We got snakey.

July 23, 2007 1:27 AM

So, the call went out, and the call was answered: we got us some fine and snakey new songs around MeFi Town. 'Bout half as many as poured in for the previous water theme, but I reckon that's to be expected, sophomore slump and all. Just wondering, now that we're two days past the serpentine deadline, what's the next MeFi Music Challenge, admins?
posted by flapjax at midnite to MetaFilter Music at 1:27 AM (33 comments total)

Good question.
posted by chuckdarwin at 1:46 AM on July 23, 2007

I suggest the theme "sophomore slump".
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:59 AM on July 23, 2007

I wanted to do one per month after this. Every two weeks feels like too often. So there might be an August challenge for some word, and we'll work the best songs into the following podcast.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 6:03 AM on July 23, 2007 [1 favorite]

I wanted to do one per month after this.

Aha, one per month. Now I feel *ahem* vindicated, as I had suggested a monthly theme (rather than a biweekly one) in a comment back when chuckdarwin first made the original MeTa post that gave birth to this challenge thing. Personally, I think a month wil give everyone more breathing room, more of a chance to polish and finesse their submissions. I mean, raw and off-the-cuff can be great, but there's a lot to be said as well for sitting on something for a little while, reworking it, retooling it, coming back to it after a few days with fresh ears, etc. So I cast my humble vote for the monthly challenge.

So there might be an August challenge for some word...

Might? Hmm... In order to not lose momentum and interest, I'd say there should definitely be a new one, for August. Don'tcha think?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:12 AM on July 23, 2007

The word should be "fingers".
posted by Meatbomb at 6:26 AM on July 23, 2007

I've been really enjoying the snake themed songs, incidentally. There are some really great ones in there. I listen to all the MeFi music as it comes in and then shunt some of it into my main iTunes playlist if I really like it and I think three or four of the snake songs made the cut.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:28 AM on July 23, 2007

I think flapjax should do one every week though.
posted by gomichild at 7:04 AM on July 23, 2007

*flapjax blows gomichild a kiss across town from deepest Higashi Nippori*
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:20 AM on July 23, 2007 [1 favorite]

Monthly is definitely better, IMHO. I might be able to sneak a snake one in, now.
posted by chuckdarwin at 7:21 AM on July 23, 2007

Traditionally, whenever me and my old band were looking for inspiration, we'd jam around the theme of "I love you so much I can't shit." We usually got something good.

So. That's my suggestion for the next theme: "I love you so much I can't shit."
posted by Jofus at 7:22 AM on July 23, 2007

Matt suggested "hot" the other day, though I think he may have just been complaining about the weather.

I'm curious to see how monthly goes. Will we see more than one entry from the restless types, etc?
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:50 AM on July 23, 2007

How about "new genre," where hopefully some entrants will (most likely foolishly) attempt to invent a new musical genre through their song submission?
posted by edlundart at 8:38 AM on July 23, 2007

Here's the thing - I think we should switch up the theme. I've loved the first two, but what if we had "guidelines" or "parameters" rather than a theme? Like say, "must use a kitchen utensil" or "must record in a bathtub" or "2 minutes or less, up-tempo, about love"?

That said, I like "hot."

Also, once a month sounds better. Two weeks go by real fast.
posted by ORthey at 9:08 AM on July 23, 2007

I don't exactly have much right to complain, as I haven't actually submitted a song for either of the themes so far - but I find myself having a lot of trouble coming up with something for the theme challenges. "Water" just seemed to broad and abstract, "snake" too specific and literal. I realize this is probably all me; but I must say I'm quite inspired by ORthey's suggestion.

I love working with constraints - it's basically my normal modus operandi anyway - and it has the added bonus of being able to apply to both music and/or words, depending on whatever the theme-thinker-upper du mois feels like: with themes this is the case only sometimes, e.g. "wood" directly suggests certain sounds, "snake" perhaps less so.

