Twosuitsluke's Second Roulette v. Final Results Part 2

[LithoJazzoSphere]

LithoJazzoSphere: All Ends - Wasting Life
I'll be checking these guys out further, just to see if the whole album sounds like an In Flames record.

That one has my favorite guitar melody/harmonies/soloing of theirs.  Their lead guitarist is the same guy who played the legendary guest solo on In Flames' "December Flower".  Some songs have more of an In Flames feel than others, some are a lot further away, but I would check out "Make My Day", "Ready To Go Back", "Alone", "Close My Eyes", "Am I Insane", "Treat Me Right", and "What We Say" for the most In Flames vibes, though numerous others have moments as well.  A couple of those are bonus tracks that aren't on the non-SE versions of the albums.  The bulk of those are on the debut, which isn't on streaming, so you'd have to search Youtube for individual tracks or just buy the album (if it's even still available, I bought my copy a long time ago).  The second album broadens their genre palette a lot more, it's unknown if you'd like it as much. 

[HOF]

If there is one thing I think I've learnt from this roulette, and maybe this round specifically, is that I think I need to run an album roulette! Here are the scores guys, I'll explain my thinking on an album roulette at the end...


HOF: Dim Gray - Avalon | The Tide

I think maybe you've sent this in other roulettes, as the name looks familiar. I know I've never listened to them before though and it's nice to have submissions I have no preconceived notions about. The vocals are a big selling point for this song, and the part that had me scratching my head on first listen. This sounds like a mash up of two vocalists I like, but I couldn't place it. Actually, one was pretty obvious, this sounds partly like Mariusz Duda from Riverside and (the second took a while longer to get) part Dallas Green (Alexisonfire/City and Colour). I think musically it feels similar to Riverside and has that kind of melancholy vibe to it. My enjoyment of this did grow with each listen, I will say. I usually listen to this sort of music, when I am in a certain mood or setting, and generally gravitate towards more upbeat music.

7.5/10

So I definitely think this is one where you need the full album to appreciate the individual songs. I'm only vaguely familiar with Riverside, so I wouldn't have connected the two. Overall, the album is a bit more orchestral/electronic than what you might have gotten from this track. But this is one of my favorites from the album for sure.

No idea what to send next. I'll think of something!

[Crow]

the funny thing about this paper chase song is that i've shown it to a lotta my friends in the pop chart community and pretty much all of them loved it, it's just DTFers who appear to be cowards about this one 

i'll chalk that down as y'all's problem, i think 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Here is a song that is nothing new to me at all, and I've heard this done many times

And I assume you mean here just the style of guitar melodies and harmonies, in melodeath or Iron Maiden-style bands.  I've never heard it in their hard rock/alt metal style or vocal format. 

[Revenge319]

Revenge319: Daisuke Ishiwatari - Play the Hero

I appreciate you sending more video game music as I dig it. Obviously if I'd played the game, I would have been more invested in the music but this is a solid rocker, and I can only imagine it is battle music. As I said in the first impressions, I'm not sold on the vocals or lyrics, but musically this is solid. Great guitars, cool bass lines, just straight in your face. Luckily my ear is always drawn to the guitar and drums more, so this gets a pretty solid score, nothing more, nothing less. Better vocals and less cheesy lyrics could've increased the score some but it doesn't affect the overall outcome too much.

6.5/10

In hindsight, there were one or two other choices from this artist that I really wish I'd sent instead of this one (especially now that I know that the lyrics didn't do much for you), but I still think this one was worth sending. I would actually say that this song is just as enjoyable without context of the game as it is with the context. One, this soundtrack is generally inspired by classic rock/metal bands and is written more similarly to songs from those bands, and not so much written the way video game music usually is. Two, I feel like there isn't much context to it to begin with. The game this comes from is a fighting game, so you will hear it in the gameplay, but I wouldn't say it's important to listen to the song in context of the game.

I'll try to submit for Round 6 soon. I'm gonna have to really think about this one...

