Walrus Walrusception!! Groove Regainer Mini Walrus [Congratulations to KarmaDope!!! Next walrus in September]

In case you haven't been following along in Amy's Pinniped Emporium:

I've got a couple of things that have put the Long Haul reveal date into TBD status. One of them is this year's hydra event and the other one literally has my hands tied (with yarn). I do expect to finish the miniwalrus before the end of the year, but I'm not in a position to set any concrete dates right now. When reveals are ready, they will be announced in advance. Thank you for your patience.
 


Saturday the 23rd at noon EST.

Why so early? Because contestants in the server made a landslide vote to fullplay every song in a category where all songs are 7+ minutes long. We are appropriately in for the long haul and I want to maintain my standard of timing reveals to be both Western-friendly and Euro-friendly.

Also, I don't have set dates for future reveals, but I do have a plan for how to handle reveals for both Groove Regainer and 4OTF.

Step 1: Groover Regainer - The Long Haul (songs longer than 7 minutes)
Step 2: take a week off for a mash game on MU (those things always eat up my free time)
Step 3: 4OTF round 6 - That's Just Super & On Broadway Redux double reveal (super groups and Broadway numbers from the 2010s)
Step 4: Groove Regainer final category - Moog Music (songs with synthesizers)
Step 5: 4OTF round 7 - LOUD NOISES! (songs with shouting, screaming, growling, etc.)
Steps 6, 7, and 8: the remaining 3 4OTF categories

So yes, this is happening.
 
NOTE: I will probably stick all reveals from both walruses into this thread because I don't want to have to dig up the 4OTF thread out of MU's backlog and bump it when I've got a working thread already available.
 
Round Three: The Long Haul

This round's header is Dance Yrself Clean by LCD Soundsystem.


19th Place
Submitted by Celever
Score: 5.8

Redstripe Rhapsody by Lausse the Cat

Hmm. I wasn’t sure where this was going before the lyrics kicked in and now I’m still not sure where it’s going. It’s just not clicking with me. I don’t usually give a score in the “boring” fives, but halfway through I wished it was already over.
18th Place
Submitted by Gravity Monkey
Score: 8.0

Sweet / I Thought You Wanted to Dance by Tyler, the Creator

I wanna get into this, but now I’m stuck in a mental loop of tryna list other songs that match that “smooth tenor, slow groove” archetype.
17th Place
Submitted by Punchy
Score: 8.2

Pillar of Truth by Lucy Dacus

A fine escalation in the instruments, but I keep waiting for Lucy to start belting out alongside them.
16th Place
Submitted by ddlc
Score: 8.3

Lover Is a Day by CUCO

No thoughts, head vibing.
15th Place
Submitted by MNIN
Score: 8.4

Night/Day/Work/Home by CFCF

I have some mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, this combination of beat and melody is a total catjam. On the other hand, that chipmunked chorus.
Tied for 13th Place
Submitted by catgode
Score: 8.5

Northern Labour Camps by Haircuts for Men

I’m getting some DJ Maniax vibes. I can tell it’s trying to go hard, but it takes a couple of minutes to start up. Which, uh, maybe I shouldn’t compare breakbeats to my lawnmower, but here we are.
Tied for 13th Place
Submitted by Quas
Score: 8.5

Station by Russian Circles

Pretty nice, but about halfway through, I started thinking “This needs a little something more to push it over the edge.” The change up in the back half tries, but doesn’t quite get there. I think it’d be a great accompaniment to an action sequence in a movie or tv show, so I’m not dissatisfied with it. It just feels like it could have melted my face off if some wailing vocals or melodic guitar solo came in at some point.
Tied for 11th Place
Submitted by Adam
Score: 8.6

(I Don't Want to Have) Easy Listening Nightmares by Nurse With Wound

I wonder whose bad trip this was based on. I actually felt my eyes do this at some point while listening:

Tied for 11th Place
Submitted by termi
Score: 8.6

I Trawl The Megahertz by Prefab Sprout

This feels like I’m watching a romance movie from the late 60s with the yellow av jack unplugged on my tv. No idea why I’d do that, but it’s happening and I’m letting it.
Tied for 8th Place
Submitted by Godot
Score: 8.7

This Is Just A Modern Rock Song by Belle and Sebastian

I mean, I’m no stranger to long, peaceful indie songs. Hell, I think I even subbed Siberian Breaks to someone’s walrus way back when. I like how it subtly builds as it progresses.
Tied for 8th Place
Submitted by nutella
Score: 8.7

Bending The Dark by The Imagined Village

Ooh, harmonies. Harmonies and violin and a bit of a gothic country vibe. And a sitar? Kinda proggy. The ending reminds me of Squirrel Nut Zippers.
Tied for 8th Place
Submitted by Salt
Score: 8.7

The Ballad of the Costa Concordia by Car Seat Headrest

KILLER WHAAAAAALES! Wait, wrong song.
Tied for 6th Place
Submitted by Moose
Score: 8.8

The Glorious Octagon of Destiny by NOMA

Wow, geometry lessons were never this fun when I was in school. I don’t think anyone would say that a str8 8/8 no b8 m8 isn’t the score this needs or deserves.

