The Shuffle Game - Season 4 starting, get your lists ! (6 players minimum)

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Romain
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Romain »

- Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal An all time favourite... but why is it so short? Whyyyyy ? 9.5/10
- The Stranglers – Golden Brown It's hard not to like classics like this! 9/10
- Tori Amos – Cornflakes Girl This woman is a genius. 8/10
- Grinderman – Palaces of Montezuma Did Nick Cave do something wrong? 7.5/10
- The Crystals – He’s a Rebel Oh...a classic! 7/10
- Elvis Vs JXL – Little Less Conservation Oh... a modern classic ! 7/10
- The Go-Betweens – Streets of Your Town I didn't know that. A small, unpretentious and quite pleasant pop song. 6.5/10
- Frank Sinatra – One for My Baby (One for the Road) The song don't light anything special. 6/10
- Tom Petty – Free Fallin’ Tom Petty is an artist who leaves me cold. This time again. 5/10
- Bob Dylan – Every Grain of Sand I can't, I really can't, sorry. 3.5/10

I must admit that this is not the kind of song I thought I would find in this game. And I always find it hard to rate a song that I think is in everyone's genes, as there are many here.
A very good list obviously.
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Madzong »

1. The Stranglers – Golden Brown 10/10
2. Tom Petty – Free Fallin’ 9.5/10
3. Elvis Vs JXL – Little Less Conservation 9.10/10
4. The Go-Betweens – Streets of Your 8.5/10
5. Bob Dylan – Every Grain of Sand 7/10
6. The Crystals – He’s a Rebel 7/10
7. Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal 6.5/10
8. Frank Sinatra – One for My Baby (One for the Road) 5/10
9. Grinderman – Palaces of Montezuma 5/10
10. Tori Amos – Cornflakes Girl - 4/10
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Akhenaten »

Wow, 3 from my top 500, 6 in my top 2000. And one in my top 10!

Tori Amos – Cornflake Girl (10) #10 in my All Time List! Loved this song from the first time I heard it 27 years ago, and rushed out and bought the single. (how can it possibly be that long ago!)
Grinderman – Palaces of Montezuma (9) #371 Almost my favourite Nick Cave song
Elvis Vs JXL – Little Less Conservation (9) #473 Brilliantly well imagined remix
The Crystals – He’s a Rebel (9) #738 Only known this for a year or so. It's grown and grown on me.
Frank Sinatra – One for My Baby (One for the Road) (8) #1382 Cool piano, coolly sung
The Stranglers – Golden Brown (8) #1723 A song I've known forever
The Go-Betweens – Streets of Your Town (7) #4781 Just a lovely pop song
Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal (7) #6475 This is one that took a while to appreciate, but I can see continually rising in my AT list over the years
Bob Dylan – Every Grain of Sand (6) Didn't know this one. Really rather enjoyed it. Tough competition though... other than...
Tom Petty – Free Fallin’ (2) This song had always mildly annoyed me. I used to work near somewhere where they did bungee jumping on a crane in the summer, and they played this every time over and over and over again. Now it seriously annoys me!
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Safetycat »

1) Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal - 9 (This listen was actually the first time I'd vibed with this track properly. Immediately bumped it up my own ratings, a high 9.)
2) Grinderman – Palaces of Montezuma - 9 (I have heard this before, I think, but I'm not very familiar with Grinderman. Very different sound than what I expected from them)
3) Elvis Vs JXL – A Little Less Conservation - 9 (This has aged a lot better than similar tracks of the era, I still really enjoy it)
4) Tom Petty – Free Fallin’ - 9 (It's Free Fallin')
5) The Go-Betweens – Streets of Your Town - 8 (After a few listens over the last few years I've warmed to the track. Very chill)
6) Tori Amos – Cornflakes Girl - 8 (Deserves more listens, this track feels very unique in a way I like)
7) The Stranglers – Golden Brown - 7 (Nice but leaves me a bit cold)
8) The Crystals – He’s a Rebel - 7 (This is one of the better Crystals songs, but on the whole I don't really like their sound compared to other similar groups)
9) Frank Sinatra – One for My Baby (One for the Road) - 5 (Don't have much to say, nice track, but moves at a snail's pace)
10) Bob Dylan – Every Grain of Sand - 4 (No thank you, Bob)
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Schüttelbirne »

Not as good as last week, but still pretty solid (this refers to both the songs and my comments). In order from best to worst.

Fleet Foxes | White Winter Hymnal (2008)

Never understood why it was a hymnal, and not a hymn…
Anyways, this song does seem rather simple at first listen (at least it did to me when I first heard it), but listening to it more frequently the careful layers of vocal harmonies and soft guitar lines show an admirable construct that manages to evoke a very certain, hard-to-describe mood. The best song here. 8/10

Frank Sinatra | One for My Baby (And One More for the Road) (1947)

I think this is the 1958 version from Sings for Only the Lonely. The production with strings and woodwinds is gorgeous. Sinatra‘s vocals work very well in this setting. The song does move rather slow, but it works for the entire length of the song. 7/10

Bob Dylan | Every Grain of Sand (1981)

Not really all that familiar with Dylan‘s 80s output, but this isn‘t bad. The lyrics are great of course (as expected) and the melody moves along rather nicely, but his voice sounds a bit like he had a cold when he recorded it (I mean more than usual). Certainly not one of his best, but quite enjoyable. 7/10

Tori Amos | Cornflake Girl (1994)

The song gets better towards the end, because it increases in intensity, but it does this seemlessly. The piano is responsible for the forward momentum and is the true highlight here, but Amos‘s vocals can hold her own. I like it. 7/10

Grinderman | Palaces of Montezuma (2010)

One could spend hours interpreting these different things mentioned herein and how they relate to one another, but ultimately I feel it‘s more about the unavailability of all of them. The song feels a bit unfinished, maybe because a pretty large part of it is an outro. But they also drop a reference to Miles Davis, so I may not dislike it. 7/10

The Stranglers | Golden Brown (1981)

I know this song from the radio. The harpsichord is indeed very distinct, but I don‘t think they ever do anything really interesting with it. It‘s a nice tune, but not more. 6/10

Elvis vs. Junkie XL | A Little Less Conversation (2002)

I am not a big fan of remixes of well-known songs, but this is definitely one of the better ones. It never derails the original song too much, while still transforming it notably. Having the brass remain intact is a very good choice, as is the beat serving as a sort of additional drumset. It is fun, but it never clicks with me fully. 6/10

Tom Petty | Free Fallin‘ (1989)

A „chorus song“ because the entire song only exists because of its chorus and the verses only serve as a build-up to the chorus. You could maybe say that that‘s most of pop music, but this was just a spontaneous idea and I would have to think about it a bit more to determine if that is actually the case. It‘s funny that the verses turn out to be better than the chorus which has rather annoying background vocals. It‘s a fine song, but I don‘t really seek it out because it doesn‘t move me emotionally (also I‘m not a sports agent). 6/10

The Go-Betweens | Streets of Your Town (1988)

A rather upbeat song that also doesn‘t seem very special to me. Parts of it are interesting, particularly Willsteed‘s guitar solo after the bridge (the bridge itself however is very inconsequential). The background vocals do not benefit the song and I think it would be better without them. In general it seems like a typical radio song: Inoffensive, nice but pretty bland. 5/10

The Crystals | He‘s a Rebel (1964)

From all the ‚60s girl groups The Crystals have got to be the worst, most annoying, most unlikeable. The only good song I‘ve heard from them is „Da Doo Ron Ron“ and I‘m not sure I like it for the same reasons other people like it. „He‘s a Rebel“ is not good. 3/10
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Rob
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Rob »

Does this game have anything resembling a deadline?

