Lurker > rwlh

Revealing is my favorite new discovery of the contest. It was actually already on my spreadsheet as a 7 but I had completely forgotten about it, and now it's a high 9. Really terrific track. Bounce Man is not my thing.

Even all these years later, I can't not hear the goddamn Brentalfloss song when I listen to Title I love Staff Roll. Mega Man 8 has a lot of cool music!

If Revealing and Staff Roll both get to round 2, we will have a rare 9-off. Hurrah!

Votes:
Revealing
Staff Roll MM8

Antagonist is a great nomination for this, wow. Talk about a person so completely devoid of morals. In his place, I don't think Chigurh does quite the level of damage. And in Chigurh's place, I don't think the Antagonist even offers a coin flip.

Top Songs:
1. Matthew and the Atlas - Waging a War (Unplugged)
2. Negativland - More Data
3. ???
4. Silversun Pickups - Mean Spirits
5. Fuck Buttons - Rough Steez
6. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge
7. Alice Schach and the Magic Orchestra - Hypnotized
8. ???
9. Rise Against - Make It Stop (September's Children)
10. Scatman John - Scatman (ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop)
11. Akufen - Deck the House
12. Lemm feat. lasah - Occult Descartes
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. Dave Matthews Band - Crash Into Me
18. Deep Forest - Deep Forest
19. HANABIE. - TOUSOU (Run Away)
20. Cocteau Twins - Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
21. ???
22. Slothrust - Parallel Timeline
23. XoArK - wurmple_658385643478450179
24. ???
25. Black Country, New Road - Mark's Theme
26. Green Day - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. aji - the long line
31. The Dear Hunter - The Bitter Suite IV and V: The Congregation and The Sermon in the Silt
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. NEUPINK - TRASHFIRE VISCERAL
35. Cryptovolans - Rainforest Collapse III
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. Hiroaki Tsutsumi - And Test,Test,And Test Some More
38. Murder by Death - End of the Line
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. William Shatner - It Hasn't Happened Yet
43. Brand New - Handcuffs
44. Genesis - Dance on a Volcano
45. Yoko Kanno - Atomic Bird
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. Green Day - Basket Case
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. Sunspot - Thunderbird
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. Jacob Collier - In My Bones
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

Several high placement drop today, including another top 10er!

After tomorrow we'll be in the top ten. I was planning on maybe slowing things down to 2 writeups a day. What do we think of that?

14. Rise Against - Endgame
Melodic Hardcore, Punk Rock, Alternative Rock
2011
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/6/6/AAeDEnAAE4vG.jpg

@MargaretAnnMid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR3xVQy8ccM&list=PLEWS9hjCJIyG2zruqDICoyfjz_wJmJUr1

1. Make It Stop (September's Children)
2. Satellite
3. Broken Mirrors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIGqnneLUWc

I wasnt looking forward to this album. All I know about Rise Against is a vague sense of genre (emo metal) and that brings with it a certain vocal style that I will charitably call nasal and shrill. But frontman Tim McIlrath brings an understated understatement to Endgame (album). The opener, Architects, could easily have been a disaster for me with different singing, but McIlraths voice doesnt reach the high-pitched nasality of other pop-punk bands. For that, I am very grateful. Help Is on the Way is another good example of a song in this style that I actually enjoy. But is it more than the singing? Either way, the whole package is held together for me by McIlraths singing.

Disparity by Design reminds me of a Bad Religion song.

You cant fill your cup until you empty all it has. -Satellite

Its tough to parse these songs. Im enjoying them, but Im having separating them for the ranking. There are worse problems for albums to have! Midnight Hands is the first song I dont really care for. Which is funny, since YouTube comments suggests the song sounds little like the bands normal output. I wasnt really feeling Survivor Guilt until the last third, when it picks up in intensity.

Endgame (album) has pretty solid guitar and drum work. It doesnt fall into the trap of being overly repetitive (most of the time). While I think McIlrath is the linchpin of the Rise Against wheel for me, I do appreciate the other energetic components of the bands wheel. Everything feels like its working together, a pretty important aspect of music for me.

Not a lot to say about Endgame (album) except that I was very pleasantly surprised. This is pop punk I can get behind.

[EDIT: since I didn't say anything about the top song, I'll add that it's a poignant and somber reflection on a tough topic. It's also really catchy!]

15. Akufen My Way
Microhouse, Tech House, Glitch, Plunderphonics, Funky House, Sound Collage, 2-Step, Deep House
2002
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/9/9/AAeDEnAAE4uD.jpg

@Collencyte

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5KH89DlyrMvTL1i3j4B3hfAq2Aa4nNOp

1. Deck the House
2. Jeep Sex
3. Skidoos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfV8M91A5Rk

Ive never heard of this artist before so I dont know what to expect. The first song, Even White Horizons, is about as silky smooth a glitch song as Ive ever heard, with production reflective of its period in musical history. Several samples loop over repeated beats and glitchy effects. This is terrific to listen to on headphones (which is how I listen to everything). Installation reminds me of something fromDJ Shadow, maybe? Something trip-hoppy without lyrics. Akufen is tapping into that subliminal space in my brain where impressions like that live. Its very cool. Its also very good at being background music. Nothing wrong with that! Skidoos has really greatI dont know why but I want to call them 90s rompler presets, whatever that means, lol. Plus it has crunchy percussion.

Three songs in and My Way might wind up one of the most consistent albums in the ranking. The songs all blend together, sure, but Ive said in other writeups that this doesnt bother me when considering the album as a whole. Given the choice between an album of consistently above average songs and an album of extreme highs and lows, Im probably going to pick the former. Thus far My Way definitely fits into that category. If you like Even White Horizons, youll almost certainly the next two songs. Of course I could be wrong about predicting what comes next Ive been wrong before and will continue to be wrong in the future. Thats the fun of stream-of-consciousness writeups >:)

Aaaaaaand Im wrong lmaooooooo. Deck the House does something so different, and I love it holy shit. The song isnt smooth like the first three; rather, it leans in the direction of choppier samples, like shorter than a second. The effect is disorienting, especially since I was treating Skidoos like background music and then Deck the House starts and its HOOOOOOOLD UP BOYOOOOOO. Songs like this remind me of Oneohtrix Point Nevers Replica, which was almost nominated (and almost certainly would have won, or at least done exceptionally well). Very cool. Apparently the genre for this is microhouse. Will need to look up more like this.

In Dog We Trust is a bit of a drag. I wish it used a wider variety of samples in its main riff and not just the kenzu one. Late Night Munchies is another song that could probably stand to be five minutes and not ten minutesalthough I take it back, now theres an extended percussion sequence, which you have probably picked by now that Im into, with what sounds like various household objects. That makes it worth the trip! The last track, My Way (song), is a bit of a departure, less sampling, more singing (albeit singing a brief phrase).

This was a cool listen! Some of the songs went a little too long but I really enjoyed my favorites. Deck the House in particular is a real keeper. Thanks for sharing!

rainbows will be followed

Frollo with superpowers would be scary but Stormfront in Frollo's position is arguably worse (at least going off what other people have said).

