Lurker > rwlh

32. Genesis A Trick of the Tail
Progressive Rock, Symphonic Prog, Progressive Pop
1976
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/1/9/AAeDEnAAE3y_.jpg

@SuperbVEVO

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kZMpueKGq0FXWfZX2r0mvxb8JZvx1WOwU

1. Dance of the Volcano
2. Los Endos
3. A Trick of the Tail

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjRQgTbbfwA

I have a passing familiarity with Genesis, mostly from when Phil Collins was their singer, but it doesnt look like that familiarity encompasses anything from A Trick of the Tail. Some neat prog/mixed meter in the opening track, Dance on a Volcano, which floats rapidly between musical ideas: theres the aforementioned mixed meter but also tone shifts and fadeouts of the guitars and some solos. Collinss singing is clear and strong. Eventually the song turns into chaos before hopping back to something resembling, then back again. This is a very strong opener. It absolutely keeps me guessing.

Entangled is more in line with what I expect from the band: very lyrical and folky, a song you could listen to while moseying around an open field. Oh but then it gets a bit harder (or at least louder) and fuller. I like that Entangled also keeps me guessing. I like the line With your consent / we can experiment / further still. I dont know what its referencing but it flows nicely. Mad Man Moon starts out calm then gets more intense.

The lyrics overall seem like theyre about some Celtic mythology or something. I dont know. I dont need them. Im going off Collinss vocal delivery and emotional range, which is big and versatile. Im getting overall Led Zeppelin vibes from a lot of this album, though different in execution and more contemplative than Led Zeppelins harder rock. Four songs in and every song has shifted and grown throughout, turning my expectations on their head. Its interesting to compare this to, say, the Electric Light Orchestra nomination, which is also prog rock, but I disliked that and I really like this. I guess it shows the genre isnt staid and has room for plenty of different artists and ideas.

I like these songs but Im having a tough time focusing on them, a common issue I have with prog music, specifically prog jazz. Im not somebody who needs a melody all the time, but I feel like I do need something anchoring me; too much shifting often loses me. A Trick of the Tail feels like an album that I like more than the sum of its parts. Halfway through and I cant say I like any individual song on its own, but the actual experience of listening has been cool. My top three feels mostly arbitrary for this reason. The only song I havent enjoyed on some level is Ripples, which I checked out for the entirety of.

PIayer_0 posted...

Dang, I was hoping for top half at least. My personal standouts are Surf Solar, Olympians, and Feathered Serpent - the first two were especially awesome to have as running music back when I was into that. The warped vocal sample in Surf Solar really sounds like the one in Scrap I/O...did you notice??

IIRC there was one album I noted down as sounding like NeoTokyo. It might have been this one!

I think drone could be fun for me to get into. Half of Tarot Sport really resonated with me. I can have a lot of patience for a song if I "vibe" with what it's doing. So yeah, bug me later and maybe I'll check out Brainfreeze. Thanks!

Seginustemple posted...

I probably won't be able to keep up for long but we'll see how it goes

Wow, ambitious! Good luck. It's been really awesome reading everyone's thoughts on the drops so far.

Top Songs:
1. Matthew and the Atlas - Waging a War (Unplugged)
2. Negativland - More Data
3. ???
4. ???
5. Fuck Buttons - Rough Steez
6. ???
7. ???
8. ???
9. ???
10. ???
11. ???
12. Lemm feat. lasah - Occult Descartes
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. ???
18. ???
19. ???
20. Cocteau Twins - Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
21. ???
22. ???
23. ???
24. ???
25. Black Country, New Road - Mark's Theme
26. Green Day - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. ???
31. The Dear Hunter - The Bitter Suite IV and V: The Congregation and The Sermon in the Silt
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. ???
35. ???
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. ???
38. ???
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. ???
43. ???
44. ???
45. Yoko Kanno - Atomic Bird
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. Green Day - Basket Case
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. Sunspot - Thunderbird
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. Jacob Collier - In My Bones
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

Some highly rated songs unveiled! More Data and Rough Steez are tracks I've come back to over and over again.

Rough draw for Enigma of Aqua.

Splash Blue (Arranged)
abstain

33. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
Electronic, Neo-Psychedelia
2009
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/9/6/AAeDEnAAE3sY.jpg

@PIayer_0

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNitVGYNCIxGAQ_L037i1kt6LWfg_niTu

1. Rough Steez
2. Olympians
3. Space Mountain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psow5ns94_0

The bubbles are strong with this one.

Surf Solar starts out one way and then eventually blossoms into a big, dynamic experience. I started getting into it around the three-minute mark. Its absolutely the kind of song I need to be in the right mood for. Its repetitive in that sort of trance/house style, and I know a lot of my reaction to that genre is mood dependent. I do like this song though, the way its structured around these repeated phrases and big swelling moments. Its relaxing and oddly inspirational.

Within like one second of Rough Steez I know I like it more than Surf Solar. That grungy, washed-out sound really feels good on a guttural level. And then 0:45 hits and the song transforms, sort of like what Surf Solar does, but it goes in a direction I absolutely want to follow. What can I say, Im a sucker for weird percussion. Its probably the musical aspect most consistent across my entire taste everything I like and dislike has big exceptions, but Im practically guaranteed to always like weird percussion. I cant tell if the percussion here is someone scatting or something inorganic, but whatever it is, it anchors me to the music. I also love all the electronic/glitchy elements. Really solid song.

Not really feeling The Lisbon Maru. Bring back the weird percussion! Olympians, however, starts out cool, gradually transitioning from the droney transition into something almost tribal in nature, and flowing naturally into an extended guitar note. Ooh and then 4:30 happens, it builds to such a nice climax! It does go on a little too long for me though?

You might think Tarot Sport is the ultimate in blue balls, with loud, repetitive segments that seem to only function as teases. On the contrary: I enjoy this contemplative, patient approach to music. Again, I need to be in the right mindset to properly appreciate it, but I feel as if, by track 4, Fuck Buttons has placed me there.

Thus far Ive only enjoyed the even-numbered songs: Rough Steez and Olympians. Tracks 1, 3, and 5 havent grabbed me that much. Track 6, Space Mountain, is also kind of cool. It feels like these even-numbered tracks are more structured around building toward climaxes. Maybe that makes them more appealing to me, I dont know, I did just say I liked the more patient approach so who knows. This is an album that fills me with contradictions. Then song 7, Flight of the Feathered Serpent, breaks the pattern because I really like it. This one in particular reminds me of The Field.

Overall good music to put on in the background. Theres nothing wrong with that. I didnt love a lot of this but what I liked, I really found engaging.

Xtlm posted...

I wish, it's the JP. It's 3 records and was expensive enough as is lol.

Dang. Oh well. The JP version is still probably worth the purchase by itself!

Bubble Crab

[NOTE: with #34, we enter into a Zone of Mostly Positivity. From here on out I can safely say these are albums I might consider revisiting in the future, albums that probably have more to offer me than not. This album in particular was the cutoff for this tier. Maybe you'll see why?]

