LISTEN V. RATE: The Official GRIMES Rate (WINNER REVEALED!)
- Thread starter Raichu
- Start date
Hello guys, the time has come for me to do my elimination.
As you may recall, I once commented my ultimate Grimes fave was a song in Halfaxa, but which one of our three remaining survivors is it?
Oh my darling.... In the water....
I will cry on the Fourth of July and,....
Here, I am, running in the dark...
My only friend, this is the end.
#30
MY SISTER SAYS THE SADDEST THINGS
7.416666667
My Score: 11
@Raichu's Score: 8
(@Cutlery: 11 @japanbonustrack, @caladan, @Satyress, @constantino: 10) HIGHEST V. LOWEST (@happiestgirl, @Untouchable Ace)
When diving into Claire's catalog, it's often noticeable how many of her pre-AA songs are enveloped in atmospheres of melancholy, sadness and loss. Particularly in Halfaxa, we've dealt with heartbreak in the tropical Devon, and even delved into the grief of World ♡ Princess, and this cut is not very different from the latter. The best way I can describe MSSTST in a nutshell, if someone were to ask me about it, is that it's a «darkened club-ready trance instrumental paired with heart-wrenching lyrics and emotionally-impactful, ethereal vocal performances. I believe the pop sensibilities carried it as relatively far as it went, being one of the few Halfaxian tracks with a distinct chorus, lyrics and some very catchy production aspects, such as the incessant Weregild-borrowed beat. The level of detail that would be the staple of her later albums is crystal clear in the multiple layers of "ah ah ah ah" vocalizations, the drums, clicks and needle-like synths that strategically appear and disappear throughout the track. Finally, I want to bring the lyrics into the spotlight because it's the part that brings it all together in this beautiful experiment. The speaker is mourning her «sister» during Independence Day, having no time for the joy and celebration that this day carries, in a way that cuts off as if the lump in her throat and the tears in her eyes were too much for her to continue trying to stay calm:
I will cry on the Fourth of July, and
I don't really mind that
I haven't the time, and
I will cry on the Fourth of July, and
I don't...
My commentary for this track is quite long, so enjoy reading this novel a bit and donate to my nonexistent PayPal for my aspiring writing career while you're at it x
Claire’s Magnum Opus. Represents the catharsis and star-alignment of all the ideas explored lyrically (grief, loneliness, fantasy), vocally (pitch, effects), sonically (danceable beats, infectious melodies, incorporating strings and other instruments into a primarily electronic record) and structurally (subtle shifts in production, repetition, intros and outros) on Halfaxa. From the moment the club-ready beat kicks it off with “Ah my sister / Ah my sister / Hold my hand in the night", and slowly but surely the electric guitar riff, the drums and the snares join in Claire's sorrow, the listener knows they're in for a ride. It really is the small things that make the craft of this work of art as perfect as it is: for instance, the distant backing vocals that accompany Grimes’ voice around the 50-second mark, or the needle-like percussion that follows right next in the “Ladies gonna tell” lines. The following bits about crying on the fourth of July, followed by tear-jerking ah ah’s, perfectly encapsulate the image of grief and mourning the death of a loved one during a time everyone else is in celebration. Finally, Claire uses her highest pitch ever by soothingly and other-worldly whispering as some sort of confession to the air: «My only friend, this is the end». I'm thankful I haven’t experienced the death of a friend so far, but whenever it happens, I know My Sister Says the Saddest Things will be there for me with open arms, offering a shoulder to cry on.
[kii]
Gladly, about half of y'all commented on this track, mostly with praise, and I feel like you people highlighted different aspects and details that make it an engaging cut, all of which I agree upon! But first, let's get the only hater who commented out of the way, happiestgirl (3): "All the songs have such intriguing titles and then sound like five minutes of white noise with beeping and Grimes making high pitched noises."
