Lurker > rwlh

Snake5555555555 posted...

Know 22 of the songs but I'm horrible at guessing where things place.

That seems like an impressively high number for this set of nominations, but I'm no expert. Pretty sure I knew fewer than ten of the nominated songs when this started.

Collen posted...

"At the end, theres a dog whining for some reason." That's one way to interpret that sound. Not quite sure what exactly they sampled for that one, but it's a plastic object atleast. (liner notes say either an exercise ball, a DNA kit, or an ATM card so pick your poison)

Huh, interesting. Kind of funny what goes into different sound effects.

Finally, here are the remaining 50 songs. How many do you know? If you know them, where do you think they'll place?

Aimer - Haru wa Yuku (From Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel III. spring song)
Akina Nakamori -
Art of Noise - A Time for the Fear (Who's Afraid)
The Band's Visit - Omar Sharif
Ben E. King - Stand By Me
Bjrk - Vertebrae By Vertebrae
Blood Stain Child - Stargazer
Blues Saraceno - The River
Bomb Boy - Back Alley Clash
Bonobo - Brace Brace
Carly Rae Jepsen - Felt This Way
Christopher Young - Sinister
Curve - Unreadable Communication
Daft Punk - Voyager
dinger - ontario
Dirt Poor Robins - Scarecrows
Dmitri Shostakovich - Cello Concerto No. 1, I. Allegretto
Dvorak - Symphony No. 9 in E Minor "From the New World"
Hal ft. Gillian Anderson - Extremis (Download Mix Edit)
J Dilla - Workinonit
John Cage - Rozart mix
John Oswald - dab
Laura Marling - Soothing
Lena Raine - Momodani
Melissa Etheridge - Like the Way I Do
The Microphones - I Want Wind to Blow
mikanzil - Pallet
Mike Oldfield - The Bell
Minotaur Shock - Flytip Toe
Mylne Farmer - Sans Logique
Mystic Marshmallow - Konemelu
Necry Talkie - You Should Head North
Osamu Sato - DONE
Owen Pallett - I Am Not Afraid
Pink Lady - UFO
RENT - Another Day
Run The Jewels - Sea Legs
salyu salyu - Jibun ga Inai
Santa Esmeralda - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Shnabubula - All Blues (Kind of Bloop)
Shohei Amimori - Climb Downhill 1
Sigur Ros - Hoppipolla
Sonny Wharton - Raindance
System of a Down - Genocidal Humanoidz
Takeshi Nakatsuka - JAPANESE BOY
Thomas Bergersen - Fearless
Tom Jones - Sex Bomb (Peppermint Remix)
White Reaper - Might Be Right
zts, Chata, Interface - Achromasia
- endleSSStation

See you in a few weeks!

3 remaining
cakophon
GameBopAdv
kaonashi1
Place

2 remaining
Collen
DoctorJimmy133
GavsEvans123
handsomeboy2012
Kikoman589
Not_an_Owl
paulg235
PIayer_0
Raka_Putra
sergiocornaga
tazzyboyishere

1 remaining
-hotdogturtle--
azuarc
dowolf
FL81
Haste_2
MasaomiHouzuki
MetalmindStats
Murphiroth
NBIceman
NFUN
OrangeCrush980
pyresword
Snake5555555555
SovietOmega
SuperbVEVO
Toxtricity
UF8

Today's eliminations! Thank you for nominating.

Whew! That's it for today. I wanted to at least make it to the top 50 because VGMC nominations open tonight, so I'll probably need to put this on the back burner for a bit.

Will post standings a little later.

52. Jethro Tull Clasp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS4tuGQsKNY
@Toxtricity (1 remaining)
6.5 / 7 / 9 / 8.5 / 6
74

An ominous, captivating intro leads toward a more Druid environment in mixed meter, with rock mixed in with Celtic instruments. The effect is captivating, like stepping into a forgotten time. I dont have a lot to say about this one its very consistent all throughout, all the pieces work toward the greater whole. Another nice experience song Im glad to have listened to!

51. Matmos - The Crying Pill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOXT7iBvopQ
@Collen (2 remaining)
7 / 8 / 9.5 / 7.5 / 5
74

squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak

This song is a nightmare. Weird, tinny horns and backwards notes and a general aura of oppressiveness, like youre being chased by a gigantic shark with hypodermic needles for teeth. I love it. Despite this description, its actually kind of understated, keeping mostly calm. At the end, theres a dog whining for some reason. So creepy.

54. Acreil - Acridine Abeyance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUUcYsrgDaE
@GameBopAdv (3 remaining)
7.5 / 7.5 / 8 / 7 / 6.5
73

At long last, a GameBop song, which means everyone has had at least one song drop. This song does a lot of things I like that others might find too off-putting. There is barely any melody, heavy bass, somewhat abrasive glitch, and minimal variation. But I like all of those things here! Acridine Abeyance is hypnotic, particularly in the second half, which feels like mostly random notes put together. I love stuff like that, no joke procedurally generated music is such an interesting thing to listen to. And then at 7:50 it just melts into this aural nightmare. Not every song can pull this off. Racing in the Void from Mario Cars 2 does a similar audio deconstruction and its interesting but not very listenable. But I really enjoyed listening to this. Give it a listen maybe youll be surprised?

53. Freezepop - Our Solar System
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwvfUKiF7ug
@-hotdogturtle-- (1 remaining)
8 / 7.5 / 7.5 / 6.5 / 7
73

Is this what would be considered synthwave? That sort of 80s-emulating pop? Its great, whatever it is. Love the singing, love the audio production. I particularly like the verses, but I also enjoy the line in the chorus about if one day you lose control, destroy our solar system whole. Great rhyme! The space motif is used well. This is one I feel like I could come back to again, hence the high Emotion score.

