In order to get through the Disc Course in a timely fashion, there are a couple of instances in which a week will be split between two tiers. Clearly, this is one of those weeks. The first two Spin-Offs below are stragglers from the third Tier 6 cycle, whereas the last two are a sneak peek into Tier 7, which will decide the Fall Top 12.
Tier 7 Spin-Off’s are often very challenging. They represent albums that have already established themselves through several showdowns, some of which have been in play since January. To have even gotten to this point implies a certain level of quality, and Tier 7 pits these albums against each other. It it not unusual to engage in a bit of reflection and soul-searching to make a selection at this stage in the game, and sometimes it will be the smallest detail that gives an album the edge.
Tier 6
Men I Trust - Equus Caballus VS. London Grammar - The Greatest Love
Men I Trust - Equus Caballus
London Grammar has had a good run this year. They lost a hopeless battle against XTC’s Black Sea in Tier 1, but definitely proved their mettle against the impressive Icelandic electronic group Samaris in Tier 5. Every time they have returned, they have grown in my esteem, but the carefully crafted nostalgia of Equus Caballus elicits an emotional response from me that is difficult to overcome.
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady VS. Kohachiro Minyata - Shakuhachi: The Japanese Bamboo Flute
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
In a way similar to Equus Caballus, traditional Japanese honkyoku elicits an undeniable emotional response, which gave Shakuhachi: the Japanese Bamboo Flute a unique challenge to The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. In this case, however, despite the centering effect of Minyata’s recording, Mingus’ transgressive approach to jazz proved to capture my interest
Tier 7
Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman VS. Queen - Queen
Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman
This was incredibly difficult. Queen is a favorite group of mine. I would stop short of saying that their catalog is perfect, but they have a pretty good track record overall and their debut album Queen is far from the bottom of the barrel. All of the sonic elements that are identifiably Queen are present on this album, with the exception of relatable songwriting. Queen is profoundly musical and clever, but forgettable when compared to the band’s later work - or Ozzy’s. Diary of a Madman is more immediate and relatable in comparison to Queen, while Randy Rhoads’ contributions inject a level of nuance below the surface.
Sleep Token - Even in Arcadia VS. Magma - Udu Wudu
Magma - Udu Wudu
I like Sleep Token, and although this particular album from them has been critically divisive, I fall on the side of advocacy. The way they cross the streams between contemporary R&B and progressive metal is unique and musically effective. Part of Even in Arcadia’s distinctive appeal comes from its production conventions, which imbues it with an otherworldly atmosphere, but also robs it of a certain level of humanity. Despite being more conceptually dense, Udu Wudu is an innately human album. Throughout its runtime, musicians subtly play off of each other, which, given the album’s identifiable situation as a 70s recording, I find attractive. Rick Beato’s recent breakdown of Emergence from Even in Arcadia, however, has given me a new perspective on the album that may earn it a save.
Viewer’s Choice
Tier 6
Men I Trust - Equus Caballus VS. London Grammar - The Greatest Love
Men I Trust - Equus Caballus
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady VS. Kohachiro Minyata - Shakuhachi: The Japanese Bamboo Flute
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Tier 7
Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman VS. Queen - Queen
Queen - Queen
Discipline - Breadcrumbs VS. Magma - Udu Wudu
Magma - Udu Wudu
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