This was a very strong round, ya'll. To the two who got cut: them's the breaks, someone has to go home. Thanks for playing
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1. CyrilGunship - Dark All Day5. I had no doubt this would be first place the first time I heard this16 points
Everything about this song hits the mark. Everything the synths do is pleasing to my ears. The singer's voice isn't terribly outstanding, but gels with the music so well that it actually enhances the sound. I adore the massive drums when they kick in, and how fluid the transitions between every section are. Of course the real star of this song is the screaming saxophone. Sax always makes stuff better, but this guy is going fucking bonkers and creates such a huge mood that I think I said "holy shit" at least three or four times when this first played. In fact, this song was so good that I dropped the other songs for an hour to go play this entire album and it's fantastic. Easy first place.
2. Buddyhunter1VOLA - Applause of a Distant Crowd7. Soothing, and my second favorite song of the round15 points
I've been raving about this song to some friends all week, and actually shared it on the ProgPower USA Facebook page and it got a very nice response from the community who apparently really dig this song and/or band. I love it. It's nice and bubbly with a positive vibe to the music, and the singer's gentle voice is a big part of that, but so is the synth lead. It has this dulled out jagged edge to whatever the patch is being used and it's such a fascinating texture to me. The rhythm threw me for a loop at first; I wasn't expecting a song in 9/8 to sound so catchy with such an organic, easy to follow rhythmic pattern. At least I'm pretty sure it's in 9/8. This song makes me feel like I'm floating underwater, melting all my stress away.
3. Tomislav95
Gunship - When You Grow Up, Your Heart Dies8. This brings out my inner white girl14 points
Also knew this would rank towards the top the first time I heard it. Pure synthwave, 80s worship, huge catchy beats and melodies and shiny synths that tickle my fancy. I love everything about this song, although my only nitpick is that on repeat listens I've found myself a bit tired of the spoken word samples. It matches the vibe of the track wonderfully, I just don't like when it's laying out such a blunt message without any subtlety - just kind of wish it would stay instrumental and take me on a trip through this lovely sonic landscape. Other than that it's a masterpiece, and like I said in Cyril's writeup, I checked out the rest of this album and it's wonderful. This song freaking rules.
4. jingle.boy
Hardline - In This Moment10. I think it's excellent, but there's so much going on in everything else that it's hard to compare and figure out where to rank it13 points
What I meant by that impression was that this is (arguably) the most minimalist song of the round. There's a lot of wacky instrumental stuff and some crazy mashups on almost every other submission, but this one sticks to a piano, a voice, and a drizzle of strings on top. So it's really hard to compare this to a full-on jazz-rock-fusion instrumental that shreds for 7 minutes. But, in the end, this one came out above all of them - why? His voice has a lovely sound and the melody he carries is beautiful, for one. Also, the piano line is simple but pretty, and it's that bright tone of the piano itself that really gets me. I don't dislike a dark piano sound, but this brightness and warmth is what I really love particularly in ballads. The lyrics and music both complement each other well and the song doesn't overstay its welcome. It's just a solid, emotional song that resonates with me.
5. ariich
Michael Camilo - Not Yet3. I love the spirited performances in this. Never a dull moment12 points
I sent you Casiopea and you threw it right back at me. Okay, not exactly the same kind of music, but the energy and wicked playing is all there. When I said I like lively music, this is what I've been dying to discover. The audio makes it sound like every player is putting their heart into their performance, and every melodic idea and solo is played with such pep that it put a smile on my face the first time. The big moments that bring the main motif back have such a sharp striking sound, the first thing I thought of was the opening theme "Tank!" for the classic anime Cowboy Bebop. This one is like Casiopea's Galactic Funk to me, just a joy to play from start to finish. Then I looked up a video of them playing this, and sure enough, the musicians themselves looked like they were busting their asses playing the music and were having a blast doing so. Excellent piece of music!
6. Kwyjibo
Los Lobotomys - Smell Yourself15. Phenomenal playing, love the groove and energy11 points
It's borderline cheating, because Los Lobotomys has been on my short list of 'albums to buy' for many years, yet I've never bothered looking up the music online before purchasing. But Kwyjibo took full advantage of me Toto/Lukather/Porcaro love and knocked it out of the park here. Hard to believe this is live with how tight the playing is. I don't think there's one sour note in this track. From the first listen it reminded me of a Toto song that would come many years later, "Taint Your World" from Falling In Between, and that's a good thing - I really love this high speed, electric groove, makes me feel like the song actually has momentum and isn't crawling towards the end. I don't think it overstays its welcome either. The lineup on this record is mindbogglingly good and I've bumped this one up to be one of my next album purchases for sure. Awesome track and god bless Steve Lukather.
