ROUND 1 RESULTS--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buddy – Slayer1. Angel of Death
2. South of Heaven
3. Raining Blood
First impression: A bit lacking in melody for my tastes, but I found myself enjoying the riffing more than I expected.
Final opinion: Not the strongest start for the reigning champion, but I appreciate this roulette is not exactly tailor-made for you. So, Slayer. I was already pretty familiar with Raining Blood, and do quite like it. I wouldn’t say I love it though, and the little other stuff I’d previously heard from Slayer (including seeing them live at a festival with the other Big 4) hadn’t attracted me to checking them out further. I’m not sure this has entirely changed my mind, but I did enjoy all three of these songs. The riffing isn’t especially interesting, but it’s fast and energetic and I found myself getting into it and nodding along. There’s also an intensity and ferociousness that was pretty ahead of their time really. I’ve decided I’ll check out at least one full album from every artist submitted unless I dislike it, which isn’t the case here.
Score: 7.2--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Puppies – Judas Priest1. Exciter
2. Beyond the Realms of Death
3. Dissident Aggressor
4. The Hellion
5. Electric Eye
6. The Sentinel
First impression: Wow, so I weirdly hated the first track, but it got a lot better after that although I’m not sold on the vocals.
Final opinion: Alright, so I don’t hate Excited quite so much now, musically it’s ok if not especially exciting (ironically). But the production and performance are such a turn-off. Halford’s screeching is too shrill, and the guitar lead sounds really weak and amateurish. After that, things mostly improve enormously, although still sitting comfortably in the good-but-not-great range. Electric Eye and The Sentinel are easily my favourites here - a bigger sound, lots of energy and some good hooks - I definitely enjoy the second half of your submission enough to understand why people like Priest. This suggests I might enjoy some of their 80s output, so I’ll give those albums a chance, but to be honest I’m not feeling confident that I’ll get past Halford’s voice which I’ve just never found appealing.
Score: 7.2--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOF – The Blue Nile1. Over the Hillside
2. Tinseltown in the Rain
3. Heatwave
4. The Wires Are Down
First impression: Great vibe, love the sound, but musically it’s not doing anything for me on first listen.
Final opinion: Ok let’s start with the positives. I love the sound here, and would not have guessed it was from the 80s. I guess it’s probably been remastered more recently in terms of the fullness of the sound, but the style and the mix honestly sounds not dissimilar to what some synthpop and electronic artists are doing these days. Very chilled vibes and creative use of different sounds and ideas. The problem I had was how little I was getting from it musically. However, I’ve softened on that, and after multiple listens it has grown on me a bit - Heatwave especially did not interest me at all at first, but now has a really nice groove to it that kind of reminds me of Lemon Jelly. So overall I definitely like it, I just wish the music lived up to the production.
Score: 7.4--------------------------------------------------------------------------
wolfking – W.A.S.P.1. On Your Knees
2. Mean Man
3. Restless Gypsy
4. Hellion
5. Rebel in the F.D.G.
First impression: Entertaining enough and a fun energy, but I was hoping for stronger hooks.
Final opinion: W.A.S.P. have always struck me as a band that would hit on all the features of 80s rock and metal that I’ve found off-putting in the past. And in some ways, that sort of is the case. The music is pretty cheesy, the lyrics more so. Thankfully I seem to have got over that phase, and don’t find those features, in themselves, a problem especially when there are strong hooks or a big sense of fun (see my Styx review later on). The latter is the case here, maybe not as big and over-the-top as I might have expected but still highly enjoyable. But I find myself not fully getting into most of these songs because of a lack of good hooks. Not that the songs aren’t melodic, just that I mostly don’t find the melodies very interesting or memorable. Hellion is great, although I sort of knew that already from the Children of Bodom cover. The rest are all fine, but I’ve listened a bunch of times now and couldn’t tell you what they sound like.
Score: 7.5--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sacul – Kate Bush1. Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
2. Hounds of Love
3. The Big Sky
4. Cloudbusting
5. Jig of Life
First impression: More upbeat than I was expecting - pleasant but a bit of a mixed bag.
Final opinion: I’d admittedly not heard very much Kate Bush, but from what little I’d heard I was expecting something more emotive and melancholy in tone. So my first listen to these songs was very much a case of recalibrating. Once I’d done that, I rather enjoyed them, if not quite as consistently as I would have liked. I love Jig of Life, which has a really charming celtic energy to it but also experiments and doesn’t go where you think it will. Genuinely captivating stuff that’s got better with each listen. The other four songs by comparison are pretty straightforward pop songs. None really stands out to me as especially interesting, but they’re nice and each has different qualities to enjoy.
Score: 7.6--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stadler – Billy Joel1. Vienna
2. An Innocent Man
3. Scandinavian Skies
4. The Night is Still Young
First impression: Nice collection of songs, each a little different, some more interesting than others.