Our favorite Pokémon and lovely host, Raichu (8), had some things to say, and regrets to express regarding his score: "This has many of the same qualities as World Princess. It's epic in sound and scope, emotionally dynamic, and incredibly immersive. But this has a bit more of a pop sensibility to it, so I'm not surprised that it made it farther than WP. The melodies are quite beautiful, but the real star of the show is the lyrics. They're unique, interesting in terms of point of view, and evocative. Honestly, I underrated this a bit." You sure did, but no hard feelings legend! My fellow partner in good taste and early Claire enthusiast caladan (10) mentions another fantastic detail I hadn't commented on before, as well as urging Grimes to pay royalties: "That moment after about 1 minute when the song changes gears is one of the best moments in music. Everything about that build up is heavenly. My only friend, this is the end is a nice The Doors reference." Meanwhile, Mirwais Ahmadzai (9) retells a similar experience: "As is the case with many early Grimes songs, it takes a bit for me to fully slip into the song’s ‘world’. I love where this one goes after about a minute." Another member who's always on my good side, constantino (10), serves us exceptionally good tea and a self-fulfilled prophecy for this opus' fate. Sorry sis: "The best song on this messy album by a MILE.This was actually the first Grimes song I ever heard, so I have a soft spot for this airy ditty. It came up on my Last.fm shuffle one evening and I haven’t looked back since. There’s a certain drama and solumnness to this track that resonates with me. I’m not ready for how wrong y’all are gonna do this."
Xanax (9) references its tracklist predecessor to express their praises: "Love how similar the instrumental feels to ≈Ω≈Ω≈Ω≈Ω≈Ω≈Ω≈Ω≈Ω≈ in the very beginning yet this song develops into something totally different. The main melody is also simply beautiful." Trouble in Paradise (7.5) brings out the Lana stan in him: "I’m glad this song is almost as good as the title. A Music To Watch Boys To tea." Music is one of the worst songs in HM so I'm calling this shade! We close with the concise, correct statement of our final 10-giver and commentator, Satyress: "Nostalgic and powerful." Same.
YouTube Comments Section
sophie: I've always interpreted this song as the relationship between the two sisters, and the younger sister has the ability to see ghosts. She sees ghosts from old times walking in their long dresses and hears them sing to her- hence the line "ladies walk about, singing in the night". when she talks about the 4th of july, I imagine a scene of the sister seeing the haunting ghosts, with fireworks in the background, and the older sister is holding her hand and staying with her because nobody else understands why she isn't celebrating. the ghosts are telling her that she is going to die soon, that this is the end- her older sister, her only friend, comforts her. I don't know why but I just felt the need to write a paragraph long comment about this! It's a beautiful song any way you interpret it.
Paul Anstey: This is one of the best songs of all time
Jerry G.: Mozart, Liszt, Chopin, Wagner, Beethoven, Grimes.
I love this End of Evangelion AMV nearly as much as I adore the song, so regardless whether you care about anime or not here it is:
Sucks that this one had to go, but you gave it an excellent send off!
#29
SAGRAD Прекрасный
7.444444444
My Score: 7
(@Xanax: 10) HIGHEST V. LOWEST (@Remorque: 4.5)
Another harp bop bites the dust! But this one is much better than “Hedra,” though I definitely think it was a choice on y’all’s part to place it above “My Sister Says The Saddest Things.” Grimes is serving some really nimble and dexterous vocals here and I love the mixture of harp music and brooding post-punky ambience. There’s a certain urgency to it and I think it displays the ethereal/heavy dynamic that Halfaxa does so well. Also, the song has some nice sonic shifts that feel completely earned. Really, I think it’s this shiftiness (in general) that shows progress from Geidi Primes even if I think the former is serving better core songs in a lot of ways. That being said, the song is way too fucking long. By the time we start to move to the end, I’m just not that interested anymore. I lowkey love the Russian title though. I bet this would be Donald Trump’s favorite cut on Halfaxa, if he had the intellectual curiosity and enough of an attention span to try out an avant-garde pop album.
