Song Contest 203 (Results posted)

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Song Contest 203 (Results posted)

Post Post #0 (ISO) » Sun Jul 23, 2023 9:15 am

Post by Song Contest »

Welcome to the Two-Hundred-and-Third Song Contest!
This contest is brought to you by the HTTP status code for non-authoritative information.

Submit your song via this FANCY FORM!


What is the MafiaScum Song Contest?


The MafiaScum Song Contest is a competition modeled after the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It's a means to gain exposure to new music through the tastes of your peers, like it or not. Those that enter must also vote for the people they are running against based on how much they like the songs. Everyone picks an alias in the form of a country (any one of your choosing) and sends in a song that they like in order to expose it to the other contestants. After voting, they are tallied in the thread and a winner is named. No matter who wins, everyone wins by gaining new knowledge of songs, artists, albums and genres of music in the process!

List of Previously Entered Songs

How to Participate in the Song Contest:


1. Find a song that you like on any internet medium that isn't restricted or private.

2. Submit it via the form linked above!

3. After submitting, you must confirm that you've entered by either posting in this thread or sending a PM to the Song Contest account.

4. Wait until I reveal the entries. You may or may not be cut (as stated at the end of this post).

5. Once entries are revealed, you will rank your top 10 countries! You will do this via a Google Form link to be provided later. The point values are as follows:
12 points - 1st
10 - 2nd
8 - 3rd
7 - 4th
6 - 5st
5 - 6th
4 - 7th
3 - 8th
2 - 9th
1 - 10th
Please rate fairly by giving all countries a listen. You may not vote for yourself. Everyone, regardless of entry or cut status, may vote, so you can still participate even if you chose not to enter or if you got cut! However, if those that entered and are accepted do not vote, they will get a point penalty (see below), so please consider that before entering.

6. Wait for results. It's that simple!

What entries are/aren't allowed?


In order to eliminate bias, certain entries based on previous performance are banned. After dozens of contests and a following of a vague "Code of Ethics" by the Song Contest population, there have been so many entries that a rule system is now in place as to what can and cannot be entered. Please refer to the list of entered songs linked above and CTRL+F your artist AND song name to make sure it isn't included in the following list.

What isn't allowed?


-You cannot enter an artist that has won ANY contest in the past, no matter how far away that contest is.
-You cannot enter an artist that has been entered in the last 15 contests.
-You cannot enter a song that has been entered before, regardless of placement. (You can enter a cover or different version of that song.) For example: You cannot enter in "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes, but you can enter in "The Hardest Button to Button" by The White Stripes.
-You cannot enter an artist that has achieved a top-three finish in a Battle of the Best. For example: You may not enter anything by the Doves, as they got 2nd in a BotB.
-You cannot enter something that is not a 'song'. We generally interpret this term very loosely, but here are some examples:

Things considered a song: Anything created with an actual artist and song title that is INTENDED for the listener, even if it's painful to listen or even if there's nothing included (Examples: Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit, Eminem - Lose Yourself, Barney - I Love You, John Cage - 4'33, Sunn 0))) - 0))) Bow 1, etc.)

Things not considered a song: Anything without an artist or title, a video clip of something random, a comedy routine (unless it's an actual song a la Stephen Lynch), a large square wave, an animal barking, total silence not being attributed to an artist, etc. (Examples: A clip of a comedian's standup special, an ibex screeching, a clip of a game show, a clip of someone screaming, etc.)

I will let you know if your entry does not meet the criteria of a 'song', but it should be fairly obvious.

What IS allowed, then?


-You can enter an artist that has achieved second place or lower at least 15 contests ago, as long as you do not repeat a song by that artist.
-You can enter an artist that reached the top three in a song contest, unless it won that contest or also got top three in a Battle of the Best.
-You can enter a different version of a song entered before, such as a cover (or the original if the cover was entered first). For example, Johnny Cash's Hurt has already been entered, but you can still enter Nine Inch Nails' version of Hurt.

Other than that, you're good! If your entry violates one of these rules, you'll have until the deadline to fix it or we reserve the right to deny your entry (as if you haven't entered one at all) due to time constraints.

Voting


Anyone is welcome to vote regardless of whether they've entered a song into the contest, but
those who entered songs are required to vote
. If you enter a song and fail to vote, you will be penalized in the form of deductions from the points your song earned from other people's votes (see below).

