Song Contest 210 (Results up!)

This forum is for discussion about anything else.
User avatar
Song Contest
Song Contest
Townie
User avatar
User avatar
Song Contest
Townie
Townie
Posts: 4
Joined: January 23, 2010

Song Contest 210 (Results up!)

Post Post #0 (ISO) » Sat Jan 20, 2024 1:29 am

Post by Song Contest »

Welcome to the Two-Hundred-and-Tenth Song Contest!
This contest is brought to you by the 210 bus running between Liverpool's Queen Square and Maghull Ashworth Hospital.

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


Antarctica
Australia
Barbados
Chile
eSwatini
Italy
Mali
Mount Celeste
New Zealand
Portugal
Scythia
Sudan
Zanarkand


Deadline for entries is Tuesday, 30 January at 7:59 AM, Greenwich Mean Time. (EDIT: Extended to Thursday, 1 February, same time.)
(expired on 2024-01-30 07:59:00)


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 (wgeurts)

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.





Entries!

Votes are due on Monday 19 February at 7:59 AM Greenwich Mean Time! (EXTENSION: Thursday 22 February, same time.)
(expired on 2024-02-19 07:59:00)






Tegan and Sara - The Con


Image




Pedro Aznar - Barro Tal Vez


Image




The People Versus - Witch


Image




Frog - It's Something I Do


Image




Beastie Boys - I Don't Know


Image




The Distillers - City of Angels


Image




Arm's Length - Overture


Image




ARForest - The Last Page


Image




Rob Zombie - Feel So Numb


Image




Pain - Excalibur


Image




Nihiloxica - Asidi


Image




Malukah - The Dragonborn Comes


Image


Nobody was cut!
Last edited by Song Contest on Fri Feb 23, 2024 7:50 am, edited 5 times in total.
User avatar
Cape90
Cape90
he/him
Mafia Scum
User avatar
User avatar
Cape90
he/him
Mafia Scum
Mafia Scum
Posts: 1109
Joined: July 30, 2021
Pronoun: he/him
Location: California

Post Post #1 (ISO) » Sat Jan 20, 2024 3:15 pm

Post by Cape90 »

/in
User avatar
light_ganski
light_ganski
she/her
Mafia Scum
User avatar
User avatar
light_ganski
she/her
Mafia Scum
Mafia Scum
Posts: 1338
Joined: April 11, 2016
Pronoun: she/her
Location: stranded on a desert island (it's Great Britain)

Post Post #2 (ISO) » Sun Jan 21, 2024 11:11 am

Post by light_ganski »

/in
A work in progress

"The philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point, however, is to change it".
User avatar
Aureal
Aureal
she/her
Mafia Scum
User avatar
User avatar
Aureal
she/her
Mafia Scum
Mafia Scum
Posts: 3691
Joined: September 9, 2005
Pronoun: she/her

Post Post #3 (ISO) » Tue Jan 23, 2024 2:31 pm

Post by Aureal »

Since the last one made me think about Utena AMVs, here's (another) one I did actually find from an Utena AMV!
"Yeah after a point it felt like Aureal was the only one talking sense despite being a goose so I just followed."
-furtiveglance
User avatar
Radical Rat
Radical Rat
They/Them
Jack of All Trades
User avatar
User avatar
Radical Rat
They/Them
Jack of All Trades
Jack of All Trades
Posts: 6465
Joined: November 22, 2015
Pronoun: They/Them
Location: Space Colony ARK

Post Post #4 (ISO) » Tue Jan 23, 2024 4:39 pm

Post by Radical Rat »

In post 3, Aureal wrote: Since the last one made me think about Utena AMVs, here's (another) one I did actually find from an Utena AMV!
I hope you linked the AMV as your media
Maybe the real Mafia was the friends we made along the way

Shiny and new GTKAS thread!
User avatar
Aureal
Aureal
she/her
Mafia Scum
User avatar
User avatar
Aureal
she/her
Mafia Scum
Mafia Scum
Posts: 3691
Joined: September 9, 2005
Pronoun: she/her

Post Post #5 (ISO) » Tue Jan 23, 2024 8:53 pm

Post by Aureal »

