tournament Survivor: ATRL Edition (Season 7) | REUNION TIME!

[Loyalty]

8 minutes ago, T-Swizz said:

I'm the only judge finished 

Oh wow, we love a fast judge

 

[Aciid]

He always finishes fast

 

 

[Dylan']

Finished. Waiting on eLIARment and rLIAR231.

 

Edited November 16, 2017 by Dylan'

[rl231]

Update on my scores: I'm done. 

 

Three of you are tied for my top score, but no one got 10s.

 

Waiting on Element to finish his! In the meantime, DO YOUR BOOTLISTS AND SURVEYS!

[Element]

halfway done

[True Skarlet]

Perched.

 

[Aciid]

[talent]

[rl231]

18 minutes ago, Aciid said:

Maybe in the meantime, you should do your survey

 

Edited November 17, 2017 by rl231

[Element]

finished

 

[Element]

8/2013

[talent]

[Aciid]

8 minutes ago, rl231 said:

Maybe in the meantime, you should do your survey

 

 

 

 

[Rhisiart]

[rl231]

Spoiler

@Marvin @Kathlen♡ @Rhisiart @wesleywalrus @Aciid @Fruity @Riri. @Lucky#17 @talent

 

Welcome castaways to your 13th results show! Below will be the rates of each entry from all four judges. You were all rated on a scale of 1 to 10. Your average score will be combined into an average which will determine who wins the challenge.

After I reveal the scores, I will post the final results which will include how you ranked against all castaways, and finally the overall rankings this round.

The one with the highest average score this round will win immunity.

With that said, here are the scores…

 

Marvin - Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me

Spoiler

Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me EP

 

 

1. Smoke & Mirrors

2. Cry Baby

3. Daddy Issues

4. Games

5. Tell Me You Love Me

6. Hitchhiker

7. Sexy Dirty Love

 

My idea with this EP was to create a progressing love story. Let's set the scene: Demi has been dating this guy on and off for a while and things haven't exactly been going well. She's at the point where she starts to question their entire relationship, and has to figure out if this relationship is worth caring about and putting effort into.

 

The EP opens with Smoke & Mirrors, where Demi clearly wonders "did you ever really love me?" She wants to know if she has been wasting her time or if this guy is as invested into them as she is; if it's all just smoke and mirrors. Demi clearly has feelings for this guy, and hopes he feels the same way. Cry Baby sees Demi confessing that this guy is different from her past relationships; he's more important than the other ones were. "My heart is the hardest to break," she wails throughout the chorus. This relationship has led her to cry and feel pain like no other relationship has. She even acknowledges that this guy may be no good for her ("you and I get along like fire to a plane", "break up to make up"), but she doesn't care: she's in love.

 

Daddy Issues takes it a step further, with her nearly admitting that this guy is pretty much bad for her, but because of the relationship issues she had with her father, she's become attached to him. She knows he's "unavailable" and that he won't be invested into their relationship like she wants, but she still has hope. ("you know how to leave, but I really believe that you'd change it for me"). We move onto Games, where Demi has had enough of this guy playing with her and tells him straight-up: "come on, say what you wanna say." She's not gonna allow anything less from him anymore; she simply wants him to reciprocate what she's been giving. 

 

Demi has said all of this to say... Tell Me You Love Me! This is the climax of the the EP and the part where the guy finally gets it. She is practically begging him on this song, but that's what it took for him to understand. Demi doesn't want their relationship, no matter how convoluted, to ever end ("I hope I never see the day that you move on and be happy without me"). By the end of this song, Demi has what she wants, and we finally have a happy couple. Demi professes her love for this guy on Hitchhiker, where she reveals the problems she's had in the past no longer matter because she has him ("I was stranded, I was all alone ... until you came and picked me up"). This song is pretty clear and straightforward: no matter where he goes, Demi will follow ("Go anywhere you wanna go ... 'cause as long as you're the driver I'm your hitchhiker"). This guy has changed her world for the better ("you make me live in the moment"), and she doesn't want to lose him. Sexy Dirty Love closes the EP in a fitting way: time for a little fun! After all of that, Demi just wants let loose and "watch their bodies intertwine." Its upbeat nature is perfect for ending this happily ever after story.

---

I don't think any of the other songs on the album would have worked with the theme I chose to give the EP. Sorry Not Sorry and Instruction have nothing to do with love or relationships, so they were obviously not going to be included. You Don't Do It For Me Anymore is the opposite of what I wanted to convey; on this song, she doesn't want to be in a relationship anymore (it's also more specifically about her past drug addiction). Ruin The Friendship is about a friendship... Only Forever reads more like a new relationship, rather than an established one. I personally don't like Lonely. Concentrate possibly could've taken the place of Hitchhiker but I felt like Hitchhiker was a bit more detailed (and better!). Ready for Ya just doesn't fit since she IS ready for him. No Promises, like Only Forever, is more about the beginning stages of a relationship.

 

Not only that, but those 7 also just so happen to be my favorites on this album. This EP is a love story told through quality music.

• Element
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 4.5 - There’s actually a lot of consistent quality on the entire album, so it must have been hard to make the cuts here. I think that you picked logical choices based on the storyline that you were going for. I do worry that you sacrificed a bit of sonic focus due to this story -- for example, one criticism I have is that you start off the album with two comparatively slower songs, which in a short EP like this could risk not capturing the attention of the listener like an upbeat tune might do at the beginning. And then, while I understand why they didn’t make it in, Sorry Not Sorry and Ruin the Friendship are two of the best songs from the full album and it was weird not seeing them here! I love that you put Games in though - it’s one of my faves from the album.
  • Explanation - 2.5 - I really liked your storyline and also how you utilized direct quotes from the lyrics to support your narrative. I just wish you could have gone into the sonic aspects of the explanation a little more.
  • Total - 8/10
• rl231
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 3.5 - Sorry Not Sorry would’ve worked better than Sexy Dirty Love or Games for me, at least thematically and sonically. I also feel that You Don’t Do It For Me Anymore could’ve fit incredibly well and probably over Smoke & Mirrors too, as it’s the better track and would’ve leant itself to a different, albeit better theme. Finally, WHERE IS RUIN THE FRIENDSHIP?! It would’ve worked much better than Games too.
  • Explanation - 2.5 - I do think the story actually hurt you a tad because it limited your explanations when the songs were more than what you described, but a tad = a tad.
  • Total - 7
• T-Swizz
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 5.5
  • Explanation - 2.5
  • Total - 9
  • Critique: I thought I was going blind because I could not seem to find Smoke & Mirrors ANYWHERE on Apple Music (thanks for giving us the YouTube link!). Despite the minor setback, I could quickly see why you chose it as the opener, it’s a desperate plea for clarity in a relationship that’s slowly collapsing on itself. She seems to be extremely self-aware of her destructive impulses (and the documentary makes that abundantly clear) so Daddy Issues naturally falls in line with that state of mind. Demi takes to power ballads like Lady Gaga takes to coke so I was pleasantly surprised at how tame some of these cuts were. The sole issue I had with the tracklist was Hitchhiker, which was evidently about hooking up with a stranger but you went through some intense mental gymnastics to make it seem like it was anything but. I also wish you went for a less generic storyline as you definitely had the material. Something like “She’s willing to throw away a perfectly good platonic relationship (“Ruin the Friendship”) and take an emotional leap with a stranger (“Hitchhiker”) because she knows she can always rely on herself.” I enjoyed how you clarified why the other cuts didn’t make it onto the EP towards the end but “You Don’t Do It For Me” could’ve been swapped out for “CryBaby” because it’s clearly superior and the twist of her almost leaving but then choosing to mend the relationship would’ve kept the listener on the edge of their seat (hihi Lemonade) and ultimately help make the story a bit more interesting. This was a great entry nonetheless, keep it up.
• Dylan
  • Name/Title/Cover - Remember when she made this cover only for the UK?
  • Tracklist - 4/6 - I feel like you really LIMITED yourself with the story you chose. Not every album has to tell a story from track 1 to track 12. Not many albums tell stories chronologically to begin with. I think you could've just focused on love and relationships and the different emotions they bring rather than trying to force this story to work by including tracks that aren't the strongest on the album. Smoke & Mirrors opening any project is weird. Sorry Not Sorry is Demi's biggest hit to date so it's weird to axe it for Games which is very similar thematically. I like the inclusion of Cry Baby, TMYLM, Hitchhiker, and Daddy Issues. Smoke & Mirrors could've worked. I just wasn't here for it being an opener. Sexy Dirty Love is a cute bop but I think it's an odd closer and it's not nearly one of the strongest on the album so... it could have gone as well.
  • Explanation - 2.5/3 - Your explanation was one of the better ones. But, because of how much the tracklist mattered this round point-wise, your score may not reflect that.
  • Total: 7.5/10

 

Kathlen - Dua Lipa - Dua Lipa

Spoiler

On 11/13/2017 at 1:17 PM, Kathlen♡ said:

Dua Lipa - 'Dua Lipa' (EP)

 

 

TRACKLIST

1. Genesis

2. Be The One

3. Lost In Your Light (featuring Miguel)

4. New Rules

5.Blow Your Mind

6. Hotter Than Hell

7. Bad Together

8. Last Dance

 

 

EXPLANATION 

 

Genesis

i feel like It’s the perfect opening track, it starts with in the Beginning, and it’s a catchy and upbeat song that i feel like captures the entire EPs style.

 

Be The One and Lost In Your Light 

 I choose to put these two tracks on the EP because they are both are amazing songs, they also both have an upbeat, but laid back sound to them which i really liked, and felt like was good after Genesis.

 

New Rules and Blow Your Mind (Mwah)

 From the first time you hear these two tracks they sound like instant smashes, both songs are upbeat songs with a big chorus, and after the laid back sound from BTO and LIYL that’s just what you need.

 

Hotter Than Hell and Bad Together

HTH is a very upbeat song, while BT is more of a mid tempo song, but they still compliments each other a lot, they also both have a very big chorus where you can really feel the raw emotions in Dua Lipa's voice. The two tracks are also both very strong, and thats just what you need after NR and BYM

 

Last Dance

The EP closing track is Last Dance, and just like the EPs first song had, in the beginning in the lyrics, this one has last, and i feel like that’s really great in a way.

 

The song itself is an amazing closing track, its a midtempo song with a  tropical like drop in the chorus that just gives you a feeling of closure.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Overall

All of these songs are amazing in their own ways, and yet they all compliments each other and that’s why i choose these songs to be on EP. 

 

 

 ♥

 

 

• Element
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5 - LOVE this
  • Tracklist - 4 - I definitely think you could have thrown in at least one ballad just to show the different flavors of Dua’s artistry - Homesick would have been cute. I think you relied a bit too heavily on the songs that were released as singles. It’s certainly not a bad mix of songs, but it could have been more diverse.
  • Explanation - 1 - This could have been a lot stronger… You hit the bare minimum with sound descriptions, but could have definitely expanded on lyrics and how everything connected together within the EP. I feel like overall this entry is a good skeletal foundation for success but it wasn’t built up enough, especially as we move into the middle of the merge.
  • Total - 6/10
• rl231
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 5 - I feel like you missed an opportunity to not differentiate your EP with something a bit softer like Thinking ‘Bout You or Homesick (WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT). It’s all either uptempo or midtempo, but a range would’ve helped you here.
  • Explanation - 1 - Yeah, this could’ve been 100x better. You said why you put the songs in, which is fine, but I need more actual reasoning or some story to weave everything together. It just seems that you put songs that should’ve been on an EP as they were the best, but that’s it.
  • Total - 7
• T-Swizz
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist -  3
  • Explanation - 1
  • Total - 5
  • Critique: When there’s an objective storyline that you curate for an EP, it gets extremely difficult for us to pick apart your tracklist. Fortunately for me, this is based off the “quality” of the songs so I can simply base this off personal taste! This wasn’t a cohesive body of work and there was no clear theme, you simply cherry picked the ones you thought were “catchy” and “upbeat”. Mediocre tracklist and explanation. Disappointing because this was one of my favorite albums this year so I had high expectations :(
• Dylan
  • Name/Title/Cover - 1/1
  • Tracklist - 5/6 - Yes @ Bad Together making the cut. However, literally KILL yourself at Lost In Your Light also making the cut. The other tracks were all very cute though.
  • Explanation - 1/3 - I ADORE you but you had no reasoning besides "i like this song" for basically every song. There was no core theme or story being told. Bodies of work don't always have a central theme, but they should. Especially in a round where you have the option to create one. You're lucky you chose the right tracks for the most part.
  • Total: 7/10

 

Fruity - Katy Perry - Witness

Spoiler

On 11/15/2017 at 1:50 AM, Fruity said:

Fortitude, The EP

By Katy Perry

 

 

1. Swish Swish

2. Roulette

3. Deja Vu

4. Witness

5. Tsunami

6. Power

7. Bigger Than Me

8. Chained To The Rhythm

 

fortitude

ˈfɔːtɪtjuːd/

noun

1. courage in pain or adversity.

 

Katy Perry's new EP, Fortitude, will focus on the story of her journey through a traumatic, damaging and potentially abusive relationship. It begins with Katy on the offensive - confident and bragging - before delivering her through a bumpy romantic road of risk, isolation, delusion and desperation before delivering her along a path to recovery and realisation within the unfortunate nature of the world around her.