7. Ruba
Tori Amos - Spark1. Wasn't expecting to love this. Part of it reminds me of a moment on Steven Wilson's last album10 points
It's possible I've heard something else, but I'm pretty sure this is the only Tori Amos song I've ever heard. I was expecting something very poppy. This is adventurous and dramatic. Actually reminds me of a more recent pop musician, Charlotte Martin, and the song 'Veins' - it's got an interesting vibe and an even more interesting breakdown. There is a moment in the song when she sings "but you don't really need it" and it sounds exactly like a moment of SW's album To The Bone but I can't pinpoint which song it's in. Anyway, she's got a great voice and it's more complex than I was expecting, and it's held up on multiple listens. I really like this and might have to get more if the rest of her stuff is similar.
8. romdrumsLettuce - Madison Square16. This is dope. If Peter Parker had strutted his stuff to this in Spider-Man 3 maybe those girls wouldn't have laughed at him9 points
I SO dig the groove in this piece. Nice funky bass with some slick brass on top and sharp motifs, it's really tasty music to chew on as I go for a walk. Kind of struggled with where to place this though, given the stiff competition this round. I think it's held up just fine on repeat listens, but unlike the songs above this I'm not uncovering a lot of new stuff in those repeat listens, so it's hard to justify putting it higher - but I really like the whole track, the vibe is chill but not lethargic and moves at a nice head bopping pace. Wish the band name was better though
really good track here.
9. StadlerHank Williams, Jr. - The Pressure Is On14. Aaand that's going right on the 'drinking songs' playlist8 points
Coming in right under the halfway mark, this song's ranking is merely a consequence of just how good the other submissions are this round. This is my kind of old school country. The instrumentation is minimal and simple and the role is to set the mood for the story he's singing - the star of the show here is his voice and the lyrics. It's crazy how a simple melody can do so much for a song, and he sells the hell out of it. It's a cliché scene but I just freaking love songs like this where I can imagine a guy drinking alone at a bar and the song is all about what he's struggling with personally. Great song - but I'm banning Hank Williams, Jr. now
10. EliteVOLA - Starburn9. It's really good, but there's just this one thing...7 points
I know it must sting to see the other VOLA song rank much higher than this, but hear me out: I've heard this group described as Meshuggah meets Depeche Mode. Well, I don't know any Depeche Mode, and I dislike Meshuggah, but overall I think this song rocks. I love the verses and basically everything about the song other than when the tough guy shouting starts. It's not BAD, it just takes away a bit from the song for me, whereas "Applause of a Distant Crowd" has this summery beauty to the music that I think is enough to make them stand out, and that heavy part in this one doesn't really set them apart. That's literally my only gripe; it is in fact a great song that really shows their creativity and the main riff is chunky and funky. This band is now banned, because I'm sold on their sound. This is a really cool song, but again, a victim of its competition. (You've sent me 2 VOLA songs now and I think I actually like this one more than Smartfriend, which is a good sign!)
11. TACNarrow Gate - Wages of Sin6. Okay I'm pretty sure this is already better than anything you sent in my last roulette6 points
I wasn't expecting something like this from you, TAC. Consider me pleasantly surprised! I was actually expecting straight-up heavy metal like usual. Okay, so. I don't dislike this track, it's just, again, a victim of competition. I was thrown by the odd rhythms but really enjoy them. It's got this dark vibe. Now the soloing is really nice, but the saxophone is my favorite thing about this song. I'm kind of sad it goes away so quickly though, and by the end I'm left surprised that it isn't brought back. The guitar soloing is nice, but doesn't leave a lot left for me to chew on when coming back to it. It's a very interesting song and I'm thinking about checking out more of their stuff if it's as creative as this. Not bad - but not blowing my mind either.
