 | SOUNDTRACKING First Tracks Voting Round One! Soundtracking is a weekly column featuring indie, alternative, and all around amazing music - published by music correspondent Laura Cushing on Gather.com. Soundtracking includes interviews, CD reviews, band and concert news, music trivia, playlists and much more!
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This week on Soundtracking: Gather's First Tracks Competition - Voting Round One!
Here's the portion of the First Tracks Competition we've all been waiting for - the chance to vote on our favorite entries!
("Criteria"): quality and originality of the music (25%); quality and originality of the lyrics (25%), quality and originality of the singing performance (25%); and personality of the Entrant (or the band, if applicable) (25%).
How to Vote:
You do not need to sign up to Gather to vote - so feel free to spread the word to your friends off-site! You must be a US citizen over 13 with a valid email address, however.
Round one voting lasts for two weeks- March 3rd to March 17th!
Soundtracking's Picks:
We've been spending the past month or so listening to the songs as they come in - here's some of our favorites!
Daniel Brummel - Health and Happiness
I was winding down my days in health and happiness
Categories: folk, alternative
A powerful song with a haunting piano melody, and a sublimely surreal video that illustrates the story well.
Christine M. Brown - Yellow Moon
Yellow moon...
Categories: ?? (untagged)
Amazing vocals - and she plays piano, cello, and drums. Though not all at once, of course.
Brian Bergeron - Anna
Anna thrives on her invisible throes
Categories: folk, rock
A lovely acoustic lovesong recorded at Gather.com's First Tracks Sessions at Cybersound Studios on Tuesday February 19th.
Malik C. - The Kid is Hot
Only eleven, but guaranteed to hold you down with the best of them.
Categories: hip hop, rap
The youngest entrant of the competition - only 11, but the kid has some obvious talent!
Beau Davidson - More Than I Can Give
She wants more, more than I can give
Categories: country, rock
Nice video, with a strong singer and decent guitar playing.
Caroline Gulde - Could've Fooled Me
Part of me is sobered by the evidence it's over
Categories: country, pop
Strong female vocalist, good lyrics. Recorded at Tainted Blue Studios during the Gather event there.
Steven Baggs- But, Everybody Lies
Categories: powerpop, rock
Webs I've woven they can't be undone
Catchy tune, good vocals!
Jacob Steele - Love is the Rain
Love is the rain that falls on the desert in my heart
Categories: folk ,pop
Classic singer-songwriter, very pretty.
And just like in that first round of American Idol, there are some that are... special.
Krazy Kulo - Ramiro
Ramiro you are my hero
Categories: rnb
Perhaps a little light on the talent, but... uh... big on heart?
Gary Marinoff - The Jew
Woe unto you who harm the sons of Abraham
Categories: hip hop, other
Some guy rambles semi-offensively about Jewish people. I think he may be trying to rap. Either that, or he's in pain.
Are you in the First Tracks competition? Or do you have picks for your favorites? Funny entries that we should give a listen to and laugh? Let us know in a comment!
For more information:
SOUNDTRACKING GROUP
Join us in the Soundtracking Group on Gather!
We are currently at over 1100 members!
Catch up on Soundtracking, read about upcoming participation opportunities, or post your own music related articles.
There'salways something interesting and music-related to read in theSoundtrackinggroup. We're moderated to keep on the topic of music, but I approve content as long as it has something to do with music in someway - so please join and share your musical posts.
Also catch Soundtracking on Myspace and Imeem!
CDs and promotional materials, interview and/or review requests can be sent to:
Soundtracking
PO Box 141 Newtonville, NJ 08346-0141
Email: Soundtracking@labarc.com / AIM: Lab Arc Designs
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| Laura Cushing, Music Correspondent - Soundtracking | ||||
Laura's column, 'Soundtracking' is published every Saturday in Gather Essentials:Music. Soundtracking is your guide to indie and alternative music -- featuring musician interviews, CD reviews, MP3 mixes, and discussions. Laura Cushing is a 37 year old writer from the New Jersey Pines. In addition to music journalism, she writes fiction and poetry. Keep up with Laura's music series by joining her network, or subscribing to her content. | ||||
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Comments: 29
I'm also not clear if you've listened and selected from ALL the entries, or just a portion of them. That would make a difference to me regarding your featured picks. 350 offerings is a lot!! of piece to listen to. I don't know that I'll have the time to even hit a third of that.