If fewer than 75% of the people who entered the contest have voted by the end of the first deadline, the voting deadline will be extended, and anybody who hasn't voted will get a penalty. This process will repeat until either 75% of entrants vote or until 16 days have passed (three extensions). As more extensions are needed, those who haven't voted yet will receive escalating penalties, as follows:

-If you fail to vote and fewer than three extensions are needed: You lose 12 points
-If you vote after the first extension: You lose 5 points
-If you vote after the second extension: You lose 10 points
-If you vote after the third extension: You lose 15 points
-If you fail to vote, even after three extensions: You lose 20 points

Ties in final scores will be broken in favour of the entry with the most first-place rankings, then the most second-place rankings, and so on.

All ballots received before the final results are posted will be accepted, even if they come in after deadline.


Reserved Countries


Chile
Denmark
Earthsea
Ecuador
eSwatini
fSwatini
Hoverboards
Ireland
Kazakhstan
Mali
North Korea
Peru
Scythia
Sweden
Wales


Deadline for entries is Wednesday, 2 August at 11:59 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time.


Spoiler: If we get more than 26 entries, the 26 participants in the competition will be decided based on the following criteria:
1. First-time entrants

2. Last winner (schadd_)

3. Current Song Contest Team (ChannelDelibird)

4. Any entrant who was cut in the period of the last 3 contests (except those cut for not voting) and has not used their guaranteed bid.
3 Contests remaining: Nobody!
2 Contests remaining: Nobody!
1 Contest remaining: Nobody!


5. Everyone to whom rules 1-4 or 6 do not apply

6. Any entrant who failed to vote in the previous contest

Anyone who does not make the cut is guaranteed a spot in one of the next three contests.
Last edited by Song Contest on Wed Aug 16, 2023 9:28 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Post Post #1 (ISO) » Sun Jul 23, 2023 7:28 pm

Post by Aureal »

One day I will submit something that isn't a woman showing off her voice.

But it is not this day.
"Yeah after a point it felt like Aureal was the only one talking sense despite being a goose so I just followed."
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Post Post #2 (ISO) » Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:02 pm

Post by Song Contest »

Entries!

Votes are due on Monday 14 August at 11.59pm (23.59) Greenwich Mean Time!






Ben Prunty - Old Site (Black Moonrise Mix)


Image




Emarosa - I Am Waves


Image




Ethereal Shroud - Chasmal Fires


Image




Andy Shauf - Try Again


Image




Raye - Black Mascara.


Image




OK Go - This


Image




Sinéad O'Connor & The Chieftains - The Foggy Dew


Image




Nightwish - Deep Silent Complete


Image




Underscores - Spoiled Little Brat


Image




Hardy ft. Jeremy McKinnon - Radio Song


Image




Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Cast - Nothing Left to Lose


Image




Self Esteem - Prioritise Pleasure


Image


Nobody was cut!
Last edited by Song Contest on Wed Aug 02, 2023 9:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post Post #3 (ISO) » Mon Jul 24, 2023 12:55 am

Post by Infinity 324 »

/in
Show
new GTKAS

<3 you are valid

plural system, we may or may not sign
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Post Post #4 (ISO) » Mon Jul 24, 2023 10:21 am

Post by pickemgenius »

I have entered the most un song contest song I could think of just for all of you.
Show
Rumpelstiltskin Grinder

(1:55:11 AM) ahallucinogenic: it's ok drench
(1:55:21 AM) ahallucinogenic: it's perfectly normal for young children to walk in on their parents making love
(1:55:31 AM) Drench394: i can't wait

STREAMING:

www.twitch.tv/xxxpickemgenius
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Post Post #5 (ISO) » Mon Jul 24, 2023 6:51 pm

Post by the worst »

ego
who's scum? i haven't read up yet but like, it's me
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Post Post #6 (ISO) » Wed Jul 26, 2023 5:21 am

Post by Pink Ball »

Submitted a song that Youtube reccomended me that made me nostalgic
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Post Post #7 (ISO) » Wed Jul 26, 2023 9:31 am

Post by Aristophanes »

Almost missed the thread! I'll be in
Half meme, Half real, All Aristophanes ;)
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Ari has appeared way too competent for me to even pretend to know what they're thinking
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Post Post #8 (ISO) » Wed Jul 26, 2023 2:53 pm

