OFFICIAL JUDGE COMMENTARY – Z.EVALUATION OF YOUR CHALLENGE 1 TRACKThe instrumental: Full disclosure: Southside are already sort of a part of my extended Seattle family (a la Optimus Rhymes, The Goondocks, et al), so I am probably more familiar with their music than most. That being said, I can't help but notice that this backing track lacks a bit of the live instrumentation I've come to expect from them. Still, the wont of that particular earmark doesn't detract from the fact that the instrumental is shit hot, wholly appropriate to the subject matter and a ton of fun.
Timing: The difference between a solo cut and a posse or group effort is that its far easier for someone to drop a syllable and throw the whole damn thing off. Each of the Southside boys maintains throughout, and I'd dare say that this is one of their tightest arrangements to date.
Energy: The energy is high (pun intended) and, more importantly, infectious.
Emotion: Is drunk an emotion? Seriously, though, Southside is, more often than not, a party band, and this track makes you feel it.
Musicality: On point. Though I'm the first to lament a move away from the scarcely contained pandemonium of their
Please Southside, Don't Hurt 'Em-era output, I'm also the first to admit that the more refined approach in this track has a much boarder appeal.
Creativeness: Just because you rap about drinkin', smokin', fightin' and fuckin' doesn't mean you can be sloppy with your wordplay, and Southside realize this. In fact, it's one of their greatest strengths.
Flow variety: The cadence varies from MC to MC, but you never get the feeling that someone is mixing shit up for the express purpose of spotlight-stealing – a pet peeve of mine. Well played, guys.
Vocal quality: There was an obvious shift in the mixing style between
PSDHE and
Liquors that I'm not sure I like, but "What We Rap About" manages to push the vocals to the forefront and keep 'em crisp.
Additional comments: Like I said, I love me some Southside, and while this song is another departure from the expected, that's sort of their thing. They keep you guessing.
EVALUATION OF YOUR MUSIC SITE UPDATESFirst impression without having to scroll or click through anything: The official site highlights the band's live shows, which is a great jumping-off point, plus it blasted "ODD" on load, which shows balls. ;) The MySpace is branded for the new album, which is just good marketing.
Graphical attractiveness:From the logo to the choice of colors, Southside know how to brand their product. Clean, crisp and eye-catching.
Cohesiveness: Again, it all has "the Southside look."
Amount of content: The dot-com is a little light, but does offer up musical samples and give a feel for the fact that they're a live band. The MySpace is informative without being obnoxious.
Overall professionalism of the sites:Southside walks the line between approachable professionalism and a sort of garage punk aesthetic. It looks good without seeming pretentious.
Additional comments: Don't let the lyrics fool you, folks, Southside don't just rhyme about dicks. They also rap about quitting your job and cell phone etiquette.
