Moderately Acclaimed Albums 7 - Round 1.1

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 1:29 pm

Welcome to Moderately Acclaimed Albums 7 (or VII if you enjoy the Super Bowl format)!
We're kicking it all off, right here, right now...

Vote for your favorite album in each match-up.
Remember, anyone can vote as long as the voter has heard both albums.

Comments are encouraged but not absolutely necessary.
Deadline = March 29th at 10am EST.

Match-ups:
1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 vs. Annie - Anniemal
4. Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs vs. Soundtrack - Until the End of the World

Let's Get This Party Started Right!

Bang Jan · Post by **Bang Jan** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:47 pm

Here's the listening you'll need this week!

Program Music 1

And my votes, all 8 albums ranked in order with winners in bold:

The Feelies | Crazy Rhythms
Kashiwa Daisuke | Program Music 1
The Replacements | Pleased to Meet Me
Soundtrack | Until the End of the World
Annie | Anniemal
Susanne Sundfor | Ten Love Songs
The Housemartins | London 0 Hull 4
The Cure | Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me

TimmyWing · Post by **TimmyWing** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 5:14 pm

1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me vs. ~~The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms~~
2. ~~The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4~~ vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 vs. ~~Annie - Anniemal~~
4. ~~Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs~~ vs. Soundtrack - Until the End of the World

Favourite track I didn't hear before: The Replacements - "Can't Hardly Wait"

All of these albums are great. Until the End of the World was probably the best discovery album-wise - such a cool collection of tracks, made by the artists to predict what they would all sound like in 1999 - although Pleased to Meet Me has definitely rekindled my love for the Replacements.

I love Crazy Rhythms, but after listening to it this time, I find more and more that rather than it being a wholly great album, I'm always waiting for the peak of "Raised Eyebrows", which is one of my all time favourite tracks, and leagues above the rest of the tracks for me. Compare to Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, where "Just Like Heaven" is of course a standout, but where tracks like "One More Time" and "Icing Sugar" bring different moods to the table and are just as captivating. One of The Cure's best albums.

DaveC · Post by **DaveC** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:11 pm

1. ~~The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me~~ vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
On another day I would choose Pleased to Meet Me, but today The Feelies get lucky.

2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. ~~The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me~~
I favour the Faith/Pornography era Cure, but Kiss Me has grown on me, but not enough to better this rather unique offering from the Housemartins.

3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 vs. ~~Annie - Anniemal~~

4. ~~Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs~~ vs. Soundtrack - Until the End of the World
Great nomination. I rarely listen to soundtracks, but this one is special.

BleuPanda · Post by **BleuPanda** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:19 pm

1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me vs. ~~The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms~~
2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. ~~The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me~~
3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 vs. ~~Annie - Anniemal~~
4. Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs vs. ~~Soundtrack - Until the End of the World~~

whuntva · Post by **whuntva** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:21 pm

Only got the chance to hear four.

Program Music I

It'll be interesting to see how far this goes based on "Stella" alone. Not to say "Write Once, Run Melos!" is bad. In fact, it may even be equally good. But since "Stella" was such a fave, I'm curious how that one rack will propel this record through.

Until the End of the World

More gripping.

Post by **Honorio** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:57 pm

1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me (1987) vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms (1980)

2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 (1986) vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (1987)

3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music I (2007) vs. Annie - Anniemal (2004)

PlasticRam · Post by **PlasticRam** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:41 pm

1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 vs. Annie - Anniemal
4. Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs vs. Soundtrack - Until the End of the World

Favorite discovery: The Housemartins album is #318 on my all-time list now. I should check out the three other bands from Hull!

spiritualized · Post by **spiritualized** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 9:05 pm

Well this is obviously the "jangle pop" bracket with Replacements, Feelies and Housemartins in one week !

First Stop :

1. ~~The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me~~ vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms

I rated both 4/5 on previous listens, so it was going to be a tough choice. I really like the first half of Pleased to Meet Me, but the quality seriously drops at the midmark. Crazy Rhythms, in spite of vocals which are weaker than Westerberg's offering (this time around, the Feelies really made me think of a jangle Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers), is a much stronger proposition overall. No weak track, excellent cover of one my faves from the Rolling Stones, I may increase my RYM rating to 4.5...

jamieW · Post by **jamieW** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 10:00 pm

The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 (Tough break for Annie, who is electropop at its finest; but "Program Music 1" contains just two tracks - and I give them both a 10.)
Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs

For a few minutes there, I was the "number of the beast." I'm so happy to start this game again (and not just because this post exorcises the beast!). If this first week is any indication, we are in for one fantastic tournament!

luney6 · Post by **luney6** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 8:32 am

The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms : One of my favorites in the tournament. I like the Replacements and this album, but they stand no chance against the Feelies. They would've done better in most other match-ups, though.

The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me : A sprawling album with so many influences. Not bad. I don't like London 0 Hull 4 much, though.