Final opinion: This was much closer to my expectation than Kate Bush, though my overall feelings about it are somewhat similar. My previous experience with Joel has been to love the odd song, but not find whole albums that interesting. This is sort of the case here, although a little more consistent in quality thanks to your curating. Vienna is the real standout here, seems like it’s a fan favourite and I can see why, it’s such a warm, catchy and immersive song. The rest aren’t quite so exciting, but they’re all nice, and I like the fact that they’re all a little different in mood or style. I do find it interesting that you didn’t include some of his other non-banned hits, which might have netted you a slightly higher score.
Score: 7.7--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruba – Killing Joke1. Love Like Blood
First impression: This isn’t a style I normally go for as evidenced by an almost complete lack of it in my RYM, but this was actually quite cool.
Final opinion: Post-punk isn’t a genre I know all that much about, or one that I’ve been particularly drawn to in the past. As you rightly observed, the few albums in the genre that I’ve rated on RYM haven’t tended to score very high. So this was a little risky, but actually I dig it. The style is moody but full of energy and momentum, with a sort of pulsating beat to it that’s kind of hypnotic. The sound also helps, it’s very punchy and adds to that sense of the rhythm driving the song forward. I also like how the guitars are used, as an effective supplement to the rhythm section rather than a main focal point.
Score: 7.8--------------------------------------------------------------------------
romdrums – Tears for Fears1. Shout
2. Mothers Talk
3. Sowing the Seeds of Love
4. Swords and Knives
First impression: I’m digging the production and the rich sound, but it’s a little… unexciting maybe?
Final opinion: This submission is very much in two halves, and I have pretty different feelings about each. The first two songs come from Songs From the Big Chair, and are very much in a new wave, synthpop sort of style. They kind of remind me of Depeche Mode, but without the sense of melancholy that makes their best music so captivating. I love the sound of these two songs, but musically I’m still not finding them too exciting (even though I gather Shout is one of their biggest hits). The other two songs then are from The Seeds of Love, which seems to have a very different style, more of a pop-rock, psychedelic vibe. In some ways the production isn’t quite so interesting here, but the music is fanastic - really richly melodic and with some top-notch hooks, especially in the title track.
Score: 7.8--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Luke – Operation Ivy1. Knowledge
2. Sound System
3. Unity
4. Healthy Body
First impression: Cool change of pace - pretty sure I’ve never heard this band before and yet I’m familiar with half the songs.
Final opinion: As I said, I’ve never listened to Operation Ivy before. But as you pointed out in your submission, they were iconic and incredibly important for 90s punk rock, and so unsurprisingly their stuff has been covered A LOT. And it turns out I’m somewhat familiar with covers of two of these songs, just hadn’t realised they were covers (Green Day’s Knowledge and Reel Big Fish’s Unity). Their sound is a little raw for my tastes - especially the vocals that swing in and out of tune - but the energy and attitude is great and the songs are just very enjoyable.
Score: 7.9--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elite – Chet Baker1. Do It the Hard Way
2. All the Things You Are
3. But Not For Me
4. My Funny Valentine
5. Stella By Starlight
6. There Will Never Be Another You
First impression: Very cool, very laid back, pretty nice stuff.
Final opinion: I wouldn’t say this type of smooth, laid-back jazz is a big thing for me really, as you can probably tell from my RYM. But this is a really nice selection of songs with a cool mix of styles. The two instrumental tunes have a bit more pace to them which I enjoy, and they have a pleasant atmosphere that reminds me of my university days when I quite often heard jazz bands in random bars in Bristol. Of the vocal songs, my favourite is easily his rendition of My Funny Valentine, which I love and which really suits his quiet style. The rest are also nice, but don’t quite do it for me - I think perhaps I’d have liked a bit more energy in his singing.
Score: 7.9--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nekov – P’cock1. The Prophet
2. The Actors Fun
3. N 1,4
4. Ban’cock
First impression: Didn’t blow me away but has a really cool fusion of styles that I very much enjoyed.
Final opinion: This was definitely a bit of a grower, and a nice obscure gem. As I said in my first impression, I immediately enjoyed the fusion of 70s-esque prog with new wave electronics that were coming in at the start of the 80s. The style kind of reminds me of some of Alan Parson’s stuff in that regard. Perhaps because it’s a little experimental, I wasn’t sure at first what I thought of it overall. But as I’ve got to know the songs better, I’ve been getting into them quite a bit. The Prophet is probably the weakest track, but still has a nice hypnotic groove to it. The other three are all great, just a really immersive sound and some great melodic ideas either in the vocals or on the synths.
Score: 8.0--------------------------------------------------------------------------
lonestar – Triumph1. Allied Forces
2. Somebody’s Out There
3. Fight the Good Fight
4. Lay It on the Line
5. Magic Power
First impression: A couple of weaker songs melodically, but a nice energy and groove and there’s some great stuff in here.
Final opinion: This submission is full of good quality hard-rock and a nice mix of styles. The weird thing is that Allied Forces seems to be their most popular album, and the one that you’ve included three songs from, but to me they’re the weaker songs here. The title track sounds like early Iron Maiden (like, Paul Di’Anno early), which is fun though doesn’t do much for me, and I don’t understand the love for Magic Power which sounds a little middle-of-the road. Thankfully Fight the Good Fight is much stronger, and the other two songs are excellent. Some definite Rush influences for sure, but all three of these songs have their own charm, a sense of groove and some cracking tunes.
