Acclaimed Music Forums

Only a couple days until the usual starting date of December 1st and I decided not to wait.

Best Moderately Acclaimed Album of the Year is a game where everybody nominates one album, then everybody has a month to listen to all the nominations, and rank from top to bottom all the ones they managed to listen to. Any album which is not in the top 50 of the Mega Critic chart is eligible, but you should also use your best judgment and not nominate albums that didn't get good initial reviews but are expected to rank highly on all the year end lists.

You have until January 2nd to nominate an album, then all of January to listen to the nominations and create your ballot.

The winner is automatically entered into the next iteration of Best Moderately Acclaimed Album.

My nomination is: Gang Gang Dance - Kazuashita.

Rolo Tomassi: Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It

I'm calling that Soccer Mommy will win this (assuming someone else nominates it).

I’ll take those honors. Besides, it’s a great album.
Soccer Mommy - Clean

I'm surprised that's as low on the Mega Critic list as it is. It's my #21 right now so will land pretty high on my list.

I vow to make a better choice than last year. Although I still liked that album.

Jenny Wilson - EXORCISM

Father John Misty - God's Favorite Customer

Technically eligible, but if it ends up doing well in the rankings next month you can scrap it. Would be my #1 if we voted for our poll today

Ashley Monroe - Sparrow

andyd1010 wrote:Father John Misty - God's Favorite Customer

Technically eligible, but if it ends up doing well in the rankings next month you can scrap it. Would be my #1 if we voted for our poll today

It’s a judgment call, as the EOY lists come out just let me know if you think it’s finishing too high to include in this game.

Haley Heynderickx - I Need to Start a Garden

acroamor wrote:Haley Heynderickx - I Need to Start a Garden

Beautiful album! It's currently high on my EOY list.

SUPERORGANISM - Superorganism

I nominate The Limiñanas - Shadow People

Titus Andronicus - A Productive Cough

First Aid Kit - Ruins

Gruff Rhys - Babelsberg

The Go! Team – Semicircle

Avantdale Bowling Club | Avantdale Bowling Club

Tracey Thorn - Record

Difficult ... so many choices, Orielles, Goat Girl, Exploded View, maybe something electronic like Skee Mask ...

I opt for dark minimalistic indie folk:
Emilie Zoé - The very start

Chvrches - Love Is Dead

Quick question: does the full release of Frank Ocean's 'Endless' in April (as opposed to the visual-only release back in 2016) make it eligible for nomination?

Jirin wrote:

andyd1010 wrote:Father John Misty - God's Favorite Customer

Technically eligible, but if it ends up doing well in the rankings next month you can scrap it. Would be my #1 if we voted for our poll today

It’s a judgment call, as the EOY lists come out just let me know if you think it’s finishing too high to include in this game.

Got the same issue with Let's Eat Grandma ; gotta figure out a plan B.

Matski wrote:Quick question: does the full release of Frank Ocean's 'Endless' in April (as opposed to the visual-only release back in 2016) make it eligible for nomination?

If it’s a re-release of only existing material, no. If it’s new recordings, yes.

From my understanding, it was released only as a movie in 2016 and wasn't actually released as an album until this year. Regardless, there are plenty of other choices I'm mulling over putting forward.

What do other people think? First release as an album, but not first release of the recordings.

Tirzah | Devotion

Jirin wrote:What do other people think? First release as an album, but not first release of the recordings.

I’d say eligible. I doubt anyone would have considered it for any games or EOY in 2016 as a movie only.

Ok, fine with me then, just please give recommendations for how to hear it since it is not on Spotify.

