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General => Archive => General Music Archives => Topic started by: Scorpion on February 06, 2015, 04:27:09 AM
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Alright, let's go. This is my third roulette, which I promise to not cruelly abandon like I did with the second one. It's going to work in a similar way as that one though. More on that later.
My general tastes are metal, but quite broad within that descriptor - I like stuff from power metal to drone metal and pretty much everything in between. I also like some rock, some hip-hop (mainly Eminem and instrumental stuff) and ambient quite a lot. For closer reference, check out my last.fm - any band that that has less than 20 plays is allowed, provided that I have not yet heard the song that you are sending, of course.
https://www.lastfm.de/user/TuncleOm/charts?rangetype=overall&subtype=artists
If you think you have what it takes to cater to these tastes, then I'd love to have you on board. Please only sign up, however, if you feel confident that you will be able to send within 48 hours of me posting the results. I don't want to drag this on longer than it has to. Similarly, I promise that results will be up 48 hours after I get the last person's submission.
What did I mean with "similar to my last roulette"? Well, I had a system there where random numbers by the players decided the next round's theme. What I will do here is similar, but you'll know what the numbers stand for. So, along with every song, PLEASE SEND A NUMBER BETWEEN 1 AND 20. The number sent by the person that is last in the rankings will determine the theme of the next round - this should level the playing field somewhat, give players that are behind a chance to catch up and force people that want to take the lead to be able to adapt to different themes that they might not choose themselves. Not all 20 themes will be used - obviously - they're just there to provide a bigger pool from which to choose.
Possible themes:
1. Unusual Instrument (any instrument that is not guitar, drums, bass and keyboards counts)
2. Instrumental
3. No Drums
4. No Guitars
5. Under 3 Minutes
6. Over 10 Minutes
7. On the Radio (any song that has received radio airplay - internet radio does not count!)
8. Awesome Solo (doesn't have to be guitar!)
9. Dark and Dreary
10. Upbeat and Lively
11. Female Vocals
12. Ballad
13. Insane Stuff
14. Acoustic
15. Live Song
16. Folky Stuff
17. 90s
18. 80s
19. 70s
20. Pre-70s
One final word regarding submissions: please send YouTube links if you can. Bandcamp links are fine as well. Failing that, PM me and I'll provide an e-Mail address.
If you want to play, please immediately send for Round 1, which is an open round. I will accept the first eight songs, no more.
Participants:
- Elite
- mikemangioy
- Shadow Ninja 2.0
- senecadawg2
- Sacul
- Tyrias
- kingshmegland
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I'm in, sent, this roulette sounds fun
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shit, lets be santa
I'm in this thing
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Sent! :smiley:
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I'm definitely in. Sending now.
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I haven't gotten anything Sacul. So either you're taking a very long time to send or something went wrong lol.
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I think I'll play as well.I gather from your lastfm that you speak german? I'm reasonably sure since you have many german bands on your list, also I'm rather sure someone who doesn't speak German wouldn't have more than 30 listens to Fresh Dumbledore :lol
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Well, he lives in Germany according to his profile, so I guess it would be a safe assumption.
I won't participate in this, got enough on my mind for now, but I definitely will be following.
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Yeah, looking at his profile might have been a good idea :blush. Sent something with german ( or rather austrian, since it's a pretty distinct dialect in this case) lyrics.
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Can I send you a
n mp3 file Bandcamp link? The song ain't on youtube (although it used to).
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Sure. No problem.
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Count me in. Sending now.
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You're in. One spot left now.
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Sent.
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I'll just say that seven participants is good enough. So I have everyone now. Results tomorrow evening or Monday morning.
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Round 1 results! This was a good round overall, and if the standard stays this high, then I'm reasonably happy.
Elite: Schizoid Lloyd - Suicide Penguin
Ok, this song is really weird. You put "Mr. Bungle" as a genre in your PM, and I think I am forced to agree with you. Spastic changes, weird vocals and an awesome saxophone interlude definitely put this into the "whacky avant-garde" category. Luckily, this a category that I have begun to appreciate a lot over the past two years, so it was definitely a good choice. It's also somewhat of a grower, specifically the vocals, which take some time getting used to, but I find that it only improves on repeated listens, which bodes well for my future appreciation of this song and band. 8.5 points.
mikemangioy: Steven Wilson - The Birthday Party
Steven Wilson is somebody that I've never been quite as fond of as most people seem to be. Sure, moments of genius pop up on pretty much every one of his albums - "Dark Matter" on Signify or "Drive Home" on Raven, to just name two - but as a whole, his music is something that I'm fairly indifferent towards. Sadly, this is the case here again. There's plenty of cool stuff, don't take me wrong - I really dig the bass and drum work is excellent - but the song just doesn't really come together for me, and while I can appreciate it while hearing it, I also wouldn't sweat it if I never heard it again. 3.5 points.
Shadow Ninja 2.0: Justin Cross - Drink the Water
What are you doing to me? I don't normally dig this style at all, but this was surprisingly amazing. The twangy guitar, the backing strings, that percussive interlude... :heart Plus, his voice is amazing. Seriously. One criticism here is that it doesn't have a lot of replay value, but that doesn't diminish the song's initial value in the slightest. 8 points.
senecadawg2: Kauan - Aidan Laulu
How can a mixture of post-rock, funeral doom, black metal and neo-folk not be amazing? Spoiler: it can't. Everything about this song is great. Both the cleans and the harsh vocals are awesome, and while I don't understand a word that's being sung, Finnish just sounds beautiful. And that violin is to die for. Gah, I'm rambling, ain't I? Yeah, this is awesome. Anybody who thinks that black metal can't be beautiful should listen to this song and shut the fuck up afterwards. 10 points.
Tyrias: Wanda - Bologna
Yeah... this isn't really my cup of tea at all. Musically, there's not much to it - it's not even all that catchy - and the lyrics aren't really all that interesting either. I'm not averse to German stuff, or to pop music, or to short songs, but just like long prog songs in English, they can be crappy as well. And that's kinda what happened here. Don't despair though, I know that you have a good taste in music and there's still seven rounds during which you can regain lost ground again. 2 points.
kingshmegland: Beardfish - Destined Solitaire
I'm not a big fan of progressive rock most of the times - I find that a harder metal edge is often needed to balance out prog's meandering nature, lest it become boring. This band, however, avoided that pitfall quite deftly, due to a great singer, original song writing and a lot of diversity to keep the song interesting, while still managing to make the whole things cohesive. Also the growling section is pretty dang awesome, not gonna lie, though it kinda scared me on my first listen. :lol Another highlight is probably the calm section with some cool guitar melodies going on close to the end. My only criticism of this song is that it takes a little to get going in the beginning - the intro section could easily be shortened by a minute or so. Still, this is a great song. 8 points.
Sacul: David Maxim Micic - Where Is Now?
"Okay, I like Destiny Potato, so this should be good, right?" That's basically how I approached this. And I was right. Sort of. There are many of the elements here that make Destiny Potato so awesome, but I feel that it doesn't really gel as a song. I'm not sure how to best explain it, it's weird. I feel like I should like it a lot more than I do, but the way that the sections follow each other doesn't really work for me. Like I said, plenty of cool stuff - that violin part! - but it doesn't really feel like a song, more like a collection of ideas. Maybe this will grow with future listens, I'm definitely not giving up on this. At the moment, however, I can't give this more than 5 points.
Standings:
senecadawg2: 10 points
Elite: 8.5 points
Shadow Ninja 2.0: 8 points
kingshmegland: 8 points
Sacul: 5 points
mikemangioy: 4 points
Tyrias: 2 points
This means that Tyrias' number chooses the next round's theme. His number is 14, that means it's acoustic time everyone! Please keep up the awesome pace and send within 48 hours. I'm looking forward to your submissions. Here's the updated list of possible themes:
1. Unusual Instrument (any instrument that is not guitar, drums, bass and keyboards counts)
2. Instrumental
3. No Drums
4. No Guitars
5. Under 3 Minutes
6. Over 10 Minutes
7. On the Radio (any song that has received radio airplay - internet radio does not count!)
8. Awesome Solo (doesn't have to be guitar!)
9. Dark and Dreary
10. Upbeat and Lively
11. Female Vocals
12. Ballad
13. Insane Stuff
14. Live Song
15. Folky Stuff
16. 90s
17. 80s
18. 70s
19. Pre-70s
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:tup nice write-ups. I'm going to check out Kauan now.