Again, it's not you it's me, we can still be friends, I'm married to the sea, etc. Just a suggestion.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 9:31 AM on July 23, 2007

ORthey's comment is valid, wise and sexy lookin'.
posted by Jofus at 9:54 AM on July 23, 2007

I also think monthly is a good idea. I really wanted to participate again, but the idea I had needed some more development and I just haven't had time lately to work on it.
posted by InfidelZombie at 10:17 AM on July 23, 2007

I will add my vote to change to once-a-month challenges, and also that ORthey's idea to mix up the idea of what a "challenge" can be is intriguing.
posted by Zephyrial at 10:29 AM on July 23, 2007

Riffing on ORthey: pull a card from Oblique Strategies.
posted by Meatbomb at 11:06 AM on July 23, 2007

I'd just like to chime in that the contest is great, monthly sounds good, and I've thought the themes have been fine. In fact, I'd vote for similarly broad and ambiguous themes ("wood") versus specific rules ("must use a kitchen utensil"), but that's just because I feel I'd be more likely to participate in challenges employing the former. I suppose a mix might be best.
posted by erikgrande at 2:19 PM on July 23, 2007

On constraints:

I'm leaning toward more general, simple themes as the official themes, but I hear what gnfti is saying and tend to agree on a personal level. We don't really have a mechanism set up to accomodate multiple themes, but I think it'd be great if people sort of chatted up some more specific challenges somehow—variations on or refinement on the canonical theme.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:26 PM on July 23, 2007

Fair enough, we'll have a MeTa post calling for themes, a notice on the Music FP linking there, and have a mod pick one. How's that?
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 2:33 PM on July 23, 2007

Okey Dokey, and once a month is better. I can't wait for the next. This has been a lot of fun both thinking of ideas that fit and listening to "you guy's" work. Cheers!
posted by snsranch at 4:07 PM on July 23, 2007

How about "must include banjo" for August?
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:33 PM on July 24, 2007

How about "must include banjo" for August?

Well, of course if you do that you'll cut plenty of folks out of the running. As for me, though, I'd maybe just submit another version of my snake song, since it included the word "banjo" in the lyrics, which would be enough to make the cut, I guess...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:57 PM on July 24, 2007

And come to think of it, I've got about two other songs with the word "banjo" in 'em. So I'm ready to go. I still don't think it's an especially good idea for the challenge, though.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:48 AM on July 25, 2007

Oooooh, this thread gave me a great idea for a song!!!!!!!! (It might even include banjo.)
posted by snsranch at 4:09 PM on July 25, 2007

To echo flapjax, "must include banjo" sucks if it means you have to have a banjo playing in the song. It's okay if it's meant like "water" and "snake" were meant, i.e., work the sound or the word or the platonic ideal or something into the song. I happen to have access to a banjo, but I'd hate to be left out of future challenges because it's a pain in the ass to acquire a mellotron or a glockenspiel or whatever. I'm definitely taking this too seriously, considering the loose nature of the challenge, but, dammit, there it is.

Upon reflection, the songs could be about anything that "must include banjo", such as a bluegrass band or pawnshop. I retract my complaint, I think any topic proposed will have plenty of loopholes for resourceful mefites to exploit.
posted by erikgrande at 7:14 PM on July 25, 2007

what about "essence of banjo"? banjolike? banjoisme? I bet we could come up with something decent. And I will lend anyone my banjo mandlin who wants it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:24 PM on July 25, 2007

"dare to be banjo"
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:27 PM on July 25, 2007

I don't know french, but I know it makes people sound smart, so I suggest, with the help of Babel Fish by AltaVista (Poissons de Babel par AltaVista), "l'esprit du banjo."
posted by erikgrande at 7:54 PM on July 25, 2007

I think you've got it.

"l'esprit du banjo!"
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:23 PM on July 25, 2007

I was joking about "must include banjo". it was just an idea that I was hoping someone could improve upon.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 12:10 AM on July 26, 2007

it was just an idea that I was hoping someone could improve upon.

And seems like with these last few comments, there've been a few someones who have indeed improved upon it!

MeFi good place. Very good place.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:40 AM on July 26, 2007