bono_212
Blue Crack Distributor
I still haven't heard that OMD album, but I heard the one before it and I've heard a few tracks from this one. They're doing something really cool and I love it.
Desert Island X: Group 3 Listening Thread
- Thread starter LemonMelon
- Start date
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PhilsFan
Blue Crack Addict
Ruckman:
I have to echo those who said this list was tough to get through. Either the pace needed to be picked up (or at least mixed up more) or the list needed to be shorter, but it's just overkill as it is. What made it harder for me was that I really didn't enjoy much of the first quarter of the list. I'm not a Bjork, Kate Bush, or Tori Amos fan and that sound just isn't my thing. That said, there were some standouts beyond the tracks I already knew and enjoyed (Beach House, Lykke Li, HAIM). Patti Smith, Blondie, and Garbage was a great three track stretch and definitely the peak of the playlist for me. These aren't the first Blondie and Garbage songs I've enjoyed in this competition and I'll have to add them to the list of artists to check out further.
I have to echo those who said this list was tough to get through. Either the pace needed to be picked up (or at least mixed up more) or the list needed to be shorter, but it's just overkill as it is. What made it harder for me was that I really didn't enjoy much of the first quarter of the list. I'm not a Bjork, Kate Bush, or Tori Amos fan and that sound just isn't my thing. That said, there were some standouts beyond the tracks I already knew and enjoyed (Beach House, Lykke Li, HAIM). Patti Smith, Blondie, and Garbage was a great three track stretch and definitely the peak of the playlist for me. These aren't the first Blondie and Garbage songs I've enjoyed in this competition and I'll have to add them to the list of artists to check out further.
liamcool
Blue Crack Addict
Phanan:
- Agreed re: Kraftwerk being the only good opener. It sets a really repetitive, trance like groove going.
- The first three songs keep that vibe up. The SPC ECO song sounds like its set in a factory, with all of the little beeps, the indiscernible vocals and the lurching rhythm. Neat.
- The intro to the M83 song fucking kicks ass. Nice change of pace.
- Pet Shop Boys being far more of a conventional rock band than a glossy synthpop band. Interesting. Gentle.
- Losing me with the Little Boys/Cut Copy section. I don't know why. Maybe its a predilection to having big lists broken up?
- Your Silent Face is such a great "fuck off" song. A lot of synthpop has the problem of being too self-serious, I think. The song is quite fun, and it also links nicely to the Kraftwerk beginning sonically.
- Over You. I'd never heard it. What a tune. It doesn't do what you would expect it to do at any turn.
- One of the interesting things about Blue Savannah is how it uses technology to play things that are borderline impossible. I'm sure those piano licks are unplayable. Cool shift in the coda, as well. Very XTC like.
- The Neon Neon kick drum ruins the whole song for me, just thuds through my head.
- The more I hear, the more I think that I enjoy music that combines organic and synthetic components than purely synthetic music. That's becoming apparently over the length of this list.
- loved the OMD ending. It's like the closing credits to a movie in the way it stretches out and takes its time. Pretty good stuff.
- Agreed re: Kraftwerk being the only good opener. It sets a really repetitive, trance like groove going.
- The first three songs keep that vibe up. The SPC ECO song sounds like its set in a factory, with all of the little beeps, the indiscernible vocals and the lurching rhythm. Neat.
- The intro to the M83 song fucking kicks ass. Nice change of pace.
- Pet Shop Boys being far more of a conventional rock band than a glossy synthpop band. Interesting. Gentle.
- Losing me with the Little Boys/Cut Copy section. I don't know why. Maybe its a predilection to having big lists broken up?
- Your Silent Face is such a great "fuck off" song. A lot of synthpop has the problem of being too self-serious, I think. The song is quite fun, and it also links nicely to the Kraftwerk beginning sonically.
- Over You. I'd never heard it. What a tune. It doesn't do what you would expect it to do at any turn.
- One of the interesting things about Blue Savannah is how it uses technology to play things that are borderline impossible. I'm sure those piano licks are unplayable. Cool shift in the coda, as well. Very XTC like.
- The Neon Neon kick drum ruins the whole song for me, just thuds through my head.
- The more I hear, the more I think that I enjoy music that combines organic and synthetic components than purely synthetic music. That's becoming apparently over the length of this list.
- loved the OMD ending. It's like the closing credits to a movie in the way it stretches out and takes its time. Pretty good stuff.
PhilsFan
Blue Crack Addict
CIB:
I'm familiar with about half of this list and like most of those songs that I already knew. Of the ones I hadn't heard, I enjoyed Jeff Buckley and Local Natives. I found Tune Your Mind and Exit very grating, however. Overall, the list doesn't overstay its welcome and has good pace, but the transitions don't do a ton for me and it doesn't really have an overarching theme. Would be a good playlist to put together for a car ride, which does mean something to me since I'm a CD man in the car.
I'm familiar with about half of this list and like most of those songs that I already knew. Of the ones I hadn't heard, I enjoyed Jeff Buckley and Local Natives. I found Tune Your Mind and Exit very grating, however. Overall, the list doesn't overstay its welcome and has good pace, but the transitions don't do a ton for me and it doesn't really have an overarching theme. Would be a good playlist to put together for a car ride, which does mean something to me since I'm a CD man in the car.
bono_212
Blue Crack Distributor
Forgot to comment on CIB's list:
I enjoyed it, but I agree that the flow did live a lot to be desired. I'm not saying that a list has to be smooth or anything, but this one kinda just felt like a lot of songs thrown in together. A lot of songs I like, though, so it was a very pleasant listen.
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I enjoyed it, but I agree that the flow did live a lot to be desired. I'm not saying that a list has to be smooth or anything, but this one kinda just felt like a lot of songs thrown in together. A lot of songs I like, though, so it was a very pleasant listen.
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
I'll pile on and say that the flow of CIB's list was only intermittently very good. I did, however, greatly enjoy many of the song choices and that pocket of material I didn't know (Funeral Suits, The Megaphonic Thrift, Longwave) was refreshing. I put a lot of weight on transitions, so this list won't stand out for me unfortunately, but I did enjoy listening to it.
PhilsFan
Blue Crack Addict
Group 4 isn't for a couple of days now, right?
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Friday afternoon.
iron yuppie
ONE love, blood, life
Pretty much this for me as well re: Irish Bono's list. This was a fine collection of songs with some all-time classics (Mercy Street, Candy Says) and a few more left-field tracks I found engaging (Funeral Suits), but the lack of direction weighed somewhat heavy on me. I will say I enjoyed that Kinks track a lot - I probably should look into them at some point.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
And my axe! on this one. There's a very nice stretch that starts around the halfway point with songs/artists I wasn't familiar with that I found very inviting.
In the first half, a few too many songs that are really overplayed:"Heroes", the Television track (prob their most played), Dreams, etc. And while something like Black Star is a deeper cut, it's hard for me at this point to hear Radiohead in a different context. Same with The Beatles. It was nice to hear less-obvious songs by The Kinks and Talking Heads during this section.
One last complaint, I'm not a fan of beginning a playlist with a song that also opens its original source album: Candy Says, in this case. Perhaps it seems like a nitpick but it's a shortcut to me in a way instead of selecting a song that could be heard a new way, instead of one that's very familiar as starting off a collection.
In the first half, a few too many songs that are really overplayed:"Heroes", the Television track (prob their most played), Dreams, etc. And while something like Black Star is a deeper cut, it's hard for me at this point to hear Radiohead in a different context. Same with The Beatles. It was nice to hear less-obvious songs by The Kinks and Talking Heads during this section.
One last complaint, I'm not a fan of beginning a playlist with a song that also opens its original source album: Candy Says, in this case. Perhaps it seems like a nitpick but it's a shortcut to me in a way instead of selecting a song that could be heard a new way, instead of one that's very familiar as starting off a collection.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
I've been meaning to write up namkcuR's for almost a week now, especially in response to some earlier comments. But I'll just start from scratch: as someone who has tried to include a large amount of female vocalists on my own list, I admire and appreciate your effort here. Yes, the short length of the songs and the max running time means more songs than most lists, and I guess that can be a little exhausting. But I did like the various genres explored here, particularly the jazz/pop vocal/show tune stretch near the end. Sometimes it came off redundant, but it was a good mix of the well-known and the lesser-known.