-

34. Negativland - The World Will Decide
Plunderphonics, Sound Collage, Electronic
2020
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/5/2/9/AAeDEnAAE3px.jpg

@Place

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k3xV0iHUluiiObSz_uCkKMd05u1sdm2YY

1. More Data
2. Dont Dont Get Freaked Out
3. Content

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTWD0j4tec4

The first song, Unlawful Assembly, is an intro of sorts full of vocal clips about, well, unlawfully assembling, complete with screaming and gunshots. Its a big risk to open an album like this will it pay off? Song 2, Content, is marginally more accessible, with more vocal clips about, well, content, replete with squeaky glitchy effects. The vocal clips take the place of singing I wonder where they came from, if theyre public domain media or if they were recorded specifically for this. I like the panoramic content content content in different voices. Its very disorienting in a good way. Very clear themes emerge immediately, most notably the overwhelming ubiquitousness of modern technology, how its everywhere, in every facet of our lives. People on the album have inane conversations with Siri and, maybe, other people, though whether these are conversations between humans or between humans and AI (or even between AI and AI) is up in the air, which is, I suspect, the point.

This is a reeeeally tough album for me to rate. I appreciate what its going for and the points its making and its singular approach to making these points. But I dont enjoy it. It feels like a lot of the songs make similar points about technology and humanity (valid points to be sure); of everything on the list, this might win the least necessary to be a whole album award. Again, I appreciate it, so its staying out of the bottom tierbut yeah.

I will say More Data is pretty cool. The repeated and frantic Help Mes coupled with the falsely soothing robot voices about all of the data and the dissonant backing musicI feel a strong emotional connection to this one. Dont Dont Get Freaked Out likewise lands because of the unique percussion in this case, keys on a keyboard. I also like the meta story of someone talking to their computer. When you first meet somebody / Theyre typically alive LOL. And Open Your Mouth is delightfully weird in a unique way. So hey, maybe I was being uncharitable. Im always happy to be proven wrong like this.

You gave me John Cages Rozart mix for a non-vgm ranking and I gave it top ten. This was an even riskier nomination and sadly this one didnt pan out as well. Certainly one of the more unique nominations though, and for that Im glad to have listened to it.

35. Green Day Dookie
Pop Punk, Alternative Rock, Skate Punk
1994
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/0/2/AAeDEnAAE3ny.jpg

@bryans7

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL81_CtYCym28M8c2NFVCEIEBDCu6o1tXw

1. Basket Case
2. Longview
3. All by Myself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS86jipcKzw

First off: great album art. Feels very low-budget zine, really conjures up a specific aesthetic.

The line Im not growing up, Im just burning out sums up the ache of teendom in a very profound and genuine way. I dont get the sense throughout this album that Green Day are compromising their messages for mass appeal. They helped bring back a punk sensibility to 90s music and its easy to see why.

I dont love the production on Dookie. Billie Joes vocals are faded so far back that I cant make any sense of what hes singing. It reminds me of shoegaze music and is clearly tied to the punk style, so it might just be a matter of preference. Ive been trying to pay attention to the lyrics in these nominations but its nigh impossible here I can barely make out a word of it.

There are some good guitar and drum solos; the one in Chump got me pretty hyped.

I always enjoyed Longview. Im sure its no small coincidence that its one of the only songs with intelligible lyrics due to being more acoustic. Its very radio friendly so it makes sense to be one of the big singles from the album. Basket Case, another radio friendly jam, is the only song I legitimately enjoy it easily takes the top spot.

Pulling Teeth is like punk meets country. Its a bizarre mashup and it doesnt work all that well to me but I appreciate the band mixing it up a bit. (Im not the only one hearing this, am I?)

I unironically love All by Myself. What a hilarious way to end the album.

Most of these songs blended into each other except for the singles. If I had to rank everything I would have no idea where to even start! I didnt connect with most of the album apart from the singles maybe Im too far removed from the pop-punk scene, or from the troubles the band sings about. I imagine this would have been a real wake-up call for me at seventeen but I was too busy listening to [REDACTED] instead.

One thing I appreciate is how the band keeps it real. The band touches on real issues: sex and breakups, drug use, finding your place in the world. Dookie isnt for me; in another timeline, it could be.

Oh man I just realized I should have nominated the Defense Professor from Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. He wouldn't have won the contest, but he would've been fun to argue.

One of the most interesting things about Umbridge is that she produces a Patronus when she's sentencing innocent people to Azkaban, to essentially wizard hell. Patronuses can only be produced from happy thoughts.

I voted Carnage, but Umbridge is no slouch. A different kind of evil. I'm not sure who I'd take between her and Voldemort.

I would like The Last No. Zero more if it was just the X vs. Zero parts; I don't find the other sections as engaging.

Boomer Kuwanger
abstain

Top Songs:
1. Matthew and the Atlas - Waging a War (Unplugged)
2. ???
3. ???
4. ???
5. ???
6. ???
7. ???
8. ???
9. ???
10. ???
11. ???
12. Lemm feat. lasah - Occult Descartes
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. ???
18. ???
19. ???
20. Cocteau Twins - Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
21. ???
22. ???
23. ???
24. ???
25. Black Country, New Road - Mark's Theme
26. Green Day - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. ???
31. The Dear Hunter - The Bitter Suite IV and V: The Congregation and The Sermon in the Silt
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. ???
35. ???
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. ???
38. ???
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. ???
43. ???
44. ???
45. Yoko Kanno - Atomic Bird
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. ???
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. Sunspot - Thunderbird
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. Jacob Collier - In My Bones
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

As with Holiday and Boulevard of Broken Dreams, it might be weird to combine The Bitter Suite Parts IV and V together, but I thought separating them did both halves a disadvantage. (Also - more to the point - it's how the link came.) Occult Descartes placing pretty high overall; there's a link I've relistened to multiple times.

36. The Dear Hunter - Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise
Progressive Rock, Indie Rock, Rock Opera
2015
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/4/2/AAeDEnAAE3gm.jpg

@NBIceman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35DkAladWxk

1. The Bitter Suite IV and V: The Congregation and the Sermon in the Silt
2. King of Swords (Reversed)
3. Remembered

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIBJ-RYSAhU

I remember this band from an earlier ranking topic. I gave A Night on the Town, your nomination, just shy of bottom 10 out of 164 songs. Bold of you to nominate the album its from for this

I know this is a very lyrics-heavy band, so Im trying my hardest to pay attention to the words. Apparently this album is part of an overarching storyline about someone named Hunter (is he especially Dear?) trying to live a new life. These sorts of concept albums intrigue me. Do I need to be familiar with the previous three Acts to fully appreciate this? I dont think so; thus far the lyrics have been vague enough and havent seemed to reference prior storylines. Then again, despite my best efforts the lyrics keep slipping away from me. I warned you!

The album is pretty proggy. Lots of fun with time signatures. I can always appreciate that, even if Im not always all that into it.

I think Id be a bit kinder to A Night on the Town now. IIRC my major complaint before was the length, and I didnt mind that as much. I even appreciated the extended instrumental ending.

Boy, Rebirth in Reprise isnt holding my interest, like, at all. Thats not a good thing for an album thats almost 80 minutes! The songs all feel pretty samey. Again, despite my best efforts Im barely focusing on the lyrics, so theres not as much for me to grab onto. However, the back half I actually find to be more varied and engaging.

