shea nowicki

• SamRobertsND +1
• fionmul +1 — Perhaps obvious but a classic for a reason. As I sit in the villa classroom working on some stuff with the windows open letting in the warm Tuscan air and natural light, it fit my vibe well
• Regina Scime +1
• Peter Seeley 0 — This song would be great if it weren't sung in a weirdly american way(despite the artist being French). Great tune, in French, but sung in a weirdly constricted way.
• Edward James 0 — Just don't really like the trad style French songs that much
• judd.baker 0 — I
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Cute but forgettable
• Claire -1 — Last time we did this round I did in fact mention this song as the superior Camille movie soundtrack song. Whether or not this player remembered said comment when they made this submission, it feels slightly unoriginal in light of the previous round, though it is a great song in itself

• ared56 +2
• fionmul +1 — Yeah even I hated this
• Regina Scime +1
• Edward James 0 — This is a good pick, it fits the millennial mumbo-jumbo category that Joseph can’t stand.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — More inoffensively bland than hate-worthy. Not quite offensively bland. Also already a well known object of my derision
• Claire 0 — Another known Joseph dislike. But yeah, this is pretty annoying
• judd.baker 0 — Almost got me until I clocked the call back to a previous submission
• SamRobertsND -1 — Lazy we know he hates this

• Peter Seeley +1 — The song of my people
• Claire +1 — Classic story song. I didn’t initially want to vote for it bc it’s an obvious pick but in terms of telling a good story it does make the top 4 for me
• fionmul +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Regina Scime +1 — Classic
• Edward James 0 — I hate Eagles man
• Joseph Harvey 0 — “We haven’t had that spirit here since 1969” is like us talking about 2019.
• ared56 -1

• Claire +1 — Absolutely classic, this makes me think of driving down the 150 in the early days of college
• Edward James +1 — This is the millennial hopefulness mixed with the ennui of the Indie vibe of that time. Hard to describe, but really emblematic. Am I biased because I happen to be 20 years old at the time? No questions.
• Regina Scime +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Lyrics do seem pretty millennial

• fionmul +2 — 🖤🖤🖤
• Joseph Harvey +1 — I went into this skeptical but there’s definitely something to this
• Peter Seeley -1 — Not offensive but nothing distinguishes it musically.
• Claire -1 — I don’t see anything like desperation or lamentation here. I love this song immensely and I’ve wanted to submit it multiple times for other rounds (eg yearning, accidentally about Jesus) but feared it would be too obvious that it was me. Bummed that this was used on a round for which imo it was a poor fit

• fionmul +2
• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James +1 — What’s wild is that this was still somehow like the best one
• Peter Seeley 0 — A classmate of my younger brothers performed this live at a school dance. There were complaints.
• Regina Scime 0 — Damn
• Claire -1 — It’s a millennial classic and imo a genuinely good song but in a round where all the options are on theme, I’m gonna downvote the one that’s imo the most obvious pick
• Sam Ary -1
• judd.baker -1 — It’s not a bad submission per se, but feels obvious compared to most of the others and I’m afraid the hammer must fall somewhere.

• ared56 +1
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Was that a land acknowledgment lol
• Edward James 0 — Lyrically I can't really fault this one, but the guy has terminal Gen Z voice and I wasn't a huge fan of the sound
• fionmul 0 — Perhaps wedding is too far along for this category
• SamRobertsND -1
• Sam Ary -1

• Joseph Harvey +2 — This body is yours and mine
• Peter Seeley +2 — I hate voting for this but it fits the prompt and is less bad than the other ones
• Regina Scime +2
• ared56 +1
• Claire +1 — This was on my shortlist. The “this body is yours” line is so perfect. I feared people wouldn’t get it/wouldn’t like that it was the riptide guy so I chickened out. But I commend the person who was braver than I
• judd.baker +1 — I didn’t like it at first, and I’m really not a fan of Vance Joy, but I was won over by the repeated Eucharistic imagery. That’s pretty spot-on

• judd.baker +1 — It’s not a slam dunk but it’s such a great song, just recently discovered it (overheard playing in a Belizean coffee shop) and immediately liked it. I’m feeling generous
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Wow this was beautiful! Hard to imagine Eddie, Sammy, or Alex queuing this up however. Closer to “Fort Porch Sit” if such a thing had ever existed.
• fionmul 0 — I love this song but it’s just really not landing for me in this category
• Regina Scime 0 — Didn’t have enough upvotes:(
• SamRobertsND -1
• Sam Ary -1

• Joseph Harvey 0 — Not the strongest contender
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Don't really get how this is black people music.
• fionmul -1 — I’ve never thought of this that way and I still don’t
• Edward James -1 — Sounds black is NOT the same as black music. This song is SO WHITE
• Claire -1 — Apparently some people think he sounds black but tbh I don’t really get that, unless you think white people can’t have deep voices. In any case, as mentioned above, “wait that’s a white guy?” isn’t exactly the same thing as “white people doing black people music.” As for the latter category, I guess he has folk and blues influences, but tbh it still reads more as 2014 millennial slop to me than anything else
• Regina Scime -1
• judd.baker -1 — I think this is actually white people doing black people doing white people music
• Sam Ary -1

