Board 8 > Board 8 Song of the Fortnight Club - #13

(+) Yeah! (+)

Alright we got enough votes to decide on a winner I think, so let's start the next set

Fortnight #12 playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/user/the_stricken_one/playlist/0lYoizmhuYO20WbXGsuhgL

So with this new 3 place format, we ended up with Feel (VeryInsane) in 1st with 12 points, and then a 3 way tie for 2nd with Numb (Bane), I Got 5 On it (Digi), and Windowpane (Steiner) all getting 9 points! So congrats to Feel. Oh and then for the other week that was up in the air, Showbiz pulled through so late congrats to that one too.

Last Fortnight Winner: Ty Segall - Feel (VeryInsane)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VETPFH1mTls

Schedule:
Monday: Bane_Of_Despair (2), Snake5555555555
Tuesday: MycroProcessor, jcgamer107
Wednesday: VeryInsane (2), mcflubbin
Thursday: digi (2), Seginustemple (2)
Friday: Terastodon, Shaduln (2)
Saturday: Steiner (2), Giggsalot
Sunday(ish)- rest of week: Poll/Discuss!
---

A song from something that I kind of just stumbled upon while listening to top albums from 2017, just some dope ass reggae. Thought it would be something cool to have we haven't really had in this topic series yet.

Chronixx - Skakin' Sweet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ws4kJEgHr0
---

taggo
---

Edge of Sanity - Enigma

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

oh lol whoops. well yeah i only pushed 'Feel' further ahead.
---

If I were to nominate my current favorite song, that would be Tee Time, which I found out about through this, so I'll have to settle for 2nd favorite:

Ben Folds - Kalamazoo

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

jcgamer107 posted...

If I were to nominate my current favorite song, that would be Tee Time

Sick, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Vulfpeck's channel is filled with quality stuff although none of it sounds quite like Tee Time

Hiatus Kaiyote - Jekyll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm0NgVtz1YQ

Seginustemple posted...

Sick, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Vulfpeck's channel is filled with quality stuff although none of it sounds quite like Tee Time

you were right to compare it to a drug for a keyboard player, man. it gives you just the right amount to leave you somewhat satisfied yet wanting more.
---

Damn, I was thinking about doing a Hiatus Kaiyote song (probably Molasses) within the next few weeks. Oh well! Anyway, I've had this song in my head for like a week:

Glass Animals - Season 2, Episode 3

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

Ben Caplan - Down to the River (Live in Bellwoods 42)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PTSOKDa0NI
---

Bump for more songs
---

Here have one of these:

Royal Blood - Out of the Black

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSdtvfBQd6c
---

protest the hero - skies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar15p6AFR8A
---

mcflubbin posted...

Damn, I was thinking about doing a Hiatus Kaiyote song (probably Molasses) within the next few weeks. Oh well!

Ahh you still could! Or maybe I could change my pick to Molasses if nobody minds. The whole record is worth recommending honestly, one of the best of the decade

i don't mind but i also don't mind if flubbin does it next time. nothing wrong with the same band/artist coming back - we've already had several white stripes songs!
---

The Roots - What They Do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfuHHde5I8g

Honestly Illadelph Halflife is probably my favorite Roots album
---

Bane_Of_Despair posted...

Chronixx - Skakin' Sweet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ws4kJEgHr0

good song. i think reggae is one of the better music genres. don't ask me why though; it's not the most innovative genre in the world but it just sounds cool to me.

Snake5555555555 posted...

Edge of Sanity - Enigma

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

wikipedia tells me that these guys invented "progressive death metal," along with opeth - i'm a big prog metal fan, so i should have known this! this song sounds very little like prog metal to me, though - it seems way more trash metal inspired. well, it does have several tempo shifts, i guess that's kinda proggy. but yeah, i didn't like this at all. for the most part i found it to be unappealing music with obnoxious grunting.

MycroProcessor posted...

Deep Forest & Peter Gabriel - While the Earth Sleeps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZDFbzz-dLg

peter gabriel! where's amazing telephone when you need him? man, could this sound any more '90s? i'm not a big fan of this enigma-ish (the musical project, not the song snake posted) new age worldbeat kind of music. the sound is pleasant enough but compositionally it bores me rather quickly. didn't hate this song, just found it to be pretty mediocre.

jcgamer107 posted...

