2022 Album Eliminations: Tier 6 Pt. 1

Tier 6 is framed by the albums that passed through Tier 5, the bracket consisting of eliminated entries from January.  These winners are now going against new music in the Fall.  This was a new approach this year that I found greatly rewarding.  It actually gave some of these entries new life and, in some cases, a shot at the Top 20.

Two difficult decisions this time around.  The first one was Kendrick Lamar VS. The Freestyle Fellowship.  There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers is a groundbreaking album that innovates in unique ways.  I have a real soft spot for early 90s hip hop, and To Whom It May Concern is such a pristine and outstanding example of the style that I just couldn't eliminate it.  Lamar, however, received my first "save" of the Fall.

The second was Goro Yamaguchi VS. Tim Reynolds & Greg Howard.  Again, I feel confident in saying that Sticks & Stones is beautifully textured and constructed, especially since is was essentially a recording improvised in 1988 in Greg Howard's bedroom.  Conversely, Goro Yamaguchi's solo shakuhachi work is comparably monochromatic, his expressiveness is emotionally moving in ways that Sticks & Stones doesn't quite access.

Avalalanche Kaito – Avalanche Kaito VS. Leprous – Aphelion

Avalanche Kaito – Avalanche Kaito

Fantastic Negrito – White Jesus, Black Problems VS. Flying Lotus – Yasuke OST

Flying Lotus – Yasuke OST

Sault – Air VS. Juliana Barwick – Healing is a Miracle

Sault – Air

Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers VS. Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom it May Concern

Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom it May Concern

Tim Reynolds & Greg Howard – Sticks & Stones VS. Goro Yamaguchi – Kinkoryu Shakuhachi

Goro Yamaguchi – Kinkoryu Shakuhachi

Porcupine Tree – Closure/Continuation VS. Transatlantic -The Absolute Universe: Forevermore

Porcupine Tree - Closure/Continuation

2022 Album Roundup Series: Refining Styles & Broadening Palattes

Some albums I have had in rotation in the Fall of 2022, including:

Kate Bush - The Hounds of Love (1985) black midi - Hellfire (2022) Paul Slavens - Alphabet Girls v. 2 (2022) Bali Gamelan Sound - Otonan; Gender Wayang (2021) Miles Davis - Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (1958) Bjorn Riis - Everything to Everyone (2022)

A text post on Alphabet Girls V. 2 Another special post on Miles Davis' Kind of Blue

2022 Album Roundup Series: August - Summer's Last Stand

Here's what I had in rotation in August of 2022:

Porcupine Tree - Closure/Continuation (2022) Avalanche Kaito - Avalanche Kaito (2022) Sault - Air (2022) Goro Yamaguchi - Kinkoryu Shakuhachi (2006) Fantastic Negrito - White Jesus, Black Problems (2020) Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers (2020)

Here's a review of Sault's Untitled (Rise)

Tier 5: The Nerdiest Bracket

Now that the mid-year favorites have been posted, its on to Tier 5, a bracket with a unique construction in this year’s eliminations.  One of the tenets of the elimination process is to provide every album I listen to with at least 5 weeks in regular rotation.  During most of the year, this is an organizing principal.  At the very beginning of the year, however, the sheer volume of new music is prohibitive.  The albums back in Tier 1 only had two weeks of listening opportunities before being subjected to a showdown. 

Tier 5, however, is a revisit.  It is constructed of all the eliminated albums from Tier 1, intentionally matched to minimize stylistic clashes.  These 24 albums were reduced to 12, a group that will serve as the “control group” for the Fall eliminations.

Sound nerdy?  It absolutely is.  It was also the best innovation this year.  I had a chance to look at this music with just a hint of retrospect, providing deeper appreciation.  This “check” tier has provided a couple of them with a satisfying trajectory to the Top 20.

Curious yet?  Probably bored.  Oh, well - here we go:

Sufjan Stevens – The Ascension VS. Vanishing Twin – Ookii Gekkou

Vanishing Twin – Ookii Gekkou

 

Arushi Jain – Under a Lilac Sky VS. Snail Mail – Valentine

Snail Mail – Valentine

 

Eastman Jazz Ensemble – Live! VS. Emma Jean Thackray – Yellow

Eastman Jazz Ensemble – Live!

Shubh Saran – Inglish VS. Leprous - Aphelion

Leprous- Aphelion

 

Juliana Barwick – Healing is a Miracle VS. Cindy – 1:2

Juliana Barwick – Healing is a Miracle

 

Colleen Green – Cool VS. The Red Locusts – The Red Locusts

Colleen Green – Cool

 

Flying Lotus – Yasuke OST VS. Gang Gang Dance – Saint Dympha

Flying Lotus – Yasuke OST

 

Tony Kaye – End of Innocence VS. Tim Reynolds & Greg Howard – Sticks and Stones

Tim Reynolds & Greg Howard – Sticks and Stones

No clip available, but an improvised semi-ambient Chapman Stick and guitar recording worth digging up and finding ten years after purchasing.  Not that I did that.  But I did.

Transatlantic – The Absolute Universe: Forevermore VS. Anathema – We’re Here Because We’re Here

Transatlantic – The Absolute Universe: Forevermore

 

Shadoko – Le Domaine de Seedmill OST VS. Limina – Hidden Spaces

Limina – Hidden Spaces

 

Bad Bunny – YHLQMDLG VS. Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom it May Concern

Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom it May Concern

 

Between the Buried and Me – Colors II VS. Cardiacs – On Land and In The Sea

Cardiacs – On Land and In The Sea

2022 Mid-Year Special: 12 Favorite Albums

Final results of my 2022 Showdown Series!  These albums will have preferential treatment in the end of the year Top 20.

The Kung Fu of Ten Hands: A Chat with Paul Slavens

A discussion about the relatively obscure classic Ten Hands' 1988 release Kung Fu...That's What I Like, with very special guest Paul Slavens.

Relevant Links: An older text post on Alphabet Girls Vol. 1

The extended edition:

2022 Album Showdowns: Tier 2 Week 8

The results of last few Tier 2 eliminations include:

M83 – Oblivion VS. Hollywood Burns – The Age of Saucers

M83 – Oblivion OST

Kalandra – The Line VS. Once and Future Band – Once and Future Band

Kalandra – The Line

Tom McGuire & the Brassholes – Tom McGuire& the Brassholes VS. Cynic – Ascension Codes

Cynic – Ascension Codes

 

Its usually the case that the “genre clash” showdowns give me the most trouble, but even though that Tom McGuire album is the first funk-rock album I have connected with in a very long time, Cynic is really hard to beat right now.  The synth bass on Ascension Codes just rocks my legs. 

No, this time around the most contentious showdown was definitely Kalandra VS. Once and Future Band.  Keep in mind that Once and Future Band was a big, big player last year with Deleted Scenes, and that any real contender would have to deal with this preconception.  It is partially due to the fact that I loved that album SO much in 2021 that the nearly imperceptible lean towards a more traditional prog approach worked against them ever so slightly.  Kalandra, on the other hand, has impressed me from the first listen.  I have found it very difficult to let go of the idea of continuing my engagement with the album, so it goes on.