YouTube offers this description for The Bitter Suite:

They arrive at the Church, and Hunter recognizes the priest from when he worked in The Dime, which has been closed because of the war. He speaks against The Priest knowing that he's The Pimp, but the mass ignores him, and the sermon begins. The Priest tells the people that the only way to salvation is through him money. The sermon ends, and Hunter is approached by The Priest, applauded as a returning war hero. He pretends to not know who The Priest really is, and pretends to not be Hunter. The Priest suggests that Hunter run for mayor, to fix the corruption in the City. Hunter agrees, seeing that this is the perfect way to get rid of The Pimp and The Priest.

I feel like context has got to help here, right? Is there some sort of magical unlocking mechanism that will make this all resonate more with me? Ooh, but then I actually get to The Bitter Suite and it actually sounds kind of different to the rest of the album. I almost always enjoy evil circus music, which feels fitting for a corrupt priest (context!). Also, Im able to focus on the lyrics here, presumably because Im actually enjoying the song and so it doesnt feel like a chore >_>; Then the last part of The Bitter Suite starts and I go right back to zoning out.

King of Swords (Reversed) is surprisingly funky lol what. Thats unexpected XD

Takeaways by the end:
- This is still generally not a style I care for and I zoned out a lot
- But! When Im invested in the song, I have minimal problems listening to the lyrics
- I was only able to reliably pick up on the lyrics to one song (The Bitter Suite)

NBIceman, I dont know if you even remember my ranking topic from a few years ago. If you do, it was a bold choice to give me this album again. I do thank you for letting me experience a different side to this band. If you didnt remember, wellmaybe you will next time

Carnage based on arguments.

NFUN posted...

Tommy Tallarico

I went out of my way to avoid using a Tallarico topic upload, lol

cakophon posted...

regarding the song title; rym only lists the english titles as provided by the artist in their spotify and youtube listings, but i think rwlh mixed up pasting the album's japanese title and the japanese title of the second track, which is . they start with the same characters so i can see how this might've happened

Oh oops. Yes this might be what happened. My bad.

The Terminator (Sega CD) - Taking to the Air
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGobJ153r78

37. Yoko Kanno Song to fly
Art Pop
1998
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/9/9/AAeDEnAAE3eX.jpg

@skulltrumpets

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgBAXaMeVtyoLqKSN0pLRXvZ9J4EzP_j0

1. Atomic Bird
2. The man in the desert
3. Nowhere and Everywhere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS0AXZJMgsk

Now thats a heck of an opener. Acapella female choir with terrific harmonies. Theres something powerful about this recording where you feel like youre right there with the choir, being directly sung to, immersed in the song. And then it transitions seamlessly into something more fast-paced, with drums. These Cosmic Voices of Bulgaria (great name) know a thing or two about music. And sure, I guess Kanno does too. That last chord is especially terrific.

Reunion features a different singer, with a rich alto voice. I think I enjoy altos more than sopranos as a whole, maybe because sopranos feel a bitoverused? And a solid alto can have such an incredible register. Tulivu-Donna Cumberbatch certainly fits that bill. Killer vibrato too. Life can be hard / But thats not my destiny. Pretty great stuff so far, though I prefer Atomic Bird (first song). The string and piano accompaniment is just so lovely. Ooh and theres a sax! Kanno pulling out all the stops and its only two songs in!

Whoa Next Time is in a very different style, very playful and sneaky. Then Franco Sansalone comes in sounding like fucking Tom Waits LOL. This is the first song on the album I think would be improved by removing the singer. Not really a fan of this one. I like the chimes though! ABC Mouse Parade is another sort of whimsical piece, but Gabriela Robin meshes with the instrumental better. Interestingly, its whimsical in a different way more of a march, a Billy Hatcher to Next Times Napple Tale (yes I know Kanno didnt compose for Billy Hatcher). I like the Here we gooooo followed by a surprisingly rock-oriented break. Even when Im not super into the music, the album still surprises me.

This EDEN starts pretty New Agey, with big, ethereal chords and acoustic guitar. Its really beautiful. Comparatively simple compared to some of the other tracks, but its very effective. Nowhere and Everywhere reminds me of a more orchestral variant on a classic rock track very wistful, and very cool.

Theres some intriguing variety on this album. A lot of it so far has been slower-paced and lyrical, but the actual execution the instruments and singers is pretty diverse.

Most of the remaining album is Warsaw Philharmonic tracks, which dont have featured singers. Theyre soothing. I especially like The man in the desert.

Song to fly was fine. Im not really familiar with Kannos non-VGM work, but I like a lot of her VGM output. There were only a few songs that I can say I enjoyed, but I appreciated the variety and juxtaposition between solemnity and playfulness. There was also a great variety of singers, each of whom conjured particular emotions. Not for me, but might recommend to others.

Huh? They're different songs. Do you mean the translation? RYM has the translation as "in this dead-end."

X vs. Zero and Wonder Panorama are all-time faves (both 9s). Good competition though!

X vs. Zero
Wonder Panorama

38. Lemm feat. lasah - Dead-End Apartment
Art Pop, Glitch Pop
2019
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/6/1/AAeDEnAAE3cN.jpg
@UF8

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kARWULKt23f4cBqII58AuMDOwxKzDHjvk

1. Occult Descartes
2. Dead-End Apartment
3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rBjGFkXyyk

My sole exposure to Lemm is through two VGMC songs, IroniA and nATALIE, neither of which Ive enjoyed. Lets see how I feel about a full-length album.

After a brief prelude, the first full song, , is super immersive, with deep breathing (which I normally like, but in small doses) and a full, rich sound. Im not 100% sold on the vocals, but I really like all the accompaniment: soft, powerful, a little glitchy. I would already say I prefer this to the two VGMC numbers. Song 2, Occult Descartes, is more of the same: breezy and glitchy but still hits very powerfully. I like lasahs voice more in this song, particularly when she lets loose with a fuller sound. Occult Descartes is really quite cool everything works together in harmony to create a really engaging sound. Very nice!

Song 3, the ghost next door, is kind of an R&B song, which is a bit unexpected but not unwelcome. Nice beat to it. One thing of note is lasah shifts between Japanese and English vocals with ease. Like I dont even notice that shes singing in multiple languages until I stop and think about it. Its seamless. I also appreciate the chill lo fi beats in the ghost next door. Dead-End Apartment is full of chill lo fi beats.

Not as into song 4, oracin, as the others so far. Not quite sure why maybe I feel like its not distinct enough from the earlier tracks. A victim of the classic earlier songs in an album stick out more syndrome. Actually oracin sort of reminds me of Blue Reflection in parts, specifically the parts of that soundtrack I enjoy. Maybe I do like this one more than I thought. Im also not all that into but again, I really like the R&B beat.

The title track, Dead-End Apartment, is one of my favorites on the album. Its very emotional, with lots of piano and big chords. lasah is still breathy for parts but here she opens up more, which I already said I like. The song covers a lot of different emotions and is a good showcase for her, as well as Lemms production. While I prefer Occult Descartes, Dead-End Apartment (song) seems like the best showcase of their skills as musicians.