 

1. Swish Swish

"Swish, swish, bish! Another one in the basket." Katy is on top of the world here, displaying strength, bragging, fighting back, superficially dissing others, and by her own admission she "stays winning." Sonically, it is exciting, single worthy, with invigorating production. We are thrown into a futuristic, all encompassing experience from the second this song begins, and so it's the perfect opener.

 

2. Roulette

Roulette is an undeniable gem of Witness the LP, and by all accounts one of the most experimental and successful songs of Katy's entire career. The engaging and futuristic production continues appropriately from Swish Swish, but steps it up a notch. Lyrically, the song is themed around gambling and risk. Katy introduces to a dangerous and exhilarating relationship: "Wanna close my eyes and roll it with you / Like roulette, oh oh / Wanna lose control and forget with you." Katy admits she is "flirting with fire", intoxicated by lust and the glamorous lifestyle. "Let's roll it!" she says with confidence and her hair down.

 

3. Deja Vu

This is where the record gets a lil deep! Deja Vu continues with its successful interpolation of deep housey beats - and a large sense of life remains, but the vibe is more sinister. Unfortunately, by the third track, the novelty of this glitzy and unsustainable lifestyle has worn off. The opening line: "I live off the echoes of your I love yous" makes it immediately clear that the relationship had not been built to last. She is confused, "insane" and "running on a loop" of despair and cyclical negativity.

 

4. Witness

The original title track of Witness the LP is the most popular album track, and rightlfully so. While I do not believe it had the necessary punch of an opener, it is still arguably the jewel of the album, and so rightly it is placed in the middle. The beautiful minor piano chords repeating throughout the song are soft, soothing, but also sorrowful, regretful, and melancholic. By this point, Katy is dejected, and needs support. She is looking for a witness to help her get through this.

 

5. Tsunami

Tsunami is undoubtedly a fan favourite track. It is easily the outstanding ballad of Witness, and the only one I've included on Fortitude, since Katy's ballad writing skills leave more than a little to be desired. However, on Tsunami, Katy avoids extremely cringey lyrics that Witness has become infamous for, and delivers us through a delicate journey of wonder, where she yearns for comfort, love, and details paradisiacal imagery. Unfortunately in the context of the EP, this is all make believe, and Katy is in denial, dreaming of being cleansed of the past, and idealising a better future as a coping mechanism.

 

6. Power

In Power, Katy begins to regain a sense of herself. We immediately hear the return of the futuristic, intricate production earlier in the EP. The song is sonically a little all over the place, not uncomfortably, but perhaps slightly unsettlingly, which makes for an intriguing listen. This is most definitely a fight back song: "I was fine before I met you / But you took control of a vulnerable song / You can't clip my wings, can't wilt my powers / I'm done with you siphoning my power." However the lyrics avoid cheese and deliver an extremely powerful message.

 

7. Bigger Than Me

This is a controversial choice, but I think the song is a fascinating and valuable mid tempo with intricate, minimalistic production and some of the strongest lyrical content on the album. Her words are particularly authentic and powerful here. The song reeks of realisation, and rejuvenation and eventually redemption, with a strong sense of light at the end of the tunnel, "I can feel it beaconing," she says. Katy is "evolving," and undergoes a transformation that she has to move away from her previous lifestyle and become a more mature, sophisticated individual in the wider world which is, of course, bigger than her.

 

8. Chained To The Rhythm

The lead single of Witness, Chained To The Rhythm closes Fortitude the EP with a sense of closure and triumphant wokeness. Katy has been through her journey and emerged with a sense of positivity and growth on the other side. CTTR is upbeat, clever and contextually appropriate in a political climate of the 2010s decade where we are blinded by the media, and many are unaware or unappreciative of the struggles of others. This song delivers an interesting satirical take on this: "dance, dance, dance to the distortion!" is a standout lyric. This song is not the megasmash that we are used to from a Katy lead single but it's absolutely still an ear-worm, single worthy, and closes the EP nicely.

 

Reasons for not choosing other songs:

Bon Appetit: It's catchy, sure. But it's also vapid, lyrically extremely embarrassing, annoying to listen to, and doesn't fit the vibe of Fortitude.

Hey Hey Hey: Kinda catchy but see above, it's still embarrassing and lyrically weak. No place for it.

Pendulum: It's okay, very inoffensive, but it sounds cheesy and very forgettable.

Mind Maze: I actually like this song quite a lot, it is lyrically strong, but I did my research and realised that it's easily the least favoured track on Witness by ATRL. So it's excluded.

All the other boring ballads: Are literally trash, they all drag, with multiple humiliating lyrical moments.

 

 

• Element
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 5.5 - Okay first of all. I need to say that Witness is such an underrated album by like, everyone, and that if anyone else had put it out, it would have received much warmer critical reception!! Just my two cents! I think that the songs that made it onto your EP are pretty much the best ones you could have chosen. BIGGER THAN ME IS A GEM AND TOP 3 ON THE ALBUM THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING IT. Almost all of the songs that you cut (especially the crappy ballads) were justified... My only complaint about this tracklist is that Mind Maze could have fit into your theme very well around the time of her low point; however, I’m not sure which song it would have replaced either? I think that the flow of the EP makes sense and matches with your storyline, although Swish Swish as an opener is kind of weird but I see how it works. Great job overall. PS - Roulette is that bop that should be a massive hit worldwide but will probably remain an album track bc Katy hates me.
  • Explanation - 3 - Excellent writing per usual and I really appreciated how you traced both the sonic and lyrical journey throughout the EP. This is the kind of eye-opening pop I was looking for.
  • Total - 9.5/10
• rl231
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5  
  • Tracklist - 5 - Glad you put on Power! I’m going to say the same thing I said to Kathlen in that I was looking for more of a range of sounds if you will, which you partially delivered, but I think you should’ve put one of the more “boring” ballads. Personally, I don’t think that they’re boring and add a bit of a different vibe to it all. Save as Draft would’ve been awesome on here, and although it would’ve been a different fit thematically to the EP, you put Tsunami on there, which is pretty different from the rest of the EP.
  • Explanation - 3 - No complaints here; you destroyed this part!
  • Total - 9
• T-Swizz
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist -  5
  • Explanation - 3
  • Total - 9
  • Critique: You took a more creative approach to this challenge, which is exactly what I was looking for. However, the more I read it, the less the tracklist started to make sense. I understand the allure of ensuring ATRL favorites are included, but a more cohesive album that logically coincides with your theme would have resulted in a better product. Tsunami, although a great track and a personal favorite, stuck out like a sore thumb. Your explanation was also far too convoluted. Mind Maze would have been PERFECT for your theme and the production sets the mood that perfectly encapsulates your description. Choosing a track due to it’s popularity as opposed to it’s quality hurts me on a spiritual level #MusicNotTheBling.  
• Dylan
  • Name/Title/Cover - 1/1 - Should've been the cover to begin with.
  • Tracklist - 6/6 - There literally isn't 8 good songs on Witness to begin with. But, I think you chose correctly all around. I actually like Bigger Than Me also. And though I kinda live for Bon Appetit, it sort of put the casket on this era as a whole so it was probably a good choice to leave it off. Horrible album btw.
  • Explanation - 3/3 - I thought your explanation was one of the strongest. The project had a purpose and you executed it well by not just describing the songs thematically, but also sonically.
  • Total: 10/10

wesleywalrus - Halsey - Hopeless Fountain Kingdom

Spoiler

On 11/14/2017 at 3:16 AM, wesleywalrus said:

 

Halsey - Hopeless EP

 

1. 100 Letters

2. Sorry 

3. Eyes Closed 

4. Bad At Love 

5. Heaven in Hiding 

6. Alone

7. Strangers 

8. Hopeless 

 

To me, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom is a great album, however I decided to slim the album down and rebrand it a bit. 