• fionmul +1 — Love William. I think about his and Gordon’s talent show in Indianapolis often.
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James +1 — This was wonderful. I expected it to be from the early 2000s and was surprised to see it was 2024. Perfect choice.
• Sam Ary +1
• Regina Scime +1
• Claire +1 — Billy ily. Maybe I’m biased bc i have seen him perform so late in his career and can confirm that he’s still got it
• judd.baker +1 — Loved this. Billy Joel is a definitive example to me of a career with a couple noteworthy late hits.
• Peter Seeley -1 — Weakest of the lot

• fionmul +1 — nice
• SamRobertsND +1
• ared56 +1 — Almost submitted this myself
• Peter Seeley +1 — Yeah this fits the category
• Sam Ary +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Accidentally? maybe he was clueless enough not to know that this song was just super weird and therefore i give it an upvote.
• Regina Scime +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is not accidental, much as it pains me not to upvote. Sting has commented on how he’s surprised people use this as a first dance song
• Claire 0 — Too obvious
• judd.baker -1 — This one is in a sense the opposite of accidentally evil; it’s intentionally evil but accidentally sounded otherwise

• SamRobertsND +1 — Good
• ared56 +1
• judd.baker +1 — Also excellent. I am really impressed with the extremely apt submissions this round, I thought it would be harder than this but apparently songs about whaling is a plentiful genre
• fionmul +1 — Love the Pogues
• Peter Seeley +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Somehow this song captures both the depression and freneticism of irish music in a song about whales. Way to go, good pull.
• Edward James 0 — This one is fun but just not as good as the others imo
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This has not the gravitas with which whales must be treated

• SamRobertsND +1 — How I'll admit it, I was won over by this guy's goofy voice haha.
• Edward James 0 — Say what you will, but those androgynous Gen Z white boys can lay down a rhythm line
• Peter Seeley 0 — The band name makes me think of the supplicia canum (unfortunately, the listeners are the dogs in this scenario).
• Claire 0 — This definitely feels angsty but not necessarily in a bindle specific way (I guess it does talk about running away, and bindles are used when you’re running away from home ig, but that’s taking bindle in the literal sense)
• judd.baker 0 — I feel there are bindlier songs on this album
• fionmul -1 — Needed this to just end sooner.

• ared56 +1
• Claire +1 — Flowers mentioned (also I feel like this does capture something of the tenderness and even whimsy of her relationship with Jesus)
• Brad Stalcup +1 — I enjoyed this one. Quiet trust in (I presume what the submitter wants us to read as) God's loving care is a very Therese submission.
• fionmul 0 — This is a bit too general for me as in “love songs from Jesus” and not specifically Thérèse but I find it pleasant and the wildflower part is cute and theme appropriate, as is the “I’m Yours” for a consecrated soul.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — A voice like Josh Garrels with vocal damage. Also no specific connection to Therese
• judd.baker 0 — Upvoting in spirit for Caamp, but this didn’t seem distinctly Therese to me
• Peter Seeley -1

• fionmul +1 — Shea and I were both praying and talking about fragrance during Holy Week <3 She may know this or this may be her? Or maybe neither. But I think she would like this.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Other P&W here seems more Shea specific to me
• judd.baker 0 — Overtly religious feels like too easy for this round and I also immensely disliked this for some reason
• ared56 -1
• SamRobertsND -1
• Edward James -1 — Uninspired, sorry

• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• fionmul +1 — Cute I like the idea of a sweet song like this as you drift through the stars
• Peter Seeley -1
• judd.baker -1 — I want to think The Oh Hellos are a more inventive take on stomp clap slop, but every song I’ve heard other than Rio Grande and Soldier Poet King leaves me underwhelmed. This song is also not really at all the vibe I was picking up for this category.

• judd.baker +1 — Listening to this in the car with Joseph en route to Dangriga, Belize and it is funny how instantly our opinions on it diverged. I loved this though. It’s a little too long but I can imagine the whole song isn’t going to play during the death scene. The opening and the overall vibe of the song is perfect for this. Quite enjoyed
• Peter Seeley 0 — I'm not sure if the guy who wrote this has ever died.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I was jammin to this one. Not sure if it's the best song to die to, though.
• Claire 0 — I kinda sorta see the vision but only kinda sorta?
• Edward James 0 — Dozens of loving family members pressing close in......granddaughter leans in.... "Papa....what do you want to hear....one last time?" "Please....just one more time.......play me some.....Kurt Vile and the Violators"

• Sam Ary +2 — Undecipherable in many places
• ared56 +1
• fionmul +1 — Yep this is hard to understand And I dont despise the song
• Edward James +1 — I truly didn't understand a single word other than the title names.
• Claire +1 — What the hell is he saying (I’ve known of this song but never known any of its lyrics besides “Louie Louie oh baby.” Now I realize why)
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Pharaoh pharaoh Ooh baby let my people go Yeah yeah yeah yeah
• Regina Scime +1
• shea nowicki 0 — I totally misunderstood the category and am resigned (dare I say hoping) that I will receive all the downvotes. Rooting for 12 - let's see if I can do it hahahah

• Edward James +1 — This is probably the most “on theme” lyrically and I have to reward that, even though I don’t particularly like the song. Great find
• Joseph Harvey +1 — I was going back and forth on this. I’ve concluded it’s almost but not quite. Good pull still
• Regina Scime +1 — So incredibly on point
• fionmul 0 — I have to like the song. Sorry. I can’t see past the vocals.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — A great Tolle Lege song.
• ared56 0 —
• judd.baker 0 — This song strikes me as more generically “accidentally about Jesus” than accidentally about Augustine
• Claire 0 — I see the vision and obviously all human love images the love God has for us but I feel like this is a bit too clearly about a human couple to work for me