56. Diablo Swing Orchestra - A Tap Dancer's Dilemma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8Ivkda8UUY
@NBIceman (1 remaining)
6.5 / 7 / 8.5 / 8.5 / 6
73

Did you nominate this for FL81s topic? I think I saw it over there. I love the blend of rock and swing and even church choir music. Amazingly, everything works well! Guitars and trumpets and evangelist-style vocals. This is a song that seems to defy easy categorization. Some neat guitar work near the middle too. I actually sort of wish the song would pick a lane and stay in it, but I appreciate all the variety.

55. Air - Ce matin-l
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgbVej8ANII
@ZaziGuado (ELIMINATED)
7 / 7 / 6.5 / 9 / 7
73

This is the song that plays in the break room at Willy Wonkas chocolate factory, or during a bonus level of Bubble Bobble. Its incredibly evocative in true Air style, fluctuating between sparse instrumentation and lush, full soundscape. The horns in this are incredible.

Toxtricity posted...

Oneohtrix Point Never - Mutant Standard

: )

one of my favorite songs ever. I nominated it because you've talked about how much you value music that feels like a "journey", i knew it was the right choice when i thought about other stuff i know you like. some of the more adventurous longer neotokyo songs; or parallax. and it's certainly off-the-wall bizarre weird in style in so many ways.

only sorta coincidental it happens to be by an artist repeatedly covered in casio mario world. now if THIS oneothrix point never song could be recreated even vaguely faithfully in snes limits for a mario hack, i would be deeply, deeply impressed.

very glad i got to show this piece of music to you

I figured that's why you nominated it, all the "experience"/"journey" comments I've made, haha. It was definitely appreciated! One of those songs I feel richer as a person for having listened to.

58. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - Tijuana Taxi
https://youtu.be/7vtF5GjVeaY
@Haste_2 (1 remaining)
7.5 / 6.5 / 7 / 8 / 7
72

Some of you really nominated some fun stuff. Im not sure what genre of music Tijuana Taxi is, but its got so much bright and sunshiney energy, with horns and xylophones and maracas and of course the great HONK. Please point me in the direction of more music like it Id love to be exposed to more of it.

HONK

57. sulawo/slug - Yume Utsutsu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ySNGeY0_nU
@UF8 (1 remaining)
6.5 / 6.5 / 8.5 / 9 / 6
73

Haunting, ethereal vocals are a great way to bring me into a song. The rest of the song is good too, but those vocals are clearly the selling point. They pack an emotional punch. As somebody who doesnt often focus on lyrics, I dont have any issue with emotional attachment to songs that arent in English while I dont directly understand what shes singing about, I feel the intensity. Its a subtle intensity. Is that a thing? Sure. It is now!

60. Perpetuum Mobile - Penguin Cafe Orchestra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E3znZoFnN8
@paulg235 (2 remaining)
7.5 / 7 / 6 / 8 / 7
71

There were two penguin songs nominated. One got last place, and the other is this. They couldnt be more different. If you dont believe me, listen to this, then listen to Eiszeitdisco. Penguins are a varied species.

This song is lovely and there really isnt a better word for it. With big strings and lush piano, its the musical equivalent of a warm blanket, a bowl of chicken noodle soup, a sunset. Just lovely.

59. maki ligon - Excuse My Rudeness, Could you Please Megalovania?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLIsicFxGAQ
@MasaomiHouzuki (1 remaining)
7.5 / 8.5 / 6.5 / 5 / 8
71

Fun fact: Mori Calliope is the only artist to get more than one song onto the ranking. Well, technically.

I wasnt too sold on Dead Beats, but this one I significantly like more because, as Ive said, a good beat is essential for me enjoying a rap song. You dont get much better rap beats than Megalovania. I love Megalovania. The reason this got average Appreciation is because there could have been more Megalovania, but there wasnt, and the Megalovania that was there wasnt being utilized to its full effectiveness.

I guess Calliope is fine? I still dont love her delivery. But hey, Megalovania!

62. Oneohtrix Point Never - Mutant Standard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be67Sb4S-ec
@Toxtricity (2 remaining)
6.5 / 7 / 9 / 8 / 5
71

Mutant Standard is one of those songs I appreciate and respect more than enjoy on an emotional level. (Thats why we have the categories!) It opens with this relentless bass Im not really a fan of, but then it starts to simulate a fever dream, and then it opens into this big yummy synth chord and I drool a little. I love the pieces of this song that sounds like outer space, the big extended notes that really soar into the sky. 3:05 is also interesting, with jerky notes and melodies, and then it sounds like its using Wario Land 4 samples (or maybe Wario Land 4 is using Oneohtrix Point Never samples?). The whole production feels . . . hopeful, in a way? Everything is shockingly evocative, packed with emotional intensity. 4:50 feels like falling down from the sky, a sensation that only grows in intensity until you start to float again. Ive listened to this at least three times and I get swept somewhere new every time. Thats the mark of high Unconvention: does this song do something I cant find anywhere else? Mutant Standard does a lot I cant find anywhere else.

61. Jamie Berry - Lost in the Rhythm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWOL5Z-abOA
@SovietOmega (1 remaining)
7 / 7 / 6.5 / 8 / 7
71

Oh hey its electroswing. This is a very toe-tapping (feet-shuffling?) song. As is probably apparent in these writeups, I like seeing how vocals blend with instruments, and Jamie Berrys measured, calm singing fits perfectly with the fun, energetic swing. Not much to say about this one its just a good time, fun to listen to whenever I put it on.