[King Postwhore]

Nice!  Working my way up the charts!

[Buddyhunter1]

Sent

[nick_z]

Nick_z: Sonja - Wanting Me Dead

Nick, I feel I know your tastes well enough now to say this feels like a Nick pick. It is all about those guitars, which your submissions generally are. The vocals let this down some, but it's still good enough. The instrumental section in the middle does go on a bit and the song probably could've been shortened. It also feels like it's building to a solo that never comes. It left me wanting more and is far from a bad song. On my final spin this actually got an extra half a point as it has some parts I really like.

6.5/10

Glad you sorta enjoyed it, but clearly I need to up my game  And darn, either of the other two songs I was thinking of sending (Mother of Millions and Meer) and that were sent by others did better than this 

Elite: MEER - Picking Up the Pieces

This came in second when it comes to songs that grew on me the most. There was a bit of a buzz around DTF when this came out and it was accompanied by comparisons to The Dear Hunter. The Dear Hunter are now one of my all time favourites, so any band that is compared has a lot to live up to. I have spun this albums a few times prior to the roulette and clearly nothing left too much of an impression as I've not returned to it.
I really dig this though, and it started to click by the 4th listen. To the song, I love the strings that accompany that opening, and I know I've been vocal about liking orchestral flourishes in my music (which is one of the reasons I particularly like The Dear Hunter's Acts IV & V). Vocally this has way more in common with Agent Fresco than The Dear Hunter, and I also hear a bit of Leprous. Maybe I was too harsh on this record the first few times around, I'll have to give it another spin.

The opening post to the Meer thread was my first post ever on DTF, so that holds a special place for me  This album was my favorite from last year, and the biggest "out of nowhere" surprise, for sure. The chorus on this song, in particular, is amazing. Especially the last one, with the two vocalists harmonizing and everything soaring...fantastic stuff!!

[twosuitsluke]

Maybe joining up late to this party was a bad idea. 

Or just sending with zero thought    I've adopted that approach multiple times to be fair.

Man I hope I don't pull a Sacul in the last couple rounds.

It's inevitable right?

If there is one thing I think I've learnt from this roulette, and maybe this round specifically, is that I think I need to run an album roulette! Here are the scores guys, I'll explain my thinking on an album roulette at the end...


HOF: Dim Gray - Avalon | The Tide

I think maybe you've sent this in other roulettes, as the name looks familiar. I know I've never listened to them before though and it's nice to have submissions I have no preconceived notions about. The vocals are a big selling point for this song, and the part that had me scratching my head on first listen. This sounds like a mash up of two vocalists I like, but I couldn't place it. Actually, one was pretty obvious, this sounds partly like Mariusz Duda from Riverside and (the second took a while longer to get) part Dallas Green (Alexisonfire/City and Colour). I think musically it feels similar to Riverside and has that kind of melancholy vibe to it. My enjoyment of this did grow with each listen, I will say. I usually listen to this sort of music, when I am in a certain mood or setting, and generally gravitate towards more upbeat music.

7.5/10

So I definitely think this is one where you need the full album to appreciate the individual songs. I'm only vaguely familiar with Riverside, so I wouldn't have connected the two. Overall, the album is a bit more orchestral/electronic than what you might have gotten from this track. But this is one of my favorites from the album for sure.

No idea what to send next. I'll think of something!

Yea, it's nice dude. I'll be checking out the album out for sure.

the funny thing about this paper chase song is that i've shown it to a lotta my friends in the pop chart community and pretty much all of them loved it, it's just DTFers who appear to be cowards about this one 

i'll chalk that down as y'all's problem, i think 

On the whole, pop is really not my thing, unless it's 90s pop, so that could be the problem.

Here is a song that is nothing new to me at all, and I've heard this done many times

And I assume you mean here just the style of guitar melodies and harmonies, in melodeath or Iron Maiden-style bands.  I've never heard it in their hard rock/alt metal style or vocal format. 