Ending MM3
Pharaoh Man

16. Dave Matthews Band - Crash
Acoustic Rock, Pop Rock, Jazz-Rock, Funk Rock, Jam Band
1996
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/3/AAeDEnAAE4sj.jpg

@Mega_Mana

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lSYtMIQ3eVWb6vP_clTYBwkROXi0mqJq4

1. Crash Into Me
2. #41
3. So Much to Say

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGMAYYJY3rg

I know the big singles from Crash, but not the deeper cuts. That includes So Much to Say, a good-hearted number about personal identity: I find sometimes its easy to be myself / Sometimes I find its better to be somebody else. Its a great intro to the album, with the band on full display through solid drum and guitar, and Matthews singing in his unique voice. Two Step, in contrast, is moody, with plenty of fiddle parts. From the outset DMB displays really solid range.

Crash Into Me has been a keeper since I first heard it. Such a dreamy, wonderful songthat I dont think I ever realized was about voyeurism haha. So funny that this was the breakout hit of the album maybe listeners, like me, didnt pay too much attention to lyrics like Hike up your skirt a little more and show your world to me. Not very subtle!

#41 is very immersive from the first note, with that interplay of sax and violin and the more conventional instruments and of course Matthewss vocals. Great sax and strings solo. Say Goodbye has terrific drum work. For a band named after the frontman, the other members really get to shine. I also like the instrumental outro of Drive in Drive Out. A lot of the back half of the album is pretty samey, so I dont have a lot to add. It doesnt catch my ear as much as the front half but its not bad. I recognize Tripping Billies surprised its all the way down as the next to last song. Proudest Monkey is an interesting closer: meandering, slow-paced. It feels like a jam session.

This was a real treat to listen to. Though the back half all mostly blurred together, there are some solid songs and consistent musicianship on display. Good stuff!

Top Songs:
1. Matthew and the Atlas - Waging a War (Unplugged)
2. Negativland - More Data
3. ???
4. Silversun Pickups - Mean Spirits
5. Fuck Buttons - Rough Steez
6. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge
7. Alice Schach and the Magic Orchestra - Hypnotized
8. ???
9. ???
10. Scatman John - Scatman (ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop)
11. ???
12. Lemm feat. lasah - Occult Descartes
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. ???
18. Deep Forest - Deep Forest
19. HANABIE. - TOUSOU (Run Away)
20. Cocteau Twins - Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
21. ???
22. Slothrust - Parallel Timeline
23. XoArK - wurmple_658385643478450179
24. ???
25. Black Country, New Road - Mark's Theme
26. Green Day - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. aji - the long line
31. The Dear Hunter - The Bitter Suite IV and V: The Congregation and The Sermon in the Silt
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. NEUPINK - TRASHFIRE VISCERAL
35. Cryptovolans - Rainforest Collapse III
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. Hiroaki Tsutsumi - And Test,Test,And Test Some More
38. Murder by Death - End of the Line
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. William Shatner - It Hasn't Happened Yet
43. Brand New - Handcuffs
44. Genesis - Dance on a Volcano
45. Yoko Kanno - Atomic Bird
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. Green Day - Basket Case
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. Sunspot - Thunderbird
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. Jacob Collier - In My Bones
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

I did not know what a Wurmple was until the last hour.

17. Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Funk Rock, Alternative Rock, Rap Rock
1991
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/0/9/AAeDEnAAE4k1.jpg

@Cavedweller2000

https://youtu.be/kziGsq8reTc

1. Under the Bridge
2. Give It Away
3. Breaking the Girl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UnU3r0M3zg

I know the Chili Peppers exclusively for their singles (some of which I like more than others) so Im not sure what to expect. The Power of Equality is very light and bouncy with a rock tint. Anthony Kiediss distinctive vocals fly above the rest of the song. Its a great opener, setting the tone for the rest of the album: rock with punk, rap, and funk influences. This fits in line with what I know of their singles.

According to Wikipedia, RHCPs manager wanted Blood Sugar Sex Magik to be more accessible than their prior releases. They succeeded: the album is full of catchy hooks and a dreamlike, euphoric state. This came out in 1991, the same year grunge was picking up mainstream airplay (and the same day, humorously, as Nirvanas Nevermind), but to compare this with grunge is like comparing a honeycrisp apple with a granny smith: both are good, depending on who you ask, but they give very different taste experiences.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik is fun. Even as the subject matter veers into more serious fare relationships (Breaking the Girl) and even Kiediss drug use (Under the Bridge) theres a fundamental playfulness to the music that feels inherently accessible.

There are a lot of songs about sex, some of which arent very subtle. (Looking at you, Apache Rose Peacock.) There are some rockier parts, like the bridge to Funky Monks, which has a great guitar/drum solo; the song also ends with a great bass part. It feels like the band is cohesive, letting each member shine in different ways.

Theres a great transition from the frenetic energy of Suck My Kiss that immediately goes into the more acoustic I Could Have Lied. The album is full of little moments like that. And yet its entirely coherent as one piece. Thats quite the accomplishment. Guitarist John Frusciante is credited with the bands change in sound and exploration of new sonic horizons, as well as their producer Rick Rubin.

I do think some of the songs, despite the variety, blend together by the end. Perhaps this means the album is too long? Some of the songs I think you could cut and not lose anything, like The Righteous & The Wicked. The last few songs blend together for me. But then the Peppers do a song like Give It Away a manic, scatting burst of energy in the middle of the album and all is forgiven.

18. XoArK - P()~()..8
Drill and Bass, Glitch
2021
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/5/6/AAeDEnAAE4kA.png

@Kopazzynth

https://xoark.bandcamp.com/album/p-8

1. wurmple_658385643478450179
2. 1_17-19-21
3. Xufugus mifurgic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJdFsEQ-6zA

Heavy on glitch and dnb. I really like weird glitchy shit so this seems right up my alley. wurmple_658385643478450179 (what a name!) wastes no time in getting into things. Lots of fun with panning and echoes and reverb and very sharp, jagged sounds. Whoever XoArK is, theyre committing to this aesthetic 100 percent, and I love them for it. I like it a little less when it gets calmer though. But it still does amazing panning like at 4:10. Holy shit give me more of that. Inject it directly into my veins.

"Get all 361 XoArK releases available on Bandcamp" that isa lot of music.

Env sporeexplosion (what a name again!) is more chill, but still has that intense dnb energy to it. Really vibing with this album so far. Claim editor also falls into that ballpark. This album keeps its aesthetic consistent but still keeps managing to surprise me, an impressive feat.

I wasnt into 1_17-19-21 that much at first but then it started volume spiking me and also the overall atmosphere feels like a Metroid soundtrack. This ones much moodier and more ambient than the rest but I think it might be my favorite so far? wurmple would take it but there are some parts that drag compared to 1_17-19-21 (which is funny to say, given how this is much longer and more static). Ill need to relisten at the conclusion. Edit its deffo wurmple wurmple is queen wurmple rules.