Post by AniX »

I submitted, should I message to this account to let you know how many points I want to be given for free as part of a protection racket?
Official Gimmick List:
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Post Post #9 (ISO) » Fri Jul 28, 2023 10:19 am

Post by toolenduso »

I have entered another song ChannelDelibird will hate (and which will get 12 points from PEG)
"Half of the game is figuring out who the scum is. The other half is convincing everyone else that you're right." -- PlaysWithSquirrels, in Newbie 437
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Post Post #10 (ISO) » Sat Jul 29, 2023 4:28 pm

Post by BS2000 »

submitting one of my favorite singer/songwriters, who really should be a novelist.
i was going to learn the keyboard and write several ballads
But i went to a barbeque and got lost by the tater salad
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Post Post #11 (ISO) » Mon Jul 31, 2023 2:04 am

Post by MiniDeathStar »

/in with the 28 min song, have fun~
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Post Post #12 (ISO) » Mon Jul 31, 2023 4:27 am

Post by toolenduso »

In post 11, MiniDeathStar wrote: /in with the 28 min song, have fun~
But Impossible Soul has already been entered...

Wait I think that one was only 25 minutes
"Half of the game is figuring out who the scum is. The other half is convincing everyone else that you're right." -- PlaysWithSquirrels, in Newbie 437
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Post Post #13 (ISO) » Mon Jul 31, 2023 6:02 am

Post by ChannelDelibird »

In post 8, AniX wrote: I submitted, should I message to this account to let you know how many points I want to be given for free as part of a protection racket?
I will never bow to tyranny, although it sounds like I could be persuaded to snitch on toolenduso, if that helps.
#greenshirtthursdays
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Post Post #14 (ISO) » Mon Jul 31, 2023 2:25 pm

Post by ceejayvinoya »

/in
Ceejay is only gonna get better but his logic can be on the wrong side of lazy logic sometimes. ~the worst
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Post Post #15 (ISO) » Tue Aug 01, 2023 10:32 pm

Post by DeasVail »

/in
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Post Post #16 (ISO) » Wed Aug 02, 2023 5:12 am

Post by Song Contest »

Deadline approaches!
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Post Post #17 (ISO) » Wed Aug 02, 2023 9:47 pm

Post by Song Contest »

Entries are up!
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Post Post #18 (ISO) » Sun Aug 06, 2023 11:29 am

Post by Skygazer »

ego
i have the most queues
replacement queue | upick queue
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Post Post #19 (ISO) » Mon Aug 07, 2023 7:09 pm

Post by Aureal »

I accidentally submitted the wrong votes the first time and had to re-do the submission, I hope that doesn't mess things up. The form didn't save my answers, surprisingly.

Spoiler: I'm pretty sure it's cheating to submit a song by a recently deceased artist

eSwatini: Sinéad O'Connor & The Chieftains - The Foggy Dew

:o
You targeted this one at me, didn't you, whoever you are.
How have I never listened to Sinéad O'Connor before? This will shortly be remedied.
I want to go look up more stuff by these people NOW, not listen to the rest of the contest songs, my listening mood been spoiled.

Mount Celeste: Ben Prunty - Old Site (Black Moonrise Mix)

Solid chiptune, very atmospheric.

Wales: Raye - Black Mascara.

Impressive and engrossing audio effects- having the sound go from one ear to the other is one way to keep your attenion. I was a little concerned at first about the autotune but fortunately it featured real singing as well. Only the more spoken-words part kind of lost me- I can't understand what's being said that well but really don't want to hear about your cocaine, thanks.

Vatican City: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Cast - Nothing Left to Lose

Well this was obviously from a musical. I like musicals. Even without any context I could kinda get what was going on.

Mali: Self Esteem - Prioritise Pleasure

I probably wasn't quite in the right mood for this one (thanks eSwatini!) but I think I could've appreciated the trance-energy more in the right frame of mind.

Uqbar: Underscores - Spoiled Little Brat

I probably should've taken more of a break in between listening to Sinéad and this one. Talk about tonal shift. Bouncy and energetic that I could normally get into a little better but was still a little too overwhelmed.

Chile: OK Go - This

Not nearly as interesting as watching them collaborate with the Muppets, but not bad. It didn't quite keep my attention but it's a fine cheerful piece.

