NHC 2017 Winter Music Showdown (RESULTS)

[Smiling Politely]

Welcome to NHC's 2017 winter music showdown! You will have the usual three days to vote for each round. Post your choices in this thread once you've listened to the song. Everyone is welcome to participate in voting, even if they don't have tracks in. We have 64 total songs, and round 1 will consist of four parts.

Here is the sign up list:
1. @Smiling Politely
2. @bias
3. @sir hops
4. @Squeaky Voiced Teen
5. @BuyMyCereal
6. @tormented
7. @Shaunbadia
8. @zach
9. @Old painty-can Ned
10. @Telso
11. @SCOTT SHRINER
12. @kaos
13. @Negative Ned
14. @deadname
15. @Matty
16. @OldSchoolerSimpsons
17. @The Spruce Moose
18. @steamed_hamms
19. @Yossarian
20. @ataeaf

Here are a few mentions for folks who may be interested in listening as well: @box elder @justin @kupomog @Jims @pkkao

Happy listening, folks!

Round 1A
Round will end at 11pm EST on January 27, 2017

1.
Versus – Underground
vs
Hiatus (Feat. Shura) - Cloud City

2.
Cigarettes After Sex – Affection
vs
Let's Eat Grandma – Rapunzel

3.
Bonzai - I Did
vs
William Bell – Any Other Way

4.
Chris & Cosey – October (Love Song)
vs
Vision Loser- you're being lied to

5.
Massive Attack - Hymn of the Big Wheel
vs
Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real

6.
Pino Donaggio – Telescope
vs
Arab Strap – Hello Daylight

7.
Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
vs
Drugstore Fanatics – Hangman

8.
Anthony Marinelli - Young Guns Theme
vs
Tinpan Orange – Supergirl

[Mr. Teenie]

@Smiling Politely, Let's Eat Grandma isn't available in my country due to copyright reasons.

[Smiling Politely]

Is this any better? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7nHctWHU3Q

[Mr. Teenie]

No, it's still blocked.

[comeau]

you know veruca salt from willy wonka? that bratty "i want it now daddy!" girl? just imagine she was singing a song and that's what it sounds like.

[The Goode Family]

use http://www.youpak.com/watch?v=m7nHctWHU3Q

just streams blocked youtube videos worldwide

[deadname]

you know veruca salt from willy wonka? that bratty "i want it now daddy!" girl? just imagine she was singing a song and that's what it sounds like.

yeah, it fucking rules

[pilcrow]

1. Hiatus (Feat. Shura) - Cloud City
2. Cigarettes After Sex – Affection
3. William Bell – Any Other Way
4. Vision Loser- you're being lied to
5. Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real
6. Pino Donaggio – Telescope
7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
8. Tinpan Orange – Supergirl

[The Goode Family]

1. versus
2. cigarettes after sex
3. william bell
4. chris & cosey
5. force mds
6. pino donnagio
7. bad news brown
8. anthony marinelli

[Smiling Politely]

1. Hiatus (Feat. Shura) - Cloud City
Underground was fine. Just fine. I liked it, but not really enough. It was a bit on the forgettable side for me. Cloud City is as the name describes. It's chill and pretty. Easy choice here.

2. Let's Eat Grandma – Rapunzel
I really liked both of these actually. Affection was lovely and chill. Kind of similar to Cloud City when played back to back. Rapunzel just hit me better. The vocals are punchy and grabbing, and the beat was cool.

3. William Bell – Any Other Way
I liked both of these a lot, and this was probably the hardest choice for me so far. I haven't actually heard William Bell before, where I have heard Bonzai. Will use newness as a tie breaker here.

4. Vision Loser- you're being lied to
I really like both of these, actually. This was a tough choice as well. This one just feels more right? I don't even know.

5. Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real
Lovin' this retro jam. Can't say no to that. I love Massive Attack, but I am going for the groovy new find here.

6. Pino Donaggio – Telescope
Both of these were pretty chill, and I liked them both. That could sum up most of this round thus far, honestly. This could go either way, so I am just going with my first instinct.

7.Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
I didn't hate Hangman, but it was a pretty standard rock track, nothing special. A bit like the stuff I liked in middle school. Born 2 Sin was super cool though, and it was a nice change of pace. Easiest choice so far.

8. Tinpan Orange – Supergirl
I genuinely liked the Young Guns theme better than I expected, but Supergirl stole my heart right away, and held on throughout.