Also Scorpie, you should try the full album, I'm pretty sure you will enjoy it!
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Yeah, I knew this was a really big risk and would probably backfire spectacularly, but I just had to send some Austrian music when the roulette host could understand it ;). Personally I really like the song, it's pretty catchy , although very simple, and, as some music magazine summed it up: "It portrays the feeling when you leave the club at 5pm and just want to hug the world" (Never actually been away this long, but I think that's how it would feel :lol ).
Anyway, from now on I'll play seriously, just had to give the others a bit of a headstart ;).
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Sweet! I'll pick a song tonight when I get home from work and dig out of another 18 inches of snow. We're getting crushed here.
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sent
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I'm very glad that you enjoyed it! I'll send round two at some point today :D
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Oh well :lol. I think the song works better in the context not of the album but on David's discography, side it has lost of reprises of previous songs. But give it time, and try to understand the bigger picture. Will send later - by the way, do you like world music? Like Greek, Turkish, middle east folk and that kind of stuff.
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How do you feel about Agalloch's The White EP?
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Quick question. Strictly acoustic or can it have some electric on it? Let me know.
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First person I've ever met that doesn't like Steven Wilson :lol you're a rarity, my friend. Whatever, I'm doing poorly on the other roulette too :rollin - sending soon.
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Will send later - by the way, do you like world music? Like Greek, Turkish, middle east folk and that kind of stuff.
I like world music elements, like what Shpongle do, but pure world music is very much hit or miss for me.
How do you feel about Agalloch's The White EP?
Love it. Pantheist is seriously underrated and one of Agalloch's best songs.
Quick question. Strictly acoustic or can it have some electric on it? Let me know.
I'd prefer completely acoustic, but as long as acoustic instruments are the main focus, I won't deduct any points.
First person I've ever met that doesn't like Steven Wilson :lol you're a rarity, my friend. Whatever, I'm doing poorly on the other roulette too :rollin - sending soon.
Yeah, I've gotten that from quite a few people. I dunno, it's not like I dislike him, but I don't understand why everyone fawns over his stuff so much either.
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And sent!
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I have everyone. Good job. Results Thursday evening at the latest.
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Sweet. I love how efficient you are Scorp.
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Sweet. I love how efficient you are Scorp.
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Thanks, but don't start complimenting me just yet. I started fine on my previous roulette and look how that turned out. :lol
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:lol
Still I like the fact I don't really have the time to overthink my pics.
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Round 2 results! Not as good as the first round, but still plenty of cool stuff to go around.
Tyrias: Arstidir - Shades
This song is certainly different, that's a plus. Most people went with acoustic guitars and maybe some drumming and vocals, but this is basically just string instruments - which totally counts. Not the biggest fan of the vocals, though I'm unsure how to describe my gripe with them, but they sound a little too polished for my tastes, but the instrumentation is stellar, as are the vocal melodies. I especially enjoy the percussive effects created by the instruments, as well as the tasteful piano that's sprinkled in later. I still think that this would have been better as an instrumental, though. 7.5 points.
Shadow Ninja 2.0: Deb Talan - Comfort
After a great acoustic submission in the first round, the question was if you could keep it up this round? The answer is a resounding yes. Some tasteful guitars set a background, but the real star here is the voice. This could have easily been generic, but Deb's voice is just really unique and has a timbre to it that makes it both pleasant to listen to and memorable, which is by no means an easy feat. 8 points.
mikemangioy: Foo Fighters - Stranger Things Have Happened
Another big name from you, after sending Steven Wilson in the first round. And sadly, another miss. See, the downfall of so many acoustic ballads is that it basically requires the song to connect emotionally with the listener, and if it doesn't, then it just falls flat. And that's what happened here. The main guitar melody is cool enough, but quite repetitive and not really all that original either, and the vocals are good as well, but there's just nothing here that's either emotionally or musically appealing enough to make me have any desire to listen to this. Now I know that you have it in you, so don't despair after two low scores - you just haven't quite hit my tastes yet, but I'm confident you will in the future. 4 points.
senecadawg2: Musk Ox - Part 4: Above the Clouds
Another ten minute song from you. And that's basically the song's problem. It has tons of lovely moments - the violin/cello combo is sexy as hell - but it just goes on for too long without significantly changing its tone, and it just starts to run together. I hate to sound so negative, because there's really a lot of good stuff here, but on the whole, this song just feels way longer than it needs to be, and that's a damn shame, because there's so much potential here. Sorry brah. 5 points.
kingshmegland: Dada - Star You Are
I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did after the first listen, but this is really quite a grower. I enjoy the subtle playing here, both from the guitar and the drums, both of which add enough little flourishes - that short guitar solo, for instance - to make it memorable while at the time not distracting in the slightest from the main attraction, the vocals. What I like about them is how guarded they seem to me due to the vocalist's delivery, which fits quite well with the topic that the lyrics deal with. Oh, and the lyrics are top-notch as well. Great submission. 9 points.
Sacul: A Silver Mt. Zion - Stumble Then Rise On Some Awkward Morning
This, fellas, is post rock done right. It doesn't need much - just some piano and a few strings - but more than any other song that I have received so far, this conveys a bleakness and hopelessness, two things that I often like in music. While this isn't all that varied, it's nowhere near as long as that Musk Ox song, and the tension and the atmosphere that permeates this piece are more than enough to hold my attention throughout the entirety of its six minutes. Great song. 9 points.
Elite: Magic Pie - Endless Ocean
I think I heard a Magic Pie song before. I remember not liking it. Same with this one. Everything, from the guitars over the vocals and backing vocals, the interludes and the lyrics just feels completely bland. Nothing is bad here, but it's just boring in the most painful way possible. I know that you can introduce me to some awesome stuff, but this definitely doesn't belong into this category. 2.5 points.
Standings:
kingshmegland: 17 points
Shadow Ninja 2.0: 16 points
senecadawg2: 15 points
Sacul: 14 points
Elite: 11 points
Tyrias: 9.5 points
mikemangioy: 7.5 points
This means that mike's number decides next round's theme, as he's in last place overall. His number was 5, so our next theme is under three minutes. I doubt that anybody will have trouble with that - if you want to risk it, I'll take off a point for every fifteen seconds above the limit, so it's your call. Remember: 48 hours. Go!
Here's the themes:
1. Unusual Instrument (any instrument that is not guitar, drums, bass and keyboards counts)
2. Instrumental
3. No Drums
4. No Guitars
5. Over 10 Minutes
6. On the Radio (any song that has received radio airplay - internet radio does not count!)
7. Awesome Solo (doesn't have to be guitar!)
8. Dark and Dreary
9. Upbeat and Lively
10. Female Vocals
11. Ballad
12. Insane Stuff
13. Live Song
14. Folky Stuff
15. 90s
16. 80s
17. 70s
18. Pre-70s
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Well, I'm glad you liked that more than my first round submission. Also, I'm going to be on holiday next week and I'm not sure if I'll be able to send something for the next round (If Round 3 finishes within a week, if it takes longer, no problem at all.) I'll probably be able to, but just in case, can I send something with a bit of a delay? Just go ahead grading and start the next round if you want to, I'll send it as soon as I can.
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Yeah, no problem. Just send for round 3 before you leave, and then catch up when you come back.
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the curse of 8 makes its return
will send soon.
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After the Curse of Eight haunted me in your roulette, karma has now returned for a swift butt-kicking of vengeance.
Or something.
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:::: (
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>:?
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Even Though No One Knows How To Make A Mouth Do A Question Shape Like That
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:lol
Ok, back to your regularly scheduled roulette programming. Don't mind us.
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wtf? :lol
also, sent
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wtf? :lol
This :lol.
Glad you liked my song, that album is probably the most depressing, hopeless shit I know. And by the way, its a side project from three of GYBE! members ;).
A good song under 3 mins? You've got to be kidding. Will see what I can send.
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Sent.
Let's see if I can keep this trend up and get a 0 next round
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Sent.
Let's see if I can keep this trend up and get a 0 next round
i believe in you
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Glad you liked the Dada song. I love this band and that pick is from my favorite album by them. I'll send a song later tonight
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Does the limit meas my song can be just up to 3:14, or just 3:00 mins?