Peru: Andy Shauf - Try Again

Upbeat little bop, nothing fancy and felt a little repetitive but pleasant.

Wilber, Nebraska: Hardy ft. Jeremy McKinnon - Radio Song

Interesting concept, I'd have enjoyed it more if the metal part was more than just screaming an obscenity repeatedly.

Sweden: Ethereal Shroud - Chasmal Fires

After a minute of pretty much nothing but crackling I realized this was going to be the 28 minute one, opened my eyes to confirm it, then turned the lights off and started browsing imgur while listening. It didn't do anything to re-focus my attention on the track.

Chad: Emarosa - I Am Waves

Thank goodness it was short. Even so I was just about ready to break off before it finished and start writing about how I'd tuned out of the screaming in favor of wishing I was listening to Smells Like Nirvana instead.
"Yeah after a point it felt like Aureal was the only one talking sense despite being a goose so I just followed."
-furtiveglance
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Post Post #20 (ISO) » Thu Aug 10, 2023 8:13 pm

Post by Aristophanes »

Spoiler: Interesting uses of distortion this time around!

Mount Celeste: Ben Prunty - Old Site (Black Moonrise Mix)
This is a great track! It captures a mysterious aesthetic, probably sci-fi mystery, really well and it plays with the theme enough to keep from getting repetitive or boring.

The intro with the bells is solid and sets the tone for the rest of it to unfold in a really nice way, and the 8-bit sounds are perfect for the oversll feel as well as being set in just the right way to really punctuate the song.





Chad: Emarosa - I Am Waves
In the intro I was like "oh, this is the kind of rock music I could probably get behind!"
And then it continued.

I'm kinda stuck in the Big Shiny Tunes 8 era of rock, it was the first time I had a wider exposure to anything in the more modern era of rock, and I've never gotten into it otherwise, so that's about the peak of my style interest. That's probably part of why I don't get this. It was a nice first 30 seconds though.





Sweden: Ethereal Shroud - Chasmal Fires
Oh, this is the half hour long song. Well with the intro as it is, I have high hopes for it!

It has started off so dramatically. It makes me think of a battlefield, after the battle, with a rising up and looking at the calamity, the loss that has come from it. We transition then into the beginning of said battle, the pace picks up and we are thrown into the thick of things! Our main theme, our leitmotif maybe, on the guitar throwing us into the middle of this chaos, but remaining intact, not lost. I don't know if it will stay this way throughout the piece and anticipate it changing throughout.

As it picks up, I can't tell what is being yelled but I'm sure it is dramatic and I think I'm catching the words "smoke", "flame" and "break" recurring. The screaming here is muted behind the music and really adds to the intensity of it, as does the intense guitar. Normally those are two things I dislike but they work well here. It really knows how to put you on edge.

The break around 11 minutes is really nice. It slowly eases you from the pace and adrenaline and shows you some comfort. The singer has a nice voice. Of course, this peace is short lived and the intensity is upped as the drums go nuts behind a wall of sound. Going with the battlefield image, I'm seeing our protagonist patching glimpse of a friend across the battlefield, feeling some peace, and being dragged back into things. Back into the chaos of the world and the scene. Maybe the friend is hurt, ending the reprieve and leading to the blinded noise that follows.

In all honesty, the intensity goes on for a bit too long for my liking, especially without being able to parse what is being said. Given my history with the more intense music submitted in these contests, this is actually a really nice review and a compliment to it. Definitely didn't need multiple minutes between the parts of this though.

Oh, it dies out at 20 minutes in. The guitar comes in solo and pretty intensely, I'm pretty sure it's mimicking our leitmotif here. A lot more energetically and aggressively, but I'm pretty sure that's it nonetheless. Something did change in us, there is a rage that wasn't before. It's nice when it quiets down for a sec, but also sounds maybe off? Like something is wrong. It's really anticipatory. We then fly back into that wall of sound and yelling again. I think the yelling parts sound more strained though now. I'm definitely getting a sense of loss and rage, I'm thinking it's because of all the loss on this battlefield, especially of one's friend, but also of oneself.

I was expecting a revisitation of the original scene to appear at the end, and I think that would have been a nice resolution. As it is I think it ended somewhat unresolved, though I also get the feeling this is part of a larger story album and thus it is continued in the next song.