Overall not a bad outing! I didnt love every song but I really enjoyed the overall vibe and especially the beats. Occult Descartes in particular is a real gem. Im glad Lemm has some music I like. Thanks for nominating!

BlueCrystalTear posted...

P.S. I'm glad you took a listen to this and could appreciate it at least a little.

I liked the album you nominated for Rank the Tracks too. They're a cool band. You're right that every song was a surprise - as someone who values variety, that was a listening highlight for me.

Top Songs:
1. Matthew and the Atlas - Waging a War (Unplugged)
2. ???
3. ???
4. ???
5. ???
6. ???
7. ???
8. ???
9. ???
10. ???
11. ???
12. ???
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. ???
18. ???
19. ???
20. Cocteau Twins - Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
21. ???
22. ???
23. ???
24. ???
25. Black Country, New Road - Mark's Theme
26. Green Day - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. ???
31. ???
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. ???
35. ???
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. ???
38. ???
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. ???
43. ???
44. ???
45. ???
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. ???
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. Sunspot - Thunderbird
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. Jacob Collier - In My Bones
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

Well now. Well well.

Morning Dancer (Unplugged) was the second album I listened to for this project. Waging a War was the second song ranked. No other song really came close. I know I said I'm not a lyrics person, but if a song really lands, the lyrics can sparkle. Waging a War doesn't have the flowery metaphors of comparable songs, but maybe that's why I like it - it's so plaintive, so deceptively simple, it hurts. This one truly resonated. This one's a keeper. Thanks, Chaeix!

39. Black Country, New Road - Ants from Up There
Art Rock, Post-Rock, Chamber Pop, Indie Rock
2022
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/9/2/AAeDEnAAE3Wc.jpg

@FoolFantastic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIJjiW_aAFQ

1. Marks Theme
2. The Place Where He Inserted The Blade
3. Chaos Space Marine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63N7GiaVCSs

(Note: like all writeups, my review of Ants from Up There was written stream-of-consciously, as I listened for the first time. This one is particularly interesting because I slowly come to the realization of why I dont like the album much, after circling around it a few times. I hope you enjoy these glimpses into my thought process, or at least that you arent repulsed by them LOL)

The first song, Chaos Space Marine, opens with a combo of fiddle and sax(!). How intriguing. I like this vocalist; I get the sense hes hiding his true power and hell unleash a mighty belt any time soon. (But maybe not?) The chorus goes big I dont know if baroque is the appropriate term, but there are certainly a lot of instruments at once and none of them feel out of place. This feels like sophisticated rock. I think my tax bracket went up from listening to it. Seriously theres a lot packed into Chaos Space Marine that the band. Theres even a bit of mixed meter throughout. Very cool.

Concorde is pretty chill. I anticipated a much faster tempo but this is pretty slow-paced, but not in a bad way. Its nice, but it doesnt quite grab me. I dont need a big rock anthem but this one kind of puts me to sleep.

Maybe Im listening to this on the wrong day. I am very groggy today. So songs like Bread Song, a more acoustic, lyrics-heavy track, arent landing for me. This album got a ton of acclaim last year but Im just not into it so far. Literally none of these lyrics, like legit none of them, have sunk in. I warned everyone! Like looking into the album theres a recurring theme of a retired airplane representing love and loss that Im sure would come through nicely in the lyrics, but again, here we are.

I keep coming back to the blend of other instruments. Piano, strings, fiddle, drums, sax. It all works really well together. Vocalist Isaac Wood actually doesnt engage in belting like I thought he would; instead he keeps it understated. This is like, reading at a caf music. Its easy to zone out and get lost in. I think, now that I can grasp that, the album clicks a bit more. A track like Marks Theme, which opens with a plaintive sax solo, stands out for its starkness and emotion. (Im sure its not a coincidence that its an instrumental!)

Ooh and I like The Place Where He Inserted The Blade too. Less so because of the singing though. Maybe I dont actually like Wood as a singer that much? Maybe if you swapped him out for someone else Id feel differently? Snow Globes is a similar situation: he shows up and I lose focus immediately. Its bizarre.

Overall Ants from Up There would probably climb at least 15 to 20 places without Isaac Wood. Im sure hes a nice guy and probably a talented songwriter (as if I could tell) but I just dont think I gel with his singing at all, and as a result I stop paying attention any time hes on the mic. This is almost certainly why the instrumental Marks Theme is my favorite from the album. I heard Wood left the band; Id be curious to hear some of these songs with a different singer.

The "ahnold voice." Aka the voice everyone does when they try to impersonate him. Not the same as his actual accent, which was also nominated.

40. Sunspot - The Strangest Frequency
[band is not on RYM so no official genres but I would classify them as Indie Rock]
2022
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/3/7/AAeDEnAAE3Vl.jpg
@BlueCrystalTear

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lt-3lgrgOToYhX4uysv2H4EdDVw4qVhTM

1. Thunderbird
2. Cry Wolf
3. Well Be Seeing You Again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuOpHK0P3Kk

I remember this band from an old Rank the Tracks. You know them IRL, yes? I remember finding the other album mostly serviceable with some cool jams. Lets see if that pattern holds!

First track, Im On Fire, feels like pretty standard rock. Not something Id go out of my way to listen to but I dont dislike it either. I will say for a song about being on fire, untouchable, etc., the singer sounds pretty humdrum about it. Id expect a little more intensity. Ten seconds into Cry Wolf and I can tell right away that his vocal style is better suited for a song like this: more rollicking and good-natured. Thunderbird is another style, with an almost country-rock sound. I appreciate that theyre going for different things with each of these songs. I like the reverbed guitars in Everything They Told Us Is a Lie; it really adds to the mysterious, moody atmosphere.

I dont have much to add over the next few songs: mostly serviceable with some cool jams about sums up this experience. The Strangest Frequency (album) continues to be varied in style. I love the little BOO at the end of I Dont Wanna Be a Ghost. Pretty funny! Spend the Night is like cabaret: slow, smoky, dazzled. I like how playful Sunspot is here, its clear theyre having fun.

Some of these songs fade into the background more and theyre over before I can formulate much of an opinion, but I like what Im remembering (which makes sense because if I remember it it probably means I liked it on some level). There havent been any issues with the vocalist after that first song.

Well Be Seeing You Again has some real blues energy. Shows off some of the singers range too.

Overall, a pleasant surprise, maybe even something Id place beyond serviceable. I hope these guys find much success!

Raka_Putra posted...

Hm I forgot to mention but yeah I chose the 1992 version because I like the instrumentations a lot. I don't really understand music theory/production and all that stuff, but this Cast Recording version just sounds more memorable, cool, and interesting to me than other JCS versions I've listened to.

Makes sense to me. I thought the soundtrack had a lot of character I hadn't previously encountered in a Broadway production.

My ear is still a mess; seeing as I don't know Flutter vs. Gesellschaft, it's not fair for me to vote.

