Sambalada
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Mmmmmmmm....
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Post by Sambalada on Feb 14, 2020 17:25:37 GMT -5
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born
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can't come to the phone right now
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Post by born on Feb 14, 2020 17:29:16 GMT -5
What a list! Good luck to everyone, you proved once again that you deserved to make it this far!
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woods
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Post by woods on Feb 14, 2020 17:31:02 GMT -5
lololol which one of you sent "Cruel Summer"
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Feb 14, 2020 22:37:51 GMT -5
i talk about cruel summer and then it gets sent in i'm DEAD ๐๐๐
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Post by Mayman on Feb 17, 2020 18:52:09 GMT -5
Good luck to everyone tonight โค๏ธ
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Sambalada
8x Platinum Member
Founder of Rankdown ca. 2016
Mmmmmmmm....
Joined: June 2016
Posts: 8,686
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Post by Sambalada on Feb 18, 2020 15:57:41 GMT -5
ROUND TWELVE - RESULTS
Welcome to the twelfth elimination ceremony! This round is very important because it will decide which three of you that will advance to the final round of the season.
Joining us in the judging panel this time is singingrulebritannia and born... so let's get to it. The first person to enter the final three is...
TRILOGY!Ultravox - "Vienna"Really girl? Again? Well congratulations you made the final three!
Sambalada: "As the only song I'm not familiar with from this selection, this actually stood its ground pretty well against the other song. I've heard great things about Ultravox and I may have listened to their song for a Rankdown... Though I'm not sure. I really love the dream-y emotions I got from this song, those synths are really beautiful and creates this atmospheric feel. While this isn't as hook-y as the other three, I can still appreciate it as a piece of art. It's actually the kind of song I appreciate more than I enjoy but here it just means it's a great tune." (8.1) MoD: "I never thought a synthpop song could give off such strong dreamy vibes, but here I am. The gothic like start and it evolving with those great vocals and haunting instrumental until it becomes a soft beautiful synthpop song is what makes this song so appealing to me and so enjoyable, simply a great discovery." (9.2) Lukas: "As a first listen (I believe), this is such a great discovery. The major reason is the beat that, while repeats throughout the rest of the song, makes the song that much more enjoyable and Iโm glad that itโs there. The intro is probably the best part about this song; you get a unique feeling from that. Afterwards, the emotions kinda uhโฆ I guess...leave?, but we get such an enjoyable instrumental to make that part as strong as the intro. And, if that wasnโt good enough, an even better instrumentation sound near the end of the song. I really enjoy the vocals in this song. Thereโs nothing in this song that I donโt like, so thatโs what, in addition to this being a great discovery, itโs also the standout song in this set." (9.8) Gates: "Welp, this is absolutely by far my favorite song of the round. I mean, I put it top 10 in my own rankdown, so you know we're getting down to business here (and honestly, I'm starting to wonder if I should've made it my #1 there). This song is like a mini-symphony unto itself. The production fits the action like a glove, being at once gorgeous and obviously artificial, to match the self-aware indulgence of its speaker's prose. Those vibrant atmospherics, that slow pulsing percussion, the rising, twisting, and sparkling chords and melodies. The evident skill in the piano/keys performance, especially that utterly brilliant solo with the 'strings' joining in. And god, Midge Ure's singing really just knocks it out of the park and takes the song to a whole different level--he puts his entire heart into the track and you can feel the impact." (10) Jim: "The production on this song is phenomenal. What a glorious piano riff! The synthesizers donโt shine quite as much as the piano does but itโs obvious they arenโt unnecessary. A great first listen for me." (9.0) TOTAL: 46.1 | AVERAGE: 9.22
The second person to enter the final three is...
WALT91! Bananarama - "Cruel Summer" Well sending this song after the event that happened earlier in this thread is a legendary decision lmao, and it pays off. Congratulations you made the final three!