Ben Folds - Kalamazoo

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

speaking of repeat bands/artists, i'm pretty sure ben folds has appeared in this series before. good song. i could have done without the uptempo section with the fake strings, though - didn't feel like that added much to the song. (i thought frank zappa was the only artist who has referred to kalamazoo in a song!)
---

LiquidOshawott posted...

The Roots - What They Do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfuHHde5I8g

i love "bands with a rapper," so this is easy to like for me. great song. and hey, raphael saadiq is on this! fantastic soul singer. my only complaint was that black thought's voice was mixed so low. having the rapper mixed low is not uncommon for jazz rap, but i could barely hear what he was rapping. perhaps it would work better if i listened to this with headphones on, i dunno.

mcflubbin posted...

Glass Animals - Season 2, Episode 3

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

another great song. loved the melodies, as well as the electropop aesthetic.

digiiiiiiiii posted...

Ben Caplan - Down to the River (Live in Bellwoods 42)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PTSOKDa0NI

couldn't stand this. i'm not a folk fan, and the "one dude with an acoustic guitar" kind is my least favorite kind. i like the studio version of this song a lot better.

Seginustemple posted...

Hiatus Kaiyote - Jekyll

i listened to this on spotify because the YT video didn't work for me. this was kind of all over the map and the parts didn't add up to a super great whole to me. they're obviously a talented ensemble and i'm intrigued enough that i'd like to hear more by them, but this song i wasn't very into. decent, though.
---

Seginustemple posted...

mcflubbin posted...

Damn, I was thinking about doing a Hiatus Kaiyote song (probably Molasses) within the next few weeks. Oh well!

Ahh you still could! Or maybe I could change my pick to Molasses if nobody minds. The whole record is worth recommending honestly, one of the best of the decade

Nah, you should keep Jekyll because it's great too.
---

I forgot to pick something out (I thought it was next week tbh).

I'll have something by tomorrow night.
---

a new challenger approaches

The Go! Team - Junior Kickstart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jrp3K3IoDo

party time motherfuckers
---

fuck yeah the go team
---

obviously I meant tonight because I'm in eastern time zone shhh

I for some reason am questioning if I've posted this song, but I really don't think I have. If I have, permission to flog me.

The Ready Set - Killer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKiUXIjVP-s
https://open.spotify.com/track/2LYAG9jlH9rul11nalRxR0?si=H2g-AmXvTcGUxb1Pze1RYA
---

Nope, you haven't posted that one yet. Bump for now, listening later today

Bane_Of_Despair posted...

A song from something that I kind of just stumbled upon while listening to top albums from 2017, just some dope ass reggae. Thought it would be something cool to have we haven't really had in this topic series yet.

Chronixx - Skakin' Sweet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ws4kJEgHr0

The music itself is very chill, and the vocals definitely grow on you quickly, I really like the lyrical flow on the 2nd verse. jcgamer107 posted...

If I were to nominate my current favorite song, that would be Tee Time, which I found out about through this, so I'll have to settle for 2nd favorite:

Ben Folds - Kalamazoo

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

Love how this song evolves and unfolds throughout. The part at 2:30 was seriously unexpected and immediately grabbed my attention. Great piano and guitar in that section. Clever lyrics throughout aare the bow on a great song.

MycroProcessor posted...

Deep Forest & Peter Gabriel - While the Earth Sleeps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZDFbzz-dLg

Too long and too uninteresting. The vocals are monotonous and the music starts off fine but gets grating fast.
---

Sorry to see you go, I may not have liked many of your songs but I never found them or you annoying in the slightest. It's good to listen to different things, you don't know if you're gonna like it until you listen after all.
---

;_; but.........but the bridge of my song is in an irregular time signature........

AN IRREGULAR TIME SIGNATURE!!!
---

Seginustemple posted...

Hiatus Kaiyote - Jekyll

Good vocal harmonies and nice keyboarding. Nothing I would listen to all the time, but it was a good track.

mcflubbin posted...

Damn, I was thinking about doing a Hiatus Kaiyote song (probably Molasses) within the next few weeks. Oh well! Anyway, I've had this song in my head for like a week:

Glass Animals - Season 2, Episode 3

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

I didn't like the Nintendo video game noises too much, but I can't deny that they definitely fit into whole aesthetic this song is going for. This song is very alluring and trance-like and really draws you into the mood its trying to convey and it does it really well.

digiiiiiiiii posted...