I nominated Zero Gravity Area - one of my all-time favorites. Navi Customizer is cool too and was one of my supports. Good match!

abstain
Zero Gravity Area

41. Matthew and the Atlas Morning Dancer (Unplugged)
Indie Folk
2019
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/2/9/AAeDEnAAE3Qx.jpg

@Chaeix

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nkys2Eh9U8vyATrSxT0rz75B095CvTzDo

1. Waging a War (Acoustic Version)
2. Tower Above the Sun (Acoustic Version)
3. White Bird (Acoustic Version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQDaDcnKKtM

[NOTE: I couldn't find the Unplugged version of Morning Dancer on RYM, so "Indie Folk" applies to the normal (Plugged?) version; any additional genres are left to the imagination.]

This falls firmly into singer-songwriter territory. I can often take or leave this sort of music. Ive never been a fan of Bob Dylan but I do like Joni Mitchell. Matthew and the Atlas is billed as the project of Matt Hegarty, and he falls into the Dylan camp because I dont enjoy his voice very much. Its not objectionable (like Dylans) but in the first song, Pyres, I struggle with understanding what hes singing. I even made a conscious effort to pay attention to the lyrics, but I still had trouble parsing what he was saying.

The second song, Waging a War, is much better in that department. I like it considerably more. I love the story it paints of someone rebellious who gets into all sorts of trouble, dancing on your own are they a lost soul, are they acting deliberately, or both? Profoundly sad, unclear, and nostalgic.
I dig the minimalist backing. Heavy on acoustic guitar, with some light strings. I guess it makes sense given the album is labeled Unplugged.

A lot of this album Im ambivalent on. Sometimes the arrangements feel too simple, like Low; sometimes Hegartys voice bothers me, like on Plaything. Other times I dont have those complaints; sometimes Im utterly charmed, like in Tower Above the Sun. Sometimes I think my favorite parts are the parts without any singing. There were multiple times more than three where a song started without me realizing, and I had to replay it from the beginning. Sometimes theres a female singer out of nowhere and the effect is fairly neutral.

Overall, an album I have no strong feelings on, unless you count shrug as a strong feeling. I found nothing objectionable but I wouldnt go out of my way to listen to any of it again. Waging a War is pretty terrific though! I listened to the full (non-acoustic) version and I definitely prefer acoustic.

Top songs:
1. ???
2. ???
3. ???
4. ???
5. ???
6. ???
7. ???
8. ???
9. ???
10. ???
11. ???
12. ???
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. ???
18. ???
19. ???
20. Cocteau Twins - Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
21. ???
22. ???
23. ???
24. ???
25. ???
26. Green Day - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. ???
31. ???
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. ???
35. ???
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. ???
38. ???
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. ???
43. ???
44. ???
45. ???
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. ???
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. ???
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. Jacob Collier - In My Bones
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

Cocteau Twins take the honors so far, though as I said in the writeup, Boulevard of Broken Dreams does way better without Holiday attached.

42. Green Day American Idiot
Pop Punk, Alternative Rock, Rock Opera
2004
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/2/7/AAeDEnAAE3MD.jpg

@Great_Paul

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnBDrwd58yXKc_JBFBg492FYuIuKbEQub

1. Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
2. American Idiot
3. Too Much Too Soon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0xe5DcnYSA

WRITEUP CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS FOR A FUTURE WRITEUP [Green Day - Dookie], PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK

American Idiot is the only album in this ranking Ive listened to before. I gave it a spin for FoolFantastics Rank the Albums. It got 10th place out of 24, sandwiched between Jagged Little Pill and 10,000 Days. This is my brief note:

Enjoyable pop-punk with a darker edge. There were quite a few I already knew, but didnt realize were from this. Its not higher because some parts dragged for me.
Favorite song: Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams

I feel like I appreciate American Idiot more having heard Dookie for this topic. The bands sound is more polished, for better or worse. The songs in Dookie all seemed to blend together in a frenetic pop-punk stew. Here they have hooks! The title track and Jesus of Suburbia are genuinely, infectiously catchy (I never noticed the Summer of 69 throwback in the chorus of the latter). Everyone knows the radio hits too. Is it cheating to put Holiday and Boulevard of Broken Dreams together? Theyre merged as one song in the Topic upload, so Im treating them as one. If it was just Boulevard of Broken Dreams separately, it would place much higher.

The overall storyline of the album is a bit easier for me to grasp than [REDACTED]. At the same time its also unclear how much is metaphorical and how much is meant to be taken literally, and thats not really a bad thing it works on different levels. Some of it, as I succinctly put it in Rank the Albums, drags. Like, a lot. Jesus of Suburbia, for example, works best for me as the catchy, hook-y first third and not the second and third thirds, with a seemingly endless parade of guitar.

There are quite a few slurs in the first three songs alone. Id be a hypocrite if I said this bothered me while enjoying a number of profane hip-hop songs, but it did stop me a little.

Are We the Waiting is some nice arena rock, with good call and response, but then the other half of the track, St. Jimmy, is a bit of a drag. I dont think Id feel differently if these songs were actually split up, since theyd still be overlong. I like the sentiment in Letterbomb: Its not over til youre underground. Very defiant, very much in the spirit of the album. Wake Me up When September Ends has never been my favorite song; Armstrongs voice gets a little too nasal/whiny for my taste, which is a shame because its one of the more personal songs theyve recorded.

By the end, Im realizing I enjoyed this much less than I thought I would on a second listen! Its so frontloaded for me; after the first three songs it falls into this mash of similar-sounding songs that go on too long. I mind that much more in rock (and pop) than in other genres. Its funny that one of my favorites is a bonus song that isnt even part of the album proper. To my great surprise, Im ranking Dookie higher. At least Dookie was fun.

43. Jacob Collier - Djesse Vol. 3
Contemporary R&B, Neo-Soul
2020
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/5/2/5/AAeDEnAAE3Kd.jpg

@MaxGalactica

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZzjWvolxrQ&list=PLrdDqgsW0HS4Gu85eNQfcfQXxs6IHrVpS&index=1

1. In My Bones
2. He Wont Hold You
3. In Too Deep

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ukb1Ed7dIc

So we start off with Count the People, which apart from Colliers mile-a-minute rapping, feels like your standard pop fare. Nothing wrong with that, granted, but I appreciate this song more when it breaks the script a bit and does some fun electronic things: glitchiness, vocals layered on top of each other, etc. Maybe Im just dismissive of modern pop (which, I mean, I certainly am, its one of my biases). In My Bones is more my style. It feels like a Prince hit. Big ups to Collier for having the first two songs on the album (not counting the prelude) be so disparate from each other. The powers that be are just the powers you see. I like that.

I think I didnt realize how much of this was going to be funk and soul. I associate Jacob Collier with soft piano and polished pop. A few songs in and this feels like something youd hear in like a coffee shop, or at a high school dance. Im having trouble connecting emotionally with the music, especially now that its sort of evened out into a comfortable neo-soul vibe. I do like neo-soul, but I value not knowing what the next song is going to sound like too.

Speaking of! In Too Deep takes things a little s l o o o o w e r with a ballad. I love the deep bass on this, and also Colliers voice, airy and light, piggybacks nicely off the beat.

I cant tell if the popping noises on Light It Up On Me are cool or maddening. Maybe both? I do like the disorienting effects the uses. He Wont Hold You is super cool. I really like the rap.

