Board 8 > Rank the Tracks Week 76: Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (+ Singularity)

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FoolFantastic
08/14/22 11:07:12 AM
#1:


What album should we cover for Steiner's week?






Previous results can be seen here:
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Rank_the_Tracks

The rules:
1. Listen to the album in full
2. Rank every track on the album
3. For the results, there will be a curve at the top of each list; two additional points between #1 and #2, and one additional point for the next two ranks. This way, the songs that really stick out to someone get an edge that is not immediately negated by someone else putting it lower. In the case of Demon Days, someone's 15th track will get 1 point, 14th 2 points, 4th 12 points, 3rd 14 points, 2nd 16 points, and 1st 19 points. For albums with greater than 15 tracks, everything ranked below #15 will be given 0 points and the scale for the top 15 will be the same as a 15-track album. For albums with more than 20 tracks, you only have to list your top 15 (with 16-20, I still like having the average rank listed)
4. If you want to include comments for individual songs, I will compile them in the results
5. The results will be posted at the beginning of the next topic
6. The deadline to vote is Sunday, August 21 at 8:00 AM EST - though if you are for whatever reason listening to the album around that time, just say so in the topic and I can delay a bit
7. You can sign up to be added to the user cycle - the next person on the list will choose 3 albums which the other users will vote on for the next topic.
7a. To ensure people are being given an actual choice, the three nominated albums must be by different artists. You can otherwise stick to a similar sound or era.
7b. The tiebreaker for these polls will be whichever is listed first in the poll options - make sure to deliver the results in order of your own preference (which will hopefully have the added benefit of influencing people toward your first choice if they can't decide).
7c. I have added a tiered vote structure - the least popular album will be removed and its backup votes distributed to the other two entrants.

Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road track list:
1. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
2. Candle in the Wind
3. Bennie and the Jets
4. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
5. This Song Has No Title
6. Grey Seal
7. Jamaica Jerk-Off
8. I've Seen That Movie Too
9. Sweet Painted Lady
10. The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934)
11. Dirty Little Girl
12. All the Girls Love Alice
13. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock'n'Roll)
14. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
15. Roy Rogers
16. Social Disease
17. Harmony

User Cycle:
8/21: HBJDubs (Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine)
8/28: Raetsel_Lapin (The Ataris - So Long, Astoria)
9/04: Steiner
9/11: Snake5555555555
9/18: Jesse_Custer
9/25: ZaziGuado
10/02: firefdr
10/09: Johnbobb
10/16: VeryInsane
10/23: FoolFantastic
10/30: Seanchan
11/06: Giggsalot
11/13: RyoCaliente
11/20: darkx
11/27: neonreaper
12/04: Great_Paul
12/11: jcgamer107
12/18: ChichiriMuyo
12/25: BlueCrystalTear
1/1: MetalmindStats

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Top 250 songs: https://foolfantastic.com/3290-2/
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FoolFantastic
08/14/22 11:12:07 AM
#2:


Sunspot - Singularity results

The participants sorted by deviation from final results:
Seanchan (33)
HBJDubs (35)
FoolFantastic (37)
Johnbobb (37)
BlueCrystalTear (39)
rwlh (40)
Raetsel_Lapin (46)
MetalmindStats (47)

General Album Comments

Seanchan: Worst album we've covered.

LOL, NO just kidding. I came into this with pretty low expectations, but I come away a little gobsmacked. I listen to this and I think, this could absolutely be commercially successful, instead of only having 260 monthly Spotify listeners.

There's a strong pop-punk vibe that's absolutely in my wheelhouse, though there's definitely some songs that go a little harder or a little more acoustic. Lots of catchy riffs and choruses. Instrumentation is good, singing is good.

I was trying to get some other stuff done while doing my initial listen, and I kept having to stop as something about this demanded my attention!

Looking forward to giving this a few more listens. I sure hope that we get some good participation this week, even though it's a "no name" band.

BlueCrystalTear: As I said when I nominated this, Im friends with them. Im in their inner circle. I sometimes do watchalongs with them online, and they accept me for the weirdo I am. They also make awesome music and have for 25 years, with their first album coming in 2000 and their most recent the day my nominations were due (I got drunk at the club at the release party). Sunspot has always had three members: Mike Huberty (lead vocals, bass guitar), Ben Jaeger (guitars, keyboards, backing/harmony vocals), and Wendy Lynn Markus (nee Staats; drums, violin, backing/harmony vocals). Formed in college when Wendy replaced a guy who got cold feet, they are basically family now.