Ben Caplan - Down to the River (Live in Bellwoods 42)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PTSOKDa0NI

The extra stress on the lyrics in the "You gotta fight" section was excellent. Similarly, I like the addition of a breath after the lyrics "And a drowning man is just a living man, Who hasn't run out of his last bit of breath". Very nice feeling and emotion in the performance.
---

Terastodon posted...

Royal Blood - Out of the Black

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSdtvfBQd6c

could have been a cool rock song but the repetitive drum riff gets kind of tedious for me for awhile. i liked the very end where the drummer gets some more space - i wish the whole song would have been like that.

Shaduln posted...

The Ready Set - Killer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKiUXIjVP-s

i'd like to hear more by this guy - i'm a sucker for one person bands - but this song i didn't care much for. don't know how to explain what rubbed me the wrong way about it, it's too... vaudevillian or something?

Steiner posted...

protest the hero - skies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar15p6AFR8A

decent song. i like me some hyperactive prog metal.

Giggsalot posted...

The Go! Team - Junior Kickstart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jrp3K3IoDo

should have gone with ladyflash imo, that's been one of my favorite songs of all time ever since i discovered this group via iconsience. this does little more than remind me that not eveything the go! team did was great. don't really care for either of the samples this tune is based around.
---

Vote: Season 2, Episode 3

2nd) What They Do
3rd) Kalamazoo

Shakin' Sweet
Skies
Jekyll
While the Earth Sleeps
Out of the Black
Killer
Junior Kickstart
Down to the River (Live in Bellwoods 42)
Enigma
---

Mr Lasastryke posted...

Shaduln posted...
The Ready Set - Killer

i'd like to hear more by this guy - i'm a sucker for one person bands - but this song i didn't care much for. don't know how to explain what rubbed me the wrong way about it, it's too... vaudevillian or something?

I'll be honest, I didn't realize he was a one person band.
---

Gonna do this tonight
---

Terastodon posted...

Here have one of these:

Royal Blood - Out of the Black

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSdtvfBQd6c

This song is worth it for the riffs alone.

Steiner posted...

protest the hero - skies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar15p6AFR8A

I love the guitar tone used in this song, and the little guitar licks throughout are really nice. The vocals are very theatrical and I like the variance used in different places.

LiquidOshawott posted...

The Roots - What They Do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfuHHde5I8g

Honestly Illadelph Halflife is probably my favorite Roots album

I enjoy songs like this a lot, it definitely reminds me of Michael Franti & the Spearhead. Awesome musicianship and deep lyrics.

Giggsalot posted...

a new challenger approaches

The Go! Team - Junior Kickstart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jrp3K3IoDo

party time motherfuckers

Could definitely be a catchy intro for some kind of spy TV series.

Shaduln posted...

obviously I meant tonight because I'm in eastern time zone shhh

I for some reason am questioning if I've posted this song, but I really don't think I have. If I have, permission to flog me.

The Ready Set - Killer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKiUXIjVP-s
https://open.spotify.com/track/2LYAG9jlH9rul11nalRxR0?si=H2g-AmXvTcGUxb1Pze1RYA

This went by super-quick, it feels very skillful but I'm not really sure it's very memorable in the long run.
---

Vote: Protest the Hero - Skies
2 - Out of the Black
3 - What They Do

Kalamazoo
Down to the River (Live in Bellwoods 42)
Season 2, Episode 3
Jekyll
Killer
Skakin' Sweet
Junior Kickstart
While the Earth Sleeps
---

Chronixx - Skakin' Sweet
Listened about three times before realizing it's 'skakin' and not 'shakin'.Not sure how much I can trust Urban Dictionary on this one. Nice background vocals in the second half and vamp at the end but overall it's the standard boilerplate reggae progression and doesn't generate a whole lot of interest with it. The production is decent and I think it's good to have more of this flavor in the weekly lineups but this track in particular doesn't strike me as special within its genre.

Edge of Sanity - Enigma
Thrashy/deathy bits work for me as Dark Souls grind accompaniment, but I thought the whole thing could have used more of the soft part that sounded like the Disney Tarzan soundtrack as silly as it was. Good amount of changeups but none of the individual sections really stuck with me on a riffing level, vocals were of the mostly indecipherable variety and just sort of added to the distortion. I wouldn't seek it out again anytime soon.

Ben Folds - Kalamazoo
Haven't heard this release despite supposedly being a Ben Folds fan. First two minutes are middling but get more convincing as they go along, then the disco section breaks out and the song wins me over with the BeeGees stings and piano groove all panned out left to right, and the final little build of the coda seals the deal. I can't help but enjoy Folds' plaintive sensibilities and vocal character. His songs have the grilled cheese aesthetic, he'd have to work at it to screw it up.

Deep Forest and Peter Gabriel - While the Earth Sleeps
Damn this sounds like a prototype of The Knife, lots of energy and unsusually wholesome for a Mycro pick - it even stays in 4/4. That opening sample is hype, I relished every splash of that as well as the punchiness of the synth bass recap at the end, that was a great development. Excellent production throughout really, everything pops.

Glass Animals - Season 2, Episode 3
Is it the one where Jerry buys a seude jacket? The one where Data pretends to be Sherlock Holmes on the holodeck? The one where Arya saves Jaqen H'gar? Doesn't matter because this is a hot contender for song of the week. It all sounds so big and dreamy, as if the listener has been shrunk. Some sick rolls on the e. piano, breathy vox in the chorus have a wistful appeal, swooping bass is dirty. Instant replay worthy, song is catchy as fuck.

Ben Caplan - Down to the River
This guy looks like he's nineteen under that beard, it would be hard to take seriously if he didn't have so much passion in the performance. Decent lyrics and voice to match, servicable acoustic playing with a nice lick in the middle. For real though he must have been growing that beard since he was twelve years old or something. I bet if he shaved his head he wouldn't be able to sing the song, it's the source of his magic.

Royal Blood - Out of the Black
Wild video, really elevated the tune with the kinetic Superjail! style animation. It's a propulsive, fun song to begin with but the video brought it over the top. This would be pick of the (bi)week if I were in another, heavier mood. It doesn't even do anything special it's just a solid banger.

Protest the Hero - Skies
I'd really have to be in another mood for this one. Technically proficient and sprawling and it all just blows right by me, I feel like an old person in a wind tunnel listening to this. Or like it's set to 1.25x speed as the default. Or they got lost in the sauce of digital dexterity and forgot to deliver a hook. Or maybe I just need a few espressos before I can appreciate. I don't know how to identify the disconnect, but it's there.

The Roots - What They Do
Lasa - I think it's a headphones thing because these verses sounded crystal clear on my phillips. The Roots' instrumental work here is smooth is ever, restrained and flavorful even in the end jam. Black Thought is always has an understated control and Saadiq's voice sprinkles a little seasoning in between. I should listen to these guys way more than I do, they gel so perfectly and have an admirably holistic approach to their craft. Good selections this week!

The Go! Team - Junior Kickstart
Not since have GY!BE have I heard such a promising act with an exclamation point in the middle of their name. I'll take all the shaker and brass! they got. This is so rowdy and lo-fi it's like a garage big band. Why does that harmonica work so well? Tough choice between this and the Glass Animals song. Sweet changeup at 2:30. I'm all over the lively percussion throughout too, there's not really a weak point anywhere in the song.

The Ready Set - Killer
It makes me sad when these composite vids have a guy who plays all these instruments but only wears one jacket. I like costume changes! This type of music isn't my bag (vocals especially) and as much as I appreciate people playing real instruments I get the sense that I'm seeing more actual drumming than I'm hearing - are they even mic'd? I guess it's not impressive to film yourself clicking squares in a DAW even if it ends up sounding cleaner. Not a bad effort but this cup of tea ain't for me.

1 - Season 2, Episode 3
2 - Junior Kickstart
3 - What They Do
Out of the Black
While the Earth Sleeps
Kalamazoo
Down to the River
Skakin' Sweet
Enigma
Skies
Killer

Seginustemple posted...

Lasa - I think it's a headphones thing because these verses sounded crystal clear on my phillips.

ok fair enough.

even with audible black thought i'd vote for season 2, episode 3 though, so it doesn't really matter.
---

Mr Lasastryke posted...

the repetitive drum riff gets kind of tedious for me for awhile.

uh this should be "after awhile," obviously.
---

Seginustemple posted...

I feel like an old person in a wind tunnel listening to this.

perfect
---

(1ST) Royal Blood - Out of the Black
This.....fucking rocks. I love songs like this that have a frustrated kind of energy. The strumming just after the 2 in the chorus is real good. The vocals in the chorus really sound like Crash King's "Inside Upside Down":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU-vOU6GY-8

Which is a very good thing. I'm gonna drum to this later.

Also, like ST said, the animation is fucking wild. Gotta be the same team that did 'Superjail', right?

