Chez Wombat

Oops I did end up flopping, maybe standing out in the wrong way :kink: Thanks for the few of you that did throw a few points my way though x Congrats Dobbo! I'd never heard that before and it was a great discovery, and nice to see an inspired winner as opposed to the familiar names. Although I voted for three more of those top 5 and good to see Dubstar and SFA in the top 10 as well. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (Chart trivia kings *.*) and Boo Radleys should've done much better though. Thanks for hosting, dandy, I was worried this may be quite samey, but it was another quite strong edition with no bad entries.

Move Your Feet is so far ahead of the pack as one of my all time favourites so I feel like I should just vote for that, but I want to continue voting as I have been so going for that, Wherever You Will Go, Complicated, In Da Club and Superstar. Westlife for worst, particularly offensively bland even for them.

Kandy Pop was definitely not my usual style, but it was very instant when searching for potentials and I didn't want to blend in or sound samey. I was slightly worried with the complete lack of reaction in the listenthrough (not that there was many people there) it would flounder but pleased to see some points coming in for it now, thanks to AH Gold for the 12 in particular <3 Current 2-5 were all big standouts so hope one of them wins, Spacehog I think wasn't too far from my votes though x

Interesting episode, not entirely successful but a very unique one in what is proving to be a very unique season. The whole premise didn't quite have enough bite for me as it was essentially a Black Mirror episode (the pastel aesthetic is ripped straight from Nosedive) which we have seen many times before, as with these 'eat the rich' parodies. The lead character being so repulsive was a natural choice and though I did want her so badly to be eaten, I think she played the part well, I wish there wasn't such a reliance on stereotypes though. The lack of ability to walk I think stretched disbelief too much (how did she make it down the stairs on her own in that case?!). The slug/AI control whatever didn't really seem to be resolved by the end and didn't make a lot of sense overall - I'm not clear why the slugs were used at all, and if they had a purpose other than just purely just set up to off insufferable rich kids and their parents. The dot clearly could've wiped any of them out no problem as they were incapable of basic skills so it's bizarre so many of them actually escaped. I'm unsure if this lack of resolution was intentional given the unlikeable nature of the characters, I would find that pretty enjoyable! The ending was the strongest part and I think where the greater underlying themes came in. While other iterations would've certainly just shrugged that off as ungrateful idiot kids that have chosen their fate, this one is clearly more vulnerable and sensitive and I think that was conveyed really well, what they said and the fact there wasn't a single black person in the bubble said all you need to know perfectly without stating it outright. It's a good representation that not every human will appreciate being saved nor deserve it. This Doctor's presentation is definitely lacking some core features of what we think of as the Doctor, I do think it's a good way to show that Flux/Timeless Child timeline (however poorly executed it was) has influenced him if it's intentional. Would probably put this middle of the pack overall.

2010 was fourteen years ago, as an equivalent when we were in 2010, 1996 was fourteen years ago and I'm not sure anyone at the time would've said that's not retro, so in theory yes, the early 2010s were some time ago now so can be seen as retro to some people. Why it will likely feel weird is that the 2010s weren't really a defining era in the same way as decades before then, mainly due to our changing ways of life and technology's rapid advancement accounting for almost every cultural shift, thus it feels like we're generally liking the same things as we did a decade ago and nostalgia for older eras has become so in fashion. If you ask most of the public for a list of era-defining music, TV shows, pop culture, you probably wouldn't get a lot of answers from the 2010s compared to prior decades.

I'd be very interested in a U2 one, there's perhaps a few eras I need to familiarise myself with but they are generally one of my favourite bands. Although any of the names suggested I would be interested as well. I think for ABBA, it should be only those not on Gold, we've had so many rates for them before and everyone knows what will do well.

Aqualung – Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put a Spell On You) The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army XTM & DJ Chucky feat. Annia – Fly on the Wings of Love Muse – Time Is Running Out Coldplay – The Scientist (would also be fine with Clocks x) I'd prefer All Rise, though I endorse something representing it anyway x

9 please!

