Moderately Acclaimed Albums 7 - Round 4.2

[Brad]

Welcome to the next round of Moderately Acclaimed Albums 7... here's the last batch with a chance to move to the Quarter-finals!

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

Good-spirited comments are encouraged, but not absolutely necessary.
Deadline = October 18th at 10am EST.

Here's a link to the bracket for the entire tournament:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=462048

Match-ups:
1. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World vs. Miles Davis - On The Corner
2. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
3. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold vs. Tears For Fears - The Hurting
4. The Seatbelts/Yoko Kanno - Cowboy Bebop vs. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay

Salvation a la mode and
A cup of tea

[sonofsamiam]

3. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World vs. 1. Miles Davis - On The Corner
8. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. 2. Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
7. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold vs. 6. Tears For Fears - The Hurting
5. The Seatbelts/Yoko Kanno - Cowboy Bebop vs. 4. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay

[whuntva]

Rings Around the World
Basket of Light
Stay Gold
Cowboy Bebop

[DaveC]

1. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World vs. Miles Davis - On The Corner
2. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
3. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold vs. Tears For Fears - The Hurting
4. The Seatbelts/Yoko Kanno - Cowboy Bebop vs. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay

[Bang Jan]

Cowboy Bebop

Miles Davis | On the Corner
Tom Waits | Frank's Wild Years
Super Furry Animals | Rings Around the World
Saint Etienne | Tiger Bay
The Seatbelts/Yoko Kanno | Cowboy Bebop
The Pentangle | Basket of Light
Tears for Fears | The Hurting
First Aid Kit | Stay Gold

[bonnielaurel]

Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World vs. Miles Davis - On The Corner
The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
First Aid Kit - Stay Gold vs. Tears For Fears - The Hurting
The Seatbelts/Yoko Kanno - Cowboy Bebop vs. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay[/quote]

[Jirin]

Miles Davis 93-72

I'm finding more and more Miles Davis stuff I like, Super Furry Animals are one of those bands I just never connected with.

Tom Waits 99-86

One of my all time favorites versus a great discovery.

First Aid Kit 93-64

Stay Gold is one of those tracks I just have to keep repeating when I get to it on the album. "What if our hard work ends in despair, what if the road won't take me there, I wish for once, to stay gold." Tears For Fears are part of a glossy 80s aesthetic I can't connect with unless it's more on the power pop side.

Cowboy Bebop the only album left I haven't gotten around to listening to, though I did enjoy the music when I watched the anime.

[jamieW]

Miles Davis - On The Corner
Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
Tears For Fears - The Hurting
Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay

[Honorio]

1. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World (2001) vs. Miles Davis - On the Corner (1972)
I like good British Pop and I like the eclectic albums where the musicians are not afraid to strength their muscles and try new sounds (in the good old "White Album" tradition). The "kaleidoscopic blend of Pop, Prog, Punk, Psych and Electronica" (quoting AMG) of SFA works wonders on their fifth album. Miles album is even more eclectic (introducing sweaty Funk on his music palette) and much bolder but based on loose jams while I prefer tight compositions. You know, I like Pop. Good British Pop.

2. The Pentangle - Basket of Light (1969) vs. Tom Waits - Franks Wild Years (1987)
I still can't believe that I'm not voting for Tom Waits, especially when I love the (mostly underated) third installment of his Island trilogy. But Pentangle had been the discovery of the game to me, they had been under my radar despite loving Fairport Convention and Incredible String Band. The contrasting voices of Bert Jansch and sweet Jacqui McShee, the mastery of John Renbourn and Danny Thompson, the mix of traditional and contemporary… You know, I like Folk. Good British Folk.

3. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold (2014) vs. Tears for Fears - The Hurting (1983)
The battle of the duos. The female Norwegian duo delivered a truly excellent album with gorgeous vocal harmonies. But the first Tears for Fears album was released in 1983 (probably the happiest year of my life) and played a crucial part on the soundtrack of my life then. But this is not only dummy nostalgia, the album is very good, wrapping uncomfortable and emotional lyrics about child abuse in brilliant melodies and glossy synths. You know, I like Synth-Pop. Good British Synth Pop.

4. Seatbelts - Cowboy Bebop (1998) vs. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay (1994)
So, if I like good British Pop, Folk and Synth Pop, my choice here is obvious, "Tiger Bay" got all of it. And more. Delicious Pop gems like "Hug My Soul," Folk tunes like "Western Wind" or brilliant Synth Pop songs like "Like a Motorway" (that updates the Folk melody of "Silver Dagger"). That doesn't mean I don't like "Cowboy Bebop," it's an excellent and eclectic soundtrack with welcomed Big Band Jazz influences. But what can I do? It's raining outside and it's obvious that I'm in a British mood today.

[spiritualized]

Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World vs. Miles Davis - On The Corner
The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
First Aid Kit - Stay Gold vs. Tears For Fears - The Hurting - pass
The Seatbelts/Yoko Kanno - Cowboy Bebop vs. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay

Go Britain.
I predicted that Pentangle, whilst not being my nomination, would win the game. A masterpiece which I discovered by chance and fell in love with immediately.
Saint Etienne and Super Furry Animals are also firm favourites, although Rings is not my favorite album (a spot taken by Radiator).

[BleuPanda]

Rings Around the World
Basket of Light
Cowboy Bebop

[notbrianeno]

1. Super Furry Animals | Rings Around the World vs. Miles Davis | On The Corner
2. The Pentangle | Basket of Light vs. Tom Waits | Frank's Wild Years
3. First Aid Kit | Stay Gold vs. Tears For Fears | The Hurting

[PlasticRam]

1. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World vs. Miles Davis - On The Corner
2. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
3. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold vs. Tears For Fears - The Hurting

[Kingoftonga]

I hope I'm not too late!

1. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World vs. Miles Davis - On The Corner
2. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
3. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold vs. Tears For Fears - The Hurting
4. The Seatbelts/Yoko Kanno - Cowboy Bebop vs. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay

[Brad]

Guys - Sorry for the delay... I had a minor scheduled surgery today and missed the deadline for this. Hoping to put the results out tomorrow at some point. Feel free to put in your votes until then! Again, I apologize for missing this!

[antonius]

1. Miles Davis - On The Corner
2. Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
3. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold
4. The Seatbelts/Yoko Kanno - Cowboy Bebop

[Brad]

My picks:
1. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World vs. Miles Davis - On The Corner
2. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
3. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold vs. Tears For Fears - The Hurting
4. The Seatbelts/Yoko Kanno - Cowboy Bebop vs. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay

Results soon!

[Brad]

15 total voters this week:
antonius
Bang Jan
BleuPanda
bonnielaurel
Brad
DaveC
Honorio
jamieW
Jirin
Kingoftonga
notbrianeno
PlasticRam
sonofsamiam
spiritualized
whuntva

Winners:
1. Miles Davis - On The Corner over Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World 10-5
2. The Pentangle - Basket of Light over Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years 9-6
3. Tears For Fears - The Hurting over First Aid Kit - Stay Gold 8-5
4. Saint Etienne - Tiger Bay over The Seatbelts/Yoko Kanno - Cowboy Bebop 8-4

Quarter-Finals Up Next!