(5) Madhuvan - 12/12/2025 vs. (12) Torero - 05/08/2025

This Madhu is a beaut, and the absolute telepathy in the transition from the first darker theme back into the madhu proper theme around mid way is so good. I typically don't love love the blissy stuff but the third jam in this one hits different. Easy vote than I thought it might be.

No attendance bias here. As a goosemas attendee this was definitely a weaker madhuvan than winter tour. This torero clears

Agree with LF_Ghost (again) on this one. Cool Madhuvan and super fun in the room, but gets a little less interesting with each listen. Going against my submitted bracket and voting for both underdogs in the current matchups. Really cool Torero with an unusual jam + the rarity kicker gets my vote

This is the most thematically cohesive version of Madhuvan they have played in a long while. So many versions are kind of up and down and all over the place. Sometimes it works really well, other times not so much. But to start with a very distinct theme like this, stick with it throughout and ratchet up the urgency and tension (in a way very true to Mahuvan’s core identity), is so hard to do and to have it come out this polished and this haunting is a real feat.

This Torrero is good but not great most of the way through. However, the three minutes or so starting at the 14 minute mark are some of the coolest, gnarliest shit they played all year. Not enough to beat this Madhuvan but something I'll definitely come back to.

Reading through the comments, it's amazing how seriously y'all take yer jams...and my friends think I'm a gooseaholic!😂 But I love every bit of this!
I just know what I like and Torero does it for me in this one. Hope I catch one in 2026.

This is my third favorite Madhuvan of the year, which is high praise. I think it's really good, I have it as a 3 seed in my rankings. Every section is a really great, locked-in crisp version of the thing it's doing. I think it's a pretty thrilling jam. This Torero is cool, I dig it, I don't go back to it all that much though.

For the first time thus far, I honestly don’t know which of these two jams I like better. Despite there being stronger versions of both Madhuvan and Torero in the tournament, I find both of these jams extremely satisfying. The Madhuvan isn’t as dark as the GR/Milwaukee versions, nor as strong as the Atlanta entry, but it has two pretty unique jams in it that I really like. The same is true of the Torero… in that I think the Cleveland version is stronger, but I love the groove they find near the end... and still really like this one (especially for it’s “maiden voyage”).

Decisions… Decisions… Decisions…

Love them both but mad takes this one

Remember when everybody got all excited about the debut of Big Modern (PNC) because it was so long?

Shout out MX Torero!

Pretty close for me here but I think Torero was a bit more interesting and I'd like to see it pull off the upset. Jam aside, it's such a nice tune. Hope to catch one next tour

Going Torero here, although this was a toss-up for me (my nos. 60 and 62). I respect this Madhuvan, but it's just... it's just so very similar to a jam they've played many times at this point. The most recent example is the third jam in Toronto Pancakes 2/10/25, but Ryman Madhuvan 4/1/23 is very similar as well. The Red Bird from Cincinnati last year (11/10/24) is in the same family, and I'd throw Cleveland Rockdale 3/10/22 into the mix too. I still liked this Madhuvan and I agree that the tone is beautiful. And Rick's playing is so emotive. But the more I hear this jam or ones that are nearly identical, the less interesting I find them (maybe because my first reaction is less "cool!" and more "ah, this again").

This Torero is interesting. I have it on my list almost exclusively because of the insane weird dance groove that the band finds toward the end of the jam. It's unlike any other jam segment this year, and I found it really compelling. I hope they find that space more often.

Still reeling from the Kemba Lee loss. Sigh. Thankfully today's matchups appear to be no doubters. This Torero can't compete with the Cleveland Torero, but it being a FTP does give it a boost. I literally knew within 30 seconds of the start of this tune that it was going to be a favorite. But it cannot compete with this Madhuvan, which is probably my 2nd favorite of the year behind Milwaukee. Rick's tone in the last 1/3 is just so, so good. Great version. Madhuvan it is.

This Mad flows like none other. Never feels like it’s in a section too long. Diversity of jam style, Pete on keys, f-ing guitar god riches tone. I think the paid aspect of streaming goosemas resulted in it being so lowly ranked.

Easy pick for the Mad here. Newish way of the start and stop thing plus every note Rick plays in the latter half slices through me. This Torero is absolutely worth a listen though! It’s what I would call sick.

listening in order. as soon as torero started i forgot what madhuvan even did. easy vote for torero its a more interesting ride.

This Madhuvan is unique and excellent with some more quite mellow bliss playing that builds on itself in a way that it’s just beautiful. Also it’s worth mentioning that Rick’s guitar tone is incredible on this one. Glad we have moved on from the ear piercing 2023 days.

Torero is fine, nice groove and fairly upbeat and dancy but doesn’t do much for me and It just barely missed my top 64. Madhuvan takes it easily.

A unique and really excellent Mad gets my vote. As an aside, the Arrow-Burn The Witch-Madhuvan from Goosemas was one of the best hours of music of 2025. Also, 1st set of their 1st ever destination festival after just releasing a new album and playing a new song that is not on their album is another reason why I love this band.

To each his own, but simply don't see it at all with this Madhuvan - it's a nice little jam, but an afterthought behind at least 50% + of the other jams/covers played at both Goosemas shows. Love the style of the Torero jam and extra credit since it was an FTP original song to go along with it - clearly based on early votes here the people don't see it that way though, which is a shame for one of their best new songs that had a killer debut in Cabo!

My first Madhuvan and a darn good one at that. Great energy and flow. The way they handle the modal changes in the back half of the jam is just outstanding. Anyone else get major early 70s Dark Star vibes from that? Very Beautiful Jam-ish with the chord progression.

Great debut for Torero here, but she's too green in the gills for me to go against this Goosemas highlight

Agreed that this Madhuvan was my favorite part of Goosemas. I love how completely different it is than the 2 February versions. Would really, really love to see it go up against one (or both!) of them, but I feel like people will be voting for Bend Thatch. I wouldn't be upset if this took home the JOTY.

I really like the last few minutes of the Torero jam and had it ranked low on my list more as a nod than anything

Meanwhile, this Madh is a FORCE - the lone Bogie-less track of Goosemas N1 and some of the best Rick tone ever

This Madhuvan was *easily* my Goosemas highlight and the most unique Mad of the year, a rare departure from the dark and demented. The section starting around 13 minutes is beautiful. Very easy vote for me here and will be voting for it next round too.

Mothers Milk!

Love ya Torero but I'm with goo!