I don’t know their other stuff really at all, but apparently they did that album so they would have songs they could actually play live, so it is certainly atypical I think.
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In 9th place for 5 points
Shapes of Things – The Yardbirds
Featuring a bang-up early Beck solo and thrash and anti-war and pro-environment lyrics, the optimistic hope that hatred can be transcended wins out.
Yes, yes, I know, it’s a classic, they are a classic, and Jeff Beck is a god. Yet I find myself skipping ahead to the solo because it’s the best part of the song and the rest, you guessed it…meh.
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I agree with all of that. I honestly couldn’t think of a song to do with personal development. It’s all a bit HRish for me.
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that was you? See, this is why I didn’t put my guesses in the posts. I hate being wrong, lol
also, i feel like i got screwed out of some of that sweet righteous indignation!
Ugh; now I’m starting to get hope that you didn’t hate my song and I have a chance at podium. The perfect time for you to crush my dreams and reveal mine next as middle of pack.
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I can’t summon the strength to feel righteously indignant. It’s just not my type of category. If you asked me to name my 50 favourite paintings they’re mostly going to be depressive or at least melancholic. Good art is often, maybe usually, pretty downbeat because it cuts to the core of what it means to be human, warts and all. Give me Picasso’s Blue period not his fucking Rose period.
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Ok, now we get to the grouping where I had the most trouble determining a ranking, because I genuinely like all these songs. Aside from the 3 standout podium-makers, I could have conceivably put every one of this next group in 4th place. In fact, most of them were at one time or another in my listening. Alas, we must have points assigned, so here we go.
In 8th place for 6 points
The Masterplan – Oasis
Any commentary (optional): This is one of my favorite live recordings of any song or artist. Personally I don’t even know if I believe there’s a master plan. But whoo boy does this performance get me in the feels every time. Chills and goosebumps. And I’m crying a little as I listen and type this lol. I love the fact that the (apparently the non-A-hole) Gallagher brother can get up there and sing this completely uplifting, mega-life-affirming song, wearing a polo shirt, and just melt 80k faces off. It doesn’t get any more rock and roll than that.
Confession: I am not a huge Oasis fan. This is one of the few songs of theirs I like. I know, I know, blasphemy, right? They are just one of those bands that never really spoke to me. I’ve of course heard the studio recording of this song, and if you had submitted that, it probably would have been lower. This live version is objectively better (and shorter, heh), so good choice there. Of this group, though, the others moved up and displaced this upon further listens.
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That’s me. I don’t particularly like the song either. I’m a big Deerhunter fan, but all my favorite songs of theirs are sad or depressing. My other choice was Feist, but that’s a female.
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Did you just assume their gender?
“Brought you guys some coffees. Stanley, I know you have adult on-set diabetes so, I put Splenda in yours. Let’s see, how many did I put in there [starts singing] 1-2-3-4 Splendas in your coffee Stanley, none in yours Julia, because I don’t know how you take it. But if you’d rather–“
“Four Splenda? Are you crazy?”
“Well no I actually only put in two but, that’s not how the song goes.”
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In to laugh in the face of The Curse: this is probably the only round I had any confidence of a decent result in…
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another one I would have guessed wrong, because I might have guessed this one was yours, miliboo. Which is why I don’t try.
In 7th place for 7 points
Weak Become Heroes – The Streets
Any commentary (optional): Channeling those moments of your youth into gratefulness instead of just nostalgia/longing. “The piano loops over and over”.
If there was a prize for “most improved” this would win it for me. This song was the perfect argument for multiple listenings before judging a walrus. I originally had this at the bottom but after several more times through, I grew to like it a lot. I never really got into this subgenre but I’m glad you submitted this. If I had heard it on the radio I would have skipped ahead and missed out on a really good track.
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No offense to anyone but this is the first song in this category that I liked.
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It was not miliboo 
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seriously, I had this in 12th before I listened a couple more times.
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Leslie Feist is a female. If I had picked Lower Dens it would have been difficult. Latest album, the lead singer identifies as male, but older ones identified as gender fluid.
Yeah, I kinda dug The Streets at the time, haven’t had a listen in donkeys. I remember ordering Marlons a lot in the pub and the bar staff nearly always (rightfully) thought I was a twat.
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You really dont like Kanye…
Not sure which sub-genre you’re referring to. The first two albums of The Streets were my among my favorites when they came out.
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I like the Kanye track…it just didn’t fit the category.
UK garage style hip hop never really caught fire with me (I guess it wasn’t as popular over here, because it’s hard to find good examples of this style that made it big in the US), but that might just be due to lack of exposure rather than actively disliking it.
In 6th place for 8 points
Better Than – John Butler Trio
Any commentary (optional):I think this is a good fit, and John Butler Trio might be a group that in general you enjoy.
You’re right, and I do. This is a fun listen, but it ultimately fell in the standings due to familiarity (to me, anyway) and the fact that some of the other submissions just really knocked my socks off.
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