This Delicate Rate We've Made: The Darren Hayes / Savage Garden Rate - WINNER announced
- Thread starter jtm
- Start date
Haha, I knew I’ll Bet He Was Cool was on the chopping block, but I’ve always had a soft spot for that one! One of the best rarities for me.
There’s still a lot of stuff in there I’d consider to be weaker than All Around Me, but...meh, indeed. There’s nothing in this rate I really detest, but some songs are obvious filler material.
140.
Right Dead Back On It
B-side from ‘Spin’
Average: 5,61
Highest score: 1x7 (@Sprockrooster)
Lowest score: 1x3 (@jtm)
If you thought we’d go right into We Are Smug again, you’re wrong. It’s back to the dozens of Spin b-sides, and this time it’s this rarity that will vacate the rate.
‘Right Dead Back On It’ was released as a b-side to ‘Crush (1980 Me)’ in Australia only. After 15,000 copies of the single were pressed, the track was removed for unknown copyright reasons, and new copies were pressed without it.
I think the biggest surprise here is that more than 15,000 copies of ‘Crush’ were produced which seems impressive for a fourth single in Australia.
The duet partner Elisa Fiorillo, by the way, is an American singer. I looked her up on Wikipedia but I don’t know anything by her. I think her biggest claim to fame comes from being a backing singer for Prince.
Let’s see what you thought, with @Sprockrooster already coming for another single:
@londonrain: ‘I... don’t think Elisa Fiorillo works on this at all.’ (6)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Better than it's a-side’ (7)
@Eric: ‘I'm not sure what to make of this- who is he duetting with?’ (6)
@jtm: ‘The Spin b-sides are very patchy and random. This is nothing special and a bit unnecessary.’ (3) [The irony of me saying that but forcing everyone through them..]
Luckily you don’t need to go hunt for rare Australian CD singles on Discog to be able to listen to this song. Here it is:
Right Dead Back On It
B-side from ‘Spin’
Average: 5,61
Highest score: 1x7 (@Sprockrooster)
Lowest score: 1x3 (@jtm)
If you thought we’d go right into We Are Smug again, you’re wrong. It’s back to the dozens of Spin b-sides, and this time it’s this rarity that will vacate the rate.
‘Right Dead Back On It’ was released as a b-side to ‘Crush (1980 Me)’ in Australia only. After 15,000 copies of the single were pressed, the track was removed for unknown copyright reasons, and new copies were pressed without it.
I think the biggest surprise here is that more than 15,000 copies of ‘Crush’ were produced which seems impressive for a fourth single in Australia.
The duet partner Elisa Fiorillo, by the way, is an American singer. I looked her up on Wikipedia but I don’t know anything by her. I think her biggest claim to fame comes from being a backing singer for Prince.
Let’s see what you thought, with @Sprockrooster already coming for another single:
@londonrain: ‘I... don’t think Elisa Fiorillo works on this at all.’ (6)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Better than it's a-side’ (7)
@Eric: ‘I'm not sure what to make of this- who is he duetting with?’ (6)
@jtm: ‘The Spin b-sides are very patchy and random. This is nothing special and a bit unnecessary.’ (3) [The irony of me saying that but forcing everyone through them..]
Luckily you don’t need to go hunt for rare Australian CD singles on Discog to be able to listen to this song. Here it is:
A short PSA: Let me quickly say thank you to everyone who is following along the reveals. I’m fully aware that these first eliminations have not been the most exciting since we are basically getting the optional section out of the way. Please bear with me through the weekend as we cull (mild spoiler) another big portion of the optionals. Once we're through that early next week we'll get to the meat and bones and album tracks and singles will say goodbye left and right. So thanks for your continued patience, we'll soon talk about the good stuff and people will start calling each other names etc. I'm very excited for that.
In case you are skipping pages: We have only lost one of the mandatory tracks so far. It's All Around Me and the elimination can be found here. I also keep the results posts on the first page of the thread up to date.
In case you are skipping pages: We have only lost one of the mandatory tracks so far. It's All Around Me and the elimination can be found here. I also keep the results posts on the first page of the thread up to date.
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139.
Lift Me Up
B-side from ‘Spin’
Average: 5,625
Highest score: 1x8 (@Sprockrooster)
Lowest score: 2x4 (@rawkey, @marie_05)
Since we are already cutting duets, let’s get the second one out of the way as well. Next in line is therefore Lift Me Up, the duet with Olivia Newton-John.