As the title implies, Singularity had 12 songs released as singles, one per month for a year, before they were all assembled onto an album (with tracks in release order) with bonus track Alive Day. I legit like every song here (ranking them is, like ChichiriMuyo said last week, "like ranking one's own children"), and its nice to take a trip through an artistic evolution that explores a diversity of influences. The consistency largely stems from the focus on one song at a time. For these reasons, I expect there to be very variable rankings.

The monthly nature helped begin Sunspots transition from raw indie music to glossy, polished arena rock. The next album, the space-rock The Slingshot Effect (the last album recorded at Garbage's Smart Studios), was yet another step further, but it was their next album after that, Weirdest Hits (an amalgamation of EPs, rather than a true compilation), was where they really exploded into that arena rock sound. (I didnt choose that one due to its intimidating 77-minute runtime and 18 tracks.) That one's worth a listen too, if you have the time. You may be surprised at how different the production sounds compared to this one.

Also fun: The video for "Grand Guignol" is hilarious (both Ben and Wendy nail it here), and not what you'd expect from a song named for a French horror theatre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9HK5R_jx4c

HBJDubs: With the first few tracks I wasn't sure if I liked the vocals or not, like some parts sounded really good and some parts sounded...I guess weird is the best word? The middle of the album is very good stuff, and the last few tracks are still pretty good. Overall, solid album, with only one song I didn't like. BCT's description of their later albums got me interested in checking out their other stuff; I do enjoy both arena rock and longer albums so Weirdest Hits sounds like something right up my alley.

BlueCrystalTear: It's noticeable how much Mike's voice improved as the album went on (recall each track was recorded a month after the previous). These days, he does not sound like the same guy he did on the first few albums, and I mean that in a good way. As I said, this was sort of a "bridge album" - a metamorphosis from the band that recorded "Eat Out My Heart" into the one that would record "Arthuriana." I've posted about both songs here on B8 before, as they're two of their most popular.

MetalmindStats: Anyways, I gave Singularity my first spin tonight, from which I think I can already say that The Police clearly inspired Sunspot here. I was also relieved to find (most of) the song lyrics on Bandcamp.

BlueCrystalTear: The Police is definitely one of the influences, of which there are many. A lot of their stuff feels like it's from 1983 or 84, around that time when arena rock was moving away from New Wave and toward glam metal.

Raetsel_Lapin: A surprisingly solid album.

Johnbobb: Listened through a few times, liked it quite a bit, ranking tonight

BlueCrystalTear: I've listened like six times in the past week and, as a result, have gotten almost every song on the album stuck in my head at one point. There's both serious stuff and funny stuff on here, and both are done incredibly well. Each song has its own personality, too. Again, this is like ranking your children. Other Sunspot albums would've been similarly difficult. I hate that something has to be last. But... I think I'm happy with this.

Seanchan: There's this expression I really hate: "it was better than it had any right to be". It always strikes me as condescending, and revealing more about the person saying it than about the media/art being discussed. I know the intention isn't usually bad but still...

That stupid preamble isn't to say Singularity is better than I expected; it was MUCH better! I won't echo my first listen thoughts again, but suffice to say that they still apply. I was worried this was going to be too indie but that's not the case. Yes, some of the backup singing isn't great (mostly I'm thinking about 2012), and maybe the audio mix sounds a little muddy at points (mostly thinking about Path of Most Resistance) but I can overlook that when the rest is otherwise so strong.

I did a bonus listen this week, which is always a good sign of my enjoyment. This album goes pretty deep for me. There's some really great stuff in the top half of my ranking. I had to put Square Root of All Evil at #1 because I feel like that's the one I'm going to remember the most. I really loved how distinct all the songs sound, which made the ranking very easy. It's not until the last few songs I ranked that my enjoyment starts to fall off, but even those it's more the case of being good/fine rather than "I hate this".

So yeah, I liked this quite a bit and it was a nice way to end Ranking Cycle #3. This is one I will definitely come back to again.

---
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Top 250 songs: https://foolfantastic.com/3290-2/
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FoolFantastic
08/14/22 11:15:55 AM
#3:


Singularity track ranking

13. Sweet Relief (Track #2)
Score: 32 (Average Rank: 10.25/13)
Biggest Fan(s): Johnbobb (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): rwlh, FoolFantastic, BlueCrystalTear, Seanchan, MetalmindStats (#13)

12. Alive Day (Track #13)
Score: 44 (Average Rank: 8.5/13)
Biggest Fan(s): BlueCrystalTear (#5)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin, Seanchan (#11)

BlueCrystalTear: Its a natural closer and it feels like a sweeping epic with the instrumentation and Mikes best vocal on the album. The powerful message of self-rebirth is hugely helpful.