Anyway, let's rank my own list. Considering the list these come from, they are all a 7 at least.

1. Bob Dylan – Every Grain of Sand: 10
Many here don't seem to like this one, but I have to disagree. Dylan's born-again Christian period may not be his most respected, but this one is magnificent. The lyrics are some of his most grandioze, but his delivery is thoughtful and the music has a spiritual calm. It also contains perhaps his best harmonica work ever.

2. Tom Petty – Free Fallin’: 9
In contrast to the title this was actually a steady climber for me. Like most Petty songs it didn't leave much of an impression initially, but in contrast to his other songs this actually grew and grew for me. There is something about the gliding nature of the music and especially the chorus that just feels like I'm transported. A great song for driving. Good lyrics too.

3. Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal: 9
This seems like a mysterious old folk song and a morbid Christmas tuned, performed with Beach Boy worthy harmonies. Even in the discography of Fleet Foxes this remains quite unique. It seems to be the most divisive song from this list and I can't see why.

4. The Stranglers – Golden Brown: 9
Perhaps the least divisive song on my list is this classic. It's a surprise to learn that Brad only learned about this one later, as this is one of those songs that I've known my whole life. And yes, the harmonium is as recognizable as anything in popular music.

5. Grinderman – Palaces of Montezuma: 8
This song is everywhere nowadays. It has been in multiple AM polls since last year, it was on my own rotation last Summer and Spotify seems to think it is my favorite song of all time, as a lot of the time when I finish playing a playlist or album it automatically starts this one. I might end up being the only one on the planet who almost feels this is overplayed. But I do love it. I only knew the first Grinderman album, which has a whole different sound. This is one Cave's most smooth romantic songs. Very appealing, with great imagery.

6. Tori Amos – Cornflakes Girl: 8
Tori Amos might be sick of hearing Kate Bush comparisons, but here it fits so well, with its oddball structure and movements and it's high pitched vocals. Both wicked and oddly magical.

7. Elvis Vs JXL – Little Less Conservation: 8
I am also not a remix person, but this just works very well. There is a great sense of movement here that propels this oldie out of the fifties and into the now.

8. Frank Sinatra – One for My Baby (One for the Road): 8
First off, the version here is indeed the one for Sings for Only the Lonely. I mentioned that they were all album tracks, so that should have been clear. I didn't know there was an earlier version.

This is another grower. I remember that this also appeared in a poll on this site once and I was dismissive of it. I thought it was too slow and boring. Reading the comments here I see that many feel that way. However, I seemed to return to it frequently and it's beauty was revealed. It is basically heartbreak at it's most romantic, no matter how paradoxical that sounds. Maybe it is just that many movies have giving it the right place. Or do these movies only exist in my mind.

9. The Go-Betweens – Streets of Your Town: 7
Pretty straightforward pop, that scores a little higher because it does seem to make the sun shine.

10. The Crystals – He’s a Rebel
A good and catchy girl group song from the peak of Spector's career. Perhaps not as transcendent as his best, but it is hard to resist.
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by spiritualized »

Rob wrote: Sun Jun 13, 2021 9:02 pm Does this game have anything resembling a deadline?
Hi Rob,
Good question, which I am not ready to answer yet as I'm still deciding.
What do you think ? Would a deadline encourage people to post their rankings ? At the moment we have 9 lists posted in 4 days.
So 4 days seems a good middle ground to allow a maximum of votes.

Does everyone agree with this ?

As for your list, I will close the votes tonight.
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by mileswide »

spiritualized wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 6:28 am So 4 days seems a good middle ground to allow a maximum of votes.

Does everyone agree with this ?
A 4-day-cutoff sounds reasonable!
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by spiritualized »

Results for Rob's list !

10. Frank Sinatra – One for My Baby (One for the Road) (-25)
9. The Crystals – He’s a Rebel (-26)
8. Bob Dylan – Every Grain of Sand (-15)
7. The Go-Betweens – Streets of Your Town (-12)
6. Tom Petty – Free Fallin’ (-13)
5. Elvis Vs JXL – Little Less Conservation (-10)
4. Grinderman – Palaces of Montezuma (-9)
3. Tori Amos – Cornflakes Girl (-4)
2. The Stranglers – Golden Brown (-1)
1. Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal (1)
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by spiritualized »

Next up is mileswide's list

Here it goes again :

1. Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched
2. A Taste of Honey - Disco Dancin'
3. Millie Jackson - Summer (The First Time)
4. New Order - The Him
5. Steel Pulse - Macka Splaff
6. Culture feat. Mr. Bojangles - Two Sevens Clash/Prophecy Fulfilled [this is a 9 for me]
7. Pusha T feat. Ab Liva & Rick Ross - I Still Wanna
8. The Vanguard Project - Giant Squid
9. The Secret Sisters - Silver
10. Wojciech Kilar & Orchestre philharmonique nationale de Pologne - Father Kolbe's Preaching

Deadline to post your ranking : 20/06/2021 @ 20:00 WE time

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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by spiritualized »

Romain wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 5:55 am
spiritualized wrote: Wed Jun 09, 2021 8:12 pm OK - thank you sooooo much for your input in this new game, this has been quite a success, not only through the quality of the list (thank you Romain), but also through your reviews, you guys are great.
Here are the results for Romain's list, using a Baldwin "election" result

10. A-Ha - The Way We Talk (-45)
9. Grace Jones - I'm Crying (Mother's Tears) (-40)
8. Bee Gees - I've gotta get a message (-35)
7. Georges Delerue - La Nuit Americaine (-24)
6. Iron & Wine - God Made The Automobile (-21)
5. Granville - Les Corps Perdus (-12)
4. Lili Boulanger - D'un soir triste (-9)
3. Flotation Toy Warning - Donald pleasance (-2)
2. Arturo Márquez - Danzón No2 (-1)
1. Pink Floyd - Brain Damage (1)
Hello Spiritualized, can you explain this kind of "result"? I'm not familiar with. Thank you.
Hi Romain,
The Baldwin method uses a Borda count with all ten contestants (Borda counts just calculates head to head matches of each contestant - for example if, in your list, you put Lili Boulanger against Pink Floyd, it would count a win for Lili, and the same for every other contestant in your list). It then eliminates the "worst" performer of the list (the one who has lost the most head to head matches, in your list, A-Ha) and starts again with 9 contestants and so on.

The method has a reputation (although I didn't verify it) of minimising the impact of strategic voting.

I hope this helps,
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Romain »

spiritualized wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 6:23 pm
The Baldwin method uses a Borda count with all ten contestants (Borda counts just calculates head to head matches of each contestant - for example if, in your list, you put Lili Boulanger against Pink Floyd, it would count a win for Lili, and the same for every other contestant in your list). It then eliminates the "worst" performer of the list (the one who has lost the most head to head matches, in your list, A-Ha) and starts again with 9 contestants and so on.

The method has a reputation (although I didn't verify it) of minimising the impact of strategic voting.