64. t+pazolite - Thanks for crashing me.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyd0bSPFoFg
@Shonen_Bat (ELIMINATED)
7 / 7 / 9 / 5.5 / 6.5
70

On paper, this seems like a song I would absolutely love. The intro riff, which reminds me of His Theme from Undertale, is evocative, and there is plenty of glitch to love. The song doesnt really come together in ways I struggle to articulate. I suspect the main riff, which is very strong, is too repetitive for me? But I definitely appreciate all the tricks this song has up its sleeve. Weird baby noises, beats that sound like machine gun fire, squeaking, what sounds like a fax machine having sex with a modem . . . t+pazolite pulls out plenty of stops. Ive always meant to check out a song or two by them, so Im happy you nominated this.

63. MISHAORU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olj87wkJStI
@FL81 (1 remaining)
8.5 / 7 / 7.5 / 6 / 6
70

With an Emotion score of 8.5, this song would rank highest so far on a normal list. I love the bagpipes and general Celtic feel; this would fit right into an Atelier game. The vocals are terrific. Really, theres a lot to love. A song like is held back by the rating criteria, the more objective categories. Rest assured I really, really liked this. <3

66. Cursor Miner - Remote Control
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxQOzNs34_8
@Collen (3 remaining)
7 / 6.5 / 7 / 8 / 6.5
70

Collen has fallen. Only GameBop remains!

Remote Control is a lovely little bit of catchy glitch thats so well produced it reflects the sun. The lyrics are very dystopian and the robotic voice fits the beepity boopity incredibly well. This is a song that oozes personality.

65. DiverDiva - SUPER NOVA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dso45gIdbjA
@Arti (ELIMINATED)
7 / 7 / 5 / 8 / 8
70

I was surprised I liked most of the dance pop nominated for this topic (and there was a lot of it). Im not sure why its a genre I enjoy. At any rate, SUPER NOVA feels typical but it shines in some notable ways. I like how the singers play off each other; I particularly the deeper-voiced singer. The backing instrumentation is catchy and works well with the singing. I especially like the clapping, but thats nothing new clapping in music is basically always a hit with me.

NFUN posted...

Probably not

I will probably do it anyway.

NFUN posted...

VGMC Analysis: Do I even need to say?

So what you're saying is I shouldn't nominate this on day 1.

68. Metal Disco - Metal Disco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlQuYa0YQog
@-hotdogturtle-- (2 remaining)
6 / 7 / 8 / 7 / 7
70

Kind of subdued electronic music with occasional glitchy background. The beat is fairly repetitive, but its easy to get lost in, and it does occasionally add in extra elements like the glitch and these like swirly-ass instruments at 2:15. Seriously, listen to 2:15 and tell what else youd call them other than swirly-ass instruments.

67. Tat Ming Pair 1+4=14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3wuu4vKhSk
@handsomeboy2012 (2 remaining)
6.5 / 7 / 7 / 7.5 / 7
70

This is a super creepy and ominous electronic/industrial song. As someone who looks in music for primarily emotional responses, the feeling of unease is palpable all throughout this song, like an ever-encroaching shadow across the horizon. The vocals are very subdued, sharing prominence with guitar and percussion and a nice bass line.

I'll check out at least one Streetlight Manifesto album, thank you both for the recommendations!

Arti posted...

Due to NFUN's weird rules for his topic I was able to shove a large amount of vocaloid and Love Live tracks in, all of which would not be eligible under the past VGMC rules as none have originated in a video game. This one in particular debuted in the anime series.

Oh I see. I legit liked it - again, not sure where all the hate comes from.

FL81 posted...

Is Snow Halation VGMC-legal yet?

I still don't think I know what this is. I was shown a link a long time ago and I didn't retain any of it.

I think I might just check out a Streetlight Manifesto album - it's probably easier than scattered songs. I don't usually go for whole albums, but based on listening to The Big Sleep, it seems clear I'm likely to enjoy this band's output. Any recommendations for album?

Raetsel_Lapin posted...

The Bill & Ted song was my attempt to find the weirdest song I could think of that I hadnt learned about purely through Board 8 (so no Minotaur Shock, bunbleman, or Venetian Snares). And it was definitely odd.

In universe Bill & Ted were trying to create a song that would unite all humanity. Their most recent attempt was THISa chaotic mishmash of instruments and cultural influences thrown into a blender while maintaining some semblance of a rock song. Its meant to be terrible, but its not without its charms... also, I think its kinda neat that they spent the effort making a full version of the song; only the first little bit of it plays in the actual film, but they took a one-off joke and ran all the way with it, and I appreciate the dedication to the bit.

...also I love songs credited to fictional characters and I have a tendency to start rambling about the Bill & Ted soundtracks completely unprompted, so it made sense as a nomination. Something weird for you, something fictional for me, from a series I wont shut up about. Win-Win-Win.

I liked it! Then again, my definition of "terrible" is often different from others'. I thought it was a very unique song; you're right that it has many charms.

Streets of Gold was a token furry nomination, but I had a fair amount of justification for it:

1: Its performed by a talented pop artist instead of a voice actor, lending it a bit of credibility.

2: While sung by a dog in the movie, theres nothing actually furry or animalistic in the lyrics. If you dont know what its from, it can easily pass itself off as a completely normal song. (A fact that you alluded to yourself by pointing out that it works almost as well devoid of context)

3: As far as singing Disney animal songs go, this is one of the more obscure options available. Oliver & Company was never one of their most popular films, Streets of Gold isnt the biggest song from the film, and the full version is exclusive to the soundtrackeven if you have the entire film memorized, theres a decent chance you wouldnt have heard this extended cut.