What a strange album this is. The production is top notch but Im not connecting in an impactful way. This is probably a result of me struggling with the genre/style. As a result I sadly dont have a lot to say. Sorry! It seems like the first half is more upbeat and the second half is more contemplative. Is that an accurate assessment?

44. Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas
Dream Pop, Ethereal Wave, Shoegaze
1990
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/5/3/AAeDEnAAE3Hx.jpg
@RyoCaliente

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfimnwaZdumjABvYHnq7nXUU41YVqPA3i

1. Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
2. Heaven or Las Vegas
3. I Wear Your Ring

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgffvFM1J-Q

Ive heard the title track off this album before. While I like it, I need to be in the right mood for its Wall of Sound-esque production. The first song, Cherry-colored Funk, is in a similar wheelhouse of loud mixing. Its sort of like shoegaze, which I also struggle with at times for the same reasons. Pitch the Baby, the second song, is more intriguing from the start but then I can barely hear the singing. I feel like this is going to be a constant refrain in this album.

The album is very laidback, with a sense of wistfulness. I dont know if any artist could have made this as their first album. Yet I find it very inaccessible, and not just because of the mixing. It just feels so alien. I have nothing against alien-sounding music, in fact I generally really love it, so I dont quite know what my hangup is. I like Kraftwerk, and Kraftwerk sounds orders of magnitude more alien than this.

I always thought Heaven or Las Vegas (song) was in French or some shit. Apparently the whole album is in English, the lyrics are just completely unintelligible.

These songs all start off so promising. I Wear Your Ring feels like a great synthpop song at first, but then the singing kicks in. Maybe thats my issue I feel like the singing actively detracts from my enjoyment. This would be a killer instrumental album. Instead we get aggressively mixed and ill-fitting singing that pings my discomfort in very specific ways. This is certainly just me a me thing. Heaven or Las Vegas (album) is one of the most acclaimed albums ever recorded, after all (#50 on Rate Your Music!). My particular auditory tics prevent me from embracing it, however.

but then we get to the last song, Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires. I love this song. Holy crap. I dont exactly know what it does different to the rest of the album, maybe its that it feels softer/less overwhelming than the other tracks, but I absolutely love it. Ill say this in other writeups too, but sometimes theres a gem at the tail end of an album I dont love, and that makes the rest of the album worth it.

If Palpatine were in Oz, he wouldn't be content with letting the Munchkins and the Emerald City live in peace, or Glinda to watch over them. He would actively make things worse for everyone but himself.

Meanwhile, if the Witch were in the Star Wars galaxy, with Palpatine's powers and resources, she'd be dangerous but her influence probably wouldn't be that far-reaching. She'd make for an interesting Sith though.

Chaeix posted...

great writeups so far

Thanks!

Bane_Of_Despair posted...

Oh this is a little late to be suggesting it, sorry, but it'd be neat to have the album release year next to the name as the writeups are dropping.

Sure, I'll try to remember that! Here is release year for everything so far:

45. Binzokomegane Girls Union - Taiten Mythologia - 2018
46. Barenaked Ladies - Gordon - 1992
47. Various Artists - Jesus Christ Superstar (1992 Australian Cast Recording) - 1996
48. Bjork - Vespertine - 2001
49. Boards of Canada - Geogaddi - 2002
50. Younha - END THEORY : Final Edition - 2022
51. Miracle Musical - Hawaii: Part II - 2012
52. They Might Be Giants - John Henry - 1994
53. Lights - The Listening - 2009
54. Electric Light Orchestra - Time - 1981
55. 100 gecs - 10,000 gecs - 2023
56. Taylor Swift - Folklore - 2020
57. Billy Talent - Dead Silence - 2012

1. ???
2. ???
3. ???
4. ???
5. ???
6. ???
7. ???
8. ???
9. ???
10. ???
11. ???
12. ???
13. ???
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. ???
18. ???
19. ???
20. ???
21. ???
22. ???
23. ???
24. ???
25. ???
26. ???
27. ???
28. Younha - Wish
29. ???
30. ???
31. ???
32. Feryquitous -
33. ???
34. ???
35. ???
36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
37. ???
38. ???
39. ???
40. Barenaked Ladies - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
41. ???
42. ???
43. ???
44. ???
45. ???
46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
47. ???
48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
50. ???
51. Bjork - Heirloom
52. ???
53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
54. Jesus Christ Superstar 1992 Australian Cast & Russell Morris & John Farnham - Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

Good showing from Feryquitous, all things considered!

45. Binzokomegane Girls Union - Taiten Mythologia
Breakcore
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/5/8/AAeDEnAAE3AC.jpg
@banshiryuu

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPKUmrgeihqz_F5zp6rT1c7hr23gIRmyb

1.
2. Gram
3. Ragnarok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVenrv8of88

I support the labor rights of the Binzokomegane Girls Union.

Knowing this nominator as I do, I have certain expectations of what this music is going to be like. Here, the first song, lives up to those expectations: psytrance that bounces between mellower fare and harsh EDM stuff. I can take or leave these types of songs, and so Here doesnt impress me very much. But I will have an open mind for the rest of the album.

Gram, the second song, is more my speed. More melodic EDM with keyboards and minimal aggressive rhythm gamey elements. Very optimistic, for want of a better term. Goes on a bit too long without changing things up though. LMFAO at Blasphemia starting out relatively subdued and then someone comes in and goes SHAKE UR ASS and this massive fucking beat drops out of nowhere. I died. I have to give the song credit for that. Also I think it goes WAN 2 FUCK U at one point what even is this song. I would like Helix more if the song didnt sound like it was yelling at me at parts. Dont be mean to me Ragnarok starts off cool but, as do so many of these songs, quickly turns into louuuuuud.

Really this entire genre is something thats going to be a hard sell for me. Ive always had severe problems distinguishing subgenres of EDM from each other, so while each song is probably very distinct to connoisseurs, to me it mostly blended together. Some of it is fine but a lot is that hyper aggro style I tend not to like that much. Song #8 is a good example apparently this has the genre Terror Hardcore, which feels apt a lot of it feels too much like noise to me. (Looking it up, this is Camellia, which tracks.) Im somebody who actually enjoys noise music a lot of the time (I legit love Crazybus), but I dont like a lot of this in-your-face EDM stuff. Weird, huh?

But then it ends with by Feryquitous, and not only is it not trying to disintegrate my eardrums, its actually really cool! Was it worth sitting through the rest of the album? Ill leave that up to YOU, the viewers at home.

Nice! Does the CD release have both soundtracks?

Galaxy Man is very shrill (though not as shrill as Tornado Man), so I need to be in the right mood for it. Primrose is okay I guess.

I like both songs in the second match. Might relisten later.

Galaxy Man
abstain

46. Barenaked Ladies Gordon
Pop Rock, Alternative Rock, Acoustic Rock
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/3/2/AAeDEnAAE2-E.jpg

@Xarnax42

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kL_VVX0yblvvbk0x1JBuBkyaYoANpstrM

1. Wrap Your Arms Around Me
2. Brian Wilson
3. Be My Yoko Ono

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6dsOoxgiN4

I have never been terribly charmed by this band, with a few exceptions, Pinch Me being the big one. Pinch Me isnt on this album though. Can we recover from this disaster?