Sambalada: "First of all, I can confirm that this poster did get inspired by Carrie's post before sending this song lol. Second, it's such a f**king jam. It's so easy to see how this become such a big hit. It's catchy, in-trend, has a strong hook, and has a clickbait-y title that makes it stand out over other songs from this era. The production is perfection from start to finish. The vocal is good, not amazing but I don't need amazing when THAT production exists." (8.9) MoD: "When I said "if someone send Bananarama..." on the discord server I meant it. I mean, it's not a bad song by any means, but I just feel like it's a weak pick compared to the rest of the songs. Because yeah, it's catchy, but I don't feel like it does any more than that, kinda like it's just there in respect to the genre, it doesn't really bring anything interesting to the table other than being catchy." (6.2) Lukas: "This song is, in short, fantastic. We first have a great vocal delivery the entire way through. The production is also incredible - I donโt think anyone is able to deny this, even if they donโt necessarily like this song. The instrumentals arenโt strong but theyโre definitely not overused (unlike in say, Sweet Dreams, for example), and that is enough to still make this song a complete jam. I also appreciate and like the message behind this song. Overall, this is an incredibly enjoyable song and I canโt find anything here that I actively dislike." (9.5) Gates: "Cruel Summer definitely fit in with the mainstream scene of 1984-5 with its girl-group, dancey, Europop teeny-boppy flavor of synth music that all ages could enjoy. In terms of instrumental texture the song has this kind of earthy squishy feel. It's serviceable but not outstanding--the opening xylophone riff and the bassline in particular could've been fined-tuned a little. Lyrically it's not super attention-grabbing but I do like the spin of perception; a season most people anticipate, but in an urban center when you might be socially isolated the negatives come out more. And "cruel summer" is just really neat phrasing to make a catchy chorus. I think the melodies are the best aspect of this song, though. They're sneakily complex and have a lot of graceful movement, spacing, and harmony to them while remaining easy to follow." (7.2) Jim: "Now thatโs how you handle a theme like this! โCruel Summerโ is peak synthpop. The tight harmonies, the groovy beat, the buzzing synths! This song is so good that Iโm gonna ignore the whole โHouse of Underwoodโ mess and assume that whoever sent it thought of it on their own . Plus, itโs written in one of my favorite keys (that being Db minor). No one cares. No one but me." (9.4) TOTAL: 41.2 | AVERAGE: 8.24
Which means the bottom two is...
MAYMAN & NICK PERKINS This is an interesting pair. Both of you has been the original eliminee on two different non-elimination rounds so you already knew what it feels like to be eliminated. My only warning going forward is the other two contestants were very consistent, with high overall average scores (8.7 and 8.1 each), and the two of you are still lagging behind.
Only one of you will join Trilogy and Walt91 in the final round, and that person is...
MAYMAN! Orchestral Maneouvres In The Dark - "Enola Gay" Sambalada: "I've really enjoyed the stuffs OMitD have put out. This might not be their most artistic song out there but it's definitely one of their catchiest and most accessible ones, which is a good move in my opinion. The production is really strong and the sirens going from start to finish is actually my favorite part as it kind of put the focus. The melody is just okay and not catchy. I think this song could've benefitted from a better-written melodical structure. That being said, for a pop lover fan like me, it's a solid submission." (7.6) (7.2)MoD: "This song has really grown on me since RMD. The synths and that bassline are so catchy together, it creates a whole atmosphere, and while the vocals are not the strongest, it doesn't affect in the slightest to the catchiness of the song, with the melody also being an earworm, just a great song." (8.7) (8.3)Lukas: "Yes, this song is great. Once the instrumentals start to kick in at the beginning of the song you know this. The different instruments mixed together in this song sound quite enjoyable and simply put, theyโre great and I guess more importantly, theyโre a unique combination. Once the vocal delivery kicks in, I think the song could benefit more from that part being stronger. But this is still such a great song." (9.0)ย (8.6)Gates: "Hmm, I do like seeing OMD among the artists represented in this category, but I have to admit I would've rather seen a handful of their other songs over this (like, say, "Souvenir" or "Maid of Orleans"). Being the opening song of their sophomore effort, you can certainly detect the talent and innovation that they would refine in later eras. My favorite part of the song is probably the drumming; it's so fast and crisp with a unique and tasty rhythmic pattern to it. In general I'm a fan of early electronic sounds so tonally the stage is set well, though admittedly bands like Kraftwerk had a better handle on their technology, and earlier. But unfortunately, you can also tell they haven't had much practice in terms of songwriting yet. Melodically, there's just not much to chew on. It's pretty simplistic and it doesn't evolve much throughout the song either. And lyrics-wise, well, the subject (atomic bombs) and the concept of their construction (with the double meanings and such) is admirable. But while I'm actually listening to the song, all that stands out are the lazy "yesterday-someday-way-today-away" rhymes. It's not all that juicy stylistically, is what I'm saying. I'm also not sure about the decision to build this song to rely as much on a robust McCluskey vocal performance in this early period for the band--he couldn't carry that weight yet." (6.2) (5.8)Jim: "How would a song sound if it was made out of hooks? Hereโs your answer. โEnola Gayโ is the perfect example of a great pop song. How can song thatโs ultimately about war make someone so happy? ! I love the power of sonics. Iโm very happy this was submitted." (10) (9.6)TOTAL: 41.5 39.5 | AVERAGE: 8.3 7.9Having a 2.0 points penalty got you worried, and rightfully. But you pull through! You would've been called second without the penalty. Congratulations you made the final three!Which means... NICK PERKINS, I'm sorry but you've been eliminated.
