Best Ever Albums

Re: CLOSED2024 BST: Skinny v Zero Sum

cestuneblague — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 23:58:45 GMT

Author: cestuneblague

Posted: 02/20/2025 04:58

No Smil-ing for Billie this round, likely feeling very blue

Zero Sum 8-2

Re: CLOSED2024 BST: Skinny v Zero Sum

cestuneblague — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:50 GMT

Author: cestuneblague

Posted: 02/20/2025 01:52

Yeah I never vibed with Billie's early stuff, I think it was the first, real booming signal I've kind of aged out a lot of the "hipper" squares of modern Pop music, though in all honesty I just found it to be the sum of 2010's only-slightly-left-of-center-trends. Though I've been taken aback a bit by how much I've grown to admire her last album, despite being a complete and at times far-too-self-absorbed mess, but it was more fascinating in it being genuinely conflicted, anxious, even vulnerable at unexpected times that worked a lot better than the xanax'd Ive-Craccked-The-Code teenage posturing of her previous work. But her last album was the exact kind of polished, pretty bore all too predictably released after the mixed success of her previous work, the kind of PG-edginess and universalized/sanitized emotions that gets the instant thumbs up from the tastemakers but musically doesn't take you anywhere interesting. However... I do actually like "Skinny" quite a bit, mainly in that Billie does go more into that detailed singer/songwriter mode which I wish there was a lot more of on the last album.

Given I've also never been into The Smile project that much, either, but this song also does kind of transcend what I've heard so far. Might just flip a coin for this match.

Re: CLOSED2024 BST: Skinny v Zero Sum

travelful — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 20:20:49 GMT

Author: travelful

Posted: 02/15/2025 01:20

Easy vote for Skinny to me. I haven't heard either of the 2024 albums from The Smile yet in full, but nothing I've heard in this tournament gets me all that eager to listen. I do like Bending Hectic quite a bit more though.

Billie has had a really good career this far. She piqued my interest originally due to her refreshing style of pop music but I think she has evolved and matured with her last couple albums, and it has done good for her in my opinion. Skinny is a beautiful track and a great nomination but (call me basic if you must) I do think Birds Of A Feather and Chihiro are the best songs on Hit Me Hard And Soft.

Re: CLOSED2024 BST: Skinny v Zero Sum

DommeDamian — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 09:56:41 GMT

Author: DommeDamian

Posted: 02/14/2025 14:56

Hayden wrote:

I think her debut has some really great cuts on it, and it took me a couple years to realize it. Xanny, Bad Guy & Bury A Friend are great tracks, particularly the later. (I mean, Bad Guy was colossal, I'm not pointing out a hidden gem here, but I still think it's a really forward-thinking pop track). I wasn't super hot on her last album though, and I've struggled to genuinely enjoy it— Lunch has solid vibes, but I'm not hot on the cheap-ish rhymes, and Birds Of A Feather is a solid track but I don't think Billie was the best person to perform it. I'm not sold she suited it.

Hoping she doesn't continue in this direction, but that's just me. She's slowly blending into the pack.

Zero Sum is a solid track from The Smile, and just the better pick here. I'm thinking this could be a landslide.

I have the opposite opinion. I feel like she started off very notlikeothergirls-ish and her poor songwriting did not make up for that in the slightest and has only progressed to more personal material. I do actually agree that Birds of A Feather wasn't the best song for her to sing directly, as it doesn't feature any of her traits of musical identity (still a fine tune, but I'm not into the whole "one of the greatest songs of all time" shtick like others are about it).

Re: CLOSED2024 BST: Skinny v Zero Sum

Hayden — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 17:49:13 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 02/13/2025 22:49

craola wrote:

i just can't seem to get into eilish's music. sounds so uninspired and navelgazey to me. maybe i am missing something. i just don't hear what everyone else seems to.

Re: CLOSED2024 BST: Skinny v Zero Sum

craola — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:30:20 GMT

Author: craola

Posted: 02/13/2025 18:30

interesting matchup as i believe both artists are fans of each other's work.

i voted for the one that's fun to play on guitar (the one that takes shots at tech tycoons).

i just can't seem to get into eilish's music. sounds so uninspired and navelgazey to me. maybe i am missing something. i just don't hear what everyone else seems to.

Re: CLOSED2024 BST: Skinny v Zero Sum

DommeDamian — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 04:16:45 GMT

Author: DommeDamian

Posted: 02/13/2025 09:16

The Smile have had a disappointing year, and the latest Billie Eilish album made me an official fan of hers, with Skinny being perhaps my favorite song of hers ever. Astonishing atmosphere, her voice more angelic and wonderful than ever, and truth bombs like "People say I look happy just because I got skinny" and "The internet is hungry for the meanest kind of funny and somebody's gonna feed it". At the chorus, it's the definition of otherworldly and soulstriking. Finneas' choice of instrumentation from ambient electric guitar to neoclassical violin couldn't be more on point. My vote doubtlessly goes to my girl.

CLOSED2024 BST: Skinny v Zero Sum

cestuneblague — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 21:25:11 GMT

Author: cestuneblague

Posted: 02/13/2025 02:25

Billie Eilish- Skinny

Link

Repping: SoCal

Ponymaster: Domme Damian

V

The Smile- Zero Sum

Link

Repping: London

Ponymaster: Craola