Post judging edit: I ended up with Kitchen Gun - Three Shots of Derek Bum in my YT reccs because of this sub. Thank you, Moose, I’m chuckling to myself just from remembering that youtube poop.
Tied for 6th Place
Submitted by shub
Score: 8.8

Anamorphic by Joker

Wait, did Shub send me a psytrance song? I thought I was the only one here who listens to psytrance.
5th Place
Submitted by RB
Score: 8.9

Kings of the Nordic Twilight by Luca Turilli

Man oh Manowar, you really know where to find some great metal.
4th Place
Submitted by Karma
Score: 9.0

How Do Ghosts Work by Toehider

Oh boy. I haven’t felt like this since I discovered iDKHOW. I’m going to dive into their discography later, if I haven’t by the time this reveal runs.
3rd Place
Submitted by Bloody
Score: 9.1

Search Light by Kinniku Shoujotai

Oh-KAY, it’s “no pulled punches” time for the next nine and a half minutes. Bloody, you fucking weeb, you had this in your back pocket the whole time? How dare you hold out on me.
2nd Place
Submitted by Lebossle
Score: 9.2

Metamorphosis by Blank Banshee



And this lush progadelic soundscape gets a resounding YES from me as well.
1st Place
Submitted by Earl
Score: 9.3

Crumbling Together by Mid-Air Thief

And once again, Earl ends up on the Chill Out playlist. This song is the audio equivalent of standing at the tideline on the beach and letting the waves wash over you. I want to hear the album now. I want to play this on repeat. Nine and a half minutes isn’t enough.


And our outro is Tick & Leeches by Tool.
 
Thanks for sticking it out!
Leb, shub, and Bloods are feeling merry as the day is long. But there’s still one more chance for other players who are longing for the win.

Next up is… not Groove Regainer! We’re switching channels from the Walrusception to Four on the Floor for the That’s Just Super & On Broadway Redux double reveal! Everyone’s booked their tickets for the show, which I’m sure y’all are super excited about, but I’m taking a week off for a more commitment-intensive endeavor before deciding when the curtain will rise. So we’re TBD once again.

 
[12:12 PM] Walrusception: Sorry for the delay. Call it wolf theater if you must.
[12:12 PM] Walrusception:

[12:13 PM] Walrusception: The super groups and 2010s Broadway numbers double reveal is ready to go!
The curtain rises on Saturday the 14th at 2pm CDT.
 
4OTF Round Six: That's Just Super & On Broadway Redux
Category 7: That's Just Super

11 contestants subbed for this round.

Our headers are One And The Same by Audioslave and New Fang by Them Crooked Vultures.

11th Place
Submitted by Laurel
Score: 8.2

POP/STARS by K/DA

This feels like it’s missing some of the staccato rhythm I’ve come to expect in Kpop.
10th Place
Submitted by MNIN
Score: 8.4

Bonny Light Horseman by Bonny Light Horseman

Some nice harmonies here, though I’m not entirely sure if I like the lead’s timbre. You wouldn’t expect acoustic guitar and saxophone in the same song, but it works.
9th Place
Submitted by nutella
Score: 8.7

I Won’t Run From It by Big Red Machine

I kinda wanna listen to some more Big Red Machine songs now. I may not be plotzing, but I think it’s worth some exploration.
8th Place
Submitted by ddlc
Score: 8.8

Highwayman by The Highwaymen

Oh, I’ve heard this before! I don’t remember where from, but I remember I like it.
Tied for 6th Place
Submitted by C7
Score: 8.9

Black Dog by Led Zeppelin

This cat ended up pretty top heavy, especially considering that it’s one of the few that was small enough to get placed in a double reveal. Y’all just do not make this easy for me. Tbh, iirc I was surprised to learn that Led Zeppelin was a supergroup. Maybe it would’ve ended up in this cat’s four on the floor if I had known that sooner.
Tied for 6th Place
Submitted by RB
Score: 8.9

Pass The Ax by Dark Lotus

Would this count as an exquisite corpse?
5th Place
Submitted by hollow
Score: 9.0

Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin

Better than Stairway, don’t @ me.
4th Place
Submitted by DLE
Score: 9.1

Wake Up by Mad Season

This has a very tranquil Doorsy quality to it. Makes me wanna put on the album, pour myself a dark and stormy, and melt into the recliner. Yeah, okay, I just put it in the Chill Out playlist.
3rd Place
Submitted by Logic
Score: 9.2

Times of Trouble by Temple of the Dog

As a man who, in his convictions, has chosen to abstain from anything harder than booze and weed, I’m getting pretty into this song that’s obviously about heroin. Maybe it really is as they say, walrus is one hell of a drug.
2nd Place
Submitted by Lectrys
Score: 9.4

Destroyer of Dreams by Conquering Dystopia

Some fine shred. I’m not just talking about the guitars here, there’s also the drummer shredding it in the background as well. Without a sense of wild movement, it still feels like it’s taking me places. I wonder what the rest of the album is like.
1st Place
Submitted by Karma
Score: 9.5

The Passage of Time by Liquid Tension Experiment

Did I mention that y’all did not make this round easy for me in the least? So many great songs were subbed in this round. My outros might just feel paltry after this, heh.

Our outros are Blue Blood Blues by The Dead Weather and Leave Me Alone by iDKHOW.