12. Big Hath
Tower of Power - Squib Cakes4. This song reminds me of cities. I hate cities, but this is groovy. I'm a little confused5 points
I feel a little bad that this is coming in so low, but for the umpteenth time: it's a victim of competition. I really dig this song because it's got this slick identity - some really groovy 70s-style jamming and a funky rhythm. The image I get is 100% 1970s New York City, big hair and loud fashion and strutting through the city. To that extent I think it's very cool and flavorful. Two problems bring it down for me though - I think it's a little too long for what it is, and there's almost a full minute later on where the Hammond is laying on this high note and I find it maddening. It's a minor quibble but on repeat listens 50+ seconds of that pitch became tedious, and as much as I like the piece, that one thing ruins some of the magic here. I don't dislike this song, it's really good. Tower of Power has my interest.
13. SaculOM - State of Non-Return2. I have no idea what genre you'd call this but it's pretty cool4 points
This singer reminds me of someone that I should know. It's a distinct voice, but even after looking him up, I can't pinpoint it. Maybe Arcturus? I really don't know. My gut reaction to this initially was disappointment that it never really picks up, but also fascination that it sounds like Ayreon if Arjen got bit by the industrial music bug. Really sounds like a sludgy, grimey distortion of bits and pieces of Ayreon particularly because of that dark string line over the rest of the band. But the mood is almost uncomfortable at times, like a boozy funk, and I think the end drags on just a bit too long for my liking. It's an interesting piece and I don't dislike it, but there was also nothing that particularly grabbed me by the hojos and said 'buckle up' so the ranking is what it is. Certainly not writing this group off.
14. wolfkingVanden Plas - Godmaker11. Definitely sounds like them, but I'm not quite sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing yet3 points
Update: it's not a bad thing. However, it just sounds like Vanden Plas. I like Vanden Plas. Unfortunately there's nothing here that's impressing me. The riff is nice, the vocals are nice, everybody sounds comfortably Vanden Plas. But I think one could also interpret that as 'stale.' I don't - I want to be clear, I like this song - I'm just not finding anything to really go 'wow' at. Strangely, I think it's both better than some of the stuff on the albums I'm familiar with and a bit tepid, not really doing anything special. I like the sound of his voice, and wish he'd do more like what he does at the end of the song. For the last time, it's just a victim of competition, I wish I could rank this one higher.
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15. kingshmeglandBen Folds Five - Battle of Who Could Care Less12. I appreciate the ballsy gamble - but this one doesn't cut the mustard2 points
There ARE things I like about this track. I dig the groove, I dig the piano, I dig the lyrics. However, his voice. I just don't like his voice, *especially* when he tries to do the 'doo-doo-doo' harmonies. I don't think he sings well, and the particular harmonies he's going for just don't sound pleasant to my ears. I like the lyrical subject matter and the groove in the hook. I really appreciate you having the balls to take aim at the Randy Newman side of my musical taste - it's a very risky move and with someone as unique and distinct at Randy, it's really hard to find something in that vein, so thank you for trying. But them's the breaks - sorry brudda, I appreciate you gambling in the first round.
16. Puppies_On_AcidScott Walker - Farmer In The City13. Thanks for playing!1 point
Sorry, that impression is a bit rude in hindsight. I really tried to like this, my man. I think it's artsy and his singing voice has a nice sound, but it's just so weird and vampiric - always makes me think of Dracula sitting in a dark stone room singing to himself. So I went and read the lyrics to the song, which lead me to the story behind the song. The story, honestly, is more appealing to me than the song itself. The lack of any sort of buildup combined with its length and really strange atmosphere was very off-putting. I really tried to open my mind to this one, but it's just a swing and a miss - sorry, buddy. Thanks for sending a bold first track.
Round 1 Results
1. Cyril - 16 points
2. Buddyhunter1 - 15 points
3. Tomislav95 - 14 points
4. jingle.boy - 13 points
5. ariich - 12 points
6. Kwyjibo - 11 points
7. Ruba - 10 points
8. romdrums - 9 points
9. Stadler - 8 points
10. Elite - 7 points
11. TAC - 6 points
12. Big Hath - 5 points
13. Sacul - 4 points
14. wolfking - 3 points
15. kingshmegland - 2 points
16. Puppies_On_Acid - 1 point
Newly Banned Artists
Gunship
VOLA
Hank Williams, Jr.
Los Lobotomys
Vanden Plas
Poll
Topic: Katt's Roulette 3.0 v. post-roulette jingle concept playlist thing results! (Read 30775 times)