(3) Into the Myst - 10/04/2025 vs. (6) Torero - 06/19/2025

Torero 🐂 JOTY of the year 💯

Cmon Goatorero!!!!

This one is not difficult for me. Easy Torero vote. Lump this Myst in with the Gilford one and the Iowa Creatures. Super fun and a live banger, but not the right fit for this tourney. There should be a separate bracket for these

Another close one!!!

This myst jam bring me just slight more joy than the Torero jam.

I'm team Torero all the way on this one. Do I think it is a sweet 16 jam? Probably not. But I like it more than this Myst. The spacious groove at the beginning is good. And the best part, to me, is the "Ya Mar" bliss jam in the middle. It's so relaxed and unique. The jam doesn't transcend the way some of the top seeds do, but it's pretty and I respect that the band used it to explore new territory. It's a jam that gets more interesting the more I listen to it.

I feel the opposite way about this Myst. Perhaps that's because, by the time they played it in October, they had been playing a Goontz jam in the second set of almost every show. So while it was a fun jam on the first listen, and might be the most unique Goontz jam, it doesn't call to me any more or less than the other Goontz jams played throughout the year. Again, still a super fun jam that would've been a blast to see live.

3rd best Myst of the year gets votes for being Myst over a brand new song with a jam so spicy they stopped playing it entirely. Winning by 14 votes now. Maybe I don’t understand what we’re doing here

Have to go with Myst on this one. Something about that song always awakens a deep inner feeling. The groove of that song just always speaks!
Torero is good. Super bliss jam for sure and takes us into a different sound of Goose we don’t always get which I love, but for some reason it just isn’t doing it for me as much as Myst. Some of the transitions sound a little off and weirdly flat, kind of like I’m listening to a bunch of different songs that kind of sound similar. Don’t get me wrong, absolutely LOVE when I’m taken all over and put in a trance, but this specifically wasn’t good enough to beat Myst!

@leightonslistens summed up this matchup better than I ever could. My vote goes to Torero, I hope it can get past the Philly bracket bias.

We Have the Facts and We're Voting Torero

Oooooooooo doggy, another close one! Neck and neck!!! It's really close and that is so cool- although it's not really close for me. I feel the Torero is just a bit too meandering and noodle-y. For me it doesn't really hit any special spots. Voted Myst. It is hard for me to think of this Myst without the amazing segue into Spin Me Round.

Honestly these are both great jams in their own respective ways - looks like gonna be a photo finish as of now. Either way neither is in the same weight class as the 2/8 EMG in the quadrant!

This Myst has an energetic groove but is one-dimensional. Torero is a much more dynamic jam having several sections with different tones. I hope we get more Torero in '26

I love both of these, and will be happy for whichever prevails! I was in Cleveland, and am so happy I got to be a part of this Torero, but I had this Myst ranked a little higher. I actually had it higher than this EMG as well, although it appears I am in the minority on that sentiment. Be sure to listen to both of them again today. I'm sad that they'll both be stepping out sooner than I'd planned.

Mama say mama sa mama coo sa

I’ve listened to both many times. Picked Torero but barely. They’re both fantastic.

This is a spectacular Torero! Very blissful and creative. But it just can’t beat the groove and spaciness of the Philly Myst!!

@urheadypal nailed it with the anti-bias bias. I fucking LOVE Torero, and I was at the show with tons of dance space up close, fucking loved that show! But Myst wins this despite it being part of a crazy good show (that I missed) that gets talked about a lot. Sometimes hype has reasons.

These just keep getting harder! Grade-A Myst, but not even the best this year. It fell off my list after Goosemas and I’m going Torero because I had it as an 4 seed, and it fuggin’ rips!

