Big brother, huh? You always manage to sneak in some political message, don't you? 😉 I like those lyrics, that's exactly how I feel about video surveillance, too. Musically, I like your percussion a lot. The rest does not grab my attention that much, and the classical sample part feels a bit out of place to me.

5/4. I'm not sure about how everything gels, but this one has that intangible quality that makes it special...attitude and humor go along way. It's actually one of my favorites because of that.

participated in all nine Eins! Two-time finalist, three time semi-finalist

The "preachy lyrics" train has gotten you this far, might as well keep doing it. I spent most of this song wondering why you'd written in 5/4, then I realized the genius behind this approach to the challenge; you picked a classical sample that remained recognizable in spite of only having one note, which made it easier for you to write around. Brilliant. The fact that you sustained a neat groove and delivered your vocal cadence so well in 5/4 for the rest of the song was a nice surprise, too. I honestly did not expect anyone to deploy Holst on us, least of all you. And yet, it works, specifically because you built up your 5/4 so well in the rest of the song, and because the "Mars, the Bringer of War" piece dovetails thematically with your lyrics. Your laid-back country groove (albeit, a laid-back country groove in a weird time signature) becomes something menacing quite suddenly. Incidentally, From rounds 0-6, I didn't pick the same competitor for my #1 pick twice. This wasn't intentional, it just came out that way, but I gave my top slots to MG, Merisan, Cavedwellers, Krautkitten, Nick Soma, then you. And now you've made me break the streak - I put you at the top of my heap again this week. One other judge did the same, so I was very surprised that you didn't advance, and I'm sorry to see you go. You're no stranger to the finals, and I thought it would have been nice to give you one more crack at it.

Good job, Ross. I told you last week, I'm moving into your world. I see clearly what you usually think (lyrics), and guess what patterns you fit under your voice in your music, also understand that you know perfectly what your comfort zones are and you like the risk involved in the escape from them, always knowing that will emerge inevitably your specific "American Genome". Have technical resources to do virtually anything you want. On 5/4: for me is fine, but use it for the whole piece just getting tired a little ( I would have alternated with somewhere to 4/4, to unbreak my hips, mostly).