I would have been happy with a 10 minute version of the song. The intensity was too much for me for too sustained a time and it dragged in the parts that didn't change for extended periods of time. Overall it was not bad though.





Peru: Andy Shauf - Try Again
This is cute, I like it. Definitely feels like some friends getting together in a basement for some fun and drinks, making some music out of it.

"I missed this"..."actually I was talking about the coat" is a wonderful addition to things. I love it.





Wales: Raye - Black Mascara.
Great harmonies and cool distortion on the voices!

The "what you've done to me"..."you're done to me" is a great lyrical turn of phrase.

The rap portion is alright and highlights that this is drug related, which manes sense but I had missed to that point. Again, cool distortion both electronically and just in her voice. It's pretty captivating that way.





Chile: OK Go - This
Ooo! OK Go! I love their clever music videos!

The big sound of the brass is great, I always like that! It captures the song well too, as does the singer's voice. It all goes together really nicely.

Oh, and the centrifugal painting thing is fun! :)





eSwatini: Sinéad O'Connor & The Chieftains - The Foggy Dew
So, a few contests ago I said I was going to go into some more folky music from the British Isles, and I know that both Sinead and The Chieftains were on the docket. I just hadn't picked the right song. I decided this was the contest for it and this was the song that came up the winner. While I was looking, I of course stumbled on reports of her death. I was like 3 days after it had happened at this point.

It was very sad news. She led quite a life, I had no clue she had struggled so much recently. She was such a unique and skilled artist!

Anyway, I picked this song for its story and emotion. These are two powerhouse artists and they combined so beautifully. I actually didn't realize how many songs in my Celtic catalogue were from these two. What a powerful piece, and an unintentional, but hopefully fitting, way to set her legacy not in controversy, but in music.





Scythia: Nightwish - Deep Silent Complete
This is a pretty intro, it worries me...

Ah, the guitar enters. This is nice though still. Floating very nicely.

It's actually a pretty nice piece! I'm not as big on the operatic vocals as I would have anticipated, but they're very pretty.





Uqbar: Underscores - Spoiled Little Brat
This is interesting and I'm not sure what I think about it. The affectation on the second higher voice makes me think of that video with the jack russel terrier running around singing an Irish song..

Oh, I don't like those distortion pauses at the end, like a glitching video game or something. I'd pass on that part.

I found the video! It's not a jack russel though. It's linked in the next spoiler.





Wilber, Nebraska: Hardy ft. Jeremy McKinnon - Radio Song
I like the meta intro, talking about what is expected in a song for record execs. I mean, it's not a new concept. I tend to enjoy a good meta song though. Love Song by Sara Bareilles does it too, in a different way. It's fun though.

The sudden turn around on this one made me laugh. I expected it to be like "this is just another radio song" which would have been fine. But this is just funny.
I'm still not big on the yelling, but I like what they did there.





Vatican City: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Cast - Nothing Left to Lose
I'm a sucker for a good Disney song. They're so clean, so crisp! I don't know what they do with their production but it is distinct.

They definitely were trying to capture Elsa and the struggles of power and consequence in this, and not just because the video says so, but the vocal is reminiscent of her.

Oh, the tension in the duet here is so good!!





Mali: Self Esteem - Prioritise Pleasure
This is interesting. It starts so driving, distorts, and seems to calm down.
The use of distortion in the guitars with the harmonies in the vocals is a really unique sound.
I don't know if I like it per se, but I like what they did and how they did it.



Spoiler: The dog video


Good contest! It may have been lighter on entries, but there were a lot of solid ones and some good variety here!
Half meme, Half real, All Aristophanes ;)
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Post Post #21 (ISO) » Sat Aug 12, 2023 5:04 am

Post by ChannelDelibird »

Spoiler: Reactions
Mount Celeste // Old Site (Black Moonrise Mix) - Ben Prunty


I often don't find video-game themes especially effective on me without context of the narrative or world, and I haven't played Celeste, so this is an uphill battle. But it's a battle that it more or less won! A really cool build to this one, with those charming ascending synth riffs really lending it a spooky atmosphere along with the drums. Neat.

Chad // I Am Waves - Emarosa


You were right!

