Katt's Roulettes & Dragons v. Final Results (finally) - thank you for playing :)

[The Walrus]

Of all 33 songs, 16 are really good. The rest range from meh to okay.

[Crow]

man if i had joined you'd be able to say "of all 36 songs, 16 are really good. the rest range from total garbage to okay."

[Nekov]

Of all 33 songs, 16 are really good. The rest range from meh to okay.

50% of really good songs is quite good

[The Walrus]

Yeah this has been a very pleasing first round for sure. Everybody sent at least one thing I really enjoy.

EDIT: Putting the finishing touches on results now, going over the final scores to be sure, expect an epic result infodump soon.

[jingle.boy]

[The Walrus]

VERY IMPORTANT: You all start on the giant S panel in the map. The first blank space after counts as your first step, so the first fork in the road is after 5 steps. Make sure to let me know which direction you want to travel either in a post here or in a PM with your next round's submission. And if you're lucky enough to be able to choose multiple directions, you know the drill, just tell me where you're going.

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Magic trails burst in the air over the fire, and from flames of a thousand colors the image of a hooded figure formed, longing for the sounds of music.

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#11. TAC

TAC from TACsylvania picked up his lute, and, after a few jaunty chords, launched into a trilogy of metal songs, magic distortion thundering from his wooden lute.

Hangar: The Reason of Your Conviction 8.0
You know, I'm pretty jaded on metal in general, but this grew on me after initially leaving me feeling indifferent. Super fast guitars and drums, nothing too complicated structurally, but what sells it for me is the powerful singer and strong hook. It's a good song, yet it still can't avoid sounding like something that's already been written a thousand times before.

Dead Lord - The Bold Move 6.8
I try to get some kind of feeling from whatever song I listen to, but this one confuses me. Is it a ballad, even though it picks up quite a bit? The solo gives me Free Bird vibes, and the main guitar melody for some reason conjures thoughts of Cheap Trick with extra melancholy. I dig the groove when it picks up, but the sad vocal melody sounds out of place with the extra speed. Not quite clicking with this tune.

Chaos Frame - The World Had Two Faces 7.6
Prog-power metal, eh? At times it reminds me of Anthriel, especially in the vocals. Epic stuff. Dig what the instruments are doing at almost all times. I wish there was more activity during the 'whoa oh' part, but this is still a really cool and fun song. Perhaps a bit too long, though. The synth lead sound is great and the solos kick ass, but at almost 8 minutes I wish it was a few minutes shorter.

Overall: 22.4
Average: 7.46~
Movement: 7 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 7.46

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "I can't tell if the second song is underwhelming or if the first song was just that good, but I still enjoyed all three to some degree. You may journey 7 spaces." You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 2 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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#10. Sacul

The Hanged Man, fortunately not a literal description, sang so softly the flames themselves seemed to roar above his gentle melodies.

Ulver - Eos 9.2
This was hugely unexpected, because for some reason I had always pegged Ulver as black metal. Okay then. This song is more like a real piece of art - there's not a whole lot to say about it on a surface level, but listening to it, there's a deep power to it that I'm in awe of. A melancholic atmosphere driven by somber vocals and a haunting chord progression conjures images of rain in the early evening with a golden sun peeking out in the distance. What a trip. It's so light, yet it's so heavy. Really surprised at how much I enjoy this, but I love music like this so I guess I shouldn't be surprised at all.

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Mysteries 6.8
It's a delicate little song, this one. Beth Gibbons has a lovely voice, but I'm not captivated by this. There's a haunting vibe to those backing vocals that I really enjoy, but overall it's not a song I'm eager to play a lot. It's great at setting a mood and I do dig the sound of those guitars being played in such a restrained manner but I'm not sure this is clicking with me unfortunately.

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Tom the Model 6.4
This one takes away the pretty soundscape from Mysteries and replaces it with something else... Something I can't quite describe. The hook makes me think this is the kind of music Lana Del Rey took inspiration from. I do like the horns and strings and what they add to the song, but the verses make me feel weird - her delivery doesn't agree with me.

