Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

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Brad
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Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Brad »

Welcome to the round 1.12 of Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018!

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 = June 12th at 10am EST.

Here's a link to the bracket for the entire tournament:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?t ... 9%20(2018)

Match-ups:
1. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace vs. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
2. The Divine Comedy - Casanova vs. The Original Soundtrack - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 vs. Pere Ubu - New Picnic Time
4. Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles vs. Boredoms - 77 Boadrum


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Bang Jan
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Bang Jan »



New Picnic Time
77 Boadrum

1 | The Fall | This Nation's Saving Grace
8 | The National | Trouble Will Find Me

2 | The Divine Comedy | Casanova
7 | The Original Soundtrack  | O Brother, Where Art Thou?

3 | Deltron 3030 | Deltron 3030
6 | Pere Ubu | New Picnic Time

5 | Game Theory | The Big Shot Chronicles
4 | Boredoms | 77 Boadrum

Favourite song of the week: The Divine Comedy | Through a Long and Sleepless Night
"The first word in this song is discorporate. It means to leave your body."
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Honorio
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Honorio »



7. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace (1985) vs. 5. The National - Trouble Will Find Me (2013)
2. The Divine Comedy - Casanova (1996) vs. 1. Various Artitsts - O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 (2000) vs. 8. Pere Ubu - New Picnic Time (1979)
4. Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles (1986) vs. 6. Boredoms - 77 Boadrum (2008)

Favourite song from every album:
Paint Work | I Need My Girl | Becoming More Like Alfie | I'll Fly Away | 3030 | Jehovah's Kingdom Comes! | Like a Girl Jesus | 77 Boa Drum Part.1 / Seven

Favourite song of the week: Becoming More Like Alfie
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by DaveC »

1. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
2. The Original Soundtrack - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030
4. Boredoms - 77 Boadrum
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by StevieFan13 »

The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
The Divine Comedy - Casanova
Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030
Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles
Last edited by StevieFan13 on Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Romain
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Romain »

1. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
2. The Divine Comedy - Casanova
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030
4. Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Jirin »

Trouble Will Find Me 94 - The Nation's Saving Grace 83
O Brother, Where Art Thou 72 - Casanova 62
New Picnic Time 86 - Deltron 3030 63

Have not had a chance to listen to enough of 77 Boadrum to be able to vote, it's very long and only on Youtube, not Spotify.
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PlasticRam
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by PlasticRam »

1. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace vs. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
I feel like that
jamieW
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by jamieW »

A week filled with artists I've always felt I should like more than I do (Boredoms, The Divine Comedy, Game Theory). I've always loved Pere Ubu, so I'm not sure what happened here...

Very good:
Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030

Good:
The National - Trouble Will Find Me
The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
The Original Soundtrack - O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Okay:
Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles
The Divine Comedy - Casanova
Boredoms - 77 Boadrum
Pere Ubu - New Picnic Time

Also, while I was scanning through the Michael Jackson "Thriller" RTT today, I noticed I unknowingly stole my "personal" rating system from Romain, including even the "not for me" category. :? Romain was using this way back in 2014; and, apparently, I liked it so much that I started using it without even realizing I'd seen it before. Sorry, Romain! (I figured you probably didn't mind me using it, since I haven't heard from any lawyers yet! :mrgreen: )
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Romain
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Romain »

The file is at my lawyers, the record is huge.
It's going to cost you... a lot.

First, you have to put the Divine Comedy album in the category "Great" this week.

:-)
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by jamieW »

Romain wrote:The file is at my lawyers, the record is huge.
It's going to cost you... a lot.

First, you have to put the Divine Comedy album in the category "Great" this week.

:-)
Ha -that's what I was afraid of!

Would it help my cause if I admit the Divine Comedy is great? When I listen to their layered baroque pop and great songwriting, I do realize the problem is with me and not with them.

Hopefully, this admission can get me a reduced sentence? :P
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Romain
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Romain »

No!
Dura Lex, Sed Lex!

Dante will send you directly to the ninth circle of his hell :mrgreen:
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by jamieW »

Romain wrote:No!
Dura Lex, Sed Lex!

