(8) Hungersite - 06/04/2025 vs. (9) Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo - 02/13/2025

Again, i’d suggest hiding the vote count until the results are finalized.

live stats mimics if it were a live game...you can follow along. If it were close it would be interesting to see it til votes close. I say leave it visible

this 1/2 step is transcendent. among the most magical things goose has played. feels under appreciated to me but is what i will probably listen to more often than any other from 2025 ( fwiw together with the 2/15 madhuvan and 2/8 emg all three of my favorites are in one bracket)

Wow I am shocked at how handily this half step is winning! Very good but kinda sorta standard-ish blissy jam? Hungersite has two distinct sections, both are incredible with the first jam specifically being one of the tightest jams out there. Interesting.

The cover is crushing the Goose original? Interesting 🧐

I also was surprised to see the vote counts were visible. Please hide the them until after the matchup has ended.

The last 3 minutes of Hungersite are amazing! The rest of the jam is pretty noodle-y. MHS is solid and has none of the "jam" fluff, so my vote goes to MHS.

Will relisten more often to this MHS than last year's 2 seed from Atlanta due its compact and welcoming sound...but Phoenix Hungersite when listened side by side feels like a better jam contender. All irrelevant though when the winner goes against GR Madh in round 2...

This Hungersite was great but glad to see the Half Step with a solid lead!

Can’t go for the 1/2 step. Sorry Jerry. In my top gd songs but I’m going with the original goose on this one. Sadly I predict neither winner here will proceed very far……ghost seeds.

This Hungersite is HUGE and the back half is some of my favorite darker jamming from the year. (I greatly prefer it to the Drip from the same show that for some reason others rank high). But this Half Step is really unique and builds so perfectly into a beautiful and frankly moving climax. Had to go with the number 9 here.

PHX Hungersite was good but compared to the shoegaze/dreampop of the Half Step, it’s an easy choice

I will always go for heavier sounding goose than the bliss, and the hungersite does it for me especially 18 min-ending.

If they somehow wrapped around and finished that Hungersite it’s a 1 seed. Goose-step bliss max takes it. RIP Bobby <3

This Half-Step was my first Half-Step. So glad it made the cut... and is ahead.

6/4 hungersite - beginning of jam/ bliss jam is nothing particular special compared to others this year. 15:40 to the end is great stuff, specifically the very last part of the jam, but I think the blissful half step takes this round.

2/13 half step - beautiful, slow paced, quiet bliss jam with a big payoff that I think wins this round against a hungersite that is not very special or unique. My thoughts have changed on this matchup upon this final relisten

Also I agree the vote count should be hidden until the next day / voting is closed. Will help eliminate any effect on voting and also will be more fun to wait to see who wins !!

Post-rock indie groove w/ a blistering crescendo your thing?

Vote 1/2 Step. Vote early. Vote often.

Both of these jams deserve a better fate than to be up against one another in the opening round…especially with Maud. huffing and puffing on the horizon.

They both rule in a challenge where there can be only one. Amazing jams 🤘

The only frustrating part about this matchup is seeing a top 5 jam of the year as a 9 seed, soon to be slated against a behemoth next round. Not surprised at all by the lopsided result. Fare thee well Bob.

I’m waiting for a bliss jam to win JOTY. Maybe it’s the 6/29 Need this year. This Hungersite was simply better. RIP Bobby

Haiku Time

Hungersite Fire Start
Factory Like Back Half Jam
Makes for Great Combo

Half Step Not Just a
Sentimental favorite
Great build beautiful

Tough first day call here
Going with Fire Factory
By the thinnest hair

The Bobby bump is remarkable . Stop the count!

Oh, well. I love Bobby too but I thought WWBD and voted for the better jam. Hungersite.

Hungersite had me at the start but by the end my heart went with Mississippi

I voted for 1/2 step cause it is a Bob Weir song and he just died

Half step is not my favorite dead song, but the jam on this is pretty nice and after all that's what we are here to vote for. Hungersite always good, but half step edges out here for me.

Maybe it’s because I’ve seen the dead play half step lots of times, this jam just doesn’t do it. Feels way overhyped. Also, The 6/4 hungersite delivers!

Half step gang rise up, tough match up next round but we can channel the spirit of Bob Weir and tear that madhuvan down.

