Critique Notes /May 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. 

 

May is the month that we move the meeting to the first Sunday of the month to avoid Mother’s Day, so we had a light crowd for the meeting.  Only 10 people were in attendance.  Once again more than half of the songs where played live.  This is beginning to be the norm versus the exception.  7 songs were submitted.

 

Tony Ryan/Katherine Wong/The Other Woman….  Tony brought in a song he has been collaborating on.  The song has a good pop feel.  “I can’t forgive, I can’t forget, all my nights of loneliness, I rather be on my own.”  The song has strong imagery and an appealing melody.  One suggestion from the group was to consider making the chorus shorter.  Song of the Month Selection

 

Dusty Duhon/Doing the Best I Can….  Dusty played his song live for the group.  This is nice song with good imagery.  “I’m doing the best I can, after all I’m just a man, I got this cross around my neck and this rifle on my back”  There is a lot pf power in the verses and a strong chorus.  One suggestion from the group was to consider the order of the verses.  Song of the Month Selec

 

Tracy Park & Jim Ferguson/El Zono Loco….  This is a good song has some very cool guitar work.  The song has a Byrds sound and 70’s feel.  “And its all a little crazed, a bit insane, it feels like home, El Zono Loco”  One suggestion was to clarify the message a little. Song of the Month Selec

 

Mike Darnell/The King of Barataria.…  Mike played his song live for the group.  This is a good story song.  “Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum, pirate or privateer?  He’ll plunder all your precious gold, he’s the king of Barataria.”  The music really carries the song.  One suggestion from the group was to look at the rhyming in the chorus.

 

Zane Nordin/Mexican TV Dinner Blues….  Zane played his song live for the group.  The song is a blues song with some humor.  “Now, they not be nutritious, but man they make good sense.  Yeah, I think they are delicious, they only cost ninety-nine cents” One suggestion from the group was to add some more humor to the song.  Song of the Month Selec

 

Ron Tintner & Alistair Sutherland/All Right Now….  This is a nice song.  It has a dark message but the music is very up beat.  “No one knows the hurt Mary knows, beneath that pretty mask, she’s never told a soul, no one cares to ask.”  The theme resonates with a lot of people today.  One suggestion from the group was to look at the wording in the bridge

 

Robert Chaney/Wait For Me (Rally)….  Robert played his song live for the group.  This song has a Cold Play feel to it.  “Time was then and this is now, and our thoughts are imprisoned from what we’ve allowed” It has a good melody and is very philosophical.  One suggestion from the group was to get to the chorus quicker.  Song of the Month Selec

 

With the limited number of songs submitted and the small group, once again we had 5 song tie for the song of the month.  All the songs were strong which makes it hard to choose just two.

 

If you have a song in the early stages bring it in and let the group critique it.  It doesn’t have to be polished.  If fact it is better if it is not.  A diamond in the rough is easier to shape.  You will be provided with ideas you can consider to make the song better.

 

It’s a good way to make it better

 

Hope to see you in June

 

Keep Writing

 

Danny