Okay everyone, nice work again. I'm proud of you all except for Sarah and Karl although at least Sarah got her pick in and I can simply blame her poor decision on a rush-job. I assume Karl will use his extra time to do the right thing. Speaking of time, the first ten people who get their picks in will get to pick the last ten for Division 3 (I'll let you know your next choice in the comment section of your pick). And quit whining about not having enough time. Tough it out. Put your head down and power through.
Anyway, again, we've got some great match-ups. A lot of people's top picks could go down. I'm personally curious to see what Jeff, Dwight, Eric, Kevin and I are going to choose. If I remember right, Brian hated Mineral back in the day, but maybe his tastes will have changed. Also if I remember right, Steve was bored by Neko Case about a day ago. I'm pretty sure I know what he's going to pick (but you still gotta listen Steve!).
Alright, have fun. I will try and post or send out what the bracket looks like so far, and at some point I will try to calculate who is winning. I should have had everyone throw in a couple bucks with the winner taking the pot, but I think instead I'll purchase a small gift-card for whoever's picks do the best.
End of Division 2
Andrew
(11) Wilco – Summerteeth vs. (22) Bonnie Prince Billy – Lie Down in the Light
Sarah
(12) Beck – Midnight Vultures vs. (21) Low - Trust
Mark
(13) Belle and Sebatian – If You’re Feeling Sinister vs. (20) Laurie Anderson – Big Science
Eric
(14) Johnny Cash – The Man Comes Around vs. (19) Grant Lee Buffalo – Mighty Joe Moon
Jeff
(15) Beatles – Revolver vs. (18) Pixies – Surfer Rosa
Bruce
(16) Bob Marley – Legend vs. (17) Rolling Stones – Let It Bleed
Dwight
(1) Radiohead – Kid A vs. (32) Marvin Gaye – What’s Goin On
Brian
(2) Passion Pit – Chunk of Change vs. Mineral – (31) The Power of Failing
Kevin
(3) Cat Power – Moon Pix vs. (30) Tindersticks - Tindersticks (II - the one with the guy in the suit)
Andy
(4) The Kinks are Preservation Green Society vs. (29) Rolling Stones – Exile on Main Street
Jane
(5) Beach Boys – Pet Sounds vs. (28) Massive Attack – Mezzanine
Steve
(6) Neko Case – Middle Cyclone vs. (27) James Brown – 20 All time greatest hits
Just out of curiosity, is this a random assignment?
ReplyDeleteIt absolutely is. I have spent a lot of time flipping coins to determine who gets what. Why? Does anything look suspicious? I am trying to make sure no one gets to judge the same album or artist twice if possible. And if I could do it again, I would probably try to make sure no one got to choose their own #1 album, but that's in the past.
ReplyDeleteI'll be honest, I'm not thrilled with this round. I really don't enjoy Neko Case. I started to listen to her record hoping that it would do me alright. I couldn't take her voice...but I did like the instrumentation on the first track. Anyway, now I'm listening to James Brown...someone whose voice I could do without, but I love the music. So, we'll see. it's really a crapshoot. But I hope I get albums I like better next time...or at least artists that I'm intrigued by. Good job anyway Andrewlina. I know it's rough. But it was your idea.
ReplyDeleteMy only suspicion was about Steve D getting Neko Case's Middle Cyclone after so coldly jettisoning the New Pornographers with some pretty hefty dislike for Neko Case stated, but I could probably come up with some other conspiracies, too, if I looked hard enough. I'm pretty happy with my matchup because I love both of my albums and am, as we speak, Jamming in the name of the Lord. Holy Mount Zion! Jah!
ReplyDeleteSteve - I'm mystified by your dislike of Ms. Case. I wasn't crazy about her either when I first heard her, but she really grew on me and I think Middle Cyclone is a masterpiece. Of course I just pledged my fidelity to Bob Marley, too, which would probably invalidate my judgement for some.
I tend to listen more for instrumental than lyrical content, but something about her writing really grabs me, especially the openness of something like "This Tornado Loves You," where I think I know exactly what she means and then I listen again and realize it's a bit more ambiguous...
I saw Cat Power-MoonPix, my #3 choice on my list and was glad it landed in my hands and not Jeff's, after he reveled at the thought of bringing her down. Then I started looking for who had tindersticks on their list (sorry, never heard of em) and I saw it was Jeff's #7. Looks like I know who I'll be pissing off if I stick with my #3 pick. Of course, I'm excited to hear a new band and album though.
