Best Ever Albums

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:36:23 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/26/2026 21:36

Below are new applications for the current round, which ends on October 29. October 27 is the last day to make changes to the current round's charts.

Music Videos: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Big Big Train - Counting Stars (14/I) Progressive Rock
2. Fontaines D.C. - Marianne (18/VIII) Alternative Rock
3. The Bevis Frond - Romany Blue (19/V) Indie Rock
4. The Manic Boys And Girls Club - Hate You To Death (7/X) Indie Rock

Tracks: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Big Big Train - Cut and Run (6/II) Progressive Rock
2. Deep Forest - Antipolis (2/X) Ethnic Electronica
3. Fontaines D.C. - Mimesis (16/X) Alternative Rock
4. Hawkwind - There Are Fairies In The Garden (12/VI) Psychedelic Rock
5. The Bevis Frond - That's Your Lot (20/I) Indie Rock

Albums: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Flea - Honora (27/III) Jazz
2. Fontaines D.C. - Dopamine Chamber (16/X) Alternative Rock
3. Julia Cumming - Julia (24/IV) Soft Rock
4. The Love.Craft Band - We Are The LCB (9/X) Indie Pop

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 20:41:50 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/26/2026 00:41

My own picks in three categories for the round based on the results of January 2026.

Music Videos
lùisa - Call Me The Witch (30/I-2026/05) (Video)

Link

Tournament ranking – #12
Number of points – «+7»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 1
A spot on my list – #1, points – «+10» (awards from me – Release of the Week 2026/05)
Position on the list AOTY - #--- (Single)
Position on the list BEA - #---

Unfortunately, I have absolutely nothing to tell you about this artist, her track, or her music video. Except for the fact that back in January, I chose her video as the release of the week, and now it has become the video of the month for January 2026.
When that happened—already two weeks ago—I had no idea that I would actually encounter the dancing of Vestal Virgins around a bonfire where my virtual legacy would be crucified.
After watching the video once again, I noticed that I felt the song lacked progression.

Quote:

"Call Me The Witch" is the title track and manifesto of German indie artist and producer lùisa (Luisa Ortwein) from Hamburg, released in early 2026.
Concept: Female Rage as a Superpower
The track is based on the idea of "magical female rage." Luisa reimagines the historical image of the witch: she connects persecutions, bonfires, and attempts to suppress women's voices and bodies to the modern struggle of women for their rights and identity.
"This track is about female rage as our magical power, about resistance, resilience, and turning pain into empowerment," the artist herself comments.

lùisa - Call Me The Witch (10/IV-2026/15) (Album)
After looking for additional information online, I found out that she released a self-titled album in April 2026, but I didn't find anything else of interest to me on it.

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 20:21:12 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/26/2026 00:21

My own picks in three categories for the round based on the results of January 2026.

Tracks
Meg Mac - Outdone (13/I-2026/03) (Single)

Link

Tournament ranking – #11
Number of points – «+9»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 2
A spot on my list – #1, points – «+10»
Position on the list AOTY - #---
Position on the list BEA - #---

I knew next to nothing about this artist, except for the fact that she released an interesting single called "He Said No" back in 2025, which is likely when I subscribed to her YouTube channel. As a result, the release and subsequent popularity of "Outdone"—her best track on the upcoming album—didn't come as much of a surprise to me.
Ultimately, the music video for this song became my release of the week, although it was later dethroned by the new Akvarium album, as I just mentioned.

Quote:

The following interesting facts and meanings lie behind this release:
Lyrical Foundation: The Trauma of Early Fame and Others' Expectations
In this song, Meg looks back at her 21-year-old self—a time when she was just starting her musical journey and had just won the triple j Unearthed competition.
• Lines like "i still think of those who made me sing a song that I never wrote" openly address the pressure the music industry puts on young artists.
• The phrase "I have been outdone" reflects her early identity crisis, a time when external manipulation, fortune tellers' advice, and fake friends ("people don't come with warning signs") caused her to lose control over her own life.

The album that followed didn't quite live up to my expectations, though its three standout tracks might just be enough to secure a spot on my top 100 list of the year.

Meg Mac - It's My Party (20/II-2026/08) (Album)

It's My Party (2026) by Meg Mac

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 19:21:36 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/25/2026 23:21

My own picks in three categories for the round based on the results of January 2026.

Albums
Аквариум [Akvarium] - Странные Новости с Дал�'кой Звезды (15/I-2026/03) (Album)

Странные Новости с Да...[Aquarium]
Tournament ranking – #8
Number of points – «+14»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 2
A spot on my list – #1, points – «+10» (awards from me – Release of the Week 2026/03)
Position on the list AOTY - #NR
Position on the list BEA - #642

The album was released literally two weeks into the New Year of 2026. I probably hadn’t even fully recovered from wrapping up 2025 yet. At first glance, it felt like only a couple of tracks truly deserved attention. Therefore, it was completely out of the question to even consider it as a "Release of the Week."
And now, the time has come to look back at 2026. Just like last year, mystical and sometimes heartbreaking events began to unfold. History repeats itself. But while at this time last year, I discovered an album that helped me say goodbye to an old acquaintance, this year brought a different coincidence. Right when I was about to name this record the "Album of January," a wave of personal troubles hit me. To my surprise, this album turned out to be a true elixir for maintaining self-confidence and keeping my spirits high.
So, with a clear conscience, I have retroactively awarded it the title of "Release of the Week."

