Moderately Acclaimed Albums 7 - Round 1.4

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Tue Apr 12, 2016 3:01 pm

Welcome to another round of Moderately Acclaimed Albums 7!

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 = April 19th at 10am EST.

Match-ups:
1. Destroyer - Kaputt vs. King Crimson - Red
2. Haim - Days Are Gone vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
3. The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip vs. Jim O'Rourke - Eureka
4. Brand New - Daisy vs. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

Plus, a tie from last round:
Alain Bashung - Osez Joséphine vs. Kaki King - Everybody Loves You *** Next Vote WINS!***

"I'll drink my beer in a tavern,
Sing a little bit of these working man blues"

Bang Jan · Post by **Bang Jan** » Tue Apr 12, 2016 7:23 pm

DaveC · Post by **DaveC** » Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:32 pm

1. ~~Destroyer - Kaputt~~ vs. King Crimson - Red
2. ~~Haim - Days Are Gone~~ vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
3. The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip vs. ~~Jim O'Rourke - Eureka~~
4. Brand New - Daisy vs. ~~Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington~~

Post by **Honorio** » Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:49 pm

1. Destroyer - Kaputt (2011) vs. King Crimson - Red (1974)

2. Haim - Days Are Gone (2013) vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me (2002)

3. The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip (1994) vs. Jim O'Rourke - Eureka (1999)

phil · Post by **phil** » Tue Apr 12, 2016 10:40 pm

Match-ups:
1. Destroyer - Kaputt vs. King Crimson - Red
2. Haim - Days Are Gone vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
3. The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip vs. Jim O'Rourke - Eureka
4. Brand New - Daisy vs. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

DocBrown · Post by **DocBrown** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 1:41 am

Destroyer - Kaputt
Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

bonnielaurel · Post by **bonnielaurel** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 6:28 am

6. ~~Destroyer - Kaputt~~
3. King Crimson - Red

4. ~~Haim - Days Are Gone~~
1. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me

8. ~~The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip~~
5. Jim O'Rourke - Eureka

7. ~~Brand New - Daisy~~
2. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

Song of the week: Norah Jones - Don't Know Why

PlasticRam · Post by **PlasticRam** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 5:24 pm

1. Destroyer - Kaputt vs. King Crimson - Red
2. Haim - Days Are Gone vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
3. The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip vs. Jim O'Rourke - Eureka
4. Brand New - Daisy vs. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

Discovery of the week: Destroyer - Kaputt (#179 AT)

Jirin · Post by **Jirin** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 6:16 pm

King Crimson 82-80
Haim 90-84
Duke Ellington 86-77

Will try to hear Eureka later.

Not for this week, but looks like Spotify has multiple self titled albums by Gal Costa. Which do I listen to?

Bang Jan · Post by **Bang Jan** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 7:26 pm

Jirin wrote:Not for this week, but looks like Spotify has multiple self titled albums by Gal Costa. Which do I listen to?

I think it's this one.

slick · Post by **slick** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:31 pm

1. Destroyer - Kaputt vs.~~King Crimson - Red~~
2. ~~Haim - Days Are Gone~~ vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
3. The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip vs. ~~Jim O'Rourke - Eureka~~
4. Brand New - Daisy vs. ~~Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington~~

babydoll · Post by **babydoll** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:04 pm

Bang Jan wrote:
Jirin wrote:Not for this week, but looks like Spotify has multiple self titled albums by Gal Costa. Which do I listen to?
I think it's this one.

Looking up her biography, there is only one album of hers that is eponymous with both first and last name, and plus it's arguably her most famous album.

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:43 pm

Bang Jan wrote:
Jirin wrote:Not for this week, but looks like Spotify has multiple self titled albums by Gal Costa. Which do I listen to?
I think it's this one.

Yes, that's the one!

jamieW · Post by **jamieW** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 2:30 am

King Crimson - Red
Haim - Days Are Gone
The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

Duke Ellington was going to be hard to beat, but I did really like the Brand New album. It's my third favorite of the week behind Duke and King Crimson, and my favorite new discovery so far...

luney6 · Post by **luney6** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:17 am

~~Destroyer - Kaputt~~ vs. King Crimson - Red

Very easy choice. I see what Destroyer is trying to do, and while there are some beautiful moments(the sax is pretty sweet at times), this album is really boring. Red, while not my favorite album by King Crimson, is far better, IMO. Starless is epic.