Turns out I already know some of these songs! Enid is a blend of wistful nostalgia, ruminations on how memory is a fickle thing while playing at the idea of serious teenage relationships. Grade 9 is another song about being a teenager; Im surprised there are two right next to each other, since I dont think the band necessarily plays to that demographic? Its not a bad song, actually I prefer it to Enid, but it makes me wonder how the rest of the album will play out. There are some nice moments, like their genuinely terrific harmonies; or the subsequent instrumental outro in Brian Wilson. Be My Yoko Ono begins with the thought-provoking entreaty: If theres someone you can do without / Then do so. Those harmonies are on full display on Wrap Your Arms Around Me. Im glad the band knows theyre good at this!

One thing I find interesting about the Barenaked Ladies is theyre verynot rock star-y? Unglamorous, maybe unpretentious (though I dont know how much of that is an act). I think affable is a good word for this album, and this band.

Nine songs in and I have to sadly report that nine songs of Steven Pages vocals have not improved my impression of Steven Pages vocals.

Theres no need to be afraid of us
Though it just might be your daughter on our bus
-New Kid (On the Block)

There are a lot ofslow love songs on this album? Certainly more than I was expecting.

Theres been this seemingly endless stretch after Wrap Your Arms Around Me (#6) up through Blame It on Me (#12!) that I just dont really care about. I dont dislike it, my skin isnt crawling like with some of the lower ranked albums, but I struggle to maintain an opinion, or interest, on anything. The Flag rekindles my interest, with intriguing lyrics. I dont get why If I Had $1,000,000 appears to be the most popular song here I found it pretty insufferable.

Overall not really my thing. I enjoyed some songs, disliked one, and was ambivalent toward most. Thatll safely keep it out of the bottom five at least!

Very happy to see all the folks listening along with the top songs, especially Bitto, who's doing top three! Wowzers.

Snake5555555555 posted...

Sure! I think so far I would say your biggest overall dislike across all the albums so far have been "slow homogeneity" - I feel you don't like when albums just capture a single mood across the whole run-time especially when that mood tends to be more somber, darker, or more leisurely paced. I do notice you tend to say you don't "dislike" slow songs but more often than not the albums with the most slow songs on them have been the lowest-ranked so far! So you may not dislike them as you say but I certainly don't think it's a preferred type of music for you either. You need something with a bit more pep and I think definitely a certain vocal style to suit your taste that the likes of Bjork, TMBG, and certainly BoC don't provide.

Maybe I'm wrong but those are my insights so far!

Interesting, thanks for sharing! I do value variety, which is one of the reasons I don't listen to albums a lot - as I said earlier in the topic, I get bored easily. No comment on slow-song albums being ranked low as that would spoil part of the list. I will say that my top vgm spreadsheet does have a number of slower songs, including Nagisa's Theme from Clannad and To the West from Aka (if you know either of those). But there are probably more fast-paced songs up there, on average, though there are different varieties of fast and slow paced.

Keeping this analysis in mind, do you have any predictions for the rest of the list?

47. Various Artists - Jesus Christ Superstar (1992 Australian Cast Recording)
Rock Opera, Show Tunes, Rock Musical
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/7/2/AAeDEnAAE26A.jpg

@Raka_Putra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h71j9ZEgLyw

1. Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem
2. Everythings Alright
3. The Temple

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0zhkKiz8C4

Im not going to lie, this is one of the albums Im looking forward to the least. Over an hour of listening to a Broadway musical I have no context for is not my preferred way to spend my time. But I will go in with an open mind. Apropos of nothing but one of the cast members on this recording is apparently named Angry Anderson. I like it.

After an incredibly cheesy 90s overture, we get to Heaven on Their Minds, sung by Judas Iscariot in this, quite frankly, aggravating, showboating style. Lots of vibrato. Very showoffy. I like the instrumental hook at least. Everythings Alright is a sweet song but, as with the rest of this so far, divorcing it from the context makes it almost unable for me to process. This is music meant to be listened to be live, with visual performance; I dont honestly know if I can even fairly rate this as is.

The singing overall is often gratingly full of vibrato. Like, we get it, you can do a vocal run. John Farnham, who plays Jesus, sings in a more accessible way (to me at least). I acknowledge that this is how a lot of Broadway musicals are presented, and it not being to my tastes does not inherently make it bad.

I like the 7/8 time in The Temple.

I take back what I said above: Im mostly able to follow along with the plot (with a little help from a Wikipedia summary). Im no fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber, several of whose musicals Ive seen and not enjoyed, but this music feels okay I guess. Im sure Id have a more informed opinion from watching the actual show.

One thing I do like, that I can very overtly comment on, is the backing instrumentals are all pretty on point and cover a wide variety of genres: folk, R&B, dance. Thats definitely not what I was expecting, and its a welcome surprise.

Overall this isnt my thing. I can appreciate the craftsmanship (though I didnt care for some of the singing) and creativity. Would I willingly listen to this again? No. Would I rather listen to this than Cats? Absolutely.

Armored Armadillo
Pleasant Thief Marino

Snake5555555555 posted...

It does track with the way the drops have been going

I'm curious about what patterns you seem to be noticing. I often struggle with finding common threads in music I like/dislike, so I'd love to hear any insight you might have!

BlueCrystalTear posted...

It's your taste. I mean, if it wasn't clear, I fully understand why you have some of these so low. Not everything is everyone's flavor, and that's how it's always been and always will be. You are allowed to have your opinion; if you don't get it, you don't get it.

Yeah, that's something I've really had to come to terms with during this project (as I outlined in my Vespertine writeup): the idea that it's okay to not like something that's "supposed to be good." It's probably rooted in some deep-seated insecurity I've only now become aware of, haha.

PIayer_0 posted...

Salute to Bjork. I'd recommend not reading too much into ratings and acclaim right before listening to an album (or during)

I tried to generally avoid it for this but I couldn't for Vespertine due to me looking it up beforehand. Though I did look up several albums as I was listening to them, I tried to not be too influenced by their reception - it was mostly to get context (as with Hawaii Part 2) or research into artist history or band lineup.

_Blur_ posted...

Do you think some of these albums could grow on you with repeat listens?

Yes, absolutely. You're right that it's an inherent limitation of the project. If I had infinite time, I'd certainly want to do some relistens. Of the drops so far, I think ELO's Time probably benefits the most from a relisten. But yeah, it's a shame I can't do that for all/most of them.

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28. Younha - Wish
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36. Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095
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46. Boards of Canada - Gyroscope
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48. They Might Be Giants - Snail Shell
49. Taylor Swift - invisible string
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51. Bjork - Heirloom
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53. 100 gecs - Frog on the Floor
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55. Billy Talent - Show Me the Way
56. Lights - February Air
57. Miracle Musical - Dream Sweet in Sea Major

Younha's album got bottom 10, but Wish barely cracks the top half of songs!

Last of the bottom 10! I'm pretty sure this is my longest writeup.