Overall: 22.4
Average: 7.46~
Movement: 7 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 7.46

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "You whisper incantations that cloud your future. You may travel 7 spaces." You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 2 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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#9. Evermind

Evrys the Talespinner commanded the attention of his fellow bards as well as the flame, introducing the songs with a thirty minute introduction on the importance of their existence, as well as how he used one of the songs to escape a barfight with six brigands in the ports of Lagavulin.

Airbag - Broken 7.0
Not a bad tune at all, and I am certainly not one to turn away to a slower piece, but I like to feel some emotional response to those songs, and I'm not getting it here. I think it's a little long for its tempo, too. That said, I love the guitar tone and how it (slowly) builds into a groove by the end, with a lovely guitar solo to bring it all home. The vibe is all there, I'm just missing the lyrics to connect with to make all the pieces fit, you know?

Headspace - Soldier 7.4
This is a very nice ballad with a focus on vocals and piano and that's exactly how I like it. The singer has a gorgeous voice and I quite like the lyrics, particularly because I come from a town built upon an air force base, so I found something to connect with here. There's not a whole lot of meat on the bones, but it is a tasty musical treat.

Lee Abraham - Harbour Lights 8.5
I want to score this one higher, but it takes a bit long to get to the real meat of the song. But once it does, boy, does that guitar SING! "To see the harbour lights" - the ending swells on the guitar give me huge John Petrucci vibes. Not sure if this guy is influenced by him or not, but I hear it. What a perfect ending with those bright piano notes. I'm still a bit nervous about giving this song this score because I feel like over time I'm going to enjoy it and appreciate the build up even more, but this is where I'm at.

Overall: 22.9
Average: 7.63~
Movement: 8 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 7.63

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "One song is so utterly compelling to me that I can forgive the other two not living up to it. You may travel 8 spaces." You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 3 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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#8. Indiscipline

Scipline the Indy of Lagavulin began to sing, and all fell silent as his voice filled the clearing.

John Denver & Placido Domingo - Perhaps Love 8.8
I feel like I should've expected such a soft first submission, yet I'm still surprised after several listens to this song. It's so authentic in its serenity. I don't care about anything except how this song makes me feel, and boy does it make me feel ways. John Denver is an artist I know for a fact I have to explore because I've loved everything I've ever heard, and this is no exception. I don't know anything about Mr. Placido Domingo, but he takes this to another level with that amazing voice. Love when they double up. This is the kind of music I like to listen to when I want to get all up in my feels, which is pretty often.

Manowar - Master of the Wind 6.2
This should be something I love, but I'm not feeling it. I've found it difficult to explain what it is about this I don't like, but it sounds like it's content to stay at a level of cheese that doesn't agree with me - go big or go home, you know? Those synths sound like they came out of a Super Nintendo game's cave level, and while I don't think that's a bad thing, this song lacks the pomp and grandiosity I expect out of a super corny metal ballad. But perhaps that's on me, and I've been spoiled by decades of power metal ballads built upon the backs of artists like Manowar. I've waffled on whether I think this score is too harsh or not, but I don't enjoy much here other than the chorus - and two out of three winners ain't bad at all anyway.

Tommy Korberg - Anthem 9.2
Oh, dude. Bro. I close my eyes when I listen to this song and I feel like I'm in my cozy home in the Shire waiting for my cantankerous uncle to finish writing his dumb adventure story. Seriously, though - throw some huge power chords on an electric guitar under this and you've got literally everything I love about a good power metal ballad. All the instruments here are beautiful, but the singer takes it to new heights, and god damn it are those some wonderful lyrics: "Let Man's petty nations tell themselves apart / my land's only borders lying around my heart" Those are my favorite lines in this round without a doubt. I have no idea who Tommy Korberg is - this almost sounds like it's out of a musical - but this is outstanding.