Dante will send you directly to the ninth circle of his hell :mrgreen:
Yikes - that is harsh! Makes me think I should've gone with my other option, "Not my thing" instead of "Not for me." (Kind of like how drug companies avoid copyright infringement by calling "Pepto Bismol" "Bepto Pismol," or something similar.) ;)
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by StevieFan13 »

Changing my vote because I just remembered Casanova has "Songs of Love" on it, and that song's incredible (and inextricably tied to one of my favorite TV shows, Father Ted).
Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand - Sir Duke (1976)
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by FrankLotion »

1. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
2. The Divine Comedy - Casanova
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030
4. Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles
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Romain
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Romain »

jamieW wrote:
Romain wrote:No!
Dura Lex, Sed Lex!

Dante will send you directly to the ninth circle of his hell :mrgreen:
Yikes - that is harsh! Makes me think I should've gone with my other option, "Not my thing" instead of "Not for me." (Kind of like how drug companies avoid copyright infringement by calling "Pepto Bismol" "Bepto Pismol," or something similar.) ;)
Or I will put this on French, a "Pas pour moi" instead of not for me :-) Or we can create a private club, the "NFM chic club" :mrgreen:
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Romain
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Romain »

StevieFan13 wrote:Changing my vote because I just remembered Casanova has "Songs of Love" on it, and that song's incredible (and inextricably tied to one of my favorite TV shows, Father Ted).
It's a good choice Stevie, the only choice :mrgreen:
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by jamieW »

Romain wrote:
jamieW wrote:
Romain wrote:No!
Dura Lex, Sed Lex!

Dante will send you directly to the ninth circle of his hell :mrgreen:
Yikes - that is harsh! Makes me think I should've gone with my other option, "Not my thing" instead of "Not for me." (Kind of like how drug companies avoid copyright infringement by calling "Pepto Bismol" "Bepto Pismol," or something similar.) ;)
Or I will put this on French, a "Pas pour moi" instead of not for me :-) Or we can create a private club, the "NFM chic club" :mrgreen:
I like the idea of a NFM club - the politest way possible to say we don't like something! (One thing's for sure: if you start using "Pas pour moi," and I steal that, too, then I deserve to get sued! :D )
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Rob »

We already did Captain Beefheart and The Residents, but with The Fall and Pere Ubu this week it seems we really have gotten around the great classic weirdos of rock this year.

8. Game Theory – The Big Shot Chronicles
I guess I can give up on trying to get Game Theory. This band is basically the ultimate best kept secret, a band that manages to have built up quite a following without even getting one song or album on Acclaimed Music, while none of their music is played much on Spotify or other streaming services. They are yet undiscovered by critics and audiences alike and are thus completely owned by music nerds. But why this band? It’s hard for me to find something that sounds more average. Every song sounds to me like an opening tune of a nineties sitcoms (and I don’t like sitcoms – and their tunes even less). It’s melodic and tuneful, but also bland and instantly forgettable. Last week I have not even once been able remember what this album was actually called. I listened to Lolita Nation for last year’s Moderately Acclaimed poll and I don’t remember a damn thing about what it sounded like. I’m probably asking the wrong forum, but maybe Game Theory never broke out because they weren’t all that special?

7. The Divine Comedy – Casanova
I heard The Divine Comedy too for the first time through one of our poll, last year’s Moderately Acclaimed Album of 2016 poll. That was Foreverland and I actually hated that album (don’t worry, I’m going to be more positive after this entry), so I wasn’t expecting much from Casanova. Well, I’m not getting much exactly, but it turns out I didn’t hate Casanova at all. It’s lightly likeable. Neil Hannon’s lothario vocal parody doesn’t appeal to me personally, but the tunes are nice if somewhat too slick and derivative to really grab me. A real “not bad, not good” album for me.

6. Pere Ubu – New Picnic Time
You won’t find a weirder rock band than Pere Ubu, at least not this side of Captain Beefheart, and with New Picnic Time they really went off the beaten path. This album is inexplicable. There are tracks here that hardly qualify as songs. Something like A Small Dark Cloud can only be described as some sound collected in no particular order of fashion. I head a couple of earlier songs by Pere Ubu before, and wrote about Final Solution for my 10.000 Songs series, but that was all rather tame in comparison to this. Here is a band that makes all other acts lose their right to be called “alternative” and makes you think twice before calling anything “experimental” ever again (like this week’s far more accessible Deltron 3030). Do I like New Picnic Time? I’m not sure, but that seems to be besides the point. It is an experience that kind of needs to exist and I appreciate Pere Ubu for making it.