My review would be completely empty and pointless if I failed to mention one small detail. This album was recorded by the ultimate Soviet and Russian band of all time. This is already the 25th official studio album by the rock band Aquarium.
To put it in terms that English-speaking music lovers can relate to, they are The Beatles and David Bowie combined for me. And it is, of course, a great honor and a stroke of luck that after all these years, I am fortunate enough to enter these artists into our year-end wrap-up tournament.

To firmly set all priorities straight, it's worth introducing a slightly different, grassroots popularity rating system. There are songs you just want to listen to. There are songs you want to know by heart and hum along to. There are songs that make you want to dance. But then, there are songs that make you want to not only sing them yourself, but also figure out their sheet music and learn the parts on musical instruments. Aquarium belongs to this exact, highest tier of widespread popularity.

Аквариум [Akvarium] - Странные Новости с Дал�'кой Звезды (15/I-2026/03) (Track)

Link

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

Johnnyo — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:35:15 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 10/22/2026 16:35

musicoed wrote:

Hi! Thanks! Yes, of course—you can start at any time, right here in this thread.
Create three separate rankings: one for music videos, one for tracks, and one for albums.
You may only include releases that have been posted in this thread during 2026.
Additionally, you must personally contribute one release of your own choosing for each category.

The rules, along with links to YouTube collections of tracks and videos, can be found on the LiveJournal website; please let me know if a link doesn't open.

Got it. Thanks musicoed

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:10:09 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/20/2026 19:10

Johnnyo wrote:

Loved the 2025 tournament and would love to join in with these but can’t locate them in the tournaments section. Are they elsewhere

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

Johnnyo — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:13:07 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 10/20/2026 16:13

Loved the 2025 tournament and would love to join in with these but can’t locate them in the tournaments section. Are they elsewhere

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:08:54 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/19/2026 22:08

Below are new applications for the current round, which ends on October 22. October 20 is the last day to make changes to the current round's charts.

Music Videos: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Punchbag - I Am Obsessed (4/II) Post-Punk
2. Slayyyter - Dance... (Choreo Edit) (9/II) Electropop
3. The Strokes - Going Shopping (28/VI) Indie Rock
4. Underscores - The Peace (12/VIII) Electropop

Tracks: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Flea - Traffic Lights (ft. Thom Yorke) (14/I) Avant-Jazz
2. hemlocke springs - be the girl! (13/II) Dance-Pop
3. The Strokes - Going to Babble On (24/VII) Indie Rock

Albums: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Big Big Train - Woodcut (6/II) Progressive Rock
2. The Bevis Frond - Horrorful Heights (3/IV) Psychedelic Rock
3. The Strokes - Reality Awaits (24/VII) Indie Rock
4. Tōth - And The Voice Said (27/II) Indie Pop

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 17:25:37 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/19/2026 21:25

My thoughts on the winners in the three categories of the second round—tentatively labeled #1*
Albums
The Rolling Stones - Foreign Tongues (10/VII-2026/28) (Album)

Foreign Tongues (2026) by The Rolling Stones
Tournament ranking – #2, (rewards: a star (☆) and the right to an additional entry in a category; a team star (�...) and the right to a "super entry" in any category)
Number of points – «+27»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 3
A spot on my list – #3, points – «+8»
Position on the list AOTY - #401
Position on the list BEA - #14

I have never been interested in the music of the Rolling Stones. And while The Beatles weren’t necessarily among my top five favorite bands, in this particular rivalry, I was, without a doubt, on the side of the "Fab Four" from Liverpool.
Whenever the Rolling Stones or The Doors came up, I would always think of Francis Ford Coppola’s *Apocalypse Now*, which incorporated songs by these bands in a very organic way. That alone was enough to gauge just how obsessed subsequent generations of musicians were with these icons.

Yet, there were exceptions I couldn’t quite explain—for instance, Mick Jagger’s 1985 solo album, *She’s the Boss*.
To this day, it remains a great mystery to me who the true creative force behind that album actually was. The authorship of this year’s album is just as much of a mystery, as it contains so many melodic tracks—enough, in fact, to make it one of the most successful records of the year.
Incidentally, the album cover suggests that the musicians are appearing under a kind of mask—specifically, caricatured versions of the Rolling Stones members themselves.

