Walrus Triserver Democracy Rule Walrus [Winner: Ampharos | Close 2nd: VuvuzelaBzz]

[Panic Station]

Ampharos in the lead is nothing new. DLE, Leonard, and Snype are having a grand old time on the podium.

Category 9 is The Titleist. We’ll aim for the title on Thursday February the 7th at 2pm.

leonard (from big bang theory) , Steven Snype , LordQuas, Adam, Dp101, Newcomb, apricity , Cancerous , and Pigjr1 have until Wednesday the 6th to get googling! Remember, EPs and OSTs qualify, but it must be an exact match to the title/source’s title!

 

[Da Letter El]

The artist formerly known as Dogface

 

[Panic Station]

Category 9 - The Titleist

19th Place (Tragically) - Sniper

19th Place (Tragically)
Submitted by Adam
Score: 0 due to catfail

Sniper by Harry Chapin

You were ride or die with this submission even though you knew it’d catfail. And I can hear exactly why. This song tells a gut punch of a story, but it ended up being denied a 9.5 because the album title is Sniper and Other Love Songs. This is the biggest robbery I’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to. Vox populi, vox Dei…?

18th Place - Because I Got High

18th Place
Submitted by Cancerous
Score: 6.2

Because I Got High by Afroman

I appreciate your honesty in admitting you’re golfing this round.

17th Place - Beauty And The Beast

17th Place
Submitted by Lectrys
Score: 7.6

Beauty And The Beast by Celine Dion & Peabo Bryson

Well, you’re not wrong. This is a title track. I just wasn’t expecting a title track from Disneyland.

16th Place - A Head Full Of Dreams

16th Place
Submitted by Pigjr1
Score: 7.8

A Head Full Of Dreams by Coldplay

Another casualty of the vox populi. This is good, but you lost the chance to send karaoke bop Viva La Vida.

15th Place - One Beat

15th Place
Submitted by Myzozoa
Score: 7.9

One Beat by Sleater-Kinney

She pushes hard on those high notes.

14th Place - Cataclysmist

14th Place
Submitted by Owner Of A Lonely Heart
Score: 8.0

Cataclysmist by Unlimited Gravity

I like the binaural effects. This is another song that flirts with the idea of giving me a headache, but it’s so interesting I might bring myself to hit repeat anyway.

13th Place - The Black Market

13th Place
Submitted by Dp101
Score: 8.1

The Black Market by Rise Against

A little strain in the vocals, a few curious chord choices in the beginning. On the other hand, I like those tempo changes and the bridge.

12th Place - Cleopatra

12th Place
Submitted by leonard
Score: 8.3

Cleopatra by The Lumineers

Until they got to the part about the taxi, I thought this song might be about Elizabeth Taylor.

11th Place - The Night

11th Place
Submitted by VuvuzelaBzz
Score: 8.4

The Night by Morphine

Morphine is probably the closest rock can get to jazz.

10th Place - A Fever Dream

10th Place
Submitted by Zack
Score: 8.5

A Fever Dream by Everything Everything

Yeah, this is the kind of sound that comes up most often on my Pandora.

9th Place - Pillow Talk

9th Place
Submitted by Newcomb
Score: 8.6

Pillow Talk by Wild Child

It’s not always easy to turn a ukulele into a lowkey bop.

8th Place - Such Great Heights

8th Place
Submitted by apricity
Score: 8.7

Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

Wikipedia says this was released as a single. Wikipedia ALSO says if a cd has 4 tracks (like the cd where this is a title track), it’s not a single, it’s an EP. I say screw the contradiction, I wanna listen to a great song.

7th Place - Kodama

7th Place
Submitted by Da Letter El
Score: 8.8

Kodama by Alcest

A concept album inspired by a Ghibli movie I’ve seen seventeen times? You pander even when you’re not trying, kek.

6th Place - Saya no Uta

6th Place
Submitted by BLOODYRAIN10001
Score: 8.9

Saya no Uta by Itou Kanako

My favorite Itou is still Junji-sama, but Itou Kanako has a beautiful voice.

4th Place (Tie) - Rego Rejtem

Tied for 4th Place
Submitted by Aladyyn
Score: 9.0

Rego Rejtem by The Moon & The Nightspirit

This better be available on Pandora.

4th Place (Tie) - The Day Is My Enemy

Tied for 4th Place
Submitted by Lebossle
Score: 9.0

The Day Is My Enemy by The Prodigy ft. Martina Topley-Bird

Okay, this song is badass. Nuff said.