Overall: 24.2
Average: 8.06~
Movement: 8 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.06

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "Unfortunately pure cheese dip doesn't pair well with two grand slams... but you may travel 8 spaces." You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 3 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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#7. Elite

The flame grinned at Rich, the poor Elite, Whore of Roulettes. Apparently, even mystical conjurations know of his reputation...

Spock's Beard - The Doorway 7.0
Contrary to my rule about not allowing in Neal Morse projects, I allowed this one because I've been told for so very long about Spock's Beard... This is a bit of a doozy. There's so much obviously gifted musicianship at work here, but like a few other songs this round it leaves me wanting something more. I don't feel any emotional response to the music here, which is a shame given the beautiful piano work and vocals. I love the keyboards and the patches used, and the band sounds great, but as many times as I've played this 11 minute monster, when it ends, I don't feel any different. I wonder what this would sound like with a more theatrical singer? I can't say this blows me away, but I'm still interested in Spock's Beard. This was an enjoyable song, I just wish I felt an emotional connection with it and that it was several minutes shorter as a result.

Agent Fresco - See Hell 8.4
I finally get to sample Agent Fresco... twice! What an interesting sound these guys have. It grooves, and it's on the heavier side, but it never leans too heavily into any one aspect of their sound. I like that there's a great balance of that. The singer is very good and I love listening to him sing. There's nothing terribly deep to dig into here, it's just a good song that I like a lot.

Agent Fresco - A Long Time Listening 9.1
Now we're talking. This is awesome. Driving drums from the get go and an infectious vocal hook... Sounds like The Joy Formidable's more fun cousin! A nice gradual build to the verses - I LOVE the fun guitar parts in the verse with that gorgeous vocal rise and fall. Then back to the infectious vocal hook and the driving drums. The middle section unfortunately takes out the groove for a little bit yet I don't mind it shaking things up in this song. I just love that this song goes all in on the fast kick drum and the vocal melodies, it's perfect. I saw See Hell recommended around these parts before but now I'm wondering why this isn't the go-to, because this fucking rules.

Overall: 24.5
Average: 8.17~
Movement: 8 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.17

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "Morse is an anagram of Smore. Did you know that? You may travel 8 spaces." You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 3 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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#6. kingshmegland

The King of the Smeglands, a level 20 Throne Potato, laughed at a demand from an illusory flame, but humored it all the same with a campfire suite.

Enchant - Under Fire 8.0
While the verses don't pull me into the song, I find myself having fun during the solos halfway through the song. The lyrics leave me a little cold, waiting for something I can sink my teeth into (I like the chorus, musically), and the singer, while not at all bad, isn't selling me on what he's brought. This is a groovy tune with some standout moments that make me want to dig into the band, but with some hesitation, hoping there's a little more there to speak to my tastes.

Mile Marker Zero - Victory 8.6
Getting started with a cool synth solo - that synth lead patch is 150% my cup of tea, so that's a great way to start. Vocals remind me of something I can't put my finger on... Catchy vocal part, but what's this? The part at 1:17 has this awesome rhythm and vibe that puts the first part to shame. 1:32 brings the drums in to make this part even better. The transition after that is a little jarring, yet I love the vocals here... What a weird song. Silky smooth guitar tone destroys my concerns, and then we get into some instrumental goodness - I love the airy synths over the guitars, complete with prog metal-style riffing and soloing I think is done very tastefully. The more I play this, the more I like it, even if I find some transitions and the vocals a bit odd.

Southern Empire - Goliath's Moon 8.5
This reminds me of Haken for some reason, but I don't know a whole lot about Haken, so I could be completely off here, but I think the singer is much more tolerable, and there's a funkiness here that I can't help but bob my head to. I have no idea what this song actually is about, and I feel silly singing along to the chorus, but it's catchy and fun, so who cares? There's a lot going on in this song but to be honest I could do without 3-4 minutes of it in the middle, because I think it takes away from what the rest of the song sets up and returns to. I'd be lying if I said this really stand out to me, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't think this was cool and enjoyable, too.

