Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Welcome to round 1.3 of Moderately Acclaimed Albums 2020!
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 = March 31st at 10am EST.
Here's a link to the bracket for the entire tournament:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=473090
Match-ups:
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Quick note - Clube de Esquina should have been included on the list of albums with multiple nominations (it had 2) - I missed it originally.
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
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 = March 31st at 10am EST.
Here's a link to the bracket for the entire tournament:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=473090
Match-ups:
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Quick note - Clube de Esquina should have been included on the list of albums with multiple nominations (it had 2) - I missed it originally.
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( )
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina
3. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Electra - Adaptionen
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina
3. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Electra - Adaptionen
Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand - Sir Duke (1976)
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Is there a thread we can find results of past iterations of this game?
"The better a singer's voice, the harder it is to believe what they're saying."
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( )
3. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
3. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=381742
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?t ... bum%20%233
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=439202
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=450674
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=456949
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=462048
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?t ... Albums%208
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=469154
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?t ... %282019%29
I don't know where the first edition is.
I feel like that
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Bullinamingvase is a good discovery that I added to my AT list. ( ) was already on my AT list.
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Bullinamingvase is a good discovery that I added to my AT list. ( ) was already on my AT list.
I feel like that
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
I'll log in and see if I still have a link to it.PlasticRam wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 4:21 pmhttp://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=381742
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?t ... bum%20%233
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=439202
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=450674
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=456949
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=462048
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?t ... Albums%208
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=469154
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?t ... %282019%29
I don't know where the first edition is.
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
() 85 - Good Old Boys 45
Cluba Da Esquina (#54 AT) - Talk Talk Talk (#660 AT)
Where are people listening to Adaptionen? Bullnamingverse gets 94 from me. Abstaining from the other one because I don't think I can fairly rate a soundtrack against other kinds of albums unless it's one I either really love or really hate.
I can't stand Randy Newman. His belief in his cleverness far exceeds his cleverness and he just comes off as smug.
Cluba Da Esquina (#54 AT) - Talk Talk Talk (#660 AT)
Where are people listening to Adaptionen? Bullnamingverse gets 94 from me. Abstaining from the other one because I don't think I can fairly rate a soundtrack against other kinds of albums unless it's one I either really love or really hate.
I can't stand Randy Newman. His belief in his cleverness far exceeds his cleverness and he just comes off as smug.
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina
3. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Pass
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina
3. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Pass
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
I didn't nominate it, but I think my #3 AT favourite album won't suffer the indignity of being ejected from this game just yet.
2.Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
I would like Milton Nascimento to get more exposure, but have to vote my favourite here. 'Clube da Esquina' is Nascimento's top rated album, but I like 'Minas' better.
3.Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs.Electra - Adaptionen
I didn't nominate it, but I think my #3 AT favourite album won't suffer the indignity of being ejected from this game just yet.
2.
I would like Milton Nascimento to get more exposure, but have to vote my favourite here. 'Clube da Esquina' is Nascimento's top rated album, but I like 'Minas' better.
3.
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs.
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( )
2. Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Roy Harper - Bullnamingverse
2. Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Roy Harper - Bullnamingverse
Last edited by Madzong on Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:47 pm, edited 3 times in total.
"On a mountain range, I'm Dr. Strange"
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Bullnamingverse 94 - Adaptionen 88
I wish these two weren't against each other.
I wish these two weren't against each other.
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
And, the link to the first game's bracket: http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?t ... 57&tclass=
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Ros - ()
2. Milton Nascimento and Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina
3. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullnamingverse
2. Milton Nascimento and Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina
3. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullnamingverse
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
3 | Sigur Rós | ( )
4 | Randy Newman | Good Old Boys
1 | Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges | Clube da Esquina
6 | The Psychedelic Furs | Talk Talk Talk
2 | Vince Guaraldi | A Charlie Brown Christmas
8 | Julien Baker | Sprained Ankle
5 | Roy Harper | Bullinamingvase
7 | Electra | Adaptionen
Favourite song of the week: Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges | Tudo Que Você Podia Ser
4 | Randy Newman | Good Old Boys
1 | Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges | Clube da Esquina
6 | The Psychedelic Furs | Talk Talk Talk
2 | Vince Guaraldi | A Charlie Brown Christmas
8 | Julien Baker | Sprained Ankle
5 | Roy Harper | Bullinamingvase
7 | Electra | Adaptionen
Favourite song of the week: Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges | Tudo Que Você Podia Ser
"The first word in this song is discorporate. It means to leave your body."
