Song Contest - BOTB 6 (Results posted!)

[drealmerz7]

I cut you once

I cut you twice

you're my midnight sacrifice

[Nero Cain]

Why not submit Roundtable Rival? (assuming you are HK)

[drealmerz7]

me?

I submitted sigur ros

[Parama]

Cut by Kuroi again

[Parama]

Vietnam – Walk the Moon is a band. Definitely a band. I remember the song they won a contest with being pretty good. And Shut Up and Dance was okay. Not really a style I’d seek out further but I’ve never minded them when I heard them. And yeah. Basically how I feel here too. A bit more chill in the verses, a bit more groove in the chorus. It’s a nice indie rock song, maybe a bit flavorless but it sounds totally fine. (DECENT)

Republic of Kugelmugel – I feel like if I listened to this several times it might grow on me, but I don’t really have time to do that with song contest stuff and on first listen this is just… a decent jazz fusion type instrumental track. 9 minutes is a bit much for this kind of thing in my opinion but it’s not really boring, just not that attention-grabbing. Also that last bit felt completely disconnected and out of place. (DECENT)

Fiji – Describable as “generic pop rock anime ballad song from the late 90’s/early 2000’s” with no further explanation needed but I mean. It sounds nice enough? There’s a few small touches that at least make this something of a song but it doesn’t really evoke much from me. (AVERAGE)

New Zealand – This song did actually make me interested in this album when I first heard it. Too bad the album itself wasn’t much like this track and mostly devolved into darker and blander versions of stuff sigur ros had done previously. But yeah, this one’s still good, especially the percussion. (GOOD)

Ecuador –Singer reminds me of Taylor Swift for some reason. I vaguely remember the last time this artist was entered and I remember them being heavier on the rock influence than this, this is just an average pop song with very minimal rock accompaniment and even as a pop song it just doesn’t really do anything to stand out. (AVERAGE)

Central African Republic – This plays in really heavily to the side of prog and the side of King Crimson I just don’t enjoy at all. Focus on being weird/noisy over providing any sort of interesting tune. Just meanders on for six minutes without doing much. The sample in the middle is grating and unnecessary, the instrumentation isn’t particularly impressive at any point, mostly I’m just bored. (MEDIOCRE)

Spain – Well, that song certainly happened. Did not like the bleepy flute at all so I found basically no appeal to this. Wasn’t outright awful but didn’t have much else to salvage it. (MEDIOCRE)

Iceland – A few contests ago I was complaining that Tool didn’t send this one when he sent TDH. So I sent it myself. The end. But yeah this is easily my favorite TDH song based on the two albums I’m actually familiar with. Great buildup to an emotive and powerful climax, that’s basically all I really need from a good rock song for it to really work for me.

Burkina Faso – I think the atmosphere and instrumentation of this song are honestly quite good, but wow do I really not like that singer at all. Just an absolutely unappealing, wailing voice. Makes what would otherwise be probably the best song of this bunch into a frustrating listen. (AVERAGE)

surprised there's somehow only 25 songs in a contest where there are no cuts. okay

[InflatablePie]

both of Vietnam's entries were artists I were considering. but I was gonna submit Changing of the Seasons for Two Door Cinema Club, and one of [Portugal/I Can Lift A Car/Sidekick] for Walk The Moon.

eh, I'll probably vote after all... but pseudo-spoilers - the country getting my 12 is the one that submitted the only song in this contest I can play on ukulele.

[Davsto]

the country getting my 12 is the one that submitted the only song in this contest I can play on ukulele.

guys i think im getting pies 12

[Parama]

Uruguay – Both guys look really punchable. Musically this is just. A pretty generic acoustic pop track. The harmonies are about the only thing here that really have any value to them, but admittedly it sounds pretty fine, I can’t say it’s a “bad” song but a bit lacking in substance and very little appeal to me. (AVERAGE)

Lesotho – Solid groove to this one, though the instrumentation feels a bit arbitrary/all over the place. But at the same time that makes it decently interesting, and the vocals are pretty consistently good too, so. It’s not doing a ton for me but it’s an enjoyable enough song at the very least. (DECENT)

Iran – I listened through the whole thing and failed to develop any thoughts beyond “it sounds pleasant enough but doesn’t really evoke much out of me”. Guitar line is fairly standard for this kind of tune with no real shakeups and the vocals aren’t anything unique either. Again not bad but not very interesting. (AVERAGE)

Slovenia – Admittedly not a huge fan of Cash’s voice but damn is he one hell of a performer and pretty much sells this song just on that basis alone. Maybe a touch light on substance but ehh, it’s still pretty enjoyable. (DECENT)

Papua New Guinea – Just a personal thing but I have zero interest in solo piano pieces like this. Always sound really similar to each other no matter the style and always just reminds me of church music, which isn’t really what I want to hear, ever. Sounds nice enough though, so ehh. (MEDIOCRE)

Italy – Guitar riffs have decent groove to them but man those vocals are just, underwhelming and kind of bad. Pretty much tanks my interest in this song. Also get the feeling from what I can make out of the lyrics that they’re kind of bad but whatever. (AVERAGE)

Federated States of Micronesia – Talented enough guitar playing for sure and his voice is fine enough but acoustic ballads like this lacking any sort of texture and little emotional depth don’t work nearly as well as just a basic, emotive quiet number. I’d rather hear something like this with distortion on the guitars. (AVERAGE)

Hong Kong – I think the vocals are actually the highlight of this however much her violin wants to steal the show. And I could’ve done without the dubstep drop on the chorus. The vocals on the chorus way overpower everything else going on including the violin, and that’s definitely a failing of the music more than the vocals, so. Again doesn’t really sound bad but it doesn’t quite work. (AVERAGE)

c'mon where's the good stuff guys

[Errantparabola]

both of Vietnam's entries were artists I were considering. but I was gonna submit Changing of the Seasons for Two Door Cinema Club, and one of [Portugal/I Can Lift A Car/Sidekick] for Walk The Moon.

I'm not actually a big listener to either, but both of those songs were introduced to me by a good friend of mine!

[toolenduso]

probly gonna do my first listens today

c'mon where's the good stuff guys

you alreADY HEARD IT PARAMA

[Parama]

I know there are at least two Good songs bcuz the fun song is great actually but besides that and the other sigur ros song I already know it's been a pretty dull contest

[TheWayItEnds]

i was gonna enter a song that i knew most people wouldnt like and then i decided not too tbh.

but i dont think you liked them the first time i entered them anyway.

[PJ.]

i'm glad empire entered a guy I won with.

[Empire]

i'm glad empire entered a guy I won with.

I should really be thanking you. Never heard of Shugo Tokumaru until I started looking at old SC winners a while back. He has some really great records imo

[PJ.]

I haven't listened to his most recent stuff, only port entropy and exit.

[Empire]

i've listened to port entropy, l.s.t., and in focus..."port entropy" is def my favorite and i almost went with "rum hee" as the entry but i liked this one more as a song.

[KuroiXHF]

Hong Kong – I think the vocals are actually the highlight of this however much her violin wants to steal the show. And I could’ve done without the dubstep drop on the chorus. The vocals on the chorus way overpower everything else going on including the violin, and that’s definitely a failing of the music more than the vocals, so. Again doesn’t really sound bad but it doesn’t quite work. (AVERAGE)

Eh, I actually agree.