My usual complaint might make me sound like a broken record, but I'll say it again: a handful of choices here were a bit too popular and overplayed. I would have loved to hear something from Sinead O'Connor other than her biggest hit; she certainly has many other greats. Same with The Cranberries, Lauren Hill, Patsy Cline, and Alicia Keys. Don't get me wrong, you definitely went deeper with Bjork, Madonna, Tori Amos, Patti Smith, The Pretenders, etc., but I guess there are some tracks that just don't have much life in them for me at this point.
This issue reprised itself near the end, where I loved that you included Judy Garland, but she has so many powerful recordings from her mature period I wish you had used something other than her most famous song. Having said that, I do see a thematic connection of dreaming/fantasy in that last stretch from Fiona to Delpy, so I can at least respect it in that regard.
My usual complaint might make me sound like a broken record, but I'll say it again: a handful of choices here were a bit too popular and overplayed. I would have loved to hear something from Sinead O'Connor other than her biggest hit; she certainly has many other greats. Same with The Cranberries, Lauren Hill, Patsy Cline, and Alicia Keys. Don't get me wrong, you definitely went deeper with Bjork, Madonna, Tori Amos, Patti Smith, The Pretenders, etc., but I guess there are some tracks that just don't have much life in them for me at this point.
This issue reprised itself near the end, where I loved that you included Judy Garland, but she has so many powerful recordings from her mature period I wish you had used something other than her most famous song. Having said that, I do see a thematic connection of dreaming/fantasy in that last stretch from Fiona to Delpy, so I can at least respect it in that regard.
phanan
Blue Crack Addict
liam:
Part 1 was great. On paper, it doesn't look like a playlist that would mesh together very well, but I thought it was actually a very cohesive listen.
As for the tracks, loved the opening few. In fact, the first song I didn't really like was St. Vincent. I'm not as big on her as others around here, although I do like her stuff in small doses, but this song isn't part of that.
Backtracking a song earlier, nice little inclusion of relatively unknown solo Daryl Hall, especially this album with Robert Fripp. I bet not too many people know that one half of Hall & Oates created an entire album with the King Crimson founder.
You finished this part with one of my favorite Talking Heads tracks, and the best song by far from their last album. High point for me.
I didn't think Part 2 went as well, although you had great songs from The Replacements, Elvis Costello, Sonic Youth, and New Order mixed in there. I hadn't heard that Red House Painters track before and really enjoyed it, and I thought Silkworm was a good closer.
I somehow survived Mr. Bungle. Yay for me.
Part 1 was great. On paper, it doesn't look like a playlist that would mesh together very well, but I thought it was actually a very cohesive listen.
As for the tracks, loved the opening few. In fact, the first song I didn't really like was St. Vincent. I'm not as big on her as others around here, although I do like her stuff in small doses, but this song isn't part of that.
Backtracking a song earlier, nice little inclusion of relatively unknown solo Daryl Hall, especially this album with Robert Fripp. I bet not too many people know that one half of Hall & Oates created an entire album with the King Crimson founder.
You finished this part with one of my favorite Talking Heads tracks, and the best song by far from their last album. High point for me.
I didn't think Part 2 went as well, although you had great songs from The Replacements, Elvis Costello, Sonic Youth, and New Order mixed in there. I hadn't heard that Red House Painters track before and really enjoyed it, and I thought Silkworm was a good closer.
I somehow survived Mr. Bungle. Yay for me.
phanan
Blue Crack Addict
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
There are a number of really bad transitions on Liam's list, but there was enough focus (80s alternative rock and post-hardcore) that it held together really well.
I love those genres and knew a lot of the artists here, but there were lots of nice surprises as well. The Bottomless Pit and Darryl Hall tracks were excellent. As for familiar favorites, Husker Du, Neko Case, Dinosaur Jr., Nick Drake, St. Vincent and Red House Painters were my favorites.