INTERMISSION

Category 8: On Broadway Redux

4 contestants subbed for this round.

Our headers are Hello! from The Book of Mormon and Say My Name from Beetlejuice.

4th Place
Submitted by shub
Score: 6.7

Robot Riot by Love Händel

Seriously? Maybe I should have been a stickler for the Broadway part of On Broadway Redux. I can’t call this godawful, but I can’t really slap a copy of the begrudging upvote meme on it, either. This sounds like an 80s hair metal band did a gig for a movie soundtrack so they could get better insurance for the roadies.
3rd Place
Submitted by Schia
Score: 8.0

Beautiful by Barrett Wilbert Weed, Katie Ladner, Alice Lee, Jessica Keenan Wynn & Elle McLemore

On the plus(?) side, I can relate to the theme if I’m willing to rehash the memories. But until the Heathers actually make the scene, it feels like a teen dramedy trope.
2nd Place
Submitted by Skook
Score: 8.2

I’m Not A Loser by Gavin Lee and Sea Anemones

I may not judge by the video, but I really wish you had sent me a taping of the performance for this song. Because let’s be real, if we’re watching the Spongebob musical, we’re watching the Spongebob musical to see Gavin Lee dance. This tight sea anemone chorus is just a bonus.
1st Place
Submitted by Laurel
Score: 8.4

For Forever by Ben Platt

Platt’s got a very nice voice, backed up by a driving melody that keeps it from falling flat. Is it the best song of the musical? I don’t know. I’ve still only heard this and Sincerely Me. But I probably wouldn’t be against dipping into the soundtrack or watching a recording of the performance.

Our outros are Crazier Than You from The Addams Family and The Room Where It Happens from Hamilton.
 
Take a bow!
I think there were definitely some missed opportunities here. The original Broadway category was very top heavy and one of my first few categories to have a 10 in first place. But maybe nixing triple top 5 placer Hamilton had an impact on players' choices? Well, there’s also the top heavy high quality super groups category balancing it out. Whatever the case, Hollow, C7, RB, and DLE have held on to their leads from the previous double reveal.

Our next round is Groove Regainer’s Moog Music. In an attempt to get back into my usual habits, the set date before the first inevitable delay is Monday the 23rd at 2pm CST. See you later, oscillator!

 
Groove Regainer Finale: Moog Music

This round's header is Hacking To The Gate by Astrophysics.


18th Place
Submitted by Godot
Score: 5.1

We Have Mice (Boombox version) by Casiotone For The Painfully Alone

I can barely hear her over the preset synths. Is that on purpose or is my hearing fucking up again? That was lackluster and made me worry about myself. I’m sure somebody likes it, but that somebody is not me.
17th Place
Submitted by Moose
Score: 6.1

Bad Morshu!! by Dylan Wong

Sorry, Moose. I can’t give credit. Higher score, no ties, next walrus! You want it? Come back when 4OTF is, mmmmm… finished!
16th Place
Submitted by nutella
Score: 8.0

The Reeling by Passion Pit

I got quite a few songs with interesting videos in this round. I feel bad for saying this, but I wish the song would do more to hold my interest as well.
15th Place
Submitted by termi
Score: 8.3

Sunrain by Ashra

Going places from the get-go. This is the theme song for a road trip, in the nicest way possible. Very pleasant, but it turned into a mental blur after a while.
14th Place
Submitted by Lebossle
Score: 8.4

Bacchanale by Vangelis

At first, it seemed like a mild curiosity. Then at the minute mark, it opened up and became something interesting. I don’t think it needed to go back to the mild curiosity, though. Why pull back when you’re jammin’?
Tied for 12th Place
Submitted by Quas
Score: 8.5

trying by midwxst

I have a tendency to nitpick autotune, but I’m digging the lyrics. And I can’t seem to pull my eyes away from the vid, even though it doesn’t factor in judging.
Tied for 12th Place
Submitted by Salt
Score: 8.5

Pull Me Under by Dream Theater

I wanna score this high because it’s Dream Theater, but I think the focus here is more on… well, everything but the synths. That nice little solo is keeping me from robbing it too hard, but the catfit is outshone by the rest of the instruments. Also, was that really the end of the song?
Tied for 10th Place
Submitted by Bloody
Score: 8.6

HADES by Massive New Krew

Reminiscent of Skazi. I recommend watching the video for this one, if only to see how the animation syncs with the beat.
Tied for 10th Place
Submitted by Earl
Score: 8.6

J'ai Trouvé L'amour by Ringo Sheena

No, that’s a toy piano. Yes, I qualified this based on speech synthesis. Yes, we could have had vocaloids in this round. Though if you wanted to hear vocaloids, y’all could have jumped into the vc during pregame.
Tied for 7th Place
Submitted by Celever
Score: 8.7

Firestarter by The Prodigy

Tbh, I just wanna see Leb’s reaction when he finds out you subbed this.
Tied for 7th Place
Submitted by ddlc
Score: 8.7

Japan by Yot Club

Bouncy, with a sort of ‘no thoughts, head vibing’ feel. It’s kinda like if MGMT was composed by optimists.
Tied for 7th Place
Submitted by shub
Score: 8.7