'Hopeless' sounds more direct and intriguing and less confusing than adding 'fountain kingdom' to the title.

By doing this, more people would probably be attracted to listen to the EP. 

 

-

 

The album's first track, 100 Letters, is a power ballad about a couple trying to save their failing relationship. This sets up a scenario of a hopeless life, as Halsey mumbles "it's too late, it's too late" repeatedly in the pre-chorus and the outro. This story is the perfect way to start of the overbearing them of the EP - being hopeless. 

 

Sorry dives into Halsey's hopeless mind as she reflects upon her actions and insecurities in a relationship and if she'll ever be able to love again. Halsey has hinted that this song is about the battle in her head with her bipolar disorder - and how her mind doesn't believe things even when presented with a certain situation.

 

Next, Eyes Closed examines Halsey's hopeless past as she describes being with a current lover, but imaging her old lover instead. Continuing after Eyes Closed, Bad At Love describes multiple of Halsey's past hopeless relationships and how each one failed. Each relationship, Halsey thought the partner could fix her broken self, but they failed for different reasons. 

 

Heaven In Hiding is the first part of a three-part trilogy of songs in the latter half of the EP. The song is about two people being hopelessly in love, but they end up hiding the love they share for one another, like the famous play Romeo & Juliet, which the EP is inspired by. 

 

The second part of the trilogy is Alone, a song about Halsey's hopeless self, as she exclaims to her potential lover that "as soon as you meet me, you'll wish you never did." The song allows the listener to understand the hopelessness in Halsey's mind as she describes her problem with alcohol in the second verse and how even though there are millions of people around her at parties and in crowds, that her hopeless self is "still alone in my mind." 

 

The third part ends with Strangers, a collaboration with Lauren Jauregui of Fifth Harmony. In this song, the lovers meet at Halsey's house party, but in the end realize their feelings are hopeless for one another, as the relationship is not working. Even though they miss the mornings, memories and the thought of one another, Halsey and Lauren end with saying "You lost it", which ends the relationship for good.

 

Finally, the title track Hopeless examines Halsey's life and she writes how being hopeless right now is just temporary, and not a long period or for the rest of her life. As Halsey repeats "I hope hopeless changes over time," the listener can only help but feel optimistic that Halsey can leave her journey of the toxic relationships in her life behind, and finally see some hope in her future. 

 

 

• Element
  • Artist/Title - 0.5 - i like the rebrand
  • Cover Art - 0.5 - cute
  • Tracklist - 5 - I like 100 Letters as the opener. It has a very introductory vibe to it and it’s a good quality song. I am not a fan of putting Sorry as the follow-up, however. I think that kind of slows things down too much at the start and could have been saved for later on. The rest of the songs on there are pretty solid choices and they all work quite well with the theme you were going for. Heaven In Hiding is such a great pop song so I’m glad that was included. Now or Never not making it is a bit questionable. I personally love Walls Could Talk and Lie, but I know that they are kind of problematic to use in this setting since they’re short, so I’ll forgive you! Good job overall.
  • Explanation - 2 - I like the overall theme and I think you did a pretty good job explaining it. A few of the songs felt a bit rushed over in their descriptions, and I wish you would have touched on the sound of the EP too.
  • Total - 8/10
• rl231
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 5.5 - So the only glaring error, I see is that you didn’t include Now or Never and it probably could’ve been in place of, at least thematically, Heaven in Hiding.
  • Explanation - 2.5 - I really enjoyed your description and how it flowed, but the only thing that I didn’t necessarily like was the inclusion of the trilogy. I think it could’ve been explained in a different way that makes more sense to an overall theme of the EP. It felt like, “HERE’S A TRILOGY FOR YA.”
  • Total - 9
• T-Swizz
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 6
  • Explanation - 1.5
  • Total - 8.5
  • Critique: I thoroughly enjoyed this tracklist. It fits well with your theme and each track adds it’s own distinct flavor to the EP without seeming out of place. This is what a cohesive body of work looks like! You also managed to get a nice mix of sounds in there,I applaud you for sticking true to your theme and forgoing some fan favorites. Your description seemed a bit reductive at times and leaves much to be desired but other than that it was a great entry.
• Dylan
  • Name/Title/Cover - 1/1 - Cool cover.
  • Tracklist - 6/6 - While some people sacrificed multiple good songs to fit their concept, you only passed up on one (Don't Play). However, I can let that slide being that I don't think Don't Play is all that great and obviously it would have contradicted the entire EP. Hopeless is a dope closer, especially with it being the focus of the EP.
  • Explanation - 3/3 - Detailed but not unnecessarily detailed either.
  • Total: 10/10

Riri. - Ed Sheeran - ÷

Spoiler

On 11/14/2017 at 4:17 PM, Riri. said:

1. Artist Name + EP Title - .5 Pt.
Ed Sheeran - Divide ll
2. Cover Art - .5 Pt.

 

 

3. Tracklist - 6 Pts.

1. Perfect 
2. Shape of You
3. Dive 
4. Castle on the hill 
5. supermarket flowers 
6. What Do I Know? 
7. Eraser
8. Happier

4. Explanation - 3 Pts.
Perfect - because i’m perfect

Shape of you - its a good sound

dive - love how he sings on this

castle on the hill - voice is amazing

supermarket flowers - never heard this song before but i love it

what do i know - what do i know?

eraser - love the sound

happier - because i’m happy 

 

 

• Element
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5 - What is this lmao
  • Tracklist - 3.5 - I’m glad you chose Eraser, which is an overlooked jam. New Man/Galway Girl are questionable cuts… Barcelona might have been good to keep too. I think these tracks are not a bad mix, but the EP is just kind of randomly thrown together as far as order goes. Perfect definitely shouldn’t be the first song and transitioning from Eraser to Happier is clunky as a finale.
  • Explanation - 0.5 - you should sign up for Platinum Hit next season
  • Total - 5/10
• rl231
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 3.5 - I think you should’ve put How Would You Feel (Paean) and/or Galway Girl. Also, there’s no rhyme or reason to your order.
  • Explanation - 0.5 - AN EXPLANATION, MY ASS. Did you even care to give us anything for this? It’s like it’s a joke that you’re trying to play on us.
  • Total - 5
• T-Swizz
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 2
  • Explanation - 0.5  
  • Total - 3.5  because it’s bad
• Dylan
  • Name/Title/Cover - 1/1 - The cover is a rectangle?
  • Tracklist - 4/6 - Galway Girl? New Man?
  • Explanation - 0.5/3 - You wrote something, sure.
  • Total: 5.5/10

 

talent - Lorde - Melodrama

Spoiler

On 11/14/2017 at 8:26 PM, talent said:

 

In my personal opinion, Melodrama is a great album and every song is strong and key to the story told and the sound used to tell it. So, when creating this EP, I decided to retell the story told in Melodrama in the short format of an EP.