Worst transition: Nick Drake into Big Black. LOL!
Best transition/moment of the list: Codeine into Red House Painters. Fucking gorgeous and immediately made me want to listen to both artists all day long.
Overall: good!
I love those genres and knew a lot of the artists here, but there were lots of nice surprises as well. The Bottomless Pit and Darryl Hall tracks were excellent. As for familiar favorites, Husker Du, Neko Case, Dinosaur Jr., Nick Drake, St. Vincent and Red House Painters were my favorites.
Worst transition: Nick Drake into Big Black. LOL!
Best transition/moment of the list: Codeine into Red House Painters. Fucking gorgeous and immediately made me want to listen to both artists all day long.
Overall: good!
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Starting Phanan's list now, the last of the group. I'm going to spam this thread because discussion dropped off a cliff.
You seem to aiming for the icier spectrum of synth pop with your list. Man Machine (great opener, by no means my favorite from that record) and Are Friends Electric (100 stars out of 5 for that classic) sounded great together because of course they did.
You seem to aiming for the icier spectrum of synth pop with your list. Man Machine (great opener, by no means my favorite from that record) and Are Friends Electric (100 stars out of 5 for that classic) sounded great together because of course they did.
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
After a pretty meh transition from Are Friends Electric to Push, this shit has really taken off. Man, Teen Angst is a hell of a song.
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
The Pet Shop Boys song was bad and I love Pet Shop Boys. Old men with autotune? Out. So beyond out.
Haerts was very good, I should check them out. Not really "synth pop," really that's just what all indie-ish bands fronted by a woman sound like today.
Why did you have to put Little Dragon and Little Boots on the same list?? I already get them mixed up! I thought it was a Confessions on a Dance Floor track at first.
Based on the tracklisting, I'm going to love the next 20 minutes of this list.
Haerts was very good, I should check them out. Not really "synth pop," really that's just what all indie-ish bands fronted by a woman sound like today.
Why did you have to put Little Dragon and Little Boots on the same list?? I already get them mixed up! I thought it was a Confessions on a Dance Floor track at first.
Based on the tracklisting, I'm going to love the next 20 minutes of this list.
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
We Are Explorers...not my favorite song on Free Your Mind, but it's far more pleasurable than posting in Free Your Mind. I also feel that it belongs elsewhere on the list because the transition into Kill For Love was a bit rough. Went from way upbeat to way downbeat in seconds.
Kill for Love is amazing. Your Silent Face is also amazing and I thought the transition there was the best of the list so far. Very clever merging of 80s and 10s. It's tough to make the two actually sound right together because sonically the two decades have nothing in common besides superficial synth pop hallmarks like keyboards and reverb-soaked drums, but you really succeeded there.
Suffer the Children
I love this band.
Kill for Love is amazing. Your Silent Face is also amazing and I thought the transition there was the best of the list so far. Very clever merging of 80s and 10s. It's tough to make the two actually sound right together because sonically the two decades have nothing in common besides superficial synth pop hallmarks like keyboards and reverb-soaked drums, but you really succeeded there.
Suffer the Children
I love this band.
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Roxy Music - Never heard this album, it might be the only one of theirs that I haven't. This track was OK, but it almost seemed a little too straightforward rock for this list.
Devo - Not a fan in general, but great track!
Erasure, Duran Duran, Information Society - cheesy, kind of a mixed bag from track to track. Information Society sounded like a more pop Depeche Mode.
Neon Neon - Adore Raquel, one of my favorite songs of 2008.
Transitions here were fine, pretty similar beat running through the last four. Again, you took on a mammoth task making present and past synth pop coexist. It seems simple, but it's really not easy at all.
Devo - Not a fan in general, but great track!
Erasure, Duran Duran, Information Society - cheesy, kind of a mixed bag from track to track. Information Society sounded like a more pop Depeche Mode.
Neon Neon - Adore Raquel, one of my favorite songs of 2008.