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It means 3 minute go 3:01 to 3:15 and he'll Take a single point away. 3:16 to 3:30 and he'll take 2 points. Ect...
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Damn, ok. By the way Scorp, what's your take on growls, harsh vocals and extreme metal in general?
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I like them. Obviously, they can be butchered just like cleans can, but I have nothing against them in the slightest.
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SENT!
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Magic Pie - Endless Ocean
2.5 points.
This is literally the worst score I have ever received in a roulette - and that for a song that usually scores around 8's or 9's. What the hell? :lol
I know that you can introduce me to some awesome stuff, but this definitely doesn't belong into this category.
Yeah, I know that too. I've got lots of great stuff here that I would like to send, but limiting themes like 'acoustic' or 'under 3 minutes' aren't going to help. :(
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Sent!
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I'm having bad luck in roulettes these days :lol
Sent
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Just waiting on Sacul.
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Sorry for sending the last, but this round was really hard. Sent.
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No problem. I now have everyone, and results to come soon. Since all the songs this round are short, I might be able to post results tomorrow night already, but Monday evening at the latest.
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Results! This was an amazing round.
Tyrias: The National - Fireproof
I'm not usually a fan of indie music in general, but this song is a huge exception. It's hard to pinpoint what I like so much about this song, but everything here - the vocals and the sparse guitars and the restrained drumming come together in a certain fragility that makes this song seem homest and relatable in a way most songs of this type aren't. Huge bonus for the vocals too, they fit the song perfectly. Love it. 9 points.
senecadawg2: Saxon - And the Bands Played On
This song wastes no time getting started, hitting you hard with a great guitar solo in the first seconds. Some really cool vocals that are immediately recognisable as Saxon enter over a groovy riff with some great fills thrown in, and hey presto! You've got yourself a great song here. What I enjoy about this one is that they know precisely how long such a song is capable of captivating the listener and don't stretch it out needlessly - it's only 2:48 minutes, but not a second of those is wasted, and any longer would have felt like filler. Really enjoyable. 8.5 points.
kingshmegland: Echolyn - Headright
I've heard the name Echolyn before, usually accompanied with praise, so I was looking forward to this, but I was left a little disappointed. It's not a bad song by any means and it's brilliant musically - I like the restrained drumming, the piano and the subtle guitar touches, not to that brief but brilliant guitar solo - but the vocals just don't fit the song at all, and they feel rather bland and exchangeable, especially in the harder, more rocking sections on the song. Again, while it's not a band, this still leaves me unsatisfied. 5.5 points.
Elite: Napalm Death - Metaphorically Screw You
The only other Napalm Death song I know is You Suffer, and this is definitely better. It's like being punched in the face, but in a good way. It's a non-stop-two-minute musical assault of brutality, but what really makes it work is the fact that if you pay attention, there are still creative musical elements hidden everywhere in this track, even though they easily get lost in the overall heaviness. While this isn't something I could listen to exclusively, it's very good for what it is. 8 points.
mikemangioy: Goldfinger - Spokesman
This is the type of music that I listened to maybe four or five years ago, and while it therefore does have some nostalgic appeal, that's pretty much all there is to it. Not a bad song, but certainly a baffling choice, considering that I accidentally clicked on Get Up on YouTube, which would have netted like, double points at least. But yeah. This is energetic and rocking, but the vocals are just sorta annoying and it's quite generic overall. Still fun, but lacking substance. 4 points.
Sacul: Deftones - Street Carp
I actually know some Deftones - the album Diamond Eyes, to be exact - but I haven't heard this song, so no harm done. Like all the other Deftones songs that I know, this is awesome. The riffing is powerful, varied and energetic and Chino's vocals are just pure awesome. I know no other vocalist that sounds exactly like him, and what's even better is that his voice fits the music perfectly. I distinctly remember telling myself to get into this band after hearing and liking Diamond Eyes, but for some reason I didn't - that's not a mistake I will make again. 9 points.
Shadow Ninja 2.0: Tom Waits - Hang Down Your Head
I've heard some of Tom Waits' stuff already, but not this song specifically. Well, let's just say that if I had, he would have been banned from any further roulettes immediately - no way I'm not checking out the back catalogue of the guy behind this masterpiece. His unique vocals work perfectly with the groovy instrumentation and the somber lyrics to create what is probably my favourite musical discovery of 2015 so far. Thanks a lot, dude. 10 points.
Standings!
Shadow Ninja 2.0: 26 points
senecadawg2: 23.5 points
Sacul: 23 points
kingshmegland: 22.5 points
Elite: 19 points
Tyrias: 18.5 points
mikemangioy: 11.5 points
Shadow Ninja takes the lead, and mike's still in last place, though catching up a little. Still, his number decides the next round again. His number was 6, which means that our next theme is On the Radio, that is, any song that has received radio airplay. I probably won't check every song for this, so please be honest folks. It's just a game, not worth cheating over.
Again, 48 hours to get your submissions in, and keep up the good work!
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Awe crap. He don't give up Echolyn. They are amazing. You should still check them out. Check out heir 2012 self titled album. I'll work on a radio song.
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Wow, I thought Tom Waits was kind of a long shot. Awesome. Rain Dogs is my favorite album of his.
Will send soon.
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Great you liked my song - was worried it would be more miss than hit.
But dude, mike, choosing this theme, an evil thing it is :lol . Ok, back to filtering my music library again...
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But dude, mike, choosing this theme, an evil thing it is :lol . Ok, back to filtering my music library again...
You know, I think he picked the exact and the only two themes I would've never picked in this roulette. :lol
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Sent!
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I think I've got a song, but there are two versions: the original and the radio mix. Which should I send you?
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Hmmmm... in cases like that, I'd say it's your choice.
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This was easier than expected :P . Sent.
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I haven't listened to the radio in a decade- I'm going to have trouble with this round. I'll try my best to approximate for something that likely would have been on the radio and send by tonight. Glad you liked the Saxon song. You can thank jjrock for that one!
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Glad you liked it so much. I'm not quite sure what to send now, but I'll be able to send something from here, so no delays from my side ;). Will send tomorrow though, dead tired right now.
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^ Same. Also have no idea what to send, but I'll find something. Someone please pick a good theme next :(
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Still waiting on Tyrias and mike. It'd be nice to have all the songs this evening.
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Sent. Sorry for being late, I forgot to send yesterday ( skiing is exhausting ::) )
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No problem.
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Sent, didn't see that the results were in, sorry everybody :facepalm:
Anyways, in roulettes like these I always tend to pick the least DTF-friendly thing, because I can. :lol
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So, when can we expect results? ;D
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Tonight. Or tomorrow morning. One of the two. But probably tonight.
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TONIGHT
I mean results.
kingshmegland: Eels - Novacaine for the Soul
I know this song from somewhere, I know I do. Maybe it was from my roommate at boarding school, he was into this stuff. I dunno. Whatever it was, this song hit me with nostalgia from the get-go, immediately leaving a favourable impression. I really like the minimal instrumentation and the pauses. The vocals are pleasant enough as well, though nothing spectacular. One thing that bothers me with this song is that once the nostalgia value of this wore of, it was pleasant enough still but nothing I'd actively seek out. Still good, but not brilliant. 7 points.
Sacul: DJ Shadow - Midnight in a Perfect World
I've heard a lot about Endtroducing..., maybe I even listened to it once? I dunno. If I did, it didn't make a strong impact, which is weird because I really like this song. The fact that it's entirely comprised of samples and still comes out as coherent and well put-together as is is mindblowing. There are a few samples here that I'm not too big on, and this isn't something that I'm always in the mood for either, but for the most part, this is seriously great. 8 points.
senecadawg2: Damien Rice - 9 Crimes
Dang, this is seriously awesome! The piano is simple but works perfectly, and the way the two voices interact is nothing short of stunning - both the female vocals and the male vocals (I'm assuming that that's Damien Rice?) are very distint and unique, yet still mesh well together to create a stunning song that is a fragile as it is beautiful. Those backing strings do wonders for the atmosphere, too - the perfect amount of dramatic tension without sounding cheesy. There goes another artist that I definitely have to check out, I suppose... 9.5 points.