• Peter Staffelbach +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Unmemorable
• Edward James 0 — Just didn't stand out to me
• Claire 0 — With deepest apologies to my polish ancestors: meh
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Polish alternative is pretty good. But didn't blow me away.
• fionmul 0 — was sorta boring/mid to me but Viva Poland

• ared56 +1
• Peter Seeley 0 — Not particularly happy sounding
• SamRobertsND 0 — good song
• Joseph Harvey 0 — In order for a song to sound happy it needs to sound like anything at all
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Maybe it's the guy's voice, but this song never really sounded happy.
• Edward James -1 — This didn't sound all that happy to me...
• Spicey Riche -1 — Not happy

• SamRobertsND 0 — Saved from the downvote by realizing that this is black music white people love
• Edward James 0 — Haha I get it. But no vote
• Peter Seeley 0 — I love this song, but no way that a Motown classic is "white people music"
• Brad Stalcup 0 — A little too obvious of a submission. I don't think I'd classify motown - though it had favor among the white folk - as white people music.
• fionmul -1 — I dont see this as a white genre
• ared56 -1 — Disco is for everyone
• Claire -1 — I’m probably telling on myself here but I have never thought of this as white person music. Probably a perfect song though
• Joseph Harvey -1 — This doesn’t seem especially white coded, musically or culturally

• Joseph Harvey +2 — Anyone with taste would get down to this
• Sam Ary +1
• Peter Staffelbach +1
• Regina Scime 0 — Love this song, but not sure if it’s Rich…
• SamRobertsND 0 — Wasn't this already submitted in an older league?
• Edward James 0 — Meh - not for the category
• Brad Stalcup 0 — A great song, but not a great wedding reception song.
• Claire 0 — This just doesn’t feel like a song I’d dance to at a wedding. Maybe rich would? Idk
• fionmul -1

• fionmul +1 — I mean yeah
• Edward James 0 — Thank you based Steve Harrington
• Joseph Harvey 0 — The beginning of this just wouldn’t work in a film. But there is something really sweet about this!
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I could see this coming more
• Claire -1 — I am kind of obsessed with this song. Was in Chicago last week and thought to myself "it's crazy how accurately Djo was able to capture what I'm feeling right now in a song." That being said, while I see how musically this has kind of a “roll credits” sound, I feel like lyrically/emotionally it’s something that’s not quite an end of movie feeling. It’s not an optimistic “new beginning” feeling, nor is it a poignant tragic feeling, so much as a melancholy but ultimately peaceful reflective feeling. Idk. A long winded way of saying I love the song but it didn’t feel right for the prompt

• ared56 +1
• fionmul 0 — Super mid // millennial round again // stomp clap slop
• Edward James 0 — You should know better

shea nowicki: Sandy Hook survivors 💔

• fionmul +1 — Ok like 🥲🥲🥲 My desire to homeschool my kids just escalated I hope I never listen to this again
• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James 0 — If I need the context to understand why this version should be sadder, I don’t think it works. Would’ve probably gotten me if it was the Israel Kamakawiwoʻole version.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This song gets its emotional power from the backstory, and not really the song itself.
• Claire -1 — I feel like a terrible person downvoting this but I had planned to do so before I realized who was singing it. It just feels very twee to me

• SamRobertsND +1 — I hated this but Regina would love it I think so have your upvote
• Brad Stalcup +1 — I'm not the biggest P&W fan typically, but this is just so great. This is good music.
• fionmul 0 — She may have heard this before so that’s my main critique but this is a great one
• Edward James 0 — Have they created Gen Z versions of the 1990s protestant Church lady? I really enjoyed this one.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Regina would love the lyrics of this if not the utter dearth of musical substance
• Claire 0 — This is really lovely and while it didn’t make my podium I do think she’d quite like it
• Regina Scime 0 — Shea😭😭😭 all I can say is “amen, hallelujah!”
• Spicey Riche -1 — Fiona

• Joseph Harvey +1 — Was this big on TikTok or something? Incredibly cute, would enjoy over a Kitchenette omlet
• Spicey Riche +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — 50's music is a shortcut to winning at diner core
• SamRobertsND 0 — Song goes hard as theme in Halloween II
• fionmul 0 — 🩷 cutesy Unfortunately I went with the retro one I didn’t know before because I dont have a 4th vote I’m sry
• Peter Seeley 0 — "lonely heart like Pagliacci/ with wavy hair like Liberace" is an amazing and messed up line.
• judd.baker 0 — But doctor, I have a lonely heart like Pagliacci
• Edward James 0 — See comment above on 50s/60s songs for diners

• SamRobertsND +1
• Peter Seeley +1 — I laughed.
• fionmul +1 — “I have a sneaking suspicion this is Joseph because I think he’s the kind of person who would know about the hype this is getting and not understand the hype whatsoever” - Claire
• judd.baker +1 — Instrumentally I think this is fantastic, and it might be the type of alt rock song that Joseph inexplicably vibes with, but the particularly whiny Will Toledo-esque vocals tip the scales towards upvote for me
• Edward James 0 — Joseph would hate the insufferable Gen Z nature of this song more than anything
• Claire 0 — “I would throw ass to this” *proceeds to throw ass* -Fiona
• Brad Stalcup 0 — i dunno, i kinda dug this one. I think joseph would too.
• shea nowicki 0 — Fun fact: my MDiv classmate shared this song with me.
• Joseph Harvey -1 — This is actually a very interesting song and reminds me of Radiohead! The lyrics are really interesting too. Come on people!