Sweden // Chasmal Fires - Ethereal Shroud


As an admin, I would never rule out an entry on grounds of length; I think that is something for participants to self-police. As a player, I think this is kinda taking the piss, in terms of the demands that you're making on other people's time by submitting a 28-minute song. I would almost always try to listen to each entry once in full, but I'm going to break that rule for this one and skip around a bit. The guitars and drums are a little heavier than I'd like, but not by much, and they actually do create some very nice soundscapes here. The vocals are a definite no for me, though, such that there is absolutely no chance of me ever making it through the full runtime. (Also, for a 28-minute song, it's kind of bizarre to me how little variation there seemed to be while I skipped through - it basically just had two modes, quiet and loud, which otherwise sounded much the same whenever they took their turns.)

Peru // Try Again - Andy Shauf


I have not had a lot of exposure to Saskatchewan accents, so I don't know if it's a regional thing or specific to Shauf himself, but yikes. When he goes for a vowel sound, it sounds like he's got a small object in his mouth that he's trying not to bite or swallow. It was extraordinarily distracting from what might otherwise have been a very interesting song - some jaunty instrumentation and some kinda deft lyrical descriptions.

Wales // Black Mascara. - Raye


Some effectively stark descriptions of something seriously traumatic, which got and held my attention even though I wasn't wild about the vocal performance. The upbeat dance backing was a good contrast to the emotional bleakness, too. Probably not going to return to it, but I thought it was pretty solid.

Chile // This - OK Go


I have mostly found OK Go videos to be disproportionately interesting compared to OK Go songs. We're kinda there again - visually very cool, sonically yeah it's alright innit. The unshowy brass parts were the highlight for me, helping to give a bit of depth to what might otherwise have been a bit too one-note, guitar-wise.

eSwatini // The Foggy Dew - Sinéad O'Connor & The Chieftains


I definitely haven't listened to enough O'Connor but was moved by her passing nonetheless; what an inspiration for speaking up against injustice. This song is a great vehicle for an incredible voice, and it's powerful in its ruminations on its subject matter. I've always had a weakness for traditional Irish music and the pipes here really go straight to my soul. Strong stuff.

Scythia // Deep Silent Complete - Nightwish


I've heard a couple of Nightwish tracks before and they seem to very safely occupy 'not my thing, but harmless' territory. At least they're in and out before four minutes are up.

Uqbar // Spoiled Little Brat - Underscores


That little pitch-shift trick just before the chorus came in was a neat surprise in a song that had a fair few of them despite being stylistically not really my bag. It all got a bit too 100 gecs at the end for me to say I actually enjoyed it, but it was dripping with that manic Gen Z creativity that always impresses me even when I firmly don't Get It.

Wilber, Nebraska // Radio Song - Hardy ft. Jeremy McKinnon


This would probably work a little better on me if I spent any time at all listening to the radio in the USA - I feel like I've heard more parodies of this song's targets than the targets themselves. I do kind of like the route-one nature of just saying a long "FUCK" as soon as it becomes clear that that's what the joke is going to be, but otherwise I found this to be taking aim at some pretty low-hanging fruit and not doing all that much to make it worthwhile. The only real humour here is to be found in the juxtaposition of the hard guitars and dirty vocals with the typical country-radio style, because the 'meta lyrics that deconstruct what makes every song in our target genre sound the same' gag has been done a million times before by the likes of Bo Burnham and others, and I feel like the joke aged pretty quickly.

Vatican City // Nothing Left to Lose - Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Cast


Has the classic show-tune problem of not really having any room for interesting lyrical imagery (or, nearly as often, anything instrumentally novel) because it's plot-critical that everyone's position here is stated incredibly explicitly as you can't have audience members failing to understand what's going on immediately, which always leaves me wishing they just spoke it in dialogue rather than put it to music. The vocal performances are fine, I guess.

Mali // Prioritise Pleasure - Self Esteem
(my entry!)


Over the last few months, Rebecca Lucy Taylor's second album as Self Esteem (for which this song is the title track) has gradually grown in my estimations to the point that I'm coming around to thinking of it as a full-on pop masterpiece. It's full of fascinating explorations of femininity in a world plagued by misogyny (I Do This All the Time, a track I almost entered instead, is particularly bracing when it gets to a section in which Taylor simply recounts verbatim a series of real comments she received over her decade in an indie band), all delivered with the kind of chutzpah and confidence that evokes peak Madonna.