(2nd) The Go! Team - Junior Kickstart
Well you're off to a good-ass start. I love The Power is On, haven't listened to much of their other stuff though, which has clearly been a mistake. This is a hell of an instrumental jam. Great drums and brass. Would fit well in an action scene. Seems up Quentin Tarantino's alley. The bit at 1:13 and the other iteration of it later is the best. I think I will also drum to this later.

(3rd) Hiatus Kaiyote - Jekyll
Once that drum beat comes in and you get those soulful hits - mmm. And damn, cool rhythm shift about a third of the way through into 6/8. It's almost a little bit overkill when they keep going back and forth between chill 4/4 and 6/8....then you got this weird straight 4/4 half way through. I think Mycro would really like this haha. Really pushes the limits with its poly-rhythms, but still very good. Then you got them dilla beats at the end. Would drum to.

Glass Animals - Season 2, Episode 3
Pretty inoffensive, chill. I like the light video game sound effects. Good beat. Taste nice.

Protest the Hero - Skies
A little too hyper at times. Some insane guitar work, though, and the guy definitely has some vocal chops (so basically every Steiner nom).

Chronixx - Skankin' Sweet
A nice, bouncy reggae beat, with some light psychedelic sounds to it. A very adequate choice if you're just wanting to listen to something chill. Or do some fucking.

The Roots - What They Do
The Roots are OK - I'm not their biggest fan, this definitely had me bobbin' my head though. Good for background music.

The Ready Set - Killer
Got a good beat - not really a fan of the vocal style, though. A little too whiny. Actually pretty much everything going on besides the vocals is really cool. I even like the effects they put on the vocals at the end of the chorus, and the vocal melody itself is catchy.

Deep Forest & Peter Gabriel - While the Earth Sleeps
A little bit out-there. Certainly not what I'd expect to hear when I saw "Peter Gabriel". Almost like a less percussion-driven Juno Reactor - has that middle eastern sound to it. That almost-yodeling vocal loop kinda wears on you.

Ben Caplan - Down to the River (Live in Bellwoods 42)
If it's just a man and his acoustic, he has to do something pretty special....this almost does it for me. The lyrics seem kinda pedestrian - I appreciate his passion though, and the rhythm's good. He's talented for sure.

Edge of Sanity - Enigma
Oh boy. Not my style at all - not into low, gravelly death metal. And 7+ minutes......nah. The complete shift of style right before the minute mark is interesting, I will say.
---

1) Jekyll
2) While the Earth Sleeps
3) Junior Kickstart
---

oh yea I forgot to make the spotify playlist

Here it is (outside Mycro and Digi's songs, Digi's only because the live version isn't on Spotify)
https://open.spotify.com/user/the_stricken_one/playlist/1tGabnhVf5WGWocLEfUIAj?si=9ZPIF1aLR5Kjakxh_zSVdg
---

c'mon guys, those top 2 are bangers (and mine obviously)
---

Enigma - even though it's death metal, I think it does enough different to make it stand out from a lot of other death metal tracks. Of course the clean vocals at the beginning being the most obvious but even parts sprinkled throughout the song.

Kalamazoo - I like the bridge where the instruments take over the most. The rest of it doesn't do a SUPER whole lot for me but his voice is nice, and it never really settles which is good.

What They Do - clear direct message throughout, with some great lyrics and a great hook by Saadiq. Smoooooooth while still going in for what Black Thought believes in with The Roots.

Season 2 Episode 3 - there's something that just kind of annoys me about this song and I'm not sure what. It's inventive, it's bouncy, it's catchy....but I don't really want to hear it after this? I dunno man, I'm weird. Also if I had a gf or bf that ate mayonnaise out of a jar they would be GONE, we'd be DONE. Then again that's kind of the point of the song so props to them they conveyed that message well.

While The Earth Sleeps - honestly this is actually a super cool song, it's such a 90s electronic song and I really really like that. The distorted vocals coming in and out really make it too. It reminds me of Desert Rose by Sting a bit, a song I grew up with and have always thought was neat.

Jekyll - fantastic voice, fun instrumentation, you just gotta let it flow.

Down to the River - powerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, that's what this song has. Fuckin powerful man, good shit.

Out of the Black - I remember when they first came out hearing this song and I went on a thing with them for a while. It's so cool how it's just a bassist and drummer creating all of this. I think Little Monster is my favorite from them but this one was what introduced me.

