Pulse Amazing Race S2 - Winners Revealed!

[samo🦕]

hitting a new highest placement we have...



3. The Lights (walt91 & Lukas)
Overall Score: 69.02 | Roadblock Rank: #3 | Detour Rank: #6 | Bonus From Last Leg: +1.2

Roadblock Results:


(Sent by Lukas)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: a cool little synthy track. I really love the production here, and the vocals are really good as well! overall this is just a classic and a super catchy track! (9.1)

Samo:  I love the production on this so much, and the lyrics are pretty great. The vocals are also solid, but the production is really the star here. (9.4)

austin: this is a good song I know well but its not as good as some of the others on this list for me. (7.52)

violet: f**king banger and an absolute classic. one of the best hit songs of the 80s (8.3)

Overall Score: 34.32


Detour Results:


(Mixing Up)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: this is a groovy little track. I think The Weeknd and Daft Punk complement each other really well, which makes for quite the enjoyable song! (8.8)

Samo: I’m so glad this was sent, because I’ve really wanted to love this for a while, and it finally worked for me this time around. Daft Punk did an amazing job with the production, (9.1)

Kim: Never been a huge fan of this. The Starboy era as a whole was underwhelming. (7.0)

Beno: This is so funky, of the two Daft Punk/Weeknd collaborations to become hits this is definitely my favourite. I love the instrumentation here and The Weeknd really brings his A game. He doesn’t try to oversing like he’s prone to occasionally doing, and his voice fits the vibe of the song to a tee. (8.6)

Overall Score: 33.5

congrats on hitting the top 3 for the first time! you two will get a +1.6 bonus next leg

[Nick P]

improving on their previous performance (sort of) we have...



4. The Steel Porcupines (@humanshazam & House Lannister )
Overall Score: 68.28 | Roadblock Rank: #1 | Detour Rank: #11 | Bonus From Last Leg: +1


Roadblock Results:








(Sent by Brian)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: a bonafide classic. the guitar work is really good, and Cash’s rough singing really helps to add to the song. I think this is the rare occasion where the cover of the song is actually better than the original, because this cover is quite incredible! (10)

Samo: This is one of the only songs in this set where I prefer the cover to the original, and it’s not hard to see why. The way the song builds is incredible, and the sudden change to the lower-energy verses sounds completely natural. Johnny’s vocals are also excellent here. (9.7)

austin: an extremely well written song and a legendary rendition. a classic and a fantastic submission. (9.78)

violet: death scene music. (7.9)

Overall Score: 37.38

Detour Results:








(High Up)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: this is a really solid song! it’s pretty low key, but the chorus is still super catchy. the production is very mid 2000s, but it’s good mid 2000s. Nelly Furtado is a really good singer, so the vocals here are good! overall this is just a really solid song (8.1)

Samo: I’ve never got the love for this one, and prefer almost every other song I’ve heard by Nelly and Timbaland. The chorus melody is nice enough, I just think there isn’t enough happening in the production to keep me interested, aside from the guitar right at the end. (7.1)

Kim: I think this might be my favorite from Nelly. Peak mid-2000's pop. Takes me back to the days watching MTV was a thing I would do. (9.5)

Beno: Personally I find this extremely dated tbh, I’ve never been a fan of Timbaland’s production outside of a few exceptions, and unfortunately “Say It Right” isn’t one of those exceptions. Nelly sounds alright and it is pretty catchy, but I just can’t stand the really cluttered mix that was going on here, the sounds didn’t really mesh well at all to me. The guitar solo part was cool, but it was pushed way too far back to give it any room. Sorry to whoever sent this but it’ll likely be my lowest score of the round. (5.2)

Overall Score: 29.9

you two had some issues last leg, but there's zero f**kery this time, so enjoy your first top 5 placement! you'll be getting a +1.4 bonus next leg

[fearlessarrow]

Not pop posters boosting "Hurt" more than the country poster judge

[austin]

Jun 26, 2020 16:05:45 GMT -5 Nick P said:

austin: Great vibe, sultry. probably not a version of this song i will seek out but i wouldnt change it if it comes on. i like it - strong voice. (7.98)

This wasnt my review of this song! My Hurt review was higher!

[austin]

Jun 26, 2020 16:08:01 GMT -5 fearlessarrow said:

Not pop posters boosting "Hurt" more than the country poster judge

its incorrect lol i think he pasted the wrong one in!

[samo🦕]

somehow not finishing in 11th we have...



