Cinerama Cup: Last 16 (5-8)

     


The last 16: ties 5-8

While most agreed that the first four ties of the last 16 were rather tortuous decisions, there were different views this time. Ian found it 'tricky'; Dave thought there were 'four solid tracks, and four not so solid tracks.'

What is certainly true, is that we had the two most one-sided contests in this batch, plus the closest one...


5. Kerry Kerry v Starry Eyed

Johnny was drawn to the 'sinister, dark-alley brooding of Starry Eyed... that insistent draw towards the dark corners despite the best advice…the uncomfortable ache, the stifling air, the uneasy knot in the guts, all there, but still, still a perfect, beautifully brilliant shot across the bows…and that semi-sinister glockenspiel riff, a moment of brilliance.'

Keg, on the other hand, said that as 'a fan of the "proper" Cinerama, it surely has to be "Kerry Kerry".' Gav M was of a similar mind: whilst finding the other three ties almost impossible (he even went so far as to suggest just sitting them out), he described this choice as 'the easy one.'

Kerry Kerry 15 - Starry Eyed 5



6. Your Charms v Don't Touch That Dial

I don't think that anyone on the panel doesn't think that DTTD is a glorious track; however, all through the competition there's been a sense that - although it was first released as a Cinerama single - many feel that really it's a TWP song. 

Marc was not one of them:

'I really love Your Charms, especially the slight pause in DLG’s delivery every so often, but being up against DTTD would be a challenge for any track... the “quiet loud, quiet loud” along with stunningly poignant lyrics gives the win to DTTD.'

Jona found this to be 'the most difficult tie so far as I adore both of these songs... I went for Your Charms as it invokes happy memories of past times and old friends.' Johnny was more certain: 

'On the whole it is a thing of perfect magnificence whilst when examined in minutiae it’s the little things that explode with absolute perfection - the off the cuff laugh at the end of the first verse, the effortless drum crack directed semi-tacet on ‘…captivated’, they bring me a simple joy in so many indefinable ways.'

Your Charms 12 - Don't Touch That Dial 8

7. Hard, Fast and Beautiful v Quick Before It Melts

The tightest tie of the last 16 was one of those 'classic' vs 'almost TWP' Cinerama contests. Gav M went for QBIM, another of his 'personal' tracks: 'resurrecting memories about living the lyrics.' Marc made the same decision for different reasons: 'QBIM has guitars not a piano and therefore it wins.' 

The majority, however, went for the older song. Johnny was one:

'Like an over excited fumble in a nightclub car park it is overwhelmingly exhilarating but as always, over far too quickly. I wish this was a bombastic, hurtling 10 minute wig out a la that ‘Take Me’ song. The loud/quiet dynamic is used to perfection, but the loud, oh yes, that overwhelming, euphoric gush of LOUD, like a salty, surging spring tide, lashing you, thrashing you against the rocks - helpless, hopeless, what more could a desperate, drowning heart desire as a soundtrack?'

His only criticism of the song was that it should have employed an Oxford comma in the title...

Hard, Fast and Beautiful 11 - Quick Before It Melts 9



8. Wow v Heels

Although Marc dismissed 'Heels' as 'a song with flutes and dodgy DLG singing,' there was plenty of love for the song (including from me) in the comments. But it was always likely to be steamrollered by 'Wow'.

Wow 17 - Heels 3


And so, our quarter final songs are:
  • And When She Was Bad
  • Cat Girl Tights
  • Hard, Fast and Beautiful
  • Health and Efficiency
  • Kerry Kerry
  • King’s Cross
  • Wow
  • Your Charms


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