Joseph Harvey

• judd.baker +1 — Yeah I’d say this rocked
• Claire +1 — Joseph this is cool
• Sam Ary +1
• Peter Seeley 0 — Beautiful singing ruined by the industrial machinery in the background. Sorry Joseph
• fionmul 0 — some of the background music was sorta unpleasant to my ears but I acknowledge this is very cool and skillful
• Edward James 0 — le juxtaposition!
• SamRobertsND -1
• shea nowicki -1

• Edward James 0 — I feel like Joseph probably doesn’t like Metallica, and this was a very lackluster song, but did not stand out from the rest.
• SamRobertsND 0 — Lazy we know he hates this
• Claire 0 — Maybe he likes Metallica though? If he ever explicitly said he dislikes them then I missed it. (But if that were the case I also wouldn’t give it a vote on grounds of lack of originality)
• fionmul -1 — Guitar riff is too cool for him to fully hate
• Peter Seeley -1 — Somehow the least bad (probably because Joe submitted it)
• Regina Scime -1

Joseph Harvey: This will get no votes but this is a cool and subtle narrative song that was the first to come to mind for me

• Peter Seeley +2 — Thanks Joe
• Regina Scime +1
• Claire 0 — Musically super cool song but to be honest the story is just okay
• Edward James -1 — I didn't find this very narratively compelling...not really a story song. And I also thought it was just an alright song.

• ared56 +2
• SamRobertsND +1
• Peter Seeley +1
• judd.baker +1 — I forgot how hard this song bangs. 2009 Lady Gaga is an inspired shout for this list
• Claire +1 — She is truly one of the best to ever do it
• fionmul 0 — Love this one ofc but it’s not exactly in the niche I was looking for (my made up theme in my head that’s within the original theme)
• Edward James 0 — Not the Lady Gaga song I would’ve gone with Alejandro or Telephone
• Sam Ary -1

• ared56 +1
• Claire +1 — Joseph I think this is a great pull for this round
• fionmul 0 — 🥱
• SamRobertsND -1

• Claire +1 — This song is so creepy sonically and lyrically
• Sam Ary +1
• Edward James +1 — Good pick Joseph
• judd.baker +1 — I’ll give you this one, Joseph.
• ared56 -1

• SamRobertsND +1
• Peter Seeley +1
• Sam Ary +1
• judd.baker 0 — Almost got there for me, this is a banger let it be said
• Edward James -1 — Here I make my stand. I ain't translating that.
• Claire -1 — Call me crazy but I’m not convinced that “falling in love” is necessarily happening here, it could very well be an amorous dalliance
• Regina Scime -1

• fionmul +3
• Claire +1 — There are some lines that don’t quite work which is fine—but the hook works, pretty well imo
• judd.baker +1 — Good shout. You win this time Joseph
• Peter Seeley 0 — No
• shea nowicki -1

• ared56 +2
• Sam Ary +2
• Claire +1 — This started off super hype but the effect wore off after a while. It didn’t help that I spent the middle ~5 minutes of the songs stuck at a temporary construction light on the 150. Gets a vote anyway bc I feel like I have quibbles with almost all the songs and this was still one of the better ones
• Edward James +1 — Sadly this is a millennial sleeper agent activitation song. I was there.....Guitar Hero 3.....2007....
• Regina Scime +1
• Peter Seeley 0 — Joseph no
• fionmul 0 — This one makes me wanna drive directly into a brick wall, not drive fast and live

• SamRobertsND +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Regina Scime +1
• Claire 0 — Obviously good vibe but weirdly almost feels too upbeat for this specific purpose
• judd.baker -1 — Steely Dan feels like low hanging fruit, and this song even moreso. I even think there’s much better Steely Dan submissions for the category.

• Peter Seeley +1
• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James 0 — In many ways yes, but also no. So many Led Zeppelin songs are just them wanting to be black blues musicians. I think this one is not the best example of this imo.
• judd.baker 0 — If you wanted to make a spicy commentary about white colonization of rock music, should have just full sent and submitted The Beatles
• SamRobertsND -1
• Brad Stalcup -1 — Just the name is black, but this is definitely white people music.

• Regina Scime +2
• fionmul +1 — The Magdalen girl mentioned Love that this sounds like a 100 year old song
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James +1 — Banger. I’d see this musical.
• Claire +1 — Legend
• judd.baker +1 — This song is spellbinding. Casting the characters in the story of the Resurrection as, what, Scots Irish sailors? It’s mystical, the connections are inexplicable and murky, I loved every minute of it. Can’t believe I haven’t heard this before but my Sting knowledge is pretty shallow actually.

• Regina Scime +1
• fionmul 0 — Yeah this is sus
• Claire 0 — This is not only a repeat, it’s a repeat that’s giving essentially the same read of the song. Would’ve downvoted but I’d feel bad if this person wasn’t here for the previous league (Peter or Richard?)
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Toxic femininity in a song.

Joseph Harvey: If you don’t make it through the gnarly, disgusting riffage and sweet sweet vocals, at least read the lyrics

• Edward James +1 — I thought about submitting this but I didn't because you can't understand it. Would love to hear this as a Rush song. I do like it a lot tho. I love that somehow this is a common theme.
• Claire +1 — This song is super cool, I wondered if someone (presumably Joseph) would submit it
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — This is a big poop platter with a glass of pee
• judd.baker 0 — No, Joseph, no I will not read the lyrics — this is music league and I have to actually listen to the music, and should feel at least slightly rewarded by the experience. This isn’t clever lyrical concept league
• fionmul 0 — You knew what we would think but thanks for always being true to yourself
• Peter Seeley 0 — Hilarious Joseph bait
• Regina Scime 0 — Mkay Joseph you were just waiting for this round weren’t you
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Why do you do this to us Joseph
• Spicey Riche -1

• SamRobertsND +1 — I do not care for Radiohead. It insists upon itself, Lois. It insists upon itself. But this really fits the theme.
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Yep.
• fionmul 0 — Good one -- I wish someone had submitted Teenage Dirtbag haha, but maybe this is better than that would have been (too redemptive of an ending)
• Claire 0 — A generational track and definitely partakes of bindlecore but not as much as other submissions
• judd.baker 0 — Loser and bindle have overlap, but I don’t think they are interchangeable
• Edward James -1 — Nah
• Regina Scime -1 — I think this one had the weakest correlation in my mind.