But let’s get back on track with Cutlery (8), who slayed that last write-up: “I only started to appreciate this long track more until last year, it just used to feel undercooked and identity-lacking compared to some other tracks in the album. However, I've grown fond of its “but BABY I AM READY TO GOOOOOO”s and upbeat-ish production, and I like how some of its discernible lyrical bits are kinda poetic and even Rosa-like.” There’s something about the general mood that’s a bit Rosa-like, thought it’s hard to put my finger on it. Maybe it’s what Rosa might be like if she was more energetic and ethereal. Speaking of energetic and ethereal, constantino (9) says, “Okay, c’mon a sudden moment of 90s trance whatever. This slaps.” It seems to slap even harder for Trouble in Paradise (9), who is getting his life: “When the harp and beat kick in this give me serious Florence and the Machine vibes. Then all of a sudden there’s the drum n bass beat with Grimes continuing to float her voice on top of it all. There’s something so fun and boundless about this song while still tugging at my emotions.” As always, caladan (9) pours that hot brew: “Great vocal performance. That Russian word means Beautiful.” You know who else thinks this song is Прекрасный? Xanax, who gives it full marks and says: “One of Grimes strongest songs in my opinion. The composition, dramaturgy of this song is so well-thought out and it balances perfectly her pop-sensibilities with her experimental, witchy sounds. Feels a bit like “Vanessa’s” darker, far more dramatic sister. +the vocals are everything.” Or perhaps Vanessa’s far more melancholy sister, according to Satyress (8): “Melancholic and ethereal.” Finally, Earth Intruders (9.5) seems to speak for the voter pool in general when he says that this is prime Halfaxa: “One of the best songs from Halfaxa, the vocal line that comes in halfway through is perfect and gives hints to her later pop work.” So basically, she sold out way earlier than the hipsters ever suspected? Only legends.
YouTube Comments Section
Celeste Sirene: Her voice remind me mermaids 3
lizzokitten2: me, a cat, a doe and her two fawns in the cemetery outside my window are all listening to this right now.
Black Sand: Grimes' music is like if someone gave a cat a voice and the cat decided to sing and make music.
SAGRAD Прекрасный
7.444444444
My Score: 7
(@Xanax: 10) HIGHEST V. LOWEST (@Remorque: 4.5)
Another harp bop bites the dust! But this one is much better than “Hedra,” though I definitely think it was a choice on y’all’s part to place it above “My Sister Says The Saddest Things.” Grimes is serving some really nimble and dexterous vocals here and I love the mixture of harp music and brooding post-punky ambience. There’s a certain urgency to it and I think it displays the ethereal/heavy dynamic that Halfaxa does so well. Also, the song has some nice sonic shifts that feel completely earned. Really, I think it’s this shiftiness (in general) that shows progress from Geidi Primes even if I think the former is serving better core songs in a lot of ways. That being said, the song is way too fucking long. By the time we start to move to the end, I’m just not that interested anymore. I lowkey love the Russian title though. I bet this would be Donald Trump’s favorite cut on Halfaxa, if he had the intellectual curiosity and enough of an attention span to try out an avant-garde pop album.
But let’s get back on track with Cutlery (8), who slayed that last write-up: “I only started to appreciate this long track more until last year, it just used to feel undercooked and identity-lacking compared to some other tracks in the album. However, I've grown fond of its “but BABY I AM READY TO GOOOOOO”s and upbeat-ish production, and I like how some of its discernible lyrical bits are kinda poetic and even Rosa-like.” There’s something about the general mood that’s a bit Rosa-like, thought it’s hard to put my finger on it. Maybe it’s what Rosa might be like if she was more energetic and ethereal. Speaking of energetic and ethereal, constantino (9) says, “Okay, c’mon a sudden moment of 90s trance whatever. This slaps.” It seems to slap even harder for Trouble in Paradise (9), who is getting his life: “When the harp and beat kick in this give me serious Florence and the Machine vibes. Then all of a sudden there’s the drum n bass beat with Grimes continuing to float her voice on top of it all. There’s something so fun and boundless about this song while still tugging at my emotions.” As always, caladan (9) pours that hot brew: “Great vocal performance. That Russian word means Beautiful.” You know who else thinks this song is Прекрасный? Xanax, who gives it full marks and says: “One of Grimes strongest songs in my opinion. The composition, dramaturgy of this song is so well-thought out and it balances perfectly her pop-sensibilities with her experimental, witchy sounds. Feels a bit like “Vanessa’s” darker, far more dramatic sister. +the vocals are everything.” Or perhaps Vanessa’s far more melancholy sister, according to Satyress (8): “Melancholic and ethereal.” Finally, Earth Intruders (9.5) seems to speak for the voter pool in general when he says that this is prime Halfaxa: “One of the best songs from Halfaxa, the vocal line that comes in halfway through is perfect and gives hints to her later pop work.” So basically, she sold out way earlier than the hipsters ever suspected? Only legends.