Shadow Ninja 2.0: Angels and Airwaves - The Adventure
My first thought regarding this was that this is what blink-182 would sound like if their music didn't suck. A quick Google search reveals that this is, in fact, what blink-182 sound like when they don't suck (okay, not quite, but Tommy was always the most present member of the band anyway). So after giving myself a pat on the back for recognising obvious similarities, I was free to enjoy the song. I have to say, I like it, even though it is quite generic musically, and not all that different from blink-182, a band that I grew out of about six years ago. Maybe it's because this song isn't trying too be pop punk at the highest speeds, or because it's not about getting laid, but this is all the elements that I loved about blink-182 minus all the elements that annoy me now. Good song. 8 points.
Elite: Radiohead - Paranoid Android
Mmmh. I've listened to Radiohead before - who hasn't? - and there's a reason they never stuck with me - I can't stand Thom Yorke's voice. All the instrumental parts here are really good, particularly the more rocking parts of the song, and that truly weird guitar solo is outstanding - but everytime he opens his mouth, I'm reminded about why I don't like this band again. And that blows, because it's a huge waste of potential. 4.5 points.
Tyrias: London Grammar - Strong
I love the vocals. Seriously, they just work beautifully together with the sparse instrumentation. Tons of emotion and a really unique timbre that sets them apart from tons of other bands that make music in this style. The rest of the song is nicely done - I enjoy the electronic drums quite a bit - but the vocals are the absolute star here. <3 9 points.
mikemangioy: Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk (ft. Bruno Mars)
Well, you needed a while to get going, but you finally hit it out of the park with this one. While I've never heard of Mark Ronson before and dislike everything else that Bruno Mars has ever been a part of, none of that matters, because this song is just so insanely groovy, catchy, fun that I can help but like it. It reminds a little of Muse's "Panic Station" in that regard, even though this is a lot funkier. It's not really complex or anything completey original, but at the end of the day, this is just some extremely well-done funk, and that's awesome. 9 points.
Standings:
Shadow Ninja 2.0: 34 points
senecadawg2: 33 points
Sacul: 31 points
kingshmegland: 29.5 points
Tyrias: 27.5 points
Elite: 23.5 points
mikamangioy: 20.5 points
Well, mikemangioy is still in last place (I should have thought this through better, shouldn't I?), but he's gaining ground, and come next round, we might have someone else choosing the theme. For this round, though, it's his number again, and that was 17. That means that it's time for some 70s-music, baby! I don't know from that time, so you should be fairly open in what to send. As always, you've got 48 hours.
Also, update list of themes.
1. Unusual Instrument (any instrument that is not guitar, drums, bass and keyboards counts)
2. Instrumental
3. No Drums
4. No Guitars
5. Over 10 Minutes
6. Awesome Solo (doesn't have to be guitar!)
7. Dark and Dreary
8. Upbeat and Lively
9. Female Vocals
10. Ballad
11. Insane Stuff
12. Live Song
13. Folky Stuff
14. 90s
15. 80s
16. Pre-70s
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Paranoid Android should never, under no circumstance whatsoever, receive a 4.5.
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senecadawg2: Damian Rice - 9 Crimes
Dang, this is seriously awesome! The piano is simple but works perfectly, and the way the two voices interact is nothing short of stunning - both the female vocals and the male vocals (I'm assuming that that's Damian Rice) are very distint and unique, yet still mesh well together to create a stunning song that is a fragile as it is beautiful. Those backing strings do wonders for the atmosphere, too - the perfect amount of dramatic tension without sounding cheesy. There goes another artist that I definitely have to check out, I suppose... 9.5 points.
It's Damien Rice, man. ;D Not like that other Wilson guy.
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ok wow I don't know if I've heard anything from the 70s. :lol This may take some time.
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Glad you liked it that much! The vocals are absolutely fantastic, I agree! Also, no idea what to send, I don't think I listen to anything pre-eighties :P
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Glad you liked it that much! The vocals are absolutely fantastic, I agree! Also, no idea what to send, I don't think I listen to anything pre-eighties :P
Should've probably sent that Damien Rice song for the previous round, that would've earned you 0.5 points more. :lol
Also, this is the most awesome theme of the round so far.
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ok wow I don't know if I've heard anything from the 70s. :lol This may take some time.
OH GAWD!! I've got too much 70's to pick from! :lol
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Finally :rollin it's been like a month or two since I received a vote this high on a roulette :lol
Are you ok with a ten minute piece?
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Yeah. Up to 10 minutes is fine.
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Great! I hope you give Endtroducing...... a fair llisten - although it impressed me at first, it's definitely a grower. The same with Radiohead - once you get used to the vocalist, you'll just love their music. But it can take dozens of spins though :lol .
I have very little 70s music, but I hope you'll like my choice.
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Awesome! I very highly recommend his album O- one of my all-time favorites.
I'll send later tonight
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How do you feel about fun music, that doesn't take itself too seriously? Like Diablo Swing Orchestra or so. 'Cause I have a great song with a weird thing that you'll either love or hate :lol .
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Don't worry, Scorp is used to weird things that he either loves or hates. But usually loves. :zydar:
Sent!
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Sent
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Sent
I haven't gotten it.
Also, sorry for rejecting songs left and right this round. It seems I either know the 70s better than I thought or that you guys aren't digging particularly deep (no criticism intended). But all the songs that I had to reject were really really good, so you guys are on the right track at least.
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Did you get it now?
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Yup.
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Sent!
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Despite having to reject multiple entries this round, I have nevertheless already gotten all but one submission. You're doing great guys. Now Elite get your ass into gear so that the listening can commence. :P
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What a curious thing - on my roulette he was always the last one to send :lol .
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Here I was (one of) the first in every round, but I just saw my song got rejected. Sending soon.
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Alright. Results tomorrow night.
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*hype intensifies*
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Round 5. It was good.
Shadow Ninja 2.0: Univers Zero - Jack the Ripper
Yes, I can appreciate the weirdness. No, I don't like it. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of decent ideas, but as a whole it's just too meandering for me to truly enjoy. If this were a bit less monotonous and/or a bit shorter, this might actually be a cool piece of music, but as is, around minute seven, I always find myself asking "When is this over?", and that is, to me, rarely a sign of high quality. :P 3 points.
mikemangioy: Genesis - The Musical Box
Genesis are a band that I've heard of, and that I know select songs from, but none of them have really compelled me to check out the band of my own volition. That's definitely going to change now - this was the best Genesis song that I have heard to date. For one, Peter Gabriel's voice here is a lot more palatable than on other Genesis songs that I know, which is a huge plus - I'm not exactly a fan of his voice, but it works in the context of this song. The instrumentation is good, both the calmer parts and the more rocking parts, though I'm not always fond of the transitions here. One thing that I want to point out is that this song really knows how to use its length - not a second of the ten minutes is wasted - in fact, it feels a lot shorter than that. Great submission. 8.5 points.
senecadawg2: Journey - Of a Lifetime
This was probably the longest roulette-related PM I ever got, but I definitely appreciated it. While I probably wouldn't have dismissed this outright - I quite like Don't Stop Believing and Wheel in the Sky, don't crucify me! - you are right in that this is basically a whole different band than what Journey would become with Steve Perry, and a better one at that. While not quite as grand as Perry's vocals, the singing here is still very good and it compliments that bluesy, restrained feel of the music perfectly. Especially the guitar playing here is masterful - that solo is brilliant. Very good submission. 9 points.
Sacul: Aphrodite's Child - Babylon
First of all, I dig that this is live. I always like live version, though admittedly some songs don't work very well live. This, however, is basically a quintessential live song, featuring some great rhythm and a groove that would make this a worthy addition to basically any live show. Bonus points for some random but awesome horns and a superbly audible bassline that is just as much in the center of attention as the guitar. And even more bonus points for that sweet outro. I don't dig the vocals that much, but this song is so much fun that I can easily look past that. 9 points.