I like the little bits in stunk394 that sound like an animal chirping. Track 8, Xufugus mifurgic, opens with factory noises, a quick way to my heart. I can only assume XoArK used all the available song titles in their first 360 releases so theyre left with titles like Xufugus mifurgic and Frog-processor_042952, hehe. Its tough to parse these out as individual tracks. On the one hand thats bad because everything sort of blends in together. On the other hand thats good because its an album and arent they supposed to sort of do that? Starfish_foam does present the feeling of coming to the end of a journey, like weve traveled through space together or some shit. Real trippy.

It's a pretty angry album!

19. NEUPINK DOPAMINE HELLDREAMS.
Synth Punk, Neo-Psychedelia, Noise Rock
2022
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/9/1/AAeDEnAAE4hb.png

@tazzyboyishere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0k4m3nylzg

1. TRASHFIRE VISCERAL
2. DEVILS EYESHADOW
3. DUST AND MOONLIGHT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U2f9nPAm5c

This has such an ear-catching opening: a lone guitar-like synth plunking out a minimalist melody, which gives way to reverb-drenched vocal samples. From there the album goes to even stranger places: dense soundscapes, anxiety-provoking moments, guitars that sound like screams. IN MY OWN DELUSIONS evokes a flatline near the end.

By the third song, DUST AND MOONLIGHT, Ive realized I have no idea what to expect anymore apart from the general sensation of discomfort, which I love in music. DUST AND MOONLIGHT simulates the act of drowning with its stuttering effects. THIS SCAR UNDER MY LIP has vocals so distorted the words are virtually unrecognizable does this reflect the pain the album conveys? DEVILS EYESHADOW starts out like some sort of Mega Man fangame and then turns into one of the darkest songs on the album, with a powerful intensity. NO HEAVEN starts with sort of a chopped up wedding march. My favorite is TRASHFIRE VISCERAL; the name sums up what youll be getting.
There are some songs I dont enjoy as much, like SMILES OF GHOSTS. The dense soundscape is there, but I think this album works best when its blisteringly fast, not slower-paced. Actually a few of the later songs are a bit on the slow side compared to the first half.

This was the first album I listened to for the ranking. Im very pleased with it I really genuinely enjoyed listening to this. Clearly this is a sign of how much Ill enjoy the rest of the nominations!
right?

Spark Mandrill

I really don't think they're that similar to the Pumpkins! At least based on this album. It's a weird comparison imo.

Top Songs:
1. Matthew and the Atlas - Waging a War (Unplugged)
2. Negativland - More Data
3. ???
4. Silversun Pickups - Mean Spirits
5. Fuck Buttons - Rough Steez
6. ???
7. Alice Schach and the Magic Orchestra - Hypnotized
8. ???
9. ???
10. Scatman John - Scatman (ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop)
11. ???
12. Lemm feat. lasah - Occult Descartes
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. ???
18. Deep Forest - Deep Forest
19. HANABIE. - TOUSOU (Run Away)
20. Cocteau Twins - Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
21. ???
22. Slothrust - Parallel Timeline
23. ???
24. ???
25. Black Country, New Road - Mark's Theme
26. Green Day - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. aji - the long line
31. The Dear Hunter - The Bitter Suite IV and V: The Congregation and The Sermon in the Silt
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. ???
35. Cryptovolans - Rainforest Collapse III
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. Hiroaki Tsutsumi - And Test,Test,And Test Some More
38. Murder by Death - End of the Line
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. William Shatner - It Hasn't Happened Yet
43. Brand New - Handcuffs
44. Genesis - Dance on a Volcano
45. Yoko Kanno - Atomic Bird
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. Green Day - Basket Case
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. Sunspot - Thunderbird
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. Jacob Collier - In My Bones
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

Almost all of the top 3 has been revealed! What will third place be...?

[This writeup is fun.]

20. William Shatner Has Been
Spoken Word, Rock, Art Rock, Alternative Rock, Beat Poetry
2004
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/8/1/AAeDEnAAE4bB.jpg

@Seginustemple

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE8BE1A17606076A7

1. It Hasnt Happened Yet
2. Thats Me Trying
3. What Have You Done

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YA5J88ik64

I am in a bad mood and William Shatner is not helping.

Ive been listening to all of these in mostly one sitting, certainly not longer than a period of 24 hours. In the interest of being fair to Has Been, I am going to space out the listening period overwell, over however long it takes to listen to it. Or maybe I should say thats in the interest of being fair to me. If I tried to listen to all of Has Been at once, I might lose my ties to corporeal earth and descend into a demon-scented abyss, where William Shatner is played on the intercom all day. So this writeup will be written piece by piece, song by song. Hope you like it.

Has Been opens with a cover of Pulps Common People. Ben Folds has provided the musical backing for what sounds like, if Im being uncharitable, a vanity project for a film and TV star. Shatner delivers the lyrics to the song in a spoken-word delivery that feels like hes winking at the listener, like yeah, I got fucking Ben Folds to make this album, isnt that cool? Shatners delivery picks up in intensity as the song goes on. Foldss production and the additions like a choir feel ill-fitting. Id almost rather listen to Shatner speaking over top of silence. (Be careful what I wish for)

It Hasnt Happened Yet actually sort ofworks a little more. Its more understated and actually fits Shatners delivery. Moreover, the lyrics actually sort of work too. Its a poignant meditation on aging and self-worth. This song is worlds removed from the goofy cheesy bravado of Common People. Is it weird that Iactually kind of like this? I expected goofy cheese from the opening song, but if more of these songs are like this one, Im certainly intrigued!

Okay Youll Have Time is a big step down again. These lyrics are not really that good? I get that Shatners going for a Baz Luhrmann sunscreen song thing, but it feels pretty silly, and its only 1:30 in and it already feels like the longest fucking thing in the world. This does not need to be more than five minutes long.

Thats Me Trying is another vulnerable song, about Shatner (or a character hes playing) reconnecting with his daughter after twenty years. Theres a swerve in the song where Shatner insists on not talking about any of the bad parts. And theres also the curious refrain that speaks of Years of silence / Not enough. I feel like what hes saying is only part of the story, and the rest is up to interpretation. I like that.

What Have You Done isreally intense! Just Shatner and a mic (and a dead woman), speaking raw poetry about finding his wife drowned in the water. Holy shit what is even happening on this album. I think Common People is indisputably the worst opening song to any album I've ever heard in the sense of preparing you for what's going to come and making you want to keep listening. Im enjoying a lot of this!

Not as into some of the back half. Has Been (song) is fun but I just connect more with the more contemplative songs.

Has Been features, among other musicians, Aimee Mann and Henry Rollins, which is really incredible to me. A song like I Cant Get Behind That is so intense, even without Rollins; Shatners delivery is perfect here, full Angry Old Man mode.

So uhhappy to have been wrong about this one. Maybe judging it off of one song and then starting a writeup based on that wasnt the best idea, but hey maybe you got a laugh at least. Very cool album, very unexpected.