 

On the GREEN LIGHT EP, Lorde tells the story of the perfect on-and-off relationship and the movement throughout. This relationship is constantly in turmoil, explosively romantic in one moment and painfully sorrow in the next.

 

IM WAITING FOR IT, THAT GREEN LIGHT, I WANT IT

 

GREEN LIGHT is Lorde's sign to go. She's trying to manage the hard relationship she's in and can't decide if she should stay. The green light is both a symbol of the positive aspects of their connection, but also what is pushing Lorde away.

 

BUT WHAT WILL WE DO WHEN WE'RE SOBER?

 

SOBER is about trying to lose herself in the relationship, trying to have the time of her life with her King. It's easy to forget all their troubles and have their fun when they're inebriated, but not so easy to connect when they're sober.

 

BLOWING **** UP WITH HOMEMADE DYNAMITE

 

HOMEMADE DYNAMITE symbolizes the fireworks of her relationship and how some moments can be fiery and passionate, but the danger is still there

 

BROADCAST THE BOOM, BOOM, BOOM

 

THE LOUVRE continues the explosion motif as the boom, boom, boom of Lorde's heart is all she can hear. The boom is both a violent reminder of the hardships but also a reminder of how the good parts of her relationship drown out everything else.

 

IT'S JUST A SUPERCUT OF US

 

SUPERCUT is about how Lorde remembers all the great times that they've had together, but all it is is just a reconstruction of the good that she can piece together, and it ignores everything negative in between.

 

WHAT THE **** ARE PERFECT PLACES ANYWAY?

 

PERFECT PLACES are where Lorde wants to be; and being single is not somewhere that she can handle. So, she continues to be under the influence to keep this relationship going and salvage what she can.

 

 

 

• Element
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 6 - I think that you chose a very strong group of six songs, and the order they were placed in works perfectly too.
  • Explanation - 2 - The explanations were cute for each song, but I wish you could have been a bit more descriptive, especially in working to trace the sonic journey throughout the EP. It all makes sense from a storytelling perspective, and I also appreciated your colors haha.
  • Total - 9/10
• rl231
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 6
  • Explanation - 2
  • Total - 9
  • Critique: I actually thought that your tracklist was perfect and exactly how I would’ve done it too. I thought your descriptions were decent, but the only issue that I had were the oversimplifications. However, I did appreciate the story that you were weaving together, hence why I gave you a 2 in that area.
• T-Swizz
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 5.5
  • Explanation - 1.5
  • Total - 8
  • Critique: This is by far one of the best albums of the bunch and coincidentally my most played album of 2017 (check last.fm for receipts) so I have some strong opinions about the tracklist already but I might be swayed given how strong of an argument you’ve made. So the claim here is that Lorde’s tumultuous relationship is the core theme, okay nothing too creative or unique just yet (resembles Marvin’s storyline a bit). Maybe the descriptions add a distinctive element to this entry? “ the boom, boom, boom of Lorde's heart is all she can hear.”...nope. Overall, this was a decent EP but there wasn’t a single “a-ha!” moment where you made a unique connection between the tracks or to an already generic theme. Decent but not great.
• Dylan
  • Name/Title/Cover - 1/1
  • Tracklist - 6/6 - This album was one of the easiest to shorten and I don't even mean that in a shady way. It just has a number of tracks that support the larger meaning you have going on here. Liability was (rightfully) removed and well... nice job! It's hard to get full points on this part of the round.
  • Explanation - 2.5/3 - Sometimes I wish you had explained why rather than just describing what each track is about. But, it overall molds to support the story Lorde conveys in the album and now this EP.  
  • Total: 9.5/10

Lucky#17 - The Weeknd - Starboy

Spoiler

On 11/14/2017 at 7:26 PM, Lucky#17 said:

The Weeknd — Starboy

1. STARBOY FEATURING DAFT PUNK
2. SIDEWALKS FEATURING KENDRICK LAMAR
3. SIX FEET UNDER
4. SECRETS
5. A LONELY NIGHT
6. TRUE COLORS
7. STARGIRL INTERLUDE FEATURING LANA DEL REY
8. DIE FOR YOU
9. PARTY MONSTER

Starboy featuring Daft Punk: The song works perfectly as an opener as it does on the actual album. The way Abel has introduced this character is crucial to understanding the album (aside from it being the title track). Everything about the song (vocals, production, lyrics) is deeming of being the opener.

 

Sidewalks featuring Kendrick Lamar: This track follows the title track great, in my opinion. Though the title track has a bit of a chill vibe to it, there’s something very melancholic about it when you try seeing the depth of the song, instead for taking it at face value. The character Starboy clearly has rough experiences and more of a hard exterior — that’s what I get from the title track. “Sidewalks” flows in great, because now we see Abel expanding on those struggles. Starting with, “I ran out of tears when I was 18 / So nobody made me but the main streets.” Kendrick also brings a very raw contribution to the song, with his very extensive verse (“Flippin’ blue lightning, tightening, strapped with AK”). Sonically, the song also flows very well with the title track… giving a more melancholic sound and sounding a little more “stressed” compared to the little track, which is relaxed in a way.

 

Six Feet Under: “Six Feet Under” makes sense to follow “Sidewalks”. First off, the intro to the song sounds like it could be the outro of “Sidewalks”, for sure. Thematically the song is great because it’s about playing off on characters / maneuvering, only this time Abel is singing about a woman, not himself. It’s a nice switch-up that’s not random, and I found it to be one of the stronger fun-centered-songs on the album.

 

Secrets: “Secrets”, in my opinion, is one of the most memorable songs from the album. It’s a very effortless song, which I think is a great turn-around from the past three tracks, as we’ve been getting darker and darker sonically, with “Six Feet Under” being a peak in more “dark”-sounding production. While the song starts to bring a lighter sound back, it’s thematically cohesive with “Six Feet Under”.