I hope this helps,
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Madzong »

1. New Order - The Him 9/10
2. Pusha T feat. Ab Liva & Rick Ross - I Still Wanna 7.5/10
3. Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched 7/10
4. Steel Pulse - Macka Splaff 6/10
5. Culture feat. Mr. Bojangles - Two Sevens Clash/Prophecy Fulfilled 6/10
6. Millie Jackson - Summer (The First Time) 5.5/10
7. The Secret Sisters - Silver 5.5/10
8. Wojciech Kilar & Orchestre philharmonique nationale de Pologne - Father Kolbe's Preaching 5/10
9. The Vanguard Project - Giant Squid 4/10
10. A Taste of Honey - Disco Dancin' 3.5/10
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by mileswide »

Not a set of ten songs I'd choose off the top of my head but still representative of my tastes in their own way:

Culture feat. Mr. Bojangles - Two Sevens Clash/Prophecy Fulfilled 9 Armageddon has seldom been sung about so angelically, this being the dub 'version' of the original, adding righteous toasting and trippy echo to the blissful brew.

Millie Jackson - Summer (The First Time) 8.5 Even better with 'I'm through Trying to Prove My Love to You' transitioning into it but the bittersweet nature of the reminiscing is still palpable on this lush yet full-throated serenade to the man she used to love.

The Secret Sisters - Silver 8.5 Nominally outside my top 100 for last year as I didn't want any single artist to dominate but really half of Saturn Return could have counted towards my share of the vote. Harmonies can go either way with me, either ending up sickly or heavenly, and I can envisage many feeling nauseated by this song but I'm uplifted. The whole album carries the burden of wisdom earnt through loss.

A Taste of Honey - Disco Dancin' 8 The Clash once maligned funk as lyrically "asinine...stupefying" and anyone who reckons the same of its younger sister known by the name of disco won't be dissuaded by this follow-up to the hardly erudite Boogie Oogie Oogie. But the bass! On the strength of the band's debut album, Janice-Marie Johnson dripped gold from her four-string like no one in the genre, not even Chic's Bernard Edwards.

Steel Pulse - Macka Splaff 8 What I said above about funk and disco's default lexical skills ordinarily counts for double when reggae artists reel off an ode to joints. So it is here and equally is that rendered moot by the lysergic sonics.

The Vanguard Project - Giant Squid 8 Just a modest, light-footed 'roller' in the parlance of drum & bass DJs, mellifluous enough to my ears, even before the welcome introduction of some grimey low-frequency oscillation.

Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched 8 I can't remember how this ended up on my Liked Songs? After listening to The Execution of All Things (again? Maybe) as part of my comparison of MAA 1st round winners' discographies, however, it distinguished itself to say the least. It's the sound of vulnerable candour to me, which can so easily collapse into desperation, but it's worthy of punching the air to. Been on repeat a fair bit since my re-discovery.

New Order - The Him 8 Barney Sumner is so audibly unsure of his vocal direction he's practically duetting with Ian Curtis via seance but the path towards classic NO is already being furrowed, the monolithic yet awe-inspiring musical architecture of Joy Division seeing a lick of flashy synthpop paint. For all the genuinely gripping texture of the first half, the cathartic barrage of guitar slashes and drumrolls after the fade-in ensure this tune's brilliance.

Wojciech Kilar & Orchestre philharmonique nationale de Pologne - Father Kolbe's Preaching 8 Could easily be longer and can't fully be divorced in my head from the visuals from The Truman Show where it dawns on the titular protagonist that his life is an illusion (my apologies for spoiling a film from the last century, Jim Carrey-agnostics!) but still manages to cause me to catch my breath.

Pusha T feat. Ab Liva & Rick Ross - I Still Wanna 7 While I can see why I would give this an 8 on the right day, I haven't been feeling it as much in my three listens today. That chorus gets pretty repetitive and this finds King Push firmly in the era where he was more in one-dimensional coke rap mode than balancing that persona with that of a Cassandra, spitting uncomfortable truths, even if his wordplay and diction are crisp.
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Brad »

1. Culture feat. Mr. Bojangles - Two Sevens Clash/Prophecy Fulfilled: The original version of this classic (TSC) ranks # 5374 on my AT charts
2. Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched: Good tune, not one of my faves of theirs. I probably don't give Rilo Kiley enough credit - should listen more
3. The Secret Sisters - Silver: pleasant surprise; I had never heard of them before
4. Wojciech Kilar & Orchestre philharmonique nationale de Pologne: nice!
5. New Order - The Him: Not the most exciting song, but still great ambience
6. Millie Jackson - Summer (The First Time): I really like Millie's voice - the whole production has that great early '70 soul appeal, which I love
7. The Vanguard Project - Giant Squid: cool sounds
8. Steel Pulse - Macka Splaff: Kind of plods along, not very exciting to me; would probably work better under certain conditions
9. A Taste of Honey - Disco Dancin': Would have hated this in '78. Can appreciate it a little more now, way removed from that era. Dig the bass, but I'm afraid the rest rings a bit empty
10. Pusha T feat. Ab Liva & Rick Ross - I Still Wanna: Not real interested in hearing about the machismo of these guys selling kilos

Thanks!
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Safetycat »

1. New Order - The Him - 8 (Worked very well for me with the rain coming down outside, a strong song from an often overlooked album.)
2. Millie Jackson - Summer (The First Time) - 8 (A very strong performance, excellent vocals and lots of interesting bits across the 5 minutes. Great listen).
3. The Secret Sisters - Silver - 8 (I really like country music, mostly because of the singing style. This is one band I want to follow up, almost entirely for the gorgeous vocals).
4. Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched - 7 (A pretty good example of the style I think of as "xylophone indie". Sounds great when the group vocal comes in)
5. The Vanguard Project - Giant Squid - 6 (Lots of fun, easy to imagine a video of a squid swimming to this song)
6. Culture feat. Mr. Bojangles - Two Sevens Clash/Prophecy Fulfilled - 6 (This is fine, but preaching over a dub beat doesn't quite do it for me)
7. Steel Pulse - Macka Splaff - 5 (Typically for reggae it never quite grabs me, but I like it enough)
8. A Taste of Honey - Disco Dancin' - 4 (It's a bit too one-note and slow for me)
9. Pusha T feat. Ab Liva & Rick Ross - I Still Wanna - 3 (Kind of a silly song. You telling me you'd prefer to be selling drugs than being a rap star? I don't buy it)
10. Wojciech Kilar & Orchestre philharmonique nationale de Pologne - Father Kolbe's Preaching - 3 (I always assume I'd like a soundtrack piece better with context. Is that the case here? No idea. It was fine)
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Schüttelbirne »

If I'm supposed to write serious comments, I'd need more than four days. I just threw this together.

The Secret Sisters | Silver (2020)

The album is pretty great (my favorite is „Water Witch“), but this is also quite good. The vocals are the biggest pull of course, but the instrumental background also contributes. It‘s maybe a bit too conventionally structured, but that‘s looking for the hair in the soup (not an English idiom, I assume? Apparently the English version is „Fly in the ointment“ but that just doesn‘t sound as good). 7/10

Culture ft. Mr. Bojangles | „Two Sevens Clash / Prophecy Revealed“ (1977)

The second part (I guess that‘s „Prophecy Revealed“?) works pretty well because it‘s integrated into the song in an organic way. I still would prefer the song without it though. A good song which I enjoyed. 7/10

The Vanguard Project | Giant Squid (2020)

I can‘t speak to why I like it but I do. 7/10

Wojciech Kilar | Father Kolbe‘s Preaching (1994)

From an orchestral work, Requiem Father Kolbe. It really seems a bit pulled out of context and would probably work better within the entire work. As it is, it‘s good, but lacks the additional something I need. 6/10

New Order | „The Him“ (1981)

I like the changes in the instrumentation while still keeping the same mood. Especially worth mentioning are the drums. It‘s a solid song that just fails to reach me for the most part. 6/10

