2016 SONG OF THE YEAR VOTING!

Okay, so the game itself is over but we need to vote just a couple more times.  First, we need to vote on the 2016 SONG OF THE YEAR!  I have selected my three favorite songs of 2016.  Each one didn't necessarily win in it's selected month, but these are my favorites.  Have a listen and vote for your favorite!

Rene Zansman - Predestined to Dull

My comments: Rene's song comes from the January bunch of songs where we were limited by which chords we could use.  This is probably my favorite song that Rene has done.  The tone of it is both happy and sad throughout and it is catchy as hell, as Rene's songs usually are.

Brian Salapek - Game Show

My comments: There is something about how stupid this song is that I just can't get it out of my head!  In March/April we did Game Show Theme Songs and this was my submission.  I don't really know what it is, but I just love this song.

Danny Imig - Christmas Inland Hurricane

My comments: Danny was pretty quiet throughout the year but hit it out of the park with this song for December's Whatever Songs.  It's super funky, weird and cool all at once.  I think I compared it to Ween doing a Devo-inspired song.


VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE!  (Voting finishes up on 1/26 at midnight)

December's Winning Song(s)!

After a couple weeks of voting, we have the winning songs for our last Monthly Song Writing Game!  When it all finished up, we had a tie!  Our winners are Danny Imig and Eric Peabody.  Great job, guys and thank you to everyone who listened to the songs and voted!  Check out the winning songs below, if you haven't already!

Eric Peabody - Lonely, Bitter, Weird

Danny Imig - Christmas Inland Hurricane

December 2016's Whatever Songs *FINAL SONGS*

So here we have it.  These are the last five songs to be turned in for the Song Writing Game.  I should write something sentimental here, but I know that no one reads this stuff.  It's better to just get down to it.  As with every December (minus the first) we did "Whatever" for the songs.  Anything and everything is accepted.  With that being said, we have a nice variety as always.  Check them out and vote for your favorite below!

Jeff Coral - Left Me Wanting More

My comments:  Jeff always pulls off these beautiful acoustic tunes and I really like them.  He had me hooked in the first 10 seconds with that awesome intro.  He picks up strumming and singing and the song has a lot of soul to it.

Danny Imig - Christmas Inland Hurricane

My comments:  What a funky, cool, fun song.  It sounds like Ween doing a Devo-inspired Christmas song.  Is that specific enough?  This is the kind of song I love to get when we do the "whatever" theme.  I totally love the lyric about nativity sets turn to tumbleweeds.

Rene Zansman - Abraham Lincoln

My comments: Rene dropped his punk roots to pen this little jingle-y song.  Just shy of a minute in, it hits the climax of a great instrumental part only to dissolve into a dark, worrisome bridge which bounces right back into the fun.  I REALLY like this song.

Eric Peabody - Lonely, Bitter, Weird

My comments: I don't recall ever giving Eric permission to write a song about me while I was in high school.  Regardless of the impending lawsuit, this song is short and sweet and pretty great.  For it being just over a minute, it has a nice variety to it and could easily be twice the length without feeling stale.

Jen Robinson and Brian Salapek - It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (REM Cover)

My comments:  It was probably at the same time that I decided to end the game that I decided that this needed to be the last song I did.  I have been an REM fan since I was a little kid and this song was super appropriate, even before there was any inclination that Trump would get elected.  My favorite part is when I get everyone, including my kids (3 and 5 years old) to yell "LEONALD BERNSTEIN" and "RIGHT!"



VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE!
Voting will be open until 1/16/17 at Midnight.

November / December Song Announcement!

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is it.  This will be the LAST song of the Song Writing Game.  And to keep with our normal "end of the year" theme, we will be doing ANYTHING.  That's right, ANYTHING.  Good luck!

ANYTHING

September / October's Songs!

I wont lie to anyone.  As the Song Writing Game is winding down, so is my enthusiasm with it.  Having a new schedule in the mornings that includes getting my son on the bus has left me with about 20 minutes of free time each day to dedicate towards hobbies, like the Song Writing Game.  I used to have over an hour.  This is the reason for the songs to be stretched out into multiple months for each one.  And even with that much time, I still feel rushed to put together a very specific song.  That is why my song is anything but what it's supposed to be this month.  We had aimed for Power Pop songs but I just couldn't find the time I normally do to deconstruct the genre, listen to a lot of examples and find elements that I liked.  Instead I have a cover song for a Ween tribute album that I did.  Oh well, enough of me blabbering.  Here are the songs.

Brian Salapek - Little Miss Mandee (WEEN Cover)

My comments: This song was put together for a WEEN tribute album.  If you listen to the original here, you will see that it is a LONG stretch from the original song.  It just kinda took on legs of it's own and ended up in left field (in a good way, I hope).

Rene Zansman - Figure It Out

My comments: I think Power Pop was a suggestion of Rene's and I can tell it's a genre he really enjoys.  All of his songs really have reflections of the genre in them with his melodies and harmonies.  This song is definitely Power Pop at it's core.  It starts out pretty sloppy but don't let that deter you, once Rene picks up the pace it all comes together and is a cool song.

June / July's Zydeco Songs!

Brian Salapek - Zydeco Music, I Gar-ron-tee

My comments: Even though the genre of Zydeco was my decision, I still had a really hard time getting into it.  I am not sure why, but I had a really hard time starting my song.  It got to the point where I had to force myself to do it during the last two weeks of July.  Thank god I found an accordion plug in for Fruity Loops!

Rene Zansman - Little Laura (The Sad Turtle)

My comments: This an instance where I feel bad for throwing such a weird distinctly American genre at Rene.  I imagine Zydeco isn't very popular in Norway, but I could be wrong.  Either way, Rene took the challenge and did what he does best with a pop song.  I hear where he was going with it in terms of the keyboard parts, and it may not be zydeco but it's definitely cool.  I love the piano throughout, and think Rene did a great job.

August/September 2016 Song Announcement!

As the game winds down, it's hard to find genres that havent been done before.  But we did it this time, with POWER POP!  Yep, Power Pop.  Think simple, rhythmic pop music with a strong melody and rocking guitar part, and you've got power pop.

Genre: Power Pop

You can read up more on the genre here and here.  Also, be sure to send in your Zydeco Songs for June/July!