printable bracket

I was not able to squeeze some of the album titles completely within the boxes, but I think this will still work. I'll update and repost it from time to time.



Here is where things currently stand:

Saturday Morning

Penguin Cafe Orchestra's "Preludes, Airs and Yodels" VS. The Postal Service's "Give Up"

What a night Friday night was. Maybe there was a ton of people over and everybody crashed in the living room, draped over the furniture. Or maybe it's more of a family thing and everybody's over with their kids, who are all in sleeping bags in the basement, and the adults stayed up waaaay to late talking (like, past midnight even!). Maybe the alcohol flowed freely and there was a huge years-in-the-making cathartic confrontation after a fabulous meal, Big Night-style.

But now it's Saturday morning. The sun is shining through the windows. People slept in -- it's a little past ten o'clock (or, in the scenario with kids and families, a little past eight). Now they're just beginning to gather again and the host is frying up some eggs and bacon and the aroma of coffee is in the air. The fights from last night don't seem so important any more, and the foibles seem a little sweeter, and life is good.

So what music do you put on for this moment, the Saturday Morning Chill? Both of the albums in this matchup would do very nicely. You can easily imagine a bunch of cool folks sitting around the living room getting their first dose of caffeine and unconsciously nodding along to the tunes. Nice, very nice.

About the worst thing I can say about "Give Up," by The Postal Service, is that if theirs was the music playing for this event, at some point somebody would look around, distracted, and say, "Is somebody playing an Atari 2600 somewhere?" All the retro dings, bells, and whistles can get to be a bit much at times. Enough so that I think I'd prefer my Postal Service mixed in with other things, rather than all at once. But, for all that, it is near-perfect chill music. The lead vocals remind me of the dude from The Lightning Seeds, the female backing choral vocals meld in oh-so sweetly.

Stacking it up against Penguin Cafe Orchestra runs up against the ol' apples-and-oranges problem, since it's all, y'know, orchestral. Instrumental. Listening to the two albums together got me musing about lyrics and vocals generally. Admittedly, instrumental-only stuff is not my cup of tea. I like to have singing voices in my music, which is kind of odd, because I'm on my third listen of "Give Up" as I type and if you asked me to make some general comments about the lyrics in their songs, I would have nothing, absolutely nothing, to say. I could talk about the voices (and just did!) but not the words.

But anyway, to the match-up: Postal Service wins. No contest. While I think PCO would serve very nicely on Saturday morning chill duty, in the background, it couldn't hold my interest with active listening. Three or four tracks hooked me, out of nineteen. "Give Up" has a few duds, but other than that is consistently charming.

The Swell Season Strict Joy vs U2 All That You Can't Leave Behind

Imagine David and Goliath where Goliath works his way up from humble beginnings to become a wizen but lovable juggernaut, friend to all, champion of the downtrodden and generally a hip dude.  Plucky David, I hope you've brought some extra rocks.

Swell Season Strict Joy begins with Low Rising, a feisty, melancholy folk song that takes place on the edge of a breakup.  Feisty melancholy folk is actually a pretty good description for much of the album, with most of the songs looking at the space formed between two people.  The album is polished and many of the songs are whispered close and quiet.

Highlights from Strict Joy include The Verb, which is a contradiction of beautiful descants and two lives falling apart.  I Have Loved You Wrong is the prettiest and most delicate song on the album, meant to be listened to with headphones in a dark room.

Unfortunately there is little joy when you leave out the feisty, as happens on Fantasy Man and Two Tongues.  A few songs, like Paper Cup and Feeling the Pull, are a bit too earnest or bend a bit too much toward a generic folk sound.

Since I'd never heard of Swell Season before, I gorged on Strict Joy for a week to see if I could approximate my familiarity with U2.  I'm not sure I got there, but I feel like I blazed a trail.

There is not much new I can say about U2.  How would All That You Can't Leave Behind sound to someone who has never heard it before?  That question probably can't be answered in the universe we live in, but I'll take a hypothetical stab at it.

While Strict Joy looks inward, All tries to pack all of reality into fifty minutes.  The opening song, Beautiful Day, pulls us from the farthest point of darkness to see that the sun was rising the whole time:

See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out 

Most songs on the album work, even when a bit strained.  Phrases like "A mole, digging in a hole, Digging up my soul" slide by, but just barely.  But while other songs on the album take on big topics and succeed, the last song, Grace, tries just a bit too hard and flops.

Where All really succeeds is the music itself.  Big topics don't need an acquired taste and most songs on the album hook you instantly and have you humming or singing along.  While I built an appreciation for Swell Season's Strict Joy after a week of solid play, All's instant appeal doesn't seem any cheaper for its accessibility.