[Mr. Teenie]

1. Versus - Underground
2. Cigarettes After Sex - Affection
3. William Bell - Any Other Way
4. Chris & Cosey – October (Love Song)
5. Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real
6. Arab Strap – Hello Daylight
7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
8. Anthony Marinelli - Young Guns Theme

[Two Guys, a Girl, and a kat]

1. Hiatus (Feat. Shura) - Cloud City
2. Let's Eat Grandma – Rapunzel
3. William Bell – Any Other Way
4. Vision Loser- you're being lied to
5. Massive Attack - Hymn of the Big Wheel
6. Pino Donaggio – Telescope
7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
8. Tinpan Orange – Supergirl

[Nwordpassforsale]

1. Versus- Underground
2. Cigarettes After Sex- Affection
3. William Bell- Any Other Way
4. Vision Loser- you're being lied to
5. Massive Attack- Hymn of the Big Wheel
6. Arab Strap- Hello Daylight
7. Bad News Brown- Born 2 Sin
8. Anthony Marinelli - Young Guns Theme

[OldSchoolerSimpsons]

1. Underground

2. Let's Eat Grandma

3. Any Other Way

4. October (Love Song)

5. Are You Really Real

6. Telescope

7. Hangman

8. Young Guns Theme

[Jims]

Yay! Love listening to them sweet NHC jams.

1. Hiatus (Feat. Shura) - Cloud City (like the vibe of this, although I wish the vocals did more for me, seems like it could grow on me on a re-listen)
2. Let's Eat Grandma – Rapunzel (neat)
3. William Bell – Any Other Way (tough choice, the other song is really interesting, but this speaks to me more)
4. Chris & Cosey – October (Love Song) (I really like the rising and falling synth lines, it's very intellectually stimulating)
5. Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real (I am voting for all of the throwback songs, I guess)
6. Arab Strap – Hello Daylight (the drowsy vocals don't do a lot for me but the guitar work won me over)
7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin (this is so good, liking the other one too)
8. Tinpan Orange – Supergirl (love the production of this, the guitar work, the pulsing synth, and the whirling strings. really fascinating song)

[Matty]

1. Hiatus (Feat. Shura) - Cloud City
2. Let's Eat Grandma – Rapunzel
3. Bonzai - I Did
4. Vision Loser- you're being lied to
5. Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real
6. Arab Strap – Hello Daylight
7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
8. Tinpan Orange – Supergirl

[BuyMyCereal]

1. Versus – Underground

At first this was an easy round for me, but after re-listening to these tracks I did find myself liking Cloud City more than I did the first time. It went from a song I wasn't really feeling to a really calming tune and a solid track overall. With all said and done though, I still find myself liking Underground more because it's just so catchy.

2. Let's Eat Grandma - Rapunzel

Affection (AKA the song with nearly 20 millions views that still managed to make it here.) is a song that sounds nice, but I can't say it did a whole lot for me. Rapunzel on the other hand is a pretty interesting track. The voice does take a while to get used to, but it still has a lot going for it like its sinister lyrics and great instrumentation. So, this song gets the vote.

3. William Bell – Any Other Way

The bonzai song would've gotten my vote because I did like the way it sounded, but that William Bell song was so good that I actually checked out some of his other songs and he's a really underrated musician. Even his most recent stuff is really good and his singing voice is still as strong as it was back then. William Bell gets my pick without a doubt.

4. Chris & Cosey – October (Love Song)

This round was pretty easy for me. October (Love Song) is just perfect 80's synthpop. you're being lied to is also pretty good and I like the way it sounds, but it doesn't quite move me like October does.

5. Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real

I was already familiar with Massive Attack before this showdown and I have even heard one of their albums, but this song is still new to me. It is a really great song and might even become one of my favorite songs from them. I thought for sure this song was going to get my vote, but the second that Force M.D.'s track started I knew that my Massive Attack vote was done for. It just won me over right away and it's just the perfect early 90's dance song.

6. Pino Donaggio – Telescope

OK, right when I saw that this track, I immediately knew who submitted it, but I won't tell you who it is for the one person that doesn't know. Still, it's a really great song to a Brian DePalma film I have yet to see, but then again his movies seem to always have great music. I wasn't really feeling Hello Daylight though. It's OK, but not something I'd go out of my way to listen to again.