Tempting! Someone did actually put it on YouTube... but it's one I came across like, before YouTube existed. So the quality is low, slightly glitchy, and there's a brief title card (with audio) by the creator. So not quite ideal for a song contest. It's easy enough to find with a search after the contest goes up if anyone actually wants to dive into the Utena AMV rabbithole. :lol:
"Yeah after a point it felt like Aureal was the only one talking sense despite being a goose so I just followed."
-furtiveglance
User avatar
BS2000
BS2000
Goon
User avatar
User avatar
BS2000
Goon
Goon
Posts: 860
Joined: May 22, 2011

Post Post #6 (ISO) » Sat Jan 27, 2024 12:13 pm

Post by BS2000 »

/in with a unique deep cut from a legendary group
i was going to learn the keyboard and write several ballads
But i went to a barbeque and got lost by the tater salad
User avatar
pickemgenius
pickemgenius
Jack the Tripper
User avatar
User avatar
pickemgenius
Jack the Tripper
Jack the Tripper
Posts: 2471
Joined: April 27, 2007
Location: Pepsi Center
Happy Scumday!
Contact:

Post Post #7 (ISO) » Sat Jan 27, 2024 4:56 pm

Post by pickemgenius »

ye
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
User avatar
ceejayvinoya
ceejayvinoya
he/him
Mafia Scum
User avatar
User avatar
ceejayvinoya
he/him
Mafia Scum
Mafia Scum
Posts: 3348
Joined: March 19, 2018
Pronoun: he/him

Post Post #8 (ISO) » Sun Jan 28, 2024 1:55 am

Post by ceejayvinoya »

ey
Ceejay is only gonna get better but his logic can be on the wrong side of lazy logic sometimes. ~the worst
User avatar
Song Contest
Song Contest
Townie
User avatar
User avatar
Song Contest
Townie
Townie
Posts: 4
Joined: January 23, 2010

Post Post #9 (ISO) » Mon Jan 29, 2024 11:52 pm

Post by Song Contest »

We're a little short on numbers again so I'm extending entry deadline by two days. Get 'em in, pals!
User avatar
IceDragon70
IceDragon70
He
Goon
User avatar
User avatar
IceDragon70
He
Goon
Goon
Posts: 301
Joined: March 19, 2023
Pronoun: He

Post Post #10 (ISO) » Tue Jan 30, 2024 12:07 am

Post by IceDragon70 »

/in
Feelin' frosty
User avatar
Radical Rat
Radical Rat
They/Them
Jack of All Trades
User avatar
User avatar
Radical Rat
They/Them
Jack of All Trades
Jack of All Trades
Posts: 6465
Joined: November 22, 2015
Pronoun: They/Them
Location: Space Colony ARK

Post Post #11 (ISO) » Thu Feb 01, 2024 3:08 am

Post by Radical Rat »

/in, a few minutes late but probably fine
Maybe the real Mafia was the friends we made along the way

Shiny and new GTKAS thread!
User avatar
Pink Ball
Pink Ball
he/him
Silver Bullet
User avatar
User avatar
Pink Ball
he/him
Silver Bullet
Silver Bullet
Posts: 9852
Joined: December 15, 2018
Pronoun: he/him

Post Post #12 (ISO) » Thu Feb 01, 2024 3:24 am

Post by Pink Ball »

/in, sorry for the late entry, I have limited access and have to submit through my phone which is a pain in the ass

Oh and I had no idea what to bring to the table too, this contest will be my filler episode where we all go to the beach
User avatar
IceDragon70
IceDragon70
He
Goon
User avatar
User avatar
IceDragon70
He
Goon
Goon
Posts: 301
Joined: March 19, 2023
Pronoun: He

Post Post #13 (ISO) » Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:04 pm

Post by IceDragon70 »

When do we go to the next step?
Feelin' frosty
User avatar
Song Contest
Song Contest
Townie
User avatar
User avatar
Song Contest
Townie
Townie
Posts: 4
Joined: January 23, 2010

Post Post #14 (ISO) » Sun Feb 04, 2024 11:32 pm

Post by Song Contest »