• Peter Seeley +1 — Thank you for keeping things interesting, Joseph
• fionmul 0 — This had some good moments like “I’ll gather flowers for your crown” but I have to be selective and as you know the heaviness isn’t going to be a pro for me.
• Claire 0 — I kinda sorta see the vision?
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Hi Joseph. Sorry. Don't see it.
• judd.baker 0 — I’m always trying to reward oddball Josephcore submissions because I feel bad piling on. But I don’t see the vision for this at all

• SamRobertsND +1 — Man I really loved this one. Of the explicitly religious songs, this is the best
• shea nowicki +1 — This is SO fun and I love a St. Francis reference. I especially loved the bridge ("You're everything," yes yes)!!! Brother Moon is IN this summer... you all heard it here first.
• Peter Seeley +1 — Musically interesting.
• fionmul 0 — Lyrically this is good; Franciscan and faith filled which is not particular to Shea but I can see this touching her and her liking the repetition at the end. Ultimately not strong enough in this lineup.
• Claire 0 — Notwithstanding the fact that I myself have submitted a song by this artist—I just did not like this very much. But maybe Shea will?
• Edward James 0 — I know this makes me a bad person but this is a bit too earnest for me

• Peter Seeley +1 — Outside the box.
• Claire +1 — I LOVE JOSHUA BELL
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Beautiful. This would also be a great submission for "great songs to die in space to"
• judd.baker +1 — I can in fact literally imagine this being played as Artemis II careens past the far side of the moon.
• fionmul 0 — I’m ngl I dont understand this theme besides the space theme and moon theme but sure this is a nice piece
• ared56 -1

• fionmul +2
• Claire +1 — Bracketing the association with tiktok that this song has in my mind, it’s a cool song and a cool read for the category
• Edward James +1 — Peaceful, beautiful, reflective, transcendent
• ared56 -1
• Brad Stalcup -1 — This was the least compelling of the list. It wasn't a bad song, but I just didn't see it.

• ared56 +1
• judd.baker +1 — Not a dang word (well except “serenity”)
• fionmul 0 — This beat is my fave of his Spotify songs and then the voice comes in Also I understand the words since he has good diction
• Edward James 0 — I could understand Mr. Harvey perfectly well, thank you very much
• Peter Seeley 0 — Clever gambit Joe, submitting your own song.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Very decipherable.
• Sam Ary 0 — Decipherable.
• SamRobertsND -1
• Claire -1 — Actually pretty intelligible. It’s not your fault, Joseph—it’s a good song just not a good submission for this category

• judd.baker +1 — I loved this song being on this playlist but the lyrics just didn’t cry “Augustine” to me as much as I was hoping they would. As with a few others, it seems to be more about conversion in general. But with that said it stood ahead of some others in that category and for just being really fun and unexpected I feel compelled to upvote.
• Claire +1 — Fun pull. I read this as pre conversion Augustine struggling to remain in denial about the emptiness of the life he’s chosen (Hi Joseph)
• fionmul 0 — I’m sure Augustine felt like screaming all the time but I can’t vote for this when I compare it to the others. The words need to be delivered in a more intelligible way. This made my cortisol go up.
• Edward James 0 — I wanted this to work so badly but it really doesn’t beyond the title phrase
• Brad Stalcup 0 — "God, help me leave the life of a big bag baller making big ass checks, but not yet" -Augustine, Probably
• Regina Scime 0 — Yes, but I think he would have disapproved of metal music…
• Peter Seeley -1
• ared56 -1 — Feels like this would be more appropriate for a martyr
• Spicey Riche -1
• Sam Ary -1

• SamRobertsND +1 — I loved this so much! Truly excellent.
• ared56 +1
• shea nowicki +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Edward James 0 — Sorry, found this very boring
• Claire 0 — I feel like this is the music Jharvey would make if he were Icelandic
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This sounds like it belongs at the end of How to Train your Dragon or something. As the credits roll I can see this song. But grainy/whiny vocals never does much for me.
• judd.baker 0 — Icelandic is a great pull but this song was too long and too slow for me to really get into

• Edward James 0 — I like the instrumentals in this, but otherwise didn't speak to me
• judd.baker 0 — I really really enjoyed this but it doesn’t really hit the mark as far as sounding happy, kind of emotionally neutral in terms of sound
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This is the least happy sounding song on the playlist. Gives me chicago vibes, though.
• Spicey Riche 0 — Not a happy song
• Peter Seeley -1 — Doesn't sound happy to me
• SamRobertsND -1 — Downright wistful!
• Claire -1 — Sorry, this just isn’t distinctly happy sounding enough imo. A couple chords in I was already pretty sure this was gonna be my downvote

• judd.baker +1 — This is absolutely what I had envisioned with this category
• Claire +1 — Hell yeah
• Regina Scime +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — It's good you're self-aware, Joseph.
• fionmul 0 — I see the vision I just dont share it.
• SamRobertsND 0 — Yes white people genre but unfortunately the song sucks
• Edward James 0 — I liked this one a lot, but in the indie-eque strain, it’s beaten by the TV on the Radio song