Millie Jackson | „Summer (The First Time)“ (1974)

The highlight here is Jackson‘s vocal performance. The orchestral background in the beginning is a bit too sweet for me to really appreciate, but it gets better over the course of the song. The song is not helped by the lack of an actual ending, it just fizzles out. Overall it‘s a fine song, but it doesn‘t convince me completely. 6/10

Rilo Kiley | „With Arms Outstretched“ (2002)

The acoustic guitar melody combined with the soft sounds of the glockenspiel provides a soothing backdrop, but lacks variation. Jenny Lewis has a great voice, but she‘s not entirely able to transcend the mediocre songwriting. I‘m not talking about the content of the lyrics which is fine, but rather about the choice of the words which seem rather clunky to me, especially in the chorus. „And if you want me, you better speak up, I won‘t wait, so you better move fast“ isn‘t helped by the vocal delivery. I understand what the implementation of the choir is supposed to achieve, but it doesn‘t work for me. I don‘t know how this would work in the context of the album (better, probably), but to me it is rather average. 5/10

Pusha T ft. Ab Liva & Rick Ross | „I Still Wanna“ (2011)

The lyrics are horrible, of course but the rapping is actually pretty good. The funny thing is the production: It really sounds like somebody tried to be as epic as possible which almost seems like a self-parody. Just for that gloriously misplaced choir this deserves a 5/10

Steel Pulse | Macka Splaff (1978)

Rather average reggae song. That‘s all. 4/10

A Taste of Honey | „Disco Dancin‘“ (1978)

Disco often seems like funk minus the ‚fun‘ part. I never really warmed up to the genre and this is not really an exception. Some of the elements are good (the bass indeed), but most of them leave me rather cold. Certainly not something I would seek out. 4/10
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by spiritualized »

Less than 24 hrs remain !

Romain & Rob, don't forget !
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Rob »

New Order – The Him
Impressive. Far more moody than I am used to with these guys. And if I’m being frank, I prefer them this way.

The Secret Sisters – Silver
Very unique. Starts as a traditional country song, but quickly goes into overdrive, without ever losing its roots. Impressive.

Culture, featuring Mr Bojangles – Two Sevens Clash/ Prophecy Revealed
I never cared all that much about Two Sevens Clash, but suddenly in this version it clicks. The addition of Prophecy Revealed (with vocals of who I guess is Mr Bojangles) is really strong.

Millie Jackson – Summer (First Time)
A great voice supported by a very cinematic sounding arrangement. I’m in!

Rilo Kiley – With Arms Outstretched
Indie at it’s most ramshackle and all the better for it. This is a side of Rilo Kiley I have not yet heard (although I’m not deep into their catalogue by any stretch) and it is welcome.

A Taste of Honey – Disco Dancin’
Starts as another disco tune that won’t be for me, but the bass solo in the second half was unexpected and won me over.

Wojciech Kilar & Orchestre philharmonique nationale de Pologne - Father Kolbe's Preaching
If you’ve seen The Truman Show you might be wondering who this Father Kolbe is. He not in the movie! The strange thing about this track is that it has become so famous through The Truman Show that it is frequently credited to it. The song is a little older than that, but it’s roots are more obscure. It was written for another, little-seen Polish film called Life for Life: Maximilian Kolbe. How it then found its way into a big Hollywood production is anyone’s guess, but I love the soundtrack of The Truman Show because of its mix of unexpected yet cleverly used pre-existing classical pieces; which also gel well with the original pieces.
This song on itself works still, but it is a bit too monotonous to be really great. This kind holy sound has been done a lot before and since. It is effective, but nothing too out of the ordinary in classical or cinematic music.

The Vanguard Project – Giant Squid
This has only one vote on RYM… by Mileswide. Wasn’t sure I was gonna like this one when it first started, as it seemed like a club banger, but it has enough eccentricity to keep me entertained.

Steel Pulse – Macka Splaff
Some fine reggae. Not much to say about it beyond that.

Pusha T feat. Ab Liva & Rick Ross - I Still Wanna
If I thought dealing drugs was cool this would probably be one of my favorite tracks. Sadly, I don’t give a damn. A bit of waste of the epic music, which by its overuse loses its power after a while.
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by spiritualized »

1.New Order - The Him (8/10) - The ghost of Ian Curtis is all over this song, I suspect that this is early 80s, when Sumner & co hadn't shaken up the tragedy of their frontman committing suicide. But you could already see that the fire was still in the band and this song demonstrates it beautifully. Not perhaps intended as an homage to Curtis, but a fitting one nonetheless.
2.The Vanguard Project - Giant Squid (7/10) - Starts as the better of the 90s electronic acts, runs into Drum'n'Bass territory with a bang - I really quite like it. Must listen to this EP.
3.Wojciech Kilar & Orchestre philharmonique nationale de Pologne - Father Kolbe's Preaching (7/10) - It immediately rung a bell when it started playing, but I had no idea I had heard this from the Truman Show. It did and still does make an impression, as I am quite a sucker for beautiful strings pieces.
4. Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched (7/10). Always kinda liked Rilo Kiley and never delved deep enough in their discography. This is a good tune, if only a bit generic
5.The Secret Sisters - Silver (7/10) - heavily influenced by country rock, good harmonies between the two singers. I like the tempo change within the first minute, that was a good surprise. They serve the same dish throughout the song and I like it.
6.Culture feat. Mr. Bojangles - Two Sevens Clash/Prophecy Fulfilled (6/10) - not even familiar with this, and yet it seems quite popular. Decent reggae with, it must be noted, better singing than usual for the genre.
7. Steel Pulse - Macka Splaff (5/10) - sounds far more drug-fueled, dub based than the Culture song, but misses the sunshine vibe you expect from reggae tunes.
8.Millie Jackson - Summer (The First Time) (3/10) - not a fan as I'm never been big on soul voices, too grandiose for my liking. Jackson, at times, sounds like a female Barry White.
9. A Taste of Honey - Disco Dancin' (3/10) - Funky, but quite forgettable singing. Not very good.
10.Pusha T feat. Ab Liva & Rick Ross - I Still Wanna (2/10) - meh. Not the worst, but wouldn't touch my playlist.
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by spiritualized »

7 voters for mileswide's list, thank you to everyone

Here are the results
10.Pusha T feat. Ab Liva & Rick Ross - I Still Wanna (-41)
9. A Taste of Honey - Disco Dancin' (-38)
8. Steel Pulse - Macka Splaff (-27)
7.Wojciech Kilar & Orchestre philharmonique nationale de Pologne - Father Kolbe's Preaching (-18)
6.The Vanguard Project - Giant Squid (-15)
5. Millie Jackson - Summer (The First Time) (-10)
4. Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched (-5)
3.Culture feat. Mr. Bojangles - Two Sevens Clash/Prophecy Fulfilled (-2)
2. The Secret Sisters - Silver (-1)
1.New Order - The Him (1)
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by spiritualized »

Ok Next Up, randomly, your host's list.
I am preparing myself for the onslaught, don't hesitate to be ruthless !