5. Deltron 3030 – Deltron 3030
This album is described on AM and RYM as “experimental hip-hop”. Well, in a week with New Picnic Time it is hard to still look experimental, but even so I already questioned the label before listening to the Pere Ubu entry. What is the experimental nature precisely? I think this is a surprisingly accessible and fun album. Sure, the sci-fi concept is unusual, but not unheard of. This a great epic, rich in sound, character and surprisingly varied and compelling for its long running time. It never lags. If #5 of the week seems low, that is because the top 5 of this week is truly great.

4. The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace
Another band I first listened to last year because of Moderately Acclaimed, but here the story goes a bit different. I couldn’t get into Bend Sinister then, but have come to appreciate other works of the band quite a bit. Their discography is enormous so I hardly know a big part of it, but This Nation’s Saving Grace might well be the highlight. Too be fair, in this case that might be because the album is quite accessible. It is still rough around the edges and The Fall retains its wacky fury, but This Nation’s Saving Grace is also surprisingly catchy, fun and even danceable. If you don’t mind your rock to be particularly scrappy – and I love that – this is your album.

3. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
I have always thought of this as a good National album, but also as one that is less essential than anything else since Alligator. It is the one were they didn’t try to expand their sound. Listening to it again twice this week I have to admit that I really don’t care that much as I like their sound and if they can still put so much soul into it, why should I complain?

2. The Boredoms – 77 Boadrum
Yes, 77 drummers. With the main gut also throwing in some synths, guitars or shouts into the mix. And this is all done live. There are only two “songs”, each lasting longer than the complete album this one is up against. Both the tracks take a while to get going, but once they do there is no stopping this. It all becomes a loud, bombastic, yet also strikingly spiritual spectacle. This is a real experience. As exhausting for the listener as it must have been for the performers. Yet sometimes exhaustion can give you a unique sense of satisfaction. This album is one of a kind and one of those things I would never have guessed I really needed in my life. [Very different than last year’s Boredoms entry, Visions Creation Newson, too.]

1. Various Artists – O Brother, Where Art Thou?
One of my nominations and a long-time favourite that I know by heart. The film it belongs to is great and this captures it’s spirit so well. It basically a collection of very old tunes, mostly covered by a who’s who of country, bluegrass and the blues of around the year 2000. Despite being new recordings (except the first two songs) it still retains an old-time feeling and it evokes a certain area in a certain era. It does this with a sense of feeling, nostalgia, humour and a ton of character. Completely devoid of irony that would have fitted the Coen Brothers too. Also, “Death” as done by Ralph Stanley is really weird recording. The only complaint? The version of I Fly Away in the actual film as done by The Kossoy Sisters and Erik Darling is not on the original record (it is on the Deluxe version), but is replaced by a version by big names Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss. Their version is fine too; it just doesn’t have the feathery feeling of the one that appears in the film. A minor mistake though.

My votes in a simple overview:
1. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace vs. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
2. The Divine Comedy - Casanova vs. The Original Soundtrack - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 vs. Pere Ubu - New Picnic Time
4. Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles vs. Boredoms - 77 Boadrum
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Brad »

My picks:
1. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace vs. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
2. The Divine Comedy - Casanova vs. The Original Soundtrack - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 vs. Pere Ubu - New Picnic Time
4. Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles vs. Boredoms - 77 Boadrum

Thanks!
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Brad »

and about 14 hours left to vote!
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by spiritualized »

1. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
2. The Divine Comedy - Casanova
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Kingoftonga »

Winners in red:

1. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace vs. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
2. The Divine Comedy - Casanova vs. The Original Soundtrack - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 vs. Pere Ubu - New Picnic Time
4. Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles vs. Boredoms - 77 Boadrum
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Sweepstakes Ron »

1. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace vs. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
2. The Divine Comedy - Casanova vs. The Original Soundtrack - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 vs. Pere Ubu - New Picnic Time
4. Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles vs. Boredoms - 77 Boadrum
Splish splash, I was raking in the cash
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2018 - Round 1.12

Post by Brad »

A mere 14 voters this week:
Bang Jan
Brad
DaveC
FrankLotion
Honorio
jamieW
Jirin
Kingoftonga
PlasticRam
Rob
Romain
spiritualized
StevieFan13
Sweepstakes Ron

Winners:
1. The National - Trouble Will Find Me over The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace 9-5
2. The Original Soundtrack - O Brother, Where Art Thou? over The Divine Comedy - Casanova 8-5
3. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 over Pere Ubu - New Picnic Time 11-2
4. Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles over Boredoms - 77 Boadrum 6-5

Round 1.13 up next!
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