Hot Tub Blues is very weird but I find it a fascinating song. I think it was even included in the live shows at some point. But your post confirms @Sprockrooster’s suspicion that there‘s just no song on this album everyone liked.
This Delicate Rate We've Made: The Darren Hayes / Savage Garden Rate - WINNER announced
- Thread starter jtm
- Start date
Hot Tub Blues is very weird but I find it a fascinating song. I think it was even included in the live shows at some point. But your post confirms @Sprockrooster’s suspicion that there‘s just no song on this album everyone liked.
londonrain
Staff member
134.
I've Been There
B-side from ‘This Delicate Thing We’ve Made’
Average: 5,79
Highest score: 1x7,5 (@jtm)
Lowest score: 1x3 (@londonrain)
We Are Smug fans found relieved. We are taking a break from the brutal culling of that to get one of the more obscure b-sides out. It’s actually not even a b-side as this was never included on any official release and according to Wikipedia leaked sometime in 2008.
To be perfectly honest I thought this was included in one of the fan club exclusive CDs and that’s where I got it from originally. Anyway it’s probably not an essential part of the discography as well.
We got a bunch of scores in the 6-7 range for this and we are quite divided on the lyrics it seems and after listening to it again I have to say I can see your point:
@londonrain: ‘This is very “seriousface nineties singer-songwriter”. Yawn.’ (3)
@rawkey: ‘Not sure "I've been there" qualifies as advice...’ (4)
@Eric: ‘Even if I probably wouldn't listen to this again, I can appreciate the sincerity’ (6)
@jtm: ‘Love the lyrics on this, would have loved to have this included on the main album’ (7.5)
Not on YouTube, but on Soundcloud:
I've Been There
B-side from ‘This Delicate Thing We’ve Made’
Average: 5,79
Highest score: 1x7,5 (@jtm)
Lowest score: 1x3 (@londonrain)
We Are Smug fans found relieved. We are taking a break from the brutal culling of that to get one of the more obscure b-sides out. It’s actually not even a b-side as this was never included on any official release and according to Wikipedia leaked sometime in 2008.
To be perfectly honest I thought this was included in one of the fan club exclusive CDs and that’s where I got it from originally. Anyway it’s probably not an essential part of the discography as well.
We got a bunch of scores in the 6-7 range for this and we are quite divided on the lyrics it seems and after listening to it again I have to say I can see your point:
@londonrain: ‘This is very “seriousface nineties singer-songwriter”. Yawn.’ (3)
@rawkey: ‘Not sure "I've been there" qualifies as advice...’ (4)
@Eric: ‘Even if I probably wouldn't listen to this again, I can appreciate the sincerity’ (6)
@jtm: ‘Love the lyrics on this, would have loved to have this included on the main album’ (7.5)
Not on YouTube, but on Soundcloud:
Scream at the continous cull of either b-sides or We Are Smug. Not surprised though.
133.
Breathless
B-side from ‘This Delicate Thing We’ve Made’
Average: 5,83
Highest score: 3x7 (@Remorque, @CorgiCorgiCorgi, @Eric)
Lowest score: 1x4,5 (@londonrain)
Another b-side from the Delicate era leaves and I think it’s safe to say from your commentary in the thread so far that while no love is lost here the main album remains safe. On a side note, it’s the first time that we have three highest scorers (I’m desperately looking for exciting things to mention here).
Wikipedia says that this was the b-side to the digital ‘Who Would Have Thought’ single but I’m not sure if it was in some random digital store (I think he did some releases like that back then), because it’s definitely not on any of the big ones or on the streaming services. It’s also possible that this was one of the fan club exclusives.
@londonrain: ‘This is weirdly lifeless. Darren sounds lovely but it just doesn’t click with me in this form.’ (4.5)
@Eric: ‘Has a cute innocence to it, definitely feels like a demo’ (7)
@jtm: ‘Acoustic guitar ballads are definitely not my favorite genre but I still like them if they are good. Having said that, this song is not up to much and doesn't really hold my attention.’ (5.4)
YouTube link for the song:
This is it for today, which means that we can start with another quite exciting elimination tomorrow and after that the first album track and second song from the official part of the rate!
Breathless
B-side from ‘This Delicate Thing We’ve Made’
Average: 5,83
Highest score: 3x7 (@Remorque, @CorgiCorgiCorgi, @Eric)
Lowest score: 1x4,5 (@londonrain)
Another b-side from the Delicate era leaves and I think it’s safe to say from your commentary in the thread so far that while no love is lost here the main album remains safe. On a side note, it’s the first time that we have three highest scorers (I’m desperately looking for exciting things to mention here).
