Initially, the first few weeks of Tier 1 had us looking at
albums with the biggest gap between their respective RateYourMusic ratings. This difference has narrowed as we have traveled
through the showdowns. Now that we are
in the penultimate week of Tier 1, the album’s ratings are very closely
matched, which should theoretically mean that the outcomes should become
increasingly contentious. This week’s results
reveal that this may actually be the case.
So far, week-to-week, the Viewer’s Choice and the Prime
results have generally matched, but this week shows a 50% divergence. This is not in any way meant to imply that
one is right or wrong, but instead acknowledges the influence of individual
taste, experiences, and listening formats.
I’m pointing it out as an area of interest rather than judgement.
Prince – Controversy VS. David Gilmour – Luck
and Strange
David Gilmour – Luck and Strange
A very, very difficult choice for me. Prince is musically impeccable here, but his commitment
to the “controversy” concept feels distracting.
There are often moments where his intention to disrupt with songs like Annie
Christian diverts attention from his obvious musical strengths. This imbalance was rectified in his future
work, however, which makes this album a crucial mark in his long term
development. Luck and Strange is
not without its flaws, as well, but I am mesmerized by the way that Gilmour’s
guitar tone seems as at home in a jammy blues setting as it is backed by an
orchestra.
Soft Machine – Bundles VS. Hotline TNT – Cartwheel
Hotline TNT -Cartwheel
This outcome seems to go against my usual prog-rock modus
operandi, especially since its most salient feature (a relatively young Alan
Holdsworth) shows a guitarist with a remarkably ambitious yet clear vision of the
path ahead of him. From the perspective of musicianship, it is clearly the superior album. Cartwheel,
however, appeals to the part of me that was involved in the Dallas’ indie rock
scene in the 90s. It makes me oddly
nostalgic for the times when I would eagerly purchase a CD from the merch booth
of a great live band that I had just discovered.
Opeth – The Last Will and Testament VS. Dawn
Richard and Spencer Zahn – Pigments
Opeth -The Last Will and Testament
Pigments would have shut down a good number of albums
from Tier 1. Its an incredibly
thoughtful, well-crafted, and emotive mood study brimming over with layered,
intentional composition. I have, however,
followed Opeth for decades and I think that this may be their finest work yet. It seamlessly combines their recent
progressive rock ambitions with their extreme metal roots, housing them within
an intriguing storyline of deceit and betrayal that suits Opeth’s dark identity
perfectly.
Count Basie and Quincy Jones – Basie One More Time VS.
Kohichiro Minyata – Shakuhachi: The Japanese Bamboo Flute
Count Basie and Quincy Jones – Basie One More Time
Its not surprising that the immediacy of Basie’s
unmistakable swing is captivating enough to edge out the contemplative
atmospheres of Minyata’s performances. I
would readily argue, however, that given the correct setting, Shakuhachi
is every bit the equal of Basie One More Time
Viewer’s Choice Results
Prince – Controversy VS. David Gilmour – Luck
and Strange
Prince - Controversy
Soft Machine – Bundles VS. Hotline TNT – Cartwheel
Soft Machine - Bundles
Opeth – The Last Will and Testament VS. Dawn
Richard and Spencer Zahn – Pigments
Opeth -The Last Will and Testament
Count Basie and Quincy Jones – Basie One More Time VS.
Kohichiro Minyata – Shakuhachi: The Japanese Bamboo Flute
Count Basie and Quincy Jones – Basie One More Time
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