Moderately Acclaimed Albums 8 - Round 4.2

[Brad]

Welcome to Round 4.2 of our 2017 Moderately Acclaimed Albums tournament!
The winners in this round will round out the quarter-finals (along with the 4 albums selected last week).

Vote for your favorite album in each match-up.
Remember, anyone can vote as long as the voter has heard both albums.

Good-spirited comments are encouraged, but not absolutely necessary.
Deadline = October 3rd at 10am EST.

Here's a link to the bracket for the entire tournament:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?t ... Albums%208

Match-ups:
1. Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra vs. The Beatles - Help!
2. Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks vs. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
3. Saint Etienne - So Tough vs. Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West
4. Rodriguez - Coming from Reality vs. Astor Piazzolla - LIbertango

This world is going up in flames
And nobody wanna take the blame

[Bang Jan]

6 | Sinead O'Connor | The Lion and the Cobra
5 | The Beatles | Help!

7 | Angelo Badalamenti | Soundtrack from Twin Peaks
8 | Lana Del Rey | Born to Die

1 | Saint Etienne | So Tough
2 | Ennio Morricone | Once Upon a Time in the West

3 | Rodriguez | Coming from Reality
4 | Astor Piazzolla | Libertango

[BleuPanda]

Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks
Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West
Astor Piazzolla - LIbertango

[StevieFan13]

Ooh. Almost, ALMOST voted against my own pick here. But no:
Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
Saint Etienne - So Tough
Rodriguez - Coming from Reality

[andyd1010]

1. Help!
2. Born to Die
3. Once Upon a Time in the West
4. Pass

[Madzong]

1. Help!

3. Saint Etienne - So Tough

[DaveC]

1. Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra vs. The Beatles - Help!
2. Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks vs. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
3. Saint Etienne - So Tough vs. Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West
4. Rodriguez - Coming from Reality vs. Astor Piazzolla - LIbertango

[Honorio]

This week I chose the (mostly) instrumental albums...

7. Sinéad O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra (1987) vs. 4. The Beatles - Help! (1965)
I understand that some people want to see "Help!" out of the game, it feels strange having The Beatles, the most acclaimed act ever, on a moderately acclaimed game. But week after week they defeat strong opponents, like this week Sinéad O'Connor's debut, a brilliant album showcasing the strong personality of the Irish singer-songwriter despite the somehow dated mid-80s sounds. But, you know, a lesser effort by the Fab Four is still excellent, with peaks as high as "Help!" or "Yesterday."

1. Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks (1990) vs 6. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die (2012)
Perfect timing for the BleuPanda nomination, just during the broadcast of the third season of the mythical TV series. I admit I haven't seen these series until this 2017, when I immersed myself in the bizarre world of Frost/Lynch watching the three seasons and "Fire Walk with Me" on a row and becaming fascinated, even obsessed. Even the wonderful but underated Lana Del Rey debut (with obvious Badalamenti/Lynch influences) got nothing to do against the Twin Peaks soundtrack in my book.

5. Saint Etienne - So Tough (1993) vs. 2. Ennio Morricone - C'era una volta il West (1968)
I really would like to vote for "So Tough," an outstanding album of POP in capital letters, with the sweet and dreamy vocals of Sarah Cracknell and the brilliant mix of sixties music stylings and electronic rhythms of Stanley and Wiggs. But they can't compete with Morricone's masterpiece, going from the epic (almost operatic) sounds of the tittle track to the atmospheric (and spine-chilling) sounds of the fuzz guitar on "Come una sentenza" and the harmonica on "L'uomo dell'armonica."

8. Rodriguez - Coming from Reality (1971) vs. 3. Astor Piazzolla - Libertango (1974)
I would like to like more "Coming from Reality" since I liked quite a lot "Cold Fact" but, as Rob said, sometimes it "sound like the nagging of a particularly sour person" despite some very good songs (particularly "Sandrevan Lullaby"). But "Libertango" is Piazzolla finest hour (arguably, some may prefer "Tango: Zero Hour") introducing electric bass and drums on Tango music and tying different feelings to this music. The titles say it all: "Violentango," "Tristango," "Libertango." Liberty. And Tango.

[jamieW]

Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
Saint Etienne - So Tough
Astor Piazzolla - LIbertango

Favorite album I couldn't vote for: Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks (But I really like all of these albums. Great week!)

[EmilienDelRey]

Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks

[Henry]

1. The Beatles - Help!

[StevieFan13]

For the record: I don't want The Beatles out, and I have been pleased by their performance in this game. On the other hand, they're up against an album I adore that I nominated, so it's a dilemma.