Overall: 25.1
Average: 8.37
Movement: 8 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.37

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "Gets better in some ways with each song, but the second has a strange quality to it that I really dig - why have I never heard of Mile Marker Zero before? You may travel 8 spaces." You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 3 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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[The Walrus]

#5. wolfking

The King of Wolves had said not a single word all day, but when the being asked for a song, he bared his heavy metal soul to the fire.

Silent Force - There Ain't No Justice 8.2
This is fun. Straight up heavy metal - or does this count as power metal? It's a good thing you said this was the band of a member of Primal Fear, because this reeks of Primal Fear. Even the singer channels that sound, but he (and the rest of the band) do it flawlessly. The chorus is catchy and this would be a great song to headbang to at a concert. Do I hear synths in the background in the back half? That almost makes up for the vanilla guitar riffs. At first I thought this was kind of generic, and in some ways I still do, but this has grown on me and again, it's just a fun heavy metal anthem.

Pyramaze - Back For More 8.4
Here we go - a nice guitar melody paired with piano, comes back with the full band. This song's got the works, double bass sections, machine gun riffs for the slower parts, curious synths, but above all, super catchy hooks. That chorus is STRONG! "Like waves upon the shore, you're coming back for more" - love this line, and the chorus in general is just killer, perfect for a power metal romp. I really appreciate the band keeping the flow tight and strong from start to finish, and it never overstays its welcome.

Borealis - Revelation 8.6
Fantastic. The guitar tone and melodic phrasings are so choice, and I love the solo and the strings that come after it. Vocalist is strong and I want to headbang to the whole song, not just the powerful chorus, so big props to this song for really keeping me engaged until the end. I don't think it's anything too deep, but the lyrics combined with all the elements of this song really make me think this band understands power metal the way I want it done (if this counts as power metal). Maybe it's something else entirely - subgenres are a mess these days - but I like this a whole damn lot.

Overall: 25.2
Average: 8.40
Movement: 8 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.40

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "Bang your head, Bard, and you may travel 8 spaces." You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 3 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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#4. jingle.boy

Alithia the Righteous, a level 15 Paladin sworn to kick everyone's ass (but take no names), grew impatient and immediately began playing his songs so he could go the fuck to sleep and do some adventuring in the morning. After 15 levels, he had seen enough to become hard to entertain.

Neonfly - The Messenger 6.6
Some things I like about this song, and some I don't. What I don't like is that this song, whether I'm off base or not, reminds me of Threshold a lot, and I really dislike Threshold. It's in how the vocals stick to the beat for a midtempo chorus, and that sours most of the song for me. The guitarist is good, and I like the sound of the singer (again, sounds to me like Mac from Threshold, only better and with more range). It confuses me when it speeds up for a very brief moment only to come crashing down with some symphonic theatrics. I'm having musical whiplash with this one, but the chorus drags too much for me - let me hear that speed they hinted at near the end, damn it!

Serious Black - Akhenaton 9.5
I like this. I like this very much. There's some elements in power metal tracks like this that I absolutely have to have to love: a catchy verse, a talented singer, and a chorus that seriously kicks things up a notch compared to the rest of the song. This song has it. If I saw this live I'd be headbanging like a madman to every second of the chorus. That singer has a voice I love, there's a great keyboard solo, and I LOVE the vocal chant at the end. "I shall rise agaaaain!" So shall your average score, Chad - fucking home run!

Eagleheart - Until Fear Is Gone 9.3
Aw yeah. Another power metal winner. I dig all the electronic elements at play in this track and especially the fast choir vocals, which a lot of bands don't use (in my opinion) as well as they're used here. Super speedy, super energetic, yeah, this was made for me. The layered vocals over that drumming toward the end add so much power to this track that TONS of power metal bands just don't understand these days, it's either layer a bunch of folk/orchestra instruments over it or copy Stratovarius. This sounds fresh to me and I really, really like it.