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Just letting you know I added in my votes for the following:
1. Sigur Rós - ( )
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Roy Harper - Bullnamingverse
I edited my original post above but in case you missed that, I made a separate post here. Sorry about that. In future when I add in new votes, I will make a new post.
1. Sigur Rós - ( )
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Roy Harper - Bullnamingverse
I edited my original post above but in case you missed that, I made a separate post here. Sorry about that. In future when I add in new votes, I will make a new post.
"On a mountain range, I'm Dr. Strange"
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
Last edited by Listyguy on Fri Mar 27, 2020 12:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( )
2. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Pass.
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase
2. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Pass.
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
I nominated Good Old Boys. In doing so, I hope I was able to introduce some folks to music that hasn't already been well-established as a forum favorite, but rather is more in line with the intent of opening up musical paths that have not yet been overly-explored.
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Thanks!
I nominated Good Old Boys. In doing so, I hope I was able to introduce some folks to music that hasn't already been well-established as a forum favorite, but rather is more in line with the intent of opening up musical paths that have not yet been overly-explored.
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Thanks!
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Ros - ( ) - By FAR my favorite discovery so far.
2. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk - Gave both a 5/5 in my albums spreadsheet, but this one takes the cake
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Electra - Adaptionen
2. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk - Gave both a 5/5 in my albums spreadsheet, but this one takes the cake
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Electra - Adaptionen
Last edited by Holden on Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"The better a singer's voice, the harder it is to believe what they're saying."
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
8 Sigur Rós - ( ) v. 4. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
1. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina v. 3. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
7. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas v. 5. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
2. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase v. 6. Electra - Adaptionen
Standout tracks: Njósnavélin | Louisiana 1927 | Trem de Doido | Mr. Jones | Christmas Is Coming | Vessels | Cherishing the Lonesome | Türkischer Marsch
1. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina v. 3. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
7. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas v. 5. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
2. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase v. 6. Electra - Adaptionen
Standout tracks: Njósnavélin | Louisiana 1927 | Trem de Doido | Mr. Jones | Christmas Is Coming | Vessels | Cherishing the Lonesome | Türkischer Marsch
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
2. ( ) > 3. Good Old Boys
6. Clube da Esquina < 1. Talk Talk Talk
5. A Charlie Brown Christmas > 8. Sprained Ankle
4. Bullinamingvase > 7. Adaptionen
6. Clube da Esquina < 1. Talk Talk Talk
5. A Charlie Brown Christmas > 8. Sprained Ankle
4. Bullinamingvase > 7. Adaptionen
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
RANDY NEWMAN - GOOD OLD BOYS
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS - TALK TALK
VINCE GUARALDI - A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
ELECTRA - ADAPTIONEN
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS - TALK TALK
VINCE GUARALDI - A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
ELECTRA - ADAPTIONEN
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase
2. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
Its been a while since i've listened to (), Untitled 8 is still a monster
Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
Maybe the result would have been different three month ago
Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Two interesting albums i've never listened to before
Its been a while since i've listened to (), Untitled 8 is still a monster
Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
Maybe the result would have been different three month ago
Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Two interesting albums i've never listened to before
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
A desert island album can be found with () - top 100 for me - I am shocked that mileswide, who I seem to have very strong musical affinities with, rates it under Randy Newman's very uneven album. What gives, mileswide ?
2.Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
Sadly, my nomination goes against a very strong contender, oh well?
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs.Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
Not impressed by either one, but a slight preference for classic cartoon music
4.Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Really don't see the attraction of Harper's album. Bland is the best term I could find. Adaptionen has the merit of trying something fun, although I am not a proto-prog rock fan, this sounds very Jethro Tull.
A desert island album can be found with () - top 100 for me - I am shocked that mileswide, who I seem to have very strong musical affinities with, rates it under Randy Newman's very uneven album. What gives, mileswide ?
2.
Sadly, my nomination goes against a very strong contender, oh well?
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs.