 

A Lonely Night: The mood on this track is quite different compared to the first half of the EP. Being that this track would serve as the centerpiece, I really wanted to go for something different in terms of sound compared to the first three tracks. I didn’t want to go darker, then come to a lighter sound to have a random halt/regression. “A Lonely Night” is the funkiest track off the album, for sure. It’s a great fun climax. What makes it a bit differently lyrically / thematically from the first half of the EP is the fact that Abel is projecting some type of regret and remorse through these lyrics. “I loved you on a lonely night,” he confesses. The EP then goes onto showcase more emotional tracks, in comparison with the previous four songs.

 

True Colors: A little cute thing would be that this would specifically come after “A Lonely Night” since the title would be a good follow-up as he just confessed he only loved a woman on a specific evening. I also thought the sound was great, as we needed a distinct midtempo to come through at this point in the EP. Sonically, it flows really nice with “A Lonely Night” as they both don’t sound ‘now’ and have more of a throwback sound/approach.

 

Stargirl Interlude: I think this interlude is a perfect bridge between “True Colors” and “Die For You”.

 

Die For You: An obvious standout on the album. It would be criminal of me to leave this off.

 

Party Monster: “Party Monster” would be a great closer because I think it really captures the essence of the album perfectly. It has elements of both dark and light sounds; Abel sings about both fun and romance; Abel sounds relaxed, but is also faced with some conflict in the song (“I just need a girl who gon really understand”). Lana’s backing vocals also makes for the perfect outro of a project for me. Especially the "you're paranoid" portions. Maybe a lot of the chaos and havoc going on on this album was just a part of Abel's imagination... or ultra-psych tendencies.

 

• Element
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 5 - There’s a lot of good songs on the LP, and I think your tracklist is pretty good. I personally would have considered Reminder, Ordinary Life, or Rockin’ for the EP instead of Sidewalks and True Colors. Party Monster should def be given more limelight than just being pushed towards the back (unless it was 100% serving as the closer). Overall, the sonic flow is pretty good.
  • Explanation - 1.5 - The explanation is very confusing towards the end, as it doesn’t match the tracklist? Stargirl Interlude is included and I Feel It Coming is left out, plus the last few tracks are out of order. Overall, the descriptions started out very strong with great writing, and kind of tapered off as we progressed. A solid central theme could have helped in anchoring all of your thoughts.
  • Total - 7.5
• rl231
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 5
  • Explanation - 1.5
  • Total - 7.5
  • Critique: I wish Reminder and False Alarm were on there as I feel like they would just fit better on the EP than say A Lonely Night or even Stargirl Interlude. I do think what hurt you the most was the brevity in a couple of your descriptions that didn’t really help with a story or anything and the fact that you didn’t talk about I Feel It Coming!
• T-Swizz
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 5
  • Explanation - 2.5
  • Total - 8.5
  • Critique: You definitely focused more on a sonically cohesive EP as opposed strictly following a central theme lyrically. This feels like the most realistic entry and it was beautifully explained, the only issue I had was that others were able to formulate a sonically AND lyrically cohesive product with a strong theme to boot so this seems a bit lazy in comparison? I appreciate the diversity in sound but you could’ve spent a bit more time establishing the connection between the tracks and explaining the message you were trying to convey with this EP. Again if you’re ever unsure about whether you’re doing too much or too little I’m only a PM away!  
• Dylan
  • Name/Title/Cover - 1/1
  • Tracklist - 5/6 - Where's Rockin' at though? No other atrocities found though.
  • 
    Explanation - 2/3 - Not every project has a story to it. But, there's normally a central theme (or themes) focused on and I felt like you were a unfocused at times during your explanation. However, I like that you described the songs more than just thematically. Just wish there was a core message or experience you were trying to emphasize here.
  • Total: 8/10

 

Rhisiart - Lady Gaga - Joanne

Spoiler

On 11/14/2017 at 5:23 PM, Rhisiart said:

1. Artist Name + EP Title - .5 Pt.
 

Lady Gaga - Joanne EP

2. Cover Art - .5 Pt.

 

3. Tracklist - 6 Pts.

 

1. Million Reasons

2. Sinner's Prayer

3. Joanne

4. Grigio Girls

5. Hey Girl (feat. Florence Welsh)

6. Come To Mama

7. Angel Down (Work Tape)

4. Explanation - 3 Pts.

 

It was a very interesting process trying to take an album, pick it apart, and reassemble it into a shorter and compact piece. It was hard to juggle a tracklist that consisted of the 7 best songs on the album, and then rearrange it in a way where the tracklist makes sense and flows well. Particularly with this album Joanne, because it's a very personal album that covers a rather large variety of topics like love, friendship, family, and loss.

 

To start, I'll begin with the theme of the EP. For as much as this album is dedicated to Gaga's Aunt Joanne, it's also very much about Gaga herself, as Stefani Joanne. This album is her most personal to date. So, I wanted to go with a rather introspective and retrospective theme for the EP. This is about Gaga (or rather Stefani) finally showing everyone who she really is under all the glitz and glamour by baring her soul to us all. This is a look behind the curtain, to see who Stefani is as a person, her connection with Joanne as well as her family and friends, the values she holds dear and the things she believes in. It focuses on all of the various types of love Gaga has experienced throughout her life.

 

The decision to cut the most popular songs (which are also all of the pop-leaning, upbeat songs) from the album was a very rough decision that I mulled over for a while. The omission of Dancin' In Circles which is widely considered an album standout hurt in particular. In the battle between the best chunk of songs on the album and creating a cohesive concept, cohesion ended up winning in the end for me. I felt that the louder, more bombastic, and Gaga-esque songs on the album clashed a bit with the sort of "stripped-down" concept I was going for, sonically and lyrically.

 

I think it was important to start the EP on a strong note. Million Reasons was a very important song to Gaga this era, and it rightfully became a huge hit as a single. It probably encapsulates what makes Joanne as a project special. It sets the tone and mood for what Gaga will be doing musically this album perfectly, and it's catchy and "commercial" enough to keep people interested, not to mention it's great vocally. It's really a perfect intro to the project of Joanne.

 

Following Million Reasons is Sinner's Prayer. Both songs deal with love and relationship problems in a mature way, and also share a connection lyrically with the mentions of prayer. Unlike Million Reasons, Sinner's Prayer is very country-leaning, and these songs in succession will show the audience what Gaga is trying to accomplish this era. If Million Reasons talked about the flaws Gaga saw in her significant other, Sinner's Prayer discusses the flaw Gaga sees in herself. This already sets us on the path of introspection she's going for with this EP.

