No Subject (Come with Me) This is Who We Are I Will Hide Myself Away. Toughest round of the three. Both songs I really like from this album. But Hide is a little more 'different' than their usual style and works pretty well.
No Subject (Come with Me) - Lonely One is alright...the vocals are great, but the song just doesn't do much for me. It's a bit forgettable for me (a complaint I have about several songs on this album) This is Who We Are - Pretty easy pick for me, this is one of my favorites on the album The Fortunate - This was the toughest one for me this round, really could have gone either way
I haven't revisited this album in quite some time, but damn. Will Pugh can sing. Really shines on Hide Myself Away.
Had to drive up to Seattle this morning and listened to this on the way, and I have to say, for a record where a large part of the recording took place as part of a reality show, this is actually pretty fucking amazing. It’s not perfect, but they take some really powerful left turns from their pop-punk craft on this record that pay off beautifully. One of those being “Lonely One” - I didn’t expect it to win but I really hoped it wouldn’t get creamed like this. Truly one of the underrated gems of the Cartel discog, far more memorable than “No Subject.” Also very sad that “Get Through This” never stood a chance - just so achingly melancholy and beautiful.
Probably a good time/place to link this for those who haven’t heard it. Very insightful interview with Will that talks a lot about the band’s history and dives deep into the Band In A Bubble ordeal Lead Singer Syndrome with Shane Told by Jabberjaw Media on Apple Podcasts
And the first round of the Self-Titled comes to a close! No Subject (Come with Me) - 7 Lonely One - 2 This is Who We Are - 8 Get Through This - 1 The Fortunate - 5 I Will Hide Myself Away - 4 Round Two incoming!
Just a reminder this round will be open for 48 hours. Enjoy your weekend, everyone! Self-Titled ROUND TWO 1.) Georgia vs. If You Do, If You Don’t 2.) Tonight vs. I Will Follow (the hidden track on “I Will Hide Myself Away”) 3.) Lose It vs. Wasted
Georgia Tonight (this was tougher than i thought it’d be) Wasted (i don’t think lose it is a very good song - can’t believe it was the lead single for this album)
If You Do, If You Don’t I Will Follow Lose It Wasted never worked for me. Appreciate them trying something different but it just... is a total miss for me. Know I’m in the minority on that one
Lose It and Wasted are probably my two favourite songs on the album. Maybe my two favourite by the band.
Figured now’s as good a time as any to give people a heads up on what’s on the B-Sides round. Since they have so few of either, I felt it made the most sense to collapse B-Sides and Covers into one category. Here’s everything I’ve considered so far... Get Away In No Hurry No Motivation Wonderwall Fiend I haven’t included “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” since I feel holiday songs are so ubiquitous they shouldn’t really count. If y’all have any other tracks you feel passionately haven’t been represented, let me know.
How did I know it was going to come down to a tiebreaker between my two least favorite Cartel songs? I guess our winners are... Georgia - 2 If You Do, If You Don’t - 4 Tonight - 4 I Will Follow - 2 Lose It - 3 (+1) Wasted - 3 Round Three up next!
Self-Titled ROUND THREE 1.) The Best vs. No Subject (Come with Me) 2.) This is Who We Are vs. The Fortunate 3.) If I Were to Write the Song vs. If You Do, If You Don’t 4.) Tonight vs. Lose It