Transitions here were fine, pretty similar beat running through the last four. Again, you took on a mammoth task making present and past synth pop coexist. It seems simple, but it's really not easy at all.
bono_212
Blue Crack Distributor
Ironically, that was the first Roxy Music album I heard.
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Simian Mobile Disco - Shockingly pop, bordering on boy band territory. Don't care for it. I would loved to have heard the transition from Raquel to Situation without this one in the middle.
Yaz - Situation is always a blast.
Metric - Odd transition into this one. I didn't care for Synthetica, but this track is fine. Don't really see how this connects to synth pop, but I think you were trying to make a sort of rock connection to...
Goldfrapp - Disappointed that this one wasn't from Head First, considering there are so many sparkling synth pop gems on there, but Ooh La La is a guilty pleasure of mine. That groove has been used a billion times and is always fun.
Chvrches - I think this would have been better served up near Raquel, but based on where the tracklisting goes after this, I think this should all flow well to the end. Great chorus on this track, very fun.
Yaz - Situation is always a blast.
Metric - Odd transition into this one. I didn't care for Synthetica, but this track is fine. Don't really see how this connects to synth pop, but I think you were trying to make a sort of rock connection to...
Goldfrapp - Disappointed that this one wasn't from Head First, considering there are so many sparkling synth pop gems on there, but Ooh La La is a guilty pleasure of mine. That groove has been used a billion times and is always fun.
Chvrches - I think this would have been better served up near Raquel, but based on where the tracklisting goes after this, I think this should all flow well to the end. Great chorus on this track, very fun.
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
I never finished my review.
Yeah, so I wish Purity Ring hadn't been in there. So much light and fun material and that track was very dark. I loved the Paperwhite track. The ending flowed pretty well, but I kind of agree that Never Let Me Down Again. OMD should have been earlier, maybe with New Order.
Overall, I really liked this. Some favorites, some classics, along with some tracks I wasn't wild about. Most of the material I didn't know I really enjoyed, which is always a pleasant surprise. Really good job.
Yeah, so I wish Purity Ring hadn't been in there. So much light and fun material and that track was very dark. I loved the Paperwhite track. The ending flowed pretty well, but I kind of agree that Never Let Me Down Again. OMD should have been earlier, maybe with New Order.
Overall, I really liked this. Some favorites, some classics, along with some tracks I wasn't wild about. Most of the material I didn't know I really enjoyed, which is always a pleasant surprise. Really good job.
phanan
Blue Crack Addict
Whoa. I think you get the award for Best DI Review. Holy shit.
It was a bit during the bridge for the auto tune, so I was ok with it. The rest of the song is pure bliss.
Hemiplegia is probably the most synth pop out of them all on the album.
I agree re: that transition. A number of these songs have sudden endings, which actually made finding the right fit difficult at times. I really couldn't find a better place for it.
Yep, probably the least synth pop-like track on here, but there is a bit of dabbling with it, and I wanted to present how some artists ventured towards it a little, even if they never really got fully into the genre.
I recall VintagePunk's Retro playlist a few years ago where she included Alice Cooper's Clones on her list. Obviously, he's an artist that really wouldn't be associated with that type of music usually, but with Clones he gave a brief appearance. I was shooting for the same thing here.
I'd say Metric has definitely veered into more synth arrangements on quite a bit of their later stuff. But yeah, trying to outline a bit of diversity there.
Thanks man. I know you have high standards so a positive review coming from you is gratifying.
It was a bit during the bridge for the auto tune, so I was ok with it. The rest of the song is pure bliss.
Hemiplegia is probably the most synth pop out of them all on the album.
We Are Explorers...not my favorite song on Free Your Mind, but it's far more pleasurable than posting in Free Your Mind. I also feel that it belongs elsewhere on the list because the transition into Kill For Love was a bit rough. Went from way upbeat to way downbeat in seconds.
Kill for Love is amazing. Your Silent Face is also amazing and I thought the transition there was the best of the list so far. Very clever merging of 80s and 10s. It's tough to make the two actually sound right together because sonically the two decades have nothing in common besides superficial synth pop hallmarks like keyboards and reverb-soaked drums, but you really succeeded there.