YouTube Comments Section
Celeste Sirene: Her voice remind me mermaids 3
lizzokitten2: me, a cat, a doe and her two fawns in the cemetery outside my window are all listening to this right now.
Black Sand: Grimes' music is like if someone gave a cat a voice and the cat decided to sing and make music.
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Прекрасный
Her photoshoots are sooooo good! While looking for pictures for the eliminations, I was surprised how many pictures of her there are out there.
#28
AMBROSIA
7.5
My Score: 9
(@japanbonustrack, @Cutlery, @caladan: 10) HIGHEST V. LOWEST (@Hurricane Drunk, @HappyBirthday, @enjoy, @happiestgirl: 5)
Food of the Gods indeed. Y’all who gave this a mediocre score can enjoy your McDonalds while we with taste dine on finer cuisine. This song is stunning. I adore the summery melancholy of the production and the melody is almost painfully beautiful. And if that wasn’t enough, the song contains some of Grimes’s best lyrics: “Feeling no emotion/Step into the ocean/Now my mind is everywhere/And drowning is the only thought I have.” I know she kind of brings it on herself because she often produces her vocals in such a way that it’s hard to hear the words, but she really is underrated as a lyricist. She has a knack from bringing out the beauty in dark and heavy emotions and this song exemplifies that. Really, the only reason I didn’t give the song a 10 is because I think the production sounds really muffled. It needed to be mastered louder and clearer. But that doesn’t make it any less pretty and the core song is one of my faves in the rate.
Trouble in Paradise breaks down the mathematics of his 6.5: “This is a Grimes song and it mentions the ocean so +.5 from the standard “This is a good song 6.” You were off by exactly 2.5 points. Mirwais Ahmadzai (8.5) only missed by .5, but he does think it deserved better than the bonus track life: “I definitely think this deserved to have been on the standard edition of Visions. It’s such a whimsical, dreamy-sounding song.” I think it would stick out way too much on Visions, but I agree that it’s good enough to earn a spot. constantino (8.5) is giving me serious deja-vu by matching both Mirwais’s score and sentiment: “This is so pretty, like Angel I think it adds a lot to Visions and should’ve been included. I love it when Claire gets introspective.” Like Yours Truly, caladan (10) is appreciating Claire’s way with words: “Great song with striking lyrics such as: Feeling no emotion/Step into the ocean/Now my mind is everywhere/And drowning is the only thought I have.” I know I already posted those lyrics in the intro paragraph, but Claire's words bear repeating. Xanax is performing a public service in this write-up by a) giving the song a 9 and b) linking to an unreleased song that sounds pretty badass: “Such a beautiful song but it makes sense that this isn´t included on the standard version of "Visions". I sometimes wish "Angel", "Ambrosia" and the still unreleased (why???) "02" would have made a brilliant EP/single… to me they sound far less "alien“ than most of "Visions“ but rather melancholic/angelic…+ I could them all imagine consisting solely of harps and Claires voice…
."
We’ll lay this song to rest with a eulogy from Cutlery (10): “Suicide by drowning anthem. To an extent, mysterious like plenty of Visions cuts, and it is shrouded in a pessimistic aura despite being cheerful and falsely lighthearted sonically. The simplicity and catchiness of its beat, keyboards, guitars and snare certainly assist in achieving this effect, and while I love it so, I think it works best as a b-side and wouldn't have fit too well anywhere in Visions’ standard tracklist.” To be honest, I would love a whole album in this vein, though fans would probably lose their shit. The fanbase meltdown will happen regardless, however. My sources tell me that her next project is a collection of odes to Elon Musk.