New World by SoundBlock Studios

This YT channel is the personal project of someone Shub knows. So why not send some views their way if/when you get a chance. I think I’d like to hear an extended version of this.
Tied for 5th Place
Submitted by Karma
Score: 8.8

The Dream Dissolves by Ayreon

There’s something satisfying about those droning synths in the beginning. It gets a bit lost in the mix after the first verse, but then it comes back in with that solo and carries it through. In a cat where I thought I’d get synthwave everything, this is a lovely change of pace.
Tied for 5th Place
Submitted by MNIN
Score: 8.8

Sports Men by Haruomi Hosono

With these peak 80s synths and the timber of his voice, it kinda sounds like alternate universe Dire Straits. Really cool.
4th Place
Submitted by Gravity Monkey
Score: 8.9

Goodbye To A World by Porter Robinson

Okay, so we did have vocaloids in this round. I was unsure of where to place this at first. I’ve heard it plenty of times, enough that I thought I might be jaded by it, but the melody line was a bit more impressive than I remembered.
3rd Place
Submitted by Punchy
Score: 9.0

Lifetime Achievement Award by Lemon Demon

And thus we come full circle in the world of Punchy. These synths are doing some pretty funky things from start to finish. There’s even a synthesizer in the lyrics, heh. Fuck yeah, Lemon Demon!
2nd Place
Submitted by RB
Score: 9.1

Future Retro by Wayne Lytle

This is such a synthy song. As soon as the melody kicked in, my brain went “YEAH, those are SYNTHS”. I think this is an instrumental that actually has the potential to get stuck in my head. Kind of an abrupt ending, though.
1st Place
Submitted by Adam
Score: 9.4

How to Serve Man (the meanest things I'd never say) by El-P

Okay, you’ve got my attention. Now what are you going to do with it?

Spit fire into my ears? Okay, then! Fire away!

And our outro is Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode.
 
4OTF ROUND SEVEN: LOUD NOISES!

15 CONTESTANTS SUBBED FOR THIS ROUND. AND THERE WAS A WHOPPING 8 TO 0 VOTE TO DO THIS ROUND'S WRITEUPS IN ALLCAPS, THE LOUD OF THE INTERNET. I HAVE CHOSEN TO EXTEND THEIR VOTE INTO THE THREADS THEMSELVES.

OUR HEADERS ARE BREAKTHROUGH BY MODEST MOUSE AND X BY SYSTEM OF A DOWN.

15TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY DDLC
SCORE: 6.4

KATMANDU BY BOB SEGER

UH, OKAY. BOOGIE-WOOGIE PIANO NEVER REALLY LANDS WITH ME FOR SOME REASON. I'M ALREADY DONE WITH THIS AND IT’S BARELY HALFWAY THROUGH. AND THEN IT JUST KEEPS GOING. THIS SONG IS DECENT, BUT IT’S ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF TOO LONG FOR MY LIKING.
14TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY LOGIC
SCORE: 7.7

HELL ISN’T GOOD! BY DVDA FT. JAMES HETFIELD

YEAK, OKAY, THIS IS A THING.
13TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY LAUREL
SCORE: 7.9

VEGETA VS. GOKU BLACK (DUBSTEP REMIX) BY BLACK ASTA

WHEN IN DOUBT, GO FOR A CLASSIC SCREAM SOURCE? THE BASS DROPS ARE PRETTY NICE.
12TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY DLE
SCORE: 8.3

THIS ISN'T THE TENKA-ICHI-BUDOKAI BY I HATE MYSELF

SOFT. SO SOFT. LIKE IF YOU TOLD MODEST MOUSE TO DIAL IT BACK A BIT. WELL, THERE ISN’T REALLY ANY WHIPLASH HERE. THAT TRANSITION FELT PRETTY NATURAL. OKAY, SO WE’VE GOT A SOFT-LOUD-SOFT DYNAMIC GOING ON. COOL, COOL COOL COOL COOL. I REALLY SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED THAT KAMEHAMEHA IN A SONG NAMED AFTER A DBZ REFERENCE.
11TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY ALADYYN
SCOTE: 8.5

"IT’S NOT AN ART, IT’S A MYTH" BY BEAU NAVIRE

THE GUITAR LINE IS PRETTY NEAT. DON’T THINK I LIKE THAT SQUEALING AMP, THOUGH. OVERALL, LEAVES ME FEELING KIND OF STUNNED.
10TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY RB
SCORE: 8.6

SABOTAGE BY BEASTIE BOYS

THE ONLY DOWNSIDE OF ALLCAPS WRITEUPS IS I CAN’T WRITE THIS WRITEUP IN THE BEASTIE BOYS’ STYLE. I STILL REMEMBER THAT LAST TIME I HEARD THIS SONG; ONE OF THE NEW STAR TREK MOVIES.
9TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY MARTIN
SCORE: 8.7

MEGITSUNE BY BABYMETAL

YOU HAD ME AT BABYMETAL. AAAAAND THERE’S THE SCREAMING. THIS ONE’S ON THE SOFTER SIDE COMPARED TO SIMILAR SUBS I GOT. BUT AGAIN, YOU HAD ME AT BABYMETAL.
8TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY SHUB
SCORE: 8.8