5. Sambal Wrap (Sambalada & wrip)
Overall Score: 67.94 | Roadblock Rank: #6 | Detour Rank: #4 | Bonus From Last Leg: +0.2

Roadblock Results:


(Sent by Samb)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: this was the song that got me into Lana, and it still holds up like a year later. I love the dreamy production, and I think Lana’s voice works really well for this type of song. the lyrics are also really cool, I like all the detail! overall this is just an incredible song! (9.8)

Samo: I like a lot of Lana’s songs, but only love a few of them, and this unfortunately falls into the first category. The production is nice, but I don’t find it particularly interesting either. I will give this credit for fitting into Norman F**king Rockwell very well despite being a cover, but it’s otherwise fairly unremarkable for a Lana song. (7.9)

austin: i hadnt heard this version of this song before but her version sounds like a typical lana song though. i like it fine even if it just blends in with the rest of her catalog. (7.44)

violet: this is what i imagine vsco girls listen to (6.7)

Overall Score: 31.84

Detour Results:


(High Up)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: for a good while earlier this year I considered this my favorite song ever. does it still hold the title? probably not, but it remains a nearly perfect song. the storytelling is wonderful, and I have a huge soft spot for songs about music. the piano work is also great, and I love when the guitars kick in to give the middle bit of the song a more upbeat feel. Don McLean also delivers a very strong vocal performance here! amazing track! (10)

Samo: I didn’t enjoy this much when I first heard it, but it’s only grown on me with every listen. The storytelling here is wonderful, and the variety in the production stops this from dragging, despite being over 8 minutes long. (8.6)

Kim: This song is best enjoyed as a short clip and covers, as it is way too long for a casual listen. It's a good song, though. (8.5)

Beno: I can’t believe that something like this actually hit #1! Anyway, I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this on Pulse before, but I really love this song. I love the story that they try to tell throughout, and the build to the final chorus is phenomenal. I’m not sure if this is my favourite song sent here, but it’s pretty damn close. (8.8)

Overall Score: 35.9

after being stuck in 11th place, you two finally had your break out leg! you'll be getting a +1.2 bonus next leg

[Deleted]

i'm starting to get scared that beno and i are gonna get eliminated

[wrip]

Sambalada we beat the curse! 🥳

[fearlessarrow]

Jun 26, 2020 16:09:01 GMT -5 austin said:

Jun 26, 2020 16:08:01 GMT -5 fearlessarrow said:

Not pop posters boosting "Hurt" more than the country poster judge

its incorrect lol i think he pasted the wrong one in!

Do you mean....

[austin]

Jun 26, 2020 16:05:45 GMT -5 Nick P said:

austin: an extremely well written song and a legendary rendition. a classic and a fantastic submission. (9.78)

There it is LOL! <3

[Nick P]

up next we have...



6. Latino Gang 😎 (MoD & Leo ✔ )
Overall Score: 62.56| Roadblock Rank: #8 | Detour Rank: #7 | Bonus From Last Leg: +1.4


Roadblock Results:





(Sent by Leo)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: this is everything a cover should be! it takes the original song, keeps what makes that one great, and adds a new unique twist on it special to the artist. the song is pretty good, and I’m glad that someone sent more than just a straight copy/paste cover! (8.5)

Samo: I can see why some might call this song boring, especially in the first minute, but it does a great job of taking the original and creating something unique, and it’s a pretty good standalone song as well. (8.1)

austin: not really what i normally listen to but i am trying to expand my musical horizons so i am glad to hear this! im sure this was a huge hit for them i just didnt know their rendition of it at all before this. honestly though it kinda put me to sleep even through multiple listens. (5.46)

violet: sounds kinda incomplete. feels like there should be more. also ac radio can lick my ballsack and asshole (6.2)

Overall Score: 28.26


Detour Results:





(High Up)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: I’ve never loved this as much as well, like everyone else, but it’s still a good song. the background vocals in the chorus kinda bug me, but Adele’s a good singer and the instrumental is solid. (7.9)

Samo: This isn’t quite Adele’s best, but it remains one of the best and most iconic hits of the 2010s thanks to the fantastic vocals and cutting lyrics. I would’ve slightly preferred for Someone Like You to be sent, but there’s a lot to love about this one. (9.8)

Kim: A timeless classic. Covered a lot, too, actually. I just personally prefer some of Adele's other songs and even some album cuts to this. So my score is going to be (8)

Beno: “This song is obviously very good, I really liked it from the moment I heard it. And while I’m probably in the minority who prefers Someone Like You, both have aged wonderfully to this day.” (7.2)

Overall Score: 32.9

you two landed in the bottom half for both challenges, but your consistency placed you a bit higher, so you'll be getting a +1 bonus next leg

[fearlessarrow]

I was going to say...

well a 5.2 for "Say It Right"... that judge deserved the elimination last round. Sorry violet but it's Beno's fault

But then Beno came through with the "Someone Like You" > "Rolling in the Deep" and all faith was restored in the world.