Eurythmics - "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These)"
Sambalada: "Okay this is my favorite song of this bunch. It's just a Synthpop fan dream come true. From the intro we already know we're gonna taken for a wild ride. Those synths are so damn infectious. And not only that, the hook is so strong and the lyrics are really made to get stuck in your head. The instrumental break after the first chorus is my favorite part, the massive instruments are just hypnotic. Aside from the great production, this song also has the strongest vocal performance out of every songs on this set. Amazing." (9.7) MoD: "You can't listen to that synth beat without thinking of its iconic status. And it surely has deservedly gained that status. Because even if it's simple, it really works in fitting the mood of the whole song, which is beautifully complemented with Annie Lennox's delivery, resulting in one of the most 80s defining songs in the history of music." (9.2) Lukas: "This song is easily the weakest one here. And I mean it. First, we have the instrumentals, which I guess are not bad, but they do get incredibly annoying quickly. And when there are too many parts in this song which contain the instrumentation, and when I get overexposed to this song like s**t, thatโs not a good thing. The vocal delivery is okay I guess, but that gets cancelled out with annoying background sounds, especially those between the bridge and the chorus. Speaking of which, the lyrical content is probably the only good thing in this song. I really appreciate that part in this song, but unfortunately thatโs not enough to make up for the rest of the qualities this song has that I do not like, and is really the only thing thatโs saving this song from an embarrassingly low rating. Out of all possible song choices, this one was probably one of the most obvious, and unfortunately, one of the worst." (2.5) Gates: "Ah, a dependable classic. One of the ultimate songs to show you don't need elaborate arrangements if you know the right notes to hit. This track is built from the ground up on a constant stream of memorable hooks and quotable bars (ones which are written in just the right way to invite varied interpretations and experiences). The warm fizz of that main synth is so endearing, and Lennox's beautiful voice is its perfect complement. And at the moment you think you've seen everything the song has to offer, that wonderful "hold your head up" section shines in like a ray of light through the clouds. I will say that it's hard for me to unreservedly lose myself in this song, because intense, never-ending overplay makes it feel commonplace to my brain and kind of detaches me from it emotionally. But, like, few songs deserve the overplay more." (8.8) Jim: "This song is such a classic! Everyone and their mom is familiar with the synth-string sequence that shines throughout the song. Not much to say that hasnโt been said before. Very strong pick." (8.5) TOTAL: 38.7 | AVERAGE: 7.74
Lukas I- Well I bet no one ever thought this song could get someone eliminated but here we are. You actually only received one, ONE, bad score from the judges but it was so extremely low that they single-handed-ly eliminate you. This is unfortunate. Thank you for participating :(
Competitors: 4. walt91 5. Mayman 6. Trilogy 10. Nick P Judges: MoD Lukas singingrulebritannia born Audiences: samo๐ฆ Mylo13 ๐ BB๐ willapted33 born fearlessarrow ๐ฒ๐ฝ'๐ผ.๐ฐ๐ฟ singingrulebritannia surfy Spidey Au$tin Adrian C. ๐ charmander78 Leo โ .indulgecountry taylor bigfan101 @doinktheclown @mirza
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surfy
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learning and growing
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Post by surfy on Feb 18, 2020 15:59:26 GMT -5
a 2.5 for the Eurythmics? gtfo
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Nick P
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Post by Nick P on Feb 18, 2020 15:59:54 GMT -5
ah well. I'd say I had a pretty good time all things considered
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2020 16:00:15 GMT -5
Wait what? LMFAO, I fully expected Vienna to be last and Sweet Dreams to be first. The twist.
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willapted33
9x Platinum Member
blonded
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Post by willapted33 on Feb 18, 2020 16:00:57 GMT -5
the best song won at least, but yeah sweet dreams deserved better
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BB๐
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Post by BB๐ on Feb 18, 2020 16:02:02 GMT -5
Sweet Dreams did not deserve this
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Sambalada
8x Platinum Member
Founder of Rankdown ca. 2016
Mmmmmmmm....
Joined: June 2016
Posts: 8,686
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Post by Sambalada on Feb 18, 2020 16:02:59 GMT -5
Round Twelve recap: Movement chart:
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walt91
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Post by walt91 on Feb 18, 2020 16:06:39 GMT -5
I LOVE Cruel Summer, glad to see the judges liked it too (and thanks Carrie for reminding me! ) Anyway, Sweet Dreams was the first song I requested, but it was taken. I feel really relieved now, but I'm also sad it cost Nick his place - it's a classic for a reason
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singingrulebritannia
Diamond Member
source: https://twitter.com/KyraKupetsky/status/1714407511749726582
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Post by singingrulebritannia on Feb 18, 2020 16:10:17 GMT -5
for the record, I had guessed that Walt sent "Enola Gay", Trilogy sent "Vienna", Mayman sent "Cruel Summer", and Perkins sent "Sweet Dreams". I got 2 right, but if any of them were to switch, "Enola Gay" and "Cruel Summer" would've been my last thought. I know EG was my lowest score, but I actually applaud Mayman for digger deeper than predicted.
