Acclaimed Music Forums

Bracket:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=472469

Deadline to vote is Saturday, October 5 at 12 pm noon CST

Anyone can vote as long as they have listened to both songs in a match

Matches:

TV on the Radio - Will Do
vs.
Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.
vs.
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia

Laura Marling - Sophia
vs.
Beyonce - Love on Top

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
vs.
Wilco - Art of Almost

Daughter - Youth
vs.
The Roots - Make My

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
vs.
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
vs.
The Shins - Simple Song

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow
vs.
Chvrches - Lies

Will Do
A.D.H.D.
Sophia
Little Talks
Make My
The Dream
Gold on the Ceiling
Lies

I'm curious why people hold Lonely Boy in such higher regard than Gold on the Ceiling, and Little Black Submarines, for that matter. I love them all. Brutal that Simple Song had to face Gold on the Ceiling in the first round. A rare week where I'm a fan of even my No. 15.

5. TV on the Radio - Will Do
vs.
9. Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

15. Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.
vs.
13. Chairlift - Amanaemonesia

6. Laura Marling - Sophia
vs.
7. Beyonce - Love on Top

2. Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
vs.
11. Wilco - Art of Almost

4. Daughter - Youth
vs.
8. The Roots - Make My

12. Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
vs.
16. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

1. The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
vs.
3. The Shins - Simple Song

10. Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow
vs.
14. Chvrches - Lies

NOOO! Gold On The Ceiling VS. Simple Song??!! Say It Ain't So!

TV on the Radio - Will Do
vs.
Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Nine Types of Light was a bit of a letdown, but listening to "Will Do" makes me want to give the album another chance. TV on the Radio at their most tender. 8/10. "Grown Ocean" is a solid cut from a great band, but they've done the same thing they're doing here better on other songs. Still majestic. A close call, but I'll give it to "Will Do". 7/10 by the way.

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.
vs.
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia

I love the spacey, hazy atmospheric of the Kendrick song. It's like a cloud of smoke put to music. 8/10. The Chairlift song is really good, but I think they perfected their sound on songs like "Ch-Ching" and "Romeo". This song is solid, but it's not quite there. 7/10.

Laