Song Contest 120 (Results posted!)

[Song Contest]

Entries posted!

[Parama]

swear sza was entered recently
Seventh Wonder is one of those prog bands I've never been able to get into, mercy falls has that godawful concept thing going on that made the album pretty unlistenable to me but their most recent one was okay, not a huge fan but, okay

[Skygazer]

Italy is cool, I really dig the aesthetics of the video and the interesting production techniques! The beat didn't do a whole lot for me but I really liked that weird descending synthy sound in the intro/chorus. That reverberant autotuned chords section towards the end is cool, too, reminds me of Bon Iver's autotune technique a little bit.

Republic of the Congo isn't really my thing but maybe that's because I've never read the Redwall series and I'm not really a fantasy fan so I don't really relate to the lyrics. A little repetitive at points too but they got the modal renaissance vibe down.

[Skygazer]

Gabon: Can't really say I'm a fan of 5 Seconds of Summer and this song is kinda repetitive but I dig a lot of the production techniques?

Wales: the ambient beginning reminds me

a lot

about some of the guitarists I used to jam with in college (: The song has some nice buildups in terms of dynamics/excitement. Not a fan of the singer but that's a personal preference, and the mix gets a little cluttered at points I think but oh well.

[Aristophanes]

Listening Ego

[Plotinus]

Gabon's link didn't work but I found an alternate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK_OAW47Brw

[Plotinus]

Latvia wasn't available either but I found an alternate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd1rwxWwc7Q

[Song Contest]

Latvia wasn't available either but I found an alternate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd1rwxWwc7Q

Thanks for letting us know, added to the track list.

The remix you have for Latvia is significantly different to the original, so using a different alt link for that through Spotify.

[xRECKONERx]

Congo (SYR) - This was fine. Nothing special and a bit annoying at times but I made it through the whole thing all the same. (C)

Gabon (5SOS) - Wow 5 Seconds of Summer was entered into a Song Contest. Maybe more surprising is how much i wanted to hate this, but don't (C+)

Wales (Gang of Youths) - This is supremely boring and pretentious. (D)

Lebanon (BER) - This was better than it had any right to be... but it iddn't have a right in the first place? (C)

Norway (FELT) - 7 minutes of anime music alright cool (F)

USA (Unison Square Garden) - Well this is the best thing so far (B-)

Hungary (Subliminal ) - Uhhh I can't understand what's happening here so it's kind of a mess tbh? (D)

Brazil (Novos Baianos) - I cannot understand what's happening so it sounds a lot like Poopity Scoop tbh (D)

Slovenia (Seventh Wonder) - This started out enjoyable then of course got unenjoyable but am I actually giving this point? Given how shit this contest has been, yes probably (C)

Ecuador (Point North) - Very Blink, much wow. Still I guess I don't hate it even though I should. (C+)

Burkina Faso (True Moon) - aw fuck yeah some TV on the Radio vibes here big time. something to finally salvage this contest (B+)

Chinese Taipei (Alice Merton) - She's got some killer pipes. But the rest is kinda boring. (C+)

Macedonia (王舟) - This is just like every other singer songwriter with a guitar? Nothing particularly new or unique about this. Eventually becomes "more boring Ben Folds", kind of. (C-)

Chad (The Faint) - idk i want to like this a lot but it's so tryhard that it's almost cringey? The lyrics are super cringe. WE WORK FOR PRETTY HOMES like ok dude, what a cold take (C-)

Egypt (Jacob Banks) - okay fuck hello winner of SC120. (A)

Central African Republic (The Cure) - oh going way back. okay. i mean this is fine - not my fave song by them by any means though (B)

Macau (SZA) - this feels like cheating UGH how did I not realize SZA hadn't been submitted yet. fuck. fuck fuck fuck (A+)

Belgium (Owl City) - oh my god what the hell. owl city is like an AI trying to make an approximation of current pop music at any given point in time. this is just so trite. HE RHYMED SOARING WITH STORY. i want to die. (F)

Latvia (SHIV-R) - This sounds like a really shitty Rob Zombie song. (D)

Iceland (Rolo Tomassi) - Automatic F for being a piece of shit trying to blow out my headphones (F)

Bhutan (Ella Mai) - I feel like I've heard this song a dozen times. This isn't bad at all but it's also nothing new or interesting. I dunno it just feels the same as everything else in the genre. (C-)

[Errantparabola]

ay, I've been meaning to say this for a while but whoever submitted Tech Noir by Gunship, I gave you like an 8 or 7 in the contest that you submitted it but its since grown on me even more, definitive one of best song contest songs I've heard, and i regret not giving you a 10


great:

good:
ITALY
SLOVENIA

pleasant:
MACEDONIA -> song rly builds, thought it wasnt gonna be good
USA
BHUTAN
WALES
MACAU

fine:
BURKINA FASO
CAR
NORWAY --> i rly wanted to like this one better bc of the good intro but it was super samey

[T-Bone]

Italy - I like Robert Delong but I hate this song, it's awful.

Congo - This is amazing. 2 songs in, but this will probably win my 12.

Gabon - A+ though

Wales - Not really into this.

Lebanon - This is alright.

Norway - Takes way too long to get started for my taste, but it's okay. Too long though.

USA - I dig it a bit.

Hungary - nah

Brazil - more nah

Slovenia - Some parts I dig, but overall I just kept thinking the entire time 'this is too long' and that detracted from my experience

Ecuador - Parts of this I like, but the lyrics are kinda cringe

Burkina Faso - The singer's voice really annoys me

Chinese Tapei - Really like this girl (although for the longest time I thought she was Florence)

Macedonia - Alright

Chad - I dunno, not feeling it

Egypt - Kinda cool

CAR - meh city

Macau - I'm not really into it but I found myself oddly mesmorized with the song anyway

Belgium - Really like Owl City, good pick

Latvia - It was fine until the vocals came in

Iceland - There are very few places I like screamo, and this isn't one of them

Bhutan - lol product placement, but it's alright.

[Parama]

Central African Republic – Oh of course RNG starts out with a song I know. Mostly from Guitar Hero. Where it was like, boring as hell to play but I always dug the song. I’ve actually listened to this album in full once after hearing a few other songs, it’s okay but didn’t really keep my interest the whole way through. Also wow nice 240p video, ugh, I’m finding a better one. (DECENT)

Lebanon – Lol if you’re gonna take a song from a cartoon why not at least a good show? This is actually pretty fine though in all honestly. Decent 80’s throwback tune but with more modern production, thank christ, and the bassline makes this work if nothing else. It’s a bit shallow but ehh. (AVERAGE)

Ecuador – Mmm…. nah. The chorus has lyrics like a bad trap song and besides that it’s just a very standard pop punk kind of ordeal. I tend to only really be into stuff in this vein when it’s more of a post-hardcore lean thank punk, there’s not really much about this I can’t get from other, better songs too, so. (MEDIOCRE)

Belgium – Honestly never liked Owl City’s vocalist, he has a suuuuper breathy voice that just, bothers me. Ugh, the stutter thing on the chorus is one of those recent music trends that needs to die, badly. Yes, I see this song is 5 years old. No, that doesn’t matter. Otherwise this is pleasant enough I suppose but the vocals in general really don’t work for me. (MEDIOCRE)

Hungary – I don’t think I need to explain why this doesn’t work for me.

Slovenia – “Break The Silence is the best song of all time!” Okay we’ll see about that, dude. Again, nice 240p video lol. The bass is probably the best part of the instrumental. This is absolutely serviceable enough for a prog metal pseudo-epic but I am not really blown away by it either. S’ok though. (DECENT)

Burkina Faso – I’m pretty picky about my upbeat, peppy music and this… doesn’t really do it for me, but there’s some solid intensity to the guitar and drums at spots and I at least dig that. Nothing really wrong with this one just that it’s not really for me. (AVERAGE)

[Parama]

Latvia – Industrial whatever is just a style that’s never gonna gel with me because I don’t like my music to sound robotic and stiff, I like it loose and with feeling. Even in electronic stuff, give me the atmosphere stuff or the stuff with actual groove to it any day. As such while I don’t really hate this, it just… doesn’t do anything for me at all, really. (MEDIOCRE)

Gabon – These guys have always been one of the more legit boy bands of the decade & usually their stuff is pretty okay. And yeah, basically. There’s a bit of an 80’s vibe to this one I feel (that snare on the chorus is a big reason) and this has solid groove, it’s pretty fine. Wouldn’t really return to it but I don’t mind it. (AVERAGE)

Macau – This song basically lives or dies off how much you like her voice and I can’t say I’m a big fan, no. Lyrics not really my thing either. The music, or what little of it there is, is solid, I like the drums when they come in at the end but the song is basically over by the time that happens. Overall, nah, pass. (MEDIOCRE)

Bhutan – Yeah, this is pretty fun. Maybe a bit repetitive but ehh. I don’t have a ton to say about this, thought it was okay enough for sure. (AVERAGE)

Chinese Taipei – This is basically everything I said about the last song but just a bit more appealing to me in general. I guess I just prefer rock instrumentation to electronic, surprise. But yeah, this was pretty fun. I dig it. (DECENT)

Chad – Oh, there’s a lot about this I really don’t like. Don’t like the vocal style. The synth tone is grating and the melodies it plays don’t help that. And the percussion feels really blocky in a way that doesn’t quite work either. There’s like, moments here and there I kinda dig but most of this annoys me. Dangerously close to bad. (MEDIOCRE)

Norway – Expected some anime, got some pretty rad math rock/j-rock fusion thing that I actually dig a lot. Well. Works for me. Like, not my favorite thing ever but for a song contest, pretty solid, though my favorite stuff was all at the beginning tbh. (GOOD)

Iceland – Don’t expect many points for this but whatever, this album is one of my faves this year and this song just rocks so whatever, I’ll take my right side.

[Parama]

Republic of the Congo – Hmm, this is… nice. I don’t really have any meaningful comment on it besides that. Not particularly unique and not really resonating with me right now, but, nice. I’ve never read the redwall books. (AVERAGE)

USA – Not super keen on the vocals but this was overall pretty fun, and I particularly dug the instrumental break in the middle. Definitely one of the better tracks in the contest so far. (DECENT)

Wales – For the most part I liked this quite a lot, actually, generally pleasant song with a great build to it throughout & a satisfying climax. But. That horn line is… just wrong. I can’t tell exactly why but it sounds like it’s just outright in the wrong key? It doesn’t work at all and it’s super grating, remove that and the entire song improves a lot & might actually be my favorite thus far, but, such is life. (DECENT)

Macedonia – Pleasant enough but consistently felt a little too… mellow? To fully work for me. Even with that slight build near the end. Still fine enough though. (AVERAGE)

Brazil – Mmmmnnope, not for me. Don’t particularly like the singer’s voice, sounds pretty flat and textureless, and the rest of the song is… basically nothing.

Italy – Eehh, some of this I dug, other parts grated on me, balances out to just being… “ehh”. The chorus in particular was kinda annoying but then there were some cool moments of groove as well, kinda frustrating really. (AVERAGE)

Egypt – Yeah, this one’s pretty solid as well, nice groove to it & dug the guitar work. No real negatives here either, just not like, especially strong? But yeah, solid. (DECENT)

not an awful contest overall i suppose

[Shadoweh]

1 Italy: This song is weird. Probably too slow for my direct tastes but neat enough I would listen to it again.
2 Republic of the Congo: this is one of them folksongy things huh. I do like violins.
3 Gabon: Holy shit this is amazing
4 Wales: It's okay. I like that it's a little upbeat.
5 Lebanon: xof makes fun of me for watching this. >.> idc I love it JUDGE ME. I might like Rise Up a bit more but I think it's too cheesy to generally appeal.
6 Norway: The beginning is a minute too long. At least the later song parts are good.
7 USA: The voice is a bit too high pitched, like it's synthed? But i still liked this, it sounded v anime.
8: Hungary: The beat is okay but it sounds like rap, you're not fooling me.
9 Brazil: Oh no I already randomly fall asleep don't do this to me
10 Slovenia: I walked away and this is still going rofl. Uhm I don't remember any of the lyrics, the song didn't leave an impression on me despite being a power balad.
11 Ecuador: Typical punk song? Didn't find it remarkable but it was okay to listen to.
12 Burkina Faso: okay two minutes in and i can literally feel it giving me a migrane that's enough
13 Chinese Taipei: okay I've listened to it a few dozen times and I've finally decided i do in fact like it.
14 Macedonia: oh no another peaceful song that wants to put me to sleep aaaaaa the cute ghost wait why are they eating each other?!?!!
15 Chad: I don't particularily like discordant songs. The beat is interesting, but the screaming three minutes in can go.
16 Egypt: This is one of those like, preach to me songs right? It's not that bad.
17 Central African Republic: This song has lyrics? oh there they are. I thought it was a p cool melody. Don't know how i felt about it as a song lmao but the music was good enough i didn't care.
18 macau: wah wah you left me for another woman I hate songs like this why do you care about this shitty guy and stop bashing the new girl you don't even know her
19 belgium: KITTY
20 lativa: This reminds me of Wumpscut. That's probably random. geez I used to listen to stuff like this 9 years ago I suddenly feel old.
21 iceland: gonna turn this waaaaay down anticipating some screaming and yup there it is
22 Bhutan: oh a song about being in love zzzzz okay the music is fine.

