You're all in luck.
So, just being honest here: the scoring is gonna get tougher from here on out. I can't imagine anything getting less than a 7.0, both out of fairness and how much I enjoy music, but this round tells me there could easily be a 2.x point gap between scores in future rounds. This round was almost an even split between stuff I probably won't revisit and stuff I'm curious about exploring more. There are 5 rounds to change your score, so no need to worry, in fact I myself don't think you should pay attention to the scores, but that's just me. I still enjoy listening to what everyone has to offer each round. I really hate having to say that each week but I empathize with the people in the bottom half, so don't feel bad, please.
* * *
Shadow Ninja 2.0: Bohren & der Club of Gore [7.4]1. Im Rauch
2. Fahr Zur Hölle
3. Darkstalker
Ah, man... I love mellow stuff but there was hardly anything going on here. Even in super chill stuff I like some kind of music going on that I can latch onto, a little rhythmic motif, or a light melody, something. None of that is really present here. It just kind of limps to the finish line in each track and says nothing. I mean, it's not BAD, but I just failed to find anything to connect with here. I'm not sure what kind of context I could listen to this in to enjoy it.
* * *
jingle.boy: Duran Duran [7.6]1. The Reflex (Dance Mix)
2. Rio
3. The Wild Boys
I first heard "Rio" in South Park.
Watch this from 2:00 to the end.I went into this expecting to like it, but man, I was let down big time. I just can't get into this, man. I'm not gonna tear it apart - Rio has a great hook and the sax is always a good thing - but whoever this singer is just can't sing imo. I hesitate to call this bad, but I just don't like this. This is a bit 'too' 80s, in a bad way.
* * *
kingshmegland: The Feeling [7.6]1. Love It When You Call
2. Never Be Lonely
3. Strange
4. Sewn
This is nauseatingly similar to The Beatles and I do not like The Beatles. There are a couple nice vocal melodies throughout this, but Love It When You Call and Sewn are almost blatant Beatles worship. Never Be Lonely has kind of a nice vibe and vocal melody, it's my favorite of the bunch. I gotta be honest - this does nothing for me and sounds a little generic.
* * *
Podaar: Bullmark (Interstate '76) [7.7]1. Interstate '76 Theme
2. Vigilante Shuffle
3. Desert Sky Groove
4. The T'aint
5. Spineless Funk
6. Tulip Waltz
7. Never Get Outta the Car (Extended Slap Mix)
8. Reggae Fusion
This was curious. But I can't say it's calling me back to replay it at all. It definitely sounds like music I've heard in some other 90s racing/simulation games, where it's there to have some groove and funk for menu navigation or simple levels, but doesn't have the bite and depth or complexity of real funk or jazz. Maybe I'm being too hard on it, I don't know, but the hooks/melodies aren't strong enough to make me think, "Holy shit!" like a lot of my favorite game music. It is nice to hear some groovy stuff written for a video game, but at the same time I'm not sure it's a soundtrack that I find impressive. It's certainly not bad music, but as a devourer of rich, melodic game music, perhaps I have an unreasonably high standard. This was the most curious entry of the round, and I spent a lot of time thinking about it. The audio poetry was interesting to read as well. Sounds like a curious game, and perhaps I would enjoy the music more in context while actually playing it, if I were to ever pick it up somehow.
* * *
Train of Naught: Vulfpeck [7.9]1. Welcome to Vulf Records
2. Back Pocket
3. Fugue State
4. 1612
5. Animal Spirits
6. Dean Town
Fugue State sounds like Animal Crossing music. I like that. Overall it's pretty happy funk music, and it's charming, but bizarrely it also kind of rubs me a weird way - funk that's happy-go-lucky like this sounds like... I don't know. Makes me think of TV commercials for some reason. The singing sounds kind of sterile to me. I didn't dig this very much, unfortunately, but I admire that it's something different, it's a bit refreshing in that sense.
* * *
Puppies_On_Acid: Tenhi [7.9]1. Revontulet
2. Varpuspävä
3. Katve
4. Pojan Kiiski
What is this, the low key round? These songs never really build to a climax, or have strong hooks. They're nice folksy, woodsy tunes with some lovely pipes and guitars every now and then, though. Always forget what the BoInG-y instrument is, but Tenhi remains the only artist I can think of to use it regularly. The lack of memorable hooks or melodies in this is a big knock against it, but at the same time, I enjoy listening to these and they set a nice mood. They do a really good job of sounding like they're playing in the woods at night. I just wish I remembered more of the music even after multiple listens.