 

The first two songs of the EP focused on Gaga and her romantic relationships. The next 3 tracks of the EP focus on the relationships and the friendships with the women in Gaga's life. The first song of this section is the titular Joanne. I felt Joanne was the best fit to follow Sinner's Prayer sound-wise, the transition between the two makes sense and isn't jarring. This is really the emotional core of the EP. Both on this EP and the actual album, it's the 3rd track. Here, it signals a transition where Gaga will allow herself to really begin the process of opening up about what and who made her the woman she is today.

 

Sitting in the middle of this EP is Grigio Girls, originally a bonus track. I was surprised that The Cure wasn't included with the Joanne tracks, but I understood why. Even though The Cure wouldn't fit my vision anyway, I felt the need to add a song about Sonja since she was a big influence and presence in Gaga's life and she did have an impact on the Joanne era. Both Joanne and Grigio Girls are love songs dedicated to the important women to Gaga who losses affected her greatly. I also felt that, to those that had no prior knowledge of who Sonja or Joanne were, people would think this song was also an ode to Joanne.

 

Coming up next, and rounding out this section, is Hey Girl. I felt the transition from Grigio Girls to Hey Girl musically was a perfect fit. A song about friendship between women, you could say it's a flashback to the times Gaga and Sonja shared, and what Gaga wished her and Joanne could be like. With 4 songs preceding that had melancholic undertones, this is truly the first uplifting and happy song on the EP, and a great way to slowly bring us to the end of our journey.

 

The two tracks that close the EP are Come To Mama and Angel Down (Work Tape). Gaga has been very outspoken about social issues since the beginning of her career, one doesn't have to look further than Born This Way to see that. I knew that for a project I penned as Gaga at her most personal and revealing, I knew that these two songs had to be included, and they were only fitting as an ending. Come To Mama is sonically the perfect ender, with brassy horns and a positive message about coming together and learning and working to live and love. It transitions from Hey Girl very nicely, and slowly the album has shown Gaga expanding her views and love from lovers to friends to the entire world she lives in.

 

With a fadeout from such an uplifting song, the only song that could follow is Gaga's powerful live version of Angel Down. An ode to Trayvon Martin's death and the racial politics of today, Angel Down ends the EP at Gaga's rawest and most emotional performance. After following the uplifting Hey Girl and Come To Mama, Angel Down shows that while Gaga strives for love and positivity for us all, she also feels anger and pain, and sings this anthem as a call to action. Ending with these two songs consecutively shows what Gaga feels about the state of the world currently, and ends the project on a powerful note that makes people pay attention and take notice. As the ender to an EP, it is the culmination of all of the emotions Gaga has felt and held in throughout these tracks, and now unleashed in 2 minutes of power.

 

All in all, this EP is so very different from Gaga's past work. From The Fame, to Born this Way, to Artpop, and you could even include Cheek to Cheek, Gaga was always putting on a show and playing up a certain character that felt fresh and entertaining and new. To make an EP like this that's so raw and really lays her bare in a way she never did before, Gaga now has a body of work that while extremely risky and divisive due to the eclectic sounds, would continue her tradition of surprising the masses with her releases. With this EP, she allowed us into her mind and her life and explained who Lady Gaga is, who Stefani Germonatta is, and who those women will continue to be.

 

 

• Element
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5 - I LOVe this
  • Tracklist - 5 - I’ve had to listen to the song Joanne two rounds in a row now and I hate her voice in the verses! The chorus is stunning tho. Your tracklist is pretty strong. The only ones that feel out of place are Grigio Girls and Hey Girl, but your explanation did justify their inclusion fairly well. I would have loved to see Diamond Heart in this somewhere.
  • Explanation - 3 - Your writing is fantastic and you explained everything I would have wanted to see. Thank you for describing the transitions and balancing both the lyrical and sonic aspects to your EP.
  • Total - 9/10
• rl231
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 5 - So I haven’t really listened to the album before, but I had to listen to it for this lol. I think you missed an opportunity with A-YO or Dancin in Circles and let your theme dictate your tracklist when it should kinda be naturally there. Plus, Grigio Girls shouldn’t have been on there.
  • Explanation - 3 - Woooooooooooo, this is looooooooooooong as hell! You did well though, and I think you explained yourself really smartly.
  • Total - 9
• T-Swizz
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 6
  • Explanation - 3
  • Total - 10
  • Critique: Okay the entire first paragraph should’ve been completely edited out, your entry didn’t need a pre-introduction to the introduction, especially since it was already the longest entry. I would love to gloat and admit that I was right about those who writing more working against you but this is definitely one of the exceptions. Your decision to choose the tracks that work cohesively one another over the more popular tracks was definitely the right move in my opinion. Although I was a bit unsure of Angel Down closing out the EP, your explanation put things into perspective, a call to action is what most of us use to help conclude a research paper or essay so it’s only natural to do something similar for your EP. You could’ve easily also named this EP “The Art of Exploiting” and it would still work! Great job overall, you’re the only one that received a perfect score from me.   
• Dylan
  • Name/Title/Cover - 1/1
  • Tracklist - 4/6 - I kinda think A-Yo sucks so I wasn't sad to see that gone. Perfect Illusion dead in the ditch like it should be. However, I have no idea how either Diamond Heart or Dancin' in Circles didn't make the cut. I personally think both should have but I could've overlooked one of them being snubbed. I don't like Hey Girl and Grigio Girls being next to each other either. I actually wouldn't have included Grigio Girls at all being that Hey Girl is better and Grigio Girls is in the lower half of the album. You're not the only one who I feel let a concept affect the tracklist in a negative manner. The tracklist is worth 6 points so not choosing the "right" songs is worse than having to alter or loosen up your concept a bit. Not only that but explanations are generally accepted as good as long as you justify your reasoning.
  • Explanation - 3/3 - It may be a bit lengthy but you guys were only told not to write a paragraph for each track so all is good here.
  • Total: 8/10

 

Aciid - Bastille - Wild World

Spoiler

On 11/15/2017 at 11:19 PM, Aciid said:

BASTILLE

W I L D  W O R L D

 

 

T R A C K L I S T

 

001 Good Grief

002 The Currents

003 An Act of Kindness

004 Warmth

005 Glory

006 Lethargy

007 Winter of Youth

008 Campus

009 The Anchor

 

E X P L A N A T I O N

 

Good Grief to Glory:

I felt like these songs were the most cohesive from the album and the best tracks from it.

I didn't think any of them should be deleted and it was a 1-5 punch. 

 

Lethargy: 

The beat in this is amazing and it's quite energetic like the top half of the album. Thought it went well with them.

 

Winter of Youth:

This is a very unique song and I think it stands out, in a good way. I didn't feel good deleting it because it was different

I kinda wanted to embrace that. You don't need to have the same type of songs for an album to blend well. It's a nice

break, change and a good transition to the last two songs.

 

Campus:

I like the lyrics of this and how happy it sounds despite them. I felt like it was a good way to transition from

Winter of Youth to The Anchor and it maintains the consistency with the rest of the tracks I chosen.