In post 13, IceDragon70 wrote: When do we go to the next step?
Very soon - I'm running late due to some poor timekeeping choices this weekend, but we do have enough for a contest so I'll get it up as soon as I can, hopefully within 24 hours of this post.
User avatar
Song Contest
Song Contest
Townie
User avatar
User avatar
Song Contest
Townie
Townie
Posts: 4
Joined: January 23, 2010

Post Post #15 (ISO) » Mon Feb 05, 2024 10:13 pm

Post by Song Contest »

Entries are up!
Apologies again for the delay.
User avatar
ChannelDelibird
ChannelDelibird
He/they
Card Czar
User avatar
User avatar
ChannelDelibird
He/they
Card Czar
Card Czar
Posts: 10601
Joined: March 18, 2006
Pronoun: He/they
Location: Nottingham, UK
Contact:

Post Post #16 (ISO) » Thu Feb 15, 2024 1:05 am

Post by ChannelDelibird »

Spoiler: Reactions
Ireland // The Con - Tegan and Sara


Every time someone submits a Tegan and Sara song to a contest, I hope this is the one that's gonna make them click for me - like, beloved gay indie-pop? Yes please! I want to be on this train! - but it just keeps not happening. This is fine, to be clear, but not making waves with me. Their vocals have an element of cacophony here that I'm not used to from them - it reminds me a bit of some of the group-shouty parts from Arcade Fire's Funeral (fuck you, Win Butler) in an interesting way. Instrumentally, I feel like this should be making me want to bop around more than it does.

Chile // Barro Tal Vez - Pedro Aznar


Nice voice on yer man here. My Spanish has atrophied majorly since my university days so I'm working off melody and his guitar work here, both of which I like without really finding anything that's going to pull me back to this over other moody acoustic songs.

Mali // Witch - The People Versus
(my entry!)


I rushed to check out everything that the People Versus have released so far after discovering them as a support act at a Joy Formidable gig last year. They haven't put out a full album yet but almost all of their singles have been delightful - lots of mythological, baroque and Shakespearean imagery, plus a healthy dose of queer longing, and an asexual and agender perspective from their lead vocalist which is so rarely seen in pop music.

Portugal // It's Something I Do - Frog


I struggled to acclimatise to the voice here - too nasal for my taste, and felt at an odd clash in the mix with the acoustic guitar. I liked it a little more when the plinky keys came in to give it a bit of extra dimension, but I still don't expect to return to this.

Zanarkand // I Don't Know - Beastie Boys


As someone who only knows, like, the one or two biggest Beastie Boys hits, this came as a surprise, for sure, but a welcome one. Parts of this felt like they could have come from an Elbow (fuck you, Craig Potter) or even Radiohead song. I could have spent a lot more time with it before I got bored of its vibe.

Australia // City of Angels - The Distillers


Gosh, it is hard to get over those vocals. I can definitely work with some growl, but I need to actually be able to tell what words you're growling out, which is far from a thing I can reliably do here. Although I don't know if I'm missing out on much, lyrically, from what I can pick up. And I think I'd need to be, because it doesn't feel like anything unusual is going on instrumentally. This one just solidly wasn't for me.

Kiribati // Overture - Arm's Length


Sounds a little bit too much like the lead singer is on tranquilisers, methinks, but otherwise I thought this was pretty palatable - which is better than I usually feel about stuff in this emo wheelhouse.

Mount Celeste // The Last Page - ARForest


The little percussive crunches - is that a typewriter with some production on it? - are particularly neat in a generally very pretty affair. I'm not convinced that it does enough to earn its big drum-and-bass drop after less than two minutes, though.

Antarctica // Feel So Numb - Rob Zombie


That pre-chorus is quite effective but most of the time I do, in fact, feel quite numb to all of this. Not actively annoying at any point but not even the part of me that loves to rock out is particularly grabbed by it.

Scythia // Excalibur - Pain


That riff is gonna be stuck in my head for a while, I think. I'm not really feeling the lead vocals but I dug the drums quite a lot and kept being pleasantly surprised by the extra details that were fed in like the synths and the slightly ghostly backing vox. Quite fun, and built to a satisfying final stretch.

Indonesia // Asidi - Nihiloxica


I'm glad that this wasn't the black metal that the band name and font on the CD cover strongly implied. I'm much more into the drum side of this fusion than I am the bass, but it's still an interesting angle.

