Moderately Acclaimed Albums 4 - Round 1.3

[Brad]

Round 1.3

Vote for your favorite album in each match-up.
Remember, anyone can vote as long as he or she has heard both albums!
Comments are strongly encouraged but not absolutely necessary.
Deadline = March 25th at 10am EST

1. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms vs. Yes - Close To The Edge
2. Magazine - Real Life vs. Eminem - The Eminem Show
3. Bill Evans - Explorations vs. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues
4. Plaid - Not For Threes vs. The Geraldine Fibbers - Lost Somewhere Between The Earth And My Home

Jam On It!

[Stephan]

As a big fan of Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, I've always found it odd I cannot get into any of the Eels' other albums. Brothers in Arms is my first nomination to show up, by what I feel is an underrated band around here (although definitely not 'on the outside').

1. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
2. Yes - Close To The Edge
3. Magazine - Real Life
4. Bill Evans - Explorations
5. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues
6. Plaid - Not For Threes
7. Eminem - The Eminem Show
8. The Geraldine Fibbers - Lost Somewhere Between the Earth and My Home

[Greg]

1. Yes - Close To The Edge
2. Eminem - The Eminem Show
3. Bill Evans - Explorations
4. The Geraldine Fibbers - Lost Somewhere Between The Earth And My Home

[Henry]

1. Yes - Close To The Edge
3. Bill Evans - Explorations

[Jirin]

Yes - Close To The Edge 91/100
Plaid - Not For Threes 86/100
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms 83/100
Eels - Electro-shock Blues 81/100
Eminem - The Eminem Show 72/100
BIll Evans - Explorations 71/100
Magazine - Real Life 67/100
The Geraldine Fibbers - Lost Somewhere Between... 46/100

Plaid is definitely the discovery of the week for me. Close To The Edge is beautiful self indulgence, otherwise a pretty average week.

[Michel]

1. Yes - Close To The Edge
2. Magazine - Real Life
3. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues

[Honorio]

1. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms vs. Yes - Close to the Edge
2. Magazine - Real Life vs. Eminem - The Eminem Show
3. Bill Evans Trio - Explorations vs. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues
4. Plaid - Not for Threes vs. The Geraldine Fibbers - Lost Somewhere Between the Earth and My Home

[DaveC]

Plaid is definitely the discovery of the week for me. Close To The Edge is beautiful self indulgence, otherwise a pretty average week.

Same for me

1. Yes - Close To The Edge
2. Magazine - Real Life
3. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues
4. Plaid - Not for Threes

[PlasticRam]

I vote Close to the Edge over Brothers in Arms. I think generally too an album that's not that well known is more likely to be better than an album that's really popular if they're rated about the same in this site, not that I myself have a bias.

Also as a random sidenote, I think American Rolling Stone's 100 greatest albums from the 80s is exactly the same list as Australian Rolling Stone's 100 greatest albums from the 80s. I don't know if both lists influence the rankings.

[Romain]

Only one real like album this week.

1. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues
2. Magazine - Real Life
3. Bill Evans - Explorations
4. Eminem - The Eminem Show
5. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
6. Yes - Close To The Edge

[Brad]

My picks:

1. Yes - Close To The Edge over Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
Love this Yes album, particularly "And You And I" and "Siberian Khatru" - brings back vivid memories of my youth. Chris Squire is Superman.
2. Magazine - Real Life over Eminem - The Eminem Show
Not even close, imo.
3. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues over Bill Evans - Explorations
Well, hee hee hee.
4. The Geraldine Fibbers - Lost Somewhere Between The Earth And My Home over Plaid - Not For Threes
Plaid is very nice. "Lost Somewhere..." is gut-wrenching, possibly Carla Bozulich's finest moment, and that's saying a lot in my world. Perhaps the production doesn't stand up well, but the soul comes through, and so many great songs - "Lilybelle" (especially), "Marmalade," and "Outside Of Town" being the standouts for me. The Geraldine Fibbers just prior the addition of guitar virtuoso Nels Cline, leading to moderate 120 minutes exposure and an inevitable crash. Oh, what could have been....

Thanks!

[Kingoftonga]

1. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms vs. Yes - Close To The Edge

"And You And I" is the apex of 70s prog rock, in my opinion, and one of the few songs where Yes actually allows their music room to breathe. I like Dire Straits quite a bit, but their self-titled and Making Movies are both better than Brothers, I think.

2. Magazine - Real Life vs. Eminem - The Eminem Show

Some of the guest rappers on The Eminem Show are awful, but when he's on, he's excellent.

3. Bill Evans - Explorations vs. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues

Explorations is perfectly fine music, but doesn't effect me emotionally in the way that the Eels album does.

[Brad]

about 23 more hours to vote!

[nicolas]

Wow... This week has passed so fast... I am back to class, as a teacher this time (for 3 and 4 year olds!!) and I had no time this week; so all I can do is rate the first matchup


Yes - Close To The edge (514)
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms (601)

[Nassim]

2. Magazine - Real Life vs. Eminem - The Eminem Show

I liked Real Life, but safe for When the Music Stops (kingoftonga is right, the D12 featurings are dreadful) and Till I Collapse, Eminem Show is highly enjoyable, packing some of the Slim Shady's best songs (Superman, My Dad's Gone Crazy, Business, White America, Without Me...)

Didn't have much time this week and didn't really want to listen to Yes and Dire Straits either.
The Plaid album was fairly enjoyable but I couldn't find The Geraldine Fibbers one.

[Henrik]

Just one vote again...

1. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms vs. Yes - Close To The Edge

Big margin.

[jamieW]

Since I don’t know if I’ll have time to listen to the last two albums (neither being albums I’m familiar with), I’m posting the votes I do know now. Hopefully, I’ll still have time to vote in the final matchup, as well.

My winners:

Yes—Close to the Edge: For me, this has always been Yes’s finest hour. However, it was closer than I thought it would be, since “Brothers in Arms” is a strong album, too.

Magazine—Real Life: As much as I love “The Eminem Show,” his most consistent album, I can’t bring myself to vote against one of the first bands to seamlessly blend punk and new-wave (although Television and Suicide jump to mind, too). “Motorcade,” in particular, is a personal favorite.

Bill Evans—Explorations: Smooth, tranquil jazz wins out for me. Although “Efils’ God” is a highlight, there are just too many songs on the Eels album that I don’t like (and I’ve never really been much of an Eels fan anyway). Given the subject matter, though, I do understand how it can resonate with some.

[jamieW]

If it’s not too late to vote in the final matchup…

My winner:

Plaid—Not for Threes: Both of these albums were good discoveries for me, but I’m taking the atmospheric electronica of “Not for Threes” ever so slightly over the raw, emotional punch of the Geraldine Fibbers (which does have my favorite song on either album, “Outside of Town"). However, there are simply more highlights on the Plaid album for me personally (especially the Bjork-featuring “Lilith”.)

[Brad]

Results
Total participants = 15
Brad
DaveC
Greg
Henrik
Henry
Honorio
jamieW
Jirin
kingoftonga
Michel
Nassim
nicolas
PlasticRam
Romain
Stephan

Winners:
1. Yes - Close To The Edge over Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms 11-3
2. Magazine - Real Life over Eminem - The Eminem Show 7-4
3. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues over Bill Evans - Explorations 6-5
4. Plaid - Not For Threes over The Geraldine Fibbers - Lost Somewhere Between The Earth And My Home 4-3

Look for Round 1.4, up soon!