You can Google her name. Please avoid language like this, it's got very negative implications even if not meant. There doesn't seem any valid reason Diane shouldn't be allowed to run apart from the fact that she doesn't fit in the centre of the party and the media don't like her (I'm not saying she's not said silly things, but she has apologised for it), especially as the investigation was cleared many months ago and wasn't reported. Her treatment is a really nasty representation of the institutional racism in the media and parliament, so many white men have done worse or similar yet got off completely scot-free... Anyway, can Labour just get on with actually stating what they are gonna do to improve things and stop with this faction shit, this is media space that does not need to be taken up even with the lead they have.

I thought the Welsh pub scene was really strong, it helped to exemplify the outsider feel and remember given this is psychological, it adds to Ruby's fears about being judged as an outsider. Also, I think it was a great bit of social commentary about anti-English sentiment within Wales, it's fairly underrepresented but it certainly exists (when I went there, we went past a pub that unironically said 'no English' along with 'no dogs'!), and I thought it a really interesting stance to take which helped increase the tension.

Great news to know that despite how utterly how archaic a system this country has, that justice can still be recognised, even if it doesn't include insurrection which it really should. Hopefully, this will give the Democrats some backing in their campaigns and convince the swing states that a convicted criminal isn't really the best choice to run the country (I can't believe I'm having to hope that...). But of course, this will absolutely not affect his core fanbase at all and will make them even angrier and allow more funds to be raised for his campaign, and there'll be even be more of an anti-establishment vote that initially got him there. November's gonna be nasty x

No Doubt could've been here had I remembered to vote :/ Kylie to win I guess x

Nothing particularly new from them, but not bad. The chorus is punchy, but I don't think it needed the swearing. Lovely to hear from them again as it's been so long, and good to see losing two members didn't have too much of an impact on their sound!

A real shame about Furiosa, for a film that wasn't necessarily needed, it's actually really good, maintaining the appeals of the Mad Max franchise with brilliant performances, set pieces and script. I'm not sure what happened although the marketing did seem a bit limited and I barely knew it was coming out until last week or so, and the last film was nine years ago now, people may have forgotten the characterand it isn't technically a Mad Max film which would've been more of a draw. Losing to yet another low effort Illumination cash grab adds insult to injury :/

Ooh wonderful, my favourite won :heart: I thought that one snub might have cost it, one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking songs ever written and wonderfully composed, it really gets to me even today. I do enjoy Hey Jude as well, it's a timeless song and very feel-good, it's just become a bit cliched over the years and I do prefer their more introspective work. Yesterday and Here Comes The Sun are both absolutely wonderful in their simplicity and encapsulating of two polar opposite moods, they work so well and not surprised their appeal has endured. This was a great idea and I enjoyed following the results, thanks Julian!

Great week, went with Sandstorm, Silence, Last Resort, American Dream, Castles in the Sky, In Your Eyes and There Goes the Fear, good time for dance music! That awful cover of Bright Eyes for worst, though Liquid Dreams was pretty horrible too.

Ooh nice idea, I went for Chariots of Fire, Crash (original obvs x shame it shares a name with a joke of a winner), In The Heat of the Night (forgotten dance banger) and Birdy's Wings. Haven't actually seen any of those films though x

Certainly some questionable moments as you usually get from these type of lists. Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 over Faith is a weird choice for George Michael. Velvet Underground & Nico being at 60 feels so wrong for being the original art rock album, it below AM of all albums is laughable (why not Arctics' debut?!). good kid, m.A.A.d city that high when To Pimp a Butterfly didn't make the top 100 is a bit of a choice, but it is a great album and I think I narrowly prefer it. Similar for Frank Ocean for Blonde this high when Channel Orange is nowhere to be seen, but I've still only heard the latter which is apparently not quite as acclaimed so I'll refrain from judging x Obviously 1989 (TV) being that high (Above Revolver and Pet Sounds no less) is an utter joke and obviously a corporate decision, Billie as well, it was good but arguably her weakest album of the three. Discovery as highest dance album is a wonderful choice for it's impact on dance music, and great to see some trip-hop acknowledgement with Massive Attack. and I can't really argue with the top 10 as a whole even though I wouldn't quite put the modern albums as high. Top 3 are all deserved and though I appreciated Lauryn Hill's album more than I enjoyed it, I can definitely see the reasons it's so high. Sufjan Stevens, Aphex Twin & Joy Division strike me as notable omissions. I do love a good acclaimed list though, so may well make my way through it at some point and feedback just how accurate they are x

I know, I acknowledged that in the very next sentence of the post you quoted... I'm just making the point that that attitude can pass down and while that shouldn't be a reason not to lower the voting age, it's why there should be a greater emphasis on political education to ensure maximum engagement, honestly, it's not too early/late for any age group.