Haim - Days Are Gone vs. ~~Norah Jones - Come Away with Me~~

Both are aimlessly boring. Almost the flip of a coin.

spiritualized · Post by **spiritualized** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 3:13 pm

1. ~~Destroyer - Kaputt~~ vs. King Crimson - Red
Clear favorite here, I knew Kaputt and already dismissed it, whilst Red is one of my favorite "prog-rock" classic, although I am not a fan of the genre.

2. ~~Haim - Days Are Gone~~ vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
Unexcited by either of those - Haim sounds like an 80s band with a touch of indie pop, unimpressive. Norah Jones is clearly "smooth jazz", a genre which I find unobtrusive and therefore good for background music, but not much more. However, she is the daughter of Ravi Shankar AND she duetted with Billie Armstrong, the winning factor here !

3. ~~The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip~~ vs. Jim O'Rourke - Eureka
Never been too fussed about Stephen Merritt - definite quality in songwriting, but his voice REALLY puts me off, I don't think that the voice suits the genre. This early album doesn't veer much from my original thoughts on the Magnetic Fields. Ok-ish, I guess.
Eureka, on the other hand, is immediate. The guitar picking in the introduction of the album is delightful, and the phrase "Women of the World take over, coz if you don't the world will come to an end, and it won't take long" sung over and over again is a powerful statement. I love it.

4. Brand New - Daisy vs. ~~Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington~~First listen for a "Brand New" album, although I quite enjoyed their Holiday EP. They are very close to my musical tastes, melodious but punchy indie rock, with something quite special about it. It actually beats the Duke to the post, simply because this is the discovery of the week for me. Brilliant find.

luney6 · Post by **luney6** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 4:11 pm

The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip vs. ~~Jim O'Rourke - Eureka~~

TCOTHS is an all time favorite. Actually, in contrast to some of the other comments, I really love the voice. Jim O' Rourke is just about average, maybe slightly above it.

BleuPanda · Post by **BleuPanda** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 4:13 pm

Destroyer - Kaputt
Haim - Days are Gone

Though, I actually found all four of these albums kind of average. I'm not sure what Destroyer or Haim do to stand out in the 2010s, Red simply doesn't speak to me, and I am completely baffled by the fact that Come Away With Me is the second best selling (non-singles collection) album of the 2000s. Why did it sell so well?

Bang Jan · Post by **Bang Jan** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 5:31 pm

I know this is 11 weeks away but does anyone know where I can hear Les Mariages Chinois? I cannot find it to save my life.

Romain · Post by **Romain** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 6:02 pm

Maybe :
http://www.deezer.com/album/238806

Bang Jan · Post by **Bang Jan** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 6:03 pm

That link isn't available in my region I'm afraid.

luney6 · Post by **luney6** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 6:15 pm

BleuPanda wrote: I'm not sure what Destroyer or Haim do to stand out in the 2010s.

Exactly.

spiritualized · Post by **spiritualized** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:17 pm

Bang Jan wrote:That link isn't available in my region I'm afraid.

Not sure if Deezer works through a proxy ?*
I wonder if I can upload the album on YT...

Bang Jan · Post by **Bang Jan** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:20 pm

I can run Deezer in my region, just that album isn't available.

Kingoftonga · Post by **Kingoftonga** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 8:48 pm

Winners in red:

1. Destroyer - Kaputt vs. King Crimson - Red

Destroyer's a bit too chill for me, though I enjoyed it well enough. Hard to go up against this particular King Crimson, which I think also did quite well in our last 70s poll.

2. Haim - Days Are Gone vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me

I'm sort of surprised at the resistance that many have toward Haim. I thought it was a lot of fun! Norah Jones, to answer BleuPanda's question, was the Adele of 2002, in that she got a bunch of people who otherwise never buy music to purchase this one particular album. I have a hard time conceiving of it as anything other than background music. It was definitely on regular rotation at family dinners at my grandparents' house for a while. (That's not an insult; I think it's perfectly functional for what it is)

3. The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip vs. Jim O'Rourke - Eureka

Strongest matchup of the week for me. I really found myself enjoying the Magnetic Fields; I'd only previously heard 69 Love Songs, which is too long to really even decipher. They're much better in 60-minute chunks.

4. Brand New - Daisy vs. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

What can I say. Duke Ellington rocks.

BleuPanda · Post by **BleuPanda** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 8:57 pm

Kingoftonga wrote:Norah Jones, to answer BleuPanda's question, was the Adele of 2002, in that she got a bunch of people who otherwise never buy music to purchase this one particular album.

I joked about that being the case while listening with my fiance, so it makes sense. Now my question is, why Hybrid Theory of all things?

babydoll · Post by **babydoll** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 10:22 pm

BleuPanda wrote:
Kingoftonga wrote:Norah Jones, to answer BleuPanda's question, was the Adele of 2002, in that she got a bunch of people who otherwise never buy music to purchase this one particular album.

