Finally, Tier 2 draws to a close. This and Tier 6 take the most time, but you will find that Tiers 3 and 4 will go pretty quickly. In truth, its just three weeks left until we finalize the Mid-Year Top12!
Avalanche Kaito - Talitakum VS. K. Frimpong w/ Vis-a-Vis - K Frimpong w/ Vis-a-Vis
Avalanche Kaito - Talitakum
I would really like to see a classic highlife album in the Top 12, and K. Frimpong’s late 70’s album with Vis-a-Vis as this backing band certainly has what it takes. Granted, Talitakum is way noisier and chaotic, and as a result, way less accessible. They win serious bonus points, however, for their concept, which makes them both totally relevant to today’s mediascape but also incredibly compelling as a transcultural music project.
Jeff Rosenstock - Hellmode VS. Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
Jeff Rosenstock - Hellmode
Again, this was a bit of an upset. I had heard so many good things about Hellmode that I wanted to give the album a chance to prove its mettle against a solid classic, and it did so without too much question. This decision was also rendered due to a similar dynamic as K. Frimpong and Avalanche Kaito. Although Devo’s de-evolution concept still resonates today, it was a product of the cultural climate of the late 70s. Hellmode’s concept is similarly a product to the chaotic hopelessness that permeates existence in 2023. It just feels relatable and immediate in a way that clearly dodges any nostalgic overtones, unless you are a very big fan of Weezer’s Pinkerton and wondered what would have happened if they continued in that vein.
Circe Link and Christian Nesmith - Cosmologica VS. Anekdoten - Gravity
Anekdoten - Gravity
Cosmologica is one of the most well-crafted retro-prog albums since Wobbler’s last release. Even though the album’s tone seems to be patterned after late 70’s to early 80’s prog (rather than the late 60s and early 70s that most retro-prog groups model themselves after) the material is relatable and the arrangements electrifying. It clearly does, however, look to the past for the influences that it wears on its sleeve. Anekdoten, by this point in their career, began to move beyond their clear affinity for Red-era King Crimson that their earlier albums exhibited and developed their own distinctive sound. To put it another way, if I was interested in revisiting Cosmologica, there would be a whole range of albums that I could listen to that would serve to scratch that itch. There would be no clear stand-in for Gravity.
Chelsea Wolfe - She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She VS. boygenius - the Record
boygenius - the Record
I am chasing down a thin thread of industrial music this year with Ministry and the work of Bill Rieflin, so it would seem that the Reznor-inspired tone of Chelsea Wolfe’s album would fit right in there. I am not so sure, however, that I am in the market for the gothic melodrama of She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She. Make no mistake - the album is incredibly good at what it does and I would suggest it without question to anyone that is down with that style. I think, however, that I am a bit more on track with the layered indie-pop songwriting on the Record, despite the slight tinge of Americana that periodically peeks through.
Philip Glass - Glassworks VS. Colin Stetson - When we were what wept for the sea
Philip Glass - Glassworks
Very, very tricky. Both of these artists are idiosyncratic geniuses in their own right. I could easily argue that Colin Stetson’ innovative and highly physical approach to saxophone technique would give him an advantage over the more reserved minimalism of Philip Glass. The issue here is simply one of album pacing. When digested as a whole, When we were what wept for the sea has several tracks at the beginning that feel interchangeable. There are some extremely effective spoken word pieces in the back third that serve as a break, and I think the album experience overall would be more effective if this was brought up earlier in the runtime. Glassworks, on the other hand, is a perfectly accessible and digestible introduction to Glass’ work. Given that both albums are on equal “creative genius” footing, this is the best distinction that I could make.
The Devin Townsend Project - Ki VS. Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth
Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth
My experiment to see if past-prime Van Halen is still better than most contemporary rock virtuosos continued with this challenging showdown. Ki has emerged as one of my favorites from my relatively limited engagement with Devy, but A Different Kind of Truth is, as I keep saying, better than it has any right to be. The band sounds great and David Lee Roth, despite perhaps not being able to sell himself as well as he did thirty years prior, still does a respectable job of sparking the lighting-in-a-bottle energy that epitomized Van Halen’s most classic work.
Viewer’s Choice
Avalanche Kaito - Talitakum VS. Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
Jeff Rosenstock - Hellmode VS. Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
Circe Link and Christian Nesmith - Cosmologica VS. Anekdoten - Gravity
Circe Link and Christian Nesmith - Cosmologica
Chelsea Wolfe - She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She VS. Oki - Tonkori in the Moonlight
Chelsea Wolfe - She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She
Philip Glass - Glassworks VS. Colin Stetson - When we were what wept for the sea
Philip Glass - Glassworks
Devin Townsend - Ki VS. Polyphia - Remember that You Will Die
Polyphia - Remember That You Will Die
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