* * *
Evermind: Easily Embarrassed [8.0]1. Time Holes
2. Little Match Sister
3. Little Trees And Mysteries
I would describe this the same way I described The Comet Is Coming: alien cocaine dance party music. That is exactly what this sounds like. Music that would play at an alien party with a whole bunch of lines on the tables. Pretty cool stuff, honestly. Little Trees & Mysteries is my favorite because of that kickass Spanish guitar over the electronic beat. The other two rock, too, and have a much groovier rhythm, but LT&M has that easy, head-boppable beat that I dig so much. I'm not sure it's blowing my mind, but it's cool background music, just not sure how often I'd go back to this when the similar stuff from last round was more compelling imo.
* * *
ariich: The Cat Empire [8.1]1. Fishies
2. Song for the Day
3. The Rhythm
4. The Lost Song
5. Til the Ocean Takes Us All
Okay, so I don't find much of the singing impressive, although I do really like it in some songs (like the end of Til the Ocean Takes Us All, that's some good stuff). But musically, this is really fun! The horns are really the highlight of all the songs and give them most of their character, imo. The reggae vibe of The Lost Song is super cool, the singer's voice is a bit odd but over time I grew to appreciate its unique qualities. I really dig Fishies, The Rhythm, and The Lost Song here. Nothing bad, nothing super impressive, but it's fun and different.
* * *
wolfking: Jimmy Barnes [8.1]1. Driving Wheels
2. Too Much Ain't Enough Love
3. Waiting For The Heartache
4. Let's Make It Last All Night
There's a big Sammy Hagar energy to this guy and these songs. If you had sent me Driving Wheels as an MP3 and labeled it Sammy Hagar, I would've 100% believed it was sung by a young Sammy. That song rocks, I like it a lot. But overall, especially the other three, I've bought this album a thousand times, heard it a million times. I did save Driving Wheels to my favorites playlist; his singing elevates that to the level of something I could listen to regularly, I could easily slot that into a playlist of Jorn and Sammy Hagar and similar rock stars.
* * *
Big Hath: Kevin Gilbert/Giraffe [8.2]1. Giraffe - Because of You
2. Kevin Gilbert - Goodness Gracious
3. Kevin Gilbert - Certifiable #1 Smash
4. Giraffe - Progress
For the most part I can't say the singing does anything for me. I'm known to be picky with singing, though. It's not bad singing. It's just kind of bland in my opinion. The hooks aren't bad either, but they don't grip me. Certifiable #1 Smash is the highlight of this group... what a weird song. Has the energy of a metal song, the groove of a funk song at times, and then it goes totally into new territory when he's talking to the audience, like an impromptu section of a live concert where the band vamps and the frontman rambles for a while. Totally threw me for a loop at first, but I came to really enjoy this one because of how unique it is, I don't think there's anything else like it in my library, which is awesome. Progress is another highlight. So overall while the singing doesn't do much for me, there's some bizarre, creative stuff here that I both dislike and like. It kind of see-saws, but I think it was worth it since Certifiable #1 Smash and Progress are really good.
* * *
Bolsters: Mree [8.4]1. To See the Light
2. Into the Well
3. Monsters
4. On Echo
I liked this a lot. It didn't leave much of an impression on me at first but I quickly warmed up to this. It reminds me of several indie bands + a lot of Múm, but with a little more urgency and rhythmic activity than Múm. I like all of these songs, but I think Into the Well and On Echo are my favorites. Mree clearly focuses on a delicate, pretty atmosphere and they do a good job at it. I'm not sure what kind of genre this counts as, some kind of art pop maybe, but whatever it is, it's very nice. The singer has a gorgeous voice and I really like the string arrangements especially in On Echo.