(Of course, the end result of an 80s pop star performing an 80s pop song is something likely too mainstream sounding for this topic; honestly, Im just happy that you didnt completely hate it.)

...I actually hadnt thought about the sax before. In retrospect, I could have just had this double as the sax representation and used the Kenny G nom on something else. Ah well.

Yeah Streets of Gold is an interesting nomination. Some of the nominations I got from, say, musicals seemed more context heavy, but this I feel like you could listen to and enjoy without even knowing it's from a cartoon. That's pretty impressive. It helps that it's legit a good song too!

azuarc posted...

Wee! We had this record when I was a kid, and my parents were old-school, so vinyl was absolutely a thing in my house. I kinda wish I had kept this one when I cleaned out my parents' house, except I wouldn't have had anything to play it on. But Mitch Miller's Christmas was my introduction to a ton of Christmas carols -- most of them well-known, but then there was this odd-ball song that was somber, creepy, in this weird key, and I just loved it. When people ask me, my favorite Christmas song, I tell them this, just because it's so unique sounding. Honestly couldn't tell you the words; I know they're pretty grisly. Something about Herod slaughtering babies. But I don't really care.

I like this version of The Coventry Carol too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcrYqDqCN_Y

Maybe the song being creepy and somber and weird is a constant? But yeah, good choral work (as in the Mitch Miller version) is always welcome.

NBIceman posted...

Nice to see Streetlight do well here. Somewhere in the Between and Hands That Thieve are both among my favorite albums.

I need to check them out. I was pretty impressed with Receiving End of It All. Is there another song you'd recommend by them?

Stats on today's four eliminations. As always, thank you all for nominating!

70. Streetlight Manifesto - The Receiving End of It All
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCHSX4hecTI
@Not_an_Owl (2 remaining)
6.5 / 7 / 7.5 / 6.5 / 7
69

More ska! This song, however, is very different from Superman. Where Superman was wistful and kind of sweet, The Receiving End of It All is bitter and unforgiving, seemingly taking pleasure in seeing someone whod hurt the narrator hurt themselves. I love this line:

And when he left us, he said its not so bad
That motherfucker, he took everything we had

There are lots of nuances Im sure Im missing with this cursory summary, but the pain and spite all throughout the song are very palpable. It tells a story even without needing to hear the lyrics. Pretty impressive!

69. Mr. Oizo Ham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2vamm4S9gA
@Flamander (ELIMINATED)
8 / 9 / 6 / 6.5 / 5
69

Interesting spread of scores here. This song has the both the highest Emotion and Immersion scores. Very tellingly, its the first song so far to make me smile seconds after it started. No other song so far has triggered that sort of reaction.

Ham is weird electronic music, which is normally my thing. It has funk elements and is generally very catchy. It loses points on the other three categories: I dont retain much memory of it at all, and it doesnt really do anything new for me. But its still a great experience to listen to. Ill look forward to forgetting about it and randomly listening to it later, just to have that smile reaction again.

72. Chick Corea Electrik Band - Got a Match?
https://youtu.be/YOm34SVz2K8
@Haste_2 (2 remaining)
7 / 5.5 / 7.5 / 8 / 6
68

First thought: this sounds like VGM.

Second thought: this specifically sounds like Song of Storms.

Scores were all varied for this song. I appreciated the proggy jazz nature of it, with frequent shifts in tone and instruments, and plenty of solos. I struggle with getting into songs like this, as Ive said before, though Got a Match? resonated more with me Emotionally than others. Maybe its the fact that theres more of an electronic component to this song due to the keyboard than some of the jazz fusion Ive heard?

It seems like the musicians are having lots of fun playing and improvising. Maybe that makes me enjoy it more too.

71. mind.in.a.box - 8 Bits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-vyGfxJlWo
@LOLIAmAnAlt (ELIMINATED)
7 / 6.5 / 6.5 / 6.5 / 7.5
68

Nice distorted electronic synthwavey track. Great thumping bass. I didnt like the vocals at first, but Ive grown to enjoy the stylized, almost floaty delivery and how its almost swallowed up by the beats. Normally I dont like that all that much, but the execution here is pretty solid. Also this is damn catchy it was in my head for a few days after the initial listen, and I assume thatll repeat itself this time around.

74. 's - Bokutachi wa Hitotsu no Hikari
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcYtUeu4EqQ
@Arti (1 remaining)
6.5 / 7 / 5 / 8.5 / 6.5
67

I first heard this while going through NFUNs topic. Is this not video game music then? IIRC there is weird eligibility with Love Live songs that Im not privy to. Anyway, this is another idol pop song. The positives I said about the prior songs apply: the big selling point for me is honestly the vocal layering, which might be a strange thing to gravitate toward, but it feels like settling in with a nice warm blanket. Love Live gets a lot of crap from folks (maybe its just a few very vocal folks) but I enjoy this song!

73. XIA - Pit A Pat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=How0vM1v4_o
@PumpkinCoach (ELIMINATED)
6.5 / 7.5 / 6 / 7.5 / 6.5
68

A well-produced, slick pop song. I can normally take or leave songs like this, but the singer has a lot of emotion, and there are some nice glitchy flourishes I enjoy. Its interesting that the elements of successful pop are very similar between different cultures; with English vocals, this could easily be on American top 40 radio.