• Brad Stalcup +1 — the bass line is funky, and I could totally see him jamming out
• Claire +1 — I do feel like I’d get down this on the dance floor. Sometimes you don’t know the song but the beat is promising enough that it persuades you to get out on the floor anyway
• Regina Scime 0 — I really loved this song, but I don’t know if it’s a Richard song…
• SamRobertsND 0 — Loved driving to this, but it's better for driving, not dancing.
• Edward James 0 — This is such a banger, thank you Joseph for submitting. But no vote.
• Spicey Riche 0 — How in the hell would you dance to this at a wedding reception?
• Peter Staffelbach -1

• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James +1 — Not my favorite from the playlist, but it nails the theme imo.
• Claire +1 — I dig it. Great song and I can totally see it being used in this way. The opening chords as the camera pans from the main character out to some nice panoramic shots before everything fades to black
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Great pull. As soon as the singing starts it changes to black. I can see it perfectly.
• shea nowicki +1
• judd.baker 0 — Never thought of this as an end credits song but seeing it in this context, I realize it’s been here all along

• fionmul +1 — They really came up with this and only made it 1:30 🤌🏼 Leave em wanting more ig
• Edward James +1 — Almost submitted this myself. One of the most beautiful little tunes ever written. I love the "Paul is Dead" conspiracy, because if he did die, they managed to replace him with the greatest musician/songwriter to ever live.
• Sam Ary +1

• fionmul 0 — I see the vision but idk if this would ever make me choke up
• Edward James 0 — Doesn’t do it for me, sorry.
• Claire 0 — Even if it’s not a song that’s been submitted before, Sufjan feels obvious and a bit tired for this round, sorry (and to be clear I LOVE him and this song and album)
• Brad Stalcup -1 — Too hard to decipher. Sorry.

• ared56 +1
• Peter Seeley +1 — Yes.
• fionmul 0 — I’m guessing she knows this but ofc it’s great
• SamRobertsND 0 — I was there Gandalf when Joseph discovered the Octavists. No dice, Miata Man.
• Edward James 0 — Can’t really remember this one, but it sounded nice
• Spicey Riche 0 — Claire
• Regina Scime 0 — mmkay Joseph. Maybe this is mean, but I feel like you just picked the choral music that you like👀 don’t get me wrong, I love Eastern/Orthodox choral music, but I’m pretty sure you’ve sent this song to me before lol
• Sam Ary -1 — Too basic
• Brad Stalcup -1 — Didn't really get into this one the way I did with the other choral piece. Felt like this one didn't stand out. Sorry, had to give one downvote.

Joseph Harvey: I once used someone’s extra Touchtunes points to play this at a restaurant

• SamRobertsND +1 — Probably a lot of Kitchenette customers like this so it works
• fionmul 0 — Love you but no. And no I didn’t listen to the entire thing.
• Peter Seeley 0 — I like to imagine some modern Phillip Neri had you submit this song as a penance for your vainglory. As the musical scapegoat, you will attract all the downvotes. But I refuse to give you that satisfaction.
• judd.baker 0 — I was sweeping and mopping my apartment while listening to this and it’s unexpectedly a vibe
• Claire 0 — Joseph this is a beautiful story but it didn’t make my top 3 sorry :(
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I could imagine the one highschooler who works in the kitchen playing this. Also I'm not sure I'd patronize a diner that has touchtunes.
• Spicey Riche -1
• Edward James -1 — Joseph, I would be tempted to vote for this if it was a meta critique on the fact that the working class people of America most likely to frequent the remaining real diners might actually be more drawn to this type of music. But I feel like you just wanted to submit it lol
• Regina Scime -1

Joseph Harvey: Actual torture

• fionmul +1 — “This seems like what Eddie would play to punish Joseph for bad roommate behavior or something” - Claire
• Edward James +1 — This is probably the perfect Bob Dylan choice. There are others that would work more, but everyone else would hate them so much, I don’t think they would do well. This is also a super popular song, but I hate it. I think it drags down what is otherwise a perfect album. Wish I had thought of it.
• Claire +1 — “Yeah this is bad” “Not even timothee chalamet likes this song” -Fiona
• Brad Stalcup +1 — I do think Joseph would hate this song.
• Peter Seeley 0 — What precisely did Sammy do to deserve this?
• judd.baker 0 — Bob feels like the easy way out. Fantastic song tho, and a pretty enlightened submission from among the Dylan corpus, I admit
• Sam Ary -1

• fionmul +1 — Loses its charm unless it’s joseph on stage dressed as a newsie
• Claire +1 — insert sticker of Jharvey in his newsie outfit
• Regina Scime +1
• judd.baker +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Hi Joseph!!
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This may have gotten a vote from me if the theme had been "the boys are back"... seeing as how it's about boys. But it doesn't have the punchiness
• Peter Seeley -1 — This is the problem with child labor. They start organizing, and then it's just obnoxious.

• fionmul +2 — 💘❤️‍🩹
• Corey +2 — Songs to sadly ride your riding mower to.
• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James 0 —  no
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Reminds me of the emo bands of the aughts.
• Claire 0 — Hell yeah this song is so good. It pains me to not vote for Bilmuri but I didn’t feel like it was in the top 4 for the theme
• SamRobertsND -1 — Joseph once convinced me to go to a concert for this artist by advertising them as “country rock.”

• Regina Scime +2
• judd.baker +1 — Well a good friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song
• Claire +1 — This is fun, the silly mischievous tone is a big part of why it works I think
• fionmul 0 — Joseph I’m telling your mother
• SamRobertsND 0 — Eh
• Edward James 0 — This is very witty, and I like the presentation style, but didn’t really stand out.
• Peter Seeley 0 — Prurient, but amusing.