Annie - Anniemal : I like the Tubular Bells (which in turn was influenced by A Rainbow in Curved Air) influenced Programme Music 1, but it is a very simple piece that is far too often lacking in direction. It seems to meander up and down the same alleyway without purpose. It has beautiful moments, but it doesn't challenge. On the other hand, Anniemal is probably my favorite album from a genre I am not a fan of.

I haven't heard one of the albums on the last match-up yet. I'll listen to it by the end of this week.

luney6 · Post by **luney6** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 11:39 am

Last match-up: Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs

Nassim · Post by **Nassim** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 1:12 pm

1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
When the songs of Crazy Rhythms hold up to the title of album, it's pretty fantastic. I didn't expect much from the Replacements when I first heard Let It Be and it came as one of the most welcome surprise ever, still in my top 100 albums of all time. Tim on the other hand felt like a huge disappointment afterwards. Pleased to Meet Me is not as disappointing, but still quite a letdown and not an album I really care for.

2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me

spiritualized · Post by **spiritualized** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:39 pm

2. ~~The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4~~ vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me

Another TOUGH match, both 4/5 again on my initial ratings.
The Housemartins' album is excellent, again very strong in the first part, with a loss of pace in the later songs. Very pleasant, energetic tracks, the kind that give some bounce in your step. It however lacks depth.
Kiss Me 3x is a polar opposite - luney uses "sprawling" and I was going to use the exact same adjective. The Cure have been THE band which made me discover "alternative" sounds, but boy, was this album a surprise to listen to after the majestic pop of "The Head on the Door". Hard rock in places, shifty melodies in others, supported by two excellent singles (Why Can't I Be You and Just Like Heaven), it offers an interesting look into Smith's psyche, one that he never exhibited before. Kind of a mix between the sorrow of early Cure and the happiness of the previous albums. It exhudes anger and it makes for a fascinating listen. Oh, and the tunes...the tunes !

BleuPanda · Post by **BleuPanda** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:43 pm

Also, just so I can get ahead for next week, are the next 4 matches going to be the next match down on the bracket page? Yellow House vs. Clear Spot, Painted From Memory vs. Bad Company, etc.?

Post by **Honorio** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 4:30 pm

Exactly, BleuPanda

spiritualized · Post by **spiritualized** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 9:16 am

3. ~~Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1~~ vs. Annie - Anniemal

Even though I did appreciate Program Music 1, I didn't particularly "like" it. Long tracks, plenty of ideas, very little focus. It's loose music and doesn't stand the test of the tightness of Anniemal.

4. Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs vs. ~~Soundtrack - Until the End of the World~~
Surprise of the week for Sundfor - never listened to any of her albums - this one is quality impersonated. Great tunes, moody and melodious atmosphere - a favorite. The OST is decent, but lacks cohesion, no real musical theme in there, which most soundtracks should have, I think.

notbrianeno · Post by **notbrianeno** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 3:22 pm

1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 vs. Annie - Anniemal
4. Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs vs. Soundtrack - Until the End of the World

bonnielaurel · Post by **bonnielaurel** » Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:50 am

1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me vs. ~~The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms~~
2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. ~~The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me~~
3. ~~Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1~~ vs. Annie - Anniemal
4. Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs vs. ~~Soundtrack - Until the End of the World~~

DocBrown · Post by **DocBrown** » Fri Mar 25, 2016 2:16 pm

1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me
2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4
3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1
4. Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs

Jirin · Post by **Jirin** » Fri Mar 25, 2016 2:48 pm

Man, all my notes are on my work computer. Only votes then, no numbers.

I'll abstain from the first and wait to see if a tiebreaker is needed, because I forget whether I liked Please To Meet Me or not.

The Housemartins - London 1 Hull 4
Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1
Susane Sundfor - Ten Love Songs

sonofsamiam · Post by **sonofsamiam** » Fri Mar 25, 2016 4:06 pm

The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me (6) vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms (4)
The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 (8) vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (5)
Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 (1) vs. Annie - Anniemal (3)
Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs (2) vs. Soundtrack - Until the End of the World (7)

GucciLittlePiggy · Post by **GucciLittlePiggy** » Sat Mar 26, 2016 2:19 am

1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me vs. ~~The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms~~
2. ~~The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4~~ vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me

Both very tough matchups. Largely my decision-making process for the first was "cuz replacements" and for the second "cuz the cure."

antonius · Post by **antonius** » Sat Mar 26, 2016 6:48 pm

The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
Annie - Anniemal
Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs

babydoll · Post by **babydoll** » Sat Mar 26, 2016 9:42 pm

~~The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me~~ vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
~~The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4~~ vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
~~Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1~~ vs. Annie - Anniemal
Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs vs. ~~Soundtrack - Until the End of the World~~

Hmm, I really don't see the craze about Program Music 1. At least, I really loved Anniemal.

