Glassetonbury, Vol. 3: Elite Eight

Two rounds have come and gone in our third Glassetonbury tournament, and we’ve officially reached the quarterfinals. Eight of the original 32 songs are still on the board, and one will eventually become our next Glassetonbury champion!

The four artists that advance to the next round will earn a permanent spot in our Glassetonbury: Hall of Fame playlist. The winner of the tournament will also receive a featured interview on Glasse Factory, a live set/fan Q&A hosted on Glasse Factory’s Instagram Live, and more.

(We’re currently finalizing the interview with Luxe, our current champion, so stay tuned for more info this week! The live set may come closer to the end of the year for COVID-related reasons, but when a date is confirmed, we’ll be sure you’re the first to know.)

Here’s a look at where our bracket stands:

Voting for this round will close on Saturday, November 28th at 1:00 p.m. CST and is limited to one vote per IP address per poll per day. Make sure to click “Vote” again after the CAPTCHA to ensure that your vote processes. You may need to refresh the page between voting on multiple polls due to CAPTCHA restrictions! We apologize for the inconvenience.

Campaign for your favorites on social media and in the comments below!

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“Imposter” – Benjamin Silver vs. “Sleeping In On Sundays” – Dante Palminteri

On “Imposter,” Benjamin Silver strikes a fusion of Father John Misty, Death Cab For Cutie, and Guster that lands well. It’s the longest track in the bracket at just over six minutes, but this chamber folk-pop song is able to stay interesting throughout with refreshing chord progressions and reflective lyrics. It defeated “Wayward Home” by Clara Strauch in the Round of 32 and “HOT” by Bachi in the Sweet Sixteen. Meanwhile, “Sleeping In On Sundays” is a summery, fun indie-pop song from Dante Palminteri that fans of John Mayer or Easy Life would enjoy. It features jazz-influenced guitars, a supremely catchy hook, and a grooving bass line. It defeated “Lie To Me” by Luna Byrd in the Round of 32 and “Call Me Back” by Maripo$a in the Sweet Sixteen.

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“Info Nympho” – Sam Soto vs. “Turn Around” – Juke of June

This round features yet another clash of Nashville-based artists. Sam Soto‘s “Info Nympho” is one of two tracks he released on October 20th, and it features artistic, heavily auto-tuned vocals that almost feel Kanye-inspired in some spots. The songs are his third and fourth of 2020 after debuting earlier this year with “Cherry Coke Soda.” “Info Nympho” defeated “Remember It All” by Jonny Glenn in the Round of 32 and “Self Love” by Emily Vu in the Sweet Sixteen. Meanwhile, “Turn Around” is the latest single from Juke of June and brings one of the most powerful vocal performances in the entire tournament from singer Jackson Hahn. Borrowing elements from 70s rock, Americana, and folk-country, this song feels both massive and homey at the same time. It defeated “The One” by Richard in the Round of 32 and “Smoke” by Simen Mitlid in the Sweet Sixteen.

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“Remember” – Elina vs. “City of Stars” – Kaso

“Remember,” Elina‘s newest acoustic ballad, grabbed a hold of my ear from the beginning with its enchanting vocal melody in the verses. She’s able to hold your attention for the rest of the song with her touching delivery. Elina maintains a whispery-but-confident tone throughout the song that comes out both beautiful and controlled. She defeated “LILO” by Superheart in the Round of 32 and “Barry” by Spec Kay in the Sweet Sixteen. Meanwhile, Kaso‘s “City of Stars” is one of the funkier songs in our bracket, bolstered by a filthy, rock-solid rhythm section performance. The German-born, LA-based artist combines funk, jazz, R&B, rock, and a dose of hip-hop sensibilities to create a standout debut single. It defeated “Avalanche” by Simon Sode in the Round of 32 and “Karma” by Mike Taveira in the Sweet Sixteen.

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“Blue Jean Girl” – Brian Elliot vs. “Rodeo” – Teller & The Tale

Brian Elliot‘s “Blue Jean Girl” lands in the quirky-cool vein of indie rock that reminds me of artists like Franz Ferdinand and Arcade Fire, and it makes for a positive introduction to the East Nashville artist. The song took more votes than any other competitor in the Sweet Sixteen. It defeated “Lost My Love” by Maisie May in the Round of 32 and “Friends” by Eric Vattima and MNERVA last round. Meanwhile, “Rodeo” by Toronto’s Teller & The Tale fully delivers on his promise of “heartfelt ballads and soulful anthems sung from the depths of an outlaw’s spirit.” It deploys huge, full vocals over an Americana backdrop that would definitely attract fans of Zac Brown Band or Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors. It defeated “Just Breathe” by MIRI in the Round of 32 and “Kerosene” by Rett Madison in the Sweet Sixteen.