I think I would be in favour of this now, but I still think political education should be given more attention in schools and colleges for this age group. Maybe I'm biased as I work with them, but the stereotype that all young people are accepting and inclusive isn't really true, they can be very immature and disengaged, some of the day to day things you hear are worrying and they would be susceptible to rage-bait. But of course as we've seen, so are some voting age adults and I wouldn't want to silence the voices of those 16 and 17 year olds that have a real interest in politics.

Lmao, you'd almost think Rishi wants to lose and get it over with as soon as possible so he can sod off to the US What a non-starter Telegraph-bait policy, mental health concerns and also wider awareness amongst young adults are only getting higher, so let's chuck them in the army or force them to volunteer to sort those snowflakes out! The real nerve of is that this was discontinued in 1960 so the youngest people that actually lived through this would be, give or take a few years for deferred service, 82 today. the decision makers of this policy would all be younger than that (as well as a fair few of the crowd they're targetting) so never had to do it themselves which just makes them look like total hypocrites.

I'm just realising that Martha was heavily implied to have been coerced into SA by Gwilliam, that is seriously dark stuff for Doctor Who especially in the time slot it's in... (I'm also realising Ruby was meant to have been much older during this time, that was less convincing :lol:) I completely get that the ending feels like 'it was all a dream' and doesn't give clear answers in terms of ongoing arcs and it's a little out of place in a show that is usually grounded in some form of twisted logic (and as said, we may look at this differently following the arc's conclusion), I just feel personally for me the plot holes are overcome if you look at this purely as a character piece and a physical embodiment of her worst psychological fears mainly of abandonment and self-insecurity, how she becomes accustomed to it and uses it to her advantage for the sake of a hollow 'mission' until she just accepts it right before death, where she finally realises this and is able to give the warning to her younger self (the slightly shoehorned UNIT and PM moments I think make more sense this way as proving it is not something that can be explained via scientific explanation or trite 'destiny'). I'm a bit biased and cottoned on to this way of thinking as it's pretty much straight out of a Mike Flanagan psychological horror series (The Haunting of Hill House has a similar episode) which is my bread and butter.

Gorillaz – 19/2000 (Soulchild Remix) Toploader – Dancing in the Moonlight The Chemical Brothers – Star Guitar Coldplay – Trouble Fatboy Slim – Star 69 / Weapon of Choice

Well I'm gonna need a bit of time with this one, but wowowow, what an episode, a potential new classic! I mean yeah, it's essentially this era's equivalent to Turn Left and Gibson/RTD2 was never gonna match Tate/RTD1. But there was clearly some other themes going on here that could make it even better or worse in retrospect depending on the conclusion to Ruby's arc. I can definitely see that ending being divisive, but I think it works in a metaphorical sense that reveals a lot more about Ruby as a character - Her following and draining herself of everyone in her life is an embodiment of her psychological fears. She's scared of being alone, abandoned by the Doctor and everyone she cares about for a reason that isn't clear (it also would make sense as her using her 'powers' to save the world from the nuke politician, she learns to love it and live out a silly fantasy that gives her a purpose yet still doesn't satisfy). Now this is purely metaphorical and assuming it's meant to be a standalone, we don't know how this links to her overall background (although certainly makes the adoption storyline make sense) or the wider supernatural narrative yet. It's certainly introduced a darker and more psychologically complex side to her either way. Absolute top marks to Gibson who portrayed that complexity really well, and some of those scenes including the Welsh pub and her mother leaving her gave such a palpable sense of human horror and tragedy that I haven't seen in so long in this show. It really reminded me a lot of the brilliant horror film, It Follows, which has a similar strange entity following teenagers as an emdodiment of repressed fears, primarily of a sexual nature so maybe won't be mentioned in the same breath, but I'd highly recommend that if any of you enjoyed this x It's exactly the sort of experimental storytelling I thought was lost under Disney and Moffat wasn't even involved, I don't think we've seen an episode this complex and ambiguous since Heaven Sent. This series has been the exact definition of a mixed bag so far, I can't think how they'll follow this but I'm intrigued!

Rats fleeing a sinking ship if ever I saw one.