Suffer the Children
I agree re: that transition. A number of these songs have sudden endings, which actually made finding the right fit difficult at times. I really couldn't find a better place for it.
Yep, probably the least synth pop-like track on here, but there is a bit of dabbling with it, and I wanted to present how some artists ventured towards it a little, even if they never really got fully into the genre.
I recall VintagePunk's Retro playlist a few years ago where she included Alice Cooper's Clones on her list. Obviously, he's an artist that really wouldn't be associated with that type of music usually, but with Clones he gave a brief appearance. I was shooting for the same thing here.
I'd say Metric has definitely veered into more synth arrangements on quite a bit of their later stuff. But yeah, trying to outline a bit of diversity there.
Thanks man. I know you have high standards so a positive review coming from you is gratifying.
phanan
Blue Crack Addict
Ruckman:
A lot to digest here. Let's get to it.
The Robyn intro was unnecessary, if only because the transition into the second track wasn't very good. It would have been better to start right with that classical piece; I think that would have worked well.
The Mummers' Dance is a great song, but why you used the butchered single version is beyond me. It's such a beautiful track that deserves to be heard in its full, unedited album form.
Loved Imogen Heap, and any song from Ray Of Light works for me. Tori Amos is an artist I've just never liked, but The Cranberries afterwards was good, although I think a deeper track would have worked better for them.
Some great favorites from Beach House, Fleetwood Mac, Joan Baez, and Natalie Merchant mixed in with others that aren't particularly interesting to me constituted the next 10 or so songs. You unfortunately picked the worst Adele song on that album. I really hate that cover.
Patti Scialfa, wow. I'll give you points for thinking that one up out of nowhere, although her solo stuff is hit or miss. Mostly miss.
A really great stretch with Blondie, Garbage, Sleater-Kinney, The Pretenders, and Haim, probably my favorite stretch of this.
While before I mentioned that The Mummers' Dance should have been the album version, for Lauryn Hill, you should have stuck with just the single. The ending on the regular version is unnecessary and detracts from the song itself, even if it helped the flow into At Last.
At this point, I think a couple of old standards at the end would have wrapped this up better. I think it carried on a bit too long.
Your transitions, for the most part, were excellent throughout, minus the beginning with Robyn (there were a couple of sudden cutoffs, but nothing too major).
So a mixed bag for me. Loved some parts, other sections, not so much. But I appreciate the attempt you made here.
A lot to digest here. Let's get to it.
The Robyn intro was unnecessary, if only because the transition into the second track wasn't very good. It would have been better to start right with that classical piece; I think that would have worked well.
The Mummers' Dance is a great song, but why you used the butchered single version is beyond me. It's such a beautiful track that deserves to be heard in its full, unedited album form.
Loved Imogen Heap, and any song from Ray Of Light works for me. Tori Amos is an artist I've just never liked, but The Cranberries afterwards was good, although I think a deeper track would have worked better for them.
Some great favorites from Beach House, Fleetwood Mac, Joan Baez, and Natalie Merchant mixed in with others that aren't particularly interesting to me constituted the next 10 or so songs. You unfortunately picked the worst Adele song on that album. I really hate that cover.
Patti Scialfa, wow. I'll give you points for thinking that one up out of nowhere, although her solo stuff is hit or miss. Mostly miss.
A really great stretch with Blondie, Garbage, Sleater-Kinney, The Pretenders, and Haim, probably my favorite stretch of this.
While before I mentioned that The Mummers' Dance should have been the album version, for Lauryn Hill, you should have stuck with just the single. The ending on the regular version is unnecessary and detracts from the song itself, even if it helped the flow into At Last.
At this point, I think a couple of old standards at the end would have wrapped this up better. I think it carried on a bit too long.
Your transitions, for the most part, were excellent throughout, minus the beginning with Robyn (there were a couple of sudden cutoffs, but nothing too major).
So a mixed bag for me. Loved some parts, other sections, not so much. But I appreciate the attempt you made here.