Not impressed by either one, but a slight preference for classic cartoon music
4.
Really don't see the attraction of Harper's album. Bland is the best term I could find. Adaptionen has the merit of trying something fun, although I am not a proto-prog rock fan, this sounds very Jethro Tull.
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
23 hours left to vote!
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Three of these match-ups are between a singer/songwriter and an instrumental album (or almost instrumental in case of Charlie Brown). Just a thought.
8. Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges – Clube Da Esquina
Bar a few exceptions I just don’t connect to this type of music. A lot of Brazilian music is just a little too mellow and gentle for me. There are great mellow and gentle albums that somehow work as transcendental pacifiers, but for some reason a lot from Brazil just becomes background music to me. I didn’t connect to a single song on Clube Da Esquina after two tries. I’m sorry I can’t say more meaningful things about it.
7. Julien Baker – Sprained Ankle
This album is from 2015. Phoebe Bridgers’ Stranger in the Alps has a similar sound and came out two years later. Was Bridgers’ sound influenced by Baker? They later worked together of course on Boygenius so they are at least mutual admirers. Here’s the thing, though, Stranger in the Alps is one of my favorite albums of the decade/ all time, but I barely can get myself to like Sprained Ankle, despite similarities. Baker’s debut is only 33 minutes long, but feels at least twice as long. The reason is that Baker’s songs, which are mostly short, have very few lyrics, but she draws them out with her voice, testing my patience at times and also making it hard to focus on what she says. Baker is also not focusing on melody, so it just kind of meanders. Like Bridgers Baker focusses on themes of self-loathing, relation-based hurt and self-inflicted alienation, but although Baker has some nice turns of phrase I miss a real love for language. I feel that Turn Out the Lights fixed some of these problems. Maybe, Sprained Ankle is an album that needs to grow, but despite all the sadness contained I’m not really feeling it all that much at the moment.
6. Psychedelic Furs – Talk Talk Talk
A very eighties, alternative rock album. So we have a bit of a rough sound, but not too rough. Hooks that never go too far to worm their way into your brain. It’s far from soulless, but don’t expect emotions to rise high. In its way it is a fine album; certainly not among the best I heard from the genre in that era, but certainly not the worst. The best parts are when the sax comes into play; when it does, the songs just get the extra kick they need. Curiously, I find the most famous song here, Pretty in Pink, one of the least interesting tracks. Give me Dumb Waiters (I love how this opening track already seems to have started before the album has), I Wanna Sleep With You and Mr. Jones. These rock the most.
5. Electra – Adaptionen
Not the only rockification of classical music album of this poll (Ekseption is still coming) and not the only of the period. The late sixties and the seventies saw several of these attempts, as if rock bands were saying: “Look we’re good enough for classical now”. Purists still shiver, but I have enjoyed a lot of these recordings. What helps is that these bands don’t really go for St. Matthew’s Passion, but frequently settle for the more wild and fun classical pieces. Electra’s choices of In the Hall of the Mountain King and Sabre Dance for example aren’t remarkable; they are low-key rock standards by now. In fact, I would say Electra deliver rather standard prog versions of all these songs, which is not to say that this album is lacking in spirit. It brings back a certain possessiveness and liveliness that sometimes lacks in stately concert halls (not always, mind). Sadly, their prog sound is so of it’s time that these recordings sound more out of date nowadays than any more straightforward recording of these pieces. But I don’t mind, I’m having fun with it.
4. Randy Newman – Good Old Boys
Randy Newman, certainly in the period of this album, is known as a satirist. He writes songs that have true bite and he delivers some of the most malicious commentaries on human and particularly American misbehavior. There is more though, on Good Old Boys, an album that for all its conceptual nature and clear themes, is surprisingly hard to pinpoint. It’s subject is mostly the deep South of America. The opener Rednecks sets the scene immediately, but not necessarily the tone. That song is so extremely vitriolic and nasty (and catchy, it should be said) that I think it is too much. I don’t rarely feel sorry for rednecks, but here I don’t know quite what Newman hopes to achieve with such an unsubtle, degrading song. After that though, we get more mixed feelings – or do we? It’s sometimes hard to say whether Newman is kidding us or if he sometimes is sincere. Is Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man) an ode to the neglected working man or not? Is there a mean streak in Kingfish or is it real good fun? I don’t know, but there is something interesting about the way Newman lets the music and imagery of the South drench into his bones, even if he adds something of a cabaret to it. Louisiana 1927 reveals a soft spot for the South and Rollin’ sounds like a real traditional standard of the old days. The album is better and more worthwhile than Rednecks suggests, but oddly that opener actually only adds to the complexity of the whole. It’s also great to listen to, I should add, as Newman knows how to write a memorable tune.
