I've noticed the quality dwindle, but thought it was just my tastes. The first UP I participated in was amazing (UP6) and the one Triangles hosted was very good too. After that it all went a bit downhill for me. I think there are a lot more NEW songs in this. I know I entered two new ones when I was new to this but quickly realized that a lot of the best songs here are the older ones. Most of the new ones seem to just be bland and more suited for BJSC. I would like to see perhaps a 'must not have been released within the last two months' rule or something. But I know we don't want to get too regulated, although it seems to be morphing into a new BJSC.

 

There are some really nice discoveries in this contest but nowhere near the amount of previous contests. I think before people were sending songs they've loved for a while and others hadn't heard of them, whereas now it seems to be just about sending new songs. Oh well. :D

Listening to the songs really properly now and there is an awful lot of guff here.

 

Didn't think we would ever get to the point where I get more interersting new music from the latest BJSC rather than the latest UP.

I'm a lot less reluctant to send crazy entries here because it only happens every 3 months, and plus they're far more likely to stand out in BJSC. Nevertheless, I still think UP's quality is better, there's just a growing amount of entries that seem like indie-lite versions of your average female-vocals, pure pop BJSC entry that I often find uninspiring.

I agree with Harve. There's a strain of off-kilter female fronted pop that turns up regularly in UP.

I guess because that kind of thing is very much my THING I always find enough to enjoy in UP. Last month wasn't great, but the first one I did (8) and this are both very good.

People are a bit cruel about the last one. Looking back there are quite a few songs that I've carried on listening to fairly regularly (somethign that i'm not too sure is going to be happening with this edition tho </3)

 

I'm not even sure why my 20 pointer is my 20 pointer. It's definitely not as good as I first thought but i can't bring myself to move it. OH WELL.

Logically speaking you'd only remove it if there was something better to replace it with. It may be somewhat of a default 20 pointer, though.

I've noticed the quality dwindle, but thought it was just my tastes. The first UP I participated in was amazing (UP6) and the one Triangles hosted was very good too. After that it all went a bit downhill for me. I think there are a lot more NEW songs in this. I know I entered two new ones when I was new to this but quickly realized that a lot of the best songs here are the older ones. Most of the new ones seem to just be bland and more suited for BJSC. I would like to see perhaps a 'must not have been released within the last two months' rule or something. But I know we don't want to get too regulated, although it seems to be morphing into a new BJSC.

 

There are some really nice discoveries in this contest but nowhere near the amount of previous contests. I think before people were sending songs they've loved for a while and others hadn't heard of them, whereas now it seems to be just about sending new songs. Oh well. :D

 

Older songs (5 years +) are less likely to be a discovery for people though - I know that bands like Midlake and Islands have been entered here before and since I'd loved both songs before I had to dock them points as they weren't really discoveries. I am not against them but you wouldn't want them to take over the contest entirely, nobody would want a whole contest of that. Personally I'd much prefer to discover a recent or current track that I may have otherwise overlooked, but a good mix is a healthy thing to have.

 

There has always been little difference between Unknown Pleasures and BuzzJack Song Contest, but I think there is sufficient difference in the demographic they cater for both to continue. I personally would be upset if UP had to cease as I enjoy the contests hugely, and because I just don't have the free time to participate in BJSC.

I thought of an idea last night. I will not work for everyone but what about themed Unknown Pleasures competitions? We could have instrumental rounds, South American pop rounds, covers rounds, b-side rounds ( tags would have to be removed from the tracks), electronic rounds, blue-grass country, world music....etc. I'm aware that not everyone may have the resources to submit a track but I thought I might make the suggestion anyway. Maybe it's a bit too marginal for some/most of us.

 

The emphasis of these would not be on up to date new artists but on older, obscure or forgotten artists.

Edited September 11, 201212 yr by AnthonyT

I think this edition of UP is the strongest so far.

It was the first time I had tracks that I liked not getting any points.

 

Granted, not many tracks stood out as being fantastic - but overall the quality is better than it has been.

 

I don't know what this BJSC thing is you guys are talking about but hopefully UP will stick around.

 

 

 

I think this edition of UP is the strongest so far.

It was the first time I had tracks that I liked not getting any points.

 

Granted, not many tracks stood out as being fantastic - but overall the quality is better than it has been.

