Moderately Acclaimed Albums 5 - Round 1.3

[Brad]

Welcome to another round of Moderately Acclaimed Albums!

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 encouraged but not absolutely necessary.
Deadline = March 31st at 10am EST

Match-ups:
1. King Crimson - Red vs. The Notwist - Neon Golden
2. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority vs. Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret
3. Little Feat - Waiting For Columbus vs. Robert Wyatt – Shleep
4. Sun Ra - Languidity vs. Jane Birkin - Baby Alone in Babylone

Pump It Up!

[Honorio]

1. King Crimson - Red vs. The Notwist - Neon Golden
2. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority vs. Built to Spill - Keep It Like a Secret
3. Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus vs. Robert Wyatt - Shleep
4. Sun Ra - Lanquidity vs. Jane Birkin - Baby Alone in Babylone

Hardest decision of the week: Chicago vs. Built to Spill


39'55" 40'27" 76'30" 46'53" 77'34" 53'39" 43'29" 33'46"

Since it's not available at Grooveshark or Spotify here it is a You Tube link for the King Crimson album
The Jane Birkin album is not available at Grooveshark, you can find at Spotify 9 of the 11 songs as part of a compilation called "Anthologie" (Spotify link, CD2, songs 7-15), being the other two Partie perdue and Haine pour aime.

[Jirin]

I don't think Anthologie is available in my region on Spotify.

[Nassim]

1. King Crimson - Red vs. The Notwist - Neon Golden
Notwist did what Postal Service would be celebrated for one year earlier, like in Give Up not all songs are perfect, but the best songs are top notch. That and I don't like Red.
2. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority vs. Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret
The version of Chicago Transit Authority I first listened to did not have the "free form guitar" part, which made it even more enjoyable ; it's really a great album, peaking in I'm A Man but very fun (thanks to the great basslines and horns) and convincing all around. That being said, the lesser part of Keep It Like a Secret is top power-pop akin to a modernized take on Big Star or Cheap Trick and the other half would fit in Perfect From Now On, which is closed to the greatest compliment I can give to song. Most particularly, Carry the Zero and Broken Chairs are both thematically ("broken chairs your body comforms to"; 'nuff said) and musically (that whistled part, OH MY GOD) perfect to my dear and very dear to my hearts, as I sometimes say for Perfect From Now On, those are 2 songs that talk about me better than I would be able to. Doug Martsch is definitely my guitar hero.

[PlasticRam]

1. King Crimson - Red vs. The Notwist - Neon Golden
2. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority vs. Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret
3. Little Feat - Waiting For Columbus vs. Robert Wyatt – Shleep
4. Sun Ra - Languidity vs. Jane Birkin - Baby Alone in Babylone

Closest call: I liked Red too. Neon Golden is too great though. I'm glad that Consequence made the Musikexpress list, I noticed that it's a special song at first listen.

Didn't expect Neu! to get knocked out. I have to comment that the peculiar vocals of the last song are ingenious. I mean how do they even come up with the idea to start making that sound...

Edit: As an additional comment, Lanquidity is the best jazz album I've ever heard. Not heard so many of them though. I mean, at least I've heard the ultimate classics.

[DocBrown]

So far every choice I've made has gone down in flames. Maybe I should politely back away now...

[Honorio]

I don't think Anthologie is available in my region on Spotify.

So this is getting difficult. Anyway:
1. Baby Lou
2. Fuir le bonheur de peur qu'il ne se sauve
3. Partie perdue
4. Norma Jean Baker
5. Haine pour aime
6. Overseas Telegram
7. Con c'est con ces conséquences (not the same version but quite similar)
8. En rire de peur d'être obligé d'en pleurer
9. Rupture au miroir
10. Les dessous chics
11. Baby Alone in Babylone

[DaveC]

1. King Crimson - Red

2. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority
Crikey! Chicago? I decided to pretend that this was some other band and that "Free Form Guitar" isn't really there.

3. Robert Wyatt – Shleep
I find some vocalists off-putting. Justin Vernon is one such. Only repeated exposure over a long period got me past my Jon Anderson problem. Now it seems that I am recovering from my Robert Wyatt problem too. It helps when he has great songs like "Free Will and Testament".

4. Jane Birkin - Baby Alone in Babylone
I enjoyed this album much more than I had expected.

[Stephan]

Week 3:
1. Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus
2. The Notwist - Neon Golden
3. Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret
4. King Crimson - Red
5. Sun Ra - Lanquidity
6. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority
7. Robert Wyatt – Shleep
8. Jane Birkin - Baby Alone in Babylone

[Stephan]

So far every choice I've made has gone down in flames. Maybe I should politely back away now...

Nah, don't take it too personally. Even if you get just a single vote for a single album, you may have helped someone find a favorite; I'd say that's worth it.

[DocBrown]

Nah, don't take it too personally. Even if you get just a single vote for a single album, you may have helped someone find a favorite; I'd say that's worth it.

You misunderstand Stephan; none of my nominations have come up... but all of my new discoveries are falling like flies. I don't want to jinx them!

[jamieW]

A special thanks to Honorio for piecing together the Jane Birkin album. When I initially couldn't find it, my biggest regret was that I couldn't vote for Sun Ra, one of my favorite finds so far. Then, after hearing great songs like "Norma Jean Baker" and "Les dessous chics," I ended up torn between the two albums. After much consideration, I am still voting for Sun Ra, but only by the narrowest of margins.

King Crimson - Red
Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority
Robert Wyatt – Shleep
Sun Ra - Languidity

Favorite album I didn't vote for: (obviously) Jane Birkin - Baby Alone In Babylone
Favorite track off any album: King Crimson - Starless

[Listyguy]

1. King Crimson - Red vs. The Notwist - Neon Golden

I can't complain if Neon Golden wins, because I thoroughly love both albums. I give King Crimson a very slight edge though.

[Jirin]

Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority 86
Little Feat - Waiting For Columbus 85
I definitely think this sort of sound comes off better in a live context than a studio context.
Sun Ra - Liquidity 84
Jane Birkin - Baby Alone In Babylone 76
King Crimson - Red 75
Robert Wyatt - Shleep 67
Built To Spill - Keep It Like A Secret 63
The Notwist - Neon Golden 57

[Michel]

3. Robert Wyatt – Shleep
4. Jane Birkin - Baby Alone in Babylone

[Brad]

My picks:

Match-ups:
1. King Crimson - Red vs. The Notwist - Neon Golden
2. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority vs. Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret
3. Little Feat - Waiting For Columbus vs. Robert Wyatt – Shleep
4. Sun Ra - Languidity vs. Jane Birkin - Baby Alone in Babylone

Thanks!

[Henrik]

1. The Notwist - Neon Golden

[DocBrown]

1. Notwist - Neon Golden
2. Chicago Transit Authority

[antonius]

1. The Notwist - Neon Golden
4. Sun Ra - Languidity

[Brad]

about 24 hours left to vote!

[Kingoftonga]

1. The Notwist - Neon Golden
2. Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret
3. Robert Wyatt – Shleep
4. Sun Ra - Languidity

The Sun Ra/Jane Birkin bracket was the most difficult for me.

[Henry]

2. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority is preferred over Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret

[Brad]

Results (abbreviated version)

1. The Notwist - Neon Golden over King Crimson - Red 8-5
2. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority over Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret 6-5
3. Robert Wyatt – Shleep over Little Feat - Waiting For Columbus 6-3
4. Sun Ra - Languidity over Jane Birkin - Baby Alone in Babylone 7-3

Round 1.4 up soon!

[Honorio]

Bye Fripp, Wetton and Brudford