Lurker > Fluttershy_Pony

General Thoughts: It's probably odd to say this since I'm the one responsible for the album getting picked, but I've come to like this selection more than I expected to. I'd listened to it once back when Seanchan nominated it because I really wanted to hear another album by the band (I only had experience with "End Is Forever" beforehand) & thought it was neat, but it was still on the chopping block as something I wasn't sure I'd actually nominate. But as I listened to the album repeatedly to work out a ranking, I grew to really enjoy it.

It's hard to put into words, but there's something endearingly earnest about the band's performance on this album. It's overly long & almost comedically cheesy at times, the biggest track from the album is a cover of someone else's song, they almost aimlessly draw things out by continuing with TWO extra songs after the album ended (one of which is... just a song from earlier in the album??)... but somehow I think it actually works out. It feels like we're getting to listen in on the band just being themselves & doing whatever they want, with incredibly little editing or supervision. Duplicate songs, nonsensical metaphors, songs that feel like they *want* to be deep or experimental and fall on their faces, covers of famous songs that can't really compare to the original but who cares they're having fun. And you know what? I had fun too. Even some of the lowest rated tracks leave me with a big, stupid grin on my face and I think I kinda love this album. I probably wouldn't call it "good" objectively, but I also don't care for objectivity. I was thoroughly amused and personally don't ask for anything more.

*space filling line*

The Saddest Song: I'm too easily emotionally manipulated by this song's subject matter.

All You Can Ever Learn is What You Already Know: It could be my imagination, but I feel like this song has the most "punk" feel to it on the album. Also probably the song I've gotten stuck in my head the most often from this album.

Takeoffs and Landings: "I slept right through your international dateline" is such a ridiculous line that I love it. Oh, you lovable goofballs...

I Won't Spend Another Night Alone: It does repeat the song's title a few too many times for my liking, but it is incredibly catchy.

Eight of Nine: The song wants to be experimental and thought provoking by ending with a heavily distorted reading of a passage from "Go Now" by Richard Hell, but it just feels more awkward and weird than actually deep. Also, the track basically demands that you take a break and reflect on the passage's message... but the album doesn't actually stop here, bouncing along to the next track without a care in the world. Having the conviction to actually END on this song would probably make a more coherent album, but I'm not sure anyone involved actually cared about the flow. Which, as I said, is charming in its own way but makes this song even more of an oddity than it already was.

Alucard
Xanatos
Terry
Dale
Aya

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Aya

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Max
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Troy
Jafar

1: The Saddest Song (Acoustic)
2: The Saddest Song
3: All You Can Ever Learn is What You Already...
4: The Boys of Summer
5: Takeoffs and Landings
6: I Won't Spend Another Night Alone
7: My Reply
8: So Long, Astoria
9: Unopened Letter to the World
10: In This Diary
11: Eight of Nine
12: Summer '79
13: Looking Back on Today
14: Radio #2
15: The Hero Dies in This One

Listed both extra songs in case, though I imagine we're at least cutting the acoustic one because it's 95% similar to the actual song and doesn't really add anything to the album or discussion.

Also, I like the Acclaimed Music Bot, but have no real preferences on the specifics to help with the conversation.

436 and I need to take another couple days off... been getting overly excited and typing a lot more than I should in other topics, so I'm back to "mild discomfort"; not bad enough that I really need to stop, but enough that taking two days off would be a good idea.

And also bump.

Bump.

Seanchan posted...

The version of this I downloaded back in the day included both of those tracks, so I didn't even know they were considered "hidden".

I'm a fan of "I Won't Spend Another Night Alone", so I'd hope that one would get ranked.

I'm not too high on either version of "The Saddest Song", so I don't care too much about that one. But if it was ranked I cannot imagine there'd be a significant spread between the two versions.

Yeah, I've only listened to the album on Spotify & the songs aren't hidden there, so I didn't know there was a debate.

For what it's worth, I think it makes sense to rank "I Won't Spend Another Night Alone" as it's a unique track (also this is Seanchan's nom originally and he wants it there) & I don't see much value ranking the acoustic track... I prefer the acoustic version personally, but not drastically enough that I'd feel compelled to argue in its favor or say the album is actually improved by its inclusion.

I'm okay with any ruling though, still just happy to have given a second chance to the album in the first place.

I support people nominating whatever they want. I'm not... really into Christmas music typically, but I wouldn't begrudge you personally for whatever you wanted to share & I'm not so averse to the idea that I'd skip the week or anything.

Thank you very much! For the kind words and keeping this from purging. It does mean a lot.

423; Not an important milestone by itself, but I just finished re-ranking all songs from a certain tier so it's... statistically notable from a spreadsheet standpoint at least.

Dark Master - Zorc.

I know it's a garbage card--hard to summon & luck-based, with a decent chance of self-destructing in a way that kills you even if you manage to summon it... but I love stupid die rolls and the character enough that I love it in spite of its blatant terribleness.

I should probably bump this too...

Bump.

Wasn't there a "most powerful fictional character" contest on this board where it was argued Rocky would beat Unicron after a long enough montage? So it depends on if this is actual Rocky or GameFAQs planet-buster Rocky.

Judging by the responses thus far, I'll assume the planet-buster meme is dead & DK stomps.

Not really, but I've been using this account almost exclusively for a month now instead of the quote-unquote "main" one. I'll probably switch back someday.

...or possibly to some completely unrelated name as none of my accounts feel right right now, but I don't think I remember the log-in info for any of the aecret accounts anyway.

Thank you again for the support. 382-ish.

...minor error on the spreadsheet kinda created an error in most songs' placements... I kinda gave a massive boost to one song's score on my notes, but forgot to update the value on the spreadsheet so everything's been a bit... off. Should probably correct that eventually.

...or just be lazy and add a note that the song was inexplicably ranked in positions [redacted] and [significantly more redacted], which is accurate and doesn't actually require me to do any more work. I think I did that with one song last year.

360

Had to take a few days off again, so less progress obviously.

Morning bump.

No, no, nothing to apologize for. The song isn't triggering, I was prepared to explain that placement if pressed on it, and I vent about home often enough that I'm not especially averse to discussing the town--though this is neither the time nor place to do so. Just the wrong choice of subject matter, though I can still be glad for those that it does resonate with.

I'm sorry your home could also be better, but glad that it at least feels like home?

BlueCrystalTear posted...

"No Place Like Home" is part of their standard concert closer

It's a fine song and seems like it'd have mainstream appeal, but... let's just say our hometown is *not* a very good place, so the subject matter is quite literally the exact opposite of what we want to hear right now. Can't get past the aversion to the lyrics to judge it fairly, so it's an easy last place... though it's easy to understand why someone from a better home might enjoy it.

Bump

Will try to finish ranking tonight.

354

Been a while since the progress was actually notable.

FoolFantastic posted...

Are people wanting to do another Rank the Albums for albums 51-75?

I always look forward to it!

(Pleaae don't mind the different account right now, I'll flip back when I'm postng something relevant to the ranking/album)

328

316

Acceptable progress under these conditions.

306.

...(Will the ranking start before 2025? Stay tuned!)

300!

Still limiting writeups to one or two sentences, but it feels good to have some type of progress.

Will try to do something tomorrow... posting mostly to get this topic onto this account's post list as I've mostly been logged into it all week.