I now feel that the listners dont really listen #Y130108CO

[GiantHeadCollective]

This was for a listing for high bar female country star..

I submitted 3 songs and listner #27 returned all 3 and in the critique they mixed everything up and quoted lyrics and observation for different songs under each point..

The main reason I think this is wrong is the Track Island Girl which is a big song and has a great words, tells a story but they didn't get it.
One song they liked but returned because the vocal take was not quote good enough.. OK but this if for an artist to record. Not music for a tv show.. so surely they can gat the idea of a song without it being a 100% release recording..

Can more experienced Taxi users please check out Island Girl

this was the return

"Good track, live sound, drums bass.. i'd revisit the lyric, melody.. what is the line you ideally want listeners to come away with ?
Checking the artists mentioned by this company, the bar is set quite high..check Sierra Hull as well as the iconic Alison Krauss.. "

If you listen to the song it is being sung by a Girl on an Island who's love is away at sea and facing all the hardships.. Maybe it is because we are Scottish and there is probably more of a romantic element being introduced that a world wide audince cant relate to but had sent this for critique when originally written and got high marks accross the board..

Just a bit pissed at the inconsistence from submissions recently and need to know whether we are taking the right approach..

Music can be found on http://www.taximusic.com/hosting/home.p ... tHeadMusic

[CrimsnSyrn]

Hi GHC,

I attempted to listen to your song, but having too much difficulty making out the lyrics. It's always helpful, if you want forum members to give feedback on a song to include the lyrics in your post (especially if the lyrics are being questioned).

Cheers,

Juliet

[GiantHeadCollective]

Thanks Juliet. I will post them up

[GiantHeadCollective]

Here are the Lyrics

I've been waiting for
A long, long time for your to call
You've tried to reach me fro
A distant port and shore to shore
But when you close the door
Time goes so slow
Don't care anymore
Trapped on an island and
Always feels like a thousand miles or more

(Pre chorus)
I'll be the light
That brings you to the shore
I'll be the rainbows end
I'll be your pot of gold

(Chorus)
And when you hit the storm
You think that all is lost
When your horizon's gone
I'll be the light, the light that guides you home

Dancing beams of light
We're still under the same night sky,
I somehow fail to see
The distance between you and me
I pray to the stars tonight
Get you back to where I lie
Follow your every lead
Promise you'll always love me

(Pre chorus & chorus)

(Middle 8)
See the light, hear my plea
Shining bright, for the whole world to see
Bring my love home safe to me
I'll be your rock
I'll be your island girl

(Chorus)

I'll be your island girl x 4

[Casey H]

Giant
It's best to always post the full listing text as well as link to song and lyrics. The listing you referenced was NOT for songs to be recorded by others, it was for artists. (See below)... So you may have misunderstood it from the get-go. When a listing is looking for songs as opposed to artists, it will clearly say that.

Listening to the song... Sound quality is questionable and yes, that ALWAYS matters. Your competing against the best of the best. If the words are hard to hear, there is distortion, etc., the A&R person will just "click" and go on to the next track.

And this song has no chorus hook that stands out from the rest of the song! Neither musically nor lyrically is there something to "hang your hat on". That's what the screener was saying. You need a key phrase that people will walk away singing in their head. The title, "I'll be your island girl" comes in at the end. Until then, it's just a flow of words that do not "center" on anything. This is made worse by the lyrics being so hard to hear.

There's good potential here but re-write and re-recording is definitely needed to make any serious pitches with the song.

Best of luck!
Casey

-- FEMALE CONTEMPORARY ALT COUNTRY ARTISTS inspired by Alison Krauss, Sierra Hull, Rhonda Vincent, etc., are needed by a GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING RECORD LABEL running their FIRST listing with TAXI in over a year is looking to expand their roster and sign new artists. QUOTING THE SOURCE: "The key to this will lie in well crafted songs and meaningful lyrics." IMPORTANT: They're looking for CONTEMPORARY artists that are INSPIRED by the artists above. So, a FRESH APPROACH and a CURRENT SOUND are essential. STORY-DRIVEN lyric themes are a plus. Performances need to be EARTHY and ORGANIC. Be sure the songs you submit showcase both your songwriting and vocal talent. ALL TEMPOS are welcome for this one. Live performance experience is important but not essential. Please submit two to three songs online or per CD, include lyrics. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS - NO CRITIQUES FROM TAXI - and must be received no later than Tuesday, January 8, 2013. TAXI # Y130108CO

[Len911]

Maybe it is because we are Scottish??