Wikipedia says that this was the b-side to the digital ‘Who Would Have Thought’ single but I’m not sure if it was in some random digital store (I think he did some releases like that back then), because it’s definitely not on any of the big ones or on the streaming services. It’s also possible that this was one of the fan club exclusives.
@londonrain: ‘This is weirdly lifeless. Darren sounds lovely but it just doesn’t click with me in this form.’ (4.5)
@Eric: ‘Has a cute innocence to it, definitely feels like a demo’ (7)
@jtm: ‘Acoustic guitar ballads are definitely not my favorite genre but I still like them if they are good. Having said that, this song is not up to much and doesn't really hold my attention.’ (5.4)
YouTube link for the song:
This is it for today, which means that we can start with another quite exciting elimination tomorrow and after that the first album track and second song from the official part of the rate!
Two of the remaining We Are Smug tracks made my top
I'm a fan and when it comes to music, a completist. I'd have loved to own these songs during the era but I had no idea so many songs existed. It's not that kind to the fans.
If you've got songs, put them out there so people can here them as major b-sides.
If you've got songs, put them out there so people can here them as major b-sides.
I understand that and I agree. I think back then exclusivity sometimes drove sales and some stores allowed for better margins for an independent artist (like him starting with Delicate) while today you can only survive if everything is available everywhere and even then you probably don‘t even recoup your cost as a mildly successful singer. It‘s I think a difficult decision either way but it would be great to at least put everything on the streaming services now like he did with Wrecking Ball a few years ago.
Good luck!
132.
Hot Tub Blues
Album track from ‘We Are Smug’
Average: 5,84
Highest score: 1x9 (@Spockrooster)
Lowest score: 1x3 (@Eric)
Just kidding, @rawkey - it’s that third song you don’t particularly like ddd. So we begin today much in the same way as yesterday as we say goodbye to one of only three remaining songs from the We Are Smug album. We quickly discussed this one yesterday. It’s an outlier even on that album, but it was also included in Darren’s last tour, so if we consider anything from We Are Smug essential to the discography, it probably has to be this.
It’s also reflected in the commentary. This is the only We Are Smug song so far to attract six comments, both good and bad:
@londonrain: ‘I remember watching him do this live on the tour promoting Secret Codes and Battleships and thinking “...what is this?”’ (4)
@CorgiCorgiCorgi: ‘Big "lo-fi hip hop chill beats to study and relax to" Energy’ (7)
@rawkey: ‘A mostly successful balance of compellingly odd concept and quite annoying vocal.’ (5.4)
@Sprockrooster: ‘A massive bop, I completely forgot cause I want to forget this era even happened.’ (9)
@Eric: ‘Is this a genre? I just don't get it, probably too sophisticated for my basic bop tastes! Sorry to those who love it!’ (3)
@jtm: ‘Certainly my favorite track from his weird product line (including parts of Delicate).’ (8)
Here’s the controversial song:
Well that was my highest score for the album. I guess it will not last much longer now.
Some optional songs have up to 10 votes I think. 6 or 7 scored every single song.
131.
Violet
Album track from ‘Savage Garden’
Average: 5,87
Highest score: 1x8 (@marie_05)
Lowest score: 1x3,5 (@phoenix123)
The first main album track and the second song from the official part of this rate to leave becomes ‘Violet’, one of only a few songs from the Savage Garden album to not be released as a single.
I think this leaves mostly due to being a bit unnoticeable and the scores from our commentators reflect that as they are all incredibly close:
@Remorque: ‘Nice song, yet it's never really been on my radar... It's a bit INXS-y, n'est-ce pas?’ (6.25)
@londonrain: ‘This feels like a Roxette album track.’ (6)
@jtm: ‘Good album filler I guess.’ (5.5)
@berserkboi: ‘Bangs well but isn’t quite a favourite yet’ (7)
@Eric: ‘I'd totally forgotten about this song. It doesn't really appeal to me, the drum beat is overpowering.’ (5)
Audio on YouTube:
Violet
Album track from ‘Savage Garden’
Average: 5,87
Highest score: 1x8 (@marie_05)
Lowest score: 1x3,5 (@phoenix123)
The first main album track and the second song from the official part of this rate to leave becomes ‘Violet’, one of only a few songs from the Savage Garden album to not be released as a single.