 

The Anchor:

I didn't want to change the album closer cause it's a nice end to the sound and overall mood of the album.

 

In conclusion I just wanted to make it less long and take what I thought were the standout songs from the album.

I didn't follow a lyrical theme, I just went with sound instead. 

 

 

 

• Element
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 4 - Not BAD, but I think Blame/Snakes/Send Them Off/Way Beyond would have been stronger choices than Lethargy/Winter of Our Youth/Campus. The rest of the flow is fine, but half of your EP is the same as the original flow so yeah
  • Explanation - 1 - I appreciate having a sonic theme as your central concept, but you actually have to describe those sounds to us and take us through that melodic journey in order to succeed. The descriptions were very barebones, and each track really needed to have its own segment.
  • Total - 6/10
• rl231
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 3.5 - Lethargy shouldn’t have been on there and neither should’ve been Campus and maybe even Winter of Youth. You missed an enormous opportunity with excluding Blame and Send Them Off!, which would’ve fit IMO.
  • Explanation - 1 - Look, you had 9 songs, but using one explanation to explain 5 of them...not cool. It didn’t help that your explanations weren’t really helpful as to why it mattered that they were on the EP and why it should be included, thematically and sonically.
  • Total - 5.5
• T-Swizz
  • Artist/Title - 0.5
  • Cover Art - 0.5
  • Tracklist - 3
  • Explanation - 1.5
  • Total - 5.5
  • Critique: Finding a middle ground between being clear/concise and not too long-winded is half the battle. This entry is far too short to establish any proper meaningful connections thematically and/or sonically. The explanation seemed to stem from personal taste, which is completely fine, but you seldom include interesting details about the track or even explain the sound. I understand that you wanted to go for a more sonically cohesive album but you need to compensate with a thorough review.
• Dylan
  • Name/Title/Cover - 1/1
  • Tracklist - 5/6 - Look, I'll be honest. I hadn't heard this album before so I had to do some research and take a listen myself. I think leaving Send Them Off off the EP was a bad idea but besides that I didn't have any major issues with your tracklist. It flowed well and worked for me. I just wish you'd explained much better.
  • Explanation - 1/3 - You didn't explain what your sonic concept was. It's okay not to go based off lyrics (especially with an artist like Bastille), but it would have been nice to know what this concept actually was. Not to mention your reasoning for keeping each song was like Britney Spears explaining how excited she is for her new album nowadays.
  • Total: 7/10

 

Final Results coming up.

[talent]

nnnn the way i was worried i wrote too much and @T-Swizz was begging me to write more

 

@Fruity  rightfully killed it, wig

[talent]

also the talented gorgeous smart brainy legend @Rhisiart of course

[Element]

 

Below you will find the current round rank as well as the overall rank.

 

Then Tribal Council will commence as usual which all 9 of you will be attending. Found below are some tribal council discussion questions, to be answered in this thread. 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

R13 Rank:

1. Fruity - 9.4 (+3)
2. Rhisiart - 9.0 (-1)
3. wesleywalrus - 8.9 (+3)
3. talent - 8.9 (+5)
5. Marvin - 7.9 (-2)
5. Lucky#17 - 7.9 (+2)
7. Kathlen - 6.3 (+2)
8. Aciid - 6.2 (+2)
9. Riri. - 4.8 (+1)

 

Overall Rank (through R13):

1. Fruity - 8.44 (+1)
2. Marvin - 7.93 (+1)
2. Rhisiart - 7.93 (+2)
4. Lucky#17 - 7.47 (+4)
5. wesleywalrus - 7.46 (+4)
6. Kathlen - 7.40 (=)
7. Aciid - 7.34 (=)
8. talent - 7.19 (+3)
9. Riri. - 7.12 (+1)

 

Congratulations Fruity on your second individual immunity win of the season! You have secured a spot in the final eight!

 

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Tribal Council

 

Welcome to your fourth tribal council as a merged tribe! 

 

Fruity is immune from elimination this round. There are 8 of you up for elimination this Tribal Council, and one person is going home. Immunity Idols/other prizes may be played but remember you must PM us before the deadline for these to be valid.

 

Here are some tribal council discussion questions for you to answer in the thread. If you do not answer your question, your vote will not count.

 

@Aciid - Last round, we saw a major blindside with Citrus leaving the game. What are the odds that another blindside will happen again this round?

@Fruity - Congratulations on your immunity win and for rising to the top of the overall leaderboard! Do you think that your challenge performance is a positive or negative for your game, or both?

@Kathlen♡ - At the merge, it seemed like one group had ended up in the minority. When that happens, what should somebody do about it? How do they re-position themselves socially and strategically and wait for the moment to strike?

@Lucky#17 - Another hidden immunity idol was unleashed this round... any concerns about where that is hiding and how to play around it?

@Marvin - It seemed like last round involved a power shift of sorts. What exactly happened within the power structure of the game? Do you think the power is concentrated in new alliances now, or is everything up in the air?

@Rhisiart - Now that we are down to 9 people, the final tribal council is getting closer and closer. Have players started mapping out their pathways to the finale, or is everyone still focused on getting through each round at a time?

@Riri. - Your highest challenge score during the merge has been a 6.5. Everyone else has reached 8.0 at least once. What is going on with your scores? What do you need in order to do better?

@talent - Losing my ground left a massive impact on this game, regardless of his departure a few days ago. How do you think this game will change without him being around anymore? Did his removal mess up people's plans moving forward?

@wesleywalrus - You were one vote away from leaving last round. Surely that made you a bit nervous. How does almost going home affect how you are going to approach the future rounds of the game?

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

As always, please use the parchment below to cast your votes and PM them to the hosts. 

 

Your votes are due at Noon EST (~34 hours) on Saturday, November 18th and you can not vote for Fruity.

 

 

Good luck everyone!!

 

[talent]

2 minutes ago, Element said:

@talent - Losing my ground left a massive impact on this game, regardless of his departure a few days ago. How do you think this game will change without him being around anymore? Did his removal mess up people's plans moving forward?

[wesleywalrus]

Yaaas @Fruity!  a win in an ATRL challenge is the best thing that album did. 

[Element]

They say WITNESS didn't have impact 

 

I think not

[Fruity]

wig, I did not expect to win, I woke up at 6am to write that still low key drunk from the night before  

 

@Element and @T-Swizz it's interesting you mentioned Mind Maze was the perfect fit, cause yeh. I originally had it in there when I made the storyline. I swapped it for Tsunami for popularity and variety reasons, but possibly that was the wrong choice. This poll convinced me to do it lmao

Edited November 17, 2017 by Fruity

[Fruity]

Loved reading everyone's entries, some great concepts (except you, Riri)  

[Navyofbadgals]

So glad I’m a @Fruity stan suddenly

[Loyalty]