3rd Place - Capturism

3rd Place
Submitted by Ampharos
Score: 9.1

Capturism by fox capture plan

This time signature is some Count Basie level shit right here.

2nd Place - Icky Thump

2nd Place
Submitted by Steven Snype
Score: 9.3

Icky Thump by The White Stripes

Oh, hell yeah. Say what you want about Jack White’s solo career, but when he’s in a band he’s like Midas. And I ain’t talking oil changes.

1st Place - None Shall Pass

1st Place
Submitted by LordQuas
Score: 9.4

None Shall Pass by Aesop Rock

My favorite Aesop Rock album. I love it when I get a sub I instantly look forward to judging.

Outro:

 

[Panic Station]

Ampharos continues to defend the walrus title, joining Snype and Quas on the podium. But it’s not over yet! The other contestants from the Top 5 are hot on Amy’s heels and gunning for an upset in the home stretch.

Our tenth and final category is With A Special Appearance By. We’ll steal the spotlight on Wednesday the 13th at 2pm CST.

leonard (from big bang theory) Dp101, Newcomb, apricity , Cancerous , and Pigjr1 need to show me their best features by Tuesday the 12th!

The following songs are excluded from potential Category 10 submissions due to prior use in this category:

Brave New World by Watsky ft. Chaos Chaos
Sexyback by Justin Timberlake ft. Timbaland
Prozac Made Me Stay by Antsy McClain ft. Tommy Smothers
Smoke Bomb by Datsik ft. Snoop Dogg
Tranquilize by The Killers ft. Lou Reed
No Surprises by Postmodern Jukebox ft. Chloe Feoranzo
Jigsaw by Gene Shinozaki ft. The Apartment Sessions Orchestra
Luv(sic) Part 5 by Nujabes ft. Shing02
Habeas Corpses (Draconian Love) by El-P ft. Cage
Cherry Wine by Nas ft. Amy Winehouse
Starboy by The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk
Bad Idea by Sara Bareilles ft. Jason Mraz
Billionaire by Travie McCoy ft. Bruno Mars
Animal Spirits by Vulfpeck ft. Theo Katzman & Christine Hucal
End Of The Innocence by Don Henley ft. Bruce Hornsby & Wayne Shorter
Just War by Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse ft. Gruff Rhys
Monster by Kanye West ft. Rick Ross, Jay-Z & Nicki Minaj
Dysfunctional by Tech N9ne ft. Big Scoob & Krizz Kaliko
Pay No Mind by Madeon ft. Passion Pit
Twister (Kingdom Mix) by Ishimoto Takeharu ft. Stephanie
Teardrop by Massive Attack ft. Elizabeth Fraser
Where The Streets Have No Name by Muse ft. The Edge
Renegade by Jay-Z ft. Eminem
Pink Matter by Frank Ocean ft. Andre 3000
The Great And The Good by Napalm Death ft. Jello Biafra
Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland
Daddy Rollin’ Stone by Johnny Thunders ft. Phil Lynott & Steve Marriott
Death As A Fetish by STRFKR ft. Mattress
Anxi by Kelly Lee Owens ft. Jenny Hval
Luvoratorrrrry! by Reol ft. nqrse

 

[Panic Station]

Category 10 - With A Special Appearance By

19th Place - Pop It

19th Place
Submitted by Lebossle
Score: 4.9

Pop It by Anamanaguchi ft. meesh

Hoo boy. The last time you sent this to me in a walrus, I didn’t like the pitch shifted vocals. Maybe you forgot that. This is the full version with some interesting new bars… but there’s still that key change that makes me cringe.

18th Place - Bad Baby Bowser/Big Boss

18th Place
Submitted by Lectrys
Score: 7.2

Bad Baby Bowser/Big Boss by GaMetal ft. Andrew Wrangell

If you told me this is VGM, I’d say “I can dig it”. If you told me this is a Mario song, I’d say “Pull the other one, it’s got bells on”.

17th Place - Grown Ass Kid

17th Place
Submitted by Zack
Score: 7.4

Grown Ass Kid by Chance the Rapper ft. Mick Jenkins, Alex Wiley, & Cam O’Bi

I want to Ooh Wa Ha Wa Ha Wa Ha take this seri Ooh Wa Ha Wa Ha Wa Ha ously but Ooh Wa Ha Wa Ha Wa Ha that sample is Ooh Wa Ha Wa Ha Wa Ha just so prominent Ooh Wa Ha Wa Ha Wa Ha

16th Place - Bicentennial

16th Place
Submitted by Ampharos
Score: 7.6

Bicentennial by The Fearless Flyers ft. Elizabeth Lea

That trombone is pretty sweet. But then they dial back the funk for the announcer voice and it kinda gets weird. I don’t want to hear the PA system, I want more trombone.

