These are examples of the review every member receives for every song they send in. No templates, no scores out of ten, just a DJ telling you how your record actually plays.
Zag Jay — "Night Shift"
Rap
Zag Jay, this one moves. The beat is patient where a lot of rap records rush, and you let the pocket do the work instead of crowding it. Your voice sits right on top of the drums, which is exactly what we want on air because it still reads on a car speaker. The hook is the strongest part of the record, and it shows up early enough that a first time listener catches it. If there is a next step, it is the second verse. You have got the energy, but the imagery gets a little general there compared to the opening. Sharpen those lines and this is a record people request. Going on the Saturday show. -The Independent Radio FM Team
Blu Rivers — "Two Lane Town"
Country
Blu Rivers, the vocal on this is the whole thing. It is plain spoken and it sounds like you mean it, and country listeners can hear the difference instantly. The acoustic and the vocal are balanced well, nothing is fighting, and the song ends clean instead of fading out, which makes it easy to program. The story lands. Next step would be the intro. It takes a beat longer than it needs to before we get to you, and on radio that is where attention is won or lost. Trim it and you have a record that holds a slot anywhere. Adding it this week. -The Independent Radio FM Team
Julio Starr — "Ghost Lights"
Rock
Julio Starr, this has real weight to it. The guitars are big without smearing, and the drums keep their punch, which is rarer than you would think in independent rock submissions. The chorus opens up the way a rock chorus should and the band sounds like a band, not four separate tracks. Where it could grow is the vocal level. It sits just behind the guitars in the verses, and on a small speaker some of the lyric gets lost. Pull it up a couple of decibels and nothing else needs to change. Strong record. It airs Saturday. -The Independent Radio FM Team
