleford - blahblahblah
Cool ambience and trippy groove.

#3. Goldbaker - Scherzo in G minor
Playful and fun. A renaisance of sounds.

#4. Oursvince - forest
Elogant Moby meets Phillip Glass qualities.

#5. Dunder - 4-18
Experimental minimalism. A head phone wearer's treat.

#6. Watto - Lie To You
Thought it was Coldplay at first. Gorgeous singing.

#7. Autodafe - Time Constraints
Seductive Middle-Eastern melodies and powerful flourishes.

#8 Zeoy - Oddity
Great sounds. Most "professional" mix I heard. Solid progressive rock.

#9 Steve Newton - Weird Shit Happens
Yes, it does!

#10 Unfocused - Wombat Fight
If King Crimson made Spy Movie themes.

All should be applauded for making such interesting musik. Thank you for letting me into your contest.

Have a great day,

Fritz Fiedler

[Guitarjeff]

My Votes


1. Scoops - Take5
2. 1-2-Many - ThreeFourFree
3. richiebee - One eighth short of a full bar
4. Thomas Torhan - Only 7 Will Tell
5. Col.G - Turned Down Blues
6. nikp2000 - route 118
7. funkylime anyotherwhere
8. Gumbo - Overflowed
9. slartibartfast - I'm Feeling Odd (Yes? No!)
10. rockstar not - one point se7en five jam

Nice Job Everyone!!!


Jeff

[zeoy]

From the 4 or 5 contest I took part so far this was really the hardest one in terms of choosing a top 10. Lots of great tunes. Here's my top10

1.The System ERA - Stormy Weather
2.Hovmod - Dispril
3.oddbods finger - life is shit
4.Yuskevich 06 - The Magnificent 7-8
5.Barnadine - Ward
6.Watto - Lie To You
7.Mellotronaut - Mellotronaut Garc?a
8.Vincent Bernay (oursvince) - forest
9.runagate - Voice Your Misgivings
10.Niko - corporate scum

and instead of HMs heres the rest of my top20 playlist:

Alchemystic - Soaring
Jens Leuner - Sansibar
YouTM - Prime Time Minister
rockstar not - one point se7en five jam
knockman- The Golden Pavilion
algodon - Nile
Markleford Friedman - blahblahblah
PepeLogu - SomberSprings
1-2-Many - ThreeFourFree
Beardedone - Eleven

[knockman]

very difficult indeed, but unfocused gets the top spot for souding like pere ubu

01: unfocused - wombat fight
02: barnadine - ward
03: vic diesel - duelling sarods
04: hovmod - dispril
05: slartibartfast - i was feeling odd (yes/no)
06: yuskevich - the magnificent 7-8
07: dunder - 4-18
08: oddbod's finger - life is shit
09: watto - lie to you
10: beardedone - eleven

an excellent round f tracks, thank you everyone

regards

EDIT: apologiges for mixing an artist and track title. i feel i should be disqualfied for such a error- surely a sin in these contests. now corrected.

[oddbods finger]

1. Pepelogu
2. System ERA
3. Watto
4. 1-2-Many
5. You™
6. BitShift
7. Yuskevich
8. Barnadine
9. Scoops
10. Self Construct

Getting down to a shortlist wasn't my problem so much this month as choosing the order of the 10.
TBH, there was almost nothing between the top 6 and any could have been first, but in the end the simple elegance of Peplogu's haunting little tune made me give it the top slot.