Yea, I guess I've not heard the same two styles mixed together, but yea the sound in general is not new to my ears.

Revenge319: Daisuke Ishiwatari - Play the Hero

I appreciate you sending more video game music as I dig it. Obviously if I'd played the game, I would have been more invested in the music but this is a solid rocker, and I can only imagine it is battle music. As I said in the first impressions, I'm not sold on the vocals or lyrics, but musically this is solid. Great guitars, cool bass lines, just straight in your face. Luckily my ear is always drawn to the guitar and drums more, so this gets a pretty solid score, nothing more, nothing less. Better vocals and less cheesy lyrics could've increased the score some but it doesn't affect the overall outcome too much.

6.5/10

In hindsight, there were one or two other choices from this artist that I really wish I'd sent instead of this one (especially now that I know that the lyrics didn't do much for you), but I still think this one was worth sending. I would actually say that this song is just as enjoyable without context of the game as it is with the context. One, this soundtrack is generally inspired by classic rock/metal bands and is written more similarly to songs from those bands, and not so much written the way video game music usually is. Two, I feel like there isn't much context to it to begin with. The game this comes from is a fighting game, so you will hear it in the gameplay, but I wouldn't say it's important to listen to the song in context of the game.

I'll try to submit for Round 6 soon. I'm gonna have to really think about this one...

Yea it was pretty good, but I did find the lyrics cheesy. Sometimes cheese is fine though.

Nice!  Working my way up the charts!

Keep 'em coming dude.

Nick_z: Sonja - Wanting Me Dead

Nick, I feel I know your tastes well enough now to say this feels like a Nick pick. It is all about those guitars, which your submissions generally are. The vocals let this down some, but it's still good enough. The instrumental section in the middle does go on a bit and the song probably could've been shortened. It also feels like it's building to a solo that never comes. It left me wanting more and is far from a bad song. On my final spin this actually got an extra half a point as it has some parts I really like.

6.5/10

Glad you sorta enjoyed it, but clearly I need to up my game  And darn, either of the other two songs I was thinking of sending (Mother of Millions and Meer) and that were sent by others did better than this 

Elite: MEER - Picking Up the Pieces

This came in second when it comes to songs that grew on me the most. There was a bit of a buzz around DTF when this came out and it was accompanied by comparisons to The Dear Hunter. The Dear Hunter are now one of my all time favourites, so any band that is compared has a lot to live up to. I have spun this albums a few times prior to the roulette and clearly nothing left too much of an impression as I've not returned to it.
I really dig this though, and it started to click by the 4th listen. To the song, I love the strings that accompany that opening, and I know I've been vocal about liking orchestral flourishes in my music (which is one of the reasons I particularly like The Dear Hunter's Acts IV & V). Vocally this has way more in common with Agent Fresco than The Dear Hunter, and I also hear a bit of Leprous. Maybe I was too harsh on this record the first few times around, I'll have to give it another spin.

The opening post to the Meer thread was my first post ever on DTF, so that holds a special place for me  This album was my favorite from last year, and the biggest "out of nowhere" surprise, for sure. The chorus on this song, in particular, is amazing. Especially the last one, with the two vocalists harmonizing and everything soaring...fantastic stuff!!

It was good, and had some bits I really liked but it didn't go beyond that. The MEER is pretty cool, I'm hoping the album will hit a little different next time I listen.

[twosuitsluke]

Right, gonna start listening to Litho and Wolfking's songs. I wasn't planning to do any first impressions, or hangman, unless everyone really wants it!

I think I'll literally do rounds separately, so scoring two songs then progressing on to the next songs. I'll still do at least 5 listens, to be fair. It could come fairly thick and fast though 

[wolfking]

I don't care about impressions mate.  Hangman might be interesting but don't hold things up for us or have heaps of listens if you don't want.

[twosuitsluke]

FYI, Litho and Wolfking, if you wanted to change any of your submissions, based on my scoring of round 5, let me know ASAP.