This is my most-played song from the record 'cause it's a total fucking banger. The blend of the massive choral vocals with blasts of heavily distorted guitar feels like getting struck by lightning, and IMO it gets even better when the distortion disappears and the final chorus is delivered alongside those gorgeous strings and heartbeaty percussion.
#greenshirtthursdays
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BS2000
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Post Post #22 (ISO) » Sat Aug 12, 2023 5:05 pm

Post by BS2000 »

Spoiler: g-g-g-g-get over it

1st: Celeste Song

even somebody like me, who barely plays games more than a few hours before getting kinda bored of them, feeling unending regret worse than owning books I never finish, knows that this game is really great. No I never finished it. I got stuck on the part where your in this sort of chamber and you can go in all kinds of directions and your trying to get keys or something? I don't remember. Anyway this is a very cool choice for the song contest. I love that we get some guitar mixed into the 8-bit sounding bleeps and bloops. another game I can think of in a similar vain that had a great soundtrack is Terraria, which I was just thinking about earlier today. Anyway I like.

2nd: Mascara Song

hmm i too like pronouncing mascara muhscahrah. ooh ok i like this hook. donetome youdonetome youdonetome. this has some really cool electronica house vibes i don't hear enough of from pop/r&b. actually i dunno is this house music? i'm just guessing. ok now were getting a rap bridge. big build up and... very cool release. not your typical whoa-oh-ohs of the 2010s+ or obnoxious synth hooks.

3rd: 28:00 Metal Song

oh christ this is the 28 minute song. I honestly was kinda hoping it was the celeste song. here goes. really hoping it's kinda proggy or post-rocky. Should I do some chores while listening to this? Yeah lemme clean the cat box. Ok I like this little melody as it's starting with the thumps. ok now were getting some strings. judging by that font i am guessing it's gonna get real aggro eventually, but I am really enjoying the first few minutes. oh ok here comes some geetar. ahahaha ok here's the aggro. oh that melody is coming back. honestly pretty cool how it's mixed with the metal, which is more soaring then chuggachugga. i'm sure this guy is saying some very profound shit but it just sounds like ARAARARSRRARRASARARAASARAA. but that's ok. I should also mention I really like that (album?)art. There's some fun dramatic drumming going on too. very reverby toms. what kind of metal is this? is this blackgaze? it seems good for metal. ope 11 minutes in and were getting a quiet part. oh femme vox? love it. I like whatever the guitar(?) is doing in my right ear on this quieter part. ok here comes some aggro again. This seems like really good drumming? I dunno for metal this is actually checking boxes for me. again the guitars seem to be more droney and bright-colored than what I normally hear in these song contests and I'm liking it. yeah this drummer seems to know what they're doing not just from a technical level, but like tastefully switching between what he's hammering 32nd notes on and accenting on or whatever. i feel like this whole 28 minutes has just been me convincing myself that I actually like this much more than I expected. again the vox are easily my least favorite part, but they are mixed in such a way that they aren't front and center. ooh ok back with the dramatic reverb toms. again can't understate how much good drumming can transform the song. ok fading out. has it been 28 minutes? oh guitars are back. nah looks like we have 7 more minutes to go. yeah I dunno what subgenre metal this is, but i like. ooh we got some prevalent bass guitar going here with the droney guitar. this is good everybody. i lied i actually didnt get to cleaning the cat box to this i wanted to keep taking notes. this feels like a metal song you could bathe in. oh it's over.

4th: Brat Song:

i get weird tiktok vibes from this and I don't even use tiktok. i guess this is pop/punk revival? oh actually this does remind me a bit of that new 100 gecs album because of those pitched up vocals. a guilty pleasure of mine until people at my work started to overplay it. i do really like the absurd glitches that happen towards the end.

5th: Sinead Song

ahh rest in peace sinead i honestly never gave your albums a chance, but i'm sure many are now. ok we got some lilting flutes. a very pretty voice. just name dropping Dublin seems a bit too on the nose, but hell I dunno these could be meaningful historical lyrics. is sinead considered like the bjork of ireland? the celine dion of ireland? i actually can't think of any other irish gal singers, but i'm an idiot. oh wait is enya irish? this song seemed maybe a lil too patriotic for me, but i respect it and she's got an excellent voice.

6th: Self-Esteem Song

hmm i really wasnt expecting these sorta glitchy distorted sounds to happen during the chorus. kinda cool. the rest of the song is kinda forgettable. i'm sure the lyrics are probably well-intentioned, self-love self-care etc. if i was paying more attention to those. honestly that muted rrreeaaaoww that's in the background makes me think of donkey kong.