France // The Dragonborn Comes - Malukah


Check out Todd Howard's new single "Skyrim" if you get the chance. Sound of the summer.

#greenshirtthursdays
User avatar
Aureal
Aureal
she/her
Mafia Scum
User avatar
User avatar
Aureal
she/her
Mafia Scum
Mafia Scum
Posts: 3691
Joined: September 9, 2005
Pronoun: she/her

Post Post #17 (ISO) » Fri Feb 16, 2024 4:28 pm

Post by Aureal »

Spoiler: hey I actually put the stuff in the list order this time so you can't even tell what order I put stuff in, ha ha
(Ireland) Tegan and Sara - The Con:

Didn't grab me. Probably mostly a lyric-focused song but the distorted/echoing vocals made it extra effort to try to understand them and there wasn't enough movement in the instrumentals to get me want to pay attention to what was going on.

(Chile) Pedro Aznar - Barro Tal Vez

I don't understand what he's singing about, but the haunting melody and vocals really make me wish I did. Why am I trying to sing along with this?

(Mali) The People Versus - Witch

Bit of a toe-tapper to start off, though I did let my mind wander as it slowed down. I might just not have a good attention span.

(Portugal) Frog - It's Something I Do

IDK, it existed?

(Zanarkand) Beastie Boys - I Don't Know

Yeah, really maybe I don't have a good attention span right now. Just not getting into it. I need variety or excitement or something to catch my interest. These mellow things aren't doing it for me.

(Australia) The Distillers - City of Angels

There's a lot of the chorus, but that's okay, it's a pretty good chorus and the energy is keeping my attention.

(Kiribati) Arm's Length - Overture

Huh, that didn't last very long. Felt like it ended a bit early while it was still building up.

(Mount Celeste) ARForest - The Last Page

Another solid entry from Mount Celeste as usual. I wish I knew the context it's from, but it's nice enough on its own.

(Antarctica) Rob Zombie - Feel So Numb

Come on come on, I don't feel so numb after this one. :lol:

(Scythia) Pain - Excalibur

Here's the (somewhat spoilery) Utena AMV where I originally heard this one.

(Indonesia) Nihiloxica - Asidi

Cool jungle-themed piece, could see it being used during like a scene of an extended chase through a jungle or something.

(France) Malukah - The Dragonborn Comes

This is already on my YouTube music playlist, or least the original one anyway, literally the first thing I put on it. XD The interlude mixing in part of the Dovahkiin theme is interesting.
"Yeah after a point it felt like Aureal was the only one talking sense despite being a goose so I just followed."
-furtiveglance
User avatar
Psyche
Psyche
he/they
Survivor
User avatar
User avatar
Psyche
he/they
Survivor
Survivor
Posts: 10721
Joined: April 28, 2011
Pronoun: he/they

Post Post #18 (ISO) » Fri Feb 16, 2024 5:08 pm

Post by Psyche »

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list ... vulRi7qfom

youtube playlist of all the songs (though using youtube versions of the bandcamp/soundcloud submissions; i've checked and believe they're the same)
User avatar
light_ganski
light_ganski
she/her
Mafia Scum
User avatar
User avatar
light_ganski
she/her
Mafia Scum
Mafia Scum
Posts: 1338
Joined: April 11, 2016
Pronoun: she/her
Location: stranded on a desert island (it's Great Britain)

Post Post #19 (ISO) » Sun Feb 18, 2024 12:39 am

Post by light_ganski »

next time I shall try to remember to save my notes so I can also post my reactions :shifty:
A work in progress

"The philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point, however, is to change it".
User avatar
Song Contest
Song Contest
Townie
User avatar
User avatar
Song Contest
Townie
Townie
Posts: 4
Joined: January 23, 2010

Post Post #20 (ISO) » Mon Feb 19, 2024 10:22 am

Post by Song Contest »

We are several votes short! Extending the ballot by 72 hours.
User avatar
BS2000
BS2000
Goon
User avatar
User avatar
BS2000
Goon
Goon
Posts: 860
Joined: May 22, 2011

