And that's a wrap on round 3. Everybody's posted and everybody's sent their reviews back. Thanks for another good game of music swap.
Pink Cadillac on thekingin64
Turisas - Rasputin
What sort of unpredictable nonsense is this? The music video seemed to be set in a club which was a good sign but it unfortunately descended into a metal song (nothing against them, I just don't listen to metal). But it turned out to be a jolly metal song. Then an irish fiddle appears. Then the man in the club trying to act slick started sing-talking over the top. By this point I was certain this had to be a Scandinavian eurovision entry and all was confirmed when the Wildings found there way onto the main stage. It could have have been a lot worse? Yes. Do I hope I will never hear of this band again? Yes. As this is so unbelievably far from what I would listen to, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that only straight people can contemplate this genius work of art.
Jonsi - Where No One Goes
Still haven't seen the first film. I thought the production was pretty and also could fit well in a theme park! However, the vocal aspect of the song was absolutely useless. Vocally careless, lyrically dull and melodically banal. The singer lethargically plodding through the song makes lines such as "We slow for no one" and "Get out of our way" laughable. I get that it plays in the end credits to inspire the little children that they can be anything or whatever, but it really fails.
Bob Seger - Night Moves
What sort of dogging anthem. Pretty inoffensive. I'll go as far as saying it was alright
The piano was probably my favourite thing.
Elton John - Rocket Man
Not bad, just don't care for it. The new music video was really good though and made me enjoy the song even more. I'd say the best song of the bunch.
Meat Loaf - Paradise By The Dashboard Light
I've heard of Meat Loaf for a long time, but not heard anything by them and this sounded a lot more theatrical than I was expecting. My parents went to see a Meat Loaf musical recently and I certainty see how this would fit in a musical. Too bad I hate musicals. It's safe to say it crossed the line of being annoying. However, it was the least boring of all the songs. The shifts in the music kept my attention going for the full 9 minutes.
Sorry to this person
I didn't want to be too rude, but at the same time, I didn't want to lie.
Gavin on Pink Cadillac
Blue Nile: Saturday Night
I kept hoping it would go somewhere, considering it’s about 3-hours long, but it never really did. Wasn’t a fan of this really. If you want a song about Saturday night, best sticking with Whigfield.
Grimes: Art Angels
I like Grimes, but had sort of forgotten about her and haven’t listened to anything since the Visions album. This track is far from the best thing she’s done, but I liked it and it’s a reminder that I need to check out the latest album, so result I guess.
Cassie: My House
I’m assuming that this was some MySpace singer that never got anywhere? Can’t say I’m surprised. Heard it a thousand times before.
Sonic Youth: Sister
I want to like Sonic Youth, but I could just never get into them at all. This song doesn’t change that.
Joanna Newson: Sapokanikan
I’ve only very recently started listening to her after having her name crop up quite a lot recently in those annoying “New Kate Bush!” ways. I haven’t listened to Divers yet, which I’m assuming this must be from? Anyway, yeah, I really like it. Totally the kooky-female sort of thing I’m often into.
jayjay on Gavin
Madonna - Like a Prayer
Classic! A big roomy late-80s pop song, though not my favourite Madonna by any means (that would be Vogue). Tight production that expands to a colourful explosion with the gospel choir backing up. There's passion in Madonna's singing, but I don't think I ever got behind her as a singer. I guess she was more important for kicking the whole "pop image" era off, as shown by the fabulous music video. Overall, yes! Like this one.
Paula Cole - Where Have All the Cowboys Gone
The whole package works here. Paula puts out a vulnerable performance. The snarled way she sings "beer" really hammers that last pre-chorus in. But there's a melancholy that goes through the whole song.
Grace Jones - Slave to the Rhythm (I like to think that Gavin likes Grace Jones because they both have similar names)
Thanks for the prompt to look for more Grace Jones. Somebody I've known about but been mostly blind to, but this is my favourite song here. Lots of colour in every corner, from her expressive and powerful vocals, to the production and music (liking the light jazz chords). Sounds like there's some social commentary in the lyrics too, which makes me want to make comparisons to Chained to the Rhythm (Grace wins easily, obvs). WTF is the music video though? 80s at its finest.