I joked about that being the case while listening with my fiance, so it makes sense. Now my question is, why Hybrid Theory of all things?

Congratulations on your engagement! And to answer your question about Hybrid Theory, quite a few people bought it because of that In the End song. Other people simply like Linkin Park and consider them so DANG innovative. "Ooh, rock-rap!" Yeah.

Jirin · Post by **Jirin** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 12:37 am

What makes Haim stand out for me is that they are one of the only remaining bands that combines musicianship with incredibly catchy hooks.

Destroyer has a certain distinctive attitude about him that preserves the jaded sarcasm of the 90s but in an indie rock storytelling context. I don't always enjoy it but in his best work I do.

I liked Linkin Park when I was in high school. They're on the list of bands where seeing them live made me dislike them. But their depressive fatalism matched my point of view when I was 17.

luney6 · Post by **luney6** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 4:57 pm

~~Brand New - Daisy~~ vs. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

Neither album is very good. Daisy has a lot of Fugazi influence in it, but it lacks the focus of Fugazi. The riffs sound laxer and the album lacks direction as a whole. Ellington's album is interesting at times, but far too drenched in cliches, and hence ends up being predictable most of the time. I don't know if it sounded this way at the time of the release, but at any rate, I don't think that the predictability is particularly due to the originality of the album, but due to the simplicity of it.

notbrianeno · Post by **notbrianeno** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 2:22 pm

1. Destroyer - Kaputt vs. King Crimson - Red
2. Haim - Days Are Gone vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
3. The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip vs. Jim O'Rourke - Eureka
4. Brand New - Daisy vs. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 7:38 pm

About 19 hours left to vote!

Sweepstakes Ron · Post by **Sweepstakes Ron** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 9:10 pm

2. Days Are Gone

Yeah, I'm the HAIM fan here. Jirin, thank you for summing up in one succinct sentence what makes the album so enjoyable for me, because I was NOT expecting such lukewarm reception, and seeing as this forum has some very, ahem, verbose people, I felt kinda like I was put on the hot seat right there. I can hardly ever find the right words to express my love for any music without abusing buzzwords or stealing from some RYM review. In fact, I was kinda put off from searching for the right words in the first place from some person on the RYM boards who said that everyone who talks up HAIM just sounds like they're reading off a promo sheet for the band.

As for Norah Jones, the album is perfectly pleasant, which is exactly what I'm looking for right now, so I'm cool if it advances.

babydoll · Post by **babydoll** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 9:52 pm

Only two sets this week.

Haim - Days Are Gone vs. ~~Norah Jones - Come Away with Me~~
Even though she may have been the Adele of 2002, she wasn't on Adele's level of greatness. 21, which is in this tournament, had Rolling in the Deep, Someone Like You, and Turning Tables while Norah had Don't Know Why which I didn't even like that much. Haim's album, which was pretty weak, was slightly stronger.

~~Brand New - Daisy~~ vs. Duke Ellington - Masterpieces by Ellington
Daisy was pretty boring. Ellington, an artist I love, shot the LP format sky high with this, and the songs, while maybe not on Davis' or Coltrane's levels, were unique (and personal) takeoffs on his standards. Brilliant. Hope it does well in both this tournament and the 1950s poll.

BleuPanda · Post by **BleuPanda** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 10:46 pm

Jim O'Rourke - Eureka

Once again won't have time to listen to everything...

sonofsamiam · Post by **sonofsamiam** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 1:20 am

King Crimson - Red
Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
Jim O'Rourke - Eureka
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

GucciLittlePiggy · Post by **GucciLittlePiggy** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 4:42 am

1. Destroyer - Kaputt vs. ~~King Crimson - Red~~

I never expected Destroyer to come out on top in a draw as tough as this, so I'm glad to see the amount of votes Kaputt has received. Red may be even preferable to In the Court of the Crimson King for me, perhaps even making a strong debut on my all-time list after a few more listens, but it ultimately stood no chance in this matchup.

BleuPanda wrote:I'm not sure what Destroyer does to stand out in the 2010s.

