20BiTeen The Rate:: Hello..It's Cutlery

Oof. Tegan and Sara are not gonna do well in this rate, are they?

 

Well, I'm not the highest scorer here, so probably the one I wasn't head over heels for.

 

It's a nice concept but it's a little too campfire with the acoustic melody for my tastes. I have no problem with the vocals at all, I'm surprised it's what put you off!

 

This was a cute one! ":("

 

The way I triple checked your score to make sure you wouldn’t burn down this thread haha

Also I’m hoping to get an elimination out either today or tomorrow but like I said it’s ny first 10 to fall and a song I thought would last A LOT longer so I’m dragging my feet (plus also outdoor holiday events!)

 

Today before you scroll down take a minute and thank yourself for still being here. Maybe thank your body for all it does for you. Thank you mind for the wonderful thoughts it brings. This doesn't negate any of the difficulties you may have with these parts of yourself, but if we don't recognize the good in us we make everything harder on ourselves.

106." Shut Up" by Greyson Chance
6.87
​

Number One Fans: 10 x (@Trouble in Paradise @Untouchable Ace) 9.25 x 1 (@Remorque)
This Goes Away and They Don't Mind: 1 x 1 (@BeingNormal) 2 x 1 (@Ana Raquel)
My Score: 10

Previous Positions:
5 Voters: 107
10 Voters: 104
15 Voters: 101
20 Voters: 104

Here to represent hot white twinks since Troye took the year off is Greyson Chance. He got the full Troye treatment in this rate being shot down with some harsh scores! The name may ring a bell from his viral adolescent cover of “Paparazzi” that landed him a spot on Ellen. It only makes sense that one of the most popular faces of the Little Monsters would grow up to release big gay pop songs. I’ve come a long way in my love of Greyson. At first I found a lot of his songwriting a bit thin and couldn’t melt with his voice. I guess I should've seen this coming since I bristled at "Shut Up" the first 10 times I listened to it. Something changed when I listened to “lakeshore” and all this emotion came whirling in. All of the singles he’s released since his album Portraits have hit me instantly so this was definitely a worthy time investment!

“Shut Up” is Greyson’s big come back single after coming back from….puberty? I don’t envy him for having to reposition himself as the boy singing Lady Gaga on the piano to a serious singer songwriter. I think swerving the obvious piano crooner lane was a smart step and “Shut Up” seethes with lust. Opening with those stacked falsetto lines with no beat under them is quite the first shot back into music! Then he brings in that sexy laidback register and I’m all in! The song’s lyrical themes also are close to my heart, overthinking things and talking too much as Greyson describes:

i find that in the beginning stages of romance, i have a tendency to overspeak; it’s something i’m actually really self-conscious about. this song tells a familiar story for me about the moment in which communication changes from words to something more non-communicative. it’s cliche as hell, but a kiss often says a thousand words, it’s just the truth​

There’s no way to talk yourself into thinking a kiss is good or not. You simply know.

Interestingly, when asked about his dream collaboration, Greyson named two artists featured alongside him: "At the moment, I am very inspired by Brandi. I would also like to collaborate with Sam Smith," I can’t say I’m surprised by those choices when he explains what he wants to do with his art:

As an artist, I want to provide a safe space where people can come and see my show," he said. "In terms of fighting for equality and rights, my job in this whole machine is to spread positivity and create music that will help people going through struggles, and hopefully, my music will make them feel comfortable."​

I want to close on a rather personal note and one some may find triggering, hence the spoiler tag:

Spoiler: TW Eating Disorder

With the release of “Bad to Myself” Greyson went public with his battle against anorexia. His honesty was so powerful for me as a thin white gay man who has also battled against negative self image and disordered eating. Our community- especially white gay cismen- can be so toxic around body image and healthy living, so to have someone throw the curtain back on it all was so affirming. I hope he continues to exist in his strength and create such beautiful art and community.

@TéléDex makes a reference I wish I understood "I see that sex scene from Jude has now got its official soundtrack, 24 years late."