7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin

Yeah, this is another easy match. Born 2 Sin is a wonderfully upbeat track and even the whistling (Something I normally don't care for in music.) works. Hangman on the other hand is every dull 2000's alt-rock song. I mean if you told me that this song was by Finger Eleven or Seether, I would believe you. This is how generic this song is. That's why I'm Born 2 Sin.

8. Tinpan Orange – Supergirl

Another film score vs regular song showdown. The Young Guns theme is a bit all over the place, but this is Young Guns we're talking about, so I can just roll with it. It's a really fun song, but Supergirl is one I really love. It's just so good that it feels wrong for me to vote the theme of Young Guns over this. I know my original vote was for that song, but after editing my thoughts into each match, I decided I'm going with Supergirl instead.

[Shaunbadia]

1. Hiatus (Feat. Shura) - Cloud City
2. Cigarettes After Sex – Affection
3. William Bell – Any Other Way
4. Vision Loser- you're being lied to
5. Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real
6. Pino Donaggio – Telescope
7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
8. Tinpan Orange – Supergirl

Generally I know I write sorta lengthy thoughts on each track in the initial rounds of these things and maybe at some point I'll come back and edit in some thoughts for this round, but during the Discord listen I found myself blanking on having much of anything to say about any of these songs and it's the same now beyond how much I completely and utterly detest that Let's Eat Grandma track. Comeau's comparison of it to the annoying Willy Wonka girl is pretty fuckin' accurate. I feel weird voting for "Affection" too because it has 19 million views which... really, I feel like that shouldn't have even been accepted tbh but oh well.

[tyler]

time once again for Kaos is Mean To Your Favorite Music With His Six Or So Adjectives!

MATCH #1
versus: one of those where i'm a fan but there's little to say. i really like the main riff and the guitar tone, the whole dreamy summery vibe like i'm wandering a city carefree on a beautiful day with a few friends speaks to the part of me that lives in a shitty town and has no friends. the dual vocals are a trick i pretty much always fall for too. i really wish i had more to say here but suffice to say this one is a good time. love "where the girls are not that pretty, But We Don't Care!".

vs. (lol)

hiatus: this sounds like the pop music people would listen to in one of those frightening Perfect Dystopian Futures where everyone is happy because everything is EXACTLY AS IT SHOULD BE. pristine and meticulous and empty. not a hair out of place on your pretty robot face. it sounds like someone tried to make a dance jam out of a reznor/ross soundtrack and like what why would you do that? yet if you try your best to push the vocals away (which i'm surprisingly good at!), behind the unecessarily Popped Up forefront is an engrossingly woeful Jam. it doesn't feel like you want to dance, it feels like you Have to. its like if you took apocalyptic film score sweeps like the aforementioned reznor/ross but packaged as a #1 single for the last club in the universe, which everyone must arrive to in Appropriate Attire at 6:30 PM exactly and enjoy Human Interaction before activating Sleep Mode.

good match but i'm gonna go with HIATUS

MATCH #2:
cigarettes after sex: the vocal of this one is unavoidably gripping for me, the tactile pronunciations and androgynous tone are great, very soft and romantic but never buried in being too somber despite the track being rather sedate. the production here is what sells it, the gorgeous spacious verses and dreamy choruses, guitars thick with effects that wander in like beautiful memories rippling endlessly through the empty space and affecting the surroundings. the vocal and percussion are intimate and crisp but the guitars inversely sound as though they're echoing through a cathedreal and reflecting off stained glass windows, blessing a monochome room with infinite colors. so many dream pop artists gain the distance in sound by buring the vocalist and having them pierce the smog of the music, so this is incredibly refreshing to let those melodies fall directly onto the mic, each syllable meticulously shaped so that you know you're not just hearing wallpaper music but encountering a structure, something worth admiring when the light characterizes the many contours.

vs.