Post Post #21 (ISO) » Mon Feb 19, 2024 11:46 am

Post by BS2000 »

submitted now, my b

No specific notes, but this was a rather pleasant song contest, very alt rock
i was going to learn the keyboard and write several ballads
But i went to a barbeque and got lost by the tater salad
User avatar
Pink Ball
Pink Ball
he/him
Silver Bullet
User avatar
User avatar
Pink Ball
he/him
Silver Bullet
Silver Bullet
Posts: 9852
Joined: December 15, 2018
Pronoun: he/him

Post Post #22 (ISO) » Mon Feb 19, 2024 1:03 pm

Post by Pink Ball »

Spoiler: Not so late to the party
Ireland

Tegan and Sara - The Con

Not really into it. It reminded me of other songs that have used the same formula and for me it's a little washed up, so to be fair, if I would've heard this one before, I would've liked it more.
Score: 5 out of 10
Chile

Pedro Aznar - Barro Tal Vez (En Vivo)

Yeah you had to listen to this. I've always said that Pedro is in his best when he sings other composer's songs; this one is not the exception. This one is originally from Luis Alberto Spinetta, 'el flaco', one of the two most influential rock musicians of Argentina (along with Charly Garcia). Aznar's compositions are mellower than his partners, but he's an excellent performer and a musical beast.
Score: Niño Prodigio out of 10
Mali

The People Versus - Witch

Nice one!
Score: 6.5 out of 10
Portugal

Frog - It's Something I do

Nicer one!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
Zanarkand

Beastie Boys - I Don't Know

Little less nice, in a way that I actually really liked it, but got bored after a minute.
Score: 6 out of 10
Australia

The Distillers - City of Angels

(I'm starting to see a patern 'cause without looking I thought "oh this was probably submitted by Australia (that's a compliment)).
Score: 8.5 out of 10
Kiribati

Arm's Length - Overture

This one has something, I don't know what it is… but it's like, I wouldn't like this song if I listened any other day. Like this song was made for me to listen to it in this exact moment. That doesn't make it perfect, not even close to, but I'm glad I got to listen to it when I was prone to like it.
Score: 8 out of 10
Mount Celeste

ARForest - The Last Page

Fuck yeah I recognize this one from bianco's walrus, I remember liking it back then and now with this second listen I like it even more, it's like the music is telling a cute ass story that I'm all in for it.
Score: 9 out of 10
Antarctica

Rob Zombie - Feel So Numb

Not as bad as I expected it to be! I loved the imaginery of the video, but the music is a little bit silly I guess.
Score: 4 out of 10
Scythia

Pain - Excalibur

Ah fuck I was hoping that obnoxius riff would stop after the first chorus. The song has some redeemable qualities, but that guitar and other elements of it are really making me wanting to skip to the next song.
Score: 1.5 out of 10
Indonesia

Nihiloxica - Asidi

That beat alone was good enough for making me able to go through the entire thing without losing interest in the song, but that's about it.
Score: 4.5 out of 10
France

Malukah - The Dragonborn Comes

Oh no, sorry. In contrast with the orchestral arrangement… This isn't it.
Score: 2.5 out of 10
User avatar
Radical Rat
Radical Rat
They/Them
Jack of All Trades
User avatar
User avatar
Radical Rat
They/Them
Jack of All Trades
Jack of All Trades
Posts: 6465
Joined: November 22, 2015
Pronoun: They/Them
Location: Space Colony ARK

Post Post #23 (ISO) » Tue Feb 20, 2024 6:52 am

Post by Radical Rat »

Spoiler: Late due to having "emotions," sorry

Ireland - The Con:
I like the instrumental music a lot, and there's a solid energy charging the performance, but something about the way the singers harmonize (or don't?) is grating to me. Which usually means I'll listen again in an amount of time and it'll grow on me, but alas I cannot grant points based on potential future growth that hasn't happened yet.

Chile - Barro Tal Vez:
Is it normal for musicians to have a teleprompter on stage? I just kinda assumed they memorized everything, though I can see how having it there just in case could be helpful. Regarding the actual song, I quite liked it! Has a sort of haunting quality to it, and this man has a damn good voice for it, even though my Spanish isn't good enough to understand the words. I think he's earned his teleprompter.