3. Roy Harper – Bullinamingvase
A bull in a Ming vase? Well, Roy Harper is a bit the bad boy of gentle English folk, for whatever that is worth. He doesn’t seem as obviously mean-spirited as Randy Newman can be, but there is a devil in here. Yet he is a devil who crafts some very appealing folk melodies and has a voice that is as at ease with bile as he is with softer words. His work – as I know it – can be a bit uneven, but this a good one, with the pastoral One of These Days in England and the jolly sarcasm of Watford Gap as highlights.
2. Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Christmas album based on a kids’ tv holiday movie I never saw, based on a comic I never read? I don’t think so. Honestly, no matter how big a classic this is (it doesn’t rank on AM, but look at that RateYourMusic ranking!), I’m not sure if I would ever have put this on by myself. Certainly not in March (although it did snow a little today). People who follow me on Spotify and saw this playing must have thought I’ve finally gone insane. Let them think so, the joke’s on them, because this is an incredible album. Like Adaptionen it consists largely of adaptations of existing music, in this case of course Christmas songs, but there is also room for Beethoven. My Little Drum is actually credited to Guaraldi himself, but he’s not fooling everyone, that is Little Drummer Boy. Despite a superficial link to Adaptionen, this is a very different kind of album in feel. It is light, playful, childlike – but not childish – and filled with holiday spirit. Whereas many Christmas albums are a bit samey and a bit kitsch, this feels curiously genuine. It’s hard to put my finger on why, but this is how I want my Christmases to sound. My Little Drum, with those vocals, is as creative as adaptations get, while Christmas Time Is Here and Hark, the Herals Angels Sing find time for the sacral part of the fest. Of course, there is also original composition Linus and Lucy, the only one I heard before, and it feels like kids unpacking their Christmas presents. Pure joy.
1. Sigur Rós – ()
Why make an album without titles and then still give it titles? Just a stray thought. To be fair, how would you really call songs like these? The strength of Sigur Rós has always been how particular the mood of their music is. You can call it a mix between post-rock and ambient, but that doesn’t quite capture their sound. It is the definition of ethereal, of an ungraspable magic, as mysterious as legends of old, before the current need to explain fairy tales. If that all sounds a little pretentious, well, Sigur Rós goes down easy. This is one of their most exceptional albums and perhaps their quietest. I love it, because it’s soothing power is matched by few albums. The beauty of the piano in Untitled 3 in particular makes life seem definitely worth it.
A simple overview of my votes:
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
8. Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges – Clube Da Esquina
Bar a few exceptions I just don’t connect to this type of music. A lot of Brazilian music is just a little too mellow and gentle for me. There are great mellow and gentle albums that somehow work as transcendental pacifiers, but for some reason a lot from Brazil just becomes background music to me. I didn’t connect to a single song on Clube Da Esquina after two tries. I’m sorry I can’t say more meaningful things about it.
7. Julien Baker – Sprained Ankle
This album is from 2015. Phoebe Bridgers’ Stranger in the Alps has a similar sound and came out two years later. Was Bridgers’ sound influenced by Baker? They later worked together of course on Boygenius so they are at least mutual admirers. Here’s the thing, though, Stranger in the Alps is one of my favorite albums of the decade/ all time, but I barely can get myself to like Sprained Ankle, despite similarities. Baker’s debut is only 33 minutes long, but feels at least twice as long. The reason is that Baker’s songs, which are mostly short, have very few lyrics, but she draws them out with her voice, testing my patience at times and also making it hard to focus on what she says. Baker is also not focusing on melody, so it just kind of meanders. Like Bridgers Baker focusses on themes of self-loathing, relation-based hurt and self-inflicted alienation, but although Baker has some nice turns of phrase I miss a real love for language. I feel that Turn Out the Lights fixed some of these problems. Maybe, Sprained Ankle is an album that needs to grow, but despite all the sadness contained I’m not really feeling it all that much at the moment.
