SpinTunes #9 Round 3 Reviews

It's been awhile since my reviews were needed as an alternate judge.  With no guest judge lined up, and John being unavailable this round, I guess it's time to make a come back.

This is how I'll be ranking you...  Was your song DQed?  If not, I simply rank them based on how much I enjoyed them.  Simple as that.  Since I'm not a musician, don't expect much technical feedback.  I focus on the lyrics a lot, and I usually enjoy upbeat songs.  I do read any notes that you may attach to your song on the album.  If you don't provide any background I normally don't do a lot of research to figure out what you may be trying to get across.

MC Ohm-I - Merriam Websters Dictionary And Thesaurus
I don't see how you made a catchy song with this subject matter, but you did.  Outside the box thinking going on here.  I think each round you've gotten stronger, and I can't really find anything I dislike here.  I've enjoyed your work so much that I think I want to hire you for a project after the contest is over.  Start practicing your banjo!

TurboShandy - Ready Player One
I've not read the book, but this song makes me want to read it.  And if there's a movie, I'd see it.  So...well done!  I think the topic helped my enjoyment of the song as well.  I've got a huge collection of books about VR, gaming history, violence in the media...  If only there were banjo...you could have pressed all my buttons.

Governing Dynamics - Blackbirds
I really liked the sound of this, and your vocals.  Didn't really get the story you were telling, although I'm sure if I had read the book I would.  I think this will stick right in the middle of the bunch for me.  If I could connect with it lyrically I'm sure it would be higher.  With banjo...you would have won.

Brian Gray - Maus
Honestly...I was getting bored at the start. But...before I could zone out...the chorus came.  And it made me sit up in my chair as I felt a mild aderaline rush!  Then I got bored again.  Then I got pumped again!  In short I think not knowing the source material kept me from knowing how awesome this probably is.  For now...I was bored with the verses...LOVED the chorus. Maybe if you added banjo to the verses?

Steven Wesley Guiles - Eyes Of The Dragon
I've enjoyed all 3 of your entries so far.  The last round, you flat out owned everyone (imo), but this round not so much.  I enjoyed it, but there were a couple things I didn't care for.  The multiple vocal tracks distracted me at times, and didn't really add anything to the song for me. The other thing I didn't care for....no banjo.

James Young - The Shadow Of The Wind
Although not my favorite song of the round, it felt like it belonged in a movie more so than the others.  At least to me it did.  Was a pretty arrangement, but it's hard for me to rank a more mellow song high when it was a strong round.  I'm beginning to think people didn't get my e-mail telling them banjos were required this round...

Zoe Gray - The Tell​-​Tale Heart
You just creeped me out.  Just sounds really spooky.  Overall I enjoyed it, but it's a little jarring going from the first verse to the chorus.  Almost sounds like 2 songs mashed together musically.  Biggest problem for me (aside from lack of banjo) is the transitions.