Current list of nominations:

Jirin: Gang Gang Dance - Kazuashita
Jackson: Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It
StevieFan13: Soccer Mommy - Clean
Moonbeam: Jenny Wilson - EXORCISM
andyd1010: Father John Misty - God’s Favorite Customer
FrankLotion: Ashley Monroe - Sparrow
acroamor: Haley Heynderickx - I Need To Start A Garden
Romain: SUPERORGANISM - Superorganism
Gillingham: The Limiñanas - Shadow People
TheLastEnemy: Titus Andronicus - A Productive Cough
bonnielaurel: First Aid Kit - Ruins
Brad: Gruff Rhys - Babelsberg
Sweepstakes Ron: The Go! Team - Semicircle
Bang Jan: Avantdale Bowling Club - Avantdale Bowling Club
Jap123: Tracey Thorn - Record
rumpdoll: Emilie Zoé - The very start
Akhenaten: Chvrches - Love Is Dead
notbrieneno: Tirzah - Devotion

Let me know if I left something out.

I'm assuming Matski has not settled on Frank Ocean yet.

Jirin wrote:Bang Jan: Avantdale Bowling Club - Avant Bowling Club

The album and the band are both titled Avantdale Bowling Club.

Thanks, just typed it wrong.

Adding

Anna von Hausswolff
Dead Magic

Tropical Fuck Storm - A Laughing Death in Meatspace

Against All Logic- 2012-2017

Nick wrote:Against All Logic- 2012-2017

I'm surprised this one isn't getting more heat in end of year lists. I thought it'd serve as the "token electronic album" for a lot of indie publications but it looks like DJ Koze and Jon Hopkins are taking those spots.

Jackson wrote:

Nick wrote:Against All Logic- 2012-2017

I'm surprised this one isn't getting more heat in end of year lists. I thought it'd serve as the "token electronic album" for a lot of indie publications but it looks like DJ Koze and Jon Hopkins are taking those spots.

Yeah, I’m pretty surprised too. It’s my AOTY so I really wish it was getting more critical love, but oh well. Maybe if it was released under the more famous “Nicolas Jaar” name it would’ve got more attention.

Haven't been keeping up too much with this year's albums, but I'll throw my hat into the ring with:

Florence + The Machine - High as Hope

Brian Fallon - Sleepwalkers

Ben Pirani - How Do I Talk to My Brother?

Toni wrote:

acroamor wrote:Haley Heynderickx - I Need to Start a Garden

Beautiful album! It's currently high on my EOY list.

Agreed. Glad I saw this overlooked gem on a few year end lists.

DocBrown wrote:

Toni wrote:

acroamor wrote:Haley Heynderickx - I Need to Start a Garden

Beautiful album! It's currently high on my EOY list.

Agreed. Glad I saw this overlooked gem on a few year end lists.

Same, very good hidden gem.

If it hasn't been nominated, I'd like to put forward Am I A Girl? by Poppy

Hailu Mergia - Lala Belu

I’m on vacation (Bourbon Street is the greatest place in America). When I get back on Wednesday I will finalize noms and start the voting thread.

Jirin wrote:Bourbon Street is the greatest place in America

I don't disagree... have a blast!

Kinda want to nominate GAS, but let's be more realistic and nominate Gaz instead :
Gaz Coombes - World's Strongest Man

I had quite a few albums I wanted to nominate here, but I have to be honest with myself and there are two eligible that are particularly close to my heart. Still, I don't want to vote for anything on MegaCritic, even outside the top 50, so I'm not going for Dreamwife's self-titled album (but warmly recommend it). So I go with my honest #1 choice.

Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen

I mean, soft female vocals with a dreamy pop approach and with quite a bit of critical acclaim deserves no originality point, but I love this one.

Rob wrote:I had quite a few albums I wanted to nominate here, but I have to be honest with myself and there are two eligible that are particularly close to my heart. Still, I don't want to vote for anything on MegaCritic, even outside the top 50, so I'm not going for Dreamwife's self-titled album (but warmly recommend it). So I go with my honest #1 choice.

Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen

I mean, soft female vocals with a dreamy pop approach and with quite a bit of critical acclaim deserves no originality point, but I love this one.

Not going to be able to participate in this but if there was an album I would pick it would be this one.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Sex And Food