• Peter Seeley +1 — Delicious.
• Regina Scime +1 — I may or may not have shouted when the saxophone started growling
• SamRobertsND 0 — Good but unmemorable
• fionmul 0 — Eh more unique than some tho
• Edward James 0 — This is my favorite of the jazzy songs. Really good stuff and varied. I just feel like my votes were drawn more towards things that were not just saxophone alone.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Accidentally seduced my wife when I played this in the car.
• Spicey Riche 0 — Ruby isn’t even a real name
• shea nowicki -1 — I think I need to go to jail for this downvote. Just the one I remembered the least in the end. Beautiful lounge music, though.

Joseph Harvey: The male heart yearns for more expeditious shipping routes

• Peter Seeley +3 — DEAR OLD STAN! DEAR OLD STAN! DEAR OLD STAN!
• Corey +2
• Spicey Riche +2 — Yearning is in the voice. And this voice yearns
• SamRobertsND +1 — Peter is doing Alex's BNL bit from the first season of Music League with Stan Rogers, and I am here for it. Fantastic song.
• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James +1 — A beautiful read on the category. Men can only truly yearn for 2 things: women and the sea.
• Brad Stalcup +1 — That guy in the background (you know exactly which one I'm talking about) is really doing all the work to cultivate an atmosphere of longing. An interesting take on the category. Most are about vague desire or longing for a lover. This is about longing to explore for one born too late to explore the world. I like the creativity of the pick.
• judd.baker +1 — Yup this counts. This is certainly a kind of yearning
• Claire 0 — I love this version of the song. But this just wasn’t the kind of yearning I was looking for. Hard to explain
• fionmul -1
• Sam Ary -1

• Regina Scime +2
• Edward James +1 — I feel bad upvoting this because I didn't upvote others that I know, and I have even submitted this for an earlier league lol. But it's SO GOOD.
• Sam Ary +1
• Peter Seeley 0 — Fun song, but everytime I listen to Rush I go into "Rush mode" in which I ignore the lyrics, forget which Rush song I'm listening to (they are all variations on a theme) and just vibe out. So I had no idea what the song was about until I looked up the lyrics.
• fionmul 0 — My criteria are “could this be made into an illustrated book and read aloud?” And “does this tell a story with a beginning middle and end” (as well as is this actually being sung) and this doesn’t meet all of these
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I don't know if there's a more joseph song than this one. I just can't imagine there's anything that speaks to him than these lines: Wind in my hair Shifting and drifting Mechanical music Adrenaline surge Well-weathered leather Hot metal and oil The scented country air Sunlight on chrome The blur of the landscape Every nerve aware But I just don't really like Rush all that much. I'm sorry Joseph.
• Spicey Riche 0 — It’s painful to not upvote Rush, but this is not much of a story.
• Claire 0 — Joseph I’m sorry but driving in a car isn’t a story
• ared56 -1 — Feels more like a dream than a story. Love the song, for some reason just didn’t fit for me.
• judd.baker -1 — Listened to this playlist with the lights off sitting in bed. This was the one song on the entire list that I finished and said, “I didn’t understand a single word of that story”

Joseph Harvey: I picture Corey skateboarding through downtown Tokyo while this plays

• Corey +1 — Oh BABY. I would shred around Tokyo Tower to this. That outro has more sex appeal than Aphrodite.
• Edward James +1 — I have a feeling this is Joseph, and while I don’t like the leading comment, all I had in mind while I was listening to this was Joseph’s idea of Tokyo Night Driving as a theme. This is my favorite of the jazzy submissions and knowing some of the stuff Corey has shared with me, I think it will be his as well.
• Sam Ary +1
• Claire +1 — I see the vision
• Regina Scime +1
• shea nowicki +1
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Definitely sounds like the background track of a furistic metroidvania style game. and I'm guessing this is Joseph's submission.
• Peter Seeley 0 — If I had another vote I'd give it to this.
• judd.baker 0 — this sounds awesome and is full metal Corey. This makes the leaderboard if I had one more upvote

• Corey +2
• Peter Seeley +2 — This song makes me wish I had wheels. Not in the "own a car sense", but actual wheels as bodily appendages.
• Edward James +1 — It's so cliche, but then as soon as the beat hits you know exactly why it's achieved that status. It's infectious, you can't argue with it. It does exactly what it tries to do, which is be perfect for starting out on the road.
• fionmul +1 — OK, probably the definitive answer
• SamRobertsND +1 — One of the two songs on my shortlist, would be hypocritical not to vote for it.
• Spicey Riche +1
• Claire +1 — I didn’t submit this one bc I thought it would be too obvious/stereotypical and wouldn’t land. But the second it hit on the playlist I realized I was wrong. It’s just a perfect song.
• shea nowicki +1
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Also, Cars is not a top 10 pixar movie
• Sam Ary -1

Joseph Harvey: This is the closing song on this album, released shortly before the lead guitarist (and principal lyricist/songwriter) died of cancer in his late 20s

• Brad Stalcup +1
• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James 0 — Sorry Joseph, good lyrics, but if I have to read them to have any sense of what the song is about, it’s just not gonna do it for me. This was on the theme so I won’t downvote.
• fionmul 0 — This was my 5th vote
• Claire 0 — Joseph I did think this was cool, but it did not make my top 4 alas
• ared56 -1
• SamRobertsND -1
• Regina Scime -1 — I can appreciate the text, but I just can’t vibe with the music, sorry Joseph

• fionmul +1 — 🥲 there was a traumatizing skit from a retreat with this as the background song but it could never ruin it for me
• SamRobertsND +1 — There are other Coldplay songs I would've picked, but I said in chat that Coldplay was the right move for this round, and I'm gonna stand by it. Listening to this took me way back.
• Claire +1 — The first Coldplay song my mind went to for this round was viva la vida. But I grew to like this particular pick because I feel like sonically it hits all the hallmarks of 2000s alt/rock, but in an authentic (rather than derivative) way. (Hi Joseph)
• shea nowicki +1
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Just kidding this is Joseph's submission
• Regina Scime 0 — Wish I had another upvote for this
• judd.baker -1 — There are really no bad entries on this playlist, but this one felt the least fitting to me

• fionmul +1 — Not being a girls girl is definitely part of the toxic feminine realm. Oh Sabrina. I like her less and less. This was a better choice than espresso.
• ared56 +1
• Edward James +1 — Of the pop hits, this is the only one for me that really gets the theme fully. Narrowly beats out two others to get my "4th place" vote.
• Claire +1 — I remember hitting play on this album when it came out and immediately thinking this was just a perfect pop song. Hate to say it but Jack Antonoff has the formula. Subverts the “gatekeep” element of the theme in a fun way
• shea nowicki +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Why do people like her
• Corey -1

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.