1. Rollerskate Skinny - So Far Down Up To Heaven
2. The Melody Unit : Prepare the Juggernaut
3. SEXWITCH : War In Peace
4. Logh - An Alliance of Worlds
5. The Wedding Present - Don't Laugh
6. The Stone Roses - (Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister
7. Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter
8. Graham Coxon - Flights to the Sea (Lovely Rain)
9. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - From Her To Eternity
10. James Brown - Funky President (People It's Bad)



Deadline for your rankings :

24th of June @ 23:00 Western Europe Time
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by spiritualized »

luvulongTIM wrote: Mon May 31, 2021 9:43 am
Romain wrote: Fri Jun 04, 2021 6:12 am
Akhenaten wrote: Mon Jun 07, 2021 11:12 am
rumpdoll wrote: Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:15 am
Just a gentle reminder to get your rankings in to enroll your list for the next draw !

Thanks !
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by Madzong »

1. The Stone Roses - (Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister 9/10
2. Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter 9/10
3. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - From Her To Eternity 8/10
4. James Brown - Funky President (People It's Bad) 7/10
5. The Melody Unit : Prepare the Juggernaut 7/10
6. The Wedding Present - Don't Laugh 7/10
7. Rollerskate Skinny - So Far Down Up To Heaven 6/10
8. Graham Coxon - Flights to the Sea (Lovely Rain) 6/10
9. SEXWITCH : War In Peace 5/10
10. Logh - An Alliance of Worlds 4/10
Last edited by Madzong on Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by Romain »

Happy to see so much unknown songs (for me), it's what I like.
Rock, rock, rock everywhere!

1. SEXWITCH : War In Peace 9/10
A strange mix of the Kills and Björk can only be good. You're delighting me with all those guitars. Excellent again.
2. Rollerskate Skinny - So Far Down Up To Heaven 8.5/10
The sick guitar a little behind is an excellent addition.
3. The Melody Unit : Prepare the Juggernaut 8/10
Another song that immediately makes me want to buy the album.
4. The Stone Roses - (Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister 8/10
The chorus is really magnificient
5. James Brown - Funky President (People It's Bad) 7/10
It's never bad at that time, but a bit boring over time.
6. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - From Her To Eternity 7/10
I just noticed it but it reminds me a lot of Morricone's more "contemporary" compositions if you take away the voice. The piano in particular.
7. Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter 7/10
a band I've always missed... it makes me want to listen to more.
8. Logh - An Alliance of Worlds 6.5/10
Not my kind of thing, but it's still good.
9. The Wedding Present - Don't Laugh 6/10
More generic, I don't like it as much and the voice bothers me a bit
10. Graham Coxon - Flights to the Sea (Lovely Rain) 5/10
This one touches me one without moving the other.


A fucking good list.

And thanks again for this guitar bath. What a blast!
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by Brad »

Guitar bath, indeed!

1. The Stone Roses - (Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister: Never sounds outdated - #1324 on my AT list; this album was an all-time classic from the day it was released
2. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - From Her To Eternity: Great stuff - have this ranked at #3314
3. Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter: not a huge PJ fan by any means, but this one's all right - ranked #6819 on my list
4. James Brown - Funky President (People It's Bad): Forgot about this song - should/will be ranked after today; classic '70's Brown!
5. Rollerskate Skinny - So Far Down Up To Heaven: looking forward to giving this album more listening per AM tournament (despite the horrid album cover!)
6. The Wedding Present - Don't Laugh: enjoy the Wedding Present in small doses (they did a solid with "Box Elder" cover); saw them in early '90's
7. The Melody Unit: Prepare the Juggernaut: doesn't seem to go anywhere, like a fast ride with no destination, but sounds real good
8. Graham Coxon - Flights to the Sea (Lovely Rain): Coxon a bit hit or miss for me, though this one fits safely in the middle
9. SEXWITCH : War In Peace: vocals probably dragging this one down a little for me; solid instrumentation - Dead Meadow-ish
10. Logh - An Alliance of Worlds: nothing wrong with this one, just tough competition - reminds me of …Trail Of Dead

Thanks!

Edit - just noticed how close my list is to Madzong's - I didn't cheat!
Last edited by Brad on Thu Jun 24, 2021 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Shuffle Game

Post by spiritualized »

Romain wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:49 am

A fucking good list.

And thanks again for this guitar bath. What a blast!
Oh bums.
I had written a whole lot of reviews but they disappeared when I tried to quote Romain
Shame, it gave a bit of history behind the lesser known tracks (Logh, The Melody Unit).

But anyway THANK YOU Romain, love the fact you liked it

1. The Melody Unit: Prepare the Juggernaut
2. The Stone Roses - (Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister:
3. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - From Her To Eternity
4. Logh - An Alliance of Worlds
5. Rollerskate Skinny - So Far Down Up To Heaven
6. SEXWITCH : War In Peace
7. Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter
8. James Brown - Funky President (People It's Bad)
9. Graham Coxon - Flights to the Sea (Lovely Rain):
10. The Wedding Present - Don't Laugh:
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by spiritualized »

24 hours remain. I may extend deadline as I feel 4 lists are not enough to offer a representative snapshot.
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by mileswide »

Hold your horses, spiritualized!

The Stone Roses - (Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister 10 Ian Brown had a gift at this point for making the mundane sound fantastical, matched only by John Squire's yearning guitar tone. AT #116 currently.

The Wedding Present - Don't Laugh 8 How this didn't make the original version of George Best I don't know- lightspeed riffage meets David Gedge's sardonic couplets, what else do you need?

Graham Coxon - Flights to the Sea (Lovely Rain) 8 The record shows this was one of my highlights when the album appeared on Biggest Fan, so it remains as a mopey but tuneful lament.

Logh - An Alliance of Worlds 7 I like the dynamic between the band before the vocals kick in and the palm muted strumming in the mid-section but there seems to be a sag in ideas towards the end. Still, I'd always have time to hear more of such intelligent, noisy music.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - From Her to Eternity 7 As much as the recycling of the title ensures the song reaches an impasse, the dank, dismal mood Nick and the lads cook up is equal to anything under their earlier Birthday Party moniker.

The Melody Unit - Prepare the Juggernaut 7 It would follow shooting stars if it weren't so fixated on its navel but a luxuriant sonic experience all that aside.

James Brown - Funky President (People It's Bad) 6 I can't place why but this doesn't ignite despite having all the components of his best stuff- howls, grunts, Clyde Stubblefield's drumming at its most sampleable. The groove is irrefutable, though, and the recording doesn't waste a note.

Rollerskate Skinny - So Far down up to Heaven 6 Probably said as such before but I'm not keen on vocals being this low in the mix. The path clears, however, for the key lyric "Before my angry hands make dizzy fists..." and there's a pleasing grandeur to the quasi-orchestral coda.

SEXWITCH - War in Peace 4 Sounds aimless to me, despite the chilling aura exuded by the reverb.

Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter 3 This comes across as merely an excuse for Eddie Vedder to yarl over a guitar solo, which is disappointing because his vocals can be gripping when more of a purpose is conveyed in his message.
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by Safetycat »

A quick ranking and some brief thoughts

1. The Stone Roses - (Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister - 9
2. SEXWITCH : War In Peace - 8
3. Logh - An Alliance of Worlds - 8
4. Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter - 7
5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - From Her To Eternity - 6
6. Graham Coxon - Flights to the Sea (Lovely Rain) - 6
7. The Melody Unit : Prepare the Juggernaut - 6
8. The Wedding Present - Don't Laugh - 6
9. Rollerskate Skinny - So Far Down Up To Heaven - 5
10. James Brown - Funky President (People It's Bad) - 4
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by Schüttelbirne »

I plan to post my ranking later today. The first five songs already have comments, the rest need them.
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by Rob »

1. SEXWITCH – War in Peace
I once nominated this album for Moderately Acclaimed, so I was bound to like it. This isn’t particularly the album highlight (those would be the longest tracks), but it a solid example of the sound that fits the band name well.
2. The Wedding Present – Don’t Laugh
The singer sounds a lot like Ian Curtis, but with better articulation. I really enjoy his delivery, as well as the jangling sounds of the guitar, which are a lot of fun.
3. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – From Her to Eternity
Nick Cave is inevitable by now in games like these. This is from his most gothic period, when the songs really sounded like dangerous hellscapes. I approve of this.
4. The Stone Roses – (Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister
Not much to say about it except that it is just a fine jam, like pretty much anything on that album.
5. Logh – An Alliance of Words
A good dark sound adds a lot atmosphere to this already dynamic punk song. Not super unique maybe, but it appeals to me as someone who enjoys the genre.
6. James Brown – Funky President (People It’s Bad)
Just another solid James Brown funk-out, no more no less.
7. Graham Coxon – Flights to the Sea (Lovely Rain)
I wasn’t big on the album, but this is a nice folk-like pop song.
8. The Melody Unit – Prepare the Juggernaut
A lot of build-up in this one. Maybe too much? It’s not bad, but somehow it felt a little drawn-out for me.
9. Pearl Jam – Yellow Ledbetter
Sometimes I love Eddy Vedder’s voice and sometimes he ruins a song. This happens here. He really seem to be warbling through his lines, turning the song as a whole in an incomprehensible mess. It doesn’t even work well in conjunction with the instruments, who already aren’t as good as other tracks from that early era of their career. It’s a bit of a classic, but I consider it a lesser Pearl Jam song.
10. Rollerskate Skinny – So Far Down Up to Heaven
This song and its album appeared only recently in Moderately Acclaimed, but I had forgotten completely what it sounded like. No surprise, as once again it a case of “one ear in, one ear out” for me.
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by Schüttelbirne »

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | „From Her to Eternity“ (1984)

The piano motif runs slowly through the song and appears again and again, piercing and icy. In addition, there are loudly mixed distortions, uncomfortable drums and Cave’s increasingly crazy singing, which at certain points already turns into screaming. The atmosphere presented here is dark, gloomy and actually not in the least inviting, which is why I like to stay. 9/10

The Stone Roses | „(Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister (1989)

To be honest, I have no idea what “sugar spun” actually means; if someone could enlighten me I would be delighted. The song itself is from an album that can be called a classic without much contortion and that I personally like very much. This song is one of the highlights for me too (and will undoubtedly win this round). Ian Brown's vocals, moving from gentle breaths in the verses to more powerful chanting in the chorus, make up a large part of the charm here, but John Squire's guitar part is also worth a mention. The two actually manage to lift a more conventional love song into another sphere. Terrific. 9/10

SEXWITCH | „War in Peace“ (2015)

Natasha Khan's dark vocals are of particular interest here, fighting their way through a network of distorted guitars and entering into a symbiosis, which in the second part intensifies with noticeably more synthesizers to an intoxicating dance. "Was in peace / what a funny combination" is probably not one of the great moments of songwriting, but it is still reasonably acceptable, at least to the extent that I don't have to immediately declare the song stupid. In fact, as you could probably already gather, I prefer the second part, which differs from the first part in that it is wordless, with Khan only uttering meaningless moans while the instruments increase together with her to a wonderful catharsis. As I have already mentioned several times, I am a great admirer of cathartic endings, so I also can't escape it here. 7/10

Rollerskate Skinny | „So Far Down Up to Heaven“ (1993)

I recently heard the album again in preparation for MAA, but my opinion hasn't changed that much. In my head there is a version of this record that can be assigned to the genre of indie rock, even if this can hardly be taken into account for the actually present one, which is of course due to the distorted guitars, which give a darker feel to the very poppy melodies. The melody, which is the basis for the present song, and is elegantly performed by guitar and keyboard, has a rather melancholy undertone that rises to distorted passion in the chorus. After there is a short, slightly irritating change at the beginning, which is by no means undesirable, the rest of the song is more predictable, although the outro is uncomfortably noticeable due to its length. In the context of the album this is of course not a problem at all, after all, this is the sparkling conclusion to a thoroughly solid work. The picture shown on the cover is unfortunately still one of the ugliest I've seen so far, which is why I have to consciously ignore it. “So Far Down Up to Heaven”, a title that has poetic qualities, appeals to me quite a bit. 7/10

The Melody Unit | „Prepare the Juggernaut“ (2001)

Pretty soon we are thrown into a longer instrumental passage, which is dominated by pleasant guitar tones and keyboard, with some distortion happening. When the voices start after about three minutes, the melody doesn't change that much, but retains a sound that I would perhaps describe as a bit hypnotic. There is singing of a coming revolution, which I do not think is particularly deep or interesting; maybe that fits into the larger context of the album, which I cannot judge in ignorance of it. As soon as the voices have finished their proclamation, the instruments take over again and raise the song to previously unimagined heights. The vocal passage in the middle seems to me to be the weakest link here, as the passion that should actually stand behind a revolutionary exclamation is completely absent, and this degenerates into simple platitudes that can no longer be taken really seriously (I refrain from stating overarching cultural comments). The instrumental ability is palpable and makes this song well worth listening to. 6/10

Logh | „An Alliance of Worlds“ (2004)

I can definitely see what one can see in this and I also think parts of the song are pretty good myself; on the whole, however, I feel it lacks cohesion and the actual implementation of the ideas that were suggested at the beginning. Towards the end, the song simply frays, which is a bit of a shame, because the initial instrumental passage with its echoes of post-rock realized through keyboard sounds has quite convinced me and the voice of Mattias Friberg has definitely piqued my interest. The content of the lyrics may seem a bit flat to me (“one man / two hands / no chance”, “once / twice / three times / I was dead”), but I don't insist on good lyrics as long as they are not bad , and that's not what they are here. Unfortunately the song loses tension at some point, which is why I can only give it 6/10 .

Pearl Jam | „Yellow Ledbetter“ (1992)

Vedder shows a form of singing that stretches different sounds and distorts the words and their meanings. Ultimately, it actually empties the words of their meaning and creates a purely phonetic soundscape from which only isolated words emerge, which has a very interesting effect. Nevertheless, I don’t think the song fulfills its potential. It just doesn’t come up with enough ideas in its five-minute running time to fascinate me. Even the guitar solo fails to establish a connection with me. Basically solid, but that's all. 6/10

Graham Coxon | „Flights to the Sea (Lovely Rain)“ (2006)

The acoustic guitar lays the foundation for Coxon's voice, which is nice but doesn't really convince me. The decision to include woodwind instruments in the song is to be welcomed, as they give the song, which is rather lacking in depth, a certain charm. But there is not much more to be gained here. 5/10

The Wedding Present | „Don‘t Laugh“ (1988)

The start hits the drums right away before the guitars kick in. Unfortunately, I don't particularly like David Gedge's singing voice here, although he is better in the chorus than in the verses. The lyrics are well written and manage to convey a feeling of loneliness, which is a bit contrary to the impression of the guitar- and drum-heavy instrumentation which sounds rather happy. I think with a more thorough production, more would have been possible than is shown here. 5/10

James Brown | „Funky President (People It‘s Bad)“ (1974)

Brown‘s music always left me cold. There are exceptions of course („Lost Someone“ especially), but this doesn‘t belong to them. It doesn‘t click with me. 4/10
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by mileswide »