11. Trashy Hot (Track #9)
Score: 45 (Average Rank: 8.63/13)
Biggest Fan(s): HBJDubs (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): Johnbobb (#13)

10. Hypnogogic (Track #10)
Score: 51 (Average Rank: 8.13/13)
Biggest Fan(s): MetalmindStats (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): HBJDubs (#12)

9. Path of Most Resistance (Track #4)
Score: 53 (Average Rank: 7.63/13)
Biggest Fan(s): FoolFantastic (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): rwlh (#12)

7 (tie). 2012 (Track #1)
Score: 55 (Average Rank: 7.63/13)
Biggest Fan(s): rwlh (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin, FoolFantastic, BlueCrystalTear (#12)

BlueCrystalTear: That killer guitar intro is about it. Also, here in Madison, the Mayan Apocalypse kinda came true because we had a snowstorm called The End of the World - ~21 inches in 36 hours. It may have been this songs fault.

7 (tie). Square Root of All Evil (Track #5)
Score: 55 (Average Rank: 7.63/13)
Biggest Fan(s): Seanchan (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): HBJDubs (#13)

BlueCrystalTear: Also hilarious, and one of the earliest examples of Wendy Lynns violin work (which has since become much more prominent). They don't have many acoustic songs. What DO rich people actually do with their money? (HINT: Its probably just sitting there in the Bank of Geneva)

6. No Place Like Home (Track #12)
Score: 60 (Average Rank: 7/13)
Biggest Fan(s): BlueCrystalTear (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin (#13)

BlueCrystalTear: Despite the serious subject matter, there are many funny little lyrics in here, like Christmas gift with batteries not included and dont call me Dorothy. Add in the killer bass opener and youve got the albums most enduring song. I also kinda relate to it >_>

5. More Than My Degree (Track #3)
Score: 60 (Average Rank: 6.75/13)
Biggest Fan(s): BlueCrystalTear, MetalmindStats (#3)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin, FoolFantastic (#10)

BlueCrystalTear: This one always cheers me up. I picture a shirtless moron singing on his desk trying to seduce his TA every single time. Its great to laugh at that image, especially since hes clearly the only student in the class whos not taking it seriously.

4. Dig Your Grave (Track #8)
Score: 74 (Average Rank: 5.38/13)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin, MetalmindStats (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): Seanchan (#12)

3. Grand Guignol (Track #11)
Score: 76 (Average Rank: 5.38/13)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): MetalmindStats (#10)

BlueCrystalTear: No, its not just because of the video. Amazing drums and a lot of kick-ass. I would definitely say that the people in Paris who went to the eccentric theatre of the same name in the first half of the 20th century would not have been ready for this, either.

2. Uncanny Valley (Track #6)
Score: 89 (Average Rank: 4.25/13)
Biggest Fan(s): FoolFantastic, Johnbobb (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): rwlh, BlueCrystalTear, MetalmindStats (#7)

BlueCrystalTear: I can kinda relate to the thought of wanting to become a cyborg to distance myself from humanity, but this song shows actually doing it is risky and unsatisfying. People still arent ready for cyborgs. Including the ones that would become them. Music-wise... the riffs are amazing, and this wouldve fit great on The Slingshot Effect.

1. Tunguska (Track #7)
Score: 90 (Average Rank: 3.88/13)
Biggest Fan(s): HBJDubs (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): MetalmindStats (#8)

BlueCrystalTear: Lots of fun. And I really want to see this one live. I know disasters in my life arent really the end of the world, even if the Mayans wanted us to think so.

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Top 250 songs: https://foolfantastic.com/3290-2/
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BlueCrystalTear
08/14/22 11:41:50 AM
#4:


