Pssst! Hey, you! Yeah, you there! Want some dank rankings? Or some comments? I've got everything you need right there!
1. Blue Man Group - The Forge
2. Edith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
3. Charles Bradley - Changes
4. Dr. Dre - The Next Episode
5. Loreena McKennitt - The Mummers' Dance
6. Dmitri Shostakovich - Waltz No. 2
7. Fall Out Boy - Novocaine
8. Iron Maiden - Different World
9. Yo La Tengo - Today is The Day
10. Susanna Hoffs - All I Want
11. PJ Harvey - The Last Living Rose
12. George Strait - Check Yes Or No
13. Tom Waits - House Where Nobody Lives
Blue Man Group - The Forge
After all these years of seeing pictures of them and hearing about them, I finally get to hear some Blue Man Group music. It's not at all what I expected but I f'ing love it! It's extremely energetic and would make a great soundtrack for a movie or video game. I can imagine it in a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic setting or a modernized Western.
It's a very good pick theme-wise too as not only does the group fit the description really well but the song gives the idea of someone facing a huge challenge and having to gather their strength to survive. It's always a risky choice to go with an instrumental piece and it really worked for me. Really really good stuff and really strong opening to the round.
Charles Bradley - Changes
The song does a very good job of reflecting the difficulty of coming to terms with major changes in one's life. What I find interesting and like a lot about it is that although the song is very sad, the music is very powerful, as if to show how overwhelming the singer's situation is as well as that feeling of wanting to scream while holding back your emotions.
Dmitri Shostakovich - Waltz No. 2
It's not often we get classical music here on FAN Idol and this one is a classic in all senses of the term (also, interestingly, that makes this the second instrumental work in this round, and in the competition IIRC).
Now, as much as I like this song and as much as it fits the theme considering how this song is still a major staple of popular culture around the world, I don't think it reaches the admittedly very high standards set by the previous two.
Dr. Dre - The Next Episode
It's questionable if this one fits the theme as while Dre himself had indeed already been in the business for over a decade, the guest singers, who do have an important spot in the song, hadn't. But I can't be too mad because this is a great song. I'm not a big fan of Dre as a person but there is no denying this is one of the all-time great rap tracks and one of the most important songs of the 90's/early 2000's.
Edith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
Someone's trying to rube me the right way
. But seriously, this is one of and quite possible the most famous French song in history and pretty much shows what piaf was all about: don't let the past prevent you from improving, make the most of what you have now, showing an incredible strength and charisma in spite of her small stature. With this in mind, this song is a perfect fit for the theme and so is Piaf if you know anything about her life.
Fall Out Boy - Novocaine
It's definitely a very good a fun song and in any other round, I probably would have ranked it pretty high but after everything that's been on offer so far, it doesn't quite reach the bar.
George Strait - Check Yes Or No
It's very cute and all but at this point, cute isn't gonna cut it, is it? And to be perfectly honest, even if it weren't for the other picks, I probably wouldn't have ranked this one very high as it doesn't have much going on other than "cute" and it's pretty generic country stuff.
Iron Maiden - Different World
Iron Maiden again?! Well, that's always a good thing for me... but I've got to say, I actually found that one a bit underwhelming. It lacks the extreme energy that usually bursts from the band. It feels a bit too clean, too nice, too safe. It's still a good song, but that's kind of the problem. Iron Maiden should not be content with being "good".
Loreena McKennitt - The Mummers' Dance
It's the first I hear of this singer and I wish I'd known her earlier because I loved this sing. I really have a thing for ethereal female voices like this and it works especially well for this kind of vaguely Celtic music.
PJ Harvey - The Last Living Rose
It kind of left me feeling the same way I did for "Check Yes or No". It's pretty but that's about it. It wouldn't really have impressed me under normal conditions and in this round, it is massively outclassed by most entries.
Susanna Hoffs - All I Want
There were A LOT of songs like this back in the mid-90's and this one doesn't really stand out, which unfortunately means it's not gonna do very well this round. Like I said, it feels like I've heard stuff like this hundreds of times before so again, it's not much of a competition for the earlier entries.
Tom Waits - House Where Nobody Lives
This song lost me pretty much right from the start. I really can't stand this kind of raspy, moaning slurred voice. Now a raspy voice CAN sound awesome, but not the way this guy does it. It got very annoying very fast to me.
Yo La Tengo - Today is The Day
It's another song that's just kind of pretty, but this one does fare a little better to me as it at least has a relawing feel so I wouldn't mind having this in the background while drawing or something like that. In fact, as background music, it's a very good one. But as a contestant in this round? It's just okay.
. But seriously, this is one of and quite possible the most famous French song in history and pretty much shows what piaf was all about: don't let the past prevent you from improving, make the most of what you have now, showing an incredible strength and charisma in spite of her small stature. With this in mind, this song is a perfect fit for the theme and so is Piaf if you know anything about her life.