I also laughed at 2:20. GOD GOD G-G-GOD OH MY GOD

76. Mitch Miller and the Gang - Coventry Carol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JupDfqwrMp0
@azuarc (1 remaining)
6 / 5 / 6 / 10 / 6.5
67

Hey, look at that, our first 10! This is the lowest placing song to net a 10. Here, the score disproportionately tilts the overall score. I love everything about the execution of this. The different vocal parts harmonize beautifully, the ebb and flow of the song tells a story at 1:40 the vocals surge in intensity, then gradually fade back down again as the verse goes on. Then, the next verse is at a more restful pace. I love a good choral piece. I even love the static crackling all throughout, which lends it this sort of ancient, holy quality.

The rest of the scores werent as high. But I was right there with this song, admiring its execution, the whole time.

75. Ruth Pointer - Streets of Gold
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYdpMhV2-SQ
@Raetsel_Lapin (ELIMINATED)
6.5 / 6.5 / 6.5 / 6.5 / 7.5
67

This is a great pop song. Ruth Pointers voice is on point, and the lyrics work almost as well outside Oliver & Company. The whole production is super 80s, particularly the backing, with its hilariously 80s sax, and the general sleekness of the percussion. Like Superman, this is very much a product of time, but it still holds up well.

Apologies for the double ping, Raetsel! I will post screenshots of all the eliminated nominators (yes, there will be more than one) after this batch of songs is done.

78. Goldfinger Superman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvziPPpryv0
@GavsEvans123 (2 remaining)
6 / 6.5 / 6.5 / 7 / 7
66

Boy, talk about a time capsule! Superman embodies that mid-to-late 90s ska craze, with bongos and trumpets and a general aura of wistful partying. I dont love the singers voice, but I like the lyrics, and those outweigh vocals here. This is a very specific type of song, and it scratches an itch I didnt know I had.

77. Wyld Stallyns - That Which Binds Us Through Time: The Chemical, Physical And Biological Nature Of Love; An Exploration Of The Meaning Of Meaning, Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9Y0UimrbyE
@Raetsel_Lapin (1 remaining)
7 / 6.5 / 7.5 / 6 / 6
66

Certainly some unique flavor here. Bombastic rock-with-slight-orchestra (which I did say I liked!) and something resembling throat singing and bagpipes. Very heavy on atmosphere and presentation, less on melody, which is fine. I like how it sort of resets around 2:30. I had actually forgotten about this until now were mostly at the part of the list where I like things, but they dont stick with me that much but this was a pleasant revisit.

Our third elimination! Thank you for nominating!

80. Rodrigo y Gabriela - Santo Domingo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PElbw9D0h_w
@SovietOmega (2 remaining)
7 / 6.5 / 7 / 6.5 / 5.5
65

This is super cool! Really energetic guitar work, full of that tough to quantify experience called soul. I especially like the main melody. Its a song that feels very rhythmic and focused, but at the same time feels so fluid it might be improvised in places. Thats very challenging to pull off. Would love to hear if anyone has recommendations for other songs that do that thing (if you can understand what I mean), in any genre.

79. Shpongle - Ineffable Mysteries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5FDls2byWI
@TheArkOfTurus (ELIMINATED)
7.5 / 6 / 6 / 7 / 6
65

OMG I was so excited when I saw a Shpongle nomination. Nothing Lasts...But Nothing Is Lost is an all-time favorite album of mine. Ive looked into some of Shpongles other catalog, and Ive found it less accessible. This song isnt quite up there with Nothing Lasts, and the first time I listened to it I worried I wouldnt enjoy it at all

and then that TUUUUUBA starts at 2:10 and I realize okay, Im in good hands.

One of the things I love about Shpongle is their ability to blend disparate instruments and genres and styles so seamlessly. Ineffable Mysteries does a lot of that musical jujitsu, from the contemplative mysticism of the beginning, to the surreal flute and distorted vocals at 3:20, to that goddamn TUUUUUUBAAAAAA coming back in again, to the ending with its chanting, bringing it back home. I might not love every one of their songs, but Shpongle always knows how to deliver an experience.

Not_an_Owl posted...

I nominated that Against Me! song because I misread the OP in the nomination topic and thought there was something in there about you liking romantic duets. By the time I realized I misunderstood I had already posted my noms and thought fuck it, it's a good song, I'll leave it in. Not the worst decision I've ever made, I guess!

A good duet is always welcome! Glad you didn't change it.

Also I am now officially HALFWAY DONE omgggg

This info is all on the spreadsheet, but if you're curious about how everyone remaining stacks up...

4 remaining (!!)
Collen
GameBopAdv

3 remaining:
-hotdogturtle--
cakophon
GavsEvans123
handsomeboy2012
Haste_2
kaonashi1
Not_an_Owl
paulg235
Place
SovietOmega
Toxtricity

2 remaining:
Arti
azuarc
DoctorJimmy133
FL81
Kikoman589
MasaomiHouzuki
NBIceman
PIayer_0
Raetsel_Lapin
Raka_Putra
sergiocornaga
tazzyboyishere
UF8

1 remaining:
dowolf
Flamander
LOLIAmAnAlt
MetalmindStats
Murphiroth
NFUN
OrangeCrush980
PumpkinCoach
pyresword
Shonen_Bat
Snake5555555555
SuperbVEVO
TheArkOfTurus
ZaziGuado

It's still anybody's game!

82. NegaRen Dodecahedron
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FekpJFHeUdA
@Flamander (1 remaining)
6.5 / 5.5 / 8 / 7 / 5.5
65

Flamander introduced me to HALLEY LABS (NegaRen is one of their many aliases). Dodecahedron touches on a lot of what I like about their work: glitch elements with a pop flavor, with occasional vocal samples. The crystally part at 2:25, coming right after the distorted vocal samples, is a really nice touch.

