2024 Album Showdown Results: Tier 1, Week 5

Foxygen - Hang VS. The Strokes - The New Abnormal

The Strokes - The New Abnormal

In many ways, I see these albums as evenly matched.  They both capture the essence of a particular era of pop music.  For Hang, the reference is the grandiose era of theatrical late 70s glam rock (minus a bit of the glam), and for The New Abnormal, it is the slick college pop of the late 90s.  Although both are meticulously crafted and varied within those parameters, I was drawn to the latter.  After a relatively long run of 70s inspired power pop last year, The Strokes felt refreshing, while Foxygen’s broadwayseque leanings tilted towards melodrama

Adventures of Jet - Muscle VS. Bill Rieflin - Birth of a Giant

Adventures of Jet - Muscle

Very tough, because I am currently fascinated by Rieflin’s musicianship, and this debut solo album from him is very revealing.  Despite the presence of Robert Fripp and Trey Gunn, however, there were some mixing and production issues that were hard to overlook in comparison to the slick clarity offered up by Muscle.

Toehider - I Have Little to No Memory of These Memories VS. 88Kasyo Junrei - ◯△☐

88 Kasyo Junrei - ◯△☐

Contentious showdown of the week award goes here.  I Have Little to No Memory of These Memories is a conceptual and technical tour-de-force, made all the more astonishing by the fact that Toehider is a one-man project.  It's also an album that warrants deep investigation and contemplation, so choosing ◯△☐  in the context of Tier 1 allows me some time to let it simmer a bit in the background.  Aside from that, since Cynic's last album, i am having increasing resistance to progressive metal, and although I wouldn’t consider I Have Little to No Memory of These Memories a progressive metal album per se, it has enough content in that style to hold me at bay.  All that being said, I am truly fascinated by 88Kasyo Junrei.  Their frenetic Green Day-meets-King Crimson vibe is truly distinctive and engaging, transcending the language barriers presented by their defiantly Japanese identity.

Zombi - Surface to Air VS. Mandy, Indiana - I’ve Seen a Way

Zombi - Surface to Air

I wish that I could say that this one was tougher, because I am interested in Mandy, Indiana’s dystopian post-industrialism.  Zombi’s analog synth noodling backed by highly organic Peart-inspired drumming hits just a bit too close to home for me to pass it up, though.  Winner.

Viewer’s Choice

Foxygen - Hang VS. The Strokes - The New Abnormal

The Strokes - The New Abnormal

Adventures of Jet - Muscle VS. Bill Rieflin - Birth of a Giant

Adventures of Jet - Muscle

Toehider - I Have Little to No Memory of These Memories VS. 88Kasyo Junrei - ◯△☐

Toehider - I Have Little to No Memory of These Memories

Zombi - Surface to Air VS. Mandy, Indiana - I’ve Seen a Way

Zombi - Surface to Air

2024 Album Showdown Results: Tier 1, Week 4

As we get further down the list, you may notice that decisions are getting trickier.  This second half of Tier 1 features showdowns with more evenly matched listening ratings.  Theoretically, they should be closer in overall appeal than earlier showdowns.

Or not - its all completely subjective.

In any case, its still good preparation for Tier 2, where things get more complicated and the stakes get higher.

Bully - Lucky for You VS. Nickel Creek - Celebrants

Nickel Creek - Celebrants

In learning about Celebrants, I read that Nickel Creek was essentially trying to make a “bluegrass SMiLE,” and I can hear it.  Bully didn’t stand a chance.

Colin Stetson - When We Were What Wept For the Sea VS. Autechre - LP5

Colin Stetson - When We Were What Wept For the Sea

This one wins the “most contentious showdown of the week”” award.  Both albums are reflections of musical genius.  Both albums are respectably adventurous within their own stylistic intentions.  Both albums also have flaws.  Colin Stetson, however, is doing things with the saxophone that simply have not been done before, and I think that he deserves credit for that.