Joey788
Refugee
Alright, while I'm behind, I'm still listening! Just got through liamcool and namkcuR
liamcool
I thought this was a really awesome mix of the heavier side of rock that I really enjoy, while mixing in a few mellow tracks that I also love. It started really strong, practically flawless through Daryl Hall. While the transition to St. Vincent was a bit rough, "Now Now" is one of my favorite songs by her and I loved its inclusion. I didn't think Big Black's placement worked at all here though. Once I got past that track though, it was excellent through the end. The Replacements to Jesus Lizard segment was a highlight and I loved that Red House Painters number. These lists are also telling that I should start listening to more New Order.
namkcuR
I loved your concept. It gave your list a bit of restraint but still let the musical styles go all over the place. You transitioned from one style to the next fantastically. Lykke Li into Fleetwood Mac was an inspired transition, as was Adele through Ingrid Michaelson. I loved the alternative segment from Garbage to Alanis Morissette. The way the playlist ended too, with the soundtrack songs, made for a beautiful ending.
liamcool
I thought this was a really awesome mix of the heavier side of rock that I really enjoy, while mixing in a few mellow tracks that I also love. It started really strong, practically flawless through Daryl Hall. While the transition to St. Vincent was a bit rough, "Now Now" is one of my favorite songs by her and I loved its inclusion. I didn't think Big Black's placement worked at all here though. Once I got past that track though, it was excellent through the end. The Replacements to Jesus Lizard segment was a highlight and I loved that Red House Painters number. These lists are also telling that I should start listening to more New Order.
namkcuR
I loved your concept. It gave your list a bit of restraint but still let the musical styles go all over the place. You transitioned from one style to the next fantastically. Lykke Li into Fleetwood Mac was an inspired transition, as was Adele through Ingrid Michaelson. I loved the alternative segment from Garbage to Alanis Morissette. The way the playlist ended too, with the soundtrack songs, made for a beautiful ending.
I'm also catching up, but I'm finally done listening with this group. I wanted to post live reviews, but did most of my listening in my subway commutes, so here are the compiled thoughts.
liamcool
I find your list incredibly hard to classify. There was stuff there that I really really loved, and stuff that didn’t work that well for me (generally the screaming songs). Like others say, though, I think you did a great job in combining the harder rock stuff with some softer/mellower songs. I slightly preferred the first section, especially the Hum - Neko Case - Daryl Hall combination. The Owen Pallett song was one of my favorite ones in your list, I need to check his work more closely. I liked the Silkworm song as a closer - perhaps not your typical final song, but it worked pretty well given the overall sound of your list.
namkcuR
I really loved the concept and the execution in your list. Probably my favorite thing so far in the competition. I had not read the blurb immediately before listening, so at one point I thought: “wow, there are lots of female singers, this is good”. And then remembered that was your concept. It reminds me a bit of Ashley’s idea for the previous DI (songs with women names on their titles). You included an incredible amount of songs that I really love, so it’s hard to point my favorite parts. The jazzy ending was perfectly done. The transition from Ella to that Lady Gaga song was incredible. If I have one criticism, it’s the beach house to lykke li transition, but it’s incredibly hard to segue that beach house song into anything… I didn’t realize Julie Delpy sang, although the internet tells me she also sang at some point in the Before trilogy. Anyways, fantastic job.
phanan
I thought yours was a very good list, even though synth pop is a bit hit or miss with me. I really enjoyed the sexier side of your playlist, stuff like Chromatics (XX might have worked nicely next to them), M83, Haerts (I hear some Lykke Li in her voice). The more distinctly 80s sound in other parts of it was not bad, but it’s a genre I enjoy in small doses, so parts of it have conflated together in my mind. It picked up really well towards the end, and I actually really loved the closing duo. I will definitely check out Monogen, this is right up my alley (and again, that sexy sound that works so well in this list).