• SamRobertsND 0 — Utterly forgettable, Joseph.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I love this song a lot, so catchy. Would have been a great submission for "Songs Brad would Love"
• Edward James 0 — This is a good pick but I feel like Alex goes in more for the gravelly, melancholic folk (overall). A good choice but not a leaderboard choice for me
• fionmul 0 — Cute. Irish ish 🇮🇪 Judd? I forget if it was you or Joseph who showed me a song by this artist in the past.
• Claire 0 — Not a boomer rock caricature but idk, this feels kind of like the slightly less popular but still well known bluegrass Alex caricature to me. (Apologies if this was your song Alex)
• judd.baker 0 — Joseph knows I am a Nickel Creek fan but unless I am mistaken I’m not seeing this as sufficiently Redlepilled
• ared56 0 — Oh man, I really do like this one. My favorite version is the We Banjo 3 version. You should check it out! 4 (Eddie)

• SamRobertsND +1 — Of the "nail polish" options, this was my favorite. What a great song.
• fionmul +1 — It’s just a bop plain and simple, not sure who did this but I approve ofc since I submitted it a few leagues ago.
• Claire +1 — I feel like I can’t not vote for this one. Girly villain era fr
• Regina Scime +1
• judd.baker +1
• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James 0 — This one is very on brand for the category, but at the same time, I can’t imagine Taylor Swift singing this without forcing it. Just can’t take you seriously when you put this out after 10+ years of girl pop.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Petty and vindictive.
• Sam Ary -1
• Corey -1 — Perhaps this is my bias speaking, but I just can't take Swift seriously on this subject.

Joseph Harvey: The last week of senior year, your high school sweetheart broke up with you. Heartbroken, you set out with your best friend from your childhood home in the suburbs of LA on a summer-long roadtrip to nowhere in particular in the family wagon. As the dying sun sets the canyon walls ablaze and you settle in for a long night on the road, this song comes on on the radio.

• judd.baker +1
• fionmul +1 — Compelling story here but Radiohead just isn’t a thing for my fam until more recently.
• Claire +1 — Is it really a road trip if you don’t sink into a melancholy reverie at some point?
• shea nowicki +1 — This is everything hahaha
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Nice story, not a fan of the band.
• Edward James 0 — This was actually good, which I was sad to learn. Never been a big Radiohead guy, but props to Thom Yorke and whatnot
• Corey -1 — This may just be me, but when I hear Radiohead, I think more of a cold urban hallway than a road trip.

• Sam Ary +2
• Corey +2
• Edward James +1 — It’s the GOAT, simple as
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Legitimately a good song, whatever the haters say.
• shea nowicki +1
• Claire +1 — This song is just perfect musically as well as lyrically. Exactly the kind of song you and your friends sing along with at the top of your lungs because it’s so angsty but so unironically good, and that’s exactly the kind of memory you’ll look back on fondly after you’ve parted. Also this got me headbanging and finger pointing in my CA bedroom the second it came on which was a much needed serotonin hit in this time of transition
• fionmul 0 — A necessary addition
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I mean come on

• Corey +1 — I'm gonna go with Fiona.
• shea nowicki +1
• Claire +1 — Sam
• fionmul 0 — 🌭💚 Yup. Josephus?
• ared56 0 — Claire
• Joseph Harvey 0 — kamala IS brat
• Edward James 0 — Great song, but I really thought it would be more hyped. I’ve heard it before, but didn’t realize it was from this album. Doesn’t really fit the category for me.
• judd.baker 0 — Joseph(??)

• Sam Ary +1
• Brad Stalcup +1
• fionmul 0 — Nice one Joey. This was a borderline boring to me but Judd would probably like it. It got bumped in the end.
• Claire 0 — I do feel like he’d like this. I also feel like he most likely already knows this song?
• Edward James 0 — Hate Radiohead, simple as. Sorry y’all. I know this is for Judd but I hope he doesn’t like it.
• judd.baker 0 — This was a great shout from Joseph, who knows exactly which Radiohead records I have and haven’t heard. It was narrowly beaten by other songs that I liked more through the whole runtime, but I do love Radiohead instrumentation and the breakdown around 3:57 is fantastic.
• Corey -1 — Unfortunately someone had to take the hit, and that someone is Radiohead.

Joseph Harvey: A maximally peaceful song to bring a little calm to the frenzy. Devin wrote this specifically to listen to amid the hustle and bustle of airports.