Great match 1. I've always been a big fan of Wily 1 from Mega Man 7, but Skyway is a new favorite from within the past year or so. I love how the MMX samples are used to make something new. This might be my favorite round 1 match so far.

Vote:
Skyway
I plan to listen to match 2 later

21. Silversun Pickups Neck of the Woods
Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, Dream Pop, Shoegaze, Indietronica
2012
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/5/9/6/AAeDEnAAE4Zs.jpg

@Isquen

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7RnYvwyQ4LxyKyt5lpACOcsovOVU8Siu

1. Mean Spirits
2. Make Believe
3. Simmer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCiYX-iC0Hk

I only know one song from this band, and its on this album (The Pit), and I liked it enough to bookmark it a few years ago. Lets see how the rest holds up!

Skin Graph opens with a nice instrumental before the singer (Brian Aubert) steps up to the mic. I forget how unique his voice is. Very androgynous, smoother than Id expect from a rock outlet. This is a great opener, a nice, full sound that shows off what to (presumably) expect: catchy hooks; power rock with quieter moments (or maybe its quiet rock with power moments?); drone-like guitars. Its a little overlong but thats okay. Color me intrigued.

Nice 7/8 meter in Make Believe. This is a moodier piece. The band is on the prowl. I get the impression of wandering around a dimly lit forest, watching for wolves.

The album reminds me of a 90s throwback so far Im seeing comparisons to the Smashing Pumpkins, who happen to be one of my favorite bands (you got lucky on that, Isquen!). So overall Im vibing with the music. Three songs in and nothing has stuck out as an all-time favorite yet Id describe the album as competent more than enjoyable but its been good so far.

Its a bit hard to believe that Bloody Mary, which Im not enjoying at all, was apparently released as a single over the previous three songs? (Also wow is that singles collection album cover triggering.) By Here We Are (Chancer), Im reconsidering the Pumpkins comparisons this feels way moodier than your standard Pumpkins big production sound. I like the backup vocals on this track from Nikki Monninger, who also plays bass; she shines over top of Auberts singing at times, and at other times they play off each other. The drumming from Christopher Guanlao is also pretty solid in this track. Mean Spirits finally presents a more uptempo rock number; I find myself more drawn to these tracks, which might just be the mood Im in but is also probably because theyre, well, more engaging to listen to! Mean Spirits is just a fun rock song. Sometimes thats all you need! This is the first song on the album I would conceivably save onto a playlist.

As soon as Mean Spirits ended, I relistened to it. I dont know if, 32 albums in, Ive done that with a song yet. O_O I would unironically (for perhaps the first time in my life) refer to that song asgulpa banger.

That guitar riff from Simmer sounds like Life Will Change from Persona 5 lol. Another energetic song, this one is a mix between the moodier, slower songs and the faster paced ones. SSPU (Super Smash Pickups) are very consistent with their sound. Now that Im into the second half of Neck of the Woods, Im more into their style, especially, as I said above, the more energetic tracks. (Edit spoke too soon! There are a few slower songs in the back that I dont like as much)

The Pit, as I said above, is the only song from this band I knew prior to today. AndI dont think it holds up to some of the rest of the album! Its probably the highlight of the slower-paced songs for me, but I wonder how much of that is familiarity. Either way it doesnt hold a candle to Mean Spirits.

Out of Breath, last of the album, does a Simmer-like riff at the beginning that grounds me in the song. I love songs that have little elements like that, little catchy riffs that permeate throughout. As Skin Graph leads us into the albums world with a mix of fast and slow in anticipation of whats to come, Out of Breath takes us out on a high note, inviting us to come back later. The song ends on a mysterious note:

When all the pioneers are gone
And all thats left are unresolved
Out of step opinions
Its life or death once more

But you say the word and I will come
With overbearing clouds of warmth
Out of breath but not alone

I think I interpret this as SSPU telling their fans, life can be shitty but youre not alone, say the word and well come running. I dont know if thats meant to be taken from the POV of the band/Aubert or if its a fictional POV, but its a compelling note to end on, a sort of sense of hope that life might just get better. I didnt adore this album but I found a lot to comment on and gravitate toward. In the end, sometimes thats okay; sometimes its enough to find little moments you enjoy. Sometimes its enough to say the word and open yourself to things, to know youre not alone.

The album is a lot of fun. I genuinely smiled relistening to TOUSOU (Run Away).

22. HANABIE. - Reborn Superstar!
Metalcore, J-Rock, Electronicore, Kawaii Metal, Melodic Metalcore
2023
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/7/2/AAeDEnAAE4Xw.jpg

@Murphiroth

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nHMHPO-0_Jr2cjiagMxkwjTOhnhyCqRTY

1. TOUSOU (Run Away)
2. ver.
3. ME, The Ultimate Invader of the Universe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9cC2_V7JwE

The little intro song is bubbly synth pop, and then Hyperdimension Galaxy is j-rock-y metal? Unexpected. I cant say Ive ever particularly gravitated toward this genre, but Im always happy to be surprised. Part of my distaste for screamy metal is probably the growly vocals, so hearing a female singer, albeit a growly one, is a nice change of pace.

NEET GAME is catchy and it simultaneously hurts to listen to. Like, my ears are in pain. But its catchy! Is this like the modus operandi of this band? They straddle the line between cute pop and aggressive metal? I want to put this in the top three but I cant justify it because it actively causes me physical pain. I guess I appreciate it more than I enjoy it. I feel way more comfortable putting ver. in the top three. Its a highly enjoyable song. Tales of Villain is also pleasant, maintaining the balance between screamy metal hallmarks and pop hooks. Its fascinating to listen to this album its not really my thing per se, but Im glad Im hearing it, and in some ways I value that more than a more aurally satisfying album that doesnt offer me anything new. (This will also come up in other writeups.)

ME, The Ultimate Invader of the Universe starts out more poppy, with the metalcore seemingly lurking in the background. But then it ends without any actual metal! Fascinating. TOUSOU (Run Away) certainly makes up for that lol. This song is cool as hell, wow. I dont know why this one in particular resonates with me but its got all my favorite parts of the album, the perfect blend of the musical polarities the band strives for. Very cool! The album closes with Today's Good Day & So Epic, another solid track.

Overall Reborn Superstar! really grew on me! (See, this is why keeping an open mind is vital.) A few of the songs were a little too growly for me, particularly NEET GAME, but there are some real highlights here. Thanks for stretching me out of my comfort zone!

Not_an_Owl posted...

As time has gone on, Adam Turla has sung deeper and lower, to the point that I sometimes think he sounds like Store Brand Johnny Cash. You may like that more - I think his voice is pretty perfectly suited to the songs on this album, though.

Interesting! I might like that more then. Also interesting to get your info on the album storyline, which I apparently glossed over, lol

For what it's worth, I didn't read up on any of the Lacey stuff until after I listened to the album, and even then it was just a Wiki article. I don't think it would've affected my impression of the music if I had.

Disillusion posted...

Top 25 and Top 10 in a rwlh ranking list? I WILL take that to the bank, thank you very much!