• ared56 +2
• Regina Scime +2 — Just yes
• fionmul +1 — Did you pay music league to make you first on the playlist?! Fr tho obvious but great pull 👌🏼😤🖤
• Sam Ary +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Feels a little too obvious and boring
• SamRobertsND 0 — Too easy
• Claire 0 — Obviously a good fit but too obvious

• Regina Scime +2
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Wow. It really is so over. Not my favorite song on this list, but definitely nails the category the best.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This lady is a Radiohead fan for sure. I questioned whether she was singing in English at a couple points though
• SamRobertsND 0 — Taking more than her share, had me fighting for air She told me to come, but I was already there 'Cause the walls start shaking, the Earth was quaking My mind was aching and we were making it
• Edward James 0 — I feel bad saying this, because for other songs, I probably would have the opposite feeling, but her voice is just really weird
• judd.baker 0 — I really want to upvote Adrianne Lenker every time, but lyrically this song is almost too murky and vague to me. To really be a song about despair, it’s gotta sound like crying and screaming at the moon
• fionmul -1 — Most other submissions were just way stronger even tho this does sound like a person dying sorta (🥲😂). I think this is Shea, loml. But I have to downvote it I think 😭 ily tho. If this isn’t Shea I dont feel that bad tho.
• Peter Seeley -1 — I'm sure Adrianne is talented, but I despise this vocal style. I will spare you the rant.

• Peter Seeley +1 — Ok this is funny
• Corey +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Uh not a funny song?
• Edward James 0 — Vanessa Hudgens, I haven’t forgotten you. Don’t see how this is funny.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — What?! This song is great.
• judd.baker 0 — Idgi. Would downvote but it’s not the worst offender
• Claire 0 — This song is a genuine banger. I may or may not have once sung this at club blue karaoke at the hangar featuring Fiona as Troy. It’s corny, yes, but I don’t think that’s the same thing as “funny”
• fionmul -1 — Nah
• SamRobertsND -1 — Normal song
• ared56 -1

• Peter Seeley +2 — Fantastic intro. Everything works together fantastically.
• Corey +1 — I have fond memories of the song, it reminds me of looking at sports stats over a lazy summer.
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Really tried hard one with this one, didn't ya? Really dug deep, huh?
• fionmul 0 — I mean yeah
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Close but no 🚬
• Edward James 0 — I have just never liked this song all that much, despite the great sax part
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Almost submitted this one, but chose not to because there's only one sax riff. It's cool and memorable. But it's just one riff over and over. Wouldn't call that the "best" saxophone part. "Iconic" but not "best"
• Spicey Riche 0 — This one wasn’t bad

• fionmul +2
• ared56 +1
• Regina Scime +1
• Sam Ary +1
• judd.baker +1 — this is wonderful. Totally new discovery but this is beautiful and painful. The mountains are taller than ever before
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Boring
• SamRobertsND 0 — Should've submitted from The Lonely Island
• Edward James 0 — Cool song but didn't really stand out to me
• Claire 0 — This is on theme for sure but just didn’t hit quite as hard as other songs of a similar genre on this list
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Lover's remorse is not quite longing IMO.

• ared56 +1
• Joseph Harvey +1 — This is absolutely great. A rebuke to class resentment: the people who you think have it better than you are often miserable. It’s a great observation of human nature that the narrator still wants to be Richard Cory at the end of this. Also decently musically compelling.
• Spicey Riche +1 — This is the second song this round about me.
• Sam Ary +1
• Peter Seeley 0 — I like this. Nuanced.
• Edward James 0 — Love this song idea and it's good but didn't stand above others. We don't make up characters with full names for songs anymore, and that's a shame.
• fionmul 0 — Want to vote for this for S&G and also “Cory” in the league of Corey but it’s not really a narrative which is what I’m looking for
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Conflicted about this one, because while it technically tells a story, the story is just "rich guy kills himself." At first I thought I might downvote this, but the music saves it.

• fionmul +1 — I enjoyed this
• Corey 0 — Catchy, but like the above, it has very stiff competition, and I have only so many thumbs.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — No
• Edward James 0 — This is a great song, I’ve only heard one other Saint Motel song and I liked that one too. I think this is a song Corey would like, but I just don’t think it stands out among the others.
• Peter Seeley 0 — Corey would like this, but I gave only so many votes to give.
• judd.baker 0 — I really like the one other Saint Motel song I’ve heard but this one is a little underwhelming and I don’t think I really see this as a Coreycore submission.
• shea nowicki 0 — I tried to find my musical overlap with Corey... in the end, I'm not convinced I got it right! I do like this song though lol
• Claire -1 — Meh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

• fionmul +1 — I think this wins as far as which eagles submission is best
• SamRobertsND +1 — This was the Eagles' song to pick. Right tempo
• judd.baker +1 — See above. As the poet said, “I’ve had a long night and I hate the f-kin Eagles, man”—but with that said, something about this song and only this song really gets me. Platonic form of road trip song almost
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is a great song. More of a second hour of road trip song though
• Edward James 0 — You could say it's hypocritical of me to ignore this one and upvote the other Eagles song, but this one does not invoke for me the same "Let's start on a new journey" feeling that Peaceful Easy Feeling does.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Halfway through a road trip? Absolutely. Starting off a roadtrip? Not quite energetic enough.
• Peter Seeley 0 — Good for sixth hour of driving, right before lunch.

