10. Can't Make You Mine - what is going on with everyone here? 😲 I honestly think it’s a fantastic track, easily on par with "Stronger" or "What You See Is What You Get," which I’d personally give an 8/10 for the musical composition alone.
Jason Roberts72 said:🤣🤣
To be fair, those background vocals didn't really sit right with me either.
It’s a bit of a disaster, really. I usually don't mind those kinds of production choices, but there's a fine line between enhancing a song and completely ruining it.
p.s. I was hunting around for the settings to merge my posts so I wouldn't realize too late that I wasn't posting in the music section. 🤣
9. Where Are You Now - This is such a gorgeous ballad, and honestly, it was absolutely perfect until they decided to layer in those backup vocals—that little choir or whatever they call it. Whoever thought adding that was a good idea deserves to be locked in a basement for a week without any food or water. I’m dropping my score slightly because of that interference: 9/10.
7. Lucky - It’s a pretty straightforward song; nothing groundbreaking, but there's something about it that just hits right for me. I really liked how they layered in the guitar work, though. 7/10
6. What u see ( is What u get) - this is the younger sister of the artist behind Stronger. I really dig the lyrics of the song, though the rest of it was just alright—nothing to write home about. 6/10
p.s. we're back at it with the debating at the end, seriously, what kind of nonsense is that? 🤦
5. don't let me be The Last to know - the vocals toward the end felt a bit redundant; if they really had to include them, I think a much darker, more dramatic voice would have worked better. Musically, it’s a bit of a slog—even though it’s under four minutes, I found myself losing interest about halfway through. 5/10
4. Satisfaction (The Rolling Stones cover) - To be honest, I think the original version just hits differently, but this isn't bad at all; it’s a pretty solid cover. 6/10
3. don't go Knockin on my Door - honestly, the intro is just junk and needs to be cut entirely. The rest of the song is executed perfectly, though; I’m really digging the vocals and that bass line. As for that conversation at the end? Kick it to the curb. autobiographical 10/10
2. Stronger - it's definitely catchy. I really dig how the message leans positive, even if the musical vibe feels a bit dark; honestly, I think they could thicken up that sound just a touch more. It’s solid, though maybe not quite as top-tier as the first one. 7/10
1. Oops! I Did It Again - honestly, it sounds a bit strained, almost like she’s trying way too hard to hit those notes when they just aren't coming naturally. That whole dreamy mid-song dialogue felt pretty unnecessary to me; I’d much rather just take whatever that segment was and toss it back into the ocean. Aside from that, it’s a solid pop track and serves as a really strong opening for the album. 9/10
This is my first time dropping more than just a quick note—I'm sharing two posts after some time away from the PDF boards since I don't moderate those, so please be kind to a newcomer like me. 🙂
silverdrifter24 said:Forget the numerical rating—just tell us what you actually think of the album.
It’s a pretty decent pop record, honestly. On the bright side, there isn't a single track bad enough to make you want to plug your ears with concrete, which is a win in my book. My only real gripes are that the ballads feel a bit lackluster, and they completely botched the one standout track by adding some production element at the end that even a toddler could tell doesn't belong there. Also, those spoken word interludes? Total facepalm moments.
Dear diary—to be honest, the instrumental feels a bit repetitive and the lyrics lean a little cheesy, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad; it actually has a pretty cool vibe, and the vocals are solid, maybe a 6/10.
I'll leave it to you all to decide on my final rating if you're interested, but I don't really feel like calculating it myself today.
12. Girl in the Mirror - 😢It’s such a lovely song, almost like something out of a fairy tale, though I found myself wishing it could have been trimmed down by about thirty seconds to keep the momentum going. I'd give it a solid 7/10.
11. When Your Eyes Say It—it’s almost like someone is whispering directly into your ear 😁 I have to admit, I was a little sleepy when I first listened to this one 😛 6/10
Raymond Walker5 said:All those links I included in my second or third post... they're just there so you can see how it looks while editing, so you really just need to copy them over to the right spots in that specific order. Honestly, I wish I had that option myself since it would make things so much easier, but if you're up for doing it, please feel free. Thanks. But then a new poll will come up, and what happens then? If I post it, the poll gets stuck in the old format again, and someone else will end up having to fix it all over again.
And then what? I'll just edit it again and again; it's really no big deal, honestly, it only takes me a few minutes of work. 👍
Raymond Walker5 said:Thanks for letting me know. If I don't end up getting moderator status, I'll just have to manage these polls manually on the forum myself. It’s a bit more work, but it still gets the job done perfectly well. I'll make sure to place the hyperlinks right under the poll, just like I do now, to ensure everyone can navigate things easily.
Since I'm already sending you all the info via DM, why don't you just send me whatever instructions or formats you need for the polls? 🥳
I'll get this one sorted out later today; I'm feeling a little too relaxed to tackle it right this second.
Raymond Walker5 said:All those links I included in my previous posts were just to show you how everything looks during the editing process; ideally, one would just copy them into the right spots following that sequence. I honestly wish we had a direct option for that myself since it would make things so much smoother, but if you're up for doing it, please feel free. Thanks. But then a new poll comes up, and what happens then? I'll end up posting it, and the poll will be back to its old format, leaving someone else to clean up the mess again.
And honestly, what's the harm? I can just go in and edit it over and over again; it’s really not a big deal when it only takes me a few minutes to sort out.👍
Raymond Walker5 said:I appreciate you letting me know. It seems that if I don't get moderator status, I'll just have to set up these polls manually on the forum. It’s a bit more of a chore, but it gets the job done just fine. I'll make sure to include the hyperlinks right under the poll, just like we're doing now, so everyone can find their way around easily.
If I can send you those files through a private message, then you can definitely send me whatever instructions or materials I need to get these polls live.🥳
I'll get this one tidied up later today; I'm just not quite feeling up to it at this moment.
In my view, relying on lip-syncing is nothing short of pure disrespect; if you call yourself a singer, then actually sing instead of just pretending to be the star. That said, I think there’s a distinction between "full" playback—where the lead vocalist isn't actually singing live, which is honestly embarrassing—and using pre-recorded tracks for things like backing vocals, a choir, or even a duet partner's part when they can't make the show (though personally, I'd much prefer they just find someone else to cover the duet). If you aren't capable of performing live, you might want to consider a different career path.
I could perhaps justify using full playback, though I'm still not a fan, only if it's used as a minimal safety net—for instance, if a dance routine becomes incredibly grueling or if a performer is sick and knows they won't be able to hit those deep low notes properly. Ideally, if someone is that unwell, they should probably cancel the show or reschedule, but if they don't, at least be honest about it. It's fine to use help, but please don't mislead the audience.
For example, I would never pay to see a Britney Spears concert unless someone else was footing the bill, regardless of how much I like her music, because I know I'd just be watching a recording. I can make an exception for her specific situation, though, because she doesn't pretend otherwise; everyone knows it's a performance, so people who are okay with that buy tickets, and those who aren't simply stay home.
We all have moments where we might miss a note or blank on a lyric, and while that can certainly be awkward, it's just part of the risk that comes with being a vocalist—much like any other profession where forgetting your lines is a possibility—and it shouldn't be an excuse to avoid singing live altogether.
What really gets to me, though, is seeing someone who clearly has incredible talent choose to hide behind a playback track. It just feels so unnecessary.😕