According to Wikipedia: Available as one of three tracks unlocked on Hayes' official website using the enhanced content on the debut release of "Spin". The song was later covered by the Backstreet Boys, due for inclusion on their fifth studio album, Never Gone, and also considered for release on the follow-up album Unbreakable. However, their version remains unreleased. Hayes later recorded a collaborative version of the song with Olivia Newton-John for her duets album.
The song, by the way, is an original co-written by Darren.
Even the high scorers are not overly enthusiastic about it:
@londonrain: ‘I prefer the production on the Backstreet Boys version but this is beautiful all the same.’ (7)
@rawkey: ‘Don't think their voices work that well together.’ (4)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Sugarsweet, but that is what you get when queen Olivia is singing along.’ (8)
@Eric: ‘It sounds a little bit Frankensteined...’ (5.5)
@jtm: ‘The amount of money the seemed to have for studio time, duets, b-sides etc is really baffling. This here is okay but not something I would actively listen to.’ (4.5)
Darren solo:
Darren and Olivia Newton-John:
The Backstreet Boys version is also ‘out there’:
Lift Me Up
B-side from ‘Spin’
Average: 5,625
Highest score: 1x8 (@Sprockrooster)
Lowest score: 2x4 (@rawkey, @marie_05)
Since we are already cutting duets, let’s get the second one out of the way as well. Next in line is therefore Lift Me Up, the duet with Olivia Newton-John.
According to Wikipedia: Available as one of three tracks unlocked on Hayes' official website using the enhanced content on the debut release of "Spin". The song was later covered by the Backstreet Boys, due for inclusion on their fifth studio album, Never Gone, and also considered for release on the follow-up album Unbreakable. However, their version remains unreleased. Hayes later recorded a collaborative version of the song with Olivia Newton-John for her duets album.
The song, by the way, is an original co-written by Darren.
Even the high scorers are not overly enthusiastic about it:
@londonrain: ‘I prefer the production on the Backstreet Boys version but this is beautiful all the same.’ (7)
@rawkey: ‘Don't think their voices work that well together.’ (4)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Sugarsweet, but that is what you get when queen Olivia is singing along.’ (8)
@Eric: ‘It sounds a little bit Frankensteined...’ (5.5)
@jtm: ‘The amount of money the seemed to have for studio time, duets, b-sides etc is really baffling. This here is okay but not something I would actively listen to.’ (4.5)
Darren solo:
Darren and Olivia Newton-John:
The Backstreet Boys version is also ‘out there’:
138.
Riot
Album track / bonus track from ‘We Are Smug’
Average: 5,64
Highest score: 1x8 (@jtm)
Lowest score: 1x3 (@londonrain)
Here we go again. ‘Riot’ was not included on the original free ‘We Are Smug’ album. When the album was later re-released on CD, to iTunes and the various streaming services, this was added as a bonus track I guess to make fans and completionists buy it.
Even though it leaves relatively early, the commentary is less harsh than what we’re used to for We Are Smug:
@londonrain: ‘This is definitely a song that exists.’ (3)
@rawkey: ‘Was somewhat surprised that the 'new' song on the CD release of We Are Smug turned out to be an awkward sibling to 'Some Girls' by Rachel Stevens.’ (6)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Who needed a re-release of this? This rate actually made me acquaint with this one. Nothing too spectacular, but I have heard much worse on this very album. So perhaps even worthy of the title of discovery.’ (7)
@jtm: ‘Maybe it's because this is kind of a new song on the commercial release of the album, but it's one of my favorites even though it's not necessarily too different from a bunch of the other songs’ (8)
Here's the song in question:
Riot
Album track / bonus track from ‘We Are Smug’
Average: 5,64
Highest score: 1x8 (@jtm)
Lowest score: 1x3 (@londonrain)
Here we go again. ‘Riot’ was not included on the original free ‘We Are Smug’ album. When the album was later re-released on CD, to iTunes and the various streaming services, this was added as a bonus track I guess to make fans and completionists buy it.
Even though it leaves relatively early, the commentary is less harsh than what we’re used to for We Are Smug:
@londonrain: ‘This is definitely a song that exists.’ (3)
@rawkey: ‘Was somewhat surprised that the 'new' song on the CD release of We Are Smug turned out to be an awkward sibling to 'Some Girls' by Rachel Stevens.’ (6)
@Sprockrooster: ‘Who needed a re-release of this? This rate actually made me acquaint with this one. Nothing too spectacular, but I have heard much worse on this very album. So perhaps even worthy of the title of discovery.’ (7)
@jtm: ‘Maybe it's because this is kind of a new song on the commercial release of the album, but it's one of my favorites even though it's not necessarily too different from a bunch of the other songs’ (8)
Here's the song in question:
londonrain
Staff member
Wait, there’s a solo version of Lift Me Up?!