GOUHOU TRIP: BOIL HAZARD BY SHINSHI TODOROKU, GEKIJOU NO GOTOKU

THIS KINDA SOUNDS LIKE THREE SONGS AT ONCE. IT’S A NOT-MASHUP THAT SOUNDS LIKE A MASHUP. ONE OF THEM SOUNDS LIKE LYDIA DEETZ FROM THE BEETLEJUICE MUSICAL AND I’M DIGGING IT.
TIED FOR 6TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY HOLLOW
SCORE: 8.9

HAPPINESS IN SLAVERY BY NINE INCH NAILS

TBH, NIN IS A GREAT SOURCE OF ANGRY MUSIC. SEETHING ANGER, SCREAMING ANGER, HATE YOURSELF ANGER, HATE THE WORLD ANGER, TAKE YOUR PICK. IT’S ALL ANGRY AND IT’S ALL GOOD.
TIED FOR 6TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY SKOOK
SCORE: 8.9

TEARS DON’T FALL BY BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE

TRYNA REMEMBER IF I’VE JUDGED A SONG BY THIS BAND BEFORE. I MAY BE THINKING OF MY BLOODY VALENTINE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THIS PROBABLY ISN’T THE SAME BAND I’M THINKING OF, BECAUSE I GAVE THEM A REALLY LOW SCORE AND I DON’T WANNA DO THAT HERE. OH BABY, THAT CHANGE UP MADE ME DOUBLE DOWN ON THE SENTIMENT OF THE PREVIOUS SENTENCE.
TIED FOR 4TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY MNIN
SCORE: 9.0

AMPM TRUCK BY THE GARDEN

IDK WHAT IT IS ABOUT THIS SONG’S STYLE THAT I FIND SO SATISFYING. MAYBE I’M HAVING TONY HAWK PRO SKATER SOUNDTRACK FLASHBACKS. NOT VERY SHOUTY, BUT I’M DIGGING IT HARD.
TIED FOR 4TH PLACE
SUBMITTED BY SCHIA
SCORE: 9.0

CONTRETEMPS BY ROLO TOMASSI

OF ALL THE THINGS I EXPECTED IN THIS ROUND, GENTLE PIANO WAS NONE OF THEM. WHERE IS THIS GOING? AH, THERE IT IS. I WAS HOPING ANOTHER LAYER OF SOUND WOULD KICK IN SOON. AND THEN THERE IT IS AGAIN! YEAH, OKAY, OKAY. JUST WHEN I THINK IT'S GOING TO COAST TO THE FINISH, IT PUNCHES UP AND THEN CATCHES YOU ON THE WAY DOWN FOR A GENTLE LANDING.
3RD PLACE
SUBMITTED BY BLOODY
SCORE: 9.1

AIHA KIMINIMONO BY BROKEN BY THE SCREAM

AH, DOUBLE GROWLERS. I KNEW BLOODY WOULDN’T DISAPPOINT IN THIS ROUND. THIS CATEGORY IS RIGHT IN HIS WHEELHOUSE, AFTER ALL. I'M ALSO DIGGING THAT GUITAR. THAT SOLO JUST BUMPED IT UP FROM GREAT TO AWESOME.
2ND PLACE
SUBMITTED BY KARMA
SCORE: 9.2

CESSPOOL OF IGNORANCE BY SIGNS OF THE SWARM

THE GUITARS AND DRUMS ALREADY FEEL A LITTLE LIKE A WALL OF SOUND. OOH, BABY, THEM GROWLS. I CAN PRACTICALLY FEEL MY DIAPHRAGM TWITCHING IN SYMPATHY. AND THAT PITCH CHANGE! I NEVER KNEW DEATH GROWLS WITH RANGE COULD MAKE ME HAPPY BEFORE NOW.
1ST PLACE
SUBMITTED BY TERMI
SCORE: 9.3

KOREA BY DEFTONES

I AM MILDLY FLOORED BY THE FACT THAT THIS SONG IS IN A MAJOR KEY. IT’S GOT THOSE SUPER CRUNCHY ALICE IN CHAINS-LIKE RIFFS THAT YOU’D SWEAR UP AND DOWN ARE IN A MINOR KEY. EXCEPT I’M FEELING THESE MORE VISCERALLY, LIKE STANDING WAY TOO CLOSE TO THE SPEAKERS AT THE CONCERT. DID I JUST HEAR BARKING? THIS IS A LAYER OF THE TERMICORE THAT I WAS NOT PREPARED TO EXPLORE, BUT NOW I THINK I CAN NEVER TURN AWAY FROM IT. FUCK IT, I’M HITTING REPLAY AGAIN. I'M ENTHRALLED.

OUR OUTROS ARE TEAR IT DOWN BY WE CAME AS ROMANS AND WINDOWS BY AWOLNATION.
 
Last edited:
KNOCK OF- I mean, knock off that racket!
Hollow, RB, and DLE are loud and proud right now. Plus Hollow is our first finisher of the walrus, capping off their eighth sub in this round. Will anyone climb higher in their race to the top? We have three categories left to find out.

Next up is Shuffle and Deal. We’ll be getting personal on Saturday the 11th at 2pm CST.