[Empire]

my rankings:

Iran
India
Taiwan
Central African Republic
Philippines
---
Burkina Faso
Slovenia
Republic of Kugelmugel
Papua New Guinea
---
New Zealand
Bhutan
Uruguay
Federated States of Micronesia
Vietnam
Lesotho
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ecuador
Greece
Latvia
Fiji
Iceland
Hong Kong
---
USA
Italy
---
N/A

[Parama]

Thanks empire

[Parama]

Taiwan – This is musically interesting enough to at least not be boring, though I am unsurprisingly not a fan of the rapping. I don’t think it’s bad by any means though, just not really for me, but it’s fine. (AVERAGE)

USA – I dunno, this is just the noisy kind of pop that I’m not ever a fan of. It’s like what bad US pop sounded like five years ago. They’re passable enough singers I guess but the production gets in the way too much for me to be able to enjoy this. (MEDIOCRE)

Latvia – I dunno, this entire song kind of just happened and I didn’t have strong thoughts on it in any way. Not really a fan of the vocal style? Musically a bit barren too. I dunno. It’s a bit borderline here but I’m calling it like I hear it, so… (MEDIOCRE)

India – Yup, definitely jazz. My problem with jazz is that it always comes off as rather dry and it’s hard to really get too into as a result. I do think this does hit some points where it really comes alive, mostly in the back half of the song, but it’s too little too late to really make the song as a whole work for me. Still, though, relatively pleasant overall. (DECENT)

Greece – Dig the cello, but the sound quality is atrocious and makes this hard to listen to. And I’m not a huge fan of the vocals. With cleaner production this would probably be at least decent and as it is it isn’t awful but goddamn does it sound like crap. (MEDIOCRE)

Democratic Republic of the Congo – This definitely feels like it needs a harder edge than it has here, especially with the kind of creepy lyrics. I mean I know they’re going for that intentionally but it doesn’t really work stylistically, at least not here. I get the feeling this is probably not acoustic on the studio version but I have no clue really. (AVERAGE)

Bhutan – This album is pretty damn great and this is one of the better songs on it (though Take Your Time was entered waaayyy back in the first BOTB). This would probably be really corny if it was about his own relationship but as a romanticized recounting of his parents’ relationship it’s really heartfelt & the emotional climax of the song towards the end is really damn effective. Easily getting my 12 just because this is a damn fine song & it has absolutely no competition here. (GOOD)

Philippines – I think I only ever listened to this album once but I still remember the chorus of this song fairly well. Because I did not like it, much at all. I think Kimbra is at her best when the songs are upbeat and fun and a lot of the more downbeat songs don’t work much for me. I dig the instrumentation at points, it’s at least interesting, but it’s again a bit dry and the chorus melody irks me. The guitar bit at the end is solid at least. Not really feeling it though. (AVERAGE)

christ. out of 24 songs only 7 were good enough to make the top two tiers. miserable contest.
just a reminder that what tends to end up at the top of song contest rankings is often bland and uninteresting i guess

[PJ.]

I was gonna listen to this stuff today but like...I got to Shugo Tokumura and just decided to put him on shuffle for the rest of the day. RIP contest.

[toolenduso]

I was gonna listen to this stuff today

but then i got high

[KuroiXHF]

Getting rid of three:
Democratic Republic of the Congo - Guster - Airport Song
Slovenia - Johnny Cash - One
USA - BTS - FIRE
Iceland - The Dear Hunter - Red Hands
Fiji - Goose House - Fuyu no Epilogue (Winter’s Epilogue)
Uruguay - Hudson Taylor - Care
Federated States of Micronesia - Grayson Erhard - Tapestry
Latvia - Qntal - Sumer
Papua New Guinea - Phildel - Qi
Italy - Hurt - Role Martyr X

...are safe, which means farewell to these songs:
Spain - Shugo Tokumaru - Katachi
Bhutan - fun. - The Gambler
New Zealand - Sigur Ros - Brennisteinn

[PJ.]

You just cut the best 3 songs zzzz

[KuroiXHF]

Now top ten - Good > Really Good

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Guster - Airport Song
Latvia - Qntal - Sumer
Iceland - The Dear Hunter - Red Hands
USA - BTS - FIRE
Hurt - Role Martyr X
Uruguay - Hudson Taylor - Care
Federated States of Micronesia - Grayson Erhard - Tapestry
Papua New Guinea - Phildel - Qi
Slovenia - Johnny Cash - One
Fiji - Goose House - Fuyu no Epilogue (Winter’s Epilogue)