• Edward James +1 — Already submitted in past leagues, which biased me. Maybe this was Brad, and because of this possibility, I give it one vote.
• Sam Ary +1
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Can’t not vote for Sufjan. This just sounds so vulnerable and raw like everything on this album.
• Regina Scime +1
• judd.baker +1 — Excellent
• fionmul 0 — Sufjan/this song is just sorta too predictable to me at this point for this theme
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Perhaps this is anathema in this group, but i've never quite got the hype for Sufjan Stevens. This is no exception.
• Claire 0 — Fiona has the receipts but I told her before this round that if somebody submitted Sufjan it would be the first time in music league history that I didn’t vote for him. I just feel like it’s too easy. Also despite the line “we’re all gonna die,” I feel like this song is more properly about the experience of his mother’s death rather than reflecting on his own mortality

shea nowicki: Real ones choose this song over Oasis’ Wonderwall

• Brad Stalcup +1 — A little earlier Millennial... but It checks out.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — This is a great song and feels iconic enough to be millenialcore
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul 0 — Aww this one. Not enough votes
• SamRobertsND 0 — A beautiful song, utterly intimate song writing. It got beat by others, but know that I treasured every second of it, and I hope others begin to see the life-changing joy of this song.
• ared56 -1 — Real ones know this is Gen X not Millennial.
• Claire -1 — This one is for sure beloved by millennials but chronologically feels a little early for the category imo
• Edward James -1 — THIS CAME OUT IN 1997

• SamRobertsND +1 — This works undeniably but should’ve submitted something from her new trailer trash album
• Claire +1
• fionmul 0 — Sure. Taylor doesn’t really makes a convincing bad bitch as she herself admits in the new album. The “ooh” in the chorus annoys me.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This has the attitude but there’s no specificity. She wants us to think she’s a bad girl but has offered no evidence. What exactly did I make you do?
• Edward James 0 — Taylor Swift will never escape her origins for me. Imagine how ridiculous it would be to hear Joseph this song, it's just as ridiculous coming from her. The only person she's gaslighting is herself.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Couldn't stand this song.
• Sam Ary -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

• fionmul +2 — Perf Eddie you can Google Dionysus if you’re confused Brad? No clue Drums remind me of Still Rock n Roll to Me by Billy Joel
• SamRobertsND +1 — This works, yeah.
• Brad Stalcup +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Claire +1 — I thought about submitting a Houndmouth song for this round and great minds think alike, therefore etc
• ared56 +1 — I have recently been on a Sedona kick so this fit nicely. 3 (Shea)
• Edward James 0 — This is a runner-up for me. Like the sound, I think Alex would like it too, but it’s a little bit too whiny in the vocals imo
• judd.baker 0 — I liked this song a lot. I don’t think it is absolutely Alexcore but I really like it.
• Joseph Harvey -1 — Sounds like a Great Value rippoff of the “I’m leaving on a jet plane” song. Alex would like this but I still hate it

• Regina Scime +1
• ared56 0 —
• Edward James 0 — I just really don’t like this song, and it also strikes me as too cringe for the villain category
• SamRobertsND -1 — Revivals rarely work; King of the Hill is the exception, not the rule. This album was a mistake, and the members of FOB know this in their hearts. Sugar, We’re Goin Down here was the proper play here for them.
• fionmul -1 — Exceedingly unpleasant (if this is Claire ily)
• Claire -1 — Fall out boy is one of the bands I love most in the world and it causes me actual pain to downvote but this just does not feel villainous to me

shea nowicki: My dad picked this song hahaha

• judd.baker +1
• Brad Stalcup +1
• fionmul +1 — And he cooked
• Claire +1 — Your dad cooked with this one. Perfect vibe for driving through the CA mountains
• SamRobertsND 0 — Dad should get better taste
• Edward James 0 — I’ve just never really liked this song. Can’t describe exactly why, since by all accounts it’s very good

• fionmul +1 — The title reads like a shea meditation (a high compliment if this isn’t her) “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard" - Winnie the Pooh 💛
• ared56 +1
• Regina Scime +1
• Claire +1 — I loved this so much. It really gets at the bittersweet feeling of recognizing and holding together the seemingly contradictory emotions that occur during a period of transition—you can have an experience that utterly breaks your heart, and yet you still would never for a second wish it hadn’t happened.
• Edward James 0 — This one didn’t leave much impression, but her voice sounds really nice
• shea nowicki 0 — one of my RAs told me (unaware that I submitted this song) that she would also submit this song for this round, so I feel like I won a million bucks in validation
• Corey -1 — My hand was forced, I didn't want to, but the League had dirt on me.

