"Hear me out"

• Corey +2 — BUSHI BUSHI BUSHI
• SamRobertsND +1 — Tejano Japanese? Slap that into my DeWalt.
• Brad Stalcup +1 — A Japanese jazz band playing South American beats with synth? Definitely hearing you out here. Corey.
• shea nowicki +1
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul 0 — Was ok. Mexico conquered Japan core or something.
• Edward James 0 — THIS IS JUST A NORMAL SONG

fionmul: The only time I’ll ask you to listen to something for this long… Listen for the musical nods to nearly every neighborhood and culture of the city. You got a taxi at LaGuardia. You’re crossing the bridge into Harlem at night. The keys ring out as your driver weaves his way along Grand Central Parkway. As the Manhattan skyline comes into view, Bruce’s voice is heard…

• ared56 +1
• shea nowicki +1
• Regina Scime +1
• Claire +1 — This is really cool. I can’t say I was paying 100% attention for the full duration of the song but I did hear it out. I wonder if it’s meant to be sorta ambient at times
• fionmul 0 — This is just so beautiful I can’t. It’s magic.🥺🥹
• SamRobertsND 0 — Sorry, Fiona, if it's a famous artist, not really starting point for "hear me out." Already assume it will be decent.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Ok… this has some merit to it. Can’t stand the vocal delivery and it doesn’t have to be that long, but it’s fine
• Edward James 0 — THIS IS JUST A NORMAL SONG
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I guess I need to hear you out because of the length? Anyway, this song didn't blow me away. Was waiting for an amazing drop, but it never came. Fiona

Joseph Harvey: Those who give this gem of early 2010s djent a fair listen will find a gorgeous song replete with great melodies, incredible vocals, and buckets of groove and atmosphere

• SamRobertsND +1 — Really thought I'd dislike it and ended up being fine with it. Nothing special but listenable for sure. Sufficient Josephslop.
• Regina Scime +1
• Corey +1 — As my guitar djently weeps.
• Claire +1 — Okay Joseph I hear you
• fionmul 0 — Points for using the word “replete” Not making a huge impression but the vocals are talented and the melody is good. I like the word Nocturne tho. The end is too long. I was ready for it to be done. AI generated lyrics.
• Edward James 0 — THIS IS JUST A NORMAL SONG
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This band is basically just a worse version of Evanescence. So I'm probably not going to hear you out here. (note: this comment was crafted specifically to troll Joseph). Joseph.

Edward James: No song has better plumbed the depths of modern American ennui

• fionmul +1 — I’m going to a concert in Boulder next weekend with an ex roommate of mine who has my old mattress so I’ve been in the chainsmokers mood. Also she’s so relatable. “Oh no ugh I feel like I’m gonna throw up. Oh wait never mind I’m fine. Let’s go dance.” This is me emotionally all the time. Also the line “I guess I took a good selfie” iconic. #Spaghettibraincore
• SamRobertsND +1 — The only one on here that I thought I would hate initially but grew to really love over the course of the song. Perfectly captures the vapid, impulsive mindset of the modern secular girl, I imagine this is what plays in their head on loop.
• Claire +1 — It’s kind of insane how hard this goes
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Oh dear goodness
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I heard you out... but all I heard was unoriginal EDM background behind an unbearable voice track. The only way I could unironically tolerate this song is if I were intoxicated out of my mind. But I have to admit, it did make me laugh. Sam

• fionmul +1 — Alex? I actually smiled to myself about this one. BNL comeback. Nice mashup. Jesus the barenaked baby boy was born to save even Barenaked Ladies. I think the inclusion of a Christmas song was important in this playlist thanks. Pop off Sarah McLachlan.
• Edward James +1 — Proper use of the category
• Regina Scime +1 — I didn’t hate it, so I suppose that’s the definition of hear me out
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Same as the Bruce song. I went to see BNL voluntarily, why would I need to be convinced to stick around and listen to them?
• Joseph Harvey 0 — My thoughts on BNL are known. With that said, it got me singing along and harmonizing and the swing is a playful addition
• Brad Stalcup -1 — Don't know what needed to be heard out about this one. A great band and an incredible vocalist singing a classic Christmas song. Eddie

• shea nowicki +2
• fionmul +1 — A banger. The sort of submission that I should have thought of. Makes me wanna sing along full heartedly but also whip and naenae. I do think you could have found a more full hearted version tho. This guy and this choir are giving 40% effort. Sam?? Regina? A fuller version would have earned more points.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Wow. Straight banger. Major musical theater energy
• Edward James +1 — Don’t need to hear you out, already a banger. But a good choice for the category, hence its vote over the jelly one
• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — This is an amazing example of how more is less. "the meadows of faithfulness and love ... the quiet waters of peace" is so much weaker than the original "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters"; let the images stand on their own!
• Brad Stalcup 0 — On my listen through of the playlist, I was confirmed in my pick of this song. Not sure if it's appropriate for the liturgy... but it is a certifiable banger.
• Regina Scime -1 — Sorry, I just can’t
• Sam Ary -1
• Claire -1 — I feel like what makes this song a “banger” in the estimation of many—whether they think so earnestly or with a hint of shame or irony—is the sentimentality of both the melody and the lyrics. I hate to be a snob but I think that the song profits off of cheap thrills rather than real spiritual or emotional depth. I will sing this at someone’s funeral if they requested it (though it really should not be in the place of the responsorial psalm). That’s about the only time I’m not annoyed