Tracks
Genesis Owusu - Stampede (19/II-2026/08) (Single)
Tournament ranking – #2, (rewards: a star (☆) and the right to an additional entry in a category)
Number of points – «+30»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 8
A spot on my list – #4, points – «+7»
Position on the list AOTY - #375
Position on the list BEA - #---

In the previous round, the music video for this song took first place in its category, and I’ve already acknowledged the undeniable quality of both the video and the song itself. Now, I have a reason to examine the lyrics—with the help of Google Translate.
It turned out to be another revelation. I hadn’t expected the song to be so revolutionary. The video was shot with such high professionalism, and the brand-name motorcycles looked incredibly cool.
Everything looked expensive, colorful, and flashy—much like the ostentatious showdowns between gangsters. It’s quite clear that I hadn’t been watching closely, or perhaps I hadn’t even seen the whole thing; after all, by the very end of the film, the motorcycles are gone, replaced by a beautiful sunset and riders on horseback. Yet, it never occurs to anyone that they will have to give up not just their motorcycles, but their tractors as well.

Only now did I notice the little red star piercing the center of the cover—both for this single and for the entire album. It’s the exact same kind of star that used to be pinned to my shirt, right over my heart, back when I was an *oktyabryonok* (a young Soviet schoolchild) in elementary school.
I trust I don’t need to explain how I feel about all of this now. Do I have an answer to the question of whether there might be another, "better" path? I don’t know, and I don’t even have any desire to look for the answer, because no one is going to listen to me anyway.

Genesis Owusu - Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge (15/V-2026/20) (Album)

Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge (2026) by Genesis Owusu

Music Videos
Gorillaz - The Hardest Thing / Orange County (ft. Tony Allen, Bizarrap, Kara Jackson, Anoushka Shankar) (15/I-2026/03) (Video)

Link

Tournament ranking – #2, (rewards: a star (☆) and the right to an additional entry in a category)
Number of points – «+32»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 13
A spot on my list – #8, points – «+3»
Position on the list AOTY - #177 (Single)
Position on the list BEA - #---

I took a closer look at the video after learning the translation of the lyrics. It feels more like a visualization; what’s happening on screen certainly doesn’t distract from the song’s content. If the goal was to create a video that wouldn’t hinder people from immersing themselves in their own personal experiences, then the band succeeded.

Gorillaz - The Mountain (27/II-2026/09) (Album)

The Mountain (2026) by Gorillaz

Diary of the rating tournament 2026 (2025)

musicoed — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 16:59:48 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/12/2026 20:59

Below are new applications for the current round, which ends on October 15. October 13 is the last day to make changes to the current round's charts.

Music Videos: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Flea - Traffic Lights (ft. Thom Yorke) (14/I) Avant-Jazz
2. Iceage - Star (11/III) Post-Punk
3. lùisa - Call Me The Witch (30/I) Indie Pop
4. Rachel Croft - Bittersweet (8/VI) Indie Rock

Tracks: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Gezebelle Gaburgably - Ode to a Peppercorn (5/VI) Noise Pop
2. Meg Mac - Outdone (13/I) Indie Pop
3. Slayyyter - Dance... (Edit) (16/I) Electropop
4. twisted teens - stalks (7/X) Garage Rock
5. Underscores - The Peace (20/III) Electropop

Albums: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Devlin and The Harm - Devlin and The Harm (22/V) Indie Rock
2. Gezebelle Gaburgably - The Freezer (5/VI) Noise Pop
3. Underscores - U (20/III) Electropop
4. Аквариум [Akvarium] - Странные Новости с Дал�'кой Звезды (15/I) Art Rock

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:57:56 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/12/2026 16:57

My own picks in three categories for the round based on the results of September 2026.

Music Videos
Modern Cult - Connection (18/IX-2026/38) (Video)

Link

Tournament ranking – #3
Number of points – «+18»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 2
A spot on my list – #1, points – «+10» (awards from me – Release of the Week 2026/38)
Position on the list AOTY - unknown
Position on the list BEA - unknown

This video reminds me of the submission I made last year for the round covering September 2025.
It features a band that is likewise unfamiliar to me but has been actively releasing singles throughout the year—with "Connection" being far from the first. Yet, so far, this is the only song that has actually caught my interest.
Unfortunately, not even the year of the planned release—most likely a debut album—is known. This is odd, especially given the difficulties in accessing the video from within Russia. While the exact reason is unclear, such issues often stem from artists working with major labels that aim to announce album releases as early as possible.
In any case, I didn't have a wide range of options among the September videos. That said, this one is certainly strong enough to qualify as a "Release of the Week" contender, given how melodic the song turned out to be.

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:44:25 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/12/2026 16:44

My own picks in three categories for the round based on the results of September 2026.