All really is a bolder album.  It pulls the covers off our world and folds them back almost as the application part of a sermon.  The themes go big and suddenly the space between people seems small.

. . .
Decision:  All That You Can't Leave Behind, U2
. . .

Instant Karma (Police) Is Gonna Get You

Released in 1997, Radiohead's Okay Computer is generally acknowledged to be among the best albums of the late twentieth century, a commercial and critical success that established Radiohead as one of the biggest bands in the world. That makes saying anything new or insightful about the album almost impossible. Really, the only question left is whether or not Okay Computer stands the test of time: is it still lyrically, musically, and conceptually relevant, even 15 years later?

For me, the answer is yes, though a qualified yes. What makes Okay Computer an album in the best sense of the word is its overarching theme--the big idea, as in Sgt. Pepper's conceit of an aging band getting back together for one last gig. The big idea of Okay Computer is less easily defined, but is arguably the alienation of modern life. Everything about the album is disconnected: Yorke's disembodied voice floats over layers and layers of cold, synthetic sound; the lyrics are fragmented, associative, and finally evasive, as Yorke examines the many ways of not knowing one another. The theme is perhaps best expressed in "Let Down," which seems to blame modern technology as the source of our alienation:

Transport, motorways and tram lines
Starting and then stopping, taking off and landing
The emptiest of feelings disappointed people clinging onto bottles and
When it comes its so so disappointing

Let down and hanging around
Crushed like a bug in the ground
Let down and hanging around

Does this kind of technological angst still register in 2011? Of course, though our iPads and the Web have closed the distance between us, as this deathmatch illustrates, and "taking off and landing" allows us to visit our relatives many time zones away in a matter of hours. So if Okay Computer does have a shelf life for me personally, it may be its central argument--that we are removed, irreparably, from one another. As a 40-year-old father of two, I am a bit more optimistic about human connectedness than I was at 25 when Okay Computer was released. And I do tire of Yorke's self-important whinging: my 40-year-old self wants to kick him in the seat of his pants and tell him to buck up. In fact, I might be willing to knock Okay Computer out of the running, if it weren't for the lasting power of "Karma Police."



This song, for me, is about as close to perfection as it gets. The melody is haunting, and the bridge ("For a minute there . . .") still moves me, even after hundreds of listens. Just a couple of years ago, I heard a student playing this song on an acoustic guitar in our student union, and I was amazed by its power. And that is why I pick Radiohead for round 1.

As for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, I dug them. For a big 11-piece getup, they have a remarkably tight sound. They remind me of a slightly rawer Arcade Fire. They're the kind of band I would love to hear live--lots of energy and memorable melodies (I love "Home" and "40-day Dream.") And the overall feel is upbeat and optimistic. But they just aren't on the same plane as Radiohead--and certainly not Radiohead at its very best.

Elephant vs. Stereotype A

Most songs that I like: Elephant

Best song title: Stereotype A (Sci-Fi Wasabi)

More likely to be party background music: Stereotype A

Fun cover song: Elephant (I Just Don't Know What to do with Myself)

Best Overall Song: Seven Nation Army

Album inspiring an excellent Kelly Clarkson cover: Elephant

Special guest vocals: Elephant

Cure for Jack White fatigue: Stereotype A

I was familiar with the hits from these two albums, but didn't recall ever listening to the rest of the tracks. Stereotype A is fun and enjoyable. Elephant reminds me of a rock opera with multi-part songs and highs and lows. Love Meg's song. I like Cibo Matto, but my pick is Elephant.

Your first assignments!

Let me remind you of the rules:

1. In the round of 64, no one will be assigned an album she or he selected.
2. You must listen to both albums in their entirety. It would be better if you could listen to an entire album in one sitting, but that's only strongly encouraged, not required.
3. You must choose one of the two to advance.
4. You must post your selection in a new blog post as soon as you are able.
5. You may elaborate on your selection. Your post can be as short or as long as you like.
6. New assignments will be given at least in part in the order in which reviews were posted. Once ~5 reviews have been posted, more assignments will be given.
7. You may embellish your reviews with relevant photos or random pics, like this one:

That is it for the rules.