Overall: 25.4
Average: 8.47~
Movement: 8 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.47

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "A killer voice and a great hook is the key to my musical heart, and one of these songs nails it. You may travel 8 spaces." You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 3 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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#3. Nekov

Nekov, the annoying Wizard from the South, shut his yapper for a few minutes to tune his guitar and wet his whistle with some drink. Then he started up again, while Indy bemoaned the emptying of the last flask.

Hammock - (Tonight) We Burn Like Stars That Never Die 8.8
I really, really, really enjoy this. It's chill from start to finish in all the best ways. Some shimmering synths, a very relaxed drum beat underneath, and ethereal vocals adding a full, warm layer of sound to the mix. It's pretty straightforward and kind of sounds like all my favorite things about electronic post rock put into a blender. Although it does drag its feet a little getting to the end, it's still a great piece of music.

Pagan's Mind - The Celestine Prophecy 7.4
I've actually seen Pagan's Mind live - back in 2009. The only song I remember is God's Equation, which ruled. 'The Celestine Prophecy' - I have a faint idea of what this song is about, but generally I find myself tuning out of the lyrics when I try to concentrate on them. The riffing is solid, the keys are doing their expected work beefing up the atmosphere in the back, and the singer - Nils, I believe? - gives an invigorating performance, but I'm not quite sure all the melodies agree with my ears. What I love about this song are the solos, and specifically the really chill section around 5:25 in, just before the next verse. The cymbal playing there is fantastic and I wish it went on longer before returning to the heavy metal. The verses and hook aren't very strong to my ear and I find myself wishing for a lot more speed, but obviously the band thought differently. It's a good song and I'm definitely not turned off of Pagan's Mind, but I'd be lying if I said this has me begging for more.

Apparat - Song of Los 9.4
We have a home run here. I want Voyager to cover this immediately. Start to finish, I think everything on display here is lovely. The way it grows and builds with little layers gradually dropped in while keeping the beautiful vibe it kicks off with really speaks to me. This is a perfect example of the kind of music that resonates with me these days. Well done, it would be a shame if they don't have more songs like this because I plan to check out Apparat in the future.

Overall: 25.6
Average: 8.53~
Movement: 9 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.53

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "They're all setting a mood, but Apparat is a clear winner here with that gorgeous soundscape." You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 4 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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#2. Stadler

Jethro of Avalon stared daggers at the Hanged Man who just barely bested him in a recent competition, but laughed it off and began rocking with all the confidence of a medieval Jack Black.

Sound of Contact - Not Coming Down 7.4
For some reason the hook to this song hasn't left my head, but I don't find it all that memorable, truth be told. It sounds to me like Porcupine Tree, and I'd be lying if I said the vocals weren't a big part of that. And it's not really a vocal style I enjoy. It's not bad, but I don't hear any emotion out of this guy. "You just can't feel" at 2:38 reminds me of Flying Colors, actually, and I love that part, but this song has left me feeling cold after each listen. I do love the artwork and I've seen a lot of praise for this band particularly on the old Mike Portnoy forum, but I wonder if this is an example of what they always sound like.

Sweet - AC-DC 9.4
I know you recommended Fox on the Run first, and I'm pretty glad I already know (and love) that song, because I got to hear this. This is straight up fun rock and roll and I love it. The vocal performance is so good I found a couple live versions on Spotify and gave them a jam, and one in particular is better than the studio version to me. The lyrics are fun and match the vibe of the song and man I just want to crack a beer and party. Straight up rock and roll normally doesn't hit me like this, but this - this is a winner.