7th: OKGO Song

okgo had like one hit very early on that I enjoyed, although I cannot remember
what song it was. no not the song with the infamous treadmill video, I think it was before that one. I mean I like the dynamics this song has. "honey it just don't get better than this" *cue the maudlin music break* Actually I dunno if I'm using the word maudlin right. I think saccharine is what I'm thinking of.

8th: Nightwish Song

hmm are we going metal here? at first I didn't think so, but yes in fact we are getting metal. this is more what power metal? palm muting and chugging guitars here. and some very earnest operatic vocals happening. that's the thing with a lot of metal that's interesting. so much earnestness, very little irony, very little whimsy. i'm probably wrong there is so much metal out there i've never heard. i can tell you after listening to that 28 minute epic, i was very confused when this started fading out before 4 minutes.

9th: Radio Song

hmm right away very unimpressed by these lyrics. oh a very country chorus.
now the lyrics make a bit more sense. lol oh god it's got these kinds of vox
too? ok this song is pretty hilarious. i've never heard a blend of genres like
this, so this gets some points for originality. unfortunately to me this is like mixing horseradish with sweet potatoes

10th: Emarosa Song

what's that little melody happening in the beginning. kinda cool. oh it's one of these kind of songs. ehhh. i like some of what the guitars are doing. it gets kinda groovy in the middle there. otherwise ugh more 2005highschoolcore

11th: Disney? Song

uhh what is happening here. is this some show? a movie? i generally don't do show tunes. sorry.
i was going to learn the keyboard and write several ballads
But i went to a barbeque and got lost by the tater salad
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Post Post #23 (ISO) » Sat Aug 12, 2023 6:54 pm

Post by fireisredsir »

Spoiler:
the foggy dew
- well, this is obviously #1. this is just very cool. her voice is so powerful. the drums are great. i really like how it starts sparse and then you get pieces of the other instruments coming in

chasmal fires
- i put these on a playlist in order so it's hard not to compare this to the emarosa song right before (sorry!) and i really much prefer this. the vocals sitting further back in the mix is very appealing to me personally, feels like it fits what the music is doing, and i like how it just sounds noisier and dirtier and how things rise and fall over the course of the song. lots more drum focus and then just textures on top of that with things poking out occasionally, which is cool. very good

black mascara
- really solid pop song. i like how bouncy it is, and i like how that contrasts with it not exactly being a happy song. and how it feels like different parts are taking turns in the front and then handing off the baton to another part in a transition that is still really smooth and cohesive

prioritise pleasure
- i just love everything thats going on in the chorus of this. the vocal effects. whatever is happening in the background. the thing her voice does whenever she says "i'm free". it's so good. the rest is fine enough as like a base but really its just kinda contrast waiting for the cool part to come back. luckily the cool part is like half the song

old site
- pretty cool sounds. maybe lacking a little something for me for me to want to listen to it more but it sounds nice whenever i put it on

try again
- i think the characters in the story of this song are neat, but im not that drawn in by the specifics of the writing or the musical choices. actually i liked it musically a bit more on listens after my first one. maybe i got used to his voice. the writing is still not my favorite

deep silent complete
- kinda cool? i dunno. it wasn't bad for me but it didn't really ever compel me either

this
- this feels light and fun and summery which is nice i guess, if a little boring. i think i appreciated it more when i was listened while outside walking in the sun

nothing left to lose
- i think without the story context this is less impactful than it otherwise potentially could be for me but it sounds nice

i am waves
- bits of this were alright but it didn't really do a lot for me. im not especially into any of the vocal stylings although i think id like it more if the singer stuck to one of them, for some reason. the music in general was just kinda weak for me

radio song
- at first i thought someone submitted this in earnest but i think it was meant as a joke. i think id actually prefer the song if it didn't think it was being clever/satirical. it being smug about trying to make fun of how bad of a song it is doesn't mean it stops being an awful song, but it does make it more annoying to listen to
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Post Post #24 (ISO) » Mon Aug 14, 2023 5:27 am

Post by toolenduso »

aw crap it's today
"Half of the game is figuring out who the scum is. The other half is convincing everyone else that you're right." -- PlaysWithSquirrels, in Newbie 437
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