ReplyDeletemy only beef is that every round i've had one of my top ten albums...doesn't seem fair...also, steve, i could maybe see one or the other, but how can you not like neko case's or james brown's voices...they're obviously way different, but james brown is so tight and neko case can straight up bring it...so pure w/ no bulls***...it's me andy
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be watching Mark's pick this round. It's not necessarily a great matchup but I'm just really curious as to what you'll say about those two. Very different from each other, and, unless I miss my guess, neither of which really something you'd pick for your own collection.
ReplyDeleteReading through everyone's comments makes me realize how much fun I'm having. Jeff, I'd love to hear you defend the Tindersticks. Anyone want to convince me of what I should pick? Listened to both Bonnie and Wilco last night, and I'm feeling stuck.
ReplyDeleteI second Andy's question to Steve: BOTH Neko Case AND James Brown?
ReplyDeleteAndrew Z, I would have a few comments on the Bonnie/Wilco decision, but you may not be interested given that I have a vag, not a peen.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I am hoping we can move past all that ugliness. Let's let bygones be bygones. Sure, mistakes were made. Sure, someone may have over-reacted. But isn't that what this match is all about? Whatever happens in Death Music 2010 stays in DM 2010. Am I right? In any case, before that whole debacle, I suspected we would be pretty close allies during this tournament (after all, you did pick The BAnd!) So, give me some input here.
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting in the worst class of my life right now and boy, what I wouldn't give to be listening to Neko Case or James Brown right now. This is the last I'll say before I actually write my review...but I don't think it's so crazy that I don't much love either vocalist. I'm going to go back and listen very closely to these records and try and set aside my presuppositions, but I reject the notion that one must like one if he/she dislikes the other. I mean I'm from the streets baller, I calls it like i sees it.
ReplyDeleteOh, and forgive the errors in that last post. This class is sucking the life out of my brain. What has two thumbs and needs to graduate?
ReplyDeleteI'm finally glad to see some black music making it into the Death Match...James Brown, Marvin Gaye...Oh wait, I picked both those guys. We didn't get much soul/ R & B/ hip-hop in this Death Match, people. I feel like I'm playing with a bunch of Canucks and "faux-hick" hipsters here. So just remember: Since there are so few black artists represented, if a judge should decide against them, we will just have to assume that judge is a racist of the worst order. That's the only reasonable explanation. OK, have fun making your decisions.
ReplyDeleteracist...or racialist?
ReplyDeletewhite liberal guilt is a great motivator when forming one's musical tastes, eric...i bet if you ran into james brown at the gap, you'd nod at him...rimshot...
Hmm...Turns out I can't come up with much to say about Ease On vs. Summerteeth for the moment. It's a decision I don't envy. Obviously I prefer Lie Down in the Light to Ease On, but that's not the contest here. Both Summerteeth and Ease on have a few sorta dud tracks, but only a few. Maybe I'll come up with something better than that tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteIn the immortal words of millions of young'uns, "Don't be racial." Also, Eric, do you not consider Bob Marley "black" enough? Who's being racial now?
ReplyDeleteJamaican? Well, yes, black. You have made your point about racialia, Sarah. But Bob Marley's image is on the t-shirts of so many hemp-lovin' crackerass-cracker college kids that I think he loses a few "soul brother" points...
ReplyDeleteFunny, Andy, but I actually DID run into JB in the Gap once... (high hat)
It's true, we are some anglo, rock and roll lovin' brother haters, that's for sure. Stevie Wonder should be on here somewhere. And what about Hootie and the Blowfish?
ReplyDeleteAt least that Bob Dylan guy is black, I think.
I represented for the females though, so I think Sarah and Jane should be giving some props for that, and I managed to sneak a Honduran onto my list.
Stevie D had Stevie Wonder on his list. I had London Calling, which is pretty black sounding for a bunch of white guys (would that argument have helped Sarah?) I wanted to fit more soul and jazz on my list, but 30 albums isn't as much as it sounds like, you know what I'm saying?
ReplyDeleteOkay, am I crazy or is Grooveshark messed up, or is the song "Middle Cyclone" on the Neko Case record really 30 some minutes of birds chirping?
ReplyDeleteYou are not crazy. It is my one gripe with the album. I'll leave it to Bruce to defend the inclusion of that track. Bruce?
ReplyDeleteOh, also, Andrew Z: that line of reasoning would not have swayed me. Sorry. But you're still practically winning, so what do you have to feel bad about? Harharhar.
ReplyDeleteOh crap: I just looked at Andrew's assignment and noticed it IS Summerteeth vs. Lie Down in the Light! Both are on my list, and I love both. I give Lie Down in the Light the advantage, maybe just because I haven't overlistened to it yet.
ReplyDelete