Good Torero but takes a little long to get going imo. From 17:30 on in Myst, whatever competition there once was no longer exists. Killer jam

My thoughts on this matchup: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUGugrxjhoY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

I spoke with the underground Philly cabal that controls the JOTY voting, they said this Myst won't win it all, but it's better than this Torero

Gave this Torero another shot after not being all that crazy about it round one, and while it hit a bit harder on another listen it's still just a good solid jam to my ears but nothing crazy. Love the tune and hope they play it more. I was not at Philly and loveeeee this Myst. It's so groovy and fun. Very easy vote Myst for me here.

People are so quick to talk about bias in the comments within many of these JOTY threads, but sometimes really good jams are hyped up a bunch in the community because they are exactly that, really good jams! It feels like pretty much all of the jams in the JOTY bracket that come from what are generally regarded as top of the line 2025 shows are met with this anti-bias-bias, which is interesting as the "best" shows are regarded as such shows for a reason, and the "best" jams from the "best" shows tend to be pretty damn good :)

The Myst is very straightforward and lacks the engagement and improv highs that this Torero thrives in.

what is special about this myst other than it was played in philly? Torero all the way (OIOO deserved to be here :( a las)

Torero for me; Philly attendees who want to see another Philly JOTY might sway this one

This Myst was incredible. I was fortunate enough to see a lot of Goose the past few years and this jam was an example where it created this amazing energy live. The melodies in it are great and Ricks guitar playing is really fun throughout - cotter drums as well. I also was at Cleveland this year and thought this torero jam was interesting but lacked energy and direction. I think this Myst deserves a top 8 spot but we will see.

While this Myst might seem pretty average at first glance, keep listening as teases into "Spin Me Round" instantly elevate the jam level, leaving no doubt about who dominates this matchup. Philly set 1 was incredible, and set 2 began with Myst kicking off 🚀 🫠.…Could last year's Philly JOTY be influencing the voting on this Myst!? 😮

Myst but this is close, while I like a lot of what happened in the torero it felt at the time and now that they were a bit aimless

Big fan of this Torero, I hope it comes back for a few more shows next year. It's just more memorable to me than this Myst. Doesn't matter, either one of these should get stomped next round :)

An under-seeded Torero gets the vote over an over-seeded Myst. I love me some Myst and this one gets a solid groove going, but at no point does it feel special to me. This Torero on the other hand, blew me away in person and continues to do so on every relisten. Love the tune and this version absolutely rules..

What is it about this Philly Myst that excites people? It's long and was played in Philly. (Yawn.) What else?

That either of these get guillotined in the next round does not excuse doing this Torero dirty just because Myst was fun times in a city with balloons.

I'd much rather see Torero get the distinct honor of getting rolled by 2.8 EMG next round ;-)

Can’t lose with either choice but Torero is the much more deep, varied, and engaging choice to me. I’m a huge fan of the dark spacey vibes that give way to a light, feel good bliss section. My favorite style

Myst is a fun sustained groove but feels pretty one dimensional

Torero is excellent two guitar Goose which is the best Goose and gets my vote. This Myst is wildly over seeded and should not advance past this round.

Not really excited about this matchup haha

Voting Myst because I had it ranked higher but either one of these falls easily to EMG next round

Team Torero HODL to the moon baby

Ok, first my take on this epic Myst that I wont be voting for. I love Myst, it is my favorite Goose song. My wife rolled her eyes when I had to repeat to the guy at the DMV how to spell MYST for our new state license plates last week.

You know how you can feel some storms coming in your bones from miles away? Twice this year I FELT Myst coming before the show starts. I live for Myst, and it happened both times I felt so I got 2 in 1 year in 6 shows! I'll admit I love this version all the way up to where it peaks after the funky motown jam and the way it builds.. but the "travelers" like jam about 15m in, even tho its crunchy and dark, it kind of loses me for the final 10 mins.. except a really exciting lick at the end where Rick is teeing up You Spin Me, then the song is ovah

Cleveland and Goosemas Mysts, the ones I could feel coming like a distant thunderstorm, resonate with me more for obvious reasons, and if it wasnt up against Torero it might have a better shot at my vote.