 
Shuffle and Deal is going to TBD status. Not just for my personal reasons but for yours, too. 4OTF has been through a long hiatus since you initially sent in your personalized subs, and tastes can change over time. So (with thanks to termi for pointing out that fact) I'm going to give y'all some time to review your Shuffle and Deal sub and swap it out as you see fit. I owe it to you to give you an opportunity to give me a personalized sub that reflects your current tastes. And if your tastes haven't changed in over a year, that's cool, too. Once all the subs for the round are sorted out, I'll update with a new reveal time.
 
4OTF Round Eight: Shuffle and Deal

11 contestants subbed for this round.

Our headers are Sappy by Nirvana and Disparate Youth by Santigold.

13th Place
Submitted by termi
Score: 8.1

Mothership Connection (Star Child) by Parliament

Plenty funky, but my focus started wandering in the middle of it.
12th Place
Submitted by Logic
Score: 8.3

Tron Legacy End Title by Daft Punk

Sure, I get it. I’ve got tons of Daft Punk on my old iPod. Now if I could just find the charge cord…
Tied for 10th Place
Submitted by Aladyyn
Score: 8.4

It Was Love by Minah & Jung Ilhoon

So this is Aladdyn’s dirty secret: metal in the streets, K-pop in the sheets. (Is it weird if an ace says that? Eh, whatever.) Trying not to look at the lyrics since I wouldn’t have the English translation on my phone. (Authenticity, he said, while using a different audio setup than he’d use for the category’s premise format. Eh, whatever.)
Tied for 10th Place
Submitted by RB
Score: 8.4

Queen of the White Dawn by wingless-seraph

Pretty cool. This is probably the perfect length for this song, too. Nice and refreshing without dragging on.
9th Place
Submitted by Lectrys
Score: 8.5

Grande Sonata in G Minor, Op. 3 - Movement 2: Scherzo. Molto allegro by Ludwig Schunke and performed by Sylviane Deferne (7:12 - 9:52)

Bear with me, we’re going with this specific video because we couldn’t get one of the isolated movement by the intended performer. Because I want to hear it as Lectrys normally hears it, and he usually listens to a version performed by Sylviane Deferne. (I wonder how many times I’ll end up talking about authenticity in this reveal.) If I had to describe this movement with an idiom, I think I’d say “light on its feet”.
Tied for 7th Place
Submitted by Laurel
Score: 8.6

Sid & Nancy by Machine Gun Kelly

So this is him, Mr. Weed, the man who had the chutzpah to fight Eminem and enough brains to know he lost. I like what he did with the mixer in the beginning. I think the timbre of his voice is what’s really selling me on this mainstream sellout. Oho, that ending. Man still has his chutzpah.
Tied for 7th Place
Submitted by Martin
Score: 8.6

Taifuu! by Necry Talkie

Bit of a Pillows vibe in the guitar. Bouncy and chipper. It’s got me mulling over if I’d add this into my Pandora stations. Hmm, maybe?
Tied for 5th Place
Submitted by MNIN
Score: 8.8

Ouyounha by Hamid el Shaeri

Idk if this is disco-adjacent or whatever, but it has a rather disco feel to it.
Tied for 5th Place
Submitted by shub
Score: 8.8

This Hell by Rina Sawayama

I don’t get to watch music videos on Pandora. So, again, (for the a u t h e n t i c i t y) not judging by the video. That bridge just bumped the score up a notch.
4th Place
Submitted by Bloody
Score: 8.9

Try Again by Fukuyama Yoshiki and Kajiura Chie

There’s nothing that more authentically says “I torrent my playlists” than sending me a live concert video found in a random YT channel. Ohh, those harmonies. What, this isn’t a slow dance love ballad? Bikkurimasu!
3rd Place
Submitted by Karma
Score: 9.0

Requiem for the Indifferent by Epica

This caught my interest immediately. Oh boy! More death growls! Wow. Imagine getting this on the tail end of an ad-free hour. That'd be pretty sweet. This song has quite a bit of variety in it, and cohesive variety at that.
2nd Place
Submitted by Salt
Score: 9.1

Our Swords by Band of Horses

Hmm, yeah. Really digging the guitars. And the vocals have that appealing Authentic Indie Tone to them. This band could grow on me pretty easily. It already kinda has. Simple, yet effective.
1st Place
Submitted by ddlc
Score: 9.3

River by Leon Bridges

I’m not going to sugarcoat this: you would not have done well at all if you’d stuck with the schmaltzy piano love ballad this replaced. This is much better. More than three full points better. I love the harmonies, I love the expression here, I would love having this pop up on my shuffle. You’ve made a great comeback with this swap.

Our outros are Killer Queen by Queen and Take It or Leave It by The Strokes.
 
And now we close Pandora’s box!

There are some noticeable shifts in the leaderboard, but the names in the podium remain the same: RB, Hollow, and DLE. With everyone in the top 4 either finished or passing the next round, we’re sure to see a major shift in the final two rounds.

Next up is What Do You Mean? We’ll find out what’s a mettah for… eventually. Anni Mash takes priority before then. Yup, we’re TBD again!

 
4OTF Round Nine: What Do You Mean?

14 contestants subbed for this round.

Our headers are Young Pilgrims by The Shins and E-Pro by Beck.

