Critique Notes/April 2008

Each month songs are selected as “Songs of the Month.”  Usually 2 are chosen when there are 14 or less songs.  If more than 14 songs are submitted then 3 songs are chosen.  This month 2 songs were selected.  These were added to the list in the running for song of the year. 

 

We had a good crowd for the meeting with 21 people in attendance.  Once again more than half of the songs where played live.  This batch of songs was exceptionally good. 

 

Lisa Loftin/ Pity Party…  Lisa’s played her song for the group.  It is classic 60’s country with a catchy title and a good theme.  “Tonight I’m gonna have a pity party.  I’ll make a list of all the people that don’t want me.”  The song structure was different and interesting.  One suggestion from the group was to speed up the song just a touch.

 

Ron Tintner/Pat Bishop/In and Out of My Life…  Pat and Ron brought in a well produced song with a nice hooky feel to it.  “You’re like the birds flying south, returning now and then.  In and out of my life…. there you go again.” The song has a good story and nice imagery.  The change in the bridge was very effective.  The group liked this song.  Song of the Month Selection

 

Andrew Anderson/Green Leaf….  Andrew brought in a song a little different than his usual fair.  The song has a “Who” feel to it with an 80’s Manchester sound.  “Our planet gliding like a pagan bride at some sacrificial rite” The words and the music provide enough of a contrast to make it work.  One suggestion from the group was to add a little more drive to the sound

 

Pat Bishop/Beauty Never Changes….  Pat brought in a song with a good theme.  “Every body changes, its part of the aging game” The song has a lot of good imagery.  The bridge works very well.  One suggestion from the group was to expand on the theme “the aging game”.

 

Robert Barreda/Start Loving Again (A Song for Wendi)….  Robert played his song live.  The song has a good theme.  “Your lips kissing my neck and your heart intertwined with mine” This is a strong song with a good melody.  The structure of the song is very interesting.  One suggestion was to build the song up a little more at the end.  Song of the Month Selection

 

Patti Guyer/Mike Darnell/Waitin’….  This is an interesting collaboration that produced a good song.  It is bluesy song with a good beat.  “Cause when we’re done and the waitin’ is through, we’ll look back and say “I had a good wait, how about you?””  One suggestion was to remove the name specific references and replace them with generic terms.  Song of the Month Selection

 

Larry Sepulvado/Screwed Up The Good Thing I Had Goin’….  Larry brought in a song that has a good melody and a Ray Price style.  This along with some very clever words makes it work.  “Screwed up the good thing I had goin’ so I had it comin’” One suggestion from the group was to add some words in a couple of places to fill out some lines.

 

Zane/Sticks and Stones….  Zane brought in a song with a clever theme.  The clichés in the song work well with the theme.  “Broken hearts don’t heal like broken bones, the words you said hurt worse than sticks and stones” The song has a good melody and great imagery. 

 

Gary Taylor/Come What May….  Gary played his song live for the group.  His song is simple and stays on the theme.  It has a Jim Croce feel and a patient melody.  “Might meet on another day, It’s just come what may.”  One suggestion was to add a little more to the song.  Song of the Month Selection

 

Tony Ryan/You Are My Strength….  Tony also played his song for the group.  His song has a good chord progression and some nice melodic changes in it.  “Then you walked into my life and suddenly all was clear, you are my strength.”  One suggestion from the group was to look at the transition into the bridge.  Song of the Month Selection

 

Robert Pryor/My Love Song….  Bob brought in a well written song that has a very devotional feel.  He played live for the group.  “You’re part of me that has been missing for so long, being with you makes that so clear.”  This is a good song with a good melody.  One suggestion from the group was to reword part of the first verse.

 

Robert Chaney/Don’t You Run….  Robert’s song has a good story with an interesting use of soft rhymes.  It’s a good song.  “I’ve run in my life and now walk in the twilight, and advice I give for free, don’t you run.”  One suggestion was to reword a couple of lines.

 

Larry Eagleson/Hard Habit to Break….  Larry played his song live for the group.  This is a simple song with a good melody.  The song has an interesting theme and it stayed true to the theme.  One suggestion form the group was to add a third verse.

 

It was a tough choice to select the songs of the month.  When they are all this good it is hard to choose.  As it turned out 5 songs ended being selected because of ties in the voting.   

 

If you have a song in the early stages bring it in and let the group critique it.  It’s a good way to make it better

 

Hope to see you in May

 

Keep Writing

 

Danny