Klaus Nomi - Total Eclipse
Holy crap, this is amazing! Klaus is hamming it up, with his really earnest interpretive dance moves, makeup and operatic falsetto. I'm enjoying the very German consonant-spitting (and was that a Holocaust reference in there?). Can't decide if it's actually a decent song beyond the novelty. That bassline's banging and there's some great synth hooks in there, so I'll give it a pass. Apparently Klaus has never gone in for Eurovision which is a great shame.
Lady Sovereign - 9 to 5
She's like the flippant, humorous version of Kate Tempest. Got to be honest, I relate to the cheery laziness a little too much but not hugely bothered by this one. I'm not good with lyrics, so I tend to place more rap emphasis on flows and wordplay, which is not what she's going for here.
Mysterious Sue on jayjay
Temples - Certainty
I love this. It’s just the sort of thing that I listen to and I was hooked from the start on the repetitive, catchy keyboard. It’s that perfect indie blend of upbeat with a subtle sorrowfulness underneath. The singer kind of reminds me of Grizzly Bear (if you’ve heard of them) but all the keyboards (and haircuts) give it a fab 70s twang. The video was ok, kinda odd but funny in places (the fish/man thing – just wtf?!). I want an octopus skeleton thing of my very own. Yeah, this is queued up on my next playlist now. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. 8/10
Calling Chris straight off the bat. I think we share somewhat similar music tastes and it seems to fit his previous selections.
Courtney Barnett - Pedestrian At Best
I like it - the chorus is quite catchy and I approve of the general anti-establishment theme of the song and video. Think I remember this from a few years ago but it didn’t stick in my head for some reason, probably because it doesn’t have much of a coherent tune. Although the rambling vocal style was refreshing at first, it started to grate a bit as the song went on and I’m not sure it’s something I’d re-listen to often because of that. After a bit of a Google, I found some other songs of hers that I liked a lot more, especially Avant Gardener (lol at the name), where she has more of a tuneful approach. Did you pick this for the theme park video? I was trying to work out where it was filmed throughout the whole thing and then at the end it just blatantly showed it was a place called Funfields. I checked – it has no creds L. Overall, not my favourite but I did quite like it. Great to hear an accent come across in song, that’s quite rare. And plus points for an interesting and amusing video. Sadly, I’m deducting points for sounding too much like Molly’s Chambers by the Kings of Leon. 7/10
A-Ha - Hunting High and Low
It’s 80s, so I’m still thinking Chris, lol. Hadn’t come across this particular A-Ha track before and it’s actually quite fab. Perhaps a little too 80s sounding now (even without looking at the hair, you can easily guess the decade) but it’s definitely a classic. I like the vocals and the fact that some orchestra gets involved at the crescendo – they don’t make them like that any more! Considering its age (and the lack of CGI), the video is also really good. Just one little niggle. I take it the guy/shark/bird/lion is hunting for the girl he loves? A-Ha! Nothing says true love like turning into a Great White and approaching her in the shallows? WTF! But seriously, I liked it (and approved very much of the anti-hunting message). Giving it a 7/10, mainly because I like the guy’s voice. But I’ve also subtracted one because I’ve never quite forgiven them for influencing Coldplay. If you don’t like my score, you can ‘take on me’…I’ll get my coat.