• shea nowicki +1 — Upvote for the creativity/the overall vibe created. I enjoyed.
• ared56 +1 — A comment graces this vote. Most similar to my preferred listening - the entire album of Darkside of the Moon.
• fionmul 0 — With headphones on I could see this helping me continue to hyper focus but I was looking for high energy
• Claire 0 — Hi Joseph. Props for the unique read of the category but didn’t make the podium for me
• Regina Scime 0 — Joseph?
• Corey -1 — I cried after downvoting this, just so you know.
• Sam Ary -1
• Brad Stalcup -1
• judd.baker -1 — I almost hate to downvote this because it’s a good song and I feel bad for poor punished Joseph. But I just can’t imagine packing to this

• Brad Stalcup +1
• Edward James +1 — I think it's easier to find a vibe fit or a weird story, but it's a lot harder and more meaningful to find a real deep fit with a theme in O'Connor stories. This one nails it with the visionary imagery all leading up the line "He will take you. If you run, he will chase you."
• shea nowicki +1 — I loved this Sufjan moment I got to have on the South Shore line into Chicago. His sound is perfectly on brand Flannery, so too the religious & lyrical turns. Thank you for this.
• judd.baker +1 — Spooky, murky Christ images will always get my vote in a category like this.
• Claire +1 — I feel like a broken record for voting for Sufjan every single time he’s submitted, but this is a really good read of the theme imo. Little boy sees a fire in the backyard and it turns into this wild spiritual revelation. Is he delusional? Is it really a vision from God? Unclear. But he clearly was deeply impacted by it. That’s a Flannery O’Connor moment for sure
• fionmul 0 — I hate his voice here personally
• Corey -1

• shea nowicki +1 — This one surprised me... but I LOVED it. A vibe.
• Regina Scime +1
• Claire +1 — Sad indie boy is an important facet of Eddie’s taste
• judd.baker +1 — I’m not 100% positive that this hits the Eddie mark, but it is a great song, and for being just out-there enough I feel like I can justify an upvote
• fionmul 0 — This is unique and cool but I got sorta bored
• Edward James 0 — I enjoyed this song a lot, and the writing is really beautiful. But even though it picks up a bit, I found it still a bit more melancholy in a way that will keep it off the podium.
• Brad Stalcup -1
• Laur -1

Joseph Harvey: I always pictured the vocalizations at the beginning coming from a gorgeous Indian woman. Alas

• Edward James +1 — A great song that I only give an upvote to because I was 100% convinced the intro was not Sting. The rest doesn't sound like a woman tho, but that was impressive enough to win a vote.
• ared56 +1
• fionmul 0 — Lmao the caption
• judd.baker 0 — I get the idea behind it, and it’s close, but the backing vocals aren’t enough
• Regina Scime 0 — mkay calm down Joseph
• Claire 0 — 🪦🥀

Joseph Harvey: I’m prepared to be buried in downvotes, but this is one of the most formative recordings of my musical journey. This very performance opened my eyes to the value of screaming, as it’s used very intentionally to convey the emotion of the song. Haunting performance by one of the all time greats.

• Claire +1 — This was an awesome submission. As a known concert enjoyer I really was looking for songs this round where I can feel the energy of the crowd and the way the musicians interact with and build on that. The energy was so evident from this recording and I wanted to be in that crowd. Plus it’s just a cool song. Doesn’t deserve to be buried in downvotes—far from it
• fionmul 0 — “Opened my eyes to the value of screaming” - my toddler after his first tantrum. I love you but it was boring.
• Edward James 0 — Sorry Joseph
• judd.baker 0 — Didn’t have enough upvotes in what was really a fabulous round, but I have to say that I enjoyed this a ton. Devin Townsend is not in my general wheelhouse but I agree that the screaming adds a ton to this performance, and just in general this is a really fun recording. This rocks
• SamRobertsND -1 — Torment. That was 8 minutes I will never get back
• Regina Scime -1

• SamRobertsND +1 — I wanted to hate this but I really liked it. Really reminds me of Elton John esp around 2 minute mark for reasons I can't fully articulate. Liked it better than the hit so maybe it deserves 2? For Joseph, no.
• fionmul +1 — This is lowkey hit material
• judd.baker +1 — Loved this so much more than I expected to. I’m not super familiar with Dream Theater and I question its conformity to the theme, but for surprising me with a really enjoyable submission I shall upvote.
• Regina Scime +1 — Loved the 80’s vibes
• Claire 0 — I respect this read of the theme but it’s not how I personally read it. I had listened to dream theater but had no idea they had a single hit lol. Incredible sax tho

Joseph Harvey: I’m hoping this constitutes a somewhat rare intersection on Sammy’s and my musical Venn diagram

• Edward James +1 — On my listen through, I had this firmly in the middle of the pack. But in writing my comments on each song, I’ve realized that there are certain elements of this which I think will move it up in estimation when compared against the other others. This is a field with a lot of deeper songs, and one like this that is fun, witty, and outlandish, while still being serious and incredibly catchy is worth a vote.
• ared56 +1
• fionmul 0 — Country-singing, bareback-riding Air Force brat? Be still my heart! I enjoyed reading his bio. The research I am doing on each of these songs feels fitting for Sammy’s category. BRB gonna set my pomodoro method timer.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Demon horses are just cool
• Claire 0 — Didn’t have a vote for this but I really liked it as a read of the theme bc it plays into the classic Sammy Wild West bit and yet it’s not just a generic cowboy song, it’s a mythical narrative
• SamRobertsND 0 — Montesquieu once said England is a republic hiding under a monarchy, and this is a Sting song hiding under a country western song, as you know full well, Joseph. Just for once, however, I won't tease you, as you did really well here. I love some of Chris LeDoux's other songs, so you picked the right artist out of the country haystack. I've said several times that for these "Songs X would love" rounds, you should really look for intersection of interests rather than a random pick, and the former clearly led you in the right direction here (I hate a ton of country music, so that's a dangerous guessing game). This is a deeply Sammy-coded song: ballad about deadly man and beast in the Western wilderness, Cormac McCarthy would be proud. I think we agree on more music than you'd think (I half expected some Aquariumcore), but this is definitely the closest point of intersection, only beat out by a few others that really did it for me. You can hang up your spurs and hat with pride. Runner Up!!