Kaputt has risen to the fourth spot on my all-time list in part because it sounds like nothing I've heard from its era. Jirin hit the nail on the end noting the sarcastic Gen-X attitude cloaked in poetic storytelling. Pair the lyricism and tender vocals with Destroyer's updated take on 80s sophisti-pop and you've got the most picaresque record that's ever graced my ears. The images conjured with every frantic sax solo and synth flourish (God, I love me some synth flourishes) take me on a trip everytime, to the beach, to the riverside, to a foggy park. From the opening moments of "Chinatown", you can immediately tell this is a mature effort and an obvious labor of love. Just like King Crimson, Dan Bejar is no stranger to epics and this album features two in "Suicide Demo for Kara Walker", the obvious centerpiece, and "Bay of Pigs". The duet near the end of the former help make it one of the most human moments in music history. I expect Kaputt to be remembered fondly years down the road for its gliding melodies and intricate musicianship. At the very least, people can remember the striking juxtaposition of band name and sound. "What was that chamber pop band with the metal name? Demolisher? Destructor? Oh yeah, Destroyer!"

2. Haim - Days Are Gone vs. ~~Norah Jones - Come Away with Me~~

Not trying to thrust Norah Jones into an eternal comparison with Adele, but while the subject is hot, I think I might prefer Come Away with Me to 21, despite the latter featuring the best individual songs (mainly just the singles). 21 has one of the most glaring contrasts between the best songs and the filler that I've ever heard on an album. In the case of Norah Jones and Haim, however, the highlights make all the difference, as Days Are Gone boasts such excellent songs as "Falling", one of my favorites of 2013, "Forever", and "The Wire".

acroamor · Post by **acroamor** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 5:50 am

Only had time for the first two match-ups this week, even though I've recently started getting big into the Magnetic Fields. Oh well.

1. Destroyer - Kaputt vs. ~~King Crimson - Red~~
Two artists without much regard for conventional song lengths. I enjoyed both, and I think I'd enjoy Red more and more if I were to listen to it again and again, but at this point, Kaputt definitely stands out.
2. Haim - Days Are Gone vs. ~~Norah Jones - Come Away with Me~~
I'm personally surprised by the cold reactions to these albums from the rest of the forum - I very much love the both of them. Norah Jones' album has such a wonderful feeling about it, the most gentle and lovely aesthetic. I've listened to it quite a bit lately while writing. However, Haim's album stands out over it, thanks to some great highlight tracks like "My Song 5" or "Running If You Call My Name". Also, I recommend people listen to "Let Me Go" in particular over, because it grew on my like no one's business.

spiritualized · Post by **spiritualized** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 8:31 am

I am amazed at the passions that these nominations can create. It is a true breath of fresh air to see forumers "defend" their loved albums or explain what it means to them. Truely heartbreaking also when that passion is not shared, but the case for every album should be made - I, for one, will probably listen to Haim again.
Don't see myself loving Kaputt, though

BleuPanda · Post by **BleuPanda** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:05 pm

Oh yeah, I didn't mean my comments to come off as attacks on the albums. I was literally curious why people thought so highly of them. Thanks for all the input!

notbrianeno · Post by **notbrianeno** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 1:30 pm

Though unlikely to advance to the next round, I'm incredibly happy at the warm reception with a lot of the forum has greeted Daisy. For me, it is the perfect heir to Slint's swampy post-hardcore, as well as one of the best flowing albums I've ever heard. Each song builds upon the the previous one, culminating in the hellish resignation to fate of "Noro." The interpolation of spoken word audio and gospel samples are perfectly realized in this album, and help to emphasize the incredibly raw production and unhinged musical performances within.

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 2:32 pm

Hi friends - I'm running way late today; won't get to update for a few more hours. Feel free to add any last minute votes - in fact, still haven't submitted my own votes so I should probably do that now:

1. Destroyer - Kaputt vs. King Crimson - Red
2. Haim - Days Are Gone vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
3. The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip vs. Jim O'Rourke - Eureka
4. Brand New - Daisy vs. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington

Sorry for the delay!

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 3:29 pm

21 voters this week!:
acroamor
babydoll
Bang Jan
BleuPanda
bonnielaurel
Brad
DaveC
DocBrown
GucciLittlePiggy
Honorio
jamieW
Jirin
Kingoftonga
luney6
notbrianeno
phil
PlasticRam
slick
sonofsamiam
spiritualized
Sweepstakes Ron

Winners:
1. King Crimson - Red over Destroyer - Kaputt 12-7
2. Haim - Days Are Gone over Norah Jones - Come Away with Me 13-8
3. Jim O'Rourke - Eureka over The Magnetic Fields - The Charm of the Highway Strip 9-7
4. Duke Ellington & His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington over Brand New - Daisy 13-4

Round 1.5 up soon!

spiritualized · Post by **spiritualized** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 5:04 pm

Wow, looks like i AM going to listen to Haim again after all. Good !