I've listened to your round 1 submissions, so you can't switch them out, but rounds 2-4 are fair game if you want to.

[wolfking]

Nah mate, it's not that serious.  All good.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

I've love to at least hear your first impression of each song, but I don't particularly care whether you post it separately or just include it in the writeup.  Given that I'm hearing that most people in these roulettes don't listen to their competitors' entries on the whole (though I am at this point), it's mostly just for wolfking and I, or anyone who happens to be curious about any of the artists.  Hangman I guess is up to everybody else.  I'm not sure how interesting it is to do with such a small set of songs and submitters. 

FYI, Litho and Wolfking, if you wanted to change any of your submissions, based on my scoring of round 5, let me know ASAP.

I've listened to your round 1 submissions, so you can't switch them out, but rounds 2-4 are fair game if you want to.

Nah, I intentionally picked a spread of different things to see how you react to each.  I'm hoping these meet in a Venn diagram of our tastes, but I guess we'll find out soon enough.  I already have a growing pool of candidates for later rounds to select from depending upon how these and other entries go. 

[twosuitsluke]

First impressions? Holy shit, both of these songs are better than what you each sent in the last round!

[LithoJazzoSphere]

[ariich]

Ah well I'm glad you liked it, but score is a bit disappointing compared with the first impression!

I sort of get what you're saying about songs vs albums, at least the part about sometimes not digging a song that much but loving the album as a whole. That's why I did album roulettes for a while, and now do the whole multiple-songs-up-to-20-mins submissions it - allows you to get more of a flavour of what the artist is like. As for songs being better in the context of an album, I can see that to an extent but not sure I can relate to that as much as being a big factor.

I thought Buddy might be too far ahead to catch, but I'd forgotten there are 10 rounds so we're only halfway through, so I guess there's still a chance. Doesn't change my approach, I'll still keep sending a variety of things you might like to see what sticks!

[Sacul]

Woah, I was ready for a 6, but I'm so glad you liked it! Yeah that guitar solo at the end is just , and what a fantastic song overall, just banger after banger. Definitely check out their other album † tho, as the one Planisphere is from is kinda weak as a whole.

Man I hope I don't pull a Sacul in the last couple rounds.

I love you too, Buddy

[Crow]

i mean.

that's not the point  the paper chase are absolutely not pop they are wacko post-hardcore but it's the metalheads who seem to be the most afraid of them 

[Sacul]

sended

[twosuitsluke]

i mean.

that's not the point  the paper chase are absolutely not pop they are wacko post-hardcore but it's the metalheads who seem to be the most afraid of them 

No, but it clearly appeals to those who are fans of pop as opposed to those who aren't, so I'm right 

[nick_z]

Sent for round 6!

[Sacul]

resended

[LithoJazzoSphere]

The thing about an album roulette (or an EP roulette for that matter) is the time.  If 15 people send you an hour-long album, and you listen three times to each one, that's 45 hours of listening each round, plus if you need extra listens for any of them, plus doing writeups (unless you do it during one of the three, but then you're a bit distracted during one of them).  So you either need to limit the number of participants, or just have everyone be ok with it being a lot longer between rounds.  I guess this might be obvious to some/most here who are veterans, but I've been having to think about it more explicitly since I'm thinking of having an album round in my own upcoming roulette. 

[TAC]

The thing about an album roulette (or an EP roulette for that matter) is the time.  If 15 people send you an hour-long album, and you listen three times to each one, that's 45 hours of listening each round, plus if you need extra listens for any of them, plus doing writeups (unless you do it during one of the three, but then you're a bit distracted during one of them).  So you either need to limit the number of participants, or just have everyone be ok with it being a lot longer between rounds.  I guess this might be obvious to some/most here who are veterans, but I've been having to think about it more explicitly since I'm thinking of having an album round in my own upcoming roulette.