• fionmul +1 — 🥹💡🥺🚦🫂🕯️🤍 Alex? Idk
• Regina Scime +1
• judd.baker +1 — Fiona. I enjoyed
• ared56 0 — Fiona
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I enjoyed this. But not quite enough (Fiona)
• Edward James 0 — Sorry, but you can’t pick Maggie Rogers for this. I don’t make the rules.
• Claire 0 — Joseph

shea nowicki: I’m not sure this song is Juddcore sound, but it is Juddcore vibes at large

• fionmul +1 — I like this one.
• Brad Stalcup +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This brings me back, Switchfoot was big for me in high school. Not super feeling it for Judd though. The up-and-down piano lick in the chorus is a major ick
• Claire 0 — Agreed that lyrically this is on point, and I love that it riffs on the rebel soldier bit. Also agreed that I’m not sure it’s Juddcore musically speaking
• Sam Ary -1 — I had to use a downvote I’m sorry
• Edward James -1 — Just don’t like it
• judd.baker -1 — I appreciate the goal here. But this just isn’t what I listen to. It’s sort of giving fake indie, like acoustic pop masquerading as an indie song. It’s a little bit too poppy and not in the way that I like. The sound is maybe a bit too simple.

shea nowicki: I moved to this song in 2023

• ared56 +1
• fionmul 0 — I enjoy the driving rhythm of this. More of a driving song to me though.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Sheacore, but not quite my tempo
• Regina Scime 0 — “This is a song for after you’ve packed… the montage music as you drive away after the breakup.”
• Claire -1 — I really enjoyed this song musically but it just didn’t get me in the right mood for the category

• Brad Stalcup +1 — This song is weird and grotesque enough to be a FO'C story. Though it's hard to see where grace pops in.
• ared56 +1
• Regina Scime +1
• Corey +1
• judd.baker +1 — Of the more overt submissions in this round (straight up Southern violence), I think this one was my favorite.
• Sam Ary +1
• Edward James 0 — Hmmmmm everyone makes fun of Eddie for sending song recommendations after the rounds, but then they use them in future rounds 🤔🤔🤔 This pick is like Joe Torma at South Bend Idol. You hear it and you think this is “southern”! This is “gothic” and “grotesque”! But like Joe it’s all flair, coasting on adulation. Like Joe, we are in need of a Colleen to brutally shut down this nonsense before everyone gets carried away by surface level comparisons. This is not like a Flannery O’Connor story. It’s just southern and vaguely violent. There’s no themes here that fit, and to me, that’s much more important than the idea of grotesque story set in southern environs.
• fionmul 0 — Didn’t like the voice enough but this is lyrically super duper strong
• Claire 0 — The South + violence, which is the classic Flannery vibe, and there’s mistaken identity too I guess, but there’s no real revelation that happens here
• Joseph Harvey -1 — This has the accidents of a Flannery story but feels lacking in substance. No emotional pull. The mystery in this song feels cheap, and thus it receives my downvote

shea nowicki: Bob Dylan sound meets 2010s alt-indie

• ared56 +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Regina Scime +1
• Brad Stalcup 0 — While the Bob Dylan influence is there, it's a little TOO there. And anyone who is trying to be someone else too hard is definitely not Bob Dylan-esque.
• Claire 0 — I thought about voting for this one, and if I had more votes I probably would have, but it’s almost too Bob Dylan in a way that doesn’t feel sufficiently original (but I recognize that this comment will look really dumb if this was Eddie’s submission and/or he votes for it)
• judd.baker 0 — I like this song but didn’t upvote just because it is almost too Bob Dylan-y
• Joseph Harvey -1 — This caused me pain. I feel like it’s too close to Bob Dylan for Eddie to like it.
• fionmul -1 — This is like weaponized Dylan-voice. It works for Bob because he doesn’t gaf but I can tell this person does. I just don’t think it works. But with a different voice it could.
• Edward James -1 — I really love the narrative of this one, it states something beautiful about male melancholy. Another one where you followed the thread dutifully and properly, but I am a weirdo and have no coherent sense whatsoever to my music taste. So I have to deeply apologize, because I think this was a pick made with love (and I receive it happily), but 2010s folk just doesn’t do it for me. And that’s not to say it’s not a good song, I enjoyed it, but if I had to rank (and I do)…..it must happen

• Joseph Harvey +2 — Wow, what the heck! Beautiful and perfect for the theme. “Wait, that’s a dude?” indeed
• judd.baker +1 — Amazing song and fantastic submission for the theme
• Edward James +1 — Love this one! Good song and 100% could have guessed wrong if asked outside the confines of the category.
• ared56 +1
• Claire +1 — Looked up the history of this artist and the deliberate vagueness/mystique surrounding their identity…it’s almost too perfect for this category
• fionmul 0 — “Woman” haha
• Regina Scime 0 — yes

shea nowicki: An important moment in musical history.

• SamRobertsND +1 — Have to combat the Joseph downvote, really deserves a 3 point dump. One of the greatest guitarists to ever do it.
• ared56 +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Edward James 0 — I love this and I love including an instrumental track, but others spoke to me more, I’m familiar with this already, and therefore it got pushed lower.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — It is to my shame, but I really don’t get the hype with Jimi Hendrix. I know I must be wrong but this just doesn’t do it
• fionmul -1 — Could be historic but I just don’t care for the sound of this. And no words so immediately low rank for me. Sorry.
• judd.baker -1 — I feel like I am being compelled under pain of mortal cringe to like this song (Jimi Hendrix performing the national anthem at Woodstock?? Bro LFG!!!) but I just don’t. I acknowledge the historical significance without question, and it is definitely a grandiose performance. It would probably rock my world live, but this just does not translate well at all to a recorded listening experience imo.
• Claire -1 — With all due respect to Jimi’s musical genius I felt like this recording just doesn’t capture the energy of the performance itself. Maybe a video would have? But the purely auditory medium just didn’t do it for me