6. Psychedelic Furs – Talk Talk Talk
A very eighties, alternative rock album. So we have a bit of a rough sound, but not too rough. Hooks that never go too far to worm their way into your brain. It’s far from soulless, but don’t expect emotions to rise high. In its way it is a fine album; certainly not among the best I heard from the genre in that era, but certainly not the worst. The best parts are when the sax comes into play; when it does, the songs just get the extra kick they need. Curiously, I find the most famous song here, Pretty in Pink, one of the least interesting tracks. Give me Dumb Waiters (I love how this opening track already seems to have started before the album has), I Wanna Sleep With You and Mr. Jones. These rock the most.
5. Electra – Adaptionen
Not the only rockification of classical music album of this poll (Ekseption is still coming) and not the only of the period. The late sixties and the seventies saw several of these attempts, as if rock bands were saying: “Look we’re good enough for classical now”. Purists still shiver, but I have enjoyed a lot of these recordings. What helps is that these bands don’t really go for St. Matthew’s Passion, but frequently settle for the more wild and fun classical pieces. Electra’s choices of In the Hall of the Mountain King and Sabre Dance for example aren’t remarkable; they are low-key rock standards by now. In fact, I would say Electra deliver rather standard prog versions of all these songs, which is not to say that this album is lacking in spirit. It brings back a certain possessiveness and liveliness that sometimes lacks in stately concert halls (not always, mind). Sadly, their prog sound is so of it’s time that these recordings sound more out of date nowadays than any more straightforward recording of these pieces. But I don’t mind, I’m having fun with it.
4. Randy Newman – Good Old Boys
Randy Newman, certainly in the period of this album, is known as a satirist. He writes songs that have true bite and he delivers some of the most malicious commentaries on human and particularly American misbehavior. There is more though, on Good Old Boys, an album that for all its conceptual nature and clear themes, is surprisingly hard to pinpoint. It’s subject is mostly the deep South of America. The opener Rednecks sets the scene immediately, but not necessarily the tone. That song is so extremely vitriolic and nasty (and catchy, it should be said) that I think it is too much. I don’t rarely feel sorry for rednecks, but here I don’t know quite what Newman hopes to achieve with such an unsubtle, degrading song. After that though, we get more mixed feelings – or do we? It’s sometimes hard to say whether Newman is kidding us or if he sometimes is sincere. Is Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man) an ode to the neglected working man or not? Is there a mean streak in Kingfish or is it real good fun? I don’t know, but there is something interesting about the way Newman lets the music and imagery of the South drench into his bones, even if he adds something of a cabaret to it. Louisiana 1927 reveals a soft spot for the South and Rollin’ sounds like a real traditional standard of the old days. The album is better and more worthwhile than Rednecks suggests, but oddly that opener actually only adds to the complexity of the whole. It’s also great to listen to, I should add, as Newman knows how to write a memorable tune.
3. Roy Harper – Bullinamingvase
A bull in a Ming vase? Well, Roy Harper is a bit the bad boy of gentle English folk, for whatever that is worth. He doesn’t seem as obviously mean-spirited as Randy Newman can be, but there is a devil in here. Yet he is a devil who crafts some very appealing folk melodies and has a voice that is as at ease with bile as he is with softer words. His work – as I know it – can be a bit uneven, but this a good one, with the pastoral One of These Days in England and the jolly sarcasm of Watford Gap as highlights.
2. Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Christmas album based on a kids’ tv holiday movie I never saw, based on a comic I never read? I don’t think so. Honestly, no matter how big a classic this is (it doesn’t rank on AM, but look at that RateYourMusic ranking!), I’m not sure if I would ever have put this on by myself. Certainly not in March (although it did snow a little today). People who follow me on Spotify and saw this playing must have thought I’ve finally gone insane. Let them think so, the joke’s on them, because this is an incredible album. Like Adaptionen it consists largely of adaptations of existing music, in this case of course Christmas songs, but there is also room for Beethoven. My Little Drum is actually credited to Guaraldi himself, but he’s not fooling everyone, that is Little Drummer Boy. Despite a superficial link to Adaptionen, this is a very different kind of album in feel. It is light, playful, childlike – but not childish – and filled with holiday spirit. Whereas many Christmas albums are a bit samey and a bit kitsch, this feels curiously genuine. It’s hard to put my finger on why, but this is how I want my Christmases to sound. My Little Drum, with those vocals, is as creative as adaptations get, while Christmas Time Is Here and Hark, the Herals Angels Sing find time for the sacral part of the fest. Of course, there is also original composition Linus and Lucy, the only one I heard before, and it feels like kids unpacking their Christmas presents. Pure joy.