81. Kate Bush Breathing
https://youtu.be/ynuJnZN7tGw
@SuperbVEVO (1 remaining)
6.5 / 6 / 7.5 / 7.5 / 5
65

Im surprised Ive gone this long without experiencing Kate Bushs voice. And experiencing is definitely the right word for it. Its hard to describe, sort of a deep-throated alto that sounds like itd be right at home in a weird Broadway musical or cabaret show. Its by far the most interesting part of this song for me, and I think the song knows it, making her vocals a focal point. (Focal vocals!)

84. LSD - Chrono Moonstone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGszk302sf0
@sergiocornaga (2 remaining)
6 / 7 / 8 / 5.5 / 5.5
64

I did say in the nomination topic that remixes/arrangements of VGM were acceptable, and sergio took me up on the implicit offer, nominating a lush jazzy remix of Chrono Triggers main theme. Chrono Moonstone starts off with lush piano and then transitions into a more jazz band style. The 4/4 time of the original is turned into 7/8 time, with other time signatures floating around too.

I had trouble judging Unconvention here. I feel like when judging a remix of a song I know, it becomes a question of does the remix go somewhere new and exciting, which seems like an unfair and unequal standard I dont hold other songs to. Fortunately, Chrono Moonstone went to exciting new places, so it placed high in Unconvention.

83. Ozric Tentacles Chewier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nibzO78U7oU
@NFUN (1 remaining)
5.5 / 6 / 7.5 / 8.5 / 5
65

What a strange song this is. Not the song itself (although it is a bit strange), but in terms of me not really connecting with it. On paper this seems like something Id like a lot: weird, aggressive synthy music that sounds like its come from a modified Amiga. Its gripping at parts I find myself gravitating toward the section beginning at 2:00. I gave it high marks on Unconvention and Appreciation, very much the mark of a song I can objectively appreciate, even if I struggle emotionally.

Toxtricity posted...

maybe rwlh will join the collen-gamebopadv-hotdogturtle cool electronic triangle next year

hotdogturtle has only lost one song so far! Perhaps this is my DESTINY

86. Coldplay Ink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZFopMcTCo8
@OrangeCrush980 (1 remaining)
6 / 6 / 6 / 8 / 5.5
63

Ink hits on one of my musical sweet spots: interesting-sounding percussion. There are like, digital maracas here with a more conventional drumbeat, and it makes the song come alive.

Chris Martins vocals are also a hit. I know him mainly for his high, almost falsetto singing. Theres still a fair bit of that here, but he shows off a nice range in Ink with a full deeper register.

85. Against Me! - Borne On The FM Waves Of The Heart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWv4KDE_WIM
@Not_an_Owl (3 remaining)
7 / 7 / 4.5 / 7 / 6
63

This track was one of the biggest surprises of this ranking. I expected to be mostly bored by this, but I genuinely liked the different vocalists and how they harmonized with each other and took turns singing the verses. Its also overall a clean-sounding, well produced song. Not much to say a good listen!

Only Collen and GameBopAdv have all four of their nominations remaining...

88. Virtual Cat - Hidden Worthiness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm0gOF3150I
@UF8 (2 remaining)
6 / 6 / 6.5 / 7 / 5
61

Mmm glitch. I said I liked glitchy songs in the nomination topic, and I got a lot of them. Most of them are in the upper half of the list!

Hidden Worthiness is that tricky category of glitch music I call meandering glitch. (At least I call it that as of now.) Theres a structure to it, but theres not much in the way of a melody or a rise and fall. I have to really be in the right mood for a song like this, and even when I am in the mood, I still struggle to get super into it.

All that said, if you like glitch, this is a great song to check out. Its very chill and has a great beat. The minimal sounds also give it a sense of calm, in spite of the glitchy effect.

87. Kaori Kobayashi Azuchi-Momoyama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VctW-AYAjaM
@FL81 (2 remaining)
7 / 5.5 / 7 / 7.5 / 4
62

Ah, I see were at the part of the list where the songs place fairly high but are held back by low Obsession. This is code for I liked this while I was listening to it but didnt remember a single thing about it afterward. Or, in some cases, while it was playing.

Which is a shame here, because this song is so cool! Great blending of piano and drums and also more unidentifiable east Asian instruments and then theres a sax too! I love the staccato notes throughout. I also enjoy the solos in the last third. Really cool song, lots of personality and charm.

Let's try this one.

Mr. Bones - The First Thing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUe8YdM16RM

Also nice work on getting this finished.

Yeah, I agree that it is somewhat repetitive. My original comment in my spreadsheet just made it sound like it was way worse. I don't think I minded the repetitiveness quite as much on this most recent listen.

90. nano - Be Free (With Music)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vj0XKkFeu4
Kikoman589 (2 remaining)
5.5 / 6.5 / 5 / 8.5 / 5
61

Were now in the 60+ tier. Here, Im still generally lukewarm about things, but the songs are still above average. This song gets high mostly on Appreciation: its a solid pop song that conveys its message of music as the universal unifier really well. Its also shooting for the inspirational (aspirational? Both?) message of music as a tool for expressing yourself and following your dreams. Cant argue with that!

89. Eddie Vedder - Hard Sun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EZUfnMv3Lg
@PIayer_0 (2 remaining)
5.5 / 6.5 / 5.5 / 6.5 / 6.5
61

Fun fact: after the initial listen, this song was last place.

Remember that the current last placer got a score of 4/100.

On the second listen, it was bumped up enough to become the first song in the ranking to get above average in every category.

