...alright! Did
not expect the Grimes song to do as well as it did.
I really liked the fact that it's one of those songs that starts off making you think it's going to be some asinine saccharine pop only for it to turn out to be something really new and refreshing. Plus I like to reward people who take risks.
And speaking of that, here are my rankings and comments in more detail:
1. Grimes - "California"
2. Tupac Shakur - "California Love"
3. Killing Joke - "The Wait"
4. Claudia Bettinaglio - "Clap Hands"
5. Metallica - "The Wait"
6. Children Collide - "Skeleton Dance"
7. Seal - "Crazy"
8. The Black Keys - "Sister"
9. The Meters - "Hand Clapping Song"
10. Teleman - "Skeleton Dance"
11. Cate Le Bon - "Sisters"
12. Patsy Cline - Crazy
13. Tyler Ward - "Gravity"
14. The Gardiner Sisters and AJ Rafael - "Gravity"
The Black Keys - "Sister"
Pretty solid effort. It's easy to get into the rythm and I like how galvanic it is. Could maybe be a bit more varied but still good.
Cate Le Bon - "Sisters"
Another heavily 60's inspired tune and I really like the music... but unfortunately, it's another one where I think the voice doesn't fit the melody very well. I'm guessing she tried to create a contrast between the peppy and dynamic music against the monotone and low-key singing but it just ends up disjointed and awkward to me. Real damn shame because I really do like the melody a lot.
Children Collide - "Skeleton Dance"
Interestingly, I found this song to be very similar to the Black Keys entry, to the point I could have easily believed they were by the same artist if I didn't already know otherwise. However, I think it does what it does better than Black Keys, making it a more entertaining listen.
Teleman - "Skeleton Dance"
Another song that sounds older than it is! But this time with a distintively 80's, maybe late 70's feel. I do like how different it sounds but... I don't know... just doesn't seem strong enough to stand out.
Claudia Bettinaglio - "Clap Hands"
Really, really liked that one. I love songs like that which manage to be very energetic while staying calm in tone. The kind of songs that really fills you with strength and determinations. On top of that, Bettinaglio has the sort of voice I love and really uses it to its full potential in this song.
The Meters - "Hand Clapping Song"
At this point, I'm surprised this song isn't from 2015 or something. It's groovy and that's always fun but I feel we need something more substantial for this game.
The Gardiner Sisters and AJ Rafael - "Gravity"
If I may be blunt... I found this very, very boring. It really is the bland, artificial, industrial boys-band kind of song that I have been hearing since the 90's and it hasn't gotten any better.
Tyler Ward - "Gravity"
Heh... it's a notch better than the previous "Gravity" song but it suffers from the same problem. It's just too bland to be a worthy candidate.
Grimes - "California"
Now this is a type of song I really like, the kind that starts off sounding like it's going to be generic pop fare but then takes you by surprise and overcomes you with its hidden depths. It sounds funtastic and it radiates a communicative sense of fun. Really good show.
Tupac Shakur - "California Love"
If there were any doubts left that Tupac and Dre are way above the crowd when it comes to Rap and Hip-Hop, this track dashes them away in one fell swoop. It's so much better than anything else in the genre it's absurd.
Killing Joke - "The Wait"
Aw Hell yeah! That sounds like something that should be in a Doom or Duke Nukem game. It's a weird mix of Punk and Metal and it works really freaking well. The kind of song that pumps you up no matter how you're feeling.
Metallica - "The Wait"
Going with one of the legends of Metal is generally a good way to earn points form me and this is no exception. That said, for Metallica, this feels like one of their lesser offerings. Don't get me wrong, even their weaker work is still very good but I know they can do better.
Patsy Cline - Crazy
You know, objectively this is an alright song but I've heard it in so many ads and parodies and stuff like that that I am having a hard time taking it seriously any more. And to be honest, even without said, it's just alright.
Seal - "Crazy"
You know, it's never occurred to me before how insanely 90's everything about Seal is and this song really settles it. But hey, I like it. It's just... well, once again, I need something bigger to really wow me at this point.