Regina Scime: just let your brain phase out…

• Joseph Harvey +1 — As an ambient music appreciator this was great! Very cool textures
• Edward James +1 — Heck yeah
• Sam Ary +1
• Claire +1 — Okay wait I see (hear) the vision
• fionmul 0 — 😌 Sam? Regina? My brain feels like it’s smoothing out
• SamRobertsND 0 — No
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Regina
• shea nowicki -1

SamRobertsND: Mostly cloudy. You'd think there'd be more stars at the end of the earth. Finding the Ulaanbaatar Young Adult Scene to be "somewhat less active than I had anticipated," Joseph wanders the byways of the ancient capital on another wasted Friday night. First South Bend, then DC, now Ulanbator, what next? When will it end? The Miata rumbles over the cobble, and Joseph returns to the apartment bloc, opening another can of cabbage and another can of worms. Mostly cloudy. And yet. The window is quite nice. The city sprawls forth, illuminated by streetlights, televisions through windows, light lamps in nurseries and yak dairies. Joseph gazes out with glistening eye and smiles. Another cloudy bright Ulaanbaatar night.

• Joseph Harvey +1 — Incredible bit and the song is the cherry on top
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Folk-sounding Mongolian acoustic music? Definitely hearing you out here. Sammy. Caption is a dead giveaway.
• Corey +1 — Hanggai is a band I continually forget until I hear them, and remember what's there to like.
• fionmul 0 — This story was lowkey beautiful. Joseph, ever our muse and protagonist lol. But this song didn’t make an impression. I think this is Brad but idk. Could be Sammy but he seemed to suggest he submitted pop so I think he’s cascada ? Or maybe that’s Eddie
• SamRobertsND 0 — The accordion reminds me of a Studio Ghibli film, like Kiki's Delivery Service or Something
• Edward James 0 — THIS IS JUST A NORMAL SONG IN MONGOLIAN

• SamRobertsND +1 — Lol this was fantastic. Mickey Mouse ass voice at Kitchenette
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Loving these funky beats + bass lines in a song about toast. I'll definitely hear you out here. Alex
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is kind of normal. Very groovy though
• Edward James 0 — Absolutely incredible. This is probably my favorite song with the bunch, but to me, it’s not a “hear me out” song.

• fionmul +1 — 🙏🏼🌞 I liked this better than the tesseract one. More like to the Son I pray amirite. Feels like Scottish/Viking vibes and I’m effin with it. Won me over.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Wow, very cool! Very doomy and sounds a bit like Tool. Major pagan vibes which works well for this. Well done Corey
• Brad Stalcup +1 — I think the bagpipes were a nice touch. (if that's what they were). And then the saxophone came in and I was like "yeah." The interesting instrumentation is why I will hear you out. Judd
• Edward James 0 — THIS IS JUST A NORMAL SONG
• ared56 -1

shea nowicki: Hear me out... what if we talked about images of God after listening to this song?!

• Edward James +1 — The fact that this made me vaguely uncomfortable, despite its positive message overall about hope for the downtrodden and , means you understood the category and therefore you get upvotes.
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul 0 — 👀 I could hear you saying this caption, Shea. I like your caption as a guide to the hear me out. Jamie Taberna made a funny Instagram comment once using a quote from this song and inserting my brother’s name lol. “Here comes Johnny Mulholland in an Astrovan” the Viking won stole your vote away in the end.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I guess I'm supposed to hear you out because of the lyrical content? Claire.
• Regina Scime 0 — I love you Shea😭
• Claire 0 — I don’t find really find this either profound or scandalous—it strikes me as kind of a milquetoast attempt at making an edgy/deep point but I don’t think it lands. Maybe I just don’t see the vision
• SamRobertsND -1 — I hear what you're saying, but his voice is so, so, so annoying to me.
• Joseph Harvey -1 — No

Sam Ary: Banger alert!!!

• ared56 +2
• Regina Scime +1 — Actually here for the high school vibes
• Joseph Harvey 0 — So ubiquitous that it’s hard to say this is hear me out
• Brad Stalcup 0 — A certain dormant part of me (my middle school persona) came to life in the first few seconds of this song. Shea
• Claire 0 — Truly a banger. Maybe I’m unfairly projecting my own opinions but I feel like enough people earnestly recognize it as such that it isn’t quite a “hear me out”
• fionmul -1
• Edward James -1 — THIS IS JUST A NORMAL SONG.  and also the most popular of the normal songs posted hence the downvote.
• Corey -1 — I hate to hit Cascada with the arrow like Boromir, but in this category it feels like bringing a PB&J to a potluck. It's welcome, but it's shockingly vanilla.