• Claire +1 — I genuinely enjoyed this song? And the one hit itself is an excellent shout. I absolutely didn’t know the name of the artist who sang the home song
• SamRobertsND 0 — Unappealing
• fionmul 0 — Dis alright, dated fs but not all too shabby
• Joseph Harvey 0 — In parts of this later on, there were occasional melody notes that were slightly interesting. Still blah overall
• judd.baker 0 — Beat out by other submissions but I’m going on record this is an excellent choice. I love this song and I think maybe I even enjoy it more than Home, which is the essence of a good also-ran by a one hit wonder.
• shea nowicki 0 — I do not really love this song. & truly learned a lot about why so many bands ARE 1 hit wonders while trying to pick a song this round lol

shea nowicki: Sammy, I thought you might appreciate knowing that this is the only round so far where I had to create an actual playlist to weigh my options. A whole discernment experience...and Caamp, in the end, prevailed

• fionmul +2 — I think this is a great Caamp selection, a glimmering example of choosing from your own favorites. The lyrics are really great. You can so easily read it in a spiritual lens, perhaps it was intended. Reading the words and pondering Sts Peter and Paul and the homily the priest gave on Peter today, I could hear Peter (perhaps Sammy too) singing this as he staggers forward with fear and trembling. And lastly this is an example of Caamp singing more gently and in such a way that the uniqueness of his voice is very fitting and raw and lovely even. The ending provides a hopeful mood.
• ared56 +1
• judd.baker 0 — I am not aware of Sammy’s thoughts on Caamp, so I could be way off here, but it just doesn’t strike me as his style
• Edward James 0 — To be completely honest, I don’t peg Sammy as a big fan of this style. I’m sure the content itself will resonate though.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — If Caamp didn't give away this submitter, 'discernment' in the comment sure did. I think Sammy would like but not love. It's a little slow for me to my own enjoyment, withholding upvote
• SamRobertsND 0 — Aw, so sweet! Your discernment paid off, this is a great number. This is a perfect marriage of lyrics and sound imo. This is the sort of song I would listen to when I'm feeling really pensive and need to be by myself, walking up to Grotto at 11pm or something. It's also the sort of music my sister loves, so it is endearing to me on that level as well. Assuming the vocals don't annoy me (these don't haha), I will never not like this sort of acoustic music. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and this lovely addition to the repertoire. You nailed it!

• Joseph Harvey +1 — WHAT!? That was insane. Incredibly progressive, the build in the second half is totally out of nowhere and awesome. Love the screams. I think connection to the theme could be slightly stronger, but the song is interesting enough to win my vote anyways and I’ll contend it’s still a valid read on the theme. I know people will take issue however.
• ared56 +1
• fionmul 0 — The lyrics evaded me but by the end I think I saw the desperation there. Just didn’t like it that much.
• Edward James 0 — I really liked this song. I totally get why phoebe is so popular but it’s just not my thing, until this song. However, I really don’t see this as desperation/lamentation. It seems vaguely hopeful to me, more about starting over and fearing the next steps than a cry from the very bottom.
• shea nowicki 0 — Phoebe just hits a really vulnerable deep part of my heart!!!
• Claire 0 — When I first saw this song I thought “OH MY GOODNESS THIS IS PERFECT FOR THE THEME.” After all, it does have the most excellent “cry” of any of the submissions. But after listening through the playlist a couple times I felt like this song wasn’t quite capturing grief or despair so much as existential malaise and perhaps apocalyptic chaos. Slightly different vibe. A fantastic song nonetheless
• judd.baker 0 — This was phenomenal. Musically my favorite submission here
• SamRobertsND -1 — It's a no from me, dawg. I really liked the change in instrumentation toward the end, though. The gasping noises at the end were weird, but I liked the coughing noises in Cocoa Butter Kisses, so go figure.
• Sam Ary -1

• ared56 +1
• judd.baker +1 — I quite like this, I almost submitted Clairo
• Edward James 0 — “Nothing Happens” is a fitting album title as nothing happens in this song
• SamRobertsND 0 — More of an Eddie song than anything else. I think Claire would like this song, not love it.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Didn’t leave any impression. Nothing Happens, indeed. This song is aptly named
• fionmul 0 — This is cute; on the verge of boring though (so the answer is almost)
• Claire 0 — This is a song I’d play while driving to the Pacific Ocean (distinct vibe from driving to Lake Michigan). I like what I’ve heard of wallows and I really like Clairo, though I hadn’t heard this one before. Again, it fills a very specific niche for me and doesn’t feel like it’s quite the sort of music I’d listen to regularly but I did enjoy

shea nowicki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne_Gacy

• judd.baker +1 — Hard song to listen to. But it absolutely deserves a vote.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Absolute masterpiece. The closing line is haunting
• Claire +1 — Would deserve an upvote based purely on the song’s merits. Sufjan in his troubadour element, somehow telling a gruesome and devastating story with compelling beauty. But that aside, I think I’d upvote anyway purely on principle as a way of taking a stand after last league’s Sufjan hate
• SamRobertsND 0 — Peter: "Musically good, definitely about killing someone." An utterly amazing song. As I said in chat, I had this in mind for a Flannery O'Connor round. Monster as mirror. Gut wrenching and convicting. It devastates me every time I listen to it.
• fionmul 0 — i liked this. not to be the stereotype of myself, but i would love Lizzy to cover it
• Edward James 0 — Bold move to write a song like this, have to respect it. But for the round, I am partial to songs actually about killing.
• ared56 -1

