Rankings, with comments as I can get them up. Fantastic Round overall, with a theme that took a bit of thought to deal with but gave the contestants room to work. I enjoyed every song on some level and found that to eight or so songs to be exceptional. As I mentioned earlier, I've been playing my number one song a lot these past few days.
Panic! At the Disco- Nearly Witches
The Carpenters - Top of the World
Alina Baraz & Galimatias - Fantasy
Sonique- Sky
The Avalanches - Since I Left You
Mac Demarco - Ode to Viceroy
The Crystals- Then He Kissed Me
Kanye West - Addiction
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes - I Believe I Can Fly
Tom Petty- You Don't Know How it Feels
Afroman - Because I Got High (Positive Remix)
Stone Temple Pilots - Between The Lines
Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
Scott Stapp - Higher
Mike Posner - I Took a Pill in Ibiza (Saeb Remix)
1. Panic! At the Disco- Nearly Witches
The song that I was listening to over and over again last weekend (after finishing my rankings, of course). It is, simply, an epic. Pure audacity on the part of the band and the contestant who selected it. The chorus has an absurd amount of power, the runs are quick and light, and there's a melodramatic element to everything that is a hallmark for this genre. The addition of the french singing children's chorus adds another dimension to the song, while the lyric "Ever since we met, I only shoot up with your perfume" sums up the risks that this song takes. That's a line that either dies on the vine, in terms of effects on the listener, or it highlights just how emotional this song is. It might not work for everyone, but I loved it and hope to see, not necessary the same sound or genre, but the same scale in music in future rounds. I wouldn't want to listen to seven songs like this in a Round, but if you give me one, I'll be very happy. I'd like to think Oscar Wilde would listen to this; he might not like it, but he'd be amused with the sentiment.
2. The Carpenters - Top of the World
Karen Carpenter has one of the most beautiful voices in music and this song takes full advantage of her gifts. The performance itself is filled with charisma and shows a performer at the height of skill and confidence. Her brother Richard accompanies her voice with a simplicity that shows how perfectly they complimented each other. That country twang is just perfect
, as are the simple bass beat and the various other flourishes that add to the performance. It's such a gentle, lush song, that I can't help but smile and enjoy it. It's just the right length, it doesn't suffer from any redundancy and ill-advised instrumentation, but, at the end of the day, it's all about Karen Carpenter's incomparable voice. She just makes everything sound wonderful and the lyrics about the wonders of creation suits her well. Just an outstanding performance, one that looks all too easy, by one of the greatest pop music bands of all time.
3. Alina Baraz & Galimatias - Fantasy
What a perfectly titled song. The singer's voice is gorgeous and seductive without being contrived and the complicated beat never overtakes it. Indeed, the beat is quite welcome in the song and is very pleasant to follow. The song's beginning sort of flows in and the pace is beguilingly slow and smooth and her voice calmly goes through the song, rising effectively when needed. The portion of the song at around the 1:40, with the beats blending with her own performance, is a highlight and her vocals about being someone's island, especially about the waves, is compelling and beautiful. The last minute of the song effectively wraps everything up with the beat, one that is very clean and serves the vocals very well. I would love to hear more evocative songs like this as the game continues.
4. Sonique- Sky
Not a song or performer that I'm familiar with, though I recall the time period from which this song is from being replete with similar songs. She has a strong voice that reminds me of singers like Annie Lennox and Nina Simone, one that is the most compelling aspect of the song. The music fits well with her strengths, but it's a bit redundant. That's a hallmark of the genre and would work if you were dancing to it, but I wished there was a little bit more to it. I do like the keyboard/drum machine flourishes at around the 2:30 mark and there's a weight to the whole performance. It's not particularly casual; I have to pay attention to it, unlike similar music that I could turn on for background noise. There's enough variation with the drum beats and keyboard use, that the listener doesn't get bored with the sound. Maybe it's the emotion involved, I'm not particularly sure. Great addition to this Round.
5. The Avalanches - Since I Left You
Startlingly beautiful song. I love that it takes about a minute for the vocals to start, the listener hearing a multi-layered intro with sound bites about a vacation area and an attendant beach scene (with Gus's earlier song, I wonder if we're going to get more water songs?) that eases into the rest of the song. There's a repetitive nature to the song, which breaks well at the 2:30 mark, the instruments building well into a swell of sound. It doesn't really break out, though, I think that may be one of the negatives of the song. I'm waiting for there to be a climax, but it trails off without reaching that point. There's a beauty to the vocals and the overall effect with the instruments and it's very visual, but I think the song needs to move more. The best parts of the song are the building instrumental sequences, so I would have liked to have heard more of a progression. Still, a very intricate and pleasing song.
6. Mac Demarco - Ode to Viceroy
I wasn't sure how well this song would do, so I figured that it should be in my top 5-6 or so. Unexpected choice for this Round and not an artist I'm particularly familiar with, but he does remind me of a good bit of punk and post-punk artists that I am familiar with. There's something a but sludge-like to the song; it's pretty, but it drags slowly, to a pleasing effect. It wouldn't be out of place for Robyn Hitchcock or Elvis Costello to play something like this with a bit of strangeness to the vocals. I think I could have ranked this a bit higher, but there were surprises to some of the other songs on the list that I enjoyed. I found the guitar playing in this song to be exceptional, trudging along and adding to the song without being too showy or breaking the pace in an unnecessary way. The vocals have this lackadaisical air to them that I enjoyed, even if I felt that the lyrics where a bit obtuse and strange. I appreciate the musical knowledge displayed here by the contestant because this isn't an artist that one readily thinks of and I feel that should be supported in a game like this.
7. The Crystals- Then He Kissed Me
You know, this contestant used a song featured in a film clip before and I thought that was a pretty cool way of sending it to the judges. I like touches like that. There's something about the production to songs like this that truly impresses me. It's beautiful and large in scope. There's a deepness to the vocals and I appreciate the simplicity of the lyrics (and not all the Crystals songs are as happy; there's a song about a lover dying in a drag race that's pretty dark). The vocals aren't perfect, as they have a nasally quality to them at times, but that adds a bit to the charm of the song. I love the guitar work here and the percussion (castanets?) drives home the song. I mark out for choices like this because there's a vast catalogue of songs from this time period and, with the right people, one could do a whole round about this era, but you don't necessarily see them represented here. There are other songs with undertones I appreciate more or with a bit more going on, but it reminds me of the Carpenters' pick because of how lush and spot-on everything is. Maybe I could have moved this up, but I was a bit worried about other songs. So, don't take this ranking as criticism; keep on playing like this because it adds tremendously to the song lists we get.
8. Kanye West - Addiction
There is just so much going on in this song. Layered beats, Kayne and then a female vocalists, a repeated sample (I think), and a plethora of drum beats, little sounds, keyboard twinges, and more. I think it goes a bit into self-parody with the vocals towards the end, with the "Baby", but it's unmistakable his sound. I love Kayne's pace here: it's driving, but relaxed at the same time. I think the song could be about two minutes longer and have a similar effect. His vocals earlier about vices are fantastic: deep and seductive. Like, imagine hanging out with Kanye? You'd be exhausted after a few hours and he'd probably be up all night being Kanye. I think it might have been a bit early for Kanye, but this was an excellent pick for me. His flow is unbelievable, but it's tempered with a degree of idiosyncrasy that really can't be shown with anyone else, for better or worse. This is one of the more meaningful songs from him and shows off a lot of his strengths, though I think his self-indulgence is a bit on display. What I like is that this is yet another genre used for the game. I love to see diversity in this game and hip-hop is definitely a welcome sight. I hope to see people dipping into this, reggae, classical music, jazz, etc. as we go.
9. Me First and The Gimme Gimmes - I Believe I Can Fly
I think there's a sentiment that doing punk covers of other songs, especially slower ones, is a bit passe, but I think this is the perfect song to cover for this purpose. One thing that I think the band does well here is not to go super-fast with the whole thing. The song is a still a good three minutes long and features enough changes in it that it isn't just thumping away until the songs conclusion. I especially enjoy the ukulele-like (if not the actual instrument) strumming at the song's beginning. I think the vocalist's performance is very fun, but he's not necessarily the best punk voice you can hear. It's still a likable performance and there's so much energy to the performance, that it's a lot of fun to listen to where the song will go. Great drumming adds a lot to the song. I'm a big punk fan, so I like seeing picks show up. It might not be my favorite song of the Round, but it's something I like seeing and I think it's a great response to the Round theme.
10. Tom Petty- You Don't Know How it Feels
You have to love that opening with the guitar and harmonica. I remember hearing this song all the time when I was younger and it's still pretty damn good. It fits the theme, but I don't think this is the most exciting choice imaginable. Everyone has their way of playing and I enjoy the song, but like the Kanye pick, I think it's a bit soon to see Tom Petty used. It's a very sleepy, very cool song, but I don't get much in the way of the lyrics. I don't see the same level of risk-taking in this song that I do in others, and that diminishes it's effect with me. I think the guitar playing is outstanding, as are the rhythm section and harmonica, but it's very downbeat, very much in the middle for me. I also wish that another, lesser known song by Tom Petty was used. It's not something I'm actively looking for, but I'd love to see artists I'm familiar with represented by songs that I am not familiar with. Again, everything is very good but it doesn't dazzle me like other songs.
11. Afroman - Because I Got High (Positive Remix)
I remember when the original came out and had a friend that was a fan of the song for personal reasons. This is a better version because it tries different things and has a better pace. The lyrics are funny, but a bit annoying, as some of the rhymes and connections are labored. It's a novelty song and, while there's nothing wrong with that, there's so many other songs that could've been used instead. So, there's an issue of what could have been. It is a pretty song and I think the guitar solo at the end is beautiful, but I don't know if it makes up for his endorsement section. Plus the chicken noises, which were fun but a little goofy. I genuinely think it's a well put together song and that the guitar work is very cool, but the song is what it is. It's a novelty and it's not really going to stay with the listener afterwords.
12. Stone Temple Pilots - Between The Lines
I think this band was unbelievable when it first came out, but it never evolved the way that it could have done. The album #4 was a mid to late highlight, but it peaked and a song like this is more of an echo of what they could do. They've always had a fantastic rhythm section and a really underappreciated guitarist and Weiland was one of the most charismatic lead singers of his time, but I think they're laboring to find a sound here. It's not breaking new ground and it doesn't have the same crunch of earlier songs. The song itself is fairly paint by the numbers, with the repetition, guitar solos, drums, etc. that were the hallmark of their songs. It's not as effective as it once was, but it's pretty good. I wish there was more to the sound, but it's understandable considering what they were going through. There are hints of brilliance here, though, and the last pounding part is pretty strong. The strengths are there, but it's not adding up.
13. Pink Floyd- Comfortably Numb
An epic to be sure and one of the cornerstones of an all time great album, but it suffers for me for two reasons. I prefer the Syd Barrett-era and I just don't want to see this particular song this early in the game. There are several classic, all-time great Pink Floyd albums filled with fantastic songs, so I wish that Idol would explore their catalogue a bit deeper. As for this song, it has iconic vocals, builds into wonderful musical heights, has a gorgeous and trippy solo, and has great visuals, but there just aren't any risks taken with choosing this song. Other judges will rank it pretty high and that's what it should be, but I want to judge riskier songs. It's a great song, but it's really hard to judge it without considering other factors.
14. Scott Stapp- Higher
It's a fine performance, but I think stripping the song down to just Scott and his guitarist doesn't do much to add to the song. The original Creed version had a certain weight to it because of the rest of the band. Here, Scott's vocals are clean and very good, but I don't think the guitar work here matches up. I also kind of want to see Scott play the guitar himself. I'm not sure if he does, but I think that would add to the performance. It's also a bit one-note. He doesn't do much to distinguish the song from the original version; it's enjoyable but, at least for me, it doesn't stand out.
15. Mike Posner - I Took A Pill In Ibiza (Seeb Remix)
The song develops, but I'm not a fan of the vocals. I really don't know where the lyrics of the story are going and I don't like his sound. The beat's enjoyable enough, but I don't find it particularly interesting. There are moments where the song shifts from upbeat to downbeat and I find them to be something I want to see more of. I can see why people would enjoy this song and I certainly don't dislike it, but I just want more. The competition is very tough right now.
, as are the simple bass beat and the various other flourishes that add to the performance. It's such a gentle, lush song, that I can't help but smile and enjoy it. It's just the right length, it doesn't suffer from any redundancy and ill-advised instrumentation, but, at the end of the day, it's all about Karen Carpenter's incomparable voice. She just makes everything sound wonderful and the lyrics about the wonders of creation suits her well. Just an outstanding performance, one that looks all too easy, by one of the greatest pop music bands of all time. 