Surprised at how low Alive Day was (I take it Trashy Hot's bonus points for being someone's #2 were why it's ahead despite the lower ranking)... but just look at the difference between #5 and #12. Eight of thirteen tracks were separated by an average ranking of <2! This was one very tight ranking, so I'm glad I went with Singularity. People seemed to enjoy it and having ranks that are all over the place is a sign of a good album, instead of one that's top-heavy! Sweet Relief was really the only song people didn't seem to like, and I'm happy with that result.
~~~
Anyway, I actually just finished my first relisten of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. It's been a while! And... while it's not as consistently awesome as I'd recalled, it's still a really good album. It has the big hits, a couple of really good deep cuts, and a small handful of other songs that blend together. It feels like Elton and Bernie had a backlog and chose to push out a few extra songs, the fact that they were making a new album every eight months notwithstanding >_>

---
[This post adds nothing to the discussion but for whatever reason I felt the need to say it anyway.]
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FoolFantastic
08/14/22 12:04:56 PM
#5:


#97 on my most recent album list update (which I guess means it would land at #2 if included in the most recent volume of Rank the Albums)

Despite the epic length, I find myself returning to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road fairly regularly. Though it appears rather front-loaded, even the lesser-known tracks help maintain a powerful energy. There is a certain grandiosity to several of these numbers that only Elton could wrangle into such a resonant state. Maybe it could handle some cuts (Jamaica Jerk-Off especially stands among the obvious weak points of otherwise classic albums), but it does such a great job weaving in and out of different energy levels that such a thought would never occur to me while casually listening.

My ranking:
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (#625 all-time)
Bennie and the Jets (#1919)
Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) (#2045)
Candle in the Wind (#2181)
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding (#2213)
I've Seen That Movie Too
The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934)
Grey Seal
Harmony
This Song Has No Title
Social Disease
All the Girls Love Alice
Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock'n'Roll)
Roy Rogers
Sweet Painted Lady
Dirty Little Girl
Jamaica Jerk-Off

---
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Top 250 songs: https://foolfantastic.com/3290-2/
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Johnbobb
08/14/22 2:47:35 PM
#6:


Saturday
Saturday
Saaaaturday

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PSN/Steam: CheddarBBQ https://goo.gl/Diw2hs
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Seanchan
08/14/22 3:50:03 PM
#7:


I was low deviation AGAIN!

This weeks noms are a big unknown to me. Id assume metal of some sort but who knows.

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"That was unnecessarily dramatic". - NY Mets motto (courtesy of InnerTubeHero)
Congratulations to azuarc, the guru of gurus and winner of GotD 2020!
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FoolFantastic
08/15/22 12:33:07 AM
#8:


bump

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Top 250 songs: https://foolfantastic.com/3290-2/
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Steiner
08/15/22 2:41:44 AM
#9:


god fuck i meant to do writeups before this topic came out i'll do them today(ish)

---
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To write it down for all the world to see
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FoolFantastic
08/16/22 12:43:10 PM
#10:


bump

---
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Top 250 songs: https://foolfantastic.com/3290-2/
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Seanchan
08/16/22 1:06:20 PM
#11:


Did a first listen yesterday. I knew 3 songs going in and then immediately realized Id heard the title track before. Theres some good stuff here. Lots of variety and Elton is obviously a good vocalist.

My big issue is just that its a long album. I couldnt listen to the whole thing in one go, which really broke up the flow.

My question, is this considered his best album or is it more of a Beatles situation where theres multiple contenders?

---
"That was unnecessarily dramatic". - NY Mets motto (courtesy of InnerTubeHero)
Congratulations to azuarc, the guru of gurus and winner of GotD 2020!
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BlueCrystalTear
08/16/22 1:17:19 PM
#12:


Seanchan posted...
My big issue is just that its a long album. I couldnt listen to the whole thing in one go, which really broke up the flow.
This is why I didn't nominate Weirdest Hits for Sunspot - 77 minutes and 18 tracks is too much for this. And that's what's considered their "best" album, or at least has the most songs on it that they still play live.

Seanchan posted...
My question, is this considered his best album or is it more of a Beatles situation where theres multiple contenders?
I personally say multiple contenders, but people usually say this one since it's sold the most. He also has Madman Across the Water, Honky Chateau, and Capt. Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy which also have their fans, and a small handful of people would say one of Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player, Tumbleweed Connection, or Too Low for Zero. I pretty much just listed the "definitive" list of his albums that have multiple songs you'd recognize (save for The Lion King but that's a soundtrack). He was releasing an album every 8-12 months in the seventies, so he has no shortage of good stuff.

But yeah, this one was the one to do first, because it has the highest amount of big hits (tracks 2-4 + "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting") and the album cuts are great too.

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Raetsel_Lapin
08/16/22 3:40:07 PM
#13:


1: I've Seen That Movie Too
2: Harmony
3: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
4: Bennie and the Jets
5: Candle in the Wind