14th Place
Submitted by Laurel
Score: 6.7

Hundred Roses by Peter Jackson

You lost me at the autotune. This is barely in my wheelhouse and I’m not interested in inviting it in, sorry.
13th Place
Submitted by Karma
Score: 8.3

Dance with the Devil by Immortal Technique

I’ve scored this before, but it’s been so long that I’ve forgotten what the score was. Tbh, turn this story into a manga and I’d eat it up with spoons, though perhaps a bit reluctantly because of the trigger warning. After all this time, the repetitive Fur Elise sample still does this no favors at all.
Tied for 11th Place
Submitted by ddlc
Score: 8.4

Hearts Like Ours by The Naked and Famous

Went and rule 7ed this away from the literally buzzy mv, hope you don’t mind. Very CHVRCHES, very nice. Does have a bit of a tendency to slide off my mind like a glancing blow, tho.
Tied for 11th Place
Submitted by Schia
Score: 8.4

Pavlov’s Daughter by Regina Spektor

Regina, honey, what are you doing? There we go, I thought the whole thing was gonna be acapella rap. Somebody gonna say I’m robbing this like I’m Dick Turpin.
10th Place
Submitted by MNIN
Score: 8.5

Smells Like Content by The Books

Neat beat. The run-on cadence almost doesn’t hit the mark with me.
Tied for 8th Place
Submitted by Aladyyn
Score: 8.6

Karmageddon (The Suffering Silence) by Skyclad

Well, now I know two songs that were recorded in an abandoned highway tunnel. Aside from the guitars overpowering the lyrics at points (I am straining a bit to hear how it hits the brief), this is a pretty cool song.
Tied for 8th Place
Submitted by Salt
Score: 8.6

Unmasked! by The Mountain Goats

How have I never gotten a Mountain Goats song before now, with THIS crowd? Beats the hell outta me.
Tied for 6th Place
Submitted by Martin
Score: 8.7

Windmills of Your Mind by Noel Harrison

Oh, gee, how 60s of you. Quite pleasant. Wait, I’ve heard this song before, though I think it was Sting's cover in the Thomas Crown Affair remake.
Tied for 6th Place
Submitted by shub
Score: 8.7

Salam by Sogand

As dancy as Polish Cow and twice as cool. I think Google Translate did a decent job of translating the lyrics for me. I noticed the idioms were mostly preserved, interesting phrases like “kill every fear a hundred times”, “I got two wings from happiness”, and “it is my law after the law of war, but the winner is the one who can fight calmly and coolly”. Can’t say I’ll ever be anything close to fluent in Persian, though. Drop me into this song blind and I wouldn’t know a participle from my high school principal, so this had the potential to tank without that extra elbow grease. Which feels kinda bad when this song sounds so catchy and chill. So let’s call it a 9, minus a third of a point for being lost in translation.
5th Place
Submitted by termi
Score: 8.8

Clara by Scott Walker

Ah, I remember this artist. The backing’s almost suffocating at points, but there is a clear and palpable narrative being spun here and it’s quite fascinating.
4th Place
Submitted by Skook
Score: 8.9

Specialist by Interpol

Very laid back and chill. Well, I said it was super chill, but then it picks up and I’m hooked. The only way you could turn me off from Interpol right now is show me the Evil music video. Not the song, the puppet’s teeth, buhhh. And this is just the B-side!
3rd Place
Submitted by nutella
Score: 9.0

Third of May / Ōdaigahara by Fleet Foxes

In the nicest way possible, I’m getting Sgt. Pepper vibes from the key and cadence of this song. Then it gets very quiet and introspective and starts pulling away from that touchstone. Beautifully pleasant.
2nd Place
Submitted by Bloody
Score: 9.1

Jigsaw by That1Guy

Nice voice. Very Beck vibes here. By which I mean I have no idea what he’s getting at but I dig it. This funky beat is growing on me. I actually went and added this to the gaming playlist, though I’d be hard pressed to say exactly why. Talk about a dark horse sub.
1st Place
Submitted by Logic
Score: 9.2

Holy Diver by Dio

Yes. Fuck yes. Why wouldn’t you sub this. This song fucking rocks. Call me cheesy if you want, but I’m a real sucker for this song.

Our outros are Keep Off The Lawn by Aesop Rock and Can't Stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers.
 
Means to an end? No! An end to the means!

RB, Hollow, and Skook are lean, mean podium machines. But we still have one last chance to shake things up, if you get my meaning!

Speaking of meta fours, our final round is 4/10, Needs More Fours. We’ll play a rousing game of Connect Four on Friday the 12th at 4pm CST.

 
4OTF FINALE: 4/10, Needs More Fours

15 contestants subbed for this round.

Our headers are Panic Station by Muse and Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na) by My Chemical Romance.