Mali - Witch:
A lot of things to like here, I love the jauntiness, and the vocal style here is one of my favorites, and a strong emotional core driving it. I do think it gets a bit repetitive, but it only ALMOST overstays its welcome, so it's not a huge issue.

Portugal - It's Something I Do:
Despite the lyrics hitting a bit close to home, I felt basically nothing while listening to this one, which... isn't a great sign. It started out sounding kinda bland and generic, and then never really did anything to break out of that. It wasn't like, actively bad or anything, but it just didn't do much to make me pay attention.

Zanarkand - I Don't Know:
Very different from what I typically associate with the Beastie Boys, reminds me a bit of some of Nine Inch Nails' quieter songs. Loved the use of stereo here, and the different musical threads constantly provided something to latch onto, while still maintaining a sort of minimalism. A very pleasant listen.

Australia - City of Angels:
I'm a bit mixed on this one, but I probably would have loved it if I'd heard it a decade earlier. There are bits where everything aligns and it hits just right, but then right as I'm falling into the jam I'm pulled out again. Perhaps another one that just takes getting used to, but as it is and as I am now, it's stuck at being almost good.

Kiribati - Overture:
This is another one that's kinda generic, but this time not bland. The shift halfway through keeps it fresh, even if neither half is doing anything particularly special, and I do think both halves were executed quite well, and create a greater whole than either would be on their own.

Mount Celeste - The Last Page:
I feel like I give similar notes on a lot of the Mount Celeste songs, but it's very excellent chiptune work, and the later blending of more "normal" instruments accents it well. This one I think also did a good job at constantly evolving and avoiding the repetition a lot of similar songs tend to rely on.

Antarctica - Feel So Numb (Mine!):
I've been on something of an edgy kick lately, and I was honestly surprised Rob Zombie had never been submitted before. His stuff is admittedly a bit of an acquired taste, and this is one of the songs that served as a gateway for me, as it's more melodic and less reliant on grotesque/sexual imagery, which I think makes it a decent fit for a Song Contest.

Scythia - Excalibur:
I did seek out the Utena AMV to listen to this one, and I believe that to have been the correct decision because it was very fitting and helped my ADHD ass pay attention. I enjoyed the sense of melancholic devotion here, and the sword metaphor is an interesting one beyond its relevance to Utena.

Indonesia - Asidi:
I could see this being really good background music, but I think it kinda wears out when listening on its own. It's an interesting drum rhythm, and it is complemented well by the other layers, but there's not quite enough to stand on its own.

France - The Dragonborn Comes:
Very very well done. Though I think I prefer the intensity of the original personally, there is definitely something special with the more understated presentation here, and she has a perfect voice for this sort of thing.
Maybe the real Mafia was the friends we made along the way

Shiny and new GTKAS thread!
User avatar
Song Contest
Song Contest
Townie
User avatar
User avatar
Song Contest
Townie
Townie
Posts: 4
Joined: January 23, 2010

Post Post #24 (ISO) » Fri Feb 23, 2024 7:37 am

Post by Song Contest »

Kiribati


pickemgenius


12 - Australia
10 - Mount Celeste
8 - Antarctica
7 - Mali
6 - Scythia
5 - Zanarkand
4 - Indonesia
3 - Portugal
2 - Ireland
1 - Chile


Antarctica


Radical Rat


12 - Chile
10 - Mali
8 - Zanarkand
7 - Mount Celeste
6 - Scythia
5 - France
4 - Kiribati
3 - Indonesia
2 - Australia
1 - Ireland


Mount Celeste


ceejayvinoya


12 - Chile
10 - Kiribati
8 - France
7 - Scythia
6 - Antarctica
5 - Mali
4 - Ireland
3 - Indonesia
2 - Australia
1 - Zanarkand


Ireland


light_ganski


12 - Australia
10 - Chile
8 - Mali
7 - France
6 - Scythia
5 - Mount Celeste
4 - Kiribati
3 - Zanarkand
2 - Antarctica
1 - Portugal


Current Scores:

35 Chile
30 Mali
28 Australia
25 Scythia
22 Mount Celeste
20 France
18 Kiribati
17 Zanarkand
16 Antarctica
10 Indonesia
7 Ireland
4 Portugal
Post Reply

Return to “General Discussion”