UFO - Dreaming of Summer 9.2
This is the first time I know I've listened to UFO, so hats off to Roy Harper you for getting me to play them. I had to double check after the first listen - the singer made me think John Wetton many times. I love the groove and the guitar parts, and the vocal melody speaks to me. The lyrics describe something that normally I don't put stock in, but combined with the beat and that riff, this is just a fucking solid tune, the groove doesn't stop and I don't want it to. Gotta mention how much I love the guitar's tone, too, in that last minute - that's red hot. The biggest complaint I have about this song is that it isn't on Spotify so I can't add it to my normal playlists.

Overall: 26.0
Average: 8.67~
Movement: 9 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.67

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "One song I can groove to, one song I'd love to play at a party. Starting off very strong. You may travel 9 spaces." You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 4 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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#1. Puppies_On_Acid

The flame apparition shouted at the Kenku assassin named Owl Screech, and the birdman replied in kind.

Domini - The Monster 9.0
THIS is what Dominici has been up to and nobody ever talks about it? This is some damn tasty prog metal goodness and it doesn't even need vocals. So many moments catch my attention with respect to the keyboard lines and the patterns they play, instead of simply playing technically maddening parts there is a sense of fun and melody in the music and it's just the right balance for my tastes. One of only three songs I couldn't find on Spotify, I really wish this was because I want to check out this apparent trilogy at some point if it's all like this.

Boris - Spoon 8.8
What a delightfully bizarre song! It's like Sigur Ross had a baby with maybeshewill and spit this out at me. The vocals really sell this for me. They hang low but clear over the music and transform the texture of the song into something it otherwise wouldn't be. This aggressive, fast riffing underneath takes on a completely new feeling with the vocals, and I love those chimes here and there. I don't even know what the lyrics are and I love this.

Babymetal - Meta Taro 8.4
I, uh... huh? I was not expecting this, let alone in the first round. I also expected death metal vocals and got none. This is some kind of... I don't know. Super happy metal synth march fun time go? And yet it won't leave my head. It won't leave my fucking head! Meta taro, meta taro... It's like you knew this would dig into my ears like a damn Yeerk. I don't really have much else to say: it's a very fun earworm without subjecting me to cliches like rainbows, steel warriors, and flying far away, so hats off to you, Puppies, for a bold and daring submission.

Overall: 26.2
Average: 8.73~
Movement: 9 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.73

From the flamed figure came a ragged whisper. "You may travel 9 spaces, but what the fuck was that last one?" You travel 5 spaces to a fork in the road, and may travel 4 spaces north or south. Which do you choose?

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[The Walrus]

The Score So Far...

The bards traveled on, some falling behind, some pushing further onward, but all beginning to choose different paths to go down at their own pace...

TAC: 7.46
Sacul: 7.46
Evermind: 7.63
Indiscipline: 8.06
Elite: 8.17
kingshmegland: 8.37
wolfking: 8.40
jingle.boy: 8.47
Nekov: 8.53
Stadler: 8.67
Puppies_On_Acid: 8.73

[TAC]

I'm going south because I bit it big time in two roulettes tonight.

South it is..apparently.

[The Walrus]

I'm going south because I bit it big time in two roulettes tonight.

South it is..apparently.

9 rounds to go, don't worry about the opening round, my friend!

Note for the colored challenge spaces: you get bonus points as long as the themes fit (for the green/red/blue/brown spaces). For the pink/orange/yellow/purple spots, I have to genuinely love what I'm hearing to award bonus points (as it's easy enough to send for a given year/decade/etc.). For those who got 8 spaces, it's up to you to participate, but those bonus points might come in hand at the very end of the game...

Whew. Now I'm tapping out for the night. I'll update the full map tomorrow so everybody knows where everyone's at.

[TAC]

UFO - Dreaming of Summer 9.2
This is the first time I know I've listened to UFO, so hats off to Roy Harper you for getting me to play them. I had to double check after the first listen - the singer made me think John Wetton many times. I love the groove and the guitar parts, and the vocal melody speaks to me. The lyrics describe something that normally I don't put stock in, but combined with the beat and that riff, this is just a fucking solid tune, the groove doesn't stop and I don't want it to. Gotta mention how much I love the guitar's tone, too, in that last minute - that's red hot. The biggest complaint I have about this song is that it isn't on Spotify so I can't add it to my normal playlists.