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 2:35 am

My picks:
1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
I saw the Feelies a few times in 1986 on The Good Earth tour while opening for R.E.M. (Lifes Rich Pagaent). More importantly perhaps, saw the Replacements a number of times in that same era, and then on the tour for this album sans Bob... always entertaining no matter how sloppy (many would disagree of course). Photos I took at a U of Penn show in '86 below.
2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
Yep, saw the Cure a lot back in the day too. This tour, but Head On The Door was my first and definitely more impactful.
3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 vs. Annie - Anniemal
4. Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs vs. Soundtrack - Until the End of the World

Such a "me" post but oh well...
Thanks!

Jirin · Post by **Jirin** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:02 pm

If it's not too late, my notes for the first matchup say:

The Feelies 81 - Replacements 80

ordinaryperson · Post by **ordinaryperson** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 6:52 pm

My favorites will be in orange.

1. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me vs. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 vs. Annie - Anniemal
4. Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs vs. Soundtrack - Until the End of the World

Sweepstakes Ron · Post by **Sweepstakes Ron** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 2:11 am

1. Pleased to Meet Me
While the Feelies album lives up to its title (and greatly benefits from it), the 'Mats album feels more "whole" to me. I need to listen to Let It Be again, but I think this one might be better. "Alex Chilton" is incredible.

3. Anniemal
Yeah, we all know how amazing "Stella" is, but I still maintain that Scandinavian female-fronted electropop is what music truly exists for.

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 2:43 am

Last call for week 1 voting!

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 2:29 pm

Off to a great start, with 22 voters in the past week:
antonius
babydoll
Bang Jan
BleuPanda
bonnielaurel
Brad
DaveC
DocBrown
GucciLittlePiggy
Honorio
jamieW
Jirin
luney6
Nassim
notbrianeno
ordinaryperson
PlasticRam
sonofsamiam
spiritualized
Sweepstakes Ron
TimmyWing
whuntva

Results:
1. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms over The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me 12-9
2. The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me ***TIE! 10-10! Next Vote Wins!***
3. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music 1 over Annie - Anniemal 13-7
4. Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs over Soundtrack - Until the End of the World 15-4

So we have a tie already:
The Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4 vs. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me ***TIE! 10-10! Next Vote Wins!***

Round 1.2 up soon!

luney6 · Post by **luney6** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 3:03 pm

Kiss me x3. Considering votes from someone who has already participated are allowed.

whuntva · Post by **whuntva** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 3:06 pm

Luney6, I think you are allowed as long as you did not vote for that particular matchup. I don't know. I don't make the rules.

Anyway, I got my first win! After getting completely shut out last time, I finally have a horse in the race by the second round.

Because Brad seems to be maintaining anonymity this year, I won't tell you what it is, but if you know me, you can probably guess.

luney6 · Post by **luney6** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 3:18 pm

whuntva wrote:Luney6, I think you are allowed as long as you did not vote for that particular matchup. I don't know. I don't make the rules.

Anyway, I got my first win! After getting completely shut out last time, I finally have a horse in the race by the second round.

Because Brad seems to be maintaining anonymity this year, I won't tell you what it is, but if you know me, you can probably guess.

I actually did vote for that match-up. But the comment only says next vote wins, so I think my vote may be accepted.

Okay, trying to guess. If my vote isn't counted, do you still have a horse in the next round then, whuntva?

whuntva · Post by **whuntva** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 3:20 pm

luney6 wrote:
whuntva wrote:Luney6, I think you are allowed as long as you did not vote for that particular matchup. I don't know. I don't make the rules.

Anyway, I got my first win! After getting completely shut out last time, I finally have a horse in the race by the second round.

Because Brad seems to be maintaining anonymity this year, I won't tell you what it is, but if you know me, you can probably guess.
I actually did vote for that match-up. But the comment only says next vote wins, so I think my vote may be accepted.

Okay, trying to guess. If my vote isn't counted, do you still have a horse in the next round then, whuntva?

Yep.

luney6 · Post by **luney6** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 3:23 pm

whuntva wrote:
luney6 wrote:
whuntva wrote:Luney6, I think you are allowed as long as you did not vote for that particular matchup. I don't know. I don't make the rules.

Anyway, I got my first win! After getting completely shut out last time, I finally have a horse in the race by the second round.

Because Brad seems to be maintaining anonymity this year, I won't tell you what it is, but if you know me, you can probably guess.
I actually did vote for that match-up. But the comment only says next vote wins, so I think my vote may be accepted.

Okay, trying to guess. If my vote isn't counted, do you still have a horse in the next round then, whuntva?
Yep.

Then I know. Looking at your votes.

Romain · Post by **Romain** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 3:46 pm

Don't worry Luney, I vote for The Cure too.

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 4:31 pm

The Cure wins on Romain's vote. Sorry luney6, I suppose I should have posted that only those who haven't voted previously are eligible for sudden death voting.

Thanks guys!

luney6 · Post by **luney6** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 4:32 pm

Okay. Thanks Romain.