reverby guitar is back from the last round, but vocals and rhythms feel much improved. The switch to bells is a clever fit for the lyric, and you abandon it just before the sound gets ear-fatiguey - smart! I like the "everybody down!" hook too. Good stuff!

the instrumental has a really interesting and distinct sound, really dope hearing about how you compose

These vocals are still really pitchy, but I think this is much better than last week’s entry as far as vocal rhythm. And it has a chorus hook! You know, though, despite the vivid imagery, I don’t like these old timey literature lyrics as much as your more personal, modern day storytelling ones, and this feels more like “19th-century poem set to music” than “lyrics meant to be sung.” I have heard better instrumentals from you in the past for sure--this is back in the zone of “a bunch of fast MIDI notes with no dynamics or syncopation.” The ultra-fake church bells were kind of funny to me, I liked their ultra-fakeness. I would still like to hear what you would do with a spoken word song or a dark post-punk kind of tune where you lean into robotic rhythms for the music.

I thought last round's song was my favorite of yours that I've heard, but this takes that! Whenever I think of your songs, I remember that I always complained it was hard to understand what you were saying, but I don't have that problem at all this year. And that little bridge thingy gets me both times it comes up; it's the perfect bit of Lichen Throat special sauce in the right spot to be an interesting standout instead of feeling a little out of place. You get better with every song, and I'm super excited to hear more.

you already know I’m a huge fan of your writing. The instrumental sounds you use are fab- they make my ear very happy. And your singing is getting better! That also makes my ear happy. The low bridge everybody down hook is great. The second time you sing it is more in tune, so were it me, I would have c&p’d that take to the earlier one. Lyrics have a great patter on the page, and your declaration is getting better, so they sound great in the song too. Not sure I could point out any steps, but hey it’s a shadow! I’d say the melody is still for the most part still too repetitive. Needs more variety (hence why I like the hook so much).