So what changed? I dont know. At first I found the guitar strumming repetitive, and Vedders vocals were all over the place. But I learned to appreciate it. Its a plaintive song almost about mourning, and the subdued feel is appropriate. The chorus is still repetitive but I dont mind it nearly as much, and Im able to appreciate the overwhelming melancholy reflection the song evokes.

Lesson to take away: always, always relisten.

92. The Knife - A Tooth For An Eye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcxlY9tLwSY
kaonashi1 (3 songs remaining)
5.5 / 4.5 / 7.5 / 6.5 / 5.5
59

This was a tough song to rank. On the one hand, its very unique: the vocals are very monotone and almost drowned out by the dark tropical feeling of the rest of the track. Take out the evil-sounding synths and change up the singing and this is basically a calypso song. So thats all interesting stuff. On the other hand, I just...didnt really enjoy it much? lol

But on the other other hand, how many songs can I use the phrase evil calypso to describe?

91. Hiroyuki Sawano ft.Mizuki oI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih-bkcSyygE
@dowolf (1 remaining)
6.5 / 6 / 4.5 / 7 / 5.5
59

The production quality of this song is on point. I love the reverb on the vocals, and the synthwave-esque backing is also pretty solid. Sleek production aside, this is a song that doesnt do anything to really wow me, but it does lots of things pretty well, and the overall effect is an enjoyable one.

94. Carl Orff - Carmina Burana - Ecce Gratum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2uhfSP2mi4
@paulg235 (3 remaining)
5.5 / 4.5 / 6 / 7.5 / 5
57

All I knew from the Carmina Burana before this ranking was the part everyone knows, the really intense, bombastic section. Ecce Gratum is very different! The whole production is very triumphant, with soaring choral voices and bells and big timpani(?). At times it feels like Christmas music, like the Jesus Christmas music, not the Santa Christmas music, where its all about exalting the holiness and less about opening presents, though I guess this song is sort of like a present in that its exciting and makes you feel good? Unless the present is a mug. I have too many mugs. Ecce Gratum is a thermos in a world full of mugs.

93. Ghost - Square Hammer
https://youtu.be/VqoyKzgkqR4
@Murphiroth (1 remaining)
7.5 / 7 / 4 / 5 / 5
57

Highest Emotion score yet! I really enjoy the beginning, the nice interweaving of guitars and drums and vocals everything works together really really well. I also enjoy the chorus a lot. The whole song has this measured energy to it. Its not too fast-paced or slow, its just the tempo it needs to be. Square Hammer loses points for being a bit repetitive, however, particularly at the end if the song varied it up a bit more, it would probably place even higher.

...thats what I wrote in my notes, but upon relistening I dont actually think its that repetitive? So maybe this one would go higher if I redid the rankings.

Raka_Putra posted...

Glad you enjoyed it!
The song is from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical 'Evita'. Well, from a Norwegian version of it anyway. I remember in the nominations topic you said you like songs that sound unconventional, and this is one of the most unconventional arrangement of a musical songs I know, so I nominated it.

The lyrics are actually about political intrigue, as Eva and Juan Peron (the main female and male singers) discuss on how to gain power against their political rivals.

The English opening lyrics are as such:
[Peron]
Dice are rolling, the knives are out
Would-be presidents are all around
I don't say they mean harm
But they'd each give an arm
To see us six feet underground

[Eva]
It doesn't matter what those morons say
Our nation's leaders are a feeble crew
There's only twenty of them anyway
What is twenty next to millions who
Are looking to you?

That is really awesome! I'll have to look into Evita. Which is interesting, because I'm generally not a fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber, but those lyrics are on point.

Bane_Of_Despair posted...

Damn rip me, I think that's the worst I've done in a song ranking. I tried to get a bit of a genre variety going to see how that would turn out.

I appreciated the variety! I always hate eliminating people, particularly the ones who try to give me a broad swath of songs.

Bane_Of_Despair posted...

Actually it's only the duo on the track, no guests! The more "mature" and reverent one you might be referring to is Malice, his bars on the song deal more with wanting to help the youth who are turning to drug dealing while Pusha T talks about his experiences with dealing

Wow, I must have misheard their voices then, because the third verse sounds like a different rapper to me. That's really cool to have the dual perspectives on the track like that; it's an effective way to use the medium.

96. Evita - Et Nyt Argentina
https://youtu.be/Ej4CvRkvqQc
@Raka_Putra (2 remaining)
4.5 / 5 / 6.5 / 8 / 4
56

Haha wow I love the opening to that, very weird and space-like. I also love the first singer, who sounds like Nathan Lane a bit, a very powerful baritone voice. Then the female singer comes in and she immediately commands my attention. I dont have a clue what the song is about, but I can tell the song is very...sultry? And sad. The trumpets in the background are also great accompaniment; they make the whole production classier.

I like the march at 3:10 less, so its docked some points for that, even if it later mostly goes back to the sad lounge music I like. It also struggles to hold my interest in the very end, but the rest of it is very strong.

This is the first ranking so far that Id probably put higher if I reranked everything together. I dont know how much higher, but Im enjoying it now significantly more than I did on the first or second listens.

95. Erik Satie - Le Picadilly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXmcar_3Z70
MasaomiHouzuki (2 remaining)
6.5 / 6 / 5 / 5 / 5.5
56

My comment for this was just the word JAUNTY, in all caps.

I said I liked piano, and I was given piano! This song sounds like it would play in a silent film; it has that old twentieth century vibe of silly, playful, and a little wistful. I cant point to any specific aspects of it that stood out (partially because its so short), but it was a very enjoyable song to listen to!