15th Place
Submitted by DLE
Score: 7.7

four by FAKY

Qualifier(s): 4 in title, 4 in lyrics, 4 letter title, 4 letter artist, 4th ED song of an anime

Show of hands, who thought of Vanessa Carlton when this song started? I think I could get into it…if I had some extra time and a few Dos Equis. And also some extra extra time to get over the fact that the timestamp lied to me. ):<
14th Place
Submitted by Lectrys
Score: 7.9

Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 4 - Movement 4 by Frédéric Chopin and performed by Idil Biret

Qualifier(s): composer’s 4th opus, 4th movement of a classical piece

So this is the finale of the piece. Certainly has a sense of movement to it. But it doesn’t really feel like it’s moving towards anything with a sense of finality, until it’s suddenly there in the last twenty seconds. I think I was expecting something a bit more vigorous.
13th Place
Submitted by Salt
Score: 8.4

How To Make Gravy by Paul Kelly

Qualifier(s): 4 word title, 4 in timestamp, released on the 4th of the month, track from a 4 track EP

Interesting voice, a bit reminiscent of Bob Dylan.
12th Place
Submitted by MNIN
Score: 8.5

4th Gen by Guitar Fight from Fooly Cooly

Qualifier(s): 4 in title

The vocals have a buzzy quality to them that I’m not sure if I like or not. My fool ass thought 4th Gen was the band name… I was starting to wonder what this had to do with FLCL.
11th Place
Submitted by shub
Score: 8.6

I'm Fat by Choi Hangseok and the Boogie Monster

Qualifier(s): 4 in timestamp, 4 in lyrics

How do you say “Yeah, me too” in Korean? This is a slower tempo than I was expecting. Interesting.
Tied for 9th Place
Submitted by Karma
Score: 8.7

4 no Uta by BABYMETAL

Qualifier(s): 4 in title, 4 in timestamp, 4 in lyrics (Japanese), subject matter: the stigma of the number 4 in Japanese culture

Once again, you had me at Babymetal. The bridge is interesting, but it breaks me out of the trance.
Tied for 9th Place
Submitted by Schia
Score: 8.7

26 Is Dancier Than 4 by TTNG

Qualifier(s): 4 in title, 4 in timestamp, band with 4 members (at time of recording), 4 letter artist (formerly 4 word artist)

Math rock? Math rock. If every sub is as good as this, I’mma have a hard time with ranking and scoring. Voice is nice at the start, but wears on me a bit as the song continues.
Tied for 7th Place
Submitted by Bloody
Score: 8.8

thunderBOLTfantasy by Sawano Hiroyuki

Qualifier(s): lyrics were composed as a four line stanza

Electronic beats and epic orchestra make for a very interesting combination. I suppose it’s rather fitting for a series that exists outside of the standard formats. Now that Funimation and Crunchyroll have had their own interesting combination, maybe it’s high time I check this series out for myself.
Tied for 7th Place
Submitted by nutella
Score: 8.8

Parallel 4 by Four Tet

Qualifier(s): 4 in title, 4 in artist name, 4 in timestamp, 4th track on an album

Percussion’s tight like a tiger. This is kind of like if prog tried to be a bit more subtle about it. Musically interesting, but I feel like I’m satisfied without a repeat.
Tied for 5th Place
Submitted by Martin
Score: 8.9

Katte Nakou Ze! by T-Pistonz+KMC

Qualifier(s): 4th OP of an anime

Reminder to self: don’t judge by the video. Not that I really need to. This song is pretty cool even without the band dancing around in costumes.
Tied for 5th Place
Submitted by termi
Score: 8.9

I Found That Essence Rare by Gang of Four

Qualifier(s): 4 in artist name, 4 in lyrics

Those guitars are certainly jangly in the start. Everything else sounds like some fine 70s punk music. I feel like I need to spam the argickJam emote while I listen to this.
4th Place
Submitted by Aladyyn
Score: 9.0

444 by Crippled Black Phoenix

Qualifier(s): 4 in title, 4 in timestamp, band with 4 members

Thought this was in mono for a hot second. Nice vocals, nice guitars, and the violin is pretty nice, too. Oh, and nice harmonies. Loved that transition in the middle eight, just really makes that back half all the sweeter. That last sample made me laugh.
3rd Place
Submitted by ddlc
Score: 9.1

No title by REOL

Qualifier(s): 4 in timestamp, released in 2014

I was groovin’ to this until I remembered they’re the same group that did that awful Luvatory song. And then I went right back to groovin’ cuz this one’s a banger.
2nd Place
Submitted by C7
Score: 9.2

Dancing Queen by Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, & Christine Baranski

Qualifiers: 4 in timestamp, 4th track on an album

You should have seen the look on my face when you threw something off my perennial road trip album of choice at me. Top kek. This actually might not have done as well if you had sent me the actual ABBA song. Though I bet this'll put a few of the other contestants in the mood to deny me shotgun from now on, let alone radio privileges.
1st Place
Submitted by Logic
Score: 9.4

Hangar 18 by Megadeth

Qualifier(s): track from 4th studio album, band with 4 members, released on 4th of the month

Forgive me for being blasphemous, but there are times where a good guitar solo moves me more than the spirit does. My God but this is some fantastic shred. I just caught myself doing air guitar. The power of metal compels you!

Our outros are Murder City by Green Day and Wild Wild Life by Talking Heads.
 
Ladies, theydies, and gentlemen… after what feels like fourever… ahem.

The winner of Four On The Floor Walrus is…


KARMADOPE!!!!

And congratulations to nutella and Martin for finishing on the podium!

Despite all the hiccups and hiatuses, you stuck it out to the end and I’d like to thank you all for that.
 

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