let's eat grandma: i love extremely accented singing. i'm made to think of courtney barnett's raucous barks in the first half, but perhaps even more affected, seemingly purposeful as it wrenches every overt pronunciation out of the words in a parody of dialect, shouting and stomping about like a child who's been grounded, singing to herself about the "wicked witch" who could no doubt be her mummy, the tower her room. oh and there's a little child abuse to from father. the whole first half does seem like a child dramatizing her situation - well not entirely cuz again her father Hit Her - wrapping in saying she's "only seven". i love love love this first half but the rest is great too, like the refrain where the vocal becomes less affected and sounds more like a narrator of the proceedings. the twinkling pianos swirl together amidst a splashy battering ram of a drum like someone trying to beat down the door. it's bad enough you're trapped in here with no way out as is, now something is coming for you, and the pressure weighs down further and further and the claustrophobia buries you. a demented fairytale worth re-reading over and over again, i will return to this. this could be a winner.

insane match but i have to go with CIGARETTES AFTER SEX

MATCH #3:
bonzai: metallic percussion like coins ricocheting in a washing machine, sometimes making contact. aphex-twin esque synths that sound like they've been possessed by a poltergeist and are being launched from across the room directly at you. negative space that contains all of your terror as the next imminent gnarled burst of sound swings around your head and clocks you unconscious. anxious bursts of digital steam seeping from the fragile seams of a beast that can only hold out for so long, bursting in the end as the synths flicker menacingly like a strobe light capturing fractions of a horrifying transmogrification before the lights are completely knocked out, souls bouncing your walls like a pinball game from hell. all in three minutes. now THAT is musical narrative, that's the shit i want, i need, what i live for.

vs.

william bell: the elevator music keys and soaring harmonies that crop up in the second half assist what is otherwise a pretty standard piece of soulful r&b of olden days. i'm not sure what else to say. it's fine. if this helps you through shitty times i'm glad, if this makes you wanna jig like it's Nineteen Sixty Something then by all means. me i feel like this is a bit easily replacable, i could probably do a bit of digging and find something similar that better scratches the itch. it is well constructed though, as at pours from the rippling guitars into the muffled horns and aforementioned keys which are indeed a great touch that juxtaposes well and is a nice surprise. still, perhaps not my jam.

yea, BONZAI

MATCH #4:
chris & cosey: i love maximalist electronic but it's a nice change of pace to be given something unburdened by all the effects and razzle dazzle to give me a more direct link to the proceedings. the sexy vocals play against the simplistic synths trickling down from above pretty well, its fun and shimmering but curiously introspective in a sense, it never loses itself or goes for a big chorus, it plans a course and sticks to it pretty firmly, only kicking up the synths a few times or layering some swoops, adding a vocal effect or two. it's simple stuff but it works. it sounds like someone laying down a confessional in a disco, the yearning strings emphasizing the growing desire where the vocal dares not reach too far. it has an endearing reserved nature while still making intentions clear. the title does have the parentheses'd (love song) after all.

vs.

vision loser: i feel like i dont hear enough bedroom synthpop. dig the frayed vocals, a greater appreciation of the humanity and intention behind each sound instead of trying to transcend one's self. i guess in other words it could be pegged as singer/songwriter synthpop that actually feels worth attending to on a lyrical level. not that the simplistic but blissful musical accompaniment isn't grand too, especially the hushed "ooo ooo" vocals that carry it along and keep the drums from ever plodding, instead feeling quite propulsive but never too insistently so as to overpower the patient process of the track. i'd be surprised if this was any more than one guy and a keyboard, but there's something always inspiring about the benefits of today's incredibly open musical landscape. some would call it amateur but sometimes professionalism compromises what's real. i guess it's nice to believe something like this instead of just jigging to it. not that i won't do both.

good match but i gotta go with VISION LOSER

MATCH #5
massive attack: my favorite track on blue lines! whoever nominated this one, good taste. i love the vocal, very Lion King, very all-encompassing like the words of a great elder passing their knowledge unto their people, telling them what it's all about, like a wise grandmother who has been through the great struggle and who knows this world around her, warning and waving that bony finger but still keeping an inviting and knowing smile. the way massive attack's typically bulbous rumbling percussion is softened out by the delicate warbling ambience and warm buzzing lead synth is perfect tonally, it feels very comforting and suits the massive celestial sweep, soaring beyond the skies before coming back down to bring back souvenirs of wisdom, with confidence somewhere in there that you will use them well.

vs.

force m.d.'s: just aggressively early 90s, luckily i'm a fan of music that is shamelessly dated, music that isn't trying to do anything except play by the rules and kick out a jam, as long as its Fun. which it is. yet what do i say about it? it's fun, it's catchy, i love this drum sound which most people hate. the clumsy corny rhymes put a smile on my face. trying to analyze this seems fruitless, really what do you gain from being incisive towards junk food? you can talk about how its probably not good for you, how nothing is gained from it, or you could shut up and stuff your face and beg for seconds.