[pickemgenius]

7 USA: The voice is a bit too high pitched, like it's synthed? But i still liked this, it sounded v anime.

[PJ.]

That's a good song, but it's like..the worst of the Kekkai Sensen themes =(

[pickemgenius]

That's a good song, but it's like..the worst of the Kekkai Sensen themes =(

super incorrect my dude.

[Song Contest]

Reminder: Today is the last day to vote! Votes are due by midnight tonight.

[Plotinus]

i liked a lot of these

[SnowStorm]

Italy - K.Flay is one of my favorite SC finds and she should have won that contest. This song, I don't mind it.
Republic of the Congo - Hmmm-nahh.
Gabon - Ugh. Annoying. I like the chorus. I hate myself. UGH! Get out cheap teen pop!
Wales - Nice voice, unexpected. Reminds me of the National. This is gonna win, isn't it? I guess I wouldn't mind, it's nice.
Lebanon - WAitwaitwait, this is the western version of animu music? I'm not falling for it. only a little.
Norway - Waitwaitwait, is this actual animu music? I'm not falling for it. That album cover is awful. This is too noisy in a way I do not appreciate.
USA - Loving the Spanish subtitles. This is too energetic and I don't like his voice. Ehh.
Hungary - I like the instrumental, don't like the vocals/rapping, kinda disappointed.
Brazil - Unexpected. This is so sweet.
Slovenia - Sounds dramatic... Also damn 10 minutes?! Such emotion. After Brazil, this is just so over the top. Ah, it calms down. and then it just keeps going. on and on, and on.
Ecuador - I can feel the screams coming... Fuck this fuck that fuck me fuck hammer so edgy. The screams were disappointing.
Chinese Taipei - This is cool. Kinda generic, but I like her voice.
Macedonia - I'm kinda speechless. I need to listen to this again. The song sounded pretty nice, but I was so focused on the video. At first, ew, naked old lady that looks like she was made in Flash; and then wow, what is going on, are those dancing intestines? this is beautiful.
Chad - I think I'm liking this. Yup!
Egypt - Hmm. Ok.
Central African Republic - I'm not feeling this.
Macau - This is nice!
Belgium - No-o-o-o o-o o-o ope.
Latvia - I'm scared. Oh God that beat. Oh God those vocals. *backs away slowly*
Iceland - nopeNopeNOPE. My ears were not ready.
Bhutan - Meh, ok.

Good contest.

[Creature]

Damn I need to start listening to entries, but I don't have hope of winning.

[toolenduso]

Scattered thoughts:

There haven't been many times in the contest I've been as pleasantly surprised by a song as I was with Norway in this contest. When I see anime I expect a very generic theme song. This one was complex and interesting.

"Hammer" by Point North has

amazingly

bad lyrics.

Thank you for entering SZA, I've been meaning to listen to more, and this song was pretty frickin cool. It's kind of hilarious to me that Pharrell got a credit for whispering briefly at the end.

I believe that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. But when you see an album cover that pretty clearly belongs to a sub-genre you hate, you don't have to listen for long before you can reasonably conclude that this song is like all the other songs in that genre that you hate.

It's not often that I hear metalcore I haven't heard before that is good, but I think Rolo Tomassi is pretty frickin good.

[notachipmunk]

I had a dumb moment before I started listening.
Me: I should put on some music to listen to while I do the song contest thing
Ya know, 'cause it's not like I'm gonna need my ears free to listen to the actual song contest songs.

ANYWAY

Chad - the beginning of this song and parts in between sound like something I would listen to
Slovenia - this is kind of nice
Congo - ooh it's pretty, ooh it's wintry buuuuut I don't like the vocals, almost but not quite
CAR - it's The Cure, sooo
Belgium - I think that if I didn't know this was Owl City I would give it fewer points but I have this happy little Owl City point bias
Chinese Taipei - nice rhythm, parts I don't care for, parts I do
Burkina Faso - don't like the vocals much, but otherwise is good
Iceland - ok
Ecuador - ok
Norway - this is ok
Lebanon - Teen Titans Go! has a song?!
USA - neutral
Wales - too much of a random background song
Macedonia - what a peaceful little song
Italy - I think I didn't like this because I don't care for blue as a color
Gabon - I'm too old for such youngblood
Hungary - not for me
Bhutan - meh
Egypt - nah
Macau - nope
Brazil - puts me in a weird mood

[T-Bone]

Gabon - Ugh. Annoying.

I like the chorus. I hate myself. UGH! Get out cheap teen pop!

HAHAHAHAHA (that's the point)