Does the Half-Step contain a full Your Hand In Mine tease??

a semi-relictant vote for Hungersite. That 1/2 step was certainly special but not my winner this round

Went with 1/2 step. Whichever jam wins will be soundly defeated in round 2 regardless.

1/2 step is totally awesome, but this Hungersite jam clearly blew the 1/2 step jam out of the water.

I'm in the minority who had this Hungersite ranked much more highly than the Half-Step, and I'm am quite vocally not a big fan of Hungersites generally. But I have warmed quite a bit on the Half-Step since finalizing my list. That gorgeous subtle build as they play with dynamics is very nice, and a stark contrast to the Madh that beheads it in a couple weeks.

Looks like the Half-Step is going to win handily, and it is an excellent and beautiful piece of music that I love, but I voted Hungersite and I feel like it's getting shafted a bit here. This Hungersite is the superior jam imo, it's got a bit of everything, it's really really good.

1/2 Step is such a great jam. It's the quintessential example of the types of jams that make me see this band so much. More patient build jams in 2026!

This 1/2 step is THE. SHIT. So unique, love this style of jamming

BRUTAL first-round matchup here, but I'm voting Half Step (my no. 14 overall) over this amazing Hungersite (my no. 18 overall). What a shame. Both of these jams should've been in the top 32.

The first jam of this Hungersite is glorious and uplifting. And then the second jam is Tool-esque intensity. It's a powerhouse.

But this Half Step, man. It is something else. To my ears, it's every bit as good as the Mann Tumble from 2024. And I think it would've been ranked similarly had it been played at a venue like that. It also reminds me a bit of the criminally underrated Echo from the Salt Shed in 2024. In any event, I think the year's best pure bliss jam is either this Half Step or the Hungersite from two nights later. (Yes, I think they're both better than the Westville AIN. Okay I'll stop griping.)

I agree with folks below that Phoenix show is underrated in general, but also agreeing with the majority this Half-Step is too gorgeous to believe. Voting Half-Step!

Half Step probably wins here but the Hungersite is very sick and worth a listen

It doesn't help the Hungersite's case that I don't find it particularly compelling, but I would vote for this Half-Step over most of the jams in the bracket. It's sublime. It may not be for everyone, but it's definitely for me.

Agree with Neal on this one...fantastic Half Step. Give me more of this stuff! btw MSG announcement today! 2 nights crazy

Love this Half-Step... one of my favorite things they've done this year. Hungersite is also fantastic, it's a shame these two have to meet this early.

This is the hardest choice to make in the whole bracket IMO. But bliss wins over dark jams when it comes down to it and this half step is the pinnacle of bliss

Both are in my top 15 and thus it hurts my heart to have to vote one out in Round 1. The last 8 or so minutes of the half step are next level special for me and that's what sets it apart. Half step it is.

Yes this Goose-step is beautiful...but lets not overlook this wild hungersite. some fun dark jamming - factory esque as storm said - in the last 8ish minutes. Phoenix show as a whole is underrated!

Ignore Ryan. Vote Half-Step. Listen to some Explosions in the Sky when you're done.

I'm expecting this Half Step to win (lots of public support and 8 seeds notoriously have a tough time in this bracket) but I absolutely LOVE the Hungersite's dual segments of guitar hose and churning Factory Fiction-ish darkness.

In 1/2 Step we trust!

This half step is so blissy and triumphant and just so emotional. It’s two guitar goose at its best. I’ve been feeling down lately with Bobs passing and the current state of our country etc. This Jam hits even harder now and gives me some hope through the darkness to carry on. It’s up against a very good and worthy candidate in PHX Hunger but I will vote Half Step here.

For better or worse, Hungersite has no chance, with the vote coming 48 hours after Bobby’s death

A great Hungersite, but this Half-Step shows some really innovative jamming while packing it in to 9 meaningful minutes. Hungersite on the other hand has 19 minutes of jamming but only about 10 minutes of bracket worthy jamming. The efficiency of this Half-Step plus a more unique jam is why it deserves to move on.

This Half step is insane. Love it

Big ol jammy Hungersite, goes many directions and I definitely enjoyed the ride. This Half Step is a glorious blissful exploration. Loved them both but who will I choose? Spoiler: I chose the Half-Step

I'm in love with this Half-Step. GoosExplosions in the sky!