I also didn‘t know until today. It sounds very much like the demo it is though.
Backstreet Boys is my favorite version I think.
137.
Look What We've Started
Album track from ‘We Are Smug’
Average: 5,71
Highest score: 1x8,7 (@rawkey)
Lowest score: 2x4 (@CorgiCorgiCorgi, @Eric)
Still on track for that rate record, this time we lose the opening song of the We Are Smug album. It’s again a song with shared vocal duties, something that doesn’t always go over too well with at least the people providing commentary.
We have now lost 6 songs from the album and have 5 still left in the rate. Did you like those five much better than the rest or will they also have to leave soon?
For the moment, let’s hear your verdict on this song here:
@londonrain: ‘Aren’t most of the lead vocals here done by Robert Conley and not Darren? I feel like I can only hear Darren on the harmonies and backing vocals until the last minute or so.’ (5)
@rawkey: ‘A blistering opener.’ (8.7)
@Eric: ‘The chorus reminds me of Keane but overall doesn't appeal- the lower tone of the vocals loses much of Darren's magic.’ (4)
@jtm: ‘If it were not for the second part / end this would be a little mediocre to start the album with’ (5.5)
Find out what we are talking about by clicking here:
Next, the second 10 in this rate leaves!
Look What We've Started
Album track from ‘We Are Smug’
Average: 5,71
Highest score: 1x8,7 (@rawkey)
Lowest score: 2x4 (@CorgiCorgiCorgi, @Eric)
Still on track for that rate record, this time we lose the opening song of the We Are Smug album. It’s again a song with shared vocal duties, something that doesn’t always go over too well with at least the people providing commentary.
We have now lost 6 songs from the album and have 5 still left in the rate. Did you like those five much better than the rest or will they also have to leave soon?
For the moment, let’s hear your verdict on this song here:
@londonrain: ‘Aren’t most of the lead vocals here done by Robert Conley and not Darren? I feel like I can only hear Darren on the harmonies and backing vocals until the last minute or so.’ (5)
@rawkey: ‘A blistering opener.’ (8.7)
@Eric: ‘The chorus reminds me of Keane but overall doesn't appeal- the lower tone of the vocals loses much of Darren's magic.’ (4)
@jtm: ‘If it were not for the second part / end this would be a little mediocre to start the album with’ (5.5)
Find out what we are talking about by clicking here:
Next, the second 10 in this rate leaves!
Have we got rid of We Are Smug now?
Please?
Please?
Getting there.
136.
Watching Me Watching You
Album track from ‘We Are Smug’
Average: 5,73
Highest score: 1x10 (@jtm)
Lowest score: 1x2 (@Eric)
So this elimination was super surprising for me. This is one of maybe two or three tracks on the album that I generally consider to be on par with Darren’s other stuff. Turns out that despite some other scores in the 8-ish area I’m the only one.
This of course also means that We Are Smug is now down to four songs.
The verdict from you:
@londonrain: Darren, since when do you have a “crew”? Also, I docked half a point for the shouting.’ (4)
@Eric: ‘Is that Darren's voice distorted where the deeper voice is overlaid? Either way I'm afraid it's like nails on a chalkboard for me’ (2)
@jtm: ‘I don't think this was ever really a candidate for my 11 but it's one of my favorite Darren songs and the best We Are Smug song’ (10)
Listen here:
Scream. There is no way we all rallied behind the same We Are Smug song so it actually might be entirely gone soon ddd.
Well, up until a moment ago.
135.
Good Dress
Album track from ‘We Are Smug’
Average: 5,77
Highest score: 1x8 (@CorgiCorgiCorgi)
Lowest score: 1x3 (@londonrain)
Ok, we’re now heading towards legendary rate territory but for all the wrong reasons. This is the fourth song in a row from the We Are Smug album to leave, which leaves the following three out of eleven tracks in the rate: Hot Tub Blues, Never Be The Same Again, The Pressure. We could ask our resident rate prophet @londonrain but it doesn’t take much to realize that this really doesn’t look good for the eventual rate winner to come from this album.
What to say about the song? I quite like the chorus but there’s also some screeching (hello @Sprockrooster) going on. Not much commentary for this one:
@londonrain: ‘Meh. I’m not terribly excited by this one.’ (3)
@Eric: ‘Dancier and therefore a bit more appealing’ (6)
@jtm: ‘The We Are Smug album seems like a really good collection of b-sides’ (7.4)
Here we go:
londonrain
Staff member
Hot Tub Blues is in the top three of the album? Why?