Tyrias: Supertramp - Crime of the Century
Supertramp. That's another name that I've heard a lot on these forums, but never felt compelled to check out. I'm not sure if this song will change that, to be honest. There's some great stuff - the guitar playing is great, that sax solo is awesome and I love how creative and audible the bass is, but the song felt a little disjointed - the transition into that piano part around two minutes in felt particularly awkward - and I really really don't care much for the vocals. That's the smaller of my complaints though, because most of this track is instrumental - the real issue I have with this song is that the parts of this song just don't quite come together as a cohesive song that I enjoy listening to. Sorry. 4.5 points.
kingshmegland: Toto - Goodbye Girl
Another band that I've heard mentioned here and never checked out. The main riff of this song that we first hear in the keys and the on guitar and bass is really cool, but it's not cool enough to basically just be repeated with no variation for six minutes. Few riffs are. Other than that, this song was pretty cool, though I don't enjoy the vocals in the chorus much, though they're fine in the verses. The guitar solo is really good, but again we have that riff that overstayed its welcome after about two minutes underneath it. Ugh. It's a shame, this song could have been so good with some variation, but as is, it just feels lazily written. Not bad, but nothing I'd come back to. 5 points.
Elite: Wishbone Ash - Sometime World
For some reason, I went into this expecting something Maiden-ish - I think I heard them being compared once? - but what I got was so much better than just a Maiden clone (though they would technically have been more of a proto-Maiden anyway, but you get what I'm saying). This felt more like Pink Floyd with a slightly rockier edge, and that's something I very much enjoy. We've got some awesome guitar playing here, and the vocals - especially the vocal harmonies - are the icing on the cake. One thing I didn't care much for was that one transition from the calmer part into the more rocking part, but it doesn't bother me terribly either, and the rest of the song more than makes up for it. Awesome song, I will definitely be checking out this band further. 9 points.
Standings:
senecadawg2: 42 points
Sacul: 40 points
Shadow Ninja 2.0: 37 points
kingshmegland: 34.5 points
Elite: 32.5 points
Tyrias: 32 points
mikemangioy: 29 points
seneca takes the lead after a blunder by Shadow Ninja, but it's still far from decided. Sadly, mike remains last, even though I really enjoyed his last two submissions, but what can you do. His number was two, and that means that you all get to send an instrumental. This pleases me, I have been meaning to get into more instrumental music anyway.
Once again, you have 48 hours. An updated list of themes is below. Go!
1. Unusual Instrument (any instrument that is not guitar, drums, bass and keyboards counts)
2. No Drums
3. No Guitars
4. Over 10 Minutes
5. Awesome Solo (doesn't have to be guitar!)
6. Dark and Dreary
7. Upbeat and Lively
8. Female Vocals
9. Ballad
10. Insane Stuff
11. Live Song
12. Folky Stuff
13. 90s
14. 80s
15. Pre-70s
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I'm loving the pace on this roulette!
Glad you liked the Journey song! And that Wishbone Ash song as well- so great! I'll get you an instrumental by the end of the day, hopefully.
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Everybody has their own roulette gems :) seneca sent me the same Journey song as well in my 2nd roulette, and that Wishbone Ash song has given me quite some high scores as well. Sending an instrumental tonight or tomorrow. I'll just have to decide which one.
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Yeah, didn't figure that one would score very high. :lol 70s are really not my thing.
Also sent.
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Yeah, I have the same criticism about that Supertramp song, but I don't really listen to much music from the 70s, so there wasn't much to choose from :P. Anyway, will send soon!
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Good scores but still last position :lol - well, man, the chart is what I care the least about tbh. Will figure out what to send soon.
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Wow, I'm on fire :hat - it's been a long time since I've had such luck in a roulette though :lol. I was about to send DJ Shadow in case this theme showed up, but already used it. Will send later.
Edit: I've always wondered if that Aphrodite's Child song is a live recording or not (I sent you the album version), 'cause the rest of the album is definitely not. I hope you dig it - a two-discs concept album :biggrin:.
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Dammit. I was wondering if the repetition would bother you. I almost sent a Chicago or Tower Of Power tune. Oh well, I'll will work on the instrumental
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Sent!
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Wishbone Ash is exactly what I would have entered in a 70's themed round too, Argus is a great album :heart
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Is there a lenght limit? 'Cause I have some long instrumentals, and one of them even lasts around 30 mins :lol.
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Please don't go over... let's say 15 minutes.
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It wasn't easy, but finally decided on a pretty obscure track, although the band made my top 50 :P. Sent.
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50 Cent?
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Eye sea what you did there.
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Still missing Elite and mikemangioy. It'd be cool if I had those by tonight as well.
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Sent
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Got everyone. Results Thursday night.
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RESULTZ. This was the best round yet.
Shadow Ninja 2.0: Gordian Knot - Muttersprache
I've heard of this band, but I never checked them out. That said, I was pretty sure that this would be amazing - how can a band featuring Sean Malone on bass not be amazing? And I was right. This is pretty much a perfect instrumental - never self-indulgent, with a great groove, enough complexity and diversity to make you want to listen to it over and over again and musicianship that is out of this world. The calmer middle section with the astounding guitar build-up is one of the best things I've ever heard. Amazing submission. Anything less than full marks would be doing this a disservice. 10 points.
Tyrias: Russian Circles - Mladek
Ah, post-rock. I was expecting to get some. It's a genre that I love, but I have to be in the mood for, and it can slip into meandering very quickly, which is why I'm not a huge fan of some Godspeed songs, for example. However, I really dug this, it's little more busy than your average post-rock track, but still retains that atmosphere of grandiosity so unique to the genre. The guitars are really cool, especially that grooy riff that enters around the 5:15 mark, and I love how technical the drums get in parts while never detracting from the atmosphere of the song.
One thing I don't like here is that while this track is very grandiose, that it's not exactly subtle about it and while that can definitely work, it doesn't quite work as the song goes on, as there's not really anywhere left to go after the song already starts out so intense. This song either needs to be shorter or start out a little less busy to be truly effectful. Still great though, and I hope my ramblings my sense. I'm kinda drunk at the moment. :P 7.5 points.
kingshmegland: Bela Fleck & the Flecktones - Life Without Elvis
Bluegrass isn't really my thing. Jazz isn't either. So it was with trepadition that I listened to this, and unfortunately, the only thing it did for me was remind me of why I don't like either genre. Yeah, they can play. Cool. But the song just feels like a couple of dudes jamming out - which is cool, I envy their skill, but it's just not something that captivates me as a listener at all. This just feels like a bunch of licks, drum fills and cool melodies thrown into a blender without much thought put towards how the final product actually gels, and while the spontaneous nature probably appeals to tons of people, I'm not one of them. I wish I were. Sorry. 3.5 points.
senecadawg2: Clint Mansell - Death Is the Road to Awe
I've seen you send this song in other roulettes, and I don't think that it has ever netted you a bad score. Will I be the one to buck the trend? Oh hell no. This is a thing of beauty. Yes, it's repetitive. No, I do not care in the slightest. The build-up here is so perfectly executed that it gives me goosebumps every single time. Those strings are basically the best way strings can be used and the subtle piano and GAAAAAH I'm sorry this song is just so perfect that I have no idea what to say. 10 points.
Sacul: Ruined Machines - Karma In Remission
This is one of the few bands that I got in this roulette that I had never even heard of previously, but if this track is any indication of their work, then I will do my best to change that. With some heavy riffing and some subtle keyboards, they manage to create a groovy instrumental that doesn't rely on technicality to impress, but rather on some clever musical ideas and some creative songwriting. However, I'm not sure how necessary the acoustic part was - while it in itself is fine, it does feel little tacked on and unrelated what came before. I'm not a big fan of the drum sound either, but seeing that this album is available for free, I'd wager that they aren't a very well-established band yet, so it's hardly something that I can fault them for, and it doesn't detract from the listening experience too much. A solid submission, and I'll definitely be checking out their album. 8 points.
Elite: EXXASENS - Rocket to the Sky
More post-rock! It's shorter and more active than most post-rock, it actually kinda reminds of of God Is An Astronaut. Which is a good thing, because they play a brand of post-rock that I am definitely a fan of, but I kinda think that they are a little too close in sound the GIAA. Like, if you put this track on one of their albums, it wouldn't feel out of place, and while that's a testament to their quality, it also means that I am unlikely to seek this out actively if it offers so little that is original or different. Still a good song. 7 points.
mikemangioy: The Aristocrats - Blues Fuckers
While at first listen this was similar to the Bela Fleck tune, not so much in style but in how cohesive it was, further listens revealed that this is actually put together quite well. There's one central theme that is quite simple and immediately recognisable and that theme is played with a lot, but it always stays constant. What I really love here is how the drums manage to be the instrument that deviates from the theme the most, but the song never falls apart. Major props for that. The ending feels a little out of place, but as a whole, this song is quite good, though it's not something that I could listen to all the time. 6 points.
