Acclaimed Music Forums

Welcome to Round 2.1 of Moderately Acclaimed Albums!
You've heard 'em at least once... give 'em another listen!

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 29th at 10am EST.

Here's a link to the bracket for the entire tournament:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=474290

Match-ups:
1. The Waterboys - This Is The Sea vs. Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. Arab Strap - Philophobia
3. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan vs. Roy Harper - Man And Myth
4. American Football - American Football vs. Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

Mellow is the man who knows what he's been missing

1. The Waterboys - This Is The Sea vs. Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. Arab Strap - Philophobia
3. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan vs. Roy Harper - Man And Myth
4. American Football - American Football vs. Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

1. The Waterboys - This Is The Sea
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle
3. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan
4. American Football - American Football

In brackets you'll find whether I liked an album more (+), less (-) or about the same (=) on second listen.

3 | The Waterboys - This Is The Sea (+) vs. 8 | Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra (-)
5 | Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle (-) vs. 6 | Arab Strap - Philophobia (=)
7 | Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan (-) vs. 2 | Roy Harper - Man And Myth (=)
1 | American Football - American Football (=) vs. 4 | Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban (+)

1. The Waterboys - This Is The Sea vs. Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. Arab Strap - Philophobia
3. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan vs. Roy Harper - Man And Myth
4. American Football - American Football vs. Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

My picks:
1. The Waterboys - This Is The Sea vs. Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. Arab Strap - Philophobia
3. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan vs. Roy Harper - Man And Myth
4. American Football - American Football vs. Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

Thanks!

The Waterboys - This Is The Sea

The Lion And The Cobra 78 - This Is The Sea 74
Once I Was an Eagle 93 - Philophobia 73
Man And Myth 95 - I, Jonathan 46
American Football 87 - Afro Cuban 84

1. The Waterboys - This Is The Sea
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle
3. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan
4. American Football - American Football

Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle
Roy Harper - Man And Myth
Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

1. The Waterboys - This Is the Sea (1985) vs. 6. Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra (1987)
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle (2013) vs. 8. Arab Strap - Philophobia (2013)
7. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan (1992) vs. 5. Roy Harper - Man And Myth (2013)
4. American Football - American Football (1999) vs. 3. Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban (1955)

Favorite song off any album: The Whole of the Moon

1. The Waterboys - This Is The Sea
2. Arab Strap - Philophobia
3. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan
4. Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

Second round means ranking the nominations in the context of the artists' discographies for me:

5. The Waterboys - This Is the Sea (my favourite of 2 albums I've heard by the artist) v. 4. Sinéad O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra (#2/3 albums I've heard by the artist)
3. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle (5/7) v. 2. Arab Strap - Philophobia (1/6)
7. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan (1/2) v. 6. Roy Harper - Man and Myth (3/4)
8. American Football - American Football [1999] (1/2) v. 1. Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban (1/5)

2 | The Waterboys | This Is The Sea
3 | Sinéad O’Connor | The Lion and the Cobra

1 | Laura Marling | Once I Was an Eagle
7 | Arab Strap | Philophobia

6 | Jonathan Richman | I, Jonathan
5 | Roy Harper | Man And Myth

8 | American Football | American Football
4 | Kenny Dorham | Afro-Cuban

Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle
Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan
Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

Favorite album I didn't vote for: The Waterboys - This Is The Sea (My second favorite album of the week)
Favorite song off any album: Sinéad O’Connor - Troy

This Is The Sea - 10 > The Lion and the Cobra - 7
Once I Was an Eagle - 8 > Philophobia - 5
I, Jonathan - 8 > Man And Myth - 6
American Football - 6 < Afro-Cuban - 8

Changelog:
- This is the Sea was really strong this week on a re-listen. So dramatic, I love it.
- I, Jonathan significantly improved for me, I really appreciated the quirky tone. Velvet Underground is a great track.
- Loser of each matchup was one I found less exciting. The slower albums really dragged for me, Philophobia in particular. Probably a consequence of writing school reports while I listened.

1. The Waterboys - This Is The Sea vs. Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. Arab Strap - Philophobia
3. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan vs. Roy Harper - Man And Myth
4. American Football - American Football vs. Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan

5. The Waterboys - This Is The Sea vs. 7. Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
4. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. 8. Arab Strap - Philophobia
2. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan vs. 3. Roy Harper - Man And Myth
1. American Football - American Football vs. 6. Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

The Jonathan Richman/ Roy Harper line-up is painful. I know Harper is the better and more unique one and I love it, but Richman is irresistible.

22 - 1/2 hours left to vote!

Results will be delayed tomorrow due to an obligation I have. Will be about 1-2 hours late.

Only 17 total voters this week:
acroamor
Bang Jan
bonnielaurel
Brad
DaveC
Honorio
jaimeW
Jirin
Listyguy
LunarPiper
Madzong
mileswide
Rdwdbob
Rob
Safetycat
Schüttelbirne
spiritualized

Winners:
1. The Waterboys - This Is The Sea over Sinéad O’Connor - The Lion and the Cobra 11-6
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle over Arab Strap - Philophobia 14-2
3. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan over Roy Harper - Man And Myth 9-8
4. American Football - American Football over Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban 9-7

Round 2.2 up soon!