I'm happy this got a 9.2. Michael Schenker's tone, as usual, is fantastic. This is one of my all time favorite solos, if you can call it that. Phil Mogg really tells a great story.


I'm surprised AC/DC scored as high as it did. I'm kind of lost on K-Lox. Still Desolation Boulevard is one of my all time favorite albums.

9 rounds to go, don't worry about the opening round, my friend!

Yeah, but monsters...

Note for the colored challenge spaces: you get bonus points as long as the themes fit (for the green/red/blue/brown spaces). For the pink/orange/yellow/purple spots, I have to genuinely love what I'm hearing to award bonus points (as it's easy enough to send for a given year/decade/etc.). For those who got 8 spaces, it's up to you to participate, but those bonus points might come in hand at the very end of the game...

Gonna have to read up on this without beers in me.

[jingle.boy]

In the words of the infamous Loaf... two out of three ain't bad.  I read thru mine, skimmed a few others (will ready all tomorrow at the airport). Glad I nailed 2 of them!  I think you're spot on with the description for all three, and I forgive you for your Threshold-fail.

If I got it right, I will land either on yellow (3 songs same year) or orange (same decade)?  But I don't *have* to play those themes, right?

[Crow]

Math:
Dacul's score total is 22.4, not 22.5. Which means he should get 7 moves, not 8 

[The Walrus]

 

Monsters (eliminations) might come after round 3 but if I'm having enough fun by then I won't have them 'cause I'm enjoying everybody's stuff so far.

If I got it right, I will land either on yellow (3 songs same year) or orange (same decade)?  But I don't *have* to play those themes, right?

Correct. You don't HAVE to, but I decided last week that all bonus points earned will be tallied up at the end of the game, so even if someone's lagging behind in points, any bonus points could make or break someone's lead. 

Parama is absolutely correct, I noticed I didn't have Sacul's totally correct when I posted - good eye. Updated. This is a lot of fucking work 

[wolfking]

Happy with that start.

[Stadler]

Wow, lot to process. 

First, KTLX:  I'm cold here in New England, so I'm heading SOUTH.


Couple thoughts:
- John Denver gets a lot of flack, but beyond the dopey glasses and the faux-nature boy persona, that man's voice is GOLD.  Smooth as goose shit through a tin horn.  "Sunshine On My Shoulders" is one of my favorite songs of all time.
- Sound of Contact:  I think you do, but you know that the singer is Phil Collins' son, right?   
- I never put Phil Mogg in with Wetton (one of my favorite singers) but I see what you mean.   That whole record is chock full of tasty guitar playing by Michael Schenker. He's so good and so consistent (even if he is kind of an odd guy).
- AC/DC was a shot in the dark; TAC has said a couple times now, and he's right, that there are better songs.  But that song is sort of a favorite; I have a version by Joan Jett - she doesn't change the gender, and it's endearing - that is just as good.  They released remastered versions of Desolation Boulevard and Sweet FA (Sweet Fanny Adams) and they both have almost an entire album of additional material.  It's so good. 

[TAC]

I love The Sweet. Sweet FA is a great song. Love Pat Benatar's version of No You Don't.

[wolfking]

I also really surprised ACDC scored that well.  Perhaps that's just because I'm not a fan at all.

[TAC]

I'm surprised and I AM a fan.



May have to dig out some old Slade....

[The Walrus]

I'm surprised too and I scored the bitch! Don't underestimate simple, straight to the point, fun music... I love that stuff.

[wolfking]

Both the orange and yellow spaces seem quite easy categories to try and gain some bonus points.

[TAC]

How so?

[The Walrus]

Both the orange and yellow spaces seem quite easy categories to try and gain some bonus points.