Joseph Harvey: Any Sufjan hate will be met with swift and exacting retribution.

• shea nowicki +1 — Sufjan never misses. Slow, contemplative, pained.... this has it all. Very slay pick.
• Sam Ary +1
• Claire +1 — At this point I feel like a broken record but Sufjan really is just a master songwriter and this is one of his best. In the midst of grief and utter desolation and self destruction he still can’t escape the specter of the cross.
• judd.baker +1 — This whole album is very crying out from the depths, and this is an excellent pick from it.
• fionmul 0 — Come at me then; I actually do not like his voice here and do not like the song.
• Edward James 0 — I like this a lot, but again it seems to be a bit of a sad story song more so than a despair song to me.
• SamRobertsND 0 — Meh

• Edward James +1 — I don’t really like this song. I was going to skip over it. But then I remembered that my own proclivities and prejudices must be burned away like so much chaff so I may enter full into my role “in persona Claire” And then I knew it was a good choice.
• SamRobertsND +1 — Of the many things I'm going to miss when in the novitiate, making fun of Joseph and his isms will be chief among them. Room temperature water, an absurdly loud toothbrush, waxing his car... I could go on. However, I must give that water-slurping SOB credit where it's due. I think this is a Josephcore and Clairecore point of intersection. Have a vote, Joseph, as a treat.
• fionmul +1 — I like
• Regina Scime +1
• judd.baker 0 — A valiant effort from Joseph, and genuinely not a bad shout, but to quote Band CAMINO, “close but no cigarette”
• Claire 0 — A very respectable read. Likely would have been my fourth vote. I listen to much more than just hardcore/emo/pop punk music but nonetheless it’s a core part of my music taste. Holding Absence is one of those bands that is extremely adjacent to bands that I’m super into, and I definitely have put songs of theirs on playlists, but for whatever reason I’ve just never gotten super super into them. But this is a great song that I’d definitely listen to again

Joseph Harvey: It was good enough for Johnny Cash to cover

• SamRobertsND +1 — Peter: "The lyrics tell a compelling story with pathos. The rhythm is very interesting. The transition to the chorus is smooth. Fits the category really well." I've loved this song for a while. It's such a strange circumstance; makes you think about how your life can be ruined in an instant. Very well done, Joseph.
• fionmul +1 — at first i thought the person killed their brother. i love the storytelling of this song and the ending smacking of Christian Hope the best to ever do it, absolute legend, whoever submitted this has brilliant taste 💯
• Claire +1 — I was struck by the way this song gets into the interior life of the killer himself. Also of course “these are difficult times.” I feel like it isn’t just a gimmick though, it adds to the melancholy and (dare I say) psychological disjointedness that the song is trying to capture. Love the instrumentation too. Gordon gets my vote
• Regina Scime +1 — Iconic
• Sam Ary +1
• judd.baker 0 — Truly stacked round, almost voted for this but I liked a few other songs more. But this is excellent. Props for the inclusion of an unintentional homicide in this round
• Edward James 0 — I love this song and this version has an absolutely killer saxophone part, but others just beat it for me.

• Sam Ary +2 — Been listening to this cover for over a decade now, don’t know how I didn’t think of this myself. This would get all 3 of my votes if Alien Ant Farm’s Smooth Criminal wasn’t also on this playlist.
• fionmul +1 — Slay. > original
• SamRobertsND 0 — Joseph, I know you’ve been watching a lot of Law and Order recently, so you’re familiar with the concept of “fruit of the rotten tree,” and so when covering one of the worst songs in modern memory… Just kidding. It almost got my vote, as it turned a piece of garbage into something somewhat listenable (although only the faintest melodic traces of the original remain, so is it really still a cover?). This gets my fourth vote, as it’s easier to make a bad song good (especially when you basically reengineer the whole thing) than making a good song even better, which my final selections did.
• judd.baker 0 — This is silly but I still loved it
• Claire 0 — sorry Joseph but I do not agree that this is the best punk goes pop track
• Edward James 0 — I really really loved this. Enjoyed it and thought it was an incredibly fun interpretation. But interpretation was not the category, it was superior covers. And despite the fact that I love to hate the original, I do think it’s much better than this.

• SamRobertsND 0 — Sammy and Peter: “Joseph”
• Claire 0 — Joseph knows I enjoy this song. Perhaps Fiona does too? But I’m not 100% sure
• fionmul 0 — Fi the occasional angsty girl: Hi Joseph 👋🏼 As you know I am not in my metal era when I am not teaching (lol). The lyrics are a very “Fi as she leaves SB” vibe but the sound does not convey what I feel as well as the words do. I like the melodies and the vocals are impressive. This was middle-of-the-pack in my ranking but creeped up to 4th!! I appreciate that you know of and honor this quadrant of my taste; for this I tip my hat to you. 🎩
• Edward James -1 — Mormon-core
• shea nowicki -1
• judd.baker -1 — meh
• Sam Ary -1

Joseph Harvey: Also recommended for lawn mowing

• judd.baker +1 — I will go against the grain. This is a great song for this theme. Inspired choice
• [DELETED] +1
• Claire +1 — Midwest lawnmower God bless America core 🦅🇺🇸
• fionmul 0 — Sounds like I burned the burgers (maybe in a good way but just not enough votes sry JH)
• SamRobertsND -1 — “Tell me you’ve never grilled without telling me you’ve never grilled”
• Edward James -1 — I actually think this song is pretty good, but fundamentally wrong for the category imo

Joseph Harvey: burn it all to the ground

• ared56 +1
• Sam Ary +1
• shea nowicki 0 — Yep, that hit
• SamRobertsND 0 — "A bit much" - Larry David
• Edward James 0 — As a RATM purist, I actually think there are like 5 other songs from them that would fit the category better. However, it’s a banger
• Claire 0 — idk this was too overtly about Bush/Gore for me, and while there is plenty one can criticize about them this response feels more like an angsty teenage rebellion than a true proletariat call to action