Could we get some guidance on how to listen and vote in an organized way? I mean, I'd be most likely to vote for certain genres, so I'd rather only listen to those styles and not spend my limited time listening to submissions that don't appeal to me, or that I am not not informed about to begin with.
I picked some of the ones that I enjoyed listening to - it isn't 'unfair', it's my opinion which I am entitled to give.
Also, I listed each person's genre along with their entry. I don't know what else I could have done other than lead you by the hand to the First Tracks group. Oh wait, I provided a link to that too.
At the First Tracks group, it gives you a list of genres so you can listen to entries from each genre.
Let's not be picky about the article. If you don't like it, don't read it.
-L
Please click here: http://www.gather.com/viewVideo.jsp?id=11821949021859933
and Vote now and daily through March 17th!
Thank you for your support and votes!
I honestly mistook your article as something more than it must be. I thought you had inside information that could be of help to those of us interested in voting. I don't see how to listen according to genre, which you say is possible.
You also said: Let's not be picky about the article. If you don't like it, don't read it. Now, how is that possible? How would I know if I liked an article without reading it? Besides, I liked your article. I thought you did a nice and clear job of presenting your top choices.
I'm definitely surprised at your response to me, Laura. I didn't realize I was being so offensive. I apologize for my hurtful remarks.
I wasn't just replying to you- I was also replying to the person you were referencing in your comment.
I put a lot of work into these articles, and I might be a little touchy this week because I had a death in the family. But it does seem like a lot of negativity and high expectations to expect me to list every single contestant and to say I shouldn't voice an opinion until things are over.
No hard feelings about the commentary, but I did want a chance to defend my position on things.
--L
Also, if you check out the first tracks group - http://firsttracks.gather.com/ - on the right hand top side, you'll see 'search by genre' which allows you to click on a particular genre of songs and see all the entries from that category.
http://www.gather.com/viewVideo.jsp?id=11821949021860291&nav=Namespace
I chose my song "Devil's Garden" for the competition. Stop by and have a listen at http://www.gather.com/viewVideo.jsp?id=11821949021859201
Thanks for making this awesome group! -Melinda
Please stop by and take a listen at Irish Man.
Stop by my entry site and check me out! Thanks!
http://www.gather.com/viewVideo.jsp?id=11821949021860099
Brian Bergeron
: By submitting a Song, Entrants hereby grant Sponsor a royalty-free worldwide license, including but not limited to public performance rights, to broadcast and transmit the Song and the underlying musical composition via the internet as outlined in these official rules. By submitting an Entry, Entrants agree to assign to Sponsor ownership to Entry (the recording, but not the underlying musical composition) and all right, title and interest to Entry and agrees that Sponsor and its designees may use and distribute the Entry and all elements of such Entry, without restriction in any and all media now known or not currently known, throughout the world in perpetuity without compensation, permission or notification to Entrant or any third party. Materials submitted in connection with the Contest will become the sole property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Entrant agrees that submissions are gratuitous, unsolicited and without restriction, and will not place Sponsor under any obligation, and that Sponsor is free to disclose the ideas contained therein on a non-confidential basis to anyone or otherwise use the ideas without restriction and without any additional compensation to Entrants. Entrants acknowledge that, by acceptance of their Entry, Sponsor does not waive any rights to use similar or related ideas from any source. Any waiver of any obligation hereunder by Sponsor does not constitute a general waiver of any obligation to Entrants. By entering, Entrants acknowledge that Sponsor has no obligation to use or post any Entry submitted.
I hope its intuitive enough to win your vote.
Check it out, vote or just tell me what you think. Thanks.
http://www.gather.com/viewVideo.jsp?id=11821949021858296
The next round should go directly to the judges, and not be a popularity contest. Would people please comment if they agree. Maybe gather will listen. By the way, this is from someone who won't make it to the next round, and I won't even place a link for my entry. Don't worry about checking me out. Just comment if you agree. Thanks!
Tommy