98. Mikito-P - 1, 2 Fanclub
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBgADhsOoog
@pyresword (1 remaining)
7 / 4 / 6 / 4 / 6.5
55

This is the highest song so far in Emotion. In a normal list, 7 or higher in Emotion (the only category) is "save to a playlist" status.

This is a Vocaloid song. Ive enjoyed a lot of Vocaloid tracks in the past, and Im consistently surprised by that and I dont know why. This one in particular is very high energy (though I wish the two Vocaloids played off each other more), with a strong rock backing. Its enjoyable pop-rock all around, with some Eastern flair for good measure.

97. Mitski Townie
https://youtu.be/bAX4sckx5l0
@tazzyboyishere (2 remaining)
4 / 6 / 7.5 / 4 / 6.5
56

Im not judging based on the music video, but seriously give this one a watch. Very cool imagery that matches the song well.

Anyway, I said lyrics werent super important to me, but I couldnt help listen to the lyrics of Townie and I really enjoyed them! They tell a great story of someone rebelling and trying to find their way (Im not gonna be what my daddy wants me to be). I didnt care as much for the actual delivery of the lyrics, but the storytelling is on point. I also love the line Im holding my breath with a baseball bat. I dont know what that means, but I love it!

The song falls apart at the end (not in a bad way, it actually glitches out), another thing I generally like in music.

Our second elimination! Thank you for nominating. :)

100. Clipse - Momma I'm So Sorry
https://youtu.be/n9NB5quiUMw
@Bane_Of_Despair (ELIMINATED)
6 / 7.5 / 6 / 4.5 / 3
54

So I really like the lyrics here, theyre very tight (even if Im not a fan of the subject matter). I particularly like the line about young Black Socrates and I absolutely love the kitten/kidding couplet. I feel like a song like this would bring down the house at something like a poetry slam. Where it loses points for me is with the repetitive beat beats are probably the biggest factor in me enjoying a rap song, even when the lyrics are on point.

As a side note, I also find it interesting how the third rappers lyrical content is much different from the first twos much more mature and reverent. Makes me wonder if he was a guest artist on the song.

99. Color Therapy Wintering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcrAr9H74KI
@ZaziGuado (1 remaining)
6 / 5.5 / 5 / 6 / 5
55

Wintering reminds me of a more uptempo, less glitchy Disasterpeace track, at least with the wall of chip-esque sound at the start. Its very evocative. The drums in particular are really on point; they complement the main melody nicely and really ground the song. I really like the bridge near the 2:30 mark, where the instruments back off and the main melodic synth comes to the forefront, and then everything surges up again.

The tone of the Mad Worlds strikes me as a bit different too. The Tears for Fears rendition still feels like a pop song, regardless of the lyrical content, whereas the Gary Jules version is pretty unabashedly slower and sadder. That said I can easily see someone preferring the original, because it brings something different to the table.

One of the things I've learned from this ranking (I may have said this before!) is I seem to have a low threshold for metal in general. A lot of the metal nominations place low on Unconvention, for example, because to me they tick off a lot of the same boxes. Kingslayer was more unique in the presence of BABYMETAL, which I was grateful for.

MetalmindStats posted...

I was hoping to have more than one song in the top 100! Ah well.

Here's a spoiler, read at your own risk!

The next elimination is not you.

64 songs down, 100 to go! Here's everyone who still has all four songs in the top 100:

Collen
GameBopAdv
kaonashi1
Not_an_Owl
paulg235

A number of folks have only lost one song so far. Still anybody's game!

102. Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas - Chase the Light!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdYms5pRwS4
Kikoman589 (3 remaining)
3.5 / 4 / 6.5 / 7.5 / 4.5
52

What might be apparent by now is that Im not super into metal. But this is the kind of metal song I can get behind, solely because of the contrast between the screaming vocals and the happy backing. It makes for a really impressive dynamic, and remarkably the two aspects complement each other well. This was a cool find!

101. Pain of Salvation - RESTLESS BOY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkU564tyD5M
@TheArkOfTurus (1 remaining)
5.5 / 4.5 / 6 / 5 / 5
52

There are some cool bits of...asyncopation, I think its called? When the beat doesnt follow the meter properly? I also enjoy the build from contemplative rock to more aggressive metal, then back down again for the last few seconds. I was never quite sure where this song was going to take me, and I like that.

104. Danny Chan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgECnV15V6M
@handsomeboy2012 (3 remaining)
4.5 / 6 / 2.5 / 5 / 7.5
51

With a score of 51, this is the first song to officially make it to above average status. Congratulations!

I said I normally didnt go for sappy vocal ballads, but I also said I was open to attempts to prove me wrong. This song does a few things I dislike (oh look, its the second verse, better add a drumbeat), but the instrumental backing is really lovely, and Danny Chan is clearly a very talented singer he brings an understated quality to things. So while I didnt outright love this, I still found things to genuinely enjoy about it. Thanks!

103. Kenny G & Denny G - Shangxin Dao Heshi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJHtS9B4hL0
@Raetsel_Lapin (2 remaining)
6 / 6 / 4 / 5.5 / 4
51

It feels weird to put this song so far above Kamasi Washington, solely because I know Kenny G isnt treated as a serious musician in the same vein a lot of the time. But I found the sax here very hypnotic. I like how it flows alongside the serious, moody keyboard. Also I have no idea who Denny G is. Google tells me hes a rapper, and Im pretty sure theres no rap in this song. Does he play the mandolin-esque instrument? Or the keyboard? Or is he another saxophonist? The mystery DEEPENS