Ozzy Osborne - Diary of a Madman VS. Clutch - Blast Tyrant
Ozzy Osborne - Diary of a Madman
Considering all the hype about Ozzy’s final concert and subsequent passing, this Spin-Off seems to be destined to fall to nostalgic reverence for him and his legacy. Clutch is very good at what they do, however, and certainly have some skin in the game, but when Ozzy’s distinctive tone and melodic sense is coupled with Randy Rhoads trend-setting guitar playing, the results are incontrovertible. Ozzy clearly deserves this one.
Palm - Rock Island VS. Cynic - Kindly Bent to Free Us
Cynic - Kindly Bent to Free Us
Rock Island is a unique recording. It features some clearly mathy aspects, but disguises the “guitarishness” usually associated with math rock using MIDI-triggered steel pan sounds while simultaneously smoothing over the angularity of the style with pop inspired melodies. There’s clearly a lot to be interested in there that arguably could give them the win, especially since Kindly Bent to Free Us is perhaps the least convincing album I have heard from Cynic. Despite its relatively tame nature, however, Kindly Bent to Free Us has its own significant melodic strengths, and its restless, intense approach to composition put it in a category of musicianship that Rock Island does not quite reach on the whole.
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions VS. Tyler, the Creator - Chromokopia
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
Here is one that addresses the comparative strengths of “old” music and “new” music. Tyler, the Creator is clearly a creative force in the current music scene, but he can’t hold a candle to Stevie Wonder during his classic period, who at the time of the release of Innervisions was nearly ten years younger than Tyler was when he released Chromokopia.
Consider the Source - The Stare VS. Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson - Börn Náttúrunnar
Consider the Source - The Stare
Toughest Spin-Off of the bunch this time around. Although radically different in tone, these albums are well-matched in terms of achieving what they set out to do. I really love the starkly soothing Icelandic tone of Börn Náttúrunnar, and given the right setting, I find it incredibly moving at times. The Stare, however, has an indefinably adventurous, boundary-crossing creativity that I think gives them the edge in this Spin-Off.
Viewer’s Choice
Ozzy Osborne - Diary of a Madman VS. Clutch - Blast Tyrant
Ozzy Osborne - Diary of a Madman
Palm - Rock Island VS. Lite - Strata
Palm - Rock Island
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions VS. Tyler, the Creator -
Chromokopia
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
Consider the Source - The Stare VS. TU-Ner - TU-Ner for Lovers
Consider the Source - The Stare