Standings:
senecadawg2: 52 points
Sacul: 48 points
Shadow Ninja 2.0: 47 points
Elite: 39.5 points
Tyrias: 39.5 points
kingshmegland: 38 points
mikemangioy: 35 points
And mike picks the theme again. Whoop-de-doo. Number 12 gives us the theme of folky stuff. Your best bet here would probably be folk metal, like Ensiferum or Wintersun - pure folk is something I rarely enjoy, though there are exceptions. As always, 48 hours and good luck. The new theme list is below.
1. Unusual Instrument (any instrument that is not guitar, drums, bass and keyboards counts)
2. No Drums
3. No Guitars
4. Over 10 Minutes
5. Awesome Solo (doesn't have to be guitar!)
6. Dark and Dreary
7. Upbeat and Lively
8. Female Vocals
9. Ballad
10. Insane Stuff
11. Live Song
12. 90s
13. 80s
14. Pre-70s
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I've gotta say- These results have me feeling pretty good about myself. I went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth again and again trying to decide between my choice and that Gordian Knot song. Love both of them, and I'm glad to see you did too!
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CAAAAAAAAARRRRRPPPPP
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Yeah, I was worried you felt the acoustic section was out of place, but it just helps to have a better flow into the following song. And is a one-guy project, actually. And I *think* none of the instruments are real recordings. Glad you liked it anyways - that album made my top 30.
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Sent!
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Sent. Not really confident in my choice, but if it comes to the worst case at least I get to pick next rounds' theme :P.
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Neat-o. Still need Elite and mikemangioy, then I can get down to do some listening.
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Sent
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Still haven't gotten Elite's song yet. I sent him a PM, but I'll start judging the other songs in the meantime. Results probably tomorrow night instead of today, sorry 'bout that.
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Sweet :caffeine:
Did Elite ever send/are the results still to be expected later today?
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Yes, I did send :)
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I had some good premonitions about my previous entries, but I hope this one earns at least a 6 :lol . Damn mike, choose an easier theme :P .
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Damn mike, choose an easier theme :P .
(https://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lm4234S2qA1qdk82io1_500.gif)
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This folk round was actually the first one I felt really confident in. Thanks Mike!
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I wonder how many points deduction I get for stretching the boundaries of 'folk'.
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Results in about two hours.
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FUCK TWO HOURS RESULTS NOW
Quite a good round, even though some people didn't really send folk at all, so the scores don't completely reflect my enjoyment of the songs.
Shadow Ninja 2.0: Blackmore's Night - Shadow of the Moon
I love Ritchie Blackmore, and I am fairly indifferent about Candice Night, so I had no idea whether I would like this. Luckily - for both you and me, I guess - I did. The guitar playing is very folky and quite awesome - though I would have no idea that it's Ritchie Blackmore if I didn't know, to be honest - and Night's voice fits the music very well. If there was one criticism that I'd have to level against this is that it has little replay value for me - even though it's a good song, I don't find myself wanting to listen to it very much. 7.5 points.
senecadawg2: Gallowbraid - Stone of Remembrance
Well, as I noticed immediately, you had taken my recommendation of folk metal to heart. And that's good, because I dig it. Some great melodies, the harsh and the cleans contrast nicely... on paper, this sounds like a really great song. But - and you knew there was a but coming - this is just lacking in originality for me. The melodies could have been lifted from an Ensiferum song, the feel of the song is a distinct mixture of Agalloch and Caladan Brood with approximately nothing that Gallowbraid himself brings to the table, the bagpipes had me wondering if this was a Grave Digger interlude, and so on. Derivativeness doesn't always lessen my enjoyment of songs, but it does here. I wish I could enjoy this more, but I'm just not feeling it. Sorry. :\ 5 points.
Sacul: Neutral Milk Hotel - Two-Headed Boy/The Fool
Okay, these were two songs. And if I had actually noticed this earlier, I would have rejected this, but I just had a cursory read over the band name, didn't know them, and didn't actually read the rest of your PM. :blush Anyway, because of this, I decided to roll with it, but please don't do it in the future - though in interest of fairness, everyone can send two songs in a future round, and I will average their scores - everyone except for Sacul.
Anyway, onto the songs. I actually know the first one - sort of. I know a cover of it, by The Dresden Dolls. And I prefer that in every sense. The piano on that works a lot better than the sorta pedestrian strummed guitar, and the voice here is just sorta annoying. I can see why people would dig it, but I don't. It works a little better in the calmer section, and it did grow on me, but I still don't quite like it, and I can't help comparing it to the cover, which has superior vocals.
"The Fool" doesn't really have anything to with "Two-Headed Boy" - it's a waltz with some brass instrument playing a melody that is kinda cool, but again, this is nothing that's really exciting. I have a hard time getting excited about anything that's basically just an ordinary waltz ever since dance school, and this is no exception. Not bad, but nothing I'd seek out either.
Both songs weren't bad, but they failed to pull me on. Neither the vocals nor the instrumentation here really clicked for me. I'm giving these two songs an average of 3.5 points.
kingshmegland: Days of the New - Touch, Peel and Stand
Heavy, dark and acoustic, you say? Well, that description certainly intrigued me, because there was much potential for awesomeness here. And the end result was definitely awesome. I love the singer and the emotion that he carries in his voice, and the heaviness that the band manage to convey simply with atmosphere, despite being an acoustic group, is amazing. While it doesn't hit me quite as hard, I would compare this to Alice in Chains live acoustic version of "Nutshell", and that's definitely a compliment. Unfortunately, this was also just about as folky, so while I really dig this song, I'll have to deduct two points for kinda missing the theme. Not everything that's acoustic is folk, guys. 9.5 points - 2 points = 7.5 points.
Tyrias: The Decemberists - Rox in the Box
True, this is no folk metal, but I like it anyway. Some solid instrumentation and some very emotive vocals and catchy melodies makes this a very enjoyable tune. I really like those folky interludes after choruses. While this felt a little boring my first listen, it grew on me with subsequent listens - it's very much a grower and takes a few spins to reveal just how well-made and just plain fun to listen to this song is. Nothing too original, but a very good song all the same. 9 points.
mikemangioy: Korpiklaani - Beer Beer
Oh dear. While I like music that doesn't take itself too seriously, there is such a thing as too much, and I assumed the worst upon hearing the title. Luckily, they manage to straddle the line between the ridiculous and the awesome quite well, having the whole thing result in what sounds like more folky version of Ensiferum (yes!) that knows how to have fun as well as write catchy songs (hell yes!) while merging folk elements and awesome riffs perfetly (hell fucking yes!). Definitely a band that I'll check out in the future. 9.5 points.
Elite: Shining - Fisheye
You said it yourself: this isn't really all that folky. Which means two points off - but that doesn't stop the song from being amazing in every other aspect. The riffs, the avant-garde-ness, the vocals, the saxophone - had you sent this in an open round, it would have been a perfect score, and it pains me that I can't give it the score it deserves. But yeah. A theme is a theme. If it's any consolation, these dudes have just gained a new fan. 10 points - 2 points = 8 points.
Standings:
senecadawg2: 57 points
Shadow Ninja 2.0: 54.5 points
Sacul: 51.5 points
Tyrias: 48.5 points
Elite: 47.5 points
kingshmegland: 45.5 points
mikemangioy: 44.5 points
Despite valiant efforts, mike continues playing caboose. His number 8 means that we are in for some female vocals. I'm not too big on operatic styles (see Nightwish) but they can be done well too. You can also send something that's a duet or features multiple vocalists - as long as there is a prominent female vocal part, you'll be fine.
After this round, there'll be one more open round to wrap things up, so you don't have to send a number this time. Since a few awesome themes went unused, I might recycle them for my next roulette... in 2018, probably.
Once again, 48 hours, and good luck.
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sent
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I knew that but most of my folk I thought you'd hate. :lol
Still you're onto a band you never heard of so that's still cool.