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48. Bjork - Vespertine
Art Pop, Electronic
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/2/5/AAeDEnAAE2zB.jpg

@hotdogturtle

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1BCBDDA394C775C9

1. Heirloom
2. Pagan Poetry
3. Undo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S00p6xjTQ7s

Story behind this album: for my turn in Rank the Tracks, I nominated three albums. Oneohtrix Point Nevers Replica is a personal favorite. The G-Darius soundtrack I picked because there was talk about doing some VGM. The last nomination was this, Bjorks Vespertine. Id never heard it before and would be going into the ranking topic as such. I picked it because it was one of, if not the actual, highest rated albums on Rate Your Music by a female musician. So hotdogturtle originally nominated Replica for this topic, then changed it to Vespertine, presumably to be cute. Ive heard some Bjork before but nothing, it seems, from this album. Ive saved this for near the end of the project, so lets see if its worth the (self-imposed) hype!

Hidden Place opens the album with something I normally like a bit of glitch. Its a genuinely spooky song, austere in production despite having lush instrumentation. I dont know what in the hell Bjork is singing about; I suspect that will be par for the course over the next 55 minutes. Three and a half minutes in and I have the sudden realization thatI dont like this song very much. Uh oh. (The last 30 seconds are cool.)

The second song, CocoonI also dont really like. Uh oh. Big uh oh.

The third songyeah, you get the point.

This feels like another big missing the point album for me. ELOs Time and Boards of Canadas Geogaddi are low albums with nigh universal acclaim that I didnt enjoy at all. I dont dislike Vespertine like I disliked those. Instead, three songs in, Im ambivalent, which in some regards is worse than dislike. Im not connecting to this music at all. It feels so distant, so alien, in a way I cant even begin to process. I dont dislike otherworldly music, far from it! But this feels like I have no idea how to even begin to approach it. I really dislike encountering music like this, not because I dont like to be challenged, but because I dont understand what the challenge even is. Im playing a game with untranslated rules.

All music isnt for everyone. I think I understand this now, after listening to a bunch of albums I didnt like, more than ever. My favorite songs are often the choices nobody cares about. Like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpM3yGLvhcw

Its a random song that sounds like nothing the rest of its soundtrack. Nobody else cares about it. But I love it. Its a 10. Im okay with loving something nobody else loves.

Im less okay with disliking something everything else likes. I always feel like Im the one whos missing some big cosmic point (see above) about something objectively good. Like its my fault. Is that true? I suspect sometimes it is not.

This brings me back to Vespertine, an album Im not connecting to in the slightest, whose songs all sound identical to me, whose emotional beats so resonant with other listeners are falling on unresponsive ears. I fundamentally dont get this. I dont understand the appeal, the acclaim, the adoration. And I think, on some level, thats okay. Its okay to not like everything. Its okay to not understand everything. Thats what makes us human.

Part of it is also the lyrics. I already said lyrics are tough for me. I dont internalize them a lot of the time; its only when I really connect with a song that they sink in. This is not the case with Vespertine. Pagan Poetry, which takes the top spot so far sort of arbitrarily, could have lyrics about cotton candy and Care Bears for all I know. I fundamentally cant absorb them without replaying the song (repeatedly) or reading a transcript. So Vespertine is already at a disadvantage. Bjorks singing is also tough in general for me to parse through her voice is very blurry in a way I have trouble with.

Its hard for me on a conceptual level to be confronted with an entire classification of some art form that I dont enjoy. I want to be the one with broad taste. I want to be the learned one. But sometimes I meet my limitations. And thats okay.

I typed all of that in the first seven songs. There are five more songs to go.

I genuinely cant think of much to comment on the music. The production is lush, with sweeping strings and the aforementioned austere glitchiness. There are some nice echoes on the vocals in Aurora. The whole effect is silence between the beats, darker, more fearful. Is that what Im supposed to get out of this? Maybe?

A sudden realization: I had this exact same reaction to Sigur Ros, when I listened to a few songs by them. Alien, confusing, unpleasant to some degree. Remind me to never go to Iceland. I might have a nervous breakdown. >_>;

The top three here are completely arbitrary. As I said, all of these songs sound absolutely identical to me. I wouldnt be able to pick any of them out of a lineupbut as soon as I say that, I get to Heirloom, which has some sort of funky beat to it, and this is very obviously going to be my favorite because its a song I can actually pay attention to and sure enough, I instantly can pick out the lyrics. Instantly. Its uncanny.

So yeah. Thats Vespertine. I think Ive pontificated enough for one writeup. All I can say in closing is Im pretty glad this didnt win the Rank the Tracks poll.

49. Boards of Canada Geogaddi
IDM
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/4/7/AAeDEnAAE2xz.jpg

bea (not sure what account to tag you with but I'm sure you're following along)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDkHR80rNtw

1. Gyroscope
2. 1969
3. Julie and Candy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrr5WY_Nyaw

Diving right in! Music Is Math sounds very Earthbound-y, almost shoegazey in a way with that drone backing. Theres a lot going on here with that backing, some breakbeat, and a steady bass. Its not coming together as well as I maybe wish it would, but its a fairly compelling opening song (there was a 57-second intro but Im not counting that). Gyroscope, song 4 (song 3 is another interlude), is more my speed, with deep percussion undergirding everything. Theres also likea creepy child counting in the background? After a few minutes Gyroscope starts provoking anxiety, a not unwelcome feeling in music.

If I had to tag Geogaddi, I would say lo-fi and fuzzy. Every song up to the 20-minute mark has felt like something played through a tear in space and time: slightly off and echoing, and very evocative. I need to be in the right mood for this sort of music, but so far I havent found anything Id want to really revisit. The whole package feels, more than most other nominations, like something to take in total, not as individual tracks; the whole experience feels unique in that sense, only shared by a few other albums on the list.

There are a few styles on display in addition to lo-fuzz. 1969 is pretty trip-hop, with more of those distorted vocals. You Could Feel the Sky offers new advances in zipper sound effects. In between every(?) song is a little interlude that presents briefer musical ideas, a neat concept Ive only seen in hip-hop albums (which I often see as skits).

Honestly though I find Geogaddi pretty exhausting to listen to. This is intended to be a dark album, which I certainly dont mind. Its also a bit repetitive, which I also dont mind. But its dark, repetitive, and long, and each song is dronelike in its presentation, and the whole experience leaves me feels emotionally drained and even outright pained at times. I dont always mind that either, but I guess I do here. There have been other nominations that I outright disliked listening to, but no other album on this list has left me feeling soempty after listening to it as this one. And being empty is something I always mind.

DanKirby posted...

Yeah, I figured the ballads might end up being an issue. I like them, (though not as much as her more upbeat songs) but I can understand someone who isn't already a fan not caring for them too much.

Anyway, glad you at least liked some of the songs. Wish might be my favorite too, though it's close between it, Oort Cloud, and P.R.R.W. I'd also like to shout out Event Horizon, which was a massive hit in Korea last year, and her biggest since Password 486 (one of my favorites) back in 2007.

Yeah I feel like some of these nominations were hindered by the album format. (And then some were helped! More on those later.) Taken as an individual song or two, I maybe wouldn't have minded a ballad here and there. But I had to judge the entire album, so when there were multiple in a row, it wore on me more, if that makes sense?

Wish was cool though. Spoiler for the song ranking - that's going to place the highest so far.