But yeah, Scatman was probably the first ever song/music video I ever watched when YouTube was new back in like....2006/07. I can't remember if I ever tried to share it with my friends at school at the time, but God knows I found the first instance of a banger I instantly recognized and loved.

Also, I was "4-5 months back" years old when I looked deeper into the album where Scatman came from, and I was NOT expecting the electro swing remix at the very end. It was a very welcome surprise to me - hidden in plain sight all these years! - and I'm very happy to share that fact and spread the gospel of Scatman anywhere I can go with it.

Thanks for reviewing, really happy that you enjoyed it that much!

Scatman rules. You were the one of the last nominators and I got super excited seeing this in the queue!

Top Songs:
1. Matthew and the Atlas - Waging a War (Unplugged)
2. Negativland - More Data
3. ???
4. ???
5. Fuck Buttons - Rough Steez
6. ???
7. Alice Schach and the Magic Orchestra - Hypnotized
8. ???
9. ???
10. Scatman John - Scatman (ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop)
11. ???
12. Lemm feat. lasah - Occult Descartes
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. ???
18. Deep Forest - Deep Forest
19. ???
20. Cocteau Twins - Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
21. ???
22. Slothrust - Parallel Timeline
23. ???
24. ???
25. Black Country, New Road - Mark's Theme
26. Green Day - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. aji - the long line
31. The Dear Hunter - The Bitter Suite IV and V: The Congregation and The Sermon in the Silt
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. ???
35. Cryptovolans - Rainforest Collapse III
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. Hiroaki Tsutsumi - And Test,Test,And Test Some More
38. Murder by Death - End of the Line
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. ???
43. Brand New - Handcuffs
44. Genesis - Dance on a Volcano
45. Yoko Kanno - Atomic Bird
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. Green Day - Basket Case
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. Sunspot - Thunderbird
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. Jacob Collier - In My Bones
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

I'M A SCATMAN

One more for tonight.

-

23. Scatman John - Scatman's World
Eurodance, Dance-Pop, Euro House, Vocal Jazz, Euro-Trance, Jazz Pop
1995
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/8/1/AAeDEnAAE4Oh.jpg

@Disillusion

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lmeQahtfdGYSLdbE9cbxdec2dwOotyopY

1. Scatman (ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop)
2. Mambo Jambo
3. Hi, Louis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy8kmNEo1i8

This would not have been my first guess for which nomination opens with a manifesto of purpose. Scatman John aiming high!

I genuinely did not know Scatman John had any other song besides the song everyone knows him for. Yet heres a whole album of Scatman! Even more surprising is that these songs have a lofty meaning of coming together, world peace, and even some environmental themes. Scatman John has always been an inspirational figure to me: someone who didnt let his speech disability stand in the way of his personal success. Not only that, but he connected with tons and tons of people, particularly young people, with speech disabilities. Talk about a hero.

In terms of the actual music, itsokay? Its very 90s with danceable beats, keyboards, and echoing vocals. That alone gives it an edge for me. The lyrics are very positive. Only You, for example, has the Scatman waxing poetic about an object of love in a very wholesome way. I get the sense that he really connected with children in particular. Quiet Desperation is more downtempo and contemplative, offering a compassionate look at a homeless person; I appreciate how the keyboard and the singing mirror each other, I generally like when songs do that.

Scatmans voice is kind of rough, but I think thats part of the charm: he presents himself authentically, without artifice. The image he puts out through this album reminds me of 90s Michael Jackson, a sort of emissary of peace through music.

Scatman (ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop) is one of the greatest songs ever composed and you will not convince me otherwise. The whole album is worth it just for that song alone. Few songs are more capable of putting a smile on my face than this one. Popstar has some incisive commentary on fame, done through his lighthearted style: A pop is an explosion, all youve got is you today. Mambo Jambo is just pure fun, with some of the most intensive scatting on the album and freewheeling pace on the album. Hi, Louis is what I was hoping for more of on the album: a song of nothing but scatting! Scatman (Game over Jazz) even closes out the album with some electroswing! Very cool.

This album is infectious. While theres only a handful of songs Id come back to, Ive got to respect and admire Scatmans vision. The whole thing is worth a listen definitely a surprising highlight among nominations.

24. Murder By Death - Who Will Survive, and What Will Be Left of Them?
Indie Rock, Chamber Pop, Gothic Country, Alt-Country, Post-Rock, Chamber Pop
2003
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/5/4/AAeDEnAAE4OG.jpg

@Not_an_Owl

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lM0o_QbqXsgIJAe6DUYXHrXojdrff5q7Y

1. End of the Line
2. Until Morale Improves, the Beatings Will Continue
3. The Devil in Mexico

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm1jiEWlyJk

Have I heard of this band? Maybe? I dont know. From the first song, The Devil in Mexico, theyre clearly going for an aesthetic: the old-timey warped audio gives way to a clearer rock song thats very somber. The singer (Adam Turla, I have learned) doesnt seem to have a lot of range so far but thats not necessarily a bad thing. Theres a nice sense throughout the denser parts of The Devil in Mexico, like the songs a few paces away from keeling over (like the devil?). Ooh and then theres a long stretch in the last minute that goes heavier on the drums and layered vocals. And screaming. Not sure what to make of this yet!

Killbot 3000 sounds really really different! Wow. Really feeling the piano and strings here. Interesting!

I did some research and apparently this is another concept album (yall really like those, huh). This one is about the devil massacring a town in Mexico. I guess I didnt need to know that to enjoy it which I am, generally speaking but it helps inform some of the content. Why is the devil killing people? Did he get bored in hell? Perhaps these questions will be answered.

Until Morale Improves, the Beatings Will Continue has some of the best synergy between a guitar and a drum and strings I may have ever heard, wow, very impressive. Three songs in and I have come to the conclusion that Turlas voice isnt doing these songs any favors. He seems to have one mode of singing and vocal inflection, contrasting with the expressive instruments around him.

One thing I appreciate about this album with a name thats too long to type is the songs all feel dynamic, flowing naturally between different movements. A Masters in Reverse Psychology smoothly moves between different moods and intensities. End of the Line is suitably intense for a big climax; as with The Devil in Mexico, it feels off-kilter in a great way.

WWSaWWBLoT benefits from the album experience. Looking back I know I wont be able to recall specific parts of any of its songs (except maybe End of the Line), but the album, taken as a total experience, transcends the individual songs. There are only a handful in this topic I can say that about.

Storm Eagle
Farewell to Ballade

placin around at the speed of sound

They're both horrible, manipulative sociopaths that use people to get what they want. Maybe Dahlia has the edge because her acts seem more petty, whereas at least you could argue that Luthor tries to benefit humanity sometimes? So I guess that's a vote for Dahlia.