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Crap, didn't expect this at all :rollin . Sorry for sending two songs - the first one ends kind of abruptly if not followed by the second, so I sent both. That group actually took a lot of time to grow on me, but I didn't have better choices with the theme. But now I've got the perfect female-fronted avant-indie group for ya :hat .
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Lol that's what I get for getting cocky on this round :lolpalm: still surprised you didn't like it more, since it's so similar to bands that you like quite a bit, but derivative it certainly is!
I'll find you some female vocals soon!!
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Sent. And please, read my PM this time, there's some interesting crap there :lol .
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BEER BEER
Glad you've enjoyed it. There's also "Vodka", if you're interested.
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And when I do land a good score finally, I get points deducted :lol
No, it's all good. I had no idea what to send, and I wanted to send that song anyway, so that's why I did. Glad you liked it :)
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:omg:
I wasn't expecting that score, not at all. I thought I'd get like a 5 at best...
Anyway, I have a lot of awesome stuff to choose from for this round, I'll probably send tomorrow.
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BEER BEER
Glad you've enjoyed it. There's also "Vodka", if you're interested.
And Tequila, if I'm remembering correctly...
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Still missing mike, Elite and Tyrias. Since I'll be gone over the weekend, this will unfortunately take a little longer, but I'd appreciate it if all songs were in by Sunday at least, when I come back. Sorry for the delay, but this has otherwise been a fairly quick roulette, so yeah.
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Oh crap, I though I had until today to send, but now I see that you posted the results the evening before I read them. Sorry about that, sending now.
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Okay, results tonight. Sorry for the delay, but I wanted to get a good listen in and not rush judging.
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Oh lol, I just remembered what song I sent. Fingers crossed for a good score :lol
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:caffeine:
Okay, results tonight. Sorry for the delay, but I wanted to get a good listen in and not rush judging.
Given how quick the pace has been thus far, you've certainly earned a bit of leeway.
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Results! Some really good songs and a couple of misses here as well.
Shadow Ninja 2.0: Triospheres - The Heart's Dominion
This reminded me of a mixture of Nightwish and Luna Mortis, which, as weird as it sounds, works pretty dang well. It's less orchestral than Nightwish, which works in its favour, but not as heavy as Luna Mortis, which really compliments the vocals quite well. In a time when female vocals in progressive metal are a dime-a-dozen, these are some female vocals that defy the operatic trend are have plenty of balls ('scuse the sexism), making this a very enjoyable listen. The instrumental work is solid, but nothing mindblowing, but it doesn't need to be. While this won't be my new favourite thing of all time, it's definitely a very good song with little to criticise. 8.5 points.
Sacul: Bent Knee - Way Too Long
This is certainly an interesting song, no doubt about that. What it also is is pretty awesome. I love the theatrical delivery of the female vocals, it fits very well with the sparse instrumentation in the first part of the song. The vocals move away from the spotlight a little when all the instrumental craziness happens, and while I prefer the vocal-driven sections of the song, I like how the dynamic keeps shifting. If there was one thing I would complain about here is that there is nothing in this song that really sticks with me when I'm done listening to it, but that might just be due to the way its written - it's certainly not a bad song, it just didn't quite click on the same level that some others did. 7.5 points.
senecadawg2: Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
Haunting and relaxing, you say? I'm interested. "Roads" by Portishead in the similar videos sidebar? Yeah, this is going to be good, I can feel it. And it was. Spare drumming, careful strumming and restrained lead guitar playing create the perfect canvas for Mazzy Star's amazing voice to paint its vocal masterpiece on (it's my birthday and I'm slightly drunk, I'm allowed to be pretentious, shut up). While I wouldn't call it dark, really, it is certainly introspective and melancholic, but most important, it's really just an amazing song. I'm not sure what else I can say, really, and I feel like I should, because this song deserves a good write-up, but I can't really articulate why I love this so much. I just do. 9.5 points.
kingshmegland: Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
This started out promising - very cool subdued instrumental stuff going on. Unfortunately, I don't really like her voice that much - it feels like she artificially injects a lot more dramatic...ness into her singing than necessary and that drags it down for me, sadly. And while on another song, the instrumental stuff would be a saving grace, here the whole spotlight is on her vocals, with the one exception being that brilliant guitar solo in the middle of the song - not a big fan of the outro guitar solo to be honest, and I just can't really get into them. I wish I could, I like the lyrics, but something about her voice just irks me. Like I said, that guitar solo is pretty awesome, but most of the song just isn't really for me. Sorry brah. 5 points.
She's hot though.
Elite: Blood Stain Child - Sirius IV
Techno metal? Well, you sure know how to intrigue me in your descriptions. Second thought: holy shit that is an atrocious cover. Those were the two thoughts I could have because the guitars raped my ears in the best possible way. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. While I dig the instrumentation, I absolutely abhor those female vocals - mainly the cleans, the harshes are alright, but ugh. While this could be a decent track - I really like how they combine metal and techno elements, and the vocal melodies themselves aren't half bad, the singer just completely ruins it for me. Disappointing - this could have been so much better. 3 points.
Tyrias: Susanne Sundfor - Memorial
seneca wanted to send one of her songs. Is there a better sign that this will score well? I can't think of one. And, lo and behold, I love this. The instrumentation is minimalistic, with some haunting strings, a little acoustic guitar and a simple drumbeat, but all of that takes the backseat to Susanne's mesmerising vocals. Both the her voice and the way she utilises it in her songs is amazing. One small complaint here could be that I think the strings get a little overwhelming in the later parts of the song - not when they are actually the spotlight, but when there's singing on top of them, but it's still amazing and she's definitely an artist that I will check out further in the future. I actually have The Brothel sitting around on my computer, so that's going to get a listen after I finish my final listens of this. 9 points.
mikemangioy: The Gentle Storm - Endless Sea
Well, this certainly sounds epic. From the intro, I thought that this would be a Nightwish knockoff, but then I was like "hey Anneke, sup". Much like on Devin's stuff, she's brilliant here, and carries the song extremely well. What I like, however, is how this song manages to flirt with the line between epic and cheesy while never quite crossing it - the choir here is very appropriately used, and only enhances the song instead of feeling gimmicky like it does with so many of their peers. The instrumental work is a little underwhelming though, aside from the guitar solo, which is stellar.
Huh, apparently, this is some Arjen stuff. Who knew? Apart from The Dream Sequencer and parts of Guilt Machine, I never dug any of his work. This might change that, though - this project is definitely something that I will check out, at least. 9 points.
Standings:
senecadawg2: 66.5 points
Shadow Ninja 2.0: 63 points
Sacul: 59 points
Tyrias: 57.5 points
mikemangioy: 53.5 points
kingshmegland: 50.5 points
Elite: 50.5 points
So. Eight rounds in, and it's time for the final round. This round is open, and worth double points. Have at it. 48 hours, and thanks in advance for playing. I love you all. :heart
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sent
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Kind of expected you to like it more, but I'm ok with this ;D . By the way, what do you mean by worth double points?
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Glad you enjoyed one of my favorite songs- always a nice feeling!
I've sent the final round. Look forward to seeing what you think :azn:
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Hahahaha, I'm in last place :lol
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YOU'RE SO WRONG ABOUT HER VOICE! :lol
Hey, to each her own. I love her voice and yes she is Scorp. :lol
That album came out in the early 90's so it had a nice blend of electronica that I was just getting into.
Oh well, I'm going to send a song tonight.
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Glad you liked it so much. I do not agree about the strings being to loud, in fact I think they could be a bit louder in the mix if anything, but I'm glad we agree that this song is awesome ;D.
Also sent for the last round.
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Memorial hasn't quite clicked for me yet, Tyrias, but the album still has a few other gorgeous songs. I was thinking of sending Scorpion "Kamikaze", since that's my favorite so far.
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Sweet, a 9 and not in last place anymore.
Sent
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Sent!
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Damn, I'm between 9 amazing songs - will send later, if I can decide on one :lol .
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Just missing Sacul. If I have his song tonight, results on Sunday.
EDIT: Also missing Elite. Silly me.
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Sorry, sent :blush .
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Messaged Elite about the missing song. If I don't have it by tomorrow morning, I'll start judging anyway. Either way, results will be in by Tuesday evening at the latest.
