Jop Tournament Round 2.2

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The second half of round 2!

I think for round 3 rather than trot through more one-on-one matches there might well be some kind of second group stage. We will see on Thursday!


[Poll #926319]


And now over to Lex for the spluttering with horror viewpoint.

Comments

My vote has no meaning

[koganbot]

I don't think my votes in this round signal much about my sensibility. I mean, "Oh, he chose 'Billie Jean' over 'Ghost Town,' that must mean _____?" Well, what does it mean? I'd have chosen "Billie Jean" over "Push It!" too (though with a moment's hesitation). Anyhoo:

"Tainted Love" vs. "Cannonball." I keep forgetting how good "Cannonball" is when I don't listen to it. Which means it never really sticks in my heart. "Tainted" is oh-so mannered and sensitive, which can be irritating, except I think Soft Cell succeeded in being funny instead, with a Pang Of Tangy Ache as well. Tick for "Tainted." Lex, "S.O.S." doesn't rank w/ "Pon De Replay" but several months into 2006 it was one of the few new tracks on Radio Disney that was standing out against the vast swell of HSM/Cheetah Girls mediocrity.

"Buffalo Stance" vs. "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." "Stance" is playful in a way that does kind of ram its playfulness into your eyesocket, but the eyes are mostly pleased, as are the ears. "Girls" rams its fun down your throat, too overbearing (though I like it, mind you). Stance Tick.

"Billie Jean" vs. "Ghost Town." "Billie Jean" is a stylish sexy delight, whereas "Ghost Town" is dark and haunted and haunting and angry - except that Billie Jean is ALSO dark and haunted and haunting and angry, far more so than "Ghost Town."

"Work It" vs. "Smells Like Teen Spirit." "Work It" is too cute for me. I love Smelly's melody and the way Kurt's voice drags slowly over the beats. Don't love the whine in it; do love the raging tear-it-up exhilarating anquished denial at the end, ranks with the ending of "I Am Me" and "Frankenstein" and "Light My Fire" and "I'm Eighteen" and "Satisfaction." The whine might have sunk it for me against other competitors, but not against "Work It."

"Running Up That Hill" vs. "Push It." Tick it reeeal good. Salt n Pepa are flying. K8 sounds like she's running up a hill.

"Groove Is In The Heart" vs. "Word Up." Yeah, Deelite's cold bohemian detachment sinks this energetic dance track against Cameo's cold bohemian funk detachment. (My most meaningful vote, obviously.)

"West End Girls" vs. "Genie In A Bottle." PSBs are poignant but still rub me the wrong way. Xtina on a passionate pitch.

"Toxic" vs. "1 Thing" vs. "Justified And Ancient." KLF have a nice beat and melody which they ruin with their arch idiocy. So it's "Toxic" and its funny catchy codependency against "1 Thing"'s absolutely catchy me-vs.-the-beats comic dance delight. So why didn't I vote for "1 Thing"? Amerie's voice is too stylized, I guess.