[Sambalada]

Oh YES we're not called eleventh today! wrip we're coming for all their asses!

[samo🦕]

falling a bit from last leg we have...



7. Dylo (Mylo13 💜 & Daryl the Beryl)
Overall Score: 62.44 | Roadblock Rank: #5 | Detour Rank: #12 | Bonus From Last Leg: +1.8

Roadblock Results:


(Sent by Daryl)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: Nirvana is such a great band haha. this song isn’t their best, but it’s still pretty great. the guitar work in particular is very strong (8.6)

Samo: Nirvana is an act I really want to like more than I do, but this is still enjoyable, albeit one of the less memorable songs here, in my opinion. The lyrics are great, but I can’t give all the credit to Nirvana, with this being a cover. (7.5)

austin: they are such a unique group and put their spin on everything. #gonetoosoon (7.44)

violet: damn. (8.5)

Overall Score: 32.04

Detour Results:


(High Up)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: this is a very well constructed song. I think all three of the parts have cool unique parts to them. I’d probably rank them part 2 > part 3 > part 1, but all are very solid! this song is like an iconic song for the 2010s and for good reason, it’s pretty great! (9.0)

Samo: Had Drake’s second verse been more like the end of his first, my score for this song would be a lot higher, because the rest of the song is decent to me at this point, but his verse feels like such a letdown. It’s still an okay song, but definitely my least favourite of this set. (5.3)

Kim: This song is insanely unique, but I just don't think it stands out here. Both of them sound tired. (7.0)

Beno: I feel pretty conflicted about this song. I think it’s good, but it isn’t the masterpiece that I’ve heard so many people proclaim it as. Travis and Drake went hard throughout and the beat switch is pretty cool, but I feel like it’s missing something to really drive it home, and the light part isn’t that great imo. That said, I can’t deny the ambition of something like that, and it’s the most interesting #1 we’ve had in a long time (7.3)

Overall Score: 28.6

despite having the worst detour performance, you two did well enough in the roadblock to still finish around the middle of the pack. you'll get a +0.8 bonus next leg

[Fire]

now i'm getting scared

[shruggie]

Jun 26, 2020 16:17:35 GMT -5 Fire said:

now i'm getting scared

[Nick P]

falling hard from last leg we have...



8. Fire & Desire (Fire & ry4n )
Overall Score: 60.98| Roadblock Rank: #9 | Detour Rank: #9 | Bonus From Last Leg: +2.5


Roadblock Results:




(Sent by Fire)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: this one’s alright! I like the production and the lyrics are cute! my one issue if that the singer’s voice is a bit too weak for my liking, but aside from that it’s a good song! (7.4)

Samo: Tiffany’s vocals aren’t great here, but the rest of the song is really nice, especially the production in the chorus. (8.1)

austin: how can you not LOVE an 80s jam? (8.68)

violet: if u sent the 2019 version it would be a 10/10. as it stands, f**k you AC radio. (3.7)

Overall Score: 27.88


Detour Results:




(High Up)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: this feels like a very boring pick considering the rich history of #1 hits you had to choose from. it’s a fine enough dance pop track I guess, though I’ve never been as in love with it or Gaga’s last album as a whole as most others. I just find this one quite bland, and a waste of a potentially interesting collaboration (5.8)

Samo: This was one of the more surprising entries here considering the 1000+ songs you could have chosen. Despite that, I do really enjoy it, especially the final post-chorus, and Gaga and Ariana both sound great. (9.2)

Kim: I loved seeing Gaga go back to her roots and channel her Fame Monster days with this & most of Chromatica. Their harmonies and back and forth moments take this song to the next level. (9.5)

Beno: “This was my only first listen here, and it sounds pretty good! I liked the drum and bass vibe that they kinda had going on, I thought that Gaga in particular stood out over this kind of beat. The drop did kinda feel like a letdown though, which prevents me from rating this any higher.” (6.6)

Overall Score: 31.1

after an excellent performance last leg you two fell into the bottom 4 on both challenges, but your bonus score raised you a spot. you'll be getting a +0.6 bonus next leg

[Fire]

oof.

violet wtf :sip2:

[Deleted]

the 2019 version part was a joke but yeah. i don't like a lot of songs because of ac radio shoving them down my throat for such a long time and this is one of the ones affected by it the worst.

[samo🦕]

holding steady from last leg we have...