Kebu - Urban Dreams VS. Ison - Inner-Space

Kebu - Urban Dreams

Ison’s production is haunting, dreamlike, and probably the biggest single contributor to Inner-Space’s success.  I am, however, a closet Jean-Michel Jarre fan with a recently reinvigorated interest in thematic synth music due to S U R V I V E and the Stranger Things soundtrack.  Kebu satisfies this interest in a way that most other projects do not.  

Madlib - Sound Ancestors VS. Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Roger Eno - Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks

Madlib - Sound Ancestors

Another contentious one.  Certainly, Apollo is an inspired ambient-adjacent work, and I have a significant place in my listening for ambient music. In specific settings, nothing else will do.  I think, however, that  it’s difficult (but not impossible) for ambient music to win out in direct showdowns with denser styles. Especially in this case, where Madlib’s imaginative and clever beats have steered my interest towards a further investigation of instrumental hip-hop.

Viewer’s Choice Results

Bully - Lucky for You VS. Nickel Creek - Celebrants

Nickel Creek - Celebrants

Colin Stetson - When We Were What Wept For the Sea VS. Autechre - LP5

Colin Stetson - When We Were What Wept For the Sea

Kebu - Urban Dreams VS. Ison - Inner-Space

Ison - Inner-Space

Madlib - Sound Ancestors VS. Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Roger Eno - Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks

Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Roger Eno - Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks

2024 Album Preview Series: March Tier 1 Listening

Recent new listening, including music from:

Timmy Sean - Songs From and Inspired By Noisewater (2010) J Dilla - Donuts (2006) Mid-Air Thief - Crumbling (2018) Wednesday - Rat Saw God (2023) L'Rain - I Killed Your Dog (2023) Ministry - The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989)

That Timmy Sean interview

2024 Album Preview Series - Tier 1: Part 12 of 12

The final episode covering a six-week series of new music, including: Slift - Ilion (2024) Autechre - LP5 (1998) Ison - Inner-Space (2019) The Adventures of Jet - Muscle (2003)

And, y'know....the playlist

2024 Album Showdown Results: Tier 1, Week 3

Caroline Rose - The Art of Forgetting VS. Anekdoten - Gravity

Anekdoten - Gravity

The Art of Forgetting is a respectable indie-rock album, with several great songs and a solid concept.  Anekdoten is a bit of a hometown favorite, though, and even though Gravity may not be considered by most to be the apex of their output, it's still an incredibly evocative album.

Toe - For Long Tomorrow VS. Low - Things We Lost In The Fire

Toe - For Long Tomorrow

I hold both of these albums in high regard, for sure.  This incarnation of Low, however, is an early prototype of the band that won 2022 Album of the Year, giving some room for Toe’s tasteful virtuosity to capture my attention.  

Andre 3000 - New Blue Sun VS. Birth - Born

Andre 3000 - New Blue Sun

A controversial choice, for sure, especially given my prog-rock pedigree and the fact that New Blue Sun is not without flaw.  I am fascinated by Andre 3000’s current direction, however, and actually think the album is pretty good at what it sets out to do.  

Jaga Jazzist - Pyramid VS. The Night Terrors - Pavor Nocturnus

Jaga Jazzist - Pyramid

This was actually a significant upset, as I have been repeatedly enthralled with the oddball (but functional) theremin/organ/drums instrumentation of Pavor Nocturnus.  When compared directly with the expanded instrumental palette and compositional adventurousness of Pyramid, however, the limitations of that instrumentation became apparent.  

Viewer’s Choice Results

Caroline Rose - The Art of Forgetting VS. Anekdoten - Gravity

Anekdoten - Gravity

Toe - For Long Tomorrow VS. Low - Things We Lost In The Fire

Toe - For Long Tomorrow

Andre 3000 - New Blue Sun VS. Birth - Born

Birth - Born

Jaga Jazzist - Pyramid VS. The Night Terrors - Pavor Nocturnus

Jaga Jazzist - Pyramid