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Sambalada
8x Platinum Member
Founder of Rankdown ca. 2016
Mmmmmmmm....
Joined: June 2016
Posts: 8,686
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Post by Sambalada on Feb 18, 2020 16:11:10 GMT -5
I'm so sad. I can't believe I waited for Lukas's scores for four days just for him to singlehandedly put Sweet Dreams last!
I should've been more distinct and firm with the 3-days judging deadline smh
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born
Diamond Member
can't come to the phone right now
BLACK LIVES MATTER
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Post by born on Feb 18, 2020 16:16:00 GMT -5
Thanks for inviting me! I loved all of these entries, everyone did a great job!
Now, I used to hate "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These)" because of how overplayed it was in my childhood and I'm still not the biggest fan but a 2.5 is a reach.
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Nick P
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Post by Nick P on Feb 18, 2020 16:49:16 GMT -5
fitting that after all the amazing race judging controversy that Iโd get knocked out by a somewhat controversial rating
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2020 16:51:03 GMT -5
Sweet Dreams was done dirty I get not liking the song
But a 2.5, you need some new damn ears :sip2:
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Post by Mayman on Feb 18, 2020 16:56:56 GMT -5
Oh wow, did not see that coming. I'm glad I made the top 3.
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Sambalada
8x Platinum Member
Founder of Rankdown ca. 2016
Mmmmmmmm....
Joined: June 2016
Posts: 8,686
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Post by Sambalada on Feb 18, 2020 18:35:05 GMT -5
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Trilogy
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unfortunately
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Post by Trilogy on Feb 18, 2020 18:52:54 GMT -5
The fact that I've won 5 rounds at this point is surreal. Realistically I don't exactly see an outright win in the bag but if I walk away this round I'm doing it in style.
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taylor
Diamond Member
Pulseโs #1 Conan Stan
Best Country Poster 2023 and 2x Woman of the Year!!!
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Post by taylor on Feb 18, 2020 19:23:11 GMT -5
walt91that's the first and last time i clarify which artist i was referencing when bringing up a song so y'all on your own again
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Sambalada
8x Platinum Member
Founder of Rankdown ca. 2016
Mmmmmmmm....
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Post by Sambalada on Feb 18, 2020 22:12:10 GMT -5
ROUND THIRTEEN - GOODBYE 2010SFeatured Song: Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You"
----------For your last submission, we'll go back to a more conventional theme. Send a song by someone who passed away in the 2010s decade.Deadline: February 21st 4PM EST
----------
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2020 22:14:58 GMT -5
ROUND THIRTEEN - GOODBYE 2020SFeatured Song: Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You"
----------For your last submission, we'll go back to a more conventional theme. Send a song by someone who passed away in the 2020s decade.Deadline: February 16th 4PM EST
---------- .....goodbye? But we just barely met!
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taylor
Diamond Member
Pulseโs #1 Conan Stan
Best Country Poster 2023 and 2x Woman of the Year!!!
Joined: October 2019
Posts: 16,130
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Post by taylor on Feb 19, 2020 6:41:50 GMT -5
ROUND THIRTEEN - GOODBYE 2020SFeatured Song: Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You"
----------For your last submission, we'll go back to a more conventional theme. Send a song by someone who passed away in the 2020s decade.Deadline: February 16th 4PM EST
---------- .....goodbye? But we just barely met! that's just how fast time flies sis welcome to 2030
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Deleted
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Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2020 8:33:34 GMT -5
Damn this is good theme for this round Between Aretha, Whitney, Etta, Prince, and Amy the options are endless
I could of finally sent this classic
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2020 11:47:57 GMT -5
Damn this is good theme for this roundย Between Aretha, Whitney, Etta, Prince, and Amy the options are endless I could of finally sent this classicย Not to mention other genres as well, Chester, Chris Cornell, Nipsey, XXX, Juice....this round literally has so many possibilities
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woods
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Post by woods on Feb 19, 2020 11:53:18 GMT -5
Absolutely disgusted "Sweet Dreams" was last.
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Sambalada
8x Platinum Member
Founder of Rankdown ca. 2016
Mmmmmmmm....
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Post by Sambalada on Feb 19, 2020 17:34:39 GMT -5
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willapted33
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Post by willapted33 on Feb 19, 2020 17:37:55 GMT -5
wow, what a set!
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