That's odd, because the styles of Alison Krauss and Sierra Hull are Appalachian, which comes from a Scottish heritage.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_music
The "earthy organic" part is the mandolins, fiddles,...
Your song in contrast was more of a radio pop country imo.

Primarily and especially because it is a high bar listing, the style is miles apart and inconceivable that the listed ala's would sing the song. Everything else, such as the lyrics, are really secondary imo, because the song didn't get over the first bar. Ports and islands in the lyrics are a bit curious, because Appalachia is a landlocked region. Jimmy Buffet, Kenny Chesney, island/country style seems to really be pushing the boundaries.

This listing is a SUPER high bar imo, because even the references don't write all of their own songs.

[shoodBworkin]

Are there ever any low bar listings?

[Len911]

Are there ever any low bar listings?

The listing almost makes Alison Krauss look a little low bar. I mean, I think they are really looking for another Dolly Parton, a top notch song writer with a pristine voice, from an Appalachian background, who became a crossover artist and even sang a non-landlocked song, Islands in the Stream, with a different Kenny, not Chesney, but Rogers! Did I just contradict myself from my previous post?

[Casey H]

A couple of simple tests songwriters can make on their songs, especially if they want to write for "hits", though it applies to most commercially viable songwriting.

* If someone fresh was listening without a lyric sheet indicating where the chorus was, would the listener be able to easily identify it? On this one, I had to go back and read to see where the chorus was.

* Can you sing the verse lyrics to the chorus melody and vice-versa? If you can, there probably isn't enough musical differentiation. Strong choruses usually lift and/or have phrasing and cadence change ups to make them stand out. After the pre-c of this song, I really thought you went back to verse.

* Do you have to explain what it's about or is it pretty obvious?

Sorry if this comes off tough on you, GHC... It's not meant that way-- it's meant as songwriting advice for commercial pitches for anyone who reads this.

I also felt compelled to write because you implied that Taxi Screener 27 didn't do their job well here, when in fact the screener was right on the mark. This listing also said, "Be sure the songs you submit showcase both your songwriting and vocal talent"... The advice I posted above is generally considered basic songwriting advice. And to show off vocal talent, you usually need a song with some range required (in addition to a clearer vocal track)... If you had a lifting, soaring chorus that the singer blew people away with, that would be something for this type of listing.

Best of luck!
Casey

[2lane]

A couple of simple tests songwriters can make on their songs, especially if they want to write for "hits", though it applies to most commercially viable songwriting.

* If someone fresh was listening without a lyric sheet indicating where the chorus was, would the listener be able to easily identify it? On this one, I had to go back and read to see where the chorus was.

* Can you sing the verse lyrics to the chorus melody and vice-versa? If you can, there probably isn't enough musical differentiation. Strong choruses usually lift and/or have phrasing and cadence change ups to make them stand out. After the pre-c of this song, I really thought you went back to verse.

* Do you have to explain what it's about or is it pretty obvious?

Sorry if this comes off tough on you, GHC... It's not meant that way-- it's meant as songwriting advice for commercial pitches for anyone who reads this.

I also felt compelled to write because you implied that Taxi Screener 27 didn't do their job well here, when in fact the screener was right on the mark. This listing also said, "Be sure the songs you submit showcase both your songwriting and vocal talent"... The advice I posted about is generally considered basic songwriting advice. And to show off vocal talent, you usually need a song with some range required (in addition to a clearer vocal track)... If you had a lifting, soaring chorus that the singer blew people away with, that would be something for this type of listing.

Best of luck!
Casey

Good, solid, accurate advice Case!
I had always found #27 yes, tough and critical, but after letting the remarks set in....always correct too.
#27's been a Taxi for quite a while now.....I think that says it all