* * *
Stadler: Jeff Beck [8.6]1. She's a Woman
2. Head for Backstage Pass
3. Blue Wind
4. Freeway Jam
I didn't expect entirely instrumental selections. This is some nice bluesy jam stuff. The rhythm section in a couple of these is striking, Head for Backstage Pass and Blue Wind especially. The audible, punchy bass is fun to listen to. Blue Wind is a real standout piece: fun drum fills and rolls, cool active bass, and
awesome guitar and synth tones. I had a hard time telling some of the synth soloing from the guitar at first. Right at 4:25 in Blue Wind, by the way, is a short melodic idea that I feel like I've heard a hundred times elsewhere but I can't figure out where I would've heard it. Freeway Jam is another tasty jam but the guitar is finally the standout star, the melodic choices and way the guitar sings (and takes time off to let the rhythm section breathe) is very nice. Blue Wind is definitely my favorite of the bunch, but all of these are good jams and fun to listen to. Nice stuff.
* * *
Buddyhunter 1: Toby Fox (Undertale) [8.7]1. MEGALOVANIA
2. Another Medium
3. Death By Glamour
4. Undertale
5. Hopes And Dreams
6. His Theme
7. Last Goodbye
This is a mixed bag, ranging from good to really good. MEGALOVANIA is nice, but sounds like a generic "go get 'em" metal-y video game piece. Another Medium has nice grooves, and Undertale is a really delicate, delightful piece although it's rather long for something that repeats the same idea sooo much. Death By Glamour has an infectious energy and a killer saxophone hook, and Hopes and Dreams has similar energy and a REALLY strong melodic hook. The synths shine in that one. His Theme is better than the game's eponymous song, because it's short and sweet, and I like the arrangement of the bells and strings more. The marching drums and brass swells lend a lot to the stoic atmosphere of this piece. I really love the synth sound in Last Goodbye and the mood of that piece; the quick fall when the melody rises reminds me a little of Legend of Zelda. So overall, I really dig the faster moments in this music and a lot of the melodic choices are right up my alley. Not blowing me away, but it's good stuff with some high moments. Cool!
* * *
HOF: Paul Buchanan/The Blue Nile [8.8]1. Paul Buchanan - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
2. The Blue Nile - Regret
3. The Blue Nile - Family Life
4. The Blue Nile - Tinseltown in the Rain
First, the Paul Buchanan song. Lovely cover of a classic, with that airy Paul Buchanan flavor. I really enjoy that one. It's moody but still has enough melody to latch onto it and remember it. The Blue Nile pieces - honestly, for some reason I thought The Blue Nile only had one album, Hats. I love that record. I was surprised to hear these three songs. Regret and Family Life remind me of the softest moments on Hats, and they're GOOD. That's the kind of low key, soft music I like a lot, and Paul Buchanan just seems to have a way with that style of music. He makes it work very well. Something about his singing, his voice works well with it. Tinseltown in the Rain is nice, and a good contrast to all the other somber stuff. Reeks of the 80s, in a good way. Reminds me of Hats a lot. Looks like I have some more Blue Nile exploring to do, thanks, dude!
* * *
Indiscipline: Pentangle [8.8]1. A Maid That's Deep In Love
2. Cruel Sister
3. Hunting Song
I think I like A Maid That's Deep In Love much more than the last time I heard it - maybe that's because I'm hearing it with other Pentangle songs, so it has some context. Maybe I just like it more. Maybe both. I wasn't sure about this stuff at first. It was pleasant but didn't really stick with me. On repeats though, I came to really enjoy the vocal melodies and how they use repetition to drill the musical themes into my head... Moreso on Maid... and Cruel Sister. Hunting Song is really nice. These are all songs I could easily imagine playing in a tavern. They all make me think of taverns in World of Warcraft, actually
This has a big charm to it and I went from not thinking much of it to it being one of my favorites this round. There's plenty of mood, melody, and rhythmic activity which I like. No one element is sacrificed to favor another and the music benefits from that.
* * *
romdrums: Keith Emerson [9.0]1. Piano Concerto, No. 1: Allegro giocoso
2. Piano Concerto, No. 1: Andante molto cantabile
3. Piano Concerto, No. 1: Toccata con fuoco
I didn't expect this at all from Keith Emerson, but in hindsight maybe I should have expected exactly this. This is magnificent and top notch classical music. The orchestra sounds rich and full. The swells of an orchestra are one of my favorite things in music and when the brass section roars, it gives me goosebumps. There is a musical motif repeated in the last couple of minutes that I believe is in the exact same key and follows a very similar melodic pattern to that of the main theme of the Lord of the Rings movies, which makes me very happy and I love hearing it, it's a fantastic way to cap off the 18 minute journey. I can hear Keith Emerson's style whenever he's playing, and the orchestra is exquisite. This was a big grower. Fantastic music.