Schüttelbirne wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:46 pm To be honest, I have no idea what “sugar spun” actually means; if someone could enlighten me I would be delighted.
Spun sugar is candy floss (cotton candy), to which Ian Brown refers later in the song. Fan theories abound online that the SSS of the title is a worker at the funfair he's "paid for fifteen or more" to sleep with. But then again, Waterfall is supposed to be from the perspective of a drunk Dutch girl on a Channel ferry (not instantly clear from the lyrics), so god knows what was going through Brown's mind at the time.
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by Rob »

Fun language fact: in Dutch the word for cotton candy - suikerspin - would be directly translated as sugar spin (although you could also translate it as sugar spider, which was how I interpreted the candy as a kid: sugary spiderwebs).
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by mileswide »

Rob wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 3:32 pm Fun language fact: in Dutch the word for cotton candy - suikerspin - would be directly translated as sugar spin (although you could also translate it as sugar spider, which was how I interpreted the candy as a kid: sugary spiderwebs).
I love little language factoids like that- the same pun might be possible in German as 'eine Spinne' is 'a spider' and 'spinnen' is a cognate in English but I don't know for sure without cheating...
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by spiritualized »

If you want to know, candy floss if French is called Barbapapa.
Aside from the famed cartoon, it literally is a mash up of "Barbe A Papa", Dad's Beard.
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by Schüttelbirne »

Thanks! I know the word cotton candy, and the German word Zuckerwatte is actually pretty close to it (it translates to "sugar cotton").
My dictionary also doesn't know the term.
Again what learned. :mrgreen:
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by mileswide »

spiritualized wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 4:45 pm If you want to know, candy floss if French is called Barbapapa.
Aside from the famed cartoon, it literally is a mash up of "Barbe A Papa", Dad's Beard.
Which is again more accurate than candy floss! Sometimes I think us Brits lack imagination :roll:
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by luvulongTIM »

Damn! My WiFi’s been shoti every time I try to listen to the songs. So for my Spotify a lot of the times if the songs aren’t on any of my playlists they either take forever to play or they won’t play at all. So since I hadn’t been participating you can just nix my shuffled playlist. I like my mobile home community and all but be forewarned the wifi reception in these places is the pits.
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by spiritualized »

Thank you so much for your votes, 8 in total
luvulongTIM wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 2:11 am I like my mobile home community and all but be forewarned the wifi reception in these places is the pits.
No worries, if you wish, for the next round, I'll create a Spotify playlist with all the songs so you can download it when you're in a good Wifi spot !

Here are the results

10. Graham Coxon - Flights to the Sea (Lovely Rain) (-30)
9. James Brown - Funky President (People It's Bad) (-22)
8. The Wedding Present - Don't Laugh (-18)
7. Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter (-20)
6. Logh - An Alliance of Worlds (-18)
5. Rollerskate Skinny - So Far Down Up To Heaven (-14)
4. The Melody Unit: Prepare the Juggernaut (-8)
3. SEXWITCH : War In Peace (-6)
2. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - From Her To Eternity (-4)
1. The Stone Roses - (Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister (4)

I'm pleased with this ranking - the lesser known acts fare rather well but everyone could see The Stone Roses win this one.
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spiritualized
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by spiritualized »

Next up !
Madzong's list

Remaining for this round Brad, Schüttelbirne, Safetycat
On hold until a ranking is done : Luvlongtim, rumpdoll, Edre Peraza, Akhenaten

1. Paul McCartney - Hi Hi Hi
2. Doobie Brothers - Without You
3. The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution
4. Credence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
5. Crosby, Stills & Nash - See The Changes
6. Alice Cooper - Unfinished Sweet
7. Jethro Tull - Memory Bank
8. Dan The Automator - Ganges A Go-Go
9. Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)
10. Big Audio Dynamite - E=MC2



Deadline for posting your ranked lists : 30/06 @ 11.00 Western European time
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Safetycat
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E5 : Madzong's's List

Post by Safetycat »

1. Credence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising - 10 (An undisputed classic track, will be surprised if it doesn't win)
2. Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) - 9 (Gorgeous, dreamy, a surpisingly warm song for an often-cold genre)
3. Big Audio Dynamite - E=MC2 - 7 (Oh hey, it's this song again. It's growing on me)
4. The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution - 7 (I like a lot of the other tracks on this album more - the whole thing makes me very nostalgic of university)
5. Paul McCartney - Hi Hi Hi - 7 (A strong entry for Wings who I usually am not so keen on)
6. Jethro Tull - Memory Bank - 7 (I always appreciate JT, and need to listen to more of their discography)
8. Dan The Automator - Ganges A Go-Go - 6 (Just a funky little track!)
7. Alice Cooper - Unfinished Sweet - 6 (Fun, but the dentist sounds are a bit much)
9. Doobie Brothers - Without You - 5 (Disjointed, not a song I'm huge on from this album)
10. Crosby, Stills & Nash - See The Changes - 4 (A bit dry)
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Madzong
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E5 : Madzong's's List

Post by Madzong »

Time for my list huh? :D

1. Credence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising

I’ve always loved this track since seeing it on Disney’s Halloween hits when I was younger.

2. Paul McCartney - Hi Hi Hi

This track by Macca has grown on me over the years.

3. Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)

Always loved New Wave and the 80s. Nothing brings back that feeling more than a track as shimmering as a Simple Minds classic like this one.

4. Big Audio Dynamite - E=MC2

A relatively new find for me but I love how it seems to still sound different and fresh.

5. Doobie Brothers - Without You

Also relatively new to me. Not bad.

6. Alice Cooper - Unfinished Sweet

Could have been a classic Alice track but I agree with Safetycat - it would have been better without the drill.

7. Crosby, Stills & Nash - See The Changes

Growing on me. I wonder like a lot of people, ‘What would Human Highway’ have founded had it been finished/released

8. The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution

Not my favourite track of theirs. Admittedly, I haven’t listened to a lot but I do like ‘Steady As She Goes’. I think because that track is more band - less Jack.

9. Dan The Automator - Ganges A Go-Go

A do love Dan. This is a minor track in his backcat though.

10. Jethro Tull - Memory Bank

Still trying to get into Jethro Tull. I do like the Aquslung album though.
"On a mountain range, I'm Dr. Strange"
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E5 : Madzong's's List

Post by Brad »

Another guitar bath!

1. Big Audio Dynamite - E=MC2: #4280 on my all-time list; fun song popping up multiple times here recently
2. Credence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising: #4290; just behind B.A.D., great song obviously
3. Paul McCartney - Hi Hi Hi: first introduced to this song on the "Wings Over America" LP; yes, it's a grower
4. The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution: this song flat-out rocks, almost too much
5. Doobie Brothers - Without You: another hard-driving tune. Remember when Re-run bootlegged the Doobies? ("What's Happening"''s equivalent of "Jumping The Shark" - look it up if you have no idea what I'm referring to
6. Alice Cooper - Unfinished Sweet: A little long but a proto-typical Cooper rocker
7. Crosby, Stills & Nash - See The Changes: So-so CS&N; pleasant enough
8. Dan The Automator - Ganges A Go-Go: Short but sweet; not familiar with "Dan"
9. Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (In Summertime): Simple Minds just doesn't seem to cut it for me - sincere aspirations but a sound that was almost immediately dated
10. Jethro Tull - Memory Bank: I like Tull as much as the next guy, but they have some clunkers. This one is way too proggy - and long - to sustain my interest

Thanks!
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Rob
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E5 : Madzong's's List

Post by Rob »

With a big focus on guitars I should have loved this list, but honestly it mostly felt okay. Only the top 4 gets a 7 or higher.

1. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
I have heard this so many times that I have a hard time hearing it anymore. But there is a reason I put it on so many times. Although a simple song, it still stands as one of rock music's most effective apocalypses.
2. Dan the Automator - Ganges a Go-Go
Breaking out of the ClassicRockFM feel of this list is this one, a welcome blast of horns and good times.
3. Alice Cooper - Unfinishes Sweet
Taking this list's guitar-focussed work-outs to the most extremes is Alice Cooper. It's a bit convoluted perhaps, but it manages to avoid pretensions and be a fun guitar romp.
4. The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution
In this list's guitar overload this song actually stands out, because it goes even harder.
5. Paul McCartney & Wings - Hi Hi Hi
McCartney at his most classic rock. When it goes into The Doobie Brothers on the playlist, you might almost think its the same band. It's fine.
6. Doobie Brothers - Without You
I like driving guitars, but there is not much else to it and that doesn't exactly make it stand out in this list.
7. Big Audio Dynamite - E=MC2
I gave this a 6 recently on Biggest Fan and that grade still stands. I noticed many seemed to really love this, with claims that it seems to be timeless. That seems odd to me, as my earlier claim that it is extremely eighties has not diminished. I also still think it is Prince Light. It is lightly enjoyable, but even all the Nicolas Roeg references in the world couldn't make this really great for me.
8. Jehtro Tull - Memory Bank
Very prog-rock. One of those songs in that genre where some moments are really captivating, but they seem glued together to some rough parts.
9. Crosby, Stills & Nash - Only the third shortest song here, but still it feels the most fleeting. Their harmonies are pretty as always, but I feel that the song doesn't really come together.
10. Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)
I like some Simple Minds songs, but like Brad I find this very dated. There isn't all that much to its rather hollow sound.
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spiritualized
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A

Post by spiritualized »

4 lists in, mine below, I am going to extend this by 24hrs.
Schüttelbirne wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:46 pm
Romain wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:49 am
Akhenaten wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 10:08 am
mileswide wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 3:41 pm
Any of these lovely people would like to add to the rankings ?

Very classic "dad rock" list, I wonder if this is something caracteristic with your music preferences, Madzong ?

1. Credence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising - of course, this is going to win, no doubt about it. A classic CCR song, although I think Green River is a par below its companion desert-island albums from CCR.
2. The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution - I always wanted to listen to the Raconteurs, and here we are, a very good song. I can't put my finger on it, but it's reminding me of another band (White Stripes, maybe ?).
3. Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) : This brings back memories of my very early youth. I was into The Cure, Joy Division, etc...at the end of the 80s and Simple Minds were never far away from my goth listening sessions.
4. Big Audio Dynamite - E=MC2 : I always thought that The Clash's Mick Jones change of musical direction was quite drastic in the 80s. Sometimes it failes miserably and other times, it worked. This song is one of the latter.
5. Alice Cooper - Unfinished Sweet - Boy, Madzong, you ARE a huge Alice Cooper fan ! With AMF Classics, and all the nominations around, I feel I have listened to more Alice Cooper than I would ever have without you. The song is long, but pretty good. I appreciate Alice has been a huge influence of many a current rock band (Foo Fighters, anyone ?) so let's give him the credit he deserves.
6. Dan The Automator - Ganges A Go-Go : The odd one out in this list, but a refreshing sound.
7. Crosby, Stills & Nash - See The Changes - Really like the acoustic, folksy guitar but not impressed by the singing. It's OK, I guess, as background music, but not a song I would actively seek out
8. Paul McCartney - Hi Hi Hi - Not been a fan of McCartney's post Beatles, harder rocking stuff.
9. Doobie Brothers - Without You. Very Southern Rock song, I'm not very familiar with the Doobie Brothers, but not my cup of tea, especially compared to the kings (see first position). I do enjoy the occasional Lynyrd Skynyrd but find the revival stuff much more to my taste (Hear hear Black Crowes)
10. Jethro Tull - Memory Bank : another 70s act which I have not clicked for yet. Too "unbasic" for its own good, it doesn't stick.
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Schüttelbirne
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E5 : Madzong's's List

Post by Schüttelbirne »

I knew I forgot something. :whistle:
Just very short comments today.

Big Audio Dynamite - E=MC2: This has grown on me since BF; I enjoy it a lot
Credence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising: Not my favorite from this group, but I do like it
Jethro Tull - Memory Bank: Nice fun piece with a lot happening
Crosby, Stills & Nash - See The Changes: Not one of their best, but still pretty good
Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (In Summertime): Drowned out in synths, but in a good way
Doobie Brothers - Without You: Solid guitar work, but rather shallow
The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution: Interesting in parts, but overall not very thrilling
Dan The Automator - Ganges A Go-Go: Too short to make any impact
Alice Cooper - Unfinished Sweet: I don't mind the length, but there's nothing significant happening here
Paul McCartney - Hi Hi Hi: Indulging in the worst of McCartney's songwriting tendencies
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mileswide
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Re: A

Post by mileswide »

spiritualized wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 5:22 pm Any of these lovely people would like to add to the rankings ?
How could I resist such brazen flattery?

Big Audio Dynamite - E=MC² 10 Always was going to my #1 on this list, even though my score is for the radio edit; just edges out the Mescaleros' version of Redemption Song as the best tune by an erstwhile Clash member in my book.

The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution 8 Reckon this would have benefitted from Meg's more straightforward, heavy-handed touch but the way Jack shrieks here would make it rock even if it were a capella.

Kalyanji-Anandji feat. Dan the Automator - Ganges a Go-Go 7 Not what I was anticipating from the producer of the first Gorillaz album (Dan, that is); all of its components are retro but assembled in a way that sounds galvanised. It is alleged DJ Shadow drummed on this, not that that affects my rating in either direction.

Credence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising 6 Its standing in my order of preference of CCR tracks (only Fortunate Son beats it) is largely down to it being the first- and one of the few- songs I learnt on an acoustic guitar. It's got a snappiness about it yet at no point do I get the sense of imminent doom the narrative should convey.

Jethro Tull - Memory Bank 6 The fact that I lose the thread of the song probably says more about me than it does about its inherent quality; laudable flutework from Ian Anderson as ever!

Crosby, Stills & Nash - See the Changes 5 Not bad, I just find it too self-satisfied with its own prettiness.

Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (In the Summertime) 4 Has the potential to be an epic if it weren't so pompous.

Alice Cooper - Unfinished Sweet 4 Off a concept album and presumably functions better as part of that framework. I don't get why the guitar alludes to the James Bond Theme a couple of times either.

Doobie Brothers - Without You 4 The words really shouldn't matter in hard rock but I can't stop myself thinking more effort in this area or perhaps in the singing of them would have lifted this beyond the prosaic.

Wings - Hi Hi Hi 3 Plods, then spirals off its axis. No one apart from Linda needed to hear this.
All I got inside is vacancy!
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Romain
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Re: The Shuffle Game - S1E4 : Spiritualized's List

Post by Romain »

No time this week.
But I'm happy to see rock again.


The Raconteurs - Salute Your Solution
Credence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
Crosby, Stills & Nash - See The Changes THE good surprise of the list.
Paul McCartney - Hi Hi Hi
Dan The Automator - Ganges A Go-Go
Doobie Brothers - Without You
Alice Cooper - Unfinished Sweet
Simple Minds - Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)
Jethro Tull - Memory Bank
Big Audio Dynamite - E=MC2
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