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And I have everyone! Results Tuesday at the latest.
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Sounds good! This has been such a well-paced roulette
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Sounds good! This has been such a well-paced roulette
Indeed.
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:caffeine:
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Final results! Before posting them, I want to thank everyone again - all of you sent me at least one amazing song that I have already listened to multiple times. You are all awesome. :heart
Shadow Ninja 2.0: The Dillinger Escape Plan - Widower
Ok, I've listened to some of their stuff, but I only know their debut, so I let this through. And boy am I glad that I did. This is a side to Dillinger Escape Plan that I never knew existed, and that I never knew I wanted so badly. While they do the complete batshit insanity that I find best exemplified in "43% Burnt" very well, this is a totally different beast, and while I can't really compare the two, this is definitely really cool as well. Some great vocals by Greg here, and I really dig how restrained the music here is, until it finally breaks loose - it reminds of Ki in mood a little, even though the music is nothing alike. Really good build-up here, I have to say, and I enjoy how that is contrasted with the final bit that deliberately skips any kind of buildup, the contrast is really nice that way. Awesome song. 19 points.
senecadawg2: Braveyoung - The Weight of Loss Is Whole
More post-rocky goodness? Don't mind if I do. While I'm not really hearing the Godspeed elements of their sound, this is quite similar to Sigur Ros, though a lot more sombre. I love how the vocals are kind of buried in the mix here, it really works very well with the atmosphere that this song conveys. Also, they're not in Hopelandic, so that's a plus. :P Some really good guitar melodies as well. Overall, I really like the stripped down fell of this - great song for when I just want to close my eyes and lose myself in the music. I won't always be in the mood for this, but when I am, this is just perfect. 18 points.
Tyrias: Oceansize - Trail of Fire
I've heard a lot about this band, but I never checked them out. Now I did, and... I'm not sure I like it? There's lots of things that I like about this - there's some great instrumentation, and I really dig the vocals, but this song just fails to really catch my attention all the same. I enjoy it when I force my attention on it, but when I don't, my mind wanders off and after the song is over, I could tell you that the dude has a cool voice and that there were some guitars on this song, and that's it. I wish I would dig this, because all the elements are there, but it fails to captivate me. 7 points.
mikemangioy: Caligula's Horse - Vanishing Rites
You had some trouble finding stuff I liked initially, but your last few submissions have been very good, and this is no exception. This was the second song that I got this round that felt Ki-esque, and much like the Dillinger song, the restrained tension throughout, only to explode into aggression at the very end worked very well. I also really dug the Floyd-ian solo and the singer's voice was a nice bonus. Amazing song, will definitely check this band out further. 19 points.
kingshmegland: I Mother Earth - God Rocket (Into the Heart of Las Vegas)
I've seen you send this band in other roulettes, and they often got a good score. Will the trend continue here? Yes, it will. I really dig the calm intro and how it goes into the more rocking part that still takes its time and is all the more effective because of it. The vocals required a few listens to get used to, but I really like them now, they work very well with the music. All in all, this is a really good track, though I do wish that it were a teensy bit more varied - while the switches from rocking parts to calmer parts are really well done, I do find that the song doesn't quite have the musical ideas to justify its length of nearly seven minutes, even though no individual part is bad - it's just that it starts to run together at the end and feels a little less focused as a result, especially at the very end, which repeats a tad too often. Still a good tune, but it could have been amazing with some trimming. 15 points.
Sacul: JUNIUS - Forgiving the Cleansing Meteor
And yet more post-rock! That's cool, I like post-rock. Especially when it's done well. Sadly, this isn't. Sure, there's good stuff - I like the guitars, and the drums, while initially weird-sounding, add a great vibe, but all in all, I'm just not really feeling this. Post-rock with vocals is very hit and miss for me anyway, and while seneca's song was a hit, this one is a definite miss, and that's mainly because I feel that the song doesn't really develop enough - it's very monotonous, especially in the vocals, and while that is sort of the point of post-rock, it can be done badly too, and it just falls flat as a result. Again, not a bad song per se, but I was expecting better things after that really cool guitar intro and given the quality of your other submissions, so I can't help but be disappointed. I will give you that the ending was pretty cool, but it's too little and too late. 8 points.
Elite: Moonloop - Strombus
Holy shit! I have no idea why, but I was expecting some Floyd-ian ambient-y stuff, so the main riff here definitely surprised me, but it's a good surprise, because it's awesome. I really dig the guitar playing here, it seems like standard death metal riffage at first, but it's actually surprisingly nuanced, and of course you have that awesome contrast with the clean parts. I don't dig the clean vocals quite as much as I do the growls, but the contrast still works splendidly. The guitar soloing is pretty awesome as well, never venturing into the shred-for-the-sake-of-it territory. All in all, this is a really neat tune that surprised me in a very positive manner. 17 points.
Final standings!
Tyrias: 64.5 points
kingshmegland: 65.5 points
Sacul: 67 points
Elite: 67.5 points
mikemangioy: 72.5 points
Shadow Ninja 2.0: 82 points
senecadawg2: 84.5 points
To nobody's surprise, seneca took this one. Congratulations, bro!
(https://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcszjuvjUl1rewmebo1_500.jpg)
Again, thank you all for playing - you all sent some awesome stuff, so don't despair if you ended up near the bottom of the rankings, that's just the way these things go. I still love you all. :hearts:
Well, that's it. Scorpion out!
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Oh man, so close. Congrats, seneca!
Also, re: Oceansize. Don't give up on 'em. I literally had the exact same thoughts as you about every song on Frames, and now it's one of my favorite albums.
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Damn.
Also I second Shadow Ninja's remark on Oceansize, only their best album is IMO Effloresce. I had a good time playing in your roulette, and I hope you will continue to listen to at least some of the stuff I sent you ;)
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Oceansize does take a bit to click yeah
But damn. Did they make some utterly amazing stuff.
The two songs on the Colossus EP are the two Caligula's Horse songs I'm not very familiar with, I should fix that.
And yes, Widower is fantastic, about the only TDEP song I ever really want to listen to but it's stellar.
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:o
Glad you liked the Braveyoung song! I suppose that song is more dissimilar than similar to GY!BE, but I think there are some similarities in the rest of their music. Glad you liked some of the other ones, along the way, as well! I had a blast playing... Though I was a little skeptical about things from the beginning because of the false start on your last roulette, you ran a super tight ship. So thanks
I agree with you on Oceansize. I can't tell you how many times I listened to that album, moderately enjoyed it, and still didn't ever have it 'grab' me the way I was hoping.
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Congrats Seneca!! Thank you for letting me play. I had a blast.
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Damn, not again :lol :rollin . Oh well, at least you got another recs to, eh, make up this one, but feel free to ignore them anyways - it seems you already have lots of stuff to check now.
This was a great roulette; an excellent pace, and a cool host ;) . Congrats seneca - Btw, I'd like you to participate on my v2 (in a year or so :lol ), just to see if you can keep up with the victories :P .
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Damn, not again :lol :rollin . Oh well, at least you got another recs to, eh, make up this one, but feel free to ignore them anyways - it seems you already have lots of stuff to check now.
This was a great roulette; an excellent pace, and a cool host ;) . Congrats seneca - Btw, I'd like you to participate on my v2 (in a year or so :lol ), just to see if you can keep up with the victories :P .
I'd definitely be interested. In fact, I was interested in playing in your first roulette when I looked at your top 50 around that time and thought that we had similar tastes, but decided to sit out because I'd been in almost every roulette for half a year before that :lol
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Damn, not again :lol :rollin . Oh well, at least you got another recs to, eh, make up this one, but feel free to ignore them anyways - it seems you already have lots of stuff to check now.
This was a great roulette; an excellent pace, and a cool host ;) . Congrats seneca - Btw, I'd like you to participate on my v2 (in a year or so :lol ), just to see if you can keep up with the victories :P .
I'd definitely be interested. In fact, I was interested in playing in your first roulette when I looked at your top 50 around that time and thought that we had similar tastes, but decided to sit out because I'd been in almost every roulette for half a year before that :lol
That allowed me to get my first win, so you did the right thing. :lol
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I'm glad I've finally liberated from the "'few points, last place" thing. I'm also glad you've enjoyed the songs. I'm also really glad for the 19 points :rollin