shea nowicki: Original by Tom Petty

• fionmul +1 — I really love this cover, ofc super Fionacore. I do think it is way better than the original and fresh and different. It was also on my CO playlist alongside To The Mountains 😭 Also Jesus vibes; you belong in freedom, in the garden!
• ared56 +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This was better than the other one
• SamRobertsND 0 — If you’re going for Tom, you better be pretty darn remarkable. I liked this cover, the singers are beautiful, but I don’t think it surpasses the original in any way.
• judd.baker 0 — I am not a Tom Petty fan so take this with a grain of salt but this is 100% a better cover than the original
• Claire 0 — This was lovely but didn’t feel suuuper innovative or impressive. It was however the wildflowers cover I enjoyed more, mainly bc of the harmonies
• Edward James 0 — This was good! I’ve never been super into tom petty’s more whimsical music and these takes are good interpretations. Liked the other one more tho

shea nowicki: when I first heard this song was convinced it was Lizzy

• Joseph Harvey +1 — Five seconds in, you understood the assignment. Lizzy may need to file a lawsuit. Bonus points for arguable “accidentally about Jesus.” I really like this, listened twice in a row. This could have done numbers in Songs Joseph Would Love.
• Edward James +1 — I liked this one a lot! Seems very Fiona, in an intuitive sense
• SamRobertsND 0 — Peter: “good. I think Fiona would like it” Sammy: I think this is too much in the Lizzy uncanny valley
• Claire 0 — Lizzy clone but that’s fionacore ig
• judd.baker 0 — Good read of the category I think, though a bit more forgettable than others
• fionmul 0 — Fi the wanderer/wonderer: This is a really pretty Lizzy lookalike and even some of the instrumentation reminds me of her recent album. For me it is not interesting all the way through in the way I wanted and the lyrics are meh. Just narrowly missed the podium. But you win the Lizzy lookalike contest. In fairness to my taste however, if this were a Lizzy song it would probably not be one of my favorites. upper middle of the pack. 🪐

• ared56 +1
• Edward James +1 — I love to hate this song, in the same way I hate to love it. It’s perfect, sadly.
• judd.baker +1 — Kid Rock invented grilling
• Claire +1 — This gets an upvote from me because it unlocked a long lost memory of the coach of my middle school club soccer team singing along to this while grilling for a team party
• fionmul 0 — yes.
• SamRobertsND 0 — Cookout vs grilling distinction is to be observed.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is just Walmart brand Sweet Home Alabama
• Regina Scime 0 — Fun fact I grew up near Kid Rock’s house

shea nowicki: "Of all the classes that stand face to face with the bourgeoisie today, the proletariat alone is a really revolutionary class." -Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto

• ared56 +1
• fionmul +1 — See: the song can be both pleasant and on theme
• Regina Scime +1
• judd.baker +1 — This was my favorite song of the round. The lyrics are pretty overt but they are spot-on without being affiliated with any particular political moment which I think gets at the spirit of the round. Also just such a beautiful song wow
• Claire +1 — Tracy is the goat send tweet
• shea nowicki 0 — tbh, the Helder Camara quote "when I feed the poor, they call me a saint, but when I ask why the poor are hungry, they call me a communist" lives rent free in my brain and that's why I submitted this song
• SamRobertsND 0 — I couldn't tell if this was a man or a woman I was really sure that it was a man but then I googled it
• Edward James 0 — This was great, I’ve never heard it! Beat slightly by others.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — What’s with that *whisper* thing
• Sam Ary -1 — Too many big words in the Marx quote my brain doesn’t know what to do

shea nowicki: I picked this because it is "phlegmatic oomph"

• fionmul +2 — so so so fun. Vocally would be very impressive
• SamRobertsND +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Chorus doesn’t hit hard enough

• Joseph Harvey +2 — Vibey
• [DELETED] +1
• fionmul +1 — "I'm a sucker for some harmony"
• Edward James +1
• judd.baker +1 — I really like the keyboard
• SamRobertsND 0 — Nah

shea nowicki: We have to pray for Olivia.... I'm worried about her

• Joseph Harvey +2 — Not bad for being 16 or whatever
• fionmul +1 — dude yeah it’s diagnosable. Also this song is really so good, appreciated it a lot musically in this listen.
• Edward James +1 — Straight banger that somehow still gets how it really be
• SamRobertsND +1
• Regina Scime +1

• Regina Scime +2
• ared56 +2
• fionmul +1 — :) Shea ily let’s move to alaska. i’ll be 26 in august
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Shea
• Edward James 0 — Good song but I can’t stand the way this guy sings despite liking some of their songs
• judd.baker 0 — I’ve heard exactly one other Caamp song but they have a high batting average

• Edward James 0 — 😐😐😐
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Oh dear goodness. I regret disabling the downvote
• ared56 0 — Communist nonsense
• Regina Scime 0 — might send me into an existential crisis
• fionmul 0 — John and I have very different imaginations.

• fionmul +2 — LOVE
• Joseph Harvey +2 — Gracie is an automatic vote
• Regina Scime +1
• Edward James 0 — Banger but just didn’t make the cut.

• Regina Scime +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James +1

• fionmul +2 — Lowkey didn't wanna like it as much as I did.
• Regina Scime +2