2024 Album Showdown Results: Tier 2, Week 1

After a week of end-of semester concerts and field trips, I finally have a moment to pause and retroactively post the results for the first week of Tier 2.  In this case, the viewer’s choice results matched my results exactly, so I am excluding the usual coda for this post to minimize redundancies.  

Madlib - Sound Ancestors VS. J Dilla - Donuts

J Dilla - Donuts

Sound Ancestors is fantastically imaginative and often infectiously groovy, but it veers towards intellectualism in the back third. In truth, I think this variety is appealing, but Donuts maintains a similarly cerebral thread without losing its playful nature. Respectable, especially since J Dilla essentially created the album from a hospital bed. 

Death’s Dynamic Shroud - Transcendence Bot VS. L’Rain - I Killed Your Dog

Death’s Dynamic Shroud - Transcendence Bot

L'Rain's pervasive stylistic and conceptual juxtapositions both help and hinder this album. Conversely, Transcendence Bot is both tremendously varied and cohesive. The only thing that hinders Death's Dynamic Shroud is their overwhelming productivity. While I am still catching up with last year's three album drop they keep releasing compelling new music! Oversaturation is a possibility in the long run, but for now they can do no wrong. 

The Strokes - The New Abnormal VS. The Guess Who - Plein D’Amour

The Guess Who - Plein D’Amour

Runner up for most contentious from this week. The New Abnormal beautifully captures the essence of millennial pop in a nostalgic and novel way. The Guess Who, however, despite receiving a side-eye for sketchy album art and identity issues, have crafted a compelling studio pop album that Jellyfish fans are justifiably raving about. 

Toe - For Long Tomorrow VS. Mid-Air Thief - Crumbling

Toe - For Long Tomorrow

Most contentious award goes to this one. Although they diverge in style, In terms of creativity, these albums are pretty evenly matched. Although both have an exploratory aspect, the distinction here is that Crumbling meanders more broadly, requiring more intention to follow. The liveness of For Long Tomorrow provides a level of crisp momentum that I find appealing. 

2024 Album Showdown Results: Tier 2, Week 3

I promise that I haven't forgotten about Week 1. I'll get it posted in the next day or two. For now, here's what happened last week. Several very difficult showdowns have made me think about the strategic tagging of potential saves.

Naoki Sato - Godzilla Minus One OST VS. Hans Zimmer - Dune 2 OST

Hans Zimmer - Dune 2 OST

The traditionalist in me would very much like to see Godzilla Minus One take this one.  Sato’s score is subtle and crafted as a thematic extension of Godzilla’s previous musical traditions.  It's hard, however, to overlook the sheer creativity and vision of Zimmer’s work on Dune 2.

Adventures of Jet - Muscle VS. J Robbins - Basilisk

Adventures of Jet - Muscle

By far the most contentious showdown of the week.  These albums really are on equal footing in many ways.  Adventures of Jet (and by extension, Bobgoblin) has gotten a lot of love from me in recent years, and it is tempting to let Robbins through simply to give someone else a chance.  Muscle, however, just nudges past in terms of detail (but not quality). Basilisk has been marked as a possible save.

Tigran Hamasyan - StandArt VS. Hermeto Pascoal -  Planetário da Gávea

Hermeto Pascoal - Planetário da Gávea

Another difficult choice, especially since Hamasyan’s take on jazz standards is one of the first albums in its style that I have really connected with in a very long time.  Hermeto’s spontaneity and playfulness is alluring, however, and even more so when appreciated in a hammock on a beautiful Spring afternoon.  

Troper - Troper Sings Brion VS. Timmy Sean - Songs From and Inspired By Noisewater

Mo Troper - Troper Sings Brion

Runner up for most contentious showdown.  Stylistically, this showdown almost feels like Lennon VS. McCartney.  Noisewater  is beautifully detailed and polished, and it certainly holds up under repeated listens.  Brion’s twisting harmonic changes resonate with me strongly, though, and Troper’s rendering of these unreleased demos convincingly recalls Brion’s 2001 masterpiece Meaningless in a way that is both unique and moving.  It moves me in my gut, and I can’t ignore when that happens.

Viewer’s Choice

Nick Hakim - Cometa OST VS. Hans Zimmer - Dune 2 OST

Nick Hakim - Cometa

Adventures of Jet - Muscle VS. J Robbins - Basilisk

J Robbins - Basilisk

Tigran Hamasyan - StandArt VS. Hermeto Pascoal -  Planetário da Gávea

Tigran Hamasyan - StandArt

Mo Troper - Troper Sings Brion VS. Timmy Sean - Songs From and Inspired By Noisewater

Timmy Sean - Songs From and Inspired By Noisewater

The Lemon Twigs & Everything Harmony: Distilling the Pop Problem

Review and discussion on The Lemon Twigs' 2023 album "Everything Harmony," with some thoughts on the boundaries of "-pop."

And if you don't know about the playlist by now, I got nothing for you.

2024 Album Showdown Results: Tier 2, Week 2

Oop - looks like I missed last week's results post! I'll catch it in the next day or two. Apologies - in the meantime:

Zombi - Surface to Air VS. Ministry - A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste

Zombi - Surface to Air

Inevitably, when I push “play” on this Ministry album, it feels like a decisive washout.  The energy and scope of Thieves is electrifying and infectious, but, although the tracks to follow capture a similar intensity, they eventually flatten into monotony.  Zombi, however, maintains interest with virtuosic Neal Peart-inspired drums and analog synth goodness right out of the height of 70s instrumental prog.  That’s a combination that hits me where I live.

Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond VS. Brittany Howard -  What Now?

Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond

I appreciate the coherency of Howard’s second album, but this newfound consistency comes at the price of fewer memorable moments.  Chronicles of a Diamond has many, many high points that buoy the overall album into greatness.

Slift - Ilion VS. Wednesday - Rat Saw God

Slift - Ilion

This one was kind of a gimmie, because although I appreciate Wednesday’s songwriting, for me personally, the vocal approach grates.  Ilion’s cosmic scope and crushing intensity caught my interest early on and has done nothing but reveal more nuance as it becomes more familiar.

The Smile - Wall of Eyes VS. Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden

The Smile - Wall of Eyes

To call this one contentious is an understatement.  I’ve flipped back and forth all week. Clearly, 2024’s Wall of Eyes would not exist in the same form without the tonal experimentation laid down by Spirit of Eden in 1988.  The stylistic overlap between the two is compelling, and I am quite sure that both Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood sunk into Spirit of Eden’s atmospheric melancholy in the early stages of their musical development.  Talk Talk’s innovative recording techniques and avant-garde undercurrents also warrant recognition, but Wall of Eyes occupies a similar space in both tone and ethic with a decisive intentionality.  Several years ago, when I heard that Johnny Greenwood was doing movie soundtrack work, I wondered how it would impact his work with Radiohead.  That influence is realized more fully with The Smile.  Even this, though, only evens up the odds when comparing Wall of Eyes to Spirit of Eden.  In this case, I think the deciding factor was how Wall of Eyes feels subjectively connected with life events over the past few months.  It feels representative of my little corner of 2024, and in the big picture, that means something.  

I will most likely, however, exercise a SAVE on Spirit of Eden, however.  It brings an emotive listening experience like few other albums I have heard this semester.  

Viewer’s Choice

Zombi - Surface to Air VS. Ministry - A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste

Zombi - Surface to Air

Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond VS. Brittany Howard -  What Now?

Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond

Subsignal - Poetry of Rain VS. Wednesday - Rat Saw God

Subsignal - Poetry of Rain

The Smile - Wall of Eyes VS. Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden

The Smile - Wall of Eyes

2024 Album Roundup Series: April Tier 2 Contenders

Need some new music? Here's some suggestions:

The Guess Who - Pleine D'Amour (2023) J. Robbins - Basilisk (2024) Brittany Howard - What Now? (2024) Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden (1988) Hans Zimmer - Dune Part 2 OST (2024) Hermeto Pascoal y Grupo - Planeterio de Gavea (1981)

AND....the ever expanding playlist is still...well....expanding.....

2024 Album Showdown Results: Tier 1, Week 6

This week represents the end of Tier 1 for 2024.  Lots of really GREAT stuff came through this year - and keep in mind that no albums were actually “eliminated” in this go-round.  The albums that advance will go on to compete for the Mid-Year Top 12, and THOSE albums will get preferential treatment for the year-end list.  The others will form the basis for Tier 5 this summer.  Very often, those albums have the advantage of familiarity upon their return, so they are still very much in the running.

After another “bye week,” we’ll start in with Tier 2.  The rules will be a little different, and the stakes will be a little higher, but no music is actually harmed in the process.  In fact, the end goal is ultimately exposure.  If by participating, you find your new favorite album, it fulfills the whole point of the project.

Polyphia - Remember That You Will Die VS. Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth

Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth

Both of these albums are fantastically great, and they both have significant flaws.  In the end, however, I connected more readily with Van Halen’s swan song, despite the clear vocal limitations of Roth at this stage of his career.  Undoubtedly, the Van Halen family, as they are represented on A Different Kind of Truth, still had “it” here.  It might not stack up against the band’s best work, but I would confidently rate it above Diver Down (which is not without its own moments).

Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo VS. Marnie Stern - The Comeback Kid

Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo

Marnie Stern is clever and a uniquely proficient guitarist.  Despite some sketchy vocal moments, fans of noisy, Japanese-tinged math rock will find a lot to connect with here.  But dang……I’ve never listened to a full Devo album and this one surpassed my expectations.  Delving deeper into their concept only enriches the effectiveness of their musical output.

Slift - Ilion VS. Subsignal - A Poetry of Rain

Slift - Ilion

Subsignal represents everything I like about neo-progressive style music. It's beautifully melodic, immaculately structured, and performed with no small amount of musicianship.  Slift, however, fires on a different side of my progressive rock interests, sidling crushing power-trio intensity alongside ambient passages with cosmic horizons.  It's like the soundtrack for House Harkonnen.

The Smile - Wall of Eyes VS. The Yoshida Brothers - Hishou

The Smile - Wall of Eyes

This wins the contentious showdown of the week award.  As much as I like and respect The Smile, The Yoshida Brothers had favor going into this one.  Every time I listen to Wall of Eyes, however, it seems to sound richer and more nuanced than before.  On one listen in particular, I really noticed its cinematic scope, especially in context of Jonny Greenwood’s lengthening resume as a movie score composer.  I find it fascinating, and I just want to keep listening to it to see what else emerges.

Viewer’s Choice Results

Polyphia - Remember That You Will Die VS. Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth

Polyphia - Remember That You Will Die

Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo VS. Marnie Stern - The Comeback Kid

Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo

Slift - Ilion VS. Subsignal - A Poetry of Rain

Subsignal - A Poetry of Rain

The Smile - Wall of Eyes VS. The Yoshida Brothers - Hishou

The Smile - Wall of Eyes

The Morse Code Part 1: Spock's Beard and The Light

 An introduction to the band Spock's Beard through the lens of their 1995 debut, The Light