Here's a link to The $5.98 TAC EP Roulette V.4
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=54416.0

5 rounds...14 participants
OP... Oct 22
Winner crowned...Dec 6

And the fucking assholes turned the final round into an Concept Album Round just to torture me. 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Yeah, but by the standards of this board we probably don't have lives. 

[twosuitsluke]

Yea, I said in the post yesterday that if I did an album roulette I'd limit to 8 or 10 participants. I might have to think about a stipulation stating you can only send X amount of albums, in the roulette, that are over an hour, for instance. In these parts it wouldn't be uncommon to get 10, 80 minute albums!

[LithoJazzoSphere]

My album submission will be Miles Davis' The Complete Recordings 1945 - 1960.  It's only 34 discs. 

[HOF]

Sent!

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Meer's "Picking Up the Pieces" is growing on me, I'm minding less having it score more than mine now. 

It occurs to me that anyone wandering into this thread in the past couple pages is going to see the current scoreboard and assume wolfking and I sent some truly hideous shit in the early rounds.   

Someone really bored should do a golf scoring roulette someday, lowest score wins. 

[Duppies_Don_Dacid]

Meer's "Picking Up the Pieces" is growing on me, I'm minding less having it score more than mine now. 

It occurs to me that anyone wandering into this thread in the past couple pages is going to see the current scoreboard and assume wolfking and I sent some truly hideous shit in the early rounds.   
Someone really bored should do a golf scoring roulette someday, lowest score wins.

4 straight rounds of Bull of Heaven 

[twosuitsluke]

Here we go, round 1 of Litho and Wolfy play catch up    you guys both outdid yourselves, compared to what you sent in the last round. Both really good songs.


LithoJazzoSphere: Anti Cimex - Of Ice

I'm not sure anyone has ever sent me a hardcore punk song in a roulette, but boy am I glad of it. My favourite style of punk is the wave of American punk that came out in the 90s. You could say it all kind of came from Bad Religion's Suffer and Operation Ivy's one and only album. Anti Cimex are Swedish, and are more hardcore/crust punk, and although I don't listen to a great deal of this style, I do enjoy it. They sound like they take a lot of influence from bands like Discharge (who were actually a huge influence on Metallica). This sounds dirty and scuzzy (that bass at 1:20), so crust punk is apt, but I love that. I mentioned the other day that my favourite songs are generally high energy and get me pumped, Of Ice has plenty of that. This is just some great, pedal to the metal hardcore punk. The vocals are harsher than the majority of the punk I listen to but it works.

8/10



Wolfking: Lost Horizon - Think Not Forever

Now this is more like it! Before we get to the music can we just take a moment to talk about how terrible this album cover is   it is very of it's time, but dear lord.



This is exactly what I expect from you dude, and is way better than Angel Dust, as far as I'm concerned. Lost Horizon are kinda classic heavy metal with some power metal thrown in there? Some great riffs, kinda cheesy lyrics and blistering solos. I can hear some Seventh Wonder in here. The keys are more add background layers to the song, rather than taking centre stage (I was expecting an equally blistering keyboard solo). Yea, good stuff.

7.5/10


Standings:

Buddyhunter1 - 38.5
TAC - 36
Evermind - 36
Nick - 35.5
Ariich - 35.5
King - 35.5
Elite - 35
HOF - 34
Cyril - 33.5
Puppies - 33.5
Romdrums - 33.5
Sacul - 33
Revenge - 29.5
LithoJazzoSphere - 15.5
Wolfking - 14

[wolfking]

That's a disappointing score for that song IMO but the album is classic.  Check out the full thing mate.

[twosuitsluke]

That's a disappointing score for that song IMO but the album is classic.  Check out the full thing mate.

If it makes you feel better, I don't think I've given out a score higher than 8.5 in this roulette yet. I'll definitely check out the album.

[ariich]

Yeah seriously Kade, 7.5 is a high score in this roulette. Buddy is the only person with an average score higher than that, at 7.7.