Tracks
Кассета Юность [Kasseta Yunost] - Дыдыдым (18/IX-2026/38) (Track)

Link

Tournament ranking – #5
Number of points – «+18»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 3
A spot on my list – #1, points – «+10»
Position on the list AOTY - unknown
Position on the list BEA – unknown

According to the Internet, this is a one-man band project by Roman Zolototrubov from Voronezh (though the surname is likely a stage name).
It isn't my habit to delve into an artist's discography without a compelling reason. However, it is known that the 2026 album featuring this track is not the artist's first release.
What matters to me is that this song is essentially the only one on the album that caught my interest. It wasn't released as a single and appears at the very end of the record. Add to that the fact that few people—even within Russia—know the musician, and the odds of me ever discovering this song were virtually zero. Which means this encounter was no coincidence. That’s just the sort of mystical reasoning I tend to have!))
The song is built around a rhythm—the kind one might vocalize while dancing (a waltz, for instance) in the absence of full musical accompaniment. I’m not sure what the convention is in English-speaking countries, but in Russia, people typically use repetitive syllables like "ta-ta-tam" or "dy-dy-dyn."
Since the Russian word - дым [dym] (smoke) fits the required sound perfectly, the musician cleverly capitalized on that.
I had actually teased this mini-review previously when discussing a track by the band Gorillaz.
So, I’ll simply reiterate that I was deeply struck by the contrast between the song's melancholy content and its upbeat dance rhythm.

Радует день все�... рожд�'нны�... людей
Снегом, нападавшим выше крыш
Солнцем, блистающим огнедышащим
И шевелящим всю эту жизнь

Что это, слышу там звуки вдали
Что это там, слышу я запа�...и
Это ды-ды-ды-дым ды-ды-дым, это там дым дым
Это дым костров и ещ�' а-а-а�...и

Дым от костров матерей, отцов
Молоды�..., красивы�..., счастливы�...
�' мир катастроф вдруг попавши�...
Мы теперь за ни�..., мы теперь за ни�...

Наумирались, наплакались,
Натерпелись, напакостились
Тройка куда принесла?
Стойка, сколько же делов ты наделала.
Иль наломали, иль наломали, ой да не мало дров
�'спы�...нул и пош�'л ды-ды-ды-дым от костров

Дым ды-ды-дым ды-ды-дым дым динь-динь
Радует, радует все�... людей

Дым от костров матерей, отцов
Молоды�..., красивы�..., счастливы�...
�' мир катастроф вдруг попавши�...
Мы теперь за ни�..., мы теперь за ни�..., за ни�...
-----------------------------------------------------------------

The day brings joy to everyone born
With snow piled high above the rooftops,
With the sun—blazing, fire-breathing—
Stirring all this life into motion.

What is that? I hear sounds in the distance...
What is that? I catch the scent of...
It’s a rhythmic *dy-dy-dym*, it’s smoke rising there—
Smoke from bonfires, and the sounds of deep emotion.

Smoke from the fires of mothers and fathers—
Young, beautiful, and happy—
Suddenly thrust into a world of catastrophe;
Now we stand for them, now we stand for them.

We’ve had our fill of dying, of weeping,
Of suffering, of wreaking havoc...
Where did the three-horse team bring us?
Oh, what a mess we’ve made—
We’ve certainly piled up a mountain of trouble—
And the smoke from the fires flares up and rolls out.

Smoke... *dy-dy-dym*... smoke... *ding-ding*...
It brings joy, joy to everyone.

Smoke from the fires of mothers and fathers—
Young, beautiful, and happy—
Suddenly thrust into a world of catastrophe;
Now we stand for them, now we stand for them—for them.

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:23:51 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/12/2026 16:23

My own picks in three categories for the round based on the results of September 2026.

Albums
The Exbats - My Dinner With Crumar (11/IX-2026/37) (Album)

My Dinner With Crumar (2026) by The Exbats

Tournament ranking – #7
Number of points – «+17»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 1
A spot on my list – #1, points – «+10» (awards from me – Release of the Week 2026/37)
Position on the list AOTY - #NR
Position on the list BEA - #608

In the discussion thread on BEA, I already called this release the "album of the week," but that isn't quite the same thing as "release of the week" in my book.
As I see it, the "Release of the Week" is chosen from three categories: albums, tracks, and music videos. Since I really wanted to stop spending all my time hunting for new music this year, most of the year remains a collection of random notes just waiting to be ranked—something that might well never happen.
However, with certain standout releases, I take the liberty of bestowing that status upon them in advance. This happens particularly rarely with entire albums.

The fact that the album has already been presented at BEA—and even sparked some discussion— makes my task of covering it significantly easier.
I would just like to highlight a few points. Not only was the album ignored by the forums I frequent, but—once again—it failed to garner reviews from music publications on aggregators like AOTY.
It seems they have indeed moved away from their previous label support. Now, they are producing individual copies of the album on cassette and CD themselves. Additionally, they commissioned a run of 300 numbered, autographed vinyl copies for collectors.
The band's music videos are notable for their simplicity—even by low-budget standards. This is something I fully support, as YouTube offers such bands their only real chance to announce the release of a new album. A modest video is far better than no video at all.
In the Bandcamp liner notes, the band recounts how a Crumar Orchestrator—an Italian string synthesizer from the mid-seventies that inspired the new album's title and cover art—came into their lives by chance. I have no doubt that this chance acquisition is precisely what helped me discover so much to enjoy in this release.