gotta give it to MASSIVE ATTACK

MATCH #6
pino donaggio: GEE I WONDER WHO NOMINATED THE FILM SOUNDTRACK MUSIC. i assume oss actually knows his stuff in this area though and hey props i'm really into this! the restrained fluttering ambience isn't what i'd expect from the cover but it's lovely. the shakers sound like a helicopter just overhead, like you're being rescued and this music emphasizes the sheer relief, The End of a real life nightmare. another great texture is that strange clacky whirring, it sounds like a wind-up godzilla toy doin his thing in the background, but its just ambiguous enough that it never feels intrusive and the distance in the noise is a good choice, gives the piece scope. there's also something very BREAKING NEWS about the staccato keys, like we're witnessing a person being saved from terror and the resultant news footage, the angelic harmonies emphasizing the safety, like evil has been bested. You Are Safe. You Are Okay. The Nightmare Is Over.

vs.

arab strap: what am i supposed to do with this! except perhaps use it as a healthier sleeping pill supplement, except i'm not entirely sure i'd ever wake up. the vocalist doesn't even sound totally awake, i can feel him catching himself nodding off before mumbling out the next verse as the drum machine carries on all lonesome. oh but you can tell he's really playing his guitar because it makes that ear gouging shrieks like real strings being played with Real Fingers Wow So Authentic! i am honestly do deeply uninspired by this that i'm struggling to find words. my brain keeps thinking "cardboard box". it's like a cardboard box. it's drab and uncharacterized, a template for something that hasn't been passed around to an actual artist yet who has an impression of anything at all.

*cough* PINO DONAGGIO

MATCH #7:
bad news brown: KAOS MUSIC RULES #1: if you start whistling or incorporate any whistling in your song i will take it less seriously. KAOS MUSIC RULES #2: if you put whistling in your Fuckin Chorus i will probably start tuning it out subconsciously because you've made it clear this is something you wanted to be focused upon for some reason, you wanted your song to sound like a kid skipping down by the river, on some andy griffith shit. it's at this point that i begin to wonder if you know what you're doing at all, as the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to your exalted hoedown is capped off with whistling that doesn't sound soulful or spiritual or cathartic or anything that would match the title BORN 2 SIN. the harmonica solo is pretty good, the backing vocals and claps and trickling piano all paint a picture, and even though i dont like the raspy vocals because i don't think they hit the euphoria you'd want in such a track, i can handle them once the chorus harmonies pay off. all you had to do was not purse your damn lips and release that insipid fucking coca cola jingle of a noise out of your face, but you fucked it up, and it saddens me to say because every time i'm almost feeling the vibe i'm ripped out. for shame.

vs

drugstore fanatics: this comment from the comment section of this track says more than i ever could. from the scholarly Schopen 15, 5 years ago, and i quote *clears throat*: "this song is awesome...finally i can say i listen real music...all the other muthafucka bands can fuck each other". if the band you listen to is paraded as REAL MUSIC by today's common bozo, it's probably actually straight up terrible. whoever these other "muthafucka bands" are i cannot sufficiently say with the minimal information i have been presented but the bar for "real music" continues to befuddle me. i guess it's REAL if it sounds like what people were shitting out on the radio in the 2000s, i guess it's REAL if it sounds like you stole a breaking benjamin song and slapped your name on it because really would these neanderthaals know the difference? i guess it's REAL if it sounds like being bludgeoned by your fellow caveman with a big fuckin rock, maybe because you didn't return his Prehistoric Lawnmower on time or some shit. look i haven't said a word about this song itself but i feel our current, refined languages don't really articulate properly what i'm feeling. so in a language those who would enjoy this can understand: ugh.

oof really? BAD NEWS BROWN i guess!