Here are your assignments:

Rob: Radiohead, OK Computer vs. Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, Up from Below

Nate: Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Preludes Airs and Yodels vs. The Postal Service, Give Up

Steve: Stars, Set Yourself on Fire vs. The Verve, Forth

DAG: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, B.R.M.C. vs. Sufjan Stevens, Songs for Christmastime

Eric E.: U2, All That You Can't Leave Behind vs. Swell Season, Strict Joy

Sara: Cibo Matto, Stereotype A vs. The White Stripes, Elephant

Tim: Iron and Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days vs. Radiohead: In Rainbows

Steg: The New Pornographers, Together vs. Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane, Over the Sea

Anne: MeShell Ndegeocello, Bitter vs. DJ Dangermouse, The Grey Album

The Matchups

First the list. If you'd like more detail, read to the end:

Weakerthans - Left and Leaving vs. The Killers, Hot Fuss (2004)

Low "Things We Lost in the Fire" vs. Robyn, Body Talk

Mumford & Sons, Sigh No More - - 2010 vs. Brian Jonestown Massacre: Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?

Gogol Bordello, Super Taranta! - - 2007 vs. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs 'Fever To Tell' (2001)

The Black Angels: Passover vs. Jay Brannon: Goddamned

Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot vs. Radiohead - Hail to the Thief

Brandi Carlile, The Story vs. The Decemberists, Picaresque - - 2005

Arcade Fire--The Suburbs vs. Cake, Comfort Eagle - - 2001

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Arcade Fire, Funeral (2004) vs. The Decemberists: Crane Wife

Massive Attack "Mezzanine" vs. Surfjan Stevens - Michigan (or Say Yes to Michigan)

Low – Trust vs. TMBG: Science is real

Primal Scream "XTRMNTR" (2000) vs. Gorillaz "Demon Days"

The Eastman Wind Ensemble: Danzante vs. Kanye West--808s and Heartbreak (2008)

Ben Folds Five: The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner vs. Regina Spektor--Begin to Hope (2006)

Cloud Cult, Light Chasers - - 2010 vs. Wilco – Summer Teeth (1999)

Green Day, American Idiot (2004) vs. HEM: Eveningland

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Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans vs.Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Pedro the Lion - The Only Reason I Feel Secure vs. The Decemberists, The King Is Dead (2011)

MeShell Ndegeocello, Bitter vs. DJ Dangermouse--The Grey Album (2004)


Tom Waits: Mule Variations vs. Ray LaMontagne, Gossip in the Grain

The National – Boxer (2007) vs. Rachel Ries, For You Only - - 2005

Blink 182: Enema of the state vs. Telekinesis '12 Desperate Straight Lines' (2011)

Friendly Fires (2009) Friendly Fires vs. Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)

Vampire Weekend--Contra (2010) vs. Moby "Play"

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Radiohead, OK Computer vs. Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, Up from Below - - 2010

Penguin Cafe Orchestra: Preludes Airs and Yodels vs. The Postal Service--Give Up (2003).

Stars - Set Yourself on Fire vs. The Verve 'Forth' (2008)

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 'B.R.M.C.' (2002) vs. Sufjan Stevens: Songs for Christmastime

U2--All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000) vs. Swell Season, Strict Joy

Cibo Matto--Stereotype A (1999) vs. The White Stripes, Elephant (2003)

Iron and Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days vs. Radiohead: In Rainbows

The New Pornographers, Together (2010) vs. Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane, Over the Sea (1998)

This is simple rather than fancy. I gave each submission 10 points for a top choice, 9 for second, etc., and then added the points together for those albums submitted >1 time. If people submitted different albums from the same artist, then I gave the album 1 point for each submission of a different album from the same artist. [If you're wondering about the reasoning, this was also simple: three different albums were submitted for The Decemberists, but it was possible that none of the three would have made the bracket of 64, and that didn't seem right; there were a few other artists facing the same problem, and I thought they should be rewarded.] I sorted the albums by total points, trimmed the list to 64, and then I paired them up by seed (1 vs. 16, 2 vs. 15, etc., with second round being 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, if seeds hold...which they won't). There were a few ties for the last few slots, and those were rewarded based on who submitted a list first, though I excluded my own list.

Last Chance

Eric threatened to take a list of the "Least Essential albums of 2011" and post them as my own choices unless I hustled up already. So at least this list will be better than that one:

1.) Weakerthans - Left and Leaving
2.) Stars - Set Yourself on Fire
3.) Low - Trust
4.) Pedro the Lion - The Only Reason I Feel Secure
5.) Surfjan Stevens - Michigan (or Say Yes to Michigan)
6.) Arcade Fire - Funeral
7.) Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
8.) Feist - The Reminder
9.) TV on the Radio - Dear Science
10.) Sigur Ros - the one with the Naked Bums on the cover

Spotify Is Our Friend

So, I have a free Spotify account. Can only listen on my computer, which is not my favorite place to listen, and can't pipe it to my living room speakers like I can with iTunes. But. They have almost ALL the albums everyone has listed. In fact, it's way easier to just list the ones that are missing:

War Paint - The Fool

The Eastman Wind Ensemble - Danzante

Jay Brannon - Goddamned

The Black Angels - Passover

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Brian Jonestown Massacre - Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?

