I shall answer a few things you raised:
Yes - I used an actual bass on my song - not just a guitar. And no - I don't know why it sounds so crap. It just does - ...it may be related to the second response...(it was recorded over xmas /new year weekend after all) - The lyrics are about lying drunk on the grass looking up at the sky. That's all.
Hehe, I got more mentions this podcast than I do when I actually submit a song!
Sorry about my "this was done in an hour" post, I didn't mean it as any kind of brag - I thought my Sugary Goo song was a failed experiment and was trying to do a bit of post-analysis on why it didn't work (e.g. because I am terrible at time management), I was quite surprised it got such positive reactions on the podcast (and from third cat) and also actually quite relieved that it didn't do too well in the voting, because if a song I didn't personally like had received a lot of votes it would have thrown my entire creative process into disarray, haha.
I've got a song in the works for Sing of the Times, hopefully I won't end up rushing to finish that one - I should really aim to hit the REAL deadline rather than assuming I'll have a couple of days beyond the time listed on the front page.
And for the record, I really liked that chorus key change in the third cat song!
thanks vowl/vom on the key change thing, I might try that again but.. better - and if your "sugary goo" was a failed experiment, looking forward to hearing a successful experiment! still love that one. I was surprised it did poorly in the votes, but I guess that goes back to how subjective this whole thing is. and I can see why you'd be happy it didn't do so well if you yourself didn't think much of it.
caravan ray - ha. didn't purposefully lift anything in my song from anywhere, but hard to know when those subconscious tune thieves are at work. still being compared to Bread isn't exactly what I'm going for. it's a first for me, so I'll take it. night after night who treats you right? it's the guitar man.