MATCH #8:
anthony marinelli: GEE I WONDER WHO NOMINATED THE FILM SOUNDTRACK MUSIC [2]. the revving guitars and airy synths in the quiter moments feel like a strange mishmash of dark ambient and cock rock that should be an unholy abomination but it's weirdly enthralling. i do wish the entire track was like those moments however, it is honestly jarring even as a guy who has mostly overcome mood whiplash in music to trek from the sparse ambience to the chug-a-lugging dukes of hazzardy hootenany that kicks in, like the opening sequence to some western themed sitcom. which is a thing oss would watch! there is a really engagine tune in here but it is a bit clunky structually, i'm honestly fascinated by some of it. it feels like it would be a bit awkward as a score too? the way it frantically shifts. nonetheless im well enough into it.

vs.

tinpan orange: opening sounds like that no doubt song. you know the one. probably? if you don't, what the hell how did you just grow up in a town that banned radios? anyway, barring the sparse open, and the bridge that mirrors it where the vocal lifts into a pinched high register that actually sounds like emotion, i'm not into this. i'm 100,000,000% sick of breathy female vocals in indie music, i've heard far too many and few of them feel like they have anything of substance to offer besides exhausting me. perhaps to some it sounds raw or real but to me it just sounds like someone who had to jog to the studio cuz she can't afford a car and was singing with the assistance of exasperated lungs. which i could totally believe in this instance. AS FOR THE MUSIC, i hate to be an Egg here but there are no MELODIES here. like actually none, not a single discernible melody. this would be fine if the percussion punched or was texturally pleasing or the music had any indication of being more than passive. the only interesting musical element is the tortured strings in the chorus that cry bloody murder over the proceedings, again indicating some sort of emotion. i like emotions in my music, they make it sound like it was made by humans and not indie trope automatons. i will never hear this again.

*sneeze* ANTHONY MARINELLI

[closeface]

1. versus-underground
i liked them both, but wasn't a massive fan of either
2.let's eat grandma-rapunzel
both v good songs, but there was an obvious winner. really fun, if kinda silly
3.william bell-any other way
bonzai was sick, but you can't beat those wonderful vocals
4.chris+cosey-october (love song)
not an easy pick, by any means, both great choices
5.force m.d.'s-are you really real
once i heard the massive attack track, i just thought ''welp, nothing could beat that'', but this just blew the other one out of the water. so groovy and cool.
6.pino donaggio-telescope
another really hard choice. two amazing tracks
7.drugstore fanatics-hangman
the bad news brown track was fun but not really all that hot. obvious winner
8.anthony morenelli-young guns theme
this was just awesome. the other track was p great tho

[Smiling Politely]

For anyone who hasn't voted yet, the round ends in twenty-six hours. Some mentions for you lovely folks: @bias @sir hops @zach @Old painty-can Ned @Telso @deadname @The Spruce Moose @steamed_hamms @ataeaf @kupomog

[pax]

1. Hiatus (Feat. Shura) - Cloud City
2. Let's Eat Grandma – Rapunzel
3. William Bell – Any Other Way
4. Vision Loser- you're being lied to
5. Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real
6. Pino Donaggio – Telescope
7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin (this is just the best, thanks to whoever nominated it)
8. Anthony Marinelli - Young Guns Theme

will add thoughts later if i can

[Bart's treehouse]

1.Versus – Underground
2.Cigarettes After Sex – Affection
3.William Bell – Any Other Way
4.Chris & Cosey – October (Love Song)
5.Massive Attack - Hymn of the Big Wheel
6.Arab Strap – Hello Daylight
7.Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
8.Anthony Marinelli - Young Guns Theme (only match-up where both the songs were really bad)

[ataeaf]

1. Versus – Underground
2. Cigarettes After Sex – Affection
3. William Bell – Any Other Way
4. Chris & Cosey – October (Love Song)
5. Massive Attack – Hymn of the Big Wheel (I hate that both of these are paired together)
6. Pino Donaggio – Telescope (both pretty dull imo)
7. Drugstore Fanatics – Hangman
8. Anthony Marinelli - Young Guns Theme

[bias]

alright well i was gonna type out thoughts for every song but ill do that next round when i have time
am gonna do an essay thing on cigarettes after sex, after my votes

versus
cigarettes after sex*
bonzai
vision loser
force mds
pino donaggio
drugstore fanatics
tinpan orange