9. The Golden Ducks (willapted33 & Web)
Overall Score: 60.9 | Roadblock Rank: #7 | Detour Rank: #8 | Bonus From Last Leg: +0.6

Roadblock Results:

Nothing But Thieves - What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?
(Sent by Web)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: this one’s pretty good. I’m not the biggest fan of the singer’s voice but the piano work and lyrics are really pretty! good song! (8.0)

Samo: Nothing But Thieves do a good job here, especially for a live cover (it’s definitely better than the other live cover in this set), with some really good piano and a decent vocal performance. (7.9)

austin: i actually dont know the original. but i liked this, especially when the tempo picked up and it rocks out. (7.9)

violet: nbt are kinda cool. this was kinda boring though. could tell the band was having fun though (5.0)

Overall Score: 28.8

Detour Results:


(High Up)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: a nice chill classic! I dig the lyrics, and the vocal melodies have become like iconic at this point haha. they’re some damn catchy. the synthy production so is very relaxing. I like this one! (8.7)

Samo: Another fantastic song, though it’s not quite my favourite song in the set, mainly because there’s something about the vocals I don’t love. That being said, the melodies for the vocals and guitar are excellent, and the bridge is one of my favourites of all time. (9.9)

Kim: The vocals are truly annoying in this. It's just inferior to everything else here for me. (6.0)

Beno: Ahh this score won’t be making me many friends. I’ve never really been huge on Tears For Fears, but this has always been their best song imo. I like how bouncy the beat is and the guitar flourishes throughout, but something about the tone of the vocals has always bugged me a bit. I’m inclined to be charitable, because it does get stuck in your head after you finish it, and it certainly isn’t the worst song submitted this round (6.9, nice)

Overall Score: 31.5

after winning the first leg, you two haven't done too hot the last couple legs. however, you'll still get a +0.4 bonus next leg

[Nick P]

narrowly escaping the bottom 2 (by less than a point) we have...



10. Bowser (@nonameneeded & rom )
Overall Score: 60.6| Roadblock Rank: #11 | Detour Rank: #5 | Bonus From Last Leg: +0.8


Roadblock Results:




(Sent by rom)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: this is a really good song. I like the classic rock-ish elements in the piano and the guitars. Patti Smith also has a pretty cool voice! overall this is a pretty strong song! (8.9)

Samo: The vocals here are...an acquired taste, for sure, but I think they fit the song pretty well, and the production is good enough to counteract that. I don’t have much else to say here, but I’m glad I finally understand that one line from Shameika. (7.2)

austin: this is truly horrible. she is screeching at me and i do not enjoy the vocal delivery in any way. this is an artist that is well respected for her lyrics and impact so i apologize for my ignorance but i DO NOT "get it". The part at 3:08-3:25 is....not something I ever hope to ear again. (2.3)

violet: oh this is solid. patti smith kinda sounds like she's mocking a kid on the playground and/or singing in cursive. cool song though (7.5)

Overall Score: 25.9


Detour Results:




(Mixing Up)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: I think the two styles here mix pretty well to make a jam! like the energy here is super impressive, and I love some of the guitar work. Kendrick gives a great performance also. my one issue is that I don’t love the way the song is mixed, but aside from that its really good! (8.6)

Samo: Kind of ironic considering the theme, but the mixing is my biggest issue with this song, which is otherwise pretty good thanks to a great performance from Kendrick and some interesting production ideas that could make for a much better song. (7.3)

Kim: This is really good. Lowkey what SICKO MODE wants to be. (9)

Beno: This on the other hand is probably my favourite song submitted this round. Flying Lotus’ production meshes so well with Kendrick’s flow that I wish they collaborated more frequently tbh. This is one of those songs where I’m kinda floored by just how well it works, everything about it just feels right. (9)

Overall Score: 33.9

one particular rank almost put you last in the roadblock, but you rebounded out of the bottom 2 with a strong detour pick. you'll be getting a +0.2 bonus next leg

[austin]

Jun 26, 2020 16:27:01 GMT -5 Nick P said:

violet: oh this is solid. patti smith kinda sounds like she's mocking a kid on the playground and/or singing in cursive. cool song though (7.5)

YES.

horrific vocal (for me).

[Deleted]

i really did that huh

[fearlessarrow]

Aretha Franklin and Anne-Marie coming through with that IMPACT - putting those teams in the bottom two, when will your faves?

[Deleted]

Either Shruggie or I has #1 detour and the last place for roadblock is still left.... literally how I went out last time

[samo🦕]

barely escaping elimination we have...



