So, it turns out that January inspired you all to produce some excellent songs! It really has been a pleasure listening to them all and making the choices. I should also apologise to everyone as I haven’t been around as much recently so haven’t reviewed even half of these great songs and I’m feeling guilty.
Thanks to @PompeyJazz for collating the soundcloud playlist, made finding the entries on the other platforms easier, so cheers John!
Anyway, on with the reviews! I’ve based my choices on not only the quality of the lyrics and musical composition but also the performance and production. There are always songs each month that you think is great but maybe not quite the finished article (and I include mine in that group) so I wanted to pick great songs that I could see myself listening to because they were that good and not just as part of the forum. I hope I have succeeded with that!
We have been joined in the last few months by some really great new talent and they featured heavily in the January songs, great to hear some new styles in there so stay with us guys and get involved reviewing and discussing. It really helps!
This is so hard, there are so many great songs and I could have listed a lot more, but I'm going to take my lead from Karen last month and have 6, I just couldn't drop any one of these.I’m not going to pick a winner but here are the 6 I think stood out most to me.
@man made material – Black Widow. MMM had 3 songs in the list and I think they could all have been contenders for different reasons but Black Widow stood out to me. It has that 80’s vibe in spades and yet it didn’t feel dated. I do slightly question your sanity MMM, 24hrs in police custody? Do people really watch that?
But maybe I should start, it’s a great story and perfectly captured lyrically. Excellent work.
@sarahlawrence17 – everything / anything. Sarah, I thought you were one of the new ones but turns out you've been around for a while, glad you're back! I thought this was just a beautiful song. Interesting lyrically and perfectly recorded. The double tracked vocals really make it thick and interesting, add then you add in the harmonies, excellent. I really liked it Sarah, I hope you'll be around more often.
@The Holographic Rodeo – Still Running. A brilliant rock (almost glam rock?) number, it has all the components, I loved the change in tempo, the light and shade you managed to create in such a full on number and let’s not forget the incredible guitar playing. Top quality shredding. For me the mix was perfect, songs like this need the vocals placed a little lower and you’ve nailed it.
@LostBoy / Shevaun / Pebble Wreck – Shouldn’t but I do. I should start by saying that this about as far as you could get from the genres I listen to, however, the quality just shines through. I agree that the title line is great and I love the pace at which you deliver it. The vocals and harmonies work perfectly and the Bass gives it some oomph! From a production point of view the mix is spot on and it’s hard to believe that you can produce something as good as this using loops and grooves on an iPad and that Shevaun sang into a headphone mic. Why do the rest of us spend so much on kit eh!
@Maya Clars - Sugar Coated Walz. 2 great songs from Maya in January but I think Sugar Coated Walz just came out top. I am a sucker for a piano ballad and for as long as this remains one, it's a really great one, and then the build and the big finish!. Superb lyrics and the title line is absolutely inspired. The production is first class, the piano is great but everything else that goes on around it blends perfect, the vocals and harmonies work perfectly and that big finish just tops it off! Love it!
@AndyB – Eden. An excellent radio friendly rocker with a memorable chorus, what’s not to like? Ignoring the way you put this together it’s a great production, tight and clean. But the fact you did it all remotely is incredible. Your vocal is just right for this type of song, blending rather than overpowering and I agree with you on the accent, nothing worse than fake American accents.
There really were so many strong songs to choose from, cutting it to even 6 was really hard so apologies to everyone else I didn't include.
Cheers
Pete