*ok so first of all whoever nommed this is so so cool and i love u for doing this

ok if u didnt know already i am like a massive fan of these guys. their lost album from like 2011 aint too spectacular, with around 11 tracks of acoustic guitar and some elements of the ethereal synth haunting the notes played
HOWEVER in 2012 they dropped I, one of the best EPs i have ever heard. that endlessly throbbing bassline in all of their songs that just pounds the tracks along is spectacular and i adore it

then they followed it up with affection, the track nommed this round. holy shit. i know kaos summed it up perfectly but man oh man. greg gonzalez owns an addicting voice, one you're hooked on from the first words that bounce around his echoey new york apartment he records in. many dreampop bands have their vocalists slide their voices under the hazy cloud produced by the rest of the band as a way to add emotion. cigs after sex have greg dominate the soundscape, throwing his voice down at you with the guitar and noise propelling him forward. its a magical effect and one that plays hell with me.
not to mention that second verse. hes so close to the microphone you can hear him whisper those lyrics with a smile across his face. you can tell he's singing to a certain someone and wants them in on a private joke only they know.
i adore this song and the feeling of warmth you get from a genre known to be quite cold in its delivery of subject matter and sound. dreampop can be chilling but cigarettes after sex wrap you up in a comforting bassline and and a gently bumping cymbal tap that carry you swiftly to the end of the track, wishing for more. i cant explain how much this track gets to me and again, whoever put them in the showdown, thank you.

[deadname]

1. Versus – Underground
2. Let's Eat Grandma – Rapunzel
3. Bonzai - I Did
4. Vision Loser- you're being lied to
5. Massive Attack - Hymn of the Big Wheel
6. Pino Donaggio – Telescope
7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
8. Tinpan Orange – Supergirl

[The Spruce Moose]

1. Hiatus
2. Cigarettes after Sex
3. Bonzai
4. Vision Loser
5. Massive Attack
6. Arab Strap
7. Bad News Brown
8. Tinpan Orange

[kupomog]

1. Hiatus (Feat. Shura) - Cloud City (Other song is ok, this one pretty)
2. Let's Eat Grandma – Rapunzel (Annoying voice but good song and imagery. Liked the other song, too.)
3. Bonzai - I Did (Enjoyed both)
4. Chris & Cosey – October (Love Song) (Enoyed both)
5. Massive Attack - Hymn of the Big Wheel (OMFG I feel like shit voting against Force muhfuggin M.D.s but I quite enjoyed Hymn)
6. Pino Donaggio – Telescope (Kinda samey? But I like more than the other track.)
7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin (Don't really love either, but I don't even particularly dislike Hangman.)
8. Tinpan Orange – Supergirl (I thought the vocals were gonna irritate me but this is cool)

[Telso]

Probably wont maintain this but eh

Round 1A

1. Versus – Underground Versus Hiatus (Feat. Shura) - Cloud City
Aaaaaa, It's already a though one this match. I mean I really like both, it's actually a matter of if I'm in the mood for energetic, exciting songs or the calmer, serene ones. I really the singer's voice on Cloud City, her voice is so so relaxing. The production is the definite winner on it tho, I'm mean the change after the second chorus I'm a such big fan. Was about to vote that, but then I decided to give both a second listening and I happen to actually like Underground a bit more. I mean those guitar riffs are very enjoyeable and pleasing to me and the whole thing is such a fun ride I keep enjoying and never happen to get bored of it, and actually ask for more at the end. It's addicting if you understand me well. Damn, I already feel bad. Harsh match, just harsh.

2. Cigarettes After Sex – Affection vs Let's Eat Grandma – Rapunzel
I think it's impossible for me to fall in love with songs with such a chillness like Affection. The singer's voice is incredibly irresistible and difficult to not succumb to. You just let yourself being taken away by the song and voyaging on sort of a cloud or something.
The relaxing, yet kinda dark tone fits the bittersweetness of the vocals incredibly well. The result is delicate and attractive, yet a bit haunting as well somehow.
The other one, Rapunzel, is kinda the complete opposite. It's rough, sassy, completely chaotic, a big interesting mess of a song. I actually love it a lot. It's joyful and didn't stop to always actually suprise me.
Another tough match, but I'm gonna go with the darkness over the mess. The voice on it is just too good.

3. Bonzai - I Did vs William Bell – Any Other Way
I Did is cool, really cool. Another where I was constantly suprised by how insane it is. The constant change in voice tone, from deep to high pitched, is sweet af. The singer completely rocked it and she has so much
Plus I love sparkling, metallic synths a lot like it's the case here.
Oof, the contrast with the other, much more normal, Any Other Way, was immense. I don't have much to say for this one, love William Bell's voice full of soul, the jazzy parts mixed in with the guitar riffs are a nice touch, and I absolutely adore the choir singing at the end.
But eh, this sounds like stuff Ive heard a billion times before.
The lyrics are cute, but as a whole this lacked its own identity and just tried to be what it supposed. Not neces a bad thing, but compared to the other one which feels completely unique, I can't help but pick the more interesting one. Choice of heart, all that.