6: This Song Has No Title
7: Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
8: The Ballad of Danny Bailey
9: Grey Seal
10: Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
11: All the Girls Love Alice
12: Sweet Painted Lady
13: Roy Rogers
14: Your Sister Can't Twist
15: Social Disease
16: Dirty Little Girl
17: Jamaica Jerk-Off

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And even if I thought you'd known, I never would have told you so
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HBJDubs
08/16/22 5:14:17 PM
#14:


Candle In The Wind
Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding
Bennie And The Jets
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Dirty Little Girl
Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
All The Girls Love Alice
I've Seen That Movie Too
The Ballad Of Danny Bailey
Social Disease
Harmony
Grey Seal
Sweet Painted Lady
Roy Rogers
Your Sister Can't Twist
This Song Has No Title
Jamaica Jerk-Off

Talk about front-loading! The album as a whole kinda suffers a bit from having the first four tracks being the best by a mile, and nothing afterwards really comes close to matching that quality. No bad songs though, I just think the track order could have been arranged a bit better to help the "flow" of the album.

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~Project 1000~
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FoolFantastic
08/17/22 11:11:57 AM
#15:


bump

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Top 250 songs: https://foolfantastic.com/3290-2/
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neonreaper
08/17/22 12:29:36 PM
#16:


Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934)
Candle in the Wind
Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
All the Girls Love Alice
Bennie and the Jets
Harmony
Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock'n'Roll)
I've Seen That Movie Too
Grey Seal
Dirty Little Girl
Roy Rogers
Sweet Painted Lady
Social Disease
Jamaica Jerk-Off
This Song Has No Title

This album starts off like a greatest hits album. Overall this was like ranking two albums - the songs I like and the songs I don't care much about. Ranking the top three songs wasn't easy at all, and then the next set of five was another fun challenge. Elton John is amazing.

---
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Walter: No, Donny. These men are cowards.
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FoolFantastic
08/18/22 12:17:49 AM
#17:


Another up

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Top 250 songs: https://foolfantastic.com/3290-2/
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STElNER
08/18/22 6:31:03 AM
#18:


wow I'm really sorry lol

Protest the Hero - Palimpsest
protest have always mixed ridiculous musicianship with a punk energy and infectious songwriting, but this latest album diving through American historical events was a peak for them and especially Rody throwing out his best vocals ever

Periphery II
while their debut is the album most responsible for the Djent (music that sounds like a train, for those this is a new term to) explosion of the 2010s, this was the pinnacle imo. while the groove line directly from Meshuggah is still clearly there, here Spencer really gives his best vocals that really set Periphery above the rest of the class

Trivium - Shogun
while their first two albums are very much classic metalcore, and their later albums go on to this fairly comfortable modern mainstream metal sound, Shogun was really a unique sound that redefined who they were as a band. I think there's so many interesting things going on with the vocals here with both cleans and growls, and the recurring motifs throughout the album tie it all together.

like two of you will like any of these sorry x

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MetalmindStats
08/18/22 9:45:33 PM
#19:


Bump in the Wind

---
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pronouns: she/her or they/them | never knows what to say
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FoolFantastic
08/19/22 8:56:04 AM
#20:


I've Bumped This Topic Too

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Seanchan
08/19/22 1:57:48 PM
#21:


I keep procrastinating on this because I really need to carve out the time for 80 minutes

On the other hand, I was listening a bit to Weirdest Hits and was enjoying it. The songs I heard were more mature lyrically than Singularity. Also it just sounds better production-wise.

---
"That was unnecessarily dramatic". - NY Mets motto (courtesy of InnerTubeHero)
Congratulations to azuarc, the guru of gurus and winner of GotD 2020!
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BlueCrystalTear
08/19/22 4:33:55 PM
#22:


Only issue I have with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is its length. Honestly, if it drops just two songs, it's a LOT less exhaustive to listen to. I could also probably get more than two listens in. But still... the really good stuff is... the really REALLY good stuff. There are eight songs here that I truly enjoyed and the rest were mostly solid too. The track order is also pretty great in that it feels like a concert - the energy swings, as FoolFantastic said, ebb and flow nicely. Overall, a still fantastic album that has some all-time great songs and some... lesser ones that are still fine to listen to.

  1. Candle in the Wind
  2. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
  3. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
  4. Bennie and the Jets
  5. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
  6. I've Seen That Movie Too
  7. Harmony
  8. Roy Rogers
  9. All the Girls Love Alice
  10. Jamaica Jerk-Off - Am I the only person in the world who finds this catchy? It got stuck in my head after the first listen. It's not one of Bernie's better sets of lyrics but the instrumentation is enough for me to put it this high.
  11. The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934)
  12. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock'n'Roll)
  13. Grey Seal
  14. Sweet Painted Lady
  15. Social Disease
  16. Dirty Little Girl
  17. This Song Has No Title - Album would have benefited from dropping this song. It doesn't do anything that its other songs do better. It's just filler.
~~~