• SamRobertsND +1 — I considered this song and honestly can’t believe more people didn’t go Disney, it’s such a deep well for songs about falling in love specifically. Despite being from a more recent movie, this is one of their best for sure. Flynn’s “chasing down a daydream” and “never seeing things for how they really were” impact me on a deep level. Very good choice.
• Claire +1 — So good. The songs that get a vote from me this round are the ones that vividly, relatably capture the interior experience of realizing you’re falling.
• Edward James +1 — I loved both Disney songs this round, but have to vote for this one because it surprised me while the other is a tried and true classic
• fionmul 0 — This is a good pick. I am just struggling with the distinction of "falling" vs "realizing you're in love." Maybe it's the same?? but I am not sure
• ared56 -1

• [DELETED] +2
• fionmul +1 — This is so good for this. Love this freaking category
• Edward James 0 — This was great, and I liked it more than I expected, but like Judd’s submission I feel it leans a bit too far towards romantic (at least in my listen)
• Claire 0 — “I crawl back into your open arms” got me. But up to that point it wasn’t really hitting as a Jesus song ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
• SamRobertsND 0 — An incredible song. I loved it!
• judd.baker -1 — Great song but this was the least resonant of the lot for me

Joseph Harvey: Beautiful aching ennui

• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul 0 — a wee bit boring innit
• judd.baker 0 — Joseph’s submission for this category is also the exact intersection point of our music tastes
• Claire 0 — Beautiful song. If I had a fourth vote I’d give it to this one
• Edward James 0 — Don’t like Radiohead, simple as
• SamRobertsND 0 — The Catholic communists at Hillsdale told me to like Radiohead but idk it never worked

Joseph Harvey: I mean come on

• [DELETED] +2
• Claire +1 — Yeah this title is excellent. No notes
• judd.baker +1 — Yawn- take the upvote and go
• fionmul +1 — ok yeah 🔥 voice is a bit scraggly tho
• SamRobertsND 0 — Went so hard that it annoyed me. You had your time, Joseph
• ared56 -1 — So tough! So edgy! I’m sure these people are hardcore!

Joseph Harvey: A beautiful proggy journey to catharsis

• Regina Scime +3 — I can hear him singing this
• judd.baker +2 — 7+ minutes of prog-ish metal with high register male vocals and a whole 1 minute of Dune soundtrack outro. Diagnostic specimen of the Josephcore genre
• Edward James +2 — This to me is the type of music Joseph strives to make. It’s a dangerous statement, but in persona Joseph I must trust my instinct and reward.
• [DELETED] +2
• Claire +1 — Hell yeah
• SamRobertsND +1 — This is what Joseph’s music sounds like to me
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Best bass tone of all time
• fionmul 0 — joseph would like this but hasn’t he heard it? probably

• fionmul +1 — "corvette" "like a really fast crazy car" "a hotdog truck"
• judd.baker +1 — I’m not sure if this is the best submission for the theme but it is my favorite
• Regina Scime +1 — A truly transcendent experience
• Edward James 0 — Entirely neutral on this one
• SamRobertsND 0 — Nice but it doesn’t really make me want to speed???? Spiritus mundi

• [DELETED] +2
• fionmul 0 — Liked it more than I'll admit in-person but the yelling is just not bonita fo me boo
• Edward James 0 — Nope
• SamRobertsND 0 — When the girl who glanced at you during young adult event doesn’t ask you out afterwards.
• Claire 0 — I don’t have any more votes left but excellent song
• ared56 -1
• judd.baker -1 — I liked zero percent of this

Joseph Harvey: Feast your ears on this crown jewel of 70s English prog

• judd.baker +1 — I thought I wouldn’t like it but in fact it was awesome
• fionmul -1 — I listened to the whole thing and I did two duolingo lessons in different languages during it since I was boreddd and it is STILL GOING.
• SamRobertsND -1 — This song sucks so badly. Made me want to bash my brains out against my steering wheel.
• Edward James -1 — I understand the idea behind picking a 15 minute song as the only one you’re gonna get to hear. But it’s gotta be a worthwhile 15 minutes.

Joseph Harvey: Sorry, this is obnoxious

• [DELETED] +2
• judd.baker +2 — If I saw this in real life I think I would cry
• fionmul 0 — the caption says it

• [DELETED] +2
• fionmul +1 — I do lika dis song and it be nostalgic
• Edward James +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Maybe if I wanted to give myself a panic attack
• judd.baker 0 — I just can’t get into this in any way

Joseph Harvey: Stuck in a quantum pattern

• [DELETED] +2
• shea nowicki +2
• fionmul +1 — 😫🥺😩 me rn

Joseph Harvey: I have shed tears to this song on multiple occasions

• [DELETED] +2
• fionmul +2 — me too, Joseph
• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James 0 — We have already given the Irish enough

• Regina Scime +2
• fionmul +2 — I...i just love this song 🥹 I hope you win this round, Joseph.
• SamRobertsND +1
• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James 0 — Liked this but didn’t evoke the feeling for me

Joseph Harvey: I’m afraid to read the lyrics but dang, what a banger

• fionmul +2 — Sabrina is a modern hot girl summer icon... I don't necessarily like it but it's true
• shea nowicki +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James +1 — That’s that me vote
• judd.baker +1

Joseph Harvey: In the running for heaviest song of all time I think. The end feels like you’re being progressively slammed further and further into the center of the earth

• [DELETED] +2
• SamRobertsND +1
• fionmul 0 — 🥺

Joseph Harvey: If you make it through the bit of screaming at the beginning, chorus is a bop

• judd.baker +2
• fionmul 0 — this caption smacks of Joseph