I think this leaves mostly due to being a bit unnoticeable and the scores from our commentators reflect that as they are all incredibly close:
@Remorque: ‘Nice song, yet it's never really been on my radar... It's a bit INXS-y, n'est-ce pas?’ (6.25)
@londonrain: ‘This feels like a Roxette album track.’ (6)
@jtm: ‘Good album filler I guess.’ (5.5)
@berserkboi: ‘Bangs well but isn’t quite a favourite yet’ (7)
@Eric: ‘I'd totally forgotten about this song. It doesn't really appeal to me, the drum beat is overpowering.’ (5)
Audio on YouTube:
He/Him
Oh! A song I rated and commented on - at least it isn’t something I rated very highly! :D
londonrain
Staff member
I regularly forget about this song as soon as it’s over, and I’ve heard it loads of times.
130.
Every Little Thing
B-side from ‘This Delicate Thing We’ve Made
Average: 5,88
Highest score: 1x7,25 (@Remorque)
Lowest score: 2x5 (@londonrain, @Sprockrooster)
Let’s head into a final cull of optional songs with another one of these. Wikipedia: 'This was the b-side to the digital ‘Me, Myself and I’ single’ songs.' Again, I can’t really confirm if that’s true. I know that I had the song from somewhere official, but whether that was a digital single or Delicate Vol. 1 / 2 I don’t remember.
Like Violet, this did not cause big emotions one way or another:
@londonrain: ‘Pleasant enough.’ (5)
@rawkey: ‘Some of the vocals are a little rough but the song is decent, shame he didn't revisit/refine it.’ (5.9)
@Eric: ‘Feels like a successor / stablemate of 'Spin' (the song)’ (6)
@jtm: ‘The start is very promising but the chorus underdelivers a bit’ (6)
Here it is:
Every Little Thing
B-side from ‘This Delicate Thing We’ve Made
Average: 5,88
Highest score: 1x7,25 (@Remorque)
Lowest score: 2x5 (@londonrain, @Sprockrooster)
Let’s head into a final cull of optional songs with another one of these. Wikipedia: 'This was the b-side to the digital ‘Me, Myself and I’ single’ songs.' Again, I can’t really confirm if that’s true. I know that I had the song from somewhere official, but whether that was a digital single or Delicate Vol. 1 / 2 I don’t remember.
Like Violet, this did not cause big emotions one way or another:
@londonrain: ‘Pleasant enough.’ (5)
@rawkey: ‘Some of the vocals are a little rough but the song is decent, shame he didn't revisit/refine it.’ (5.9)
@Eric: ‘Feels like a successor / stablemate of 'Spin' (the song)’ (6)
@jtm: ‘The start is very promising but the chorus underdelivers a bit’ (6)
Here it is:
129.
The Wrong Way
B-side from ‘This Delicate Thing We’ve Made’
Average: 5,96
Highest score: 1x7 (@Eric)
Lowest score: 1x4 (@londonrain)
We say goodbye to a second Delicate b-side in a row. ‘The Wrong Way’ was never included on any official release but added to Darren’s MySpace page at some point. If I remember correctly it was about a friend of his or something like that, but I don’t really recall any specifics and I guess the MySpace page is long since gone.
The song got a total of six votes between 6 and 7, and we also have some agreement in the commentary:
@londonrain: ‘This is fine. I wouldn’t skip it but I also wouldn’t be able to remember it afterwards.’ (4)
@rawkey: ‘Sounds more 'Secret Codes and Battleships' than 'This Delicate Thing We Made'.’ (6)
@Eric: ‘This would fit better with the Secret Codes era than the Delicate Thing one.’ (7)
@jtm: ‘Nice enough for a b-side’ (6.5)
Here it is on YouTube:
The Wrong Way
B-side from ‘This Delicate Thing We’ve Made’
Average: 5,96
Highest score: 1x7 (@Eric)
Lowest score: 1x4 (@londonrain)
We say goodbye to a second Delicate b-side in a row. ‘The Wrong Way’ was never included on any official release but added to Darren’s MySpace page at some point. If I remember correctly it was about a friend of his or something like that, but I don’t really recall any specifics and I guess the MySpace page is long since gone.
The song got a total of six votes between 6 and 7, and we also have some agreement in the commentary:
@londonrain: ‘This is fine. I wouldn’t skip it but I also wouldn’t be able to remember it afterwards.’ (4)
@rawkey: ‘Sounds more 'Secret Codes and Battleships' than 'This Delicate Thing We Made'.’ (6)
@Eric: ‘This would fit better with the Secret Codes era than the Delicate Thing one.’ (7)
@jtm: ‘Nice enough for a b-side’ (6.5)
Here it is on YouTube:
Almost into the 6,0-averages. Hoping my 1,0 doesn't have it.