M|A|R|R|S - Pump Up The Volume
Such a blast from the past! I don’t know why but I remember my dad playing this lots when I was a kid. It was always on VH1 (god, I’m so old). And it’s a total, out-and-out classic. I was a bit too young to appreciate its importance at the time - apparently, it was the first, mainstream track to be made up mostly of samples - but maybe, because it is just a collection of samples, it still sounds fresh today. The video worries me. I’m always reminded when I see old footage of space missions, how bloody terrifying it must have been. I remember seeing some of the moon landing equipment once and it looked like it was made out of quality street wrappers. Anyway, where was I? The song’s a great nostalgia trip and totally timeless. Can I bring creds into this? Yes I can. Can’t help comparing it to an old woodie that’s historic but has been superseded by so many others now. But one that you still can’t help but love. 8/10
Kero Kero Bonito - Trampoline
Ahhh what even is this? I was so ready to hate on it but then I realised it’s obviously all a bit of a pisstake. And then the Asian girl gets involved haha. Yeah, it’s funny and the sort of thing that I’d probably play through the summer and then completely forget exists five minutes later. But that’s fine because it seems entirely the spirit with which it was meant. All the glitter. All the kawaii. All the…trampolines. Japan sure has a lot to answer for. But I don’t have a trampoline *cries* *runs back to hide in a world of dark emo colours and cleanse myself by gazing at shoes that aren’t pink and that remain firmly on the ground*. Err, yeah…5/10
And I’ve still got that Temple’s hook in my head. Damn you!
GuyWithAStick on Mysterious Sue
Aimee Mann - Little Bombs
I really liked this one! Pretty good vocals, nice instrumentals, and had a tone that I enjoyed. I can see myself listening to this one on the road or on a long train ride. 8/10
Muse - Soaked
Another enjoyable song! The beginning was slightly jarring considering the rest of the song has a much more somber feel. I still enjoyed it, though. I got a nice Bohemian Rhapsody vibe from it. 7/10
Elbow - Grounds for Divorce
Mystery Person, you have a really nice taste in music! This one has some very nice instrumentals as well as some good vocals. Although I must say that I hated the amount of times they used that boomerang effect in the video. It was just so distracting! 7/10
Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
Just the other day I was reading some stories online(reddit mostly) about some lifelong relationships(they're some really nice timekillers, and have some really nice storytelling), and this song really reminded me of those, especially ones that end in breaking up or some other tragedy. Those things are some of my favorite works of writing out there. Some great vocals by the guy, really liked the high notes he was able to pull off. I'd definitely listen to it on my main soundtrack. 8.5/10
Manic Street Preachers - The Masses Against the Classes
Not available in my country.
I found another version though, so I'm going to review that:
Wasn't quite sure on the song at first, but after reading a bit up on it, I think they did a good job on their (sort-of thumb-up-the-ass) response to critics. Great tempo, very early 2000s rock. Not sure if I'd really listen again since it (seems like) it was more of a song made for critics saying they can't make a good song after a member left, not casual listeners. Still a nice tune, though. 7/10
caffeine_demon on GuyWithAStick
"Cast of "Dear Evan Hansen" - Waving Through a Window"
A difficult song to judge on a first listen - on the plus side it;s a little quirky and slightly familiar, but on the down side it has that "epic"ness - which means further listening may result in either me deciding it's utterly cheesy and awful, or just fab!
Gorillaz - Sleeping Powder
I love Damon All-bran(sic), surprised I haven't got any gorllias cds in my collection - loved the track - it maintains a good level of "blurishness", and combines it with a sort of lighter radiohead from kid a type days!
Cast of "Come from Away" - Costume Party
Unfortunately the video is now "unavailable"- but I did manage to see a clip from it - rather liked it, a little bit of Alanis Morisette in there.
Imagine Dragons - Thunder
ticks most of my "instant like" buttons - catchy, quirky, just the right amount of cheese, just very listenable! had a listen to a few of their other track samples on amazon, and this is probably as good as they get.
Elton John - Rocket Man
all time classic - and I think it's going to be a long long time before I get tired of it
Thekingin64 on caffeine_demon
U2 - Pride (In the Name of Love)
OK song, wouldn't complain if it was on the radio. Could do without the scream style singing though. 7/10
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
Who doesn't love this song?! Fab song in every way. 10/10
Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Also a very good song, very catchy chorus and guitar riff. 9/10
The Animals - House of the Rising Sun
I have heard this song before but can never remember how it goes, just one of those songs I always recognise but can't name. Very good song though. 8/10
Aerosmith - Love in an Elevator
Pretty catchy and enjoyable to listen to, no other comments. 7/10
Overall: Think it's lucky I'm also a big fan of this style of classic rock! Very good selection, definitely wouldn't complain if any of these came on the radio. Have even added a few to my Spotify list!
