Better late than never I suppose.
1. Tom Waits- Step Right Up - I knew which one I was going to pick before I started listening to this round. I'm probably biased because I've been a Tom Waits fan ever since I was 11 and my dad and grandma met him in person at one point. I also started his discography not too long ago, but I'm only two albums in and the song that comes from this album is the third one, so... better get back to it. Anyways, Escape is great classic 90's hip-hop with a great beat and lyrics, but Step Right Up is filled with great songwriting, bouncy instrumentation that makes me want to move my feet and a phenomenal vocal performance from Tom Waits which really shows off his amazing vocal range.
2. Weaves – Scream feat Tanya Tagaq - A Silent Film was just OK. Not bad, but it didn't stand out to me and it sounds like the kind of music I'd hear in the background at a book store or something. I can't say the same for Scream which is a really odd song, but I dig it. It does go on a bit too long just like the song against it does, but it's still interesting to listen to.
3. Allie X – Simon Says - I'm actually going to go against the popular vote and go with Simon Says. I like both of these songs equally, Silhouette Town is a nice chill acoustic guitar song, but I got more vibes from Simon Says and it was a really nice song to chill to.
4. Carly Rae Jepsen - Making The Most Of The Night - I'm ashamed to admit that I'm not familiar with John Cale outside of Shrek. Hanky Panky Nohow is a pretty good slow jam and Cale has a really good voice, but I'm going to go with the controversial choice of picking Carly Rae Jepsen. People are saying that she shouldn't be in the showdown which I can't argue with, but for me I think I'm going with the fun pop song. I don't believe in spite voting and it's going to lose anyways so :liptonkermit:
5. Main Source - Live At The BBQ - That Way was a pleasant listen, but a bit too repetitive for my tastes. "that way" is probably going to be the only words I remember from it after listening. Live at the BBQ on the other hand is so good that I'm ashamed that I'm not familiar with these guys. And I call myself a classic hip hop fan, jesus christ. Fuck it, Breaking Atoms is going to be the next album I'll listen to. Whoever nominated this, you've done your job very well.
6. Sammus - Comments Disabled - Laika is a fine listen, but Comments Disabled is easily the better song. Man, we've been getting some really good hip-hop this round. bmc approves.
7. Tomoko Aran (亜蘭知子) - Body to Body - tbh, I was listening to the showdown in the background while doing other things, so when this song started I thought it was an ad for Red Lobster or something that I was about to skip only to find out it's the actual song. Anyways, it's not really my kind of song, but there's nothing bad about it. It's pleasant enough and the message behind it is good, but overall it isn't a song I'd track down. The other song however, oh my god, I have a soft spot for 80's synthpop. Hell, Always by Erasure is my most listened to song of 2017 according to Spotify, (Yes, I know it's from the 90's so shh) so synthpop from Japan is something I can easily get behind.
8. XTC – Earn Enough For Us - So Alvvays is a band that I've heard quite a bit about and judging from this song, they're probably worth listening to. This is just coming from an outsiders perspective, but if I were to speculate, I would guess that they have better songs than this one. While I investigate that sometime in 2019 or later, (fuckin' i don't know) I'm going to give the vote to XTC since I found it to be more catchy.