Seanchan posted...
I was listening a bit to Weirdest Hits and was enjoying it. The songs I heard were more mature lyrically than Singularity. Also it just sounds better production-wise.
Happy to see you're becoming a Sunspot fan! The themes definitely feel more mature than half of Singularity - Weirdest Hits has many good songs, including two fan favorites, "Arthuriana" and "Saturday Night Gospel." It's probably their "most definitive" album, in terms of how many songs they still play from it.

If you're really liking Weirdest Hits, also check out Wonders of the Invisible World and The Strangest Frequency (which just came out),which were also produced by Eric LaBrosse. He definitely evolved their sound from something raw to the mid-80s cusp of classic arena rock and glam metal. Since you liked "Uncanny Valley" quite a bit, I'll also recommend The Slingshot Effect, since that album's in the same vein as that song.

Also, I'm sure you understand why I didn't nominate Weirdest Hits, which is very similar in length to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Too intimidating to rank, let alone listen to more than twice. But I'm prattling so I'll stop.

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[This post adds nothing to the discussion but for whatever reason I felt the need to say it anyway.]
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FoolFantastic
08/19/22 4:43:56 PM
#23:


BlueCrystalTear posted...


10. Jamaica Jerk-Off - Am I the only person in the world who finds this catchy? It got stuck in my head after the first listen. It's not one of Bernie's better sets of lyrics but the instrumentation is enough for me to put it this high.

It's not a lack of catchiness that is the problem. To me, it just comes off as someone doing a shallow imitation of a genre they have limited experience with.

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Seanchan
08/19/22 8:03:07 PM
#24:


Alright, 2nd listen finally done. Should be good for one more tomorrow.

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Johnbobb
08/19/22 9:09:08 PM
#25:




  1. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
  2. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
  3. I've Seen That Movie Too
  4. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
  5. Bennie and the Jets
  6. Grey Seal
  7. Candle in the Wind
  8. Harmony
  9. The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934)
  10. Social Disease
  11. This Song Has No Title
  12. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock'n'Roll)
  13. Dirty Little Girl
  14. Sweet Painted Lady
  15. All the Girls Love Alice
  16. Jamaica Jerk-Off
  17. Roy Rogers

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MetalmindStats
08/20/22 1:15:37 AM
#26:


Jamaica Bump-Off

Not starting these bumps sooner is a missed opportunity on my part...

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MetalmindStats
08/20/22 2:36:17 PM
#27:


All the Girls Love Bumping

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MetalmindStats
08/20/22 8:35:04 PM
#28:


The Bump of Danny Bailey (1909-1934)

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Seanchan
08/20/22 8:42:47 PM
#29:


  1. Bennie and the Jets
  2. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
  3. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
  4. Candle in the Wind
  5. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
  6. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock'n'Roll)
  7. Sweet Painted Lady
  8. Social Disease
  9. Harmony
  10. I've Seen That Movie Too
  11. Grey Seal
  12. Jamaica Jerk-Off
  13. All the Girls Love Alice
  14. The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934)
  15. This Song Has No Title
  16. Dirty Little Girl
  17. Roy Rogers
For an album that's too long, there's still an impressively long list of good to great songs. It's really only the last 2 songs that I'm kind of "eh" on. And yes, I agree that Jamaica Jerk-Off is stupid catchy. With that said, I'm not sure I'll be playing this album in full too much in the future; I could listen to the first 4 songs and feel pretty satisfied.

BlueCrystalTear posted...
Happy to see you're becoming a Sunspot fan! The themes definitely feel more mature than half of Singularity - Weirdest Hits has many good songs, including two fan favorites, "Arthuriana" and "Saturday Night Gospel." It's probably their "most definitive" album, in terms of how many songs they still play from it.

If you're really liking Weirdest Hits, also check out Wonders of the Invisible World and The Strangest Frequency (which just came out),which were also produced by Eric LaBrosse. He definitely evolved their sound from something raw to the mid-80s cusp of classic arena rock and glam metal. Since you liked "Uncanny Valley" quite a bit, I'll also recommend The Slingshot Effect, since that album's in the same vein as that song.

Also, I'm sure you understand why I didn't nominate Weirdest Hits, which is very similar in length to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Too intimidating to rank, let alone listen to more than twice. But I'm prattling so I'll stop.