* * *
Sacul: Saltillo [9.1]1. Giving In
2. A Hair on the Head of John the Baptist
3. Denim
4. They All Do It The Same
Now that's what I call Sacul music! I REALLY liked this. Perfect blend of chill beats, nice melodies, and relaxed yet measured emotion. I get some Portishead/Morcheeba vibes from a lot of this, based on what I've heard by those acts. But the star of the show here is A Hair on the Head of John the Baptist. LOVE the beat and what the keys are doing, the hook is catchy, and the sampling just works really well with the rest of the music. They All Do It The Same is another really good piece that actually reminds me of Chroma Key in some ways. Man, this is some good stuff, I enjoyed the hell out of this.
* * *
Elite: Kamasi Washington [9.1]1. Re Run
2. Clair de Lune
Man this is just delightful, what else can I say? Re Run is a really nice jazz piece, but the star here is clearly - obviously - Clair de Lune. The idea to take a timeless piano piece and turn it into a jazz ballad is a bold one, but the execution is genius. It's constantly engaging and asking for my attention without showboating or trying too hard to emote, it knows exactly what it's doing and there are some really cool things in here like the jagged sound of the violin halfway through. The main motif is arranged beautifully, and Kamasi - who I assume is playing the lead sax - is a wonderful player. I wonder why I've never heard of him before. This is mighty impressive, and I loved this more with each listen. I would suggest everybody at least check out Clair de Lune to hear why I enjoyed this so much.
* * *
1. Bolsters: 9.2 / 9.3 / 8.4 [26.9]
2. Elite: 9.0 / 8.6 / 9.1 [26.7]
3. Buddy: 8.5 / 9.2 / 8.7 [26.4]
4. Big Hath: 8.8 / 9.1 / 8.2 [26.1]
4. Indi: 9.1 / 8.2 / 8.8 [26.1]
6. ariich: 8.9 / 8.8 / 8.1 [25.8]
6. romdrums: 8.4 / 8.4 / 9.0 [25.8]
8. wolfking: 8.7 / 8.9 / 8.1 [25.7]
8. Pup: 9.2 / 8.6 / 7.9 [25.7]
9. Stadler: 8.2 / 8.8 / 8.6 [25.6]
10. Train: 8.1 / 9.4 / 7.9 [25.4]
10. Sacul: 7.8 / 8.5 / 9.1 [25.4]
12. Evermind: 8.6 / 8.7 / 8.0 [25.3]
13. Shadow: 8.2 / 9.4 / 7.4 [25.0]
14. HOF: 7.9 / 8.2 / 8.8 [24.9]
15. Podaar: 8.3 / 8.4 / 7.7 [24.4]
16. king: 7.9 / 8.6 / 7.6 [24.1]
17. jingle: 8.0 / 8.0 / 7.6 [23.6]
Banned from future rounds:
Return to Forever
Caravan Palace
Mos Def
múm
The Midnight
Kip Winger/Winger
Hiroyuki Sawano
Sublime
Amethystium
Steve Earle
Sarah McLachlan
Hall & Oates
Frank Zappa
Federation of the Disco Pimp
Nicolas Jaar
Tower of Power
Jean-Luc Ponty
CHVRCHES
Jason Isbell
Janelle Monáe
Revo
Submotion Orchestra
Icehouse
Ulver
The Weeknd
Stevie Wonder
Enigma
Elvis Presley
Squarepusher
Vince Gill
Joe Jackson
Justice
Sweet Billy Pilgrim
Damian Wilson
Mree
Kamasi Washington
Toby Fox
Kevin Gilbert/Giraffe
Pentangle
The Cat Empire
Keith Emerson
Jimmy Barnes
Tenhi
Jeff Beck
Vulfpeck
Saltillo
Easily Embarrassed
Bohren & der Club of Gore
Paul Buchanan/The Blue Nile
Bullmark/Arion Salazar
The Feeling
Duran Duran
Topic: The Walrus's Lead-Free Roulette -- now exploring every roulette submission ever (Read 97151 times)