25. Cryptovolans Passenger
Utopian Virtual, Digital Fusion, MIDI Music, Avant-Prog, Jazz Fusion, IDM, Symphonic Prog
2022
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/4/3/AAeDEnAAE4Kz.jpg

@NFUN

https://iiiypad.bandcamp.com/album/passenger

1. Rainforest Collapse III
2. Rainforest Collapse I
3. Rainforest Collapse II

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDFTXz9HFZ8

From the first song, TIKTAALK.mid, I can tell this is going to be an album full of surprises. This song trips over itself with musical ideas (in a good way). Board Room is even better one of the comments on the Bandcamp page says of the album:

It sounds like someone commissioned 80's-era Frank Zappa to do the music for a Sega CD game.

Im no Zappa expert, but I feel like this stuff is straight out of some surreal portal into an alternate 1993, where the TurboGrafx-CD was putting out prog fusion gems like this. I do run into the issue I face in a lot of prog/fusion where my focus will wane after a while, but whenever my brain dips back in it likes what it hears. The first four songs blend together but everything is an enjoyable stew of composition and samples.

U-Turn sticks out for a compelling hook at the start and some nice riffs throughout. Ive long since accepted my ignorance of musical terms, but I do wish I could speak to some specifics about why I like this song instead of its cool, but its pretty darn cool. Passenger is the most intense of the songs thus far; I could see this as a chase/boss theme in this hypothetical alternate universe game. I like the mix of breakbeat and softer piano as a counterpoint with the more intense main melody. I especially like around 3:05 when the drumbeat surges up, because I am always a sucker for heavy percussion. A highlight so far.

Some of these songs Im not into as much, like Test of Ascension and RIO Sunshine. Its such a shame that my brain turns off during some of these songs because they do such interesting things; Ive yet to figure out why this is. I will say that when Passenger (album) is at a high point, Im very into it, but its tough for me to parse through all of the diverse musical ideas on display.

Walled Garden sounds like FACTORY NOISES which means I automatically love it. Also appreciate BIRB noises in the aptly named Birdhouse.

And then we get to the Rainforest Collapse songs. Rainforest Collapse I has an intro that sounds straight out of Oneohtrix Point Nevers Replica. The soundscape in this song is lush like a rainforest (hehehe) and is a nice mixture of intense and laidback, juxtaposing the two extremes of the album in one song. Very nice! Rainforest Collapse II does something unique so far and offers a consistent beat throughout (most of) the whole piece, which actually makes it easier for me to follow along; it helps that the beat is very bouncy. Bouncy beats are good beats. Some nice polymeter too! Rainforest Collapse III is a darker tint than the other two perhaps were finally in the collapse stage? These three songs are the highlight of the album for me.

I appreciate the creation process of Passenger. On the Bandcamp page Cryptovolans says:

Each track on Passenger is a single midi file played back on the Roland SC-88 Pro with layered sound effects sourced from:
-Corel WordPerfect Suite
-Microsoft Office Suite
-Network Music - Presentation Audio Music & Sound Effects (Vol. 1 Business / Office, Vol. 5 Comedy / Animation).

Id love to see a breakdown of which sounds came from where. Sampling stuff like that always fascinates me.

I like some of this album, am ambivalent on others, and really liked the Rainforest Collapse tracks. Thanks for sharing I knew going in that this would be an experience, and it certainly was!

SuperbVEVO posted...

Don't think anything by them is gonna beat this for me, though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zs61WLuHRQ

Is this the one you linked me to before? It's very cool.

no

I'm not really into this Armored Armadillo arrangement but I also don't like Infinity Mijinion very much. Weak match for me.

I love the Mega Man ZX soundtrack, and Sky High is no exception. Really terrific melody. Dark Man Stage is cool too, a really great arrangement of a song I really don't like very much from what's probably my favorite Classic soundtrack. Complicated!

Armored Armadillo Mix
Sky High

Yes I've heard there are...some problematic things about the lead singer I'm assuming that's why you don't recommend the band's music anymore? (And why the comparison to Marilyn Manson is a bit too on the nose.) Still, I liked the album all the same.

Nobody Moves feels a little "brighter" than Devil and God? Like the instrumentation or the vocals feels, well, not happier, but...I don't know, more "open". This is where my lack of music knowledge bites me in the rear - am I making this up? I really like it; it might have cracked the top three on Devil and God if it had been there.

Bondrewd based on arguments.

Welcome to the top 25!

Here's what's left, this time with nominators so you can see who made it this far! Some of this might surprise you; some might not.

Akufen - My Way [Collen]
Cryptovolans - Passenger [NFUN]
Dave Matthews Band - Crash [Mega_Mana]
Deniz Akbulut - CrossCode ~ The Ultimate Arrange [Haste_2]
HANABIE. - Reborn Superstar! [Murphiroth]
Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure? [Bane_Of_Despair]
Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B [mcflubbin]
Kelsea Ballerini - SUBJECT TO CHANGE [Snake5555555555]
Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker [Fluttershy_Pony]
Made in Heights - Made in Heights [ZaziGuado]
Meshell Ndegeocello - Peace Beyond Passion [LkProd]
Midnight Grand Orchestra - Overture [handsomeboy2012]
Mr. Bungle - Disco Volante [Steiner]
Murder By Death - Who Will Survive, and What Will Be Left of Them? [Not_an_Owl]
Neil Cicierega - Mouth Moods [Bitto]
NEUPINK - DOPAMINE HELLDREAMS. [tazzyboyishere]
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon [azuarc]
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik [Cavedweller2000]
Rise Against - Endgame [MargaretAnnMid]
Ryuichi Sakamoto - Esperanto [TunnelScene]
Scatman John - Scatman's World [Disillusion]
Shohei Amimori - PataMusic [cakophon]
Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods [Isquen]
William Shatner - Has Been [Seginustemple]
XoArK - P()~()..8 [Kopazzynth]

Stay tuned!

Top Songs:
1. Matthew and the Atlas - Waging a War (Unplugged)
2. Negativland - More Data
3. ???
4. ???
5. Fuck Buttons - Rough Steez
6. ???
7. Alice Schach and the Magic Orchestra - Hypnotized
8. ???
9. ???
10. ???
11. ???
12. Lemm feat. lasah - Occult Descartes
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. ???
18. Deep Forest - Deep Forest
19. ???
20. Cocteau Twins - Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
21. ???
22. Slothrust - Parallel Timeline
23. ???
24. ???
25. Black Country, New Road - Mark's Theme
26. Green Day - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. aji - the long line
31. The Dear Hunter - The Bitter Suite IV and V: The Congregation and The Sermon in the Silt
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. ???
35. ???
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. Hiroaki Tsutsumi - And Test,Test,And Test Some More
38. ???
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. ???
43. Brand New - Handcuffs
44. Genesis - Dance on a Volcano
45. Yoko Kanno - Atomic Bird
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. Green Day - Basket Case
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. Sunspot - Thunderbird
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. Jacob Collier - In My Bones
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

40% of the top ten is now filled out. What could the other 60% be...?

26. Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Emo, Indie Rock, Post-Hardcore, Alternative Rock, Art Rock
2006
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/1/6/AAeDEnAAE4EI.jpg

@_Blur_

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nlDrNEoMByFrKehHgLRYB1HAoXNYgDZ1Q

1. Handcuffs
2. Archers
3. Sowing Season (Yeah)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH9r9bK5cUQ

I know virtually nothing about this band or their music. Sowing Season (Yeah), the first song, alternates between quiet and intense. This feels like pretty solid mid-00s rock; I can see the song being a blast to sing along to at concerts or parties. Im intrigued. Millstone continues with this aesthetic, a solid midtempo rocker. Jesse Laceys singing actually reminds me of Marilyn Mansons at parts, curiously enough, particularly that low growl he pulls off. Hes got some good range.

Jesus Christ, one of the albums singles, is a dark-tinged missive to the big J, with a narrator that says things like: I will die alone / And when I arrive / I wont know anyone. This seems to speak to a sense of loneliness and alienation found throughout lifewhy, after thats all we know, wouldnt death be just as lonely, if not lonelier? I love the fakeout ending; I really love when songs do that.

Apparently two songs happened in between Jesus Christ and You Wont Know. In what seems to be a consistent pattern on these rock albums, I gravitate toward the heavier songs. But I also know that an entire album like that would probably exhaust me. What a horrible night to have a curse. But You Wont Know is still kind of disinteresting to me, even on the heavier parts. I rely a lot on momentum in a song, so I tend to dislike when songs that have a lot of what Id call pushing energy abruptly pull back to something slower. Its a surefire way to break my immersion. Thats my big issue with You Wont Know.

Heres a weird music-philosophical thing Ive always known about myself: the beginnings of musical pieces, be they songs or collections of songs, are always the most important to me. They decide my opinions of the rest of the piece. Sometimes this means later songs that sound similar to earlier songs arent as impactful, or conversely I often have a more favorable opinion on earlier songs. A song like Not the Sun, which is probably as solid as Millstone but sounds very similar, has less of an impact on me because Millstone is song 2 and Not the Sun is song 8. I think about this because this album all mostly fits into the same mold, and Im favoring the earlier tracks not necessarily because I like them more, but because I heard them first. Ranking music is subjective busineHOLY FUCKING SHIT LUCA JUST SCARED THE LIVING EVERFUCK OUT OF ME JESUS SCOLIOSIS MCGILLICUDDY that goes in the top three for that alone.

Of course then I go and place Archers, song 11, on top. So maybe I dont know myself as well as I think I do. Really nice guitar and drum solo too!

And then I place Handcuffs, song 12, on the tippity top. I dont think this sounds anything like the rest of the album, so maybe it stood out for that reason. Its a pretty dark revenge fantasy/ode to sociopathy that manages to sound angry and vulnerable at the same time. A great closer to the album.

27. Alice Schach and the Magic Orchestra - SCHACH
J-Pop, Progressive Pop
2021
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/3/4/AAeDEnAAE4C2.jpg

@Plasman

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l-7_P5pSWgA0rOawKUr87HAnH6jjPqqPQ

1. Hypnotized
2. Children in the Ashes
3. Kill My Fortune

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgJHVg0Ppjs

My exposure to Alice Schach is through VGMC, and Ive yet to actually hear a song by them that Ive remotely enjoyed. I told Plasman this going in, so please dont be too upset if this pattern continues!

The big thing I dislike about Alice Schach is their vocals and how breathy they are and, additionally, how the audio mixing seems to be imbalanced. NEW GAME seems to press back against that by drowning Alices singing in a big messy metal-y mash. I dont hate it actually. Its more chaotic by design, and I guess I respond better to that. Fushigi Chan is also sort of overwhelming soundscape this is a departure from the bands VGMC appearances, and I have to say I like this way better than the floaty, ethereal stuff.

Kill my Fortune, song 3, is the first song I can say I actually like. Its a nice balance between heavier metal and ethereal pop; the song has probably the perfect balance for me. QUEEN FLY is okay but I dont like it as much as the first three.

Its worth noting that Alice Schach (or specifically Nene Akagawa, who provides the vocals) is singing in a conlang, so not in a real-world language. I generally dont parse out individual foreign languages in songs (sometimes even English sounds foreign) but if you like unique singing, maybe check this album out.

Halfway through the album I probably would take every single one of these songs over Chocolate Missile, quite easily.

Children in the Ashes is my favorite so far. Even though it moves the needle back to the breathy/ethereal setting that I already said I didnt like as much, the production is solid enough that it becomes an engaging experience. Oh but wait, I like Hypnotized even more some nice Middle Eastern flair with heavy rock and dubstep influence. Hypnotized feels like the total Alice Schach package, at least as far as this album is concerned. Urxbxrxs is more of the same, which isnt really a bad thing by this point.

This was a pleasant surprise! As I said, my Alice Schach experience has been less than positive, but I enjoyed a lot of this. Thanks for taking a chance and believing in your album!

Chiptuned Rockman is the best thing ever. This Project X Zone 2 mix is really solid though! Shame to vote against it.

I like other arrangements from the Alph-Lyla album more than Awakening Road. Opening Stage X is top tier.

Votes:
Opening + Snake Man Mix
Opening Stage X

28. Slothrust Paralllel Timeline
Indie Rock, Indie Pop
2021
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/4/3/AAeDEnAAE3_3.jpg

@Denji

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nBib89-3qMSIX9U_KGUtPq4TBvf32pljs

1. Parallel Timeline
2. Once More for the Ocean
3. Cranium

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwgpR9GzXHw

I love the intro to Cranium with that weird vocal sample repeated a bunch of times. Thats a great way to start an album (at least it is for me!). The feel from this first song is dreamy, mysterious rock: floaty vocals, washed out guitars. Actually the entire second half of the song is guitars. Pretty neat! Once More for the Ocean is a solid rock number with those same strong guitars coming in near the end.

Can I just say I really like this singer? Leah Wellbaum has such a unique voice, low in pitch and high in authority. Apropros of nothng but some of these music videos are funny; they seem to just be Wellbaum dicking around in different settings (in the woods) or with various props (fruit). They seem to be serious attempts at artistic statements or something but they come across pretty goofy to me.

I dont have much to say about Parallel Timeline. Its good indie rock that kind of reminds me of 90s and 00s music. Some of the songs arent as ear-catching as others, particularly the slower ones (looking at you, King Arthurs Seatand A Giant Swallow), but the more uptempo numbers are solid. I bet these folks give a hell of a live show.

One of my favorite parts of this ranking has been when the last songs in an album completely surprise me with how much I like them. The last song in Parallel Timeline, also called Parallel Timeline, seems to be about recovery from addiction. I love the earnest storytelling of it, as well as the wordless but vocal last section. Its a wonderful cap to the album.

Anything can still happen!