I only got to the first half of Weirdest Hits on my drive, so yeah, especially with an unknown artist it's better to keep it short and sweet. I did listen to those 2 particular songs after the fact though after you mentioned them. Saturday Night Gospel didn't grab me but Arthuriana was pretty great. I went back to listen to my top 2 from Singularity after that and the difference in production/sound quality is shocking!

At some point I'll need to find the time to listen to all those post-Singularity albums at least once. I've heard enough from them at this point that it's probably worth the deep dive.

I have to ask, is Sunspot a full time band? That is to say, is it their career or just a weekend/moonlighting kind of thing? They've got a ridiculously low Spotify playrate, and yet they've put out quite a few albums.

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FoolFantastic
08/21/22 12:33:43 AM
#30:


I hope a few late votes sneak in. This is a great album (and also like 10 people voted for this in the poll)

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neonreaper
08/21/22 7:02:22 AM
#31:


Yeah!

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MetalmindStats
08/21/22 9:21:54 AM
#32:


I've been a bit tardy with my own listens, so I decided it was inadvisable to get dramatic with my post's presentation in the way of Elton John himself. Anyways, I do finally feel ready to answer this:

Seanchan posted...
My question, is this considered his best album or is it more of a Beatles situation where theres multiple contenders?
To quote Elton's official site,
The determination of any musician's "best" album could be debated forever, but it can certainly be said that Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is Elton John's most identifiable work, most popular studio recording and the anchor of his four-decade deep catalogue.

To me, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is probably Elton's most impressive album. Im not exactly breaking any new ground in saying that the way it ebbs and flows, both narratively and instrumentally, its filmic production process, and that certain ineffable yet palpable spark of greatness all involved felt along the way all together contribute a phenomenally cinematic quality. It's a testament to the caliber of creativity and commitment heard here that this record feels like a concept album, however unintentional that is.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road also has the most songs I love among Elton John's discography. Its first six songs in particular make for maybe the most on-point half hour of an album ever, and then the way it steers off-track for a while in a series of sometimes meandering musical stories before summing it all up at the end is sure fitting. There are a couple interruptions in its consistency, I'll grant, but there's more of the singles that helped make me an Elton fan in the first place.

  1. Bennie and the Jets - An ageless classic that has always subconsciously spoken to me, I think 'Bennie' will forever be my favorite Elton song. And sure, it's the perfect bridge between 'Candle' and 'Goodbye', and actually successful satire to boot, but the key to me is its beating heart drawn perhaps from Elton's own stage presence and place in the music milieu of the time. Indeed, Elton and Bernie's grandiose aural and lyrical goals never get in the way of their genuine celebration of music as a means of self-expression.
  2. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Whereas 'Candle' sees Elton's concerns come to the fore, this track is moreso Bernie's show, and he runs with it in a knowing yet lovingly penned ode to The Wizard of Oz's cinematic magic. As the title track of such a titanic album, of course it's a class act in all the usual ways to boot, juxtaposing Elton's expressive vocals against his comparatively subtle piano chords.
  3. Candle in the Wind - Bernies intent here was a broader look at the intersection of fame, youth, and death through the metaphor of Marilyn, which Elton illuminated with a clear personal connection drawn partly from his own fear of burning bright and quick. It's a choice of subject and contemplative, reflective approach that's ideal to chase 'Funeral/Love'.
  4. Saturday Nights Alright (For Fighting) - I find it immensely catchy and enjoyable, but not really any better in context than out of it, unlike Goodbye Yellow Brick Road's remaining singles.
  5. This Song Has No Title - To me, this short yet effectively epic paean to young adulthood writ large encapsulates its entire album in barely two minutes. Elton's in peak performance mode here alongside his accentuating organ (an instrument I seem to have a weakness for) in a pitch-perfect contrast.
  6. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - 'Funeral' is unconventionally monolithic yet intimately accessible, while 'Love' is a snug, straightforward Elton & Bernie classic, and the two are tied in twain. As an album intro, it's altogether as emotionally essential as 'Harmony' at the end.
  7. Grey Seal - There's perhaps not a ton to this track, but it's a great deal of fun, which Elton's flair for showmanship enlivens into an essential piece of the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road puzzle.
  8. All the Girls Love Alice - The sort of theremin-style keyboard reverberation on the second line of the chorus takes my breath away, and the song really pulls off its seesaws between a contemplative chorus and energetic verses and post-instrumentals.
  9. Harmony - And here Goodbye Yellow Brick Road draws to a close, on spot-on notes of reunion, growth, and measured emotions matched by a bit of typical instrumental flair. I do prefer 'I've' out of context, but Elton, Bernie, and their crew simply never left harmony on this album.
  10. Ive Seen That Movie Too - Its dramatic sound, and Elton's equally dramatic delivery, fit this would-be siren song like a glove. Also note how the sonorous instrumentals resemble a literal siren at times.
  11. Sweet Painted Lady - A simply, comfortingly pretty piece that confirms the return of Elton, Bernie, and all the rest on their marks as artists.
  12. Your Sister Cant Twist (But She Can RocknRoll) - A fun little high-energy number that stands apart from its immediate follow-up surprisingly nicely.
  13. Roy Rogers - It's suffused with gentle nostalgia, and even if that's all really, it's just enough.
  14. The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934) - For me, this struggles to stand out or stick in my head amidst overwhelming competition.
  15. Social Disease - Still good, but songs with vocals that start quietly for no real reason are a pet peeve of mine.
  16. Jamaica Jerk-Off - Really great albums can be a bit like Rube Goldberg machines, with even their lowlights contributing to something special in context. For me, however, that slipstream fails to justify this disposable pastiche.
  17. Dirty Little Girl - An audibly dated stab at overt satire, it habitually drags and sometimes literally groans. I'm not as certain that simply cutting it would have strengthened Goodbye Yellow Brick Road as an album, but at least 'Jamaica' has a tune to it.