11. ;-; (shruggie & DistrictTwelve)
Overall Score: 59.71 | Roadblock Rank: #10 | Detour Rank: #10 | Bonus From Last Leg: +1.6

Roadblock Results:


(Sent by Shruggie)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: well Aretha’s certainly a good singer, but I don’t think her voice really fits this song super well. also the production is barely changed from the Adele version haha. some of the choices for new vocal melodies are..well, definitely interesting haha. I like the part where it randomly becomes an Ain’t No Mountain High Enough cover. (5.8)

Samo: Aretha has a fantastic voice, but this is not the kind of song that works for her; her vocals sound really strained at points, and it’s hard to make out a lot of the lyrics towards the end of the song. The transition to Ain’t No Mountain High Enough actually sounds pretty good, but it doesn’t save the song from being one of the weaker roadblock choices. (7.1)

austin: the one ok/good adele song! aretha is a queen and does this well. i dont really love this song though but out of adele's mostly boring catalog it is most likely my favorite. (6.11)

violet: f**king legend. way better than the original. (8.0)

Overall Score: 27.01

Detour Results:


(High Up)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: I really like The Beach Boys, but this isn’t one of my favorite singles of their’s. the verses and the chorus just contrast so much lol. I like them each individually but I don’t totally think they come together that well. with that said, I still really like the verses and chorus on their own, so I can’t lower the song’s score too much (8.2)

Samo: As violet may have suggested in the previous leg, I’m not the biggest fan of The Beach Boys, but this is one of their songs I like more. I don’t think the different parts of the song fit together particularly well, but on their own they’re all decent to good. The vocals can also be sort of annoying at points, but it’s not much of an issue. (6.8)

Kim: Fun fact: "Good Vibrations" is the name of a really nice sex toy store chain in the Bay Area. I like this just enough. (8.5)

Beno: The Beach Boys have some absolute classics in their discography, and this is one of them. I don’t think it’s a better song than “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, but I do prefer it to “God Only Knows”. I like the psychedelic influence the song takes on, and I think the transition to the more surf-rock parts was handled really well (also smh someone took this after we got eliminated for not sending the Beach Boys). (7.6)

Overall Score: 31.1

despite being on the rise throughout the previous three legs, you two took quite a hit this leg. no bonus, but you're still in the race!

falling all the way from 1st to last we have...



12. Team Big Bird (maine & @jadenlefranks)
Overall Score: 56.35 | Roadblock Rank: #12 | Detour Rank: #1 | Bonus From Last Leg: +2.5

Roadblock Results:


(Sent by Jaden)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: this isn’t good lol. the original’s alright, but Anne-Marie just isn’t a good singer. her voice cannot hit those notes and it shows, she sounds incredibly screechy the whole time. the instrumental is also quite limp. not a fan of this one at all (4.0)

Samo: I’m not quite sure how to feel about this. The original version is great, so this wasn’t ever going to be awful, and I don’t actually mind Anne-Marie’s vocals as much as basically everyone else seems to. My biggest problem with this is the production changes that take away any energy or atmosphere the original had. (4.7)

austin: hearing an ariana grande song from a vocalist who can actually enunciate when she sings definitely opens up the song for me. this is a much stronger song lyrically/melodically than i would have ever been able to tell with ariana singing it. (8.55)

violet: pain. (0)

Overall Score: 17.25

Detour Results:


(High Up)

Judge's Thoughts:

Nick: a total jam, and a pop classic! I love the upbeat feel here, and the production is peak pop. honestly I don’t have a ton to say about this, it’s simply a fantastic pop song (9.9)

Samo: An amazing pop song, and very nearly Katy’s best. I really wanted to give this a 10, but I don’t love it quite as much as I used to. I don’t really have more to say; basically everything about this song is perfect. (9.9)

Kim: This is the perfect pop song & my favorite song from Katy. (10)

Beno: Not too much to say about this really, it’s a top 3 single ever put out by Katy, a really nice, breezy song and one of the only songs on Teenage Dream to have actually held up over time imo. I wish that she made more songs in this vein, although I don’t totally love it like some people on here do. (6.8)

Overall Score: 36.6

despite winning last leg, and this leg's detour, your roadblock performance was incredibly poor and dropped you two all the way to the bottom, and unfortunately you have been eliminated from the race. thanks for playing!

[Deleted]

PLEASEE. The deja vu is strong

[Fire]

jaden what a legend for sending anne-marie

[lyhom]

nooooooo lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[shruggie]

Jun 26, 2020 16:30:55 GMT -5 samo🦕 said:

falling all the way from 1st to last we have...



12. Team Big Bird (maine & @jadenlefranks )
Overall Score: 56.35 | Roadblock Rank: #12 | Detour Rank: #1 | Bonus From Last Leg: +2.5