If I like the songs enough - 9 or higher - then sure. Maybe.

I added that I had to like them enough in order to get bonus points because simply sending a song from a given year or decade takes no effort, whereas the rest require some thought, so... yeah. I gotta really like those songs to award a bonus.

I'll admit they're not the most creative but I didn't want to make this even more complex than it already sounds, I just hope it works (ie doesn't frustrate anyone).

[Stadler]

I found out the other day that the doctor on the reality TV show Botched! and sometimes panelist on the show The Doctors - Dr. Terry DuBrow - is actually the brother of the former (and deceased) singer of Quiet Riot, Kevin DuBrow.

(Triggered of course by the Slade reference.)

[wolfking]

Both the orange and yellow spaces seem quite easy categories to try and gain some bonus points.

If I like the songs enough - 9 or higher - then sure. Maybe.

I added that I had to like them enough in order to get bonus points because simply sending a song from a given year or decade takes no effort, whereas the rest require some thought, so... yeah. I gotta really like those songs to award a bonus.

I'll admit they're not the most creative but I didn't want to make this even more complex than it already sounds, I just hope it works (ie doesn't frustrate anyone).

Okay, that changes things then.

How so?

Three songs from same year and decade is easy but Kattelox just changed that, which is fair enough.

[Evermind]

Blew it in two roulettes in a row, nice. My score is very in character so far though.

I'll post my move when I get home today.

[Sacul]

Well damn  tbh I was correct in not sending that Beth Gibbons record on your previous roulette, I'll be more careful now.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Wow, I am absolutely floored that those songs did as well as they did. I mean I love all those songs, but sometimes when you send what you love in a roulette you just don't know what's going to come back.

I'll move south and south.

[Elite]

Wow, I would have thought The Doorway would do better than a 7.0, but I'll take it regardless. Gklad you dug Agent Fresco, they're truly a unique band. Their debut contains a bunch of gems, though some of them contain 'screaming'. Their second album is quite different - and really good too. I usually go with See Hell in roulettes, because it concise, catchy and short, but I have sent A Long Time Listening before too.

I'll move south, to the orange tile.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Damn it, I was about to send for the next round, but then noticed at the last second that Silversun Pickups is banned....

Back to the drawing board...

[Indiscipline]

I'm so happy you liked the two tunes I considered risky, and I can take that reaction to the Manowar song.

Yes, Anthem is indeed from a musical (Chess), but I gave you only the singer's name 'cause I wanted you to listen to it unbiased. No wonder you loved the lyrics (Tim Rice wrote them), while you would be amused to know the guys responsible for the music are Bjorn Ulvaeus and Bernie Andersson, i.e. the male half of ABBA.

Always going south and tempted to keep up the ballads/songs I sing in real life theme.

[Nekov]

Wow, I wasn't expecting Apparat to be the one you liked the most but I'm glad it worked. And to answer to your question, that whole album is in that same vein so you should like it enough. I honestly thought Pagan's Mind would be more up your alley since you like the cheese but apparently I was wrong so I'll just keep trying more experimental stuff.

The Wizard from the South looks at the crossroads wondering what the future holds for him. Home beckons. Images of friends and family flow through his mind bringing feelings of warmth and comfort, however he knows the adventure is just beginning. He decides to take the path that takes him farther north in hopes of finding something new and exciting up ahead.

[King Postwhore]

As I travel my 5 steps my mead traveling horse was startled by a level 3 troll named "Winger." Winger was clipped by my mead horse who was 17 years old and some mead was spilled.

I head north heading for and with a heartache.

[wolfking]

Sent.  I'll just move south too.

[TAC]

As I travel my 5 steps my mead traveling horse was startled by a level 3 troll named "Winger." Winger was clipped by my mead horse who was 17 years old and some mead was spilled.

I head north heading for and with a heartache.

I'm sure the King Of The Wolves will come miles away from no man's land, finding the troll hangin' on in a state of emergency but there are better days coming.