4. Chris & Cosey – October (Love Song) vs Vision Loser- you're being lied to
Didn't expect October (Love Song) to be kind of a 80's style synthpop-like song with the lyrics being spoken in a (very) sensual way. It's suprising at first, but got quickly sick of it. The production is a bit too repetitive for what it is, and yeah I dunno I actually didn't like how the vocals and the production clashed here. I feel like this kind of stuff has been done multiple times, so wasn't that impressive either. I guess it's okay.
Vision Loser is easily better here. Reminded me of a Kid-A song somehow, probably because of the cold, monotonous voice of the singer and ambient-like music. But I liked how it got progressively louder as well.

5. Massive Attack - Hymn of the Big Wheel vs Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real
Hymn of the Big Wheel feels like an adventure through the ages, a coming-of-age story being told within a tribe.
It feels so damn spontaneous and caring at the same time. Generous and humble, but doesn't forget to sound good and being pretty catchy and amusing to listen to. Great one.
Are You Really Real is a 90's song.
Yeah, I don't really know what to say about it besides that. The 90's feel feels (lol) even more accentued here. It's a bit too in-your-face here with it and ends up being grating as a result and I don't really like it. Reminded me of the shows I used to watch when I was a little imp, so I guess it works very well as a Nostalgia Act. But yeah

6. Pino Donaggio – Telescope vs Arab Strap – Hello Daylight
Ow wow, an instrumental ! And it's a movie soundtrack even !!! But yeah, Telescope has those nice siren-like chorales which are difficult for me to not adore. The rattling sound which kept coming back is a plus for meas well. Nothing too advanced here, but it's fine.
I actually like Hello Daylight ! Here nothing too advanced either, just a guitar, a cliched rythm, a bunch of nice backing noices and boring male vocals. But the result as a whole got a lot of charm to it and I love the serenity here as well. Certainly absolutely nothing to get excited about, it's a nice little song I happened to like listening to.
Yeah this match was clearly the weakest so far.

7. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin vs Drugstore Fanatics – Hangman
Born 2 Sin feels like those songs what try by any way possible to be as much as catchy as possible, but end up being actually too catchy for their own good. I mean the mix of harmonica, whistling and applause-like cadence is just sickingly unpleasant. Plus I felt like the singer was barely doing anything, leaving the song being incredibly repetitive. *sigh*
Hangman is generic. Not even the "good generic I don't mind because atleast it sounds good", the pointless generic. This is so lazy and boring. This one annoyed me as well with the loud of screeching noice of a voice the whining singer has, so it's not even an improvement over the previous song.
I said the previous match was weak, in this one the choice is difficult but in a bad way. I dunno, gonna go with the popular choice cuz there's little point to this anyway.

8. Anthony Marinelli - Young Guns Theme vs Tinpan Orange – Supergirl
Another movie score !!! Is this reg showdown uh. Feel like these kinds of soundtracks are once in a while nice to listen it without having the movie coming stamping on it, but they dont seem to offer much variety as a genre to be honest. This one feels luckily above avarage for the movie score genre, so good job whoever chose it ??? I always like when there's slow parts next to frenetic ones in a song, and this one is no exception. Yeah, I'm weird, deal with it.
Supergirl is kind of a mess, but not an interesting one. It just feels uncontrolled, all-over-the-place and pretty annoying, especially on the atrocious chorus.
And c'mon that ending bridge is just ridiculous. The whole thing is like a smug work trying too hard at what the hell it is trying to do here. There's just no fun. Plus the singer's voice is boring.
We have a clear winner here.

Gonna go digging Underground to death now.

[zach]

01. Versus – Underground
02. Let's Eat Grandma – Rapunzel
03. William Bell – Any Other Way
04. Chris & Cosey – October (Love Song)
05. Force M.D.'s - Are You Really Real?
06. Pino Donaggio – Telescope
07. Bad News Brown - Born 2 Sin
08. Anthony Marinelli - Young Guns Theme