Cut Irish Bono
Lots of great songs in your playlist, including some all time classics, but I thought it was not as cohesive as some of the other lists here. I generally like genre-hopping in this kind of competition, but some of it was perhaps a bit abrupt (Megaphonic to Beatles to National comes to mind). That said, I did really love some of the songs you added. I’ve heard Grace countless time, and yet The Last Goodbye was somewhat surprising out of the album context , so it worked well. Black Star is a top-10 Radiohead song for me, so great. And two playlists in the same group somehow contain Eels, which I didn’t know. Will need to check it out.
liamcool
I find your list incredibly hard to classify. There was stuff there that I really really loved, and stuff that didn’t work that well for me (generally the screaming songs). Like others say, though, I think you did a great job in combining the harder rock stuff with some softer/mellower songs. I slightly preferred the first section, especially the Hum - Neko Case - Daryl Hall combination. The Owen Pallett song was one of my favorite ones in your list, I need to check his work more closely. I liked the Silkworm song as a closer - perhaps not your typical final song, but it worked pretty well given the overall sound of your list.
namkcuR
I really loved the concept and the execution in your list. Probably my favorite thing so far in the competition. I had not read the blurb immediately before listening, so at one point I thought: “wow, there are lots of female singers, this is good”. And then remembered that was your concept. It reminds me a bit of Ashley’s idea for the previous DI (songs with women names on their titles). You included an incredible amount of songs that I really love, so it’s hard to point my favorite parts. The jazzy ending was perfectly done. The transition from Ella to that Lady Gaga song was incredible. If I have one criticism, it’s the beach house to lykke li transition, but it’s incredibly hard to segue that beach house song into anything… I didn’t realize Julie Delpy sang, although the internet tells me she also sang at some point in the Before trilogy. Anyways, fantastic job.
phanan
I thought yours was a very good list, even though synth pop is a bit hit or miss with me. I really enjoyed the sexier side of your playlist, stuff like Chromatics (XX might have worked nicely next to them), M83, Haerts (I hear some Lykke Li in her voice). The more distinctly 80s sound in other parts of it was not bad, but it’s a genre I enjoy in small doses, so parts of it have conflated together in my mind. It picked up really well towards the end, and I actually really loved the closing duo. I will definitely check out Monogen, this is right up my alley (and again, that sexy sound that works so well in this list).
Cut Irish Bono
Lots of great songs in your playlist, including some all time classics, but I thought it was not as cohesive as some of the other lists here. I generally like genre-hopping in this kind of competition, but some of it was perhaps a bit abrupt (Megaphonic to Beatles to National comes to mind). That said, I did really love some of the songs you added. I’ve heard Grace countless time, and yet The Last Goodbye was somewhat surprising out of the album context , so it worked well. Black Star is a top-10 Radiohead song for me, so great. And two playlists in the same group somehow contain Eels, which I didn’t know. Will need to check it out.
Cute Irish Bono
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
Gump, I sorry I didn't put a statement out there but the songs are out of order. Megaphonic doesn't follow the Beatles to National. Please check out my playlist on the first page and you will see what I mean. I feel dumb I didn't say anything to anyone.
I sent Lemonmelon a stream version and I assumed every got it. Did you get that, Lemonmelon? It's probably too late now.
Cute Irish Bono
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
But thank you everyone for the comments. I don't know if the transitions were off for a majority of people because the songs were out of order or if they really seemed like rough transitions. But if they were really out of order. Please let me know and I can send you a stream version.
I was originally thinking of doing a playlist of not well-known artists from the 2000's, do you think that would be more of a concept playlist and perhaps flow better too because of the similar sound throughout? Just want to know everyone's thoughts on this.
I was originally thinking of doing a playlist of not well-known artists from the 2000's, do you think that would be more of a concept playlist and perhaps flow better too because of the similar sound throughout? Just want to know everyone's thoughts on this.
OP
OP
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Shit, I forgot to pass that streaming link along. It got buried under the rankings and I forgot about it. FWIW, I didn't have any issues with the order when I heard your list. It's no big deal having to put a list together manually once in a while. In fact, I'm used to it. Most lists were really poorly tagged back in the day.
If anyone wants the streaming link, let me know. My apologies for fucking that up.
If anyone wants the streaming link, let me know. My apologies for fucking that up.
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phanan
Blue Crack Addict
I always check the order when I transfer into iTunes. I had no issues.
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