Top Songs:
1. Matthew and the Atlas - Waging a War (Unplugged)
2. Negativland - More Data
3. ???
4. ???
5. Fuck Buttons - Rough Steez
6. ???
7. ???
8. ???
9. ???
10. ???
11. ???
12. Lemm feat. lasah - Occult Descartes
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. ???
18. Deep Forest - Deep Forest
19. ???
20. Cocteau Twins - Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
21. ???
22. ???
23. ???
24. ???
25. Black Country, New Road - Mark's Theme
26. Green Day - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. aji - the long line
31. The Dear Hunter - The Bitter Suite IV and V: The Congregation and The Sermon in the Silt
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. ???
35. ???
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. Hiroaki Tsutsumi - And Test,Test,And Test Some More
38. ???
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. ???
43. ???
44. Genesis - Dance on a Volcano
45. Yoko Kanno - Atomic Bird
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. Green Day - Basket Case
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. Sunspot - Thunderbird
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. Jacob Collier - In My Bones
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

More tomorrow!

One more tonight, to put us on pace for the top 25 on Wednesday.

-

29. Deep Forest Deep Forest
Downtempo, New Age, Tribal Ambient, Ambient House, Breakbeat, African Folk Music
1992
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/3/1/AAeDEnAAE333.jpg
@redrocket

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovwGCpx8ecY

1. Deep Forest
2. Hunting
3. White Whisper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR4jA37dmwE

God this nomination is tickling my fancies. My fancies are quite tickled. This New Agey house/world music style has long been a source of enjoyment for me. I enjoy everything about Deep Forest, the first song on Deep Forest, by Deep Forest the beat, the gravelly child singing, the panning around the other vocals, the synths that just take off like nobodys businesseverything about this is super me. We are off to a great start!

Song 3, Hunting, is also really solid. Lots of great sounds: something that sounds like a bird call, tribal percussion, vocals of various pitches and effects. This song is ear candy to my brains mouth. Songs 1 and 3 have been faster paced and songs 2 and 4 have been slower, and Ive definitely enjoyed the faster paced ones by, like, a lot. I havent disliked songs 2 and 4; Im just that much more into 1 and 3.

By song 6, Savana Dance, Ive unfortunately soured a little on the music. Its not bad, but nothing has really grabbed me like Deep Forest (the song from the album by the band). I would love some more faster-tempo, twirling through the sky house, but Im not sure if Im going to get that.

White Whisper: hEY-ey-EY-ey-EY-ey-EY-ey-EY-ey-EY-yeah to you too, buddy. This ones cool. I think Im just a sucker for chopped up vocal samples like this. This song sounds like something out of Sonic CD (JP). Really this whole album sounds like something out of Sonic CD (JP).

So yeah, this is an album that had one absolutely killer song, some other things I liked, and a lot of neutral. Nothing I disliked, which means this automatically goes above a lot of the competition, but still, it was such a disappointment that Deep Forest (the album by the band) never comes close to the highs of Deep Forest (the song from the album by the band). Maybe I would have liked things more if I wasnt led to believe they would be better than they were. Death by overachievement, its a real problem.

30. Various Artists - Dr. Stone Original Soundtrack
Television Music (lol)
2019
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/8/3/AAeDEnAAE33H.jpg

@dowolf

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLobYKp1L-B81_xmGZB8ywkXegajirwfAB

1. And Test,Test,And Test Some More
2. Get Exited!!
3. Be the Adam and Eve of This Stone World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-8bc9d5Kfs

A long album, if only by song count; almost every song is under three minutes. I expect this to be a brisk and invigorating experience!

Some world music vibes right out of the gate with STONE WORLD, which is super Celtic in nature and indeed evokes brisk and invigorating. The second song, Turned to Stone, is immediately more foreboding, with sparse bells and distant chanting conjuring a picture of something mysterious. Two songs in and Im reminded of VGM in the sense that this is clearly music attempting to convey a larger story as opposed to stand on its own. That isnt inherently a bad thing (of course it isnt, I adore VGM), nor does it change how I approach the work, but if I come to find that Im missing pieces of the bigger audio picture, this might be why.

I could take or leave Beginning except for the last third, which I really really like. From Zero, on the other hand, is a song I adore the beginning of but am ambivalent about the rest. Could we just combine these two songs into something I like all the way through please?

Get Exited!! (sic) finally breaks the trend of me only enjoying part of each song; it is very solid all the way through, with Super Mario 64-esque woodwind samples and more jaunty bagpipes. Now I think Im primed for other parts of the soundtrack Be the Adam and Eve of This Stone World is also very good. Im a sucker for this bouncy style. Getting real Atelier vibes from this flute!

Track 10, The Strongest Primate High Schooler, is by Tatsuya Kato (songs 2-9 are by Hiroaki Tsutsumi); after this the composition bounces between those two and YUKI KANESAKA, who gets four songs. Just based on this song Kato seems to have a more symphonic style than Tsutsumi, but STONE WORLD, also by Kato, isnt like that. And Contrariety (is that a word? ) isnt like that either, so it probably depends on the song. This track sounds super Basiscape. Big fan.

Track 12, And Test,Test,And Test Some MoreI am really into this one. YUKI KANESAKAs first song is the humorously named Chemical Boys Bogie Mix; its the first song with lyrics and has a noticeably funk-infused vibe. Too bad I dont like it all that much D: I dont really like the next one, Strong Desire, by Kato, either. Maybe I was spoiled by the last few songs?

Track 16, Time Limit, brings me back to the good feels. It features a lot of what I love about other songs on the album: breezy notes, a fast pace, and an unexpected instrument in this case, a sax! Thus far almost every song Ive enjoyed is by Tsutsumi, including Senkus Mind, which takes all those things I like and makes the experience downright trippy.

A general note on this album: I would enjoy it more with approximately 100% less rapping. I like rap, just not this variety.

Some of these back half songs seem to struggle with the missing context puzzle. Like Im sure The 100 Tales or TALES FOR THE AGES probably have a lot of impact on the show, but Im having a hard time getting into them, divorced from that. Genz Mood, on the other hand, is super cool and dissonant; I really like this one.

Overall this was a mixed bag. There was a lot that didnt really appeal to me, but there were some heavyhitters. I tended to respond better to Tsutsumis compositions than the others. I looked up a bit of info about this series while listening would you recommend I watch/read?

sergiocornaga posted...

Thank you for listening! Not only is there no definite beginning or end, but the starting point actually varies between the Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and YouTube releases... but I can tell your timestamps apply to the YouTube synclisten video.

Concepts like retreading ground, running out of ideas, or even earlier and later parts are funny for this release, but they're still a fitting way to frame your listening experience. A little behind the scenes info: each of the tracks was made using only the knowledge of the first 10 seconds of the track that would follow it. This means things being repetitive/cohesive throughout was more or less by chance. There are some exceptions: for instance, calculations samples that first 10 second segment of Percolation Station pretty heavily. It's a bit ironic that by the time the real thing came around for you, it had outstayed its welcome! Maybe your ideal listening experience would start at Percolation Station and finish with calculations, so that part becomes a 30-minute delayed callback instead...?

I'll have to revisit the album from a different starting point! It's such a neat concept.

RyoCaliente posted...

If you liked Frou-Frou Foxes because it feels less overwhelming, I'd give Squeeze-Wax or Carolyn's Fingers a try, which I always consider incredible experiences.

Thank you for the recommendations!