@Untouchable Ace come to save me from @BeingNormal and his propensity for Being Boring " From the bright eyed piano virtuoso to his first major relaunch as a big eyed young adult gay music icon."

@daninternational confirms my fear that this song was not made for a rate this size "didn't like this at all on first listen, but giving it another chance I can appreciate it. Is he harmonising with himself"

 

Spoiler

Homosexuals have no taste.

 

@BeingNormal can you just be lovely again and stop beingharsh?

 

After seeing how Little Boots and Charli was done dirty in the Quirky Rate, I'm done being lovely with my scores xoxo

But real talk I just don't like this song, too Spotify-fodder for me

 

After a nice Portraits listening session I am ready to get started on the next elimination after work tonight!

Spoiler: Hot Goz

We lose another track from a main album

 

I fear for Clairo

 

Actually, out of the four main albums, Immunity seems the least likely to lose a song at this point to me. Unless the voters are really tasteless.

 

Here is a political action you can take: Contact your school committee about how they’re supporting trans and gender nonconforming kids! Advocate for rights like a gender neutral bathroom available to all students!

105. "Sinking" by Clairo
6.87
​

Number One Fans: 9.5 x 1 (@Music Is Death) 8.9 x 1 (@pop3blow2)
This Goes Away and They Don't Mind: 4 x 1 (@daninternational)
My Score: 5

Previous Positions:
Five Voters: 113
Ten Voters: 111
Fifteen Voters: 110
Twenty Voters: 105

Is it my doing? Is it my doing?​

Clairo sees her first cut leaving only Muna as the only artist with their full album intact! I have to say when the first votes came in and "Sinking" had sunk to the very bottom I was surprised! I thought there was more widespread forum love for Clairo but I can't say I was upset. While many of her slower tracks grew on me during my many listens, "Sinking" just never clicked. I had to google the lyrics and can't even approximate the melody. The absolute sea of 6-7's this received further confirms that while it may not be an unpleasent song, it's far from anyone's favorite (I mean, when the only 9+ score is from @Music Is Death and it's not even a 10, you know you got a boring song!)

While "Sinking" didn't catch me, I did find learning more about the inspiration for the song illuminating. I did not realize that Clairo had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis even though it has impacted her songwriting and even her ability to make music. When she wrote "Sinking," her flare ups were so bad that she struggled to even get to the studio. My co-worker has RA and I have several friends with "invisible disabilities" and the impact it has on every aspect of life is far from invisible. In fact, people often dismiss these conditions since they can't see them and humans can be shitty sometimes. Clairo spoke about this affect to Pitchfork:

If you really pay attention to what’s going on, you can tell that it’s about someone dealing with pain. That’s how arthritis works: You don’t understand it until you look closely enough
​

Given this lens the songs lyrics can really land. From the plainspoken ache of "Why does it feel like I'm older than I asked to be?" to the crushing self blame of "Is it my doing?" Clairo captures so many of the struggles of living with a chronic illness at a young age. It's a theme she continues to explore on the album closer, but that's for another night's elimination!

None of you left any commentary so you better light up this thread!

 

Mmmm now the tracklist placement makes a lot of sense. It's such a lowkey vibe, if you aren't paying much attention it sounds like drifting into sleep while reading at 2am or something and I can see how Sinking may bore or drag a little. It doesn't have quite the impact of much of the rest of the album whether it's a riff, autotune, a quirky sprinkle here or there. A bit interludeish in that sense. I'm not too fussed but I hope Immunity isn't going to start Spilling Out of the rate now!

 

'Sinking' is just short of being great to me, but then I just really love this kind of groove sometimes. I do struggle a tad with it, because I think it can't decide if it wants to be a proper song or a mood piece of some kind. That said, her vocal is what makes it for me. There's a certain soul to it that really gets me. I don't know, this is maybe a comparison that doesn't land, but it give me Nelly Furtado feels, in it's directness & emotion.

 

Guess I was wrong huh?

On the one hand I'm not too upset about Sinking leaving since it's probably my least favourite song in the album, but on the other hand it getting eliminated this early, before some of the less inspired extras and Muna/T&S album tracks is a bit of a mess.

 

You jinxed it!