15th Place - Atlantis

15th Place
Submitted by Aladyyn
Score: 7.8

Atlantis by Bridgit Mendler ft. Kaiydo

It’s a pretty chill song and Kaiydo’s verses are pretty good. “You was flying with me, I think I forgot to land” particularly sticks out in my mind.

14th Place - I'm Into You

14th Place
Submitted by Owner Of A Lonely Heart
Score: 8.0

I’m Into You by Jennifer Lopez ft. Lil Wayne

Surprisingly, I’m into this. And speaking of surprises, that bridge.

13th Place - Fox’s Dream Of The Log Flume

13th Place
Submitted by Adam
Score: 8.2

Fox’s Dream Of The Log Flume by mewithoutyou ft. Hayley Williams

These vocals sound bluntly manic until Hayley Williams joins in and turns the ending into a nice contrast.

12th Place - Verses

12th Place
Submitted by LordQuas
Score: 8.3

Verses by Wu-Tang Clan ft. La the Darkman, Scaramanga Shallah, Ras Kass & Gza

A laid back flow with some really good rhymes. I like Ras Kass’s verse best.

11th Place - She Wants Me Dead

11th Place
Submitted by Cancerous
Score: 8.6

She Wants Me Dead by CAZZETTE vs. AronChupa ft. The High

Such a funky murder ballad. The game seems interesting, too, though that’s kind of a non sequitur.

10th Place - Le Banquet

10th Place
Submitted by leonard
Score: 8.7

Le Banquet by C2C ft. DJ Netik, DJ Tigerstyle, DJ Rafik, DJ Kentaro & DJ Vajra

Wow, that’s a lot of DJs. This song bounces from subtle distinction to subtle distinction and gives the impression that everyone had a hand in the whole.

9th Place - Cream Soda

9th Place
Submitted by Newcomb
Score: 8.8

Cream Soda by Ryan Hemsworth ft. Tomggg

This has me groovin’ in my chair.

7th Place (Tie) - Daddy

Tied for 7th Place
Submitted by apricity
Score: 9.0

Daddy by PSY ft. CL of 2NE1

Not going to make a daddy joke. Nope. No. No way. Nuh-uh.

7th Place (Tie) - Machine Hearts

Tied for 7th Place
Submitted by Dp101
Score: 9.0

Machine Hearts by Miracle of Sound ft. Sharm

This is my favorite out of your Miracle of Sound subs.

6th Place - Pearl

6th Place
Submitted by Da Letter El
Score: 9.1

Pearl by Chapterhouse ft. Rachel Goswell

You’ve been trying to sell me on shoegaze throughout the walrus…. and I think you just succeeded.

4th Place (Tie) - Happier

Tied for 4th Place
Submitted by Pigjr1
Score: 9.2

Happier by Marshmello ft. Bastille

Bastille’s vocals just make this. Without those vocals, this’d probably score about half a point lower.

4th Place (Tie) - You're On

Tied for 4th Place
Submitted by Steven Snype
Score: 9.2

You're On by Madeon ft. Kyan

Love triangle or secret double agent spy romance? I’ll be over hitting here repeat while you decide.

3rd Place - All Of The Lights

3rd Place
Submitted by Myzozoa
Score: 9.3

All Of The Lights by Kanye West ft. Rihanna & Kid Cudi

I remember judging this one for a brass category. I loved its fanfare then and I still love the fanfare of it now. I think this holds up as an awesome song no matter what the focus of the category is.

2nd Place - Ain't Nobody

2nd Place
Submitted by VuvuzelaBzz
Score: 9.4

Ain’t Nobody by Jon Gomm ft. Daniel Tompkins

Ooh. The power of groove compels you. I’m having the kind of reaction I usually associate with the phrase “moved by the Spirit”.

1st Place - Von

1st Place
Submitted by BLOODYRAIN10001
Score: 9.6

Von by Yoko Kanno ft. Arnór Dan Arnarson

You saved the best for last, Blodds.

Outro:

 

[Panic Station]

Bloods, Vuvuzela, and Myzo end the walrus on a high note!

And here’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The finals scores were down to the wire in this last round, with a .2 gap between first and second place on the leaderboard. Still, one contestant managed to win by a matter of inches.

The winner of the Triserver Democracy Rule Walrus is… Ampharos! Congratulations! And congratulations to VuvuzelaBzz for a hair’s breadth 2nd Place!