Score: 8.1--------------------------------------------------------------------------
king – Supertramp1. Give a Little Bit
2. The Logical Song
3. Breakfast in America
4. Take the Long Way Home
5. Crime of the Century
First impression: Warmth, good melodies and a slight quirkiness that’s up my alley - strong start.
Final opinion: This was the first submission I listened to, and it immediately made me glad to be doing this roulette. There seems to be a bit of an assumption that I’d know their hits, but honestly I don’t recall hearing any of these songs before. The first song is fairly straightforward and hasn’t really stood out to me, although it’s nice and the saxophone gives it a distinct flavour. The next three songs are all from Breakfast in America, and they’re all great. Strong melodies, great sound and a nice quirky pop style that’s totally my thing. And then finishing with something quite different, much more moody and with a gorgeous atmosphere in the amazing outro.
Score: 8.3--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC – Gary Moore1. Blood of Emeralds
2. Empty Rooms (Live)
3. The Loner
First impression: This rocks! One of these really taps into a style I’ve been digging recently.
Final opinion: I’ve definitely been into more folky music recently. My last couple of roulettes have introduced to some great folk metal, and I’ve very recently got into a mostly a cappella group that sings folk tunes and sea shanties. So the Irish folk stylings in Blood of Emeralds really tapped into that, and on top of that the song is full of great playing and melodies. Empty Rooms is a little weaker - I’m not sure whether it’s because it’s a live version or it’s just a less exciting song - but it has a good chorus and some really nice guitar work. And then The Loner is an absolutely gorgeous instrumental, cheesy in an 80s sort of way but also really sorrowful and lovely - Moore seems to strike a fantastic balance of embellishing without going over the top and it works so great on this track.
Score: 8.4--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cyril – Jim Croce1. One Less Set of Footsteps
2. Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)
3. I Got A Name
First impression: Simple, but elegantly sincere and rather lovely.
Final opinion: One of the shortest submissions, and one of the best. To be perfectly honest, I don’t have much to say beyond what I said in my first impression. The style is fairly simple folk/folk-rock from the early 70s, but everything about it is so delightfully done. The acoustic guitar work isn’t complex but has a nice intricacy to it, Croce’s voice is sweet and full of sincerity, and each of these three songs has a soft but emotional feel to it. And to think you almost didn’t play!
Score: 8.4--------------------------------------------------------------------------
jingle – Styx1. A.D. 1928
2. Rockin’ the Paradise
3. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
4. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
5. Renegade
6. Pieces of Eight
First impression: Rather cheesy and rather theatrical and rather great – I’m liking this more than I thought I might.
Final opinion: I’ve not listened to Styx before, so never formed an opinion on them, but always got the impression they were “one of those cheesy 80s bands”. And I mean, in fairness, it turns out I wasn’t incorrect. But whereas ten years ago I might have found that off-putting, now I’m more interested in whether the tunes are good and the performances entertaining. In this round that’s not consistently been the case, but with Styx it seems I’ve been missing out. The three songs from Pieces of Eight especially are hitting me in just the right place. The theatricality is supremely enjoyable, and there are so many catchy hooks. The other songs are really good too, slightly more conventional but still melodically engaging.
Score: 8.4--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kwyjibo – Level 421. 43
2. A Pharaoh's Dream (Of Endless Time)
3. A Floating Life
4. Man
First impression: This slaps! One of these could end up being the best song of the round.
Final opinion: Yes yes yes, this is great! I’ve of course heard of Level 42, they were huge in the UK back in the day, but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to them before and the main thing I knew about them was that they had a bassist.
Anyway one bar into the first track here and I was hooked. It’s just so wonderfully funky, it had me bopping along immediately from my first listen, and I’ve only come to like it more as I’ve got into all the little nuances. But I love that all four tracks here are quite different. A Pharaoh's Dream is maybe the least great as the vocals aren’t very interesting, but it’s still funky has a cool creepy vibe. Then A Floating Life is my favourite song of the whole round, everything about it is so insanely cool and unique. And then Man is another strong song. Amazing stuff, can’t wait to check them out properly.
Score: 8.5--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evermind – Joan Baez1. Love is Just a Four-Letter Word
2. Sweet Sir Galahad
3. Diamonds and Rust
4. Honest Lullaby
First impression: This sounds like the sort of thing you’d send me in a normal roulette, and that’s no bad thing.
Final opinion: Similar to Cyril’s Jim Croce submission in some ways, but even more lovely. The music and the sound are really delicate, and her writing is just so lush, especially in the middle two tracks. The combination of these factors - musically rich and instrumentally gentle - creates something quite beautiful, and really emotive in a kind and melancholy sort of way. Diamonds and Rust in particular just tugs really hard on the heartstrings, and gets to me in a similar way to the Marketa Irgolva you sent me last roulette. Thank you for doing this to me again!
Score: 8.6--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Topic: ariich’s fogey roulette (v7) – FINAL RESULTS (Read 64950 times)