[luney6]

The Beatles


Astor Piazolla

[Jirin]

Help! 86 - The Lion And The Cobra 65
Twin Peaks 80 - Born To Die 55
So Tough 92 - Once Upon A Time In The West 73
Libertango 87 - Coming From Reality 83

[bonnielaurel]

Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
Saint Etienne - So Tough
Astor Piazzolla - LIbertango

[Brad]

My picks:
1. Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra vs. The Beatles - Help!
2. Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks vs. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
3. Saint Etienne - So Tough vs. Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West
4. Rodriguez - Coming from Reality vs. Astor Piazzolla - LIbertango

Thanks!

[Rob]

6. Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra vs. 7. The Beatles - Help!
Help! hasn't shown up yet in the current album poll, making it a top 200 contender. Still, around here it still pretending to be moderately acclaimed. And here I am still thinking it isn't all that special. Solid, but not particularly unique - not for The Beatles and also not for the general competition in this poll. Just an average mid-sixties album that's well executed. The Lion and the Cobra is probably the least unique album it has faced up til now, but Sinéad O'Connor is still a very special presence and her vocals give me chills. I wonder if I'll ever grow tired of Troy.

5. Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks vs. 3. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
Moody noir-like soundtrack faces moody noir-like pop. Both very good, but Lana Del Rey just offers a little more.

1. Saint Etienne - So Tough vs. 2. Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West
It had to come to this. These were my two favorite albums in this whole game, even though Morricone wasn't my nomination. Both would rank in my top 10 albums of all time, but I never made an official ranking of that, so I still haven't decided which I like more. Once Upon a Time is the supreme film soundtrack, one I have been listening to for some 15 odd years, from a film I have seen about 10 times. And it still chills me. That it mostly varies the same tracks over and over doesn't bother me the slightest. It somehow makes it stronger in a way I can't explain.
So Tough is for me the best relax album. It soothes me, with it's odd mix between nostalgia, modern soundscapes and feel of city life. All these things shouldn't combine as naturally as they seem to do, but somehow it works as a complete package. Besides, it's one of the best examples of how an album should be sequenced. Something about the flow of So Tough feels perfect to me.
Of course I can't really chose. Every vote seems like treachery. Still, I play this game for completion and if I vote for So Tough for no other reason than that I have nominated it and think more people should listen to it (I feel Once Upon a Time in the West is more familiar to most), so be it.

8. Rodriguez - Coming from Reality vs. 4. Astor Piazzolla - LIbertango
I was never the biggest fan here of Coming from Reality, but it feels like it really reached its limits here. Libertango had been a big surprise here. I never thought I would get into a tango album, let alone that it would remain captivating after so many listens. But it is still a joy to listen to.

[Romain]

1. The Beatles - Help!
2. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
3. Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West
4. Astor Piazzolla - LIbertango[/color]


2, 3 and 4 are my favorites, since the beginning, for the win. I will be happy if one of them go to the victory.

If Angelo Badalamenti had been on the first group I could have voted for my four favorites album of the game.

[Brad]

17 hours left to vote!

[spiritualized]

1- help
2- twin peaks
3- enio Morricone
4- Astor Piazolla

[Brad]

17 voters this week:
andy1010
Bang Jan
BleuPanda
bonnielaurel
Brad
DaveC
EmilienDelRey
Henry
Honorio
jamieW
Jirin
luney6
madzong
Rob
Romain
spiritualized
StevieFan13
Kingoftonga

Winners:
1. The Beatles - Help! over Sinead O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra 11-5
2. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die over Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks 8-7 (ot)
3. Saint Etienne - So Tough over Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West 8-7 (ot)
4. Astor Piazzolla - LIbertango over Rodriguez - Coming from Reality 10-3

***We also have two ties this week!!!:***
2. Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks vs. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die 7-7
3. Saint Etienne - So Tough vs. Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West 7-7

Next vote from someone who hasn't already voted in the match-up will determine the winner for each match-up!

After ties are broken, we can proceed to the Quarter-Finals!

[Kingoftonga]

2. Angelo Badalamenti - Soundtrack from Twin Peaks vs. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
3. Saint Etienne - So Tough vs. Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West

Sorry I missed the vote this week. I also would have voted for Sinead O'Conner and Rodriguez, not that this would have made a difference

[Brad]

Thanks King! (I was gonna single you out as a potential "tie-breaker guy" but figured you'd be around soon anyway)...

Quarter-Finals posted soon!