The Exbats - Nobody Told Me I Was Dead (3/X-2026/40) (Video)

Link

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 10:15:38 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/11/2026 14:15

Music Videos

Genesis Owusu - Stampede (19/II-2026/08) (Video)

Link

Tournament ranking – #1, (rewards: a star (☆) and the right to an additional entry in a category)
Number of points – «+35»
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 2
A spot on my list – #2, points – «+9» (awards from me – Release of the Week 2026/08)
Position on the list AOTY - #377 (Single)
Position on the list BEA - #--- (Track)

I watch dozens of new videos every day. From the very first seconds, it was clear that this clip was a contender for the title of "Best Release of the Week"—an honor I ultimately awarded it.
The only thing that kept me from giving it a perfect score in the previous round was that I awarded first place to my own pick; that track felt fresher and was nearly its equal in terms of melody. That said, few videos this year can match this one for energy and expressiveness.
As for the artist, I recognize the cover art from his 2021 album, but I don't recall any of his previous releases catching my eye—though I could be mistaken.
A more in-depth discussion about the album and the track itself will likely happen down the line. After all, right now, this artist is a major rival whose releases could challenge Gorillaz in every category, including the race for the top team awards.
But, looking ahead a little, I cannot help but note that the success of this particular video clip contributed significantly to the achievements of the album as a whole, in my view.

Genesis Owusu - Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge (15/V-2026/20) (Album)

Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge (2026) by Genesis Owusu

Diary of the rating tournament 2026 (2025)

musicoed — Thu, 8 Oct 2026 09:46:13 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/08/2026 13:46

Tracks
Gorillaz - Orange County (ft. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson, Anoushka Shankar) (15/I-2026/03) (Single)

Link

Tournament ranking – #1, (rewards: a star (☆) and the right to an additional entry in a category; a team star (�...) and the right to a "super entry" in any category).
Number of points – «+36».
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 4.
A spot on my list – #5, points – «+6».
Position on the list AOTY - #---.
Position on the list BEA - #---.

The time came for me to use the translation to assess the content. I must admit, it was a revelation; the parallels extended to the very finest details. Consequently, I had to put aside the fascinating stories I had previously intended to write about until a more suitable time, for there is nothing more pressing than matters of life and death.
Because Albarn and I are only a year apart in age, we lost the people closest to us at roughly the same time.

Unfortunately, the reputation associated with the cartoonish personas the group had adopted played a cruel trick on the creator this time. After all, artificial characters cannot experience genuine grief over the departed—being neither flesh nor blood, they are shielded from all of that by their immortality.

Then, as often happens to me, mystical coincidences began to occur.
When I first heard the song, I immediately noticed that the melody sounded very familiar. I even had a rough idea of where I might have heard it before. However, so many changes had taken place in my life over the last two or three years that the thought of actually tracking it down never even crossed my mind.
Of course, prior to writing this mini-review, I had made a concerted effort to find the similar release. Yet, once again, I came up empty-handed. It was driving me crazy, but there was nothing I could do about it.
And then today—after having already familiarized myself with the song's content and practically finished the review—I suddenly found myself pondering one final question.
Gorillaz - Orange County - What is the meaning behind the song's title?

Quote:

Literal origin of the title
• Recording location: The track was named after the studio in Anaheim (Orange County, California) where the recording sessions took place. Mexican rapper Peso Pluma was originally slated to feature on the track; although the collaboration ultimately did not happen, the recording location itself left its mark on the title.

Everything instantly fell into place in my mind, finally revealing the very password that granted me access to my own archived records—Peso Pluma.
I really liked that video back then, and I definitely intended to nominate it when the results were tallied at the end of 2023. It was precisely in the year-end lists that I conducted my main searches, but the stars willed that my choice for June be different, and all trace of that release was ultimately lost to me.

Quote:

Artistic and thematic significance
• Contrast between form and content (the ultimate "happy-sad" song): The song sounds light, danceable, and sunny—aided by a brisk beat, whistling, and Anoushka Shankar’s sitar—yet the lyrics and the album’s overall context are steeped in profound grief, loss, and reflections on death. The image of an affluent, sun-drenched California county serves as a façade—a bright exterior masking deep emotional turmoil.

Yet another coincidence! The Russian-language song I submitted for this round might fit this description perfectly. Its melody didn't particularly stand out among the songs of September, but the contrast between form and content literally moved me to tears. But that review is still to come.

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Wed, 7 Oct 2026 15:33:43 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/07/2026 19:33

My thoughts on the winners in the three categories of Round #9—the first in the sequence, yet numbered nine. I already explained the reasons for this confusion last year.

Album
Gorillaz - The Mountain (27/II-2026/09) (Album)

The Mountain (2026) by Gorillaz
Tournament ranking – #1, (rewards: a star and the right to an additional entry in a category).
Number of points – «+30».
lead over the nearest pursuer in points – 5.
A spot on my list – #10, points – «+1».
Position on the list AOTY - #35.
Position on the list BEA - #1.