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BlueCrystalTear
08/21/22 9:40:50 AM
#33:


Seanchan posted...
Saturday Night Gospel didn't grab me but Arthuriana was pretty great.
Saturday Night Gospel is about going to rock concerts - that's their "church." It's the theme that people love. And Arthuriana is obviously about Arthurian legend and has a bunch of little references to movies about it. Best part in concert is when Wendy gets up to play the violin and Mike gets to play drums for a minute.

Seanchan posted...
went back to listen to my top 2 from Singularity after that and the difference in production/sound quality is shocking!
Yeah, it sounds so different. The mastering and layering evolved so much and their later albums show their talent more because of it. Singularity still feels raw but it's what started the ascent. That and Butch Vig having to close Smart Studios.

Seanchan posted...
I have to ask, is Sunspot a full time band? That is to say, is it their career or just a weekend/moonlighting kind of thing? They've got a ridiculously low Spotify playrate, and yet they've put out quite a few albums.
It's a moonlighting kind of thing. Mike runs one of the big ghost tour companies in the country. Ben is a high school music teacher. Wendy does a lot of things (I don't know how she does it) and doesn't really talk about her "main" job.

They've been doing this for 25 years so they've put out enough albums to cover that time. They still have fun doing it. And, if they wanted to be, they could be hitmakers on rock radio. But they don't want too much fame, because that would ruin the fun.

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[This post adds nothing to the discussion but for whatever reason I felt the need to say it anyway.]
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BlueCrystalTear
08/21/22 9:46:42 AM
#34:


FoolFantastic posted...
I hope a few late votes sneak in. This is a great album (and also like 10 people voted for this in the poll)
Voters don't translate to listeners, I've found. It's just the usual people. I'd presume some people voting in the poll don't care to actually participate.

Perhaps you should vote with your ranking instead of in the poll. And the most active people can always vote, even if they can't rank for a week. Just listening to the album of the week should be enough to warrant a vote for the one a few weeks out.

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[This post adds nothing to the discussion but for whatever reason I felt the need to say it anyway.]
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Seanchan
08/21/22 10:04:43 AM
#35:


BlueCrystalTear posted...
Voters don't translate to listeners, I've found. It's just the usual people. I'd presume some people voting in the poll don't care to actually participate.

Perhaps you should vote with your ranking instead of in the poll. And the most active people can always vote, even if they can't rank for a week. Just listening to the album of the week should be enough to warrant a vote for the one a few weeks out.

I had same of the same thoughts too. The only time we get higher participation is when its an album people dont have to (re)listen to to rank.

Maybe give an extra vote to those who submit a list? Im not sure its worth the extra hassle considering most of the regulars will listen to whatever. Also Id worry about this becoming too insular and pushing people away from even participating in random weeks.


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Congratulations to azuarc, the guru of gurus and winner of GotD 2020!
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FoolFantastic
08/21/22 11:24:13 AM
#36:


I'm good with keeping the polls as is - I wouldn't be surprised if part of the issue this week is that people voted for Goodbye Yellow Brick Road without realizing its length.

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