 

I don't know what this BJSC thing is you guys are talking about but hopefully UP will stick around.

 

BJSC = BuzzJack Song Contest. See: here (although enter at your peril there's about 700 billion rules before you can even start).

 

I like Tony's idea, perhaps for UP11 we could have a poll to decide a theme?

I don't know what this BJSC thing is you guys are talking about but hopefully UP will stick around.

 

 

I know very little about BJSC - it seems to be a closed shop. I started to read the rules a few weeks ago and it said they weren't taking new applicants so I didn't read any further.

Older songs (5 years +) are less likely to be a discovery for people though - I know that bands like Midlake and Islands have been entered here before and since I'd loved both songs before I had to dock them points as they weren't really discoveries. I am not against them but you wouldn't want them to take over the contest entirely, nobody would want a whole contest of that. Personally I'd much prefer to discover a recent or current track that I may have otherwise overlooked, but a good mix is a healthy thing to have.

 

There has always been little difference between Unknown Pleasures and BuzzJack Song Contest, but I think there is sufficient difference in the demographic they cater for both to continue. I personally would be upset if UP had to cease as I enjoy the contests hugely, and because I just don't have the free time to participate in BJSC.

 

That's fair enough, but the chances of a lot of people knowing the new songs are huge because they now seem to come off the same blogs people read for the BJSC (and there are a lot of people who participate in both). I don't have a problem with songs that are released at the beginning of the year or something but songs that were released during confirmation are just odd because they're not really 'unknown pleasures'. I'm not going to not vote for a song if it's new, but I personally find the older songs that I'm not aware of the most enjoyable. UP6 and UP7 were both seriously strong and I made so many discoveries by participating. I've not really discovered much in the last few contests because I've already heard about them from various blogs. I will still participate but it's just something I've noticed.

I thought of an idea last night. I will not work for everyone but what about themed Unknown Pleasures competitions? We could have instrumental rounds, South American pop rounds, covers rounds, b-side rounds ( tags would have to be removed from the tracks), electronic rounds, blue-grass country, world music....etc. I'm aware that not everyone may have the resources to submit a track but I thought I might make the suggestion anyway. Maybe it's a bit too marginal for some/most of us.

 

The emphasis of these would not be on up to date new artists but on older, obscure or forgotten artists.

Please no. First of all, spin-offs don't do well with the BJ crowd (as proved by BJSC :( ). Second of all, for it to work one will need to have a song that they WANT to send and that belongs to a certain genre.

 

I know very little about BJSC - it seems to be a closed shop. I started to read the rules a few weeks ago and it said they weren't taking new applicants so I didn't read any further.

Yeah, currently we don't. Because we're in danger of having TOO MANY participants right now. But as soon as participation rate calms down the gates will be open again I assume!

So if they dont work on BJSC means that it they wont do well in UP? I was under the impression that it catered for different types of members and thus different approaches to music? Of course, I could be wrong. To be honest, I wasn't quite sure if they would work - I just thought I would ask other's opinions.

Edited September 11, 201212 yr by AnthonyT

Voted. I thought this was fairly strong actually. It could be that I'm used to a set of songs being clogged up with a lot of shit fempop filler, but I found this to be a rather refreshing set of songs with not a lot of duds, is that Von Sudenfed thing actually serious though?!

I fxcking love hoopoes. (Von Sudenfed is amazing)

Voted. The quality was like not that great but I saw nothing wrong with the entries? Felt distinctly UP to me and only one or two entries felt "BJSC" 2 me. Just a lot of like boring guitar indie-pop music 4 me tbh but some great tracks as well. shoutout to Arthur Russell and Black Moth Super Rainbow

Anything with Mark E Smith singing on it is a winner to me so I like Von Sudenfed a lot (wasn't a discovery though.)

Last minute super shuffle and I've voted! Turns out I really do like them all after all.

 

(update the list pavel stop being such a FLOP HOST pavel)

(update the list pavel stop being such a FLOP HOST pavel)

This is like calling me A PUSSY (as in vagina not cat) LOVER. I'm just not one.

 

I'm not going to tell you who voted and who didn't vote to make it more intense on SUNDAY. :D

Edited September 13, 201212 yr by ◢p◣