In my view, the album doesn't particularly stand out from the rest, yet the five-point lead over the nearest runner-up is quite significant.
To me, this success is explained by the fact that the winners garnered support from almost every participant; the band is well-known to everyone and appears on many lists. That is how brand recognition works—it is precisely why advertising exists.
Issues may arise once more than five slots on the participants' lists are filled; at that point, the lowest-ranked entries will start deducting points rather than adding them.

It is possible that my personal rating is a bit low. Primarily because I find it hard to believe I might have missed something. At the same time, I may not have even listened to the album all the way through to the very last second. In essence, the release consists of two lead singles positioned at the beginning of a rather long 15-track list.

It was only thanks to the comments on BEA that I took an interest in the story behind the album's creation. However, not knowing English, I couldn't really connect with the emotions involved. Besides, I have no reason to consider myself an ardent admirer of Albarn. Nor was I a fan of Blur; only a handful of their songs had ever caught my attention. Admittedly, I was even more indifferent toward their counterparts, Oasis—whose songs never moved me at all.

It is quite possible that the album will remain in first place throughout the entire tournament. I see no issue with that, as a release winning in a category earns the team an extra bet only once. What’s far more interesting is how the team will use this additional entry—and whether it might spoil their winning track record in the battle for team super-entries!))

Diary of the rating tournament 2026 (2025)

musicoed — Mon, 5 Oct 2026 17:19:13 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 10/05/2026 21:19

2026
I still can't believe it! I’ve embarked on this adventure all over again! And that’s despite the fact that I put the odds of not even being able to give notice of an early tournament shutdown at fifty-fifty!))
Be that as it may, the first round—the most technically challenging one—is already behind us. It wrapped up back on October 1st. But it took me another couple of days just to remember the formatting process and finally publish the results.
I had planned to introduce some rule changes this year. But that would have complicated the scoring for me—something the current unstable state of the world simply doesn't allow for. So, all I can do is hope the stars align and let me run the tournament at least along the same lines as last year. After all, there are times right now when I’m practically navigating with my eyes closed!))
Just as I did last year, I will aim to share my thoughts on the round winners and explain my own entries in each category following each draw.
There is a bit of time before the next round concludes on October 15. Everyone is free to review the entries submitted prior to the first draw. I will also announce the entries submitted for the second round at a later date.

Music Videos: Guide (A-Z)
1. Boards Of Canada - Introit / Prophecy At 1420 MHz (7/V) Ambient
2. Charlotte Cornfield - Hurts Like Hell (13/I) Indie Folk
3. Genesis Owusu - Stampede (19/II) Electropunk
4. Gorillaz - The Hardest Thing / Orange County (ft. Tony Allen, …) (15/I) Art Pop
5. Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds - Don’t Let Go (12/IX) Funk Rock
6. Modern Cult - Connection (18/IX) Indie Rock
7. Paul McCartney - Days We Left Behind (Live) (17/V) Pop Rock
8. Squarepusher - K2 Central (25/II) Jazz Fusion
9. Star Moles - Time (22/II) Indie Folk
10. Starbenders - The Beast Goes On (27/II) Glam Rock
11. The Rolling Stones - In The Stars (14/V) Classic Rock
12. The Twilight Sad - Designed to Lose (7/I) Indie Rock
13. Tom Waits & Massive Attack - Boots on the Ground (16/IV) Trip-Hop
14. Tomora - Come Closer (5/II) Art Pop
15. Voxtrot - My Peace (3/II) Indie Pop

Tracks: Guide (A-Z)
1. Angine de Poitrine - Fabienk (6/II) Math Rock
2. Boards Of Canada - Prophecy at 1420 MHz (7/V) Ambient
3. Devlin and The Harm - No Havana (18/III) Indie Rock
4. Genesis Owusu - Stampede (19/II) Electropunk
5. Gorillaz - Orange County (ft. Bizarrap, …) (15/I) Art Pop
6. Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds - Don’t Let Go (13/III) Funk Rock
7. MPTL Microplastics - Sod In Heaven (6/II) Noise-Folk
8. Ms Ray - You're Here (13/III) Sophisti-Pop
9. Paul McCartney - Days We Left Behind (26/III) Pop Rock
10. Starbenders - Summon My Heart (10/II) Glam Rock
11. The Rolling Stones - In The Stars (5/V) Classic Rock
12. The Twilight Sad - Designed to Lose (6/I) Indie Rock
13. Tom Waits & Massive Attack - Boots on the Ground (16/IV) Trip-Hop
14. Tomora - Come Closer (5/II) Art Pop
15. Кассета Юность [Kasseta Yunost] - Дыдыдым (18/IX) Indie Pop

Albums: Guide (A-Z)
1. Angine de Poitrine - Vol.II (3/IV) Math Rock
2. Boards Of Canada - Inferno (29/V) Ambient
3. Genesis Owusu - Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge (15/V) Electropunk
4. Gorillaz - The Mountain (27/II) Art Pop
5. MPTL Microplastics - Sod In Heaven (6/II) Noise-Folk
6. My New Band Believe - My New Band Believe (10/IV) Progressive Folk
7. Neurosis - An Undying Love for a Burning World (20/III) Post-Metal
8. Paul McCartney - The Boys Of Dungeon Lane (29/V) Pop Rock
9. Protomartyr - Hotel Usona (25/IX) Post-Punk
10. Star Moles - Highway to Hell (26/II) Indie Folk
11. Starbenders - The Beast Goes On (27/II) Glam Rock
12. The Exbats - My Dinner With Crumar (11/IX) Garage Pop
13. The Rolling Stones - Foreign Tongues (10/VII) Classic Rock
14. Tomora - Come Closer (17/IV) Art Pop
15. Twisted Teens - Blame The Clown (13/II) Garage Rock

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 21:47:08 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 12/31/2025 02:47

My bets for round #12 last week.
Album
Юнсн [Yunsn] - �...ранители маленьки�... принцесс (12/XII-2025/50) (Album)

�...ранители маленьки�... принцесс (2025) by Юнсн [Yunsn]

The album took first place in my round rating. It's the release of the week. For me, it's the most important album of the year.
My first encounter with this artist in 2022 piqued my interest.
I eagerly awaited her debut album, which was released in 2024.
I was very disappointed when I didn't find anything on it for my weekly playlist.
Therefore, her second album in December 2025 was met with less than enthusiastic reception.
However, it did contain three interesting singles, previously released.
I listened to the entire album as background music while I was busy designing the tournament.
The thing is, the singing style obscures certain phrases and entire sentences.
So I found the lyrics to the last song, which I knew well.
After all, it was released as a single back in March 2024, but for some reason it wasn't included on the debut album.
Only after that did I understand why this album feels like it's written in a whisper.
Because that's how mothers usually wake their children up in the morning for school.

я не слышу ваши голоса и не вижу солнца,
оно растаяло в зимни�... небеса�...
как тебе там жив�'тся?
а без шарфа голос потерять не составит труда мне,
буду босиком стоять, сливаться с прудами слезами
и ждать весны, скучать по маме
и видеть с ней сны
I don't hear your voices and I don't see the sun,
it melted into the winter skies.
How are you doing there?
And without a scarf, losing my voice won't be hard for me.
I'll stand barefoot, merging with the ponds with my tears.
And wait for spring, missing my mother.
And see dreams with her.
(Track - ждать весны)

Юнсн [Yunsn] - ждать весны (20/III-2024/12) (Single)

Link

Track
Two-Man Giant Squid - Don't Go To Snareworld (7/III-2025/10) (Track)

Link

The track took first place in my round rating.
This was my first encounter with the band, and it happened the week of the album's release in 2025.
The band's releases aren't available on YouTube in Russia. So I learned about the album from the Bandcamp newsletter.
I rejected the album, but kept this track in my playlist.
Then, as we all know, follows the tale of Cinderella, who conquered them all.
But not this time. The track didn't even make it into the top five songs of the week.
At the tournament, I find out that this track is a candidate from another team.
I even start working on the details of the application.
Meanwhile, I listen to the song, and I start to like it more.
But then I discover there's another song with more views.
The other song is clearly inferior, and I'm upset, but rules are rules.
Suddenly, another song wins the right to an additional bet in the very first draw.
I'm stunned, promising that now everyone will know about this double Cinderella.
But again, it turns out there's another candidate with more views.
I'm completely losing hope, but I promise to reveal this song after the tournament.
Unexpectedly, I lose the right to my pre-prepared track in the final round.
With neither the energy nor the time left, I think this unfortunate track could have been a replacement.
But I still have doubts and start checking it again.
At the same time, I remember the entire album and start listening to the release in its entirety.
After a few replays, I can't decide which song on the album I like best.
It sounds like my favorite Swedish band, This Is Head, which I miss so much.
All three of their albums are on my list of the best releases of all time.

Two-Man Giant Squid - Two-Man Giant Squid (7/III-2025/10) (Album)

Two-Man Giant Squid (2025) by Two-Man Giant Squid

Music Video
Mollie Elizabeth - Doe Eyes (10/VII-2025/28) (Video)

Link

First place in my round-rating is also the release of the week.
This was my first encounter with the singer.
It happened thanks to a YouTube newsletter, which I can no longer access.
From memory, I can say there were gorgeous close-ups.
Very expressive facial features, which are usually reserved for actresses.
Plus, the dynamic and melodic song is the only interesting one on her 2025 EP.

Mollie Elizabeth - Dirty Blonde (27/VI-2025/26) (EP) (Apple)

I can't say this video is significantly better than the other contenders.
There's also no amazing story that would make it special.
Let's just say he was lucky enough to remain on the top 50 list of the year and also to finish this diary.

Happy New Year, thank you all!

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:52:56 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 12/30/2025 13:52

The final round of the 2025 tournament has concluded. As usual, I promise myself that this tournament will definitely be my last. Various technical difficulties are already actively helping me with this.
In this regard, I'm especially pleased by how many interesting releases have made it here, despite the fact that this year has clearly not been the richest in good music.
None of this would have happened if it weren't for the unique capabilities of the BEA website and the participants' charts.

My thoughts on the releases that won prizes in the nominations following Round #12, which ended on December 29th.
Album
Nourished By Time - The Passionate Ones (22/VIII-2025/34) (Album)

The Passionate Ones (2025) by Nourished By Time

The album began its journey in the tournament four rounds ago. Three rounds ago, the album ranked 11th overall. In this round, the album achieved star status, finishing fourth. My rating for this album has always been above average.

I know this artist well. At the 2023 tournament, I also supported his debut album, which ultimately reached number 22.
This year's success was entirely expected for me. All three singles from 2025 made it onto my weekly playlists.
On the downside, as always, I miss the build-up of emotions, both in individual tracks and throughout the album.
Despite the quality of the tracks, most of the hits are concentrated in the first half of the album, which doesn't contribute to long-term interest in the release as a whole.
But for 2025, this release is definitely one of the most memorable.

Nourished By Time - Max Potential (7/V-2025/19) (Single)

Link

Track
Little Simz - Flood (ft. Obongjayar & Moonchild Sanelly) (26/II-2025/09) (Single)

Link

The track began its journey just two rounds ago, finishing 7th overall. In this round, it achieved star status, finishing 5th. I've never supported or opposed this track.
I also haven't had any reason to include this artist's singles in my weekly playlists. Firstly, it's not my favorite genre, and secondly, this content has been blocked on Russian YouTube, as far as I remember.

But this is another artist I know well from the final tournaments. 2021 was memorable for me because the number of bets on this artist determined the outcome. This subsequently changed the rules of the game. Already in 2022, a limitation was introduced: one valid bid per nomination per album.
I think I can guess why this artist is so popular. In any case, the translation of this song's lyrics seemed quite relevant to me.

Music Video
Little Simz - Young (14/V-2025/20) (Video)

Link

The video also began its journey just two rounds ago, finishing in 8th place overall. In this round, the video achieved star status, finishing in 7th place.
It's a rare occurrence at a tournament when the song entered in the "Video" category isn't the same as the song entered in the "Tracks" category.
But the reasons I missed out on this music are the same.
I never supported, but I also didn’t speak out against this video.
Although I must admit, at times I felt the urge to downvote this repulsive image on screen.
Now I have a good reason to check out the translation of these lyrics.
And again, I see multi-layered metaphors that everyone can interpret differently.
It's an interesting style, with humor and unexpected twists. Although I haven't felt the urge to watch the video again.

Little Simz - Lotus (6/VI-2025/23) (Album)

Lotus (2025) by Little Simz

Re: 2025 Rating Tournament Diary

musicoed — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 06:47:27 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 12/27/2025 11:47

Below are new applications for the current round, which ends on December 29. December 27 is the last day to make changes to the current round's charts.

Music Videos: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Frost Children - Falling (1/VII) Electro House
2. Internet Girl - I Changed (I'm Up) (25/XI) Punk Rap
3. Jim Legxacy - stick (10/IV) UK Hip Hop
4. Mollie Elizabeth - Doe Eyes (10/VII) Art Pop
5. Oneohtrix Point Never - Lifeworld (20/X) Progressive Electronic
6. Richard Dawson - Gondola (14/I) Progressive Folk
7. Sister Ray Davies - Aidan (23/VI) Shoegaze
8. The New Eves - Cow Song (11/VI) Folk Punk

Tracks: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Feu! Chatterton - Allons Voir (6/VI) Art Pop
2. Frost Children - Radio (ft. Kim Petras) (12/IX) Electro House
3. Jim Legxacy - stick (10/IV) UK Hip Hop
4. Oklou - take me by the hand (ft. Bladee) (15/I) Electronic
5. Oneohtrix Point Never - Lifeworld (20/X) Progressive Electronic
6. Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory - Idiot Box (7/II) Indie Rock
7. The New Eves - Cow Song (11/VI) Folk Punk
8. Two-Man Giant Squid - Don't Go To Snareworld (7/III) Progressive Pop
9. бойзак [boyzak] - кепки дедов (20/VI) Avant Punk

Albums: Guide (A-Z) (NEW)
1. Annie & the Caldwells - Can't Lose My (Soul) (21/III) Progressive Soul
2. Feu! Chatterton - Labyrinthe (12/IX) Art Pop
3. Frost Children - Sister (12/IX) Electro House
4. Guerilla Toss - You're Weird Now (12/IX) Neo-Psychedelia
5. My Morning Jacket - is (21/III) Indie Rock
6. Oneohtrix Point Never - Tranquilizer (21/XI) Progressive Electronic
7. Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory - Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory (7/II) Indie Rock
8. Порез на Собаке [Porez na Sobake] - Предъявы Свер�...у (18/XII) Pop-Punk
9. Юнсн [Yunsn] - �...ранители маленьки�... принцесс (12/XII) Art Pop