DJ Dangermouse - The Grey Album

Moby - Play

Everything else, if you want to, you can hear on Spotify!

And Steg joins in...

It takes some time to go through the last 12 years, especially in my collection. Complaining that you own too much music is definitely a First World Problem and I'm the head of the pack.

Regardless, I've chosen the following 10 albums to challenge the contenders in our death match.

10. 'Love is Here' (2001) from Starsailor took the Travis/Coldplay ethic we came to love in the tail-end of the "Britpop" era and made it perfectly raw. Loads of Tim Buckley and Van Morrison blood flows through this amazing debut.

















9. 'The Beginning Stages Of...' (2002) from The Polyphonic Spree is what happens when The beach Boys and The Flaming Lips got together and formed a cult in Southern Texas. Gospel pop in its best form.

















8. When you listen to 'Agaetis Bryjun' (2000) from Sigur Ros you remember those times when you listened to Cocteau Twins and tried to understand what they were singing. However, after a closer listen, you find out the words are made up and you contemplate saying "I wish Radiohead went in this creative direction."

















7. 'Body Talk' (2010) from Robyn is pure pop perfection. A perfect mix of sweet and savory sounds if there ever was such a thing. Yes, I am a straight man.

















6. '12 Desperate Straight Lines' (2011) by Telekinesis is like listening to your young brother on stage and saying "why didn't I try that?" Lots of old sounds mixed together for a great power trip of pop sounds.

















5. The raw energy in 'Fever To Tell' (2001) from The Yeah Yeah Yeahs bring out your best teenage energy no matter how old you are when listening to it. Maybe its because they graduated from Oberlin College?


















4. Not only is 'Forth' (2008) by The Verve their fourth studio album thanks to a short-lived reunion, but its also my 4th favorite and also resulted in their 4th band shakeup. Still, it makes for some amazing atmospheric rock sounds that call for another big reunion. I can only wish.

















3. The self-titled debut from Friendly Fires (2009) gives you a good reason to think they're the next New Order. Dance rock with an awkward vocalist. See 'em live and you'll know what I mean.

















2. The raw energy in 'B.R.M.C.' (2002) from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club give you garage goosebumps.

















1. "XTRMNTR" (2000) from Primal Scream is their magnum opus. Punk, dance, pop, electronic and shoegaze all wrapped into a powerful package. Taking a sip from its deep textured glass gives you hints of My Bloody Valentine, Kraftwerk, Iggy Pop and a hint of Duran Duran. It always makes me go sideways upon every listen. My favorite album for a long long time.

Updating picks

Okay, if we are allowing fudging on the whole '99 thing, then I cannot in good conscience leave OK Computer off my list. Aeroplane is also a very near thing for simplicity I'll say Radiohead is in and Coldplay is out.

Late Entry - Top Ten

Alright, here's my list, posted under duress, and without explanation or justification. Had I taken time to think about it more, I'd probably switch out some stuff, but it is what it is....

1. Radiohead – OK Computer (1998)

2. The National – Boxer (2007)

3. Arcade Fire – Suburbs (2010)

4. Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)

5. Wilco – Summer Teeth (1999)

6. Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane, Over the Sea (1998)

7. Decemberists – Picaresque (2005)

8. New Pornographers – Electric Version (2003)

9. War Paint - The Fool (2010)

10. Lifter Puller – Fiestas + Fiascos (2000)

EE's Top Ten List

1. Sigh No More - Mumford & Sons - 2010
Tight harmonies, folk and bluegrass rhythms, catchy tunes and a genuine earnestness make this an easy top pick for the decade.


2. Super Taranta! - Gogol Bordello - 2007

If we are here not to do
What you and I want to do
And go forever crazy with it
Why the hell we are even here?!

3. Light Chasers - Cloud Cult - 2010
Symphony musicians meet rock genius.  A concept album with a theme of 'spaceflight' may seem a bit trite, but the journey travels through birth, purpose, faith, the unknown and awakening.  In some sense I feel this is my top pick, but the album has a bit of a learning curve.  I would nominate the last song on the album, "There's so Much Energy In Us" as the best song of the decade - its one of those songs that builds throughout the song (and the entire album), but actually delivers at the end.


4. For You Only - Rachel Ries - 2005
Why haven't you heard of her?!


5. Contra - Vampire Weekend - 2010
6. Confort Eagle - Cake - 2001
7. Up from Below - Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros - 2010
8. American IV:  The Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash - 2002
9. Live Wisely - Craic Wisely - 2005
Yep.


10. Picaresque - The Decemberists - 2005