A winner is you.

During the initial conference call in which the Crate Digger Death-match came to life, I was offered one of two very disparate positions; as an “early adopter” of the project, I could either choose to be a participant in this initial round or I could aid in the judging. I opted to help out as an officiate first and foremost because I felt it suited my skill-set a bit better. I also thought it would be easier than trying to cobble together an album in half a day using only thrift store finds.

I was wrong.

Judging the Crate Digger Death-match is arguably as difficult as participating. It’s not a chore, mind you, but it is a weighty task.

I guess I just assumed that, while a fair number of our participants would make it across the finish line, most would do so dragging atrophied and bloodied limbs behind them. I figured most of the guys would complete the mission, but that their submissions would show the type of road wear inherent in rapid-fire artistry. I imagined myself listening to the submissions and finally striking upon, perhaps, a single artist who had managed to beat the odds and pull off a real album; saying to myself, “well, such-and-such managed to polish a turd.”

Again, I was wrong.

What the other judges and I received from our seven finalists weren’t rushed pieces of ephemera, nor musical flotsam and jetsam connected by nothing more than happenstance. What we heard when we cracked open folders and zip files was unadulterated talent, pure and simple.

While I hate to get all cliché and say that everyone is a winner, I’ll be damned if it ain’t true. Each one of our Crate Diggers managed not just to complete a project, but to craft an album. A real album. With nothing but the barest of resources.

As I mentioned before, I was not the whole of the judging body. I was joined by a most impressive array of creative minds, and each found a number of submissions to be imminently pleasing. Famed nerdcore producer Baddd Spellah graded our submissions on production value, podcaster extraordinaire Tim (of Radio Clash fame) critiqued the albums’ listenability, and experimental musician Bart Hopkin judged on the nigh incalculable criterion of creativity. We each had our favorites – and widely dissimilar favorites they were – but we all agreed on one thing; D-Form and his submission Up or Down succeeded on all levels.

So it’s with great pride that I join Doc Popular in announcing D-Form to be the King of the Crate Diggers. He now wears the (totally imaginary) crown and wields all the (relatively insubstantial) power that goes with it. But in order to continue his reign he must again meander onto the field of battle. Tentative plans for the second round of the CDD place it in early April, and in order to retain the title D needs to come in with guns a-blazin’.

Sincerest congratulations to D-Form and to all of our ‘Diggers. And a most heartfelt thank you to my fellow judges. At the risk of sounded just plain silly, I honestly feel enriched by this entire experience. It has shown me that there is both a place where ingenuity and experimentation can thrive and be recognized and an ever-growing community of talented, supportive musicians with legitimate interest in capturing the fun and spontaneity of the creative process in their songs.

I am embiggned by you all.