YouTube Comment Sections
Daniel Hernandez: I cry so much to this song
Taralynn Marte: All these songs remind me of that special someone. Gosh
Dr. Pheel: I'm on DXM is this real
This is probably the weirdest fan-made video yet:
AMBROSIA
7.5
My Score: 9
(@japanbonustrack, @Cutlery, @caladan: 10) HIGHEST V. LOWEST (@Hurricane Drunk, @HappyBirthday, @enjoy, @happiestgirl: 5)
Food of the Gods indeed. Y’all who gave this a mediocre score can enjoy your McDonalds while we with taste dine on finer cuisine. This song is stunning. I adore the summery melancholy of the production and the melody is almost painfully beautiful. And if that wasn’t enough, the song contains some of Grimes’s best lyrics: “Feeling no emotion/Step into the ocean/Now my mind is everywhere/And drowning is the only thought I have.” I know she kind of brings it on herself because she often produces her vocals in such a way that it’s hard to hear the words, but she really is underrated as a lyricist. She has a knack from bringing out the beauty in dark and heavy emotions and this song exemplifies that. Really, the only reason I didn’t give the song a 10 is because I think the production sounds really muffled. It needed to be mastered louder and clearer. But that doesn’t make it any less pretty and the core song is one of my faves in the rate.
Trouble in Paradise breaks down the mathematics of his 6.5: “This is a Grimes song and it mentions the ocean so +.5 from the standard “This is a good song 6.” You were off by exactly 2.5 points. Mirwais Ahmadzai (8.5) only missed by .5, but he does think it deserved better than the bonus track life: “I definitely think this deserved to have been on the standard edition of Visions. It’s such a whimsical, dreamy-sounding song.” I think it would stick out way too much on Visions, but I agree that it’s good enough to earn a spot. constantino (8.5) is giving me serious deja-vu by matching both Mirwais’s score and sentiment: “This is so pretty, like Angel I think it adds a lot to Visions and should’ve been included. I love it when Claire gets introspective.” Like Yours Truly, caladan (10) is appreciating Claire’s way with words: “Great song with striking lyrics such as: Feeling no emotion/Step into the ocean/Now my mind is everywhere/And drowning is the only thought I have.” I know I already posted those lyrics in the intro paragraph, but Claire's words bear repeating. Xanax is performing a public service in this write-up by a) giving the song a 9 and b) linking to an unreleased song that sounds pretty badass: “Such a beautiful song but it makes sense that this isn´t included on the standard version of "Visions". I sometimes wish "Angel", "Ambrosia" and the still unreleased (why???) "02" would have made a brilliant EP/single… to me they sound far less "alien“ than most of "Visions“ but rather melancholic/angelic…+ I could them all imagine consisting solely of harps and Claires voice…
."
We’ll lay this song to rest with a eulogy from Cutlery (10): “Suicide by drowning anthem. To an extent, mysterious like plenty of Visions cuts, and it is shrouded in a pessimistic aura despite being cheerful and falsely lighthearted sonically. The simplicity and catchiness of its beat, keyboards, guitars and snare certainly assist in achieving this effect, and while I love it so, I think it works best as a b-side and wouldn't have fit too well anywhere in Visions’ standard tracklist.” To be honest, I would love a whole album in this vein, though fans would probably lose their shit. The fanbase meltdown will happen regardless, however. My sources tell me that her next project is a collection of odes to Elon Musk.
YouTube Comment Sections
Daniel Hernandez: I cry so much to this song
Taralynn Marte: All these songs remind me of that special someone. Gosh
Dr. Pheel: I'm on DXM is this real
This is probably the weirdest fan-made video yet:
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He/Him
Scream. This looks a lot like St. Vincent
"My Sister Says the Saddest Things" is the best song in Halfaxa. The best bit is 1:00 - 1:30 in my opinion.
Nooooooooooo... not my favorite japanese bonus track. I don't know why but that username makes me cackle.
I think Halfaxa will fall first. In other news, y'all did "World Princess" so wrong...
Nooooooooooo... not my favorite japanese bonus track. I don't know why but that username makes me cackle.
I think Halfaxa will fall first. In other news, y'all did "World Princess" so wrong...
Wow thanks @Cutlery, I better give that song another chance.
![u8Uu9NGt_o.jpg]](https://images2.imgbox.com/46/5d/u8Uu9NGt_o.jpg])
Such a shame that Ambrosia is already out. What's not to like about this gorgeous song?
That's right. Ambrosia would feel out of place on Visions. But it would be perfectly placed on that scrapped album which included the original REALiTi and David. Of course, mixed again and remastered.