1. Sigur Rós – ()
Why make an album without titles and then still give it titles? Just a stray thought. To be fair, how would you really call songs like these? The strength of Sigur Rós has always been how particular the mood of their music is. You can call it a mix between post-rock and ambient, but that doesn’t quite capture their sound. It is the definition of ethereal, of an ungraspable magic, as mysterious as legends of old, before the current need to explain fairy tales. If that all sounds a little pretentious, well, Sigur Rós goes down easy. This is one of their most exceptional albums and perhaps their quietest. I love it, because it’s soothing power is matched by few albums. The beauty of the piano in Untitled 3 in particular makes life seem definitely worth it.
A simple overview of my votes:
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( )
2. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
2. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
1. Sigur Rós - ( )
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Electra - Adaptionen
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Electra - Adaptionen
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Winners in red:
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Thanks madzong, no need to make a new post - I don't count these until the week is over.madzong wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2020 4:57 am Just letting you know I added in my votes for the following:
1. Sigur Rós - ( )
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
4. Roy Harper - Bullnamingverse
I edited my original post above but in case you missed that, I made a separate post here. Sorry about that. In future when I add in new votes, I will make a new post.
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- Rust Never Sleeps
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
And sneaking in right before the deadline...
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase vs. Electra - Adaptionen
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
25 total voters this week:
acroamor
Bang Jan
Brad
Cold Butterfly
DaveC
FrankLotion
Gillingham
Holden
Jirin
Kingoftonga
Listyguy
madzong
mileswide
Myself
Nassim
PlasticRam
Rdwdbob
Rob
Romain
rumpdoll
Safetycat
Schüttelbirne
spiritualized
StevieFan13
Wisnu Tirta Aji
Winners:
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) over Randy Newman - Good Old Boys 20-5
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina over The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk 13-12 (ot)
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas over Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle 11-9
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase over Electra - Adaptionen 15-5
We have a TIE!
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
***TIE! 12-12 Next vote from anyone who has not already voted for this matchup wins!***
Round 1.4 up soon!
acroamor
Bang Jan
Brad
Cold Butterfly
DaveC
FrankLotion
Gillingham
Holden
Jirin
Kingoftonga
Listyguy
madzong
mileswide
Myself
Nassim
PlasticRam
Rdwdbob
Rob
Romain
rumpdoll
Safetycat
Schüttelbirne
spiritualized
StevieFan13
Wisnu Tirta Aji
Winners:
1. Sigur Rós - ( ) over Randy Newman - Good Old Boys 20-5
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina over The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk 13-12 (ot)
3. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas over Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle 11-9
4. Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase over Electra - Adaptionen 15-5
2. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges - Clube da Esquina vs. The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
***TIE! 12-12 Next vote from anyone who has not already voted for this matchup wins!***
Round 1.4 up soon!
Last edited by Brad on Tue Mar 31, 2020 3:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Honorio
- Higher Ground
- Posts: 4527
- Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:38 am
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges - Clube da Esquina
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Thank you Honorio!
Clube de Esquina takes it!
Clube de Esquina takes it!
Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 11 - Round 1.3
Haha, nothing personal against the lads from Iceland, just prefer when they're heavier and less atmospheric like on Kveikur. Besides, it wouldn't be interesting if we didn't have some musical differences, would it?spiritualized wrote: ↑Mon Mar 30, 2020 12:17 pm 1. Sigur Rós - ( ) vs.Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
A desert island album can be found with () - top 100 for me - I am shocked that mileswide, who I seem to have very strong musical affinities with, rates it under Randy Newman's very uneven album. What gives, mileswide ?
All I got inside is vacancy!