Killer - ah yes, the ready set. I knew about him from being on Pete Wentz' (and Patrick Stump but really more Pete as the face) ever famous label Decaydance Records. This song is from 2011 but it brings me back to the yesterdays of mid to late 2000s with the likes of Hellogoodbye, combining electropop elements with that "emo" scene. I'll always have a soft spot.

Skies - protest the hero, always good stuff. Rody has a great voice and does some really cool things with his lyrics. Of course being a progressive metal band but one that really tries to flirt in other genres (which is really what makes them stand out in my mind compared to others in their scene), every element of instrumentation is done well.

Junior Kickstart - fitting with their band name, this sounds straight like a tv show theme from back in the day about a group of superheroes or just general action team kicking crime's ass. It's fun.
---

Down to the River
What They Do
While The Earth Sleeps
Out of the Black
Skies
Jekyll
Killer
Enigma
Kalamazoo
Junior Kickstart
Season 2 Episode 3
---

Through 6 votes:

Season 2, Episode 3 - 6 (2)
What They Do - 6
Out of the Black - 5 (1)
Junior Kickstart - 5
Jekyll - 4 (1)
Skies - 3 (1)
Down to the River - 3 (1)
While the Earth Sleeps - 3
Kalamazoo - 1
---

Skankin' Sweet
Oh hey, this guy hangs out with Joey Badass! I'm not sure if this song is something I will retain any memories of one hour from now, but I'm looking forward to summer as much as the next guy, so fuck it. This was fun. 6.5/10

Enigma
I never got into these guys even when I liked this kind of stuff, and now it's just a mess. There's nothing coherent about the song construction at all; like all of the worst prog metal, this is basically just a arbitrary selection of riffs stuck together at random. Are some of them decent? Sure! But this is barely even a song. 3.5/10

Kalamazoo
As someone whose favourite vocalists mostly can't sing - wow, what a grating voice. This became way more interesting than I expected it to be given the trudging, Billy Joel beginning, but it never really turned into anything that I'd ever choose to listen to. 4/10

What They Do
It is to my great shame that I've never really been able to get into The Roots. Their classic mid-90s stuff, in particular, just kind of sounds muddy and indistinct to me. This was far from bad, but I was basically ready for it to be over halfway through. Ending instrumental was nice though! 6/10

Season 2, Episode 3
This sounds like the dude from How to Dress Well giving up all the turbid whinging and kicking back with Mega Man games. I can dig it. 6.5/10

Jekyll
I want to like these guys but nothing ever really connected with me. This got intriguingly weird halfway through, but despite enjoying the Latin vibes, this kind of smooth neo-soul represents a disappointing middle ground for me. I'd probably love it if it either veered spacier and more fragile or went full funk on the downbeat, but as it is I can only really admire it from afar. 6/10

Out of the Black
ROCK MUSIC WILL NEVER DIE. It'll just slink off into mediocrity until we forget it was ever exciting. Don't ask me to listen to a full album of these guys, but this was a fun four minutes. 6/10

Killer
If I hadn't read the comments about this apparently being some super-talented one man band, I could've believed this was a focus-grouped new single from an ex-One Directioner. I don't know if the apparent talent and passion behind this makes that better or worse, but either way this is rubbish. 3/10

Skies
Hahaha oh wow it's been a while since I listened to Protest or anyone remotely like them. I was actually shocked by how much I didn't completely hate this. It's still basically Fall Out Boy for nerdy Rush fans, but there are worse things in the world than that. 4/10

While the Earth Sleeps
This is so completely and unquestionably 90s that it almost sounds like some kind of other world now. It's actually kind of okay, even if it is totally silly! All the different elements come together really nicely at the end. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. 7/10

Down to the River (Live in Bellwoods 42)
I was kind of enjoying this until the vocal performance got all histrionic. It's cool that dude is passionate, I guess, but it's totally incongruous with the solo guitar arrangement. There's a cool song underneath here, but the performance does very little for me. 5.5/10

Ranking:

1. While the Earth Sleeps
2. Season 2, Episode 3
3. Skankin' Sweet
Out of the Black
Jekyll
What They Do
Down to the River (Live in Bellwoods 42)
Skies
Kalamazoo
Enigma
Killer
---

Season 2, Episode 3 - 8 (2)
While the Earth Sleeps - 6 (1)
What They Do - 6
Out of the Black - 5 (1)
Junior Kickstart - 5
Jekyll - 4 (1)
Skies - 3 (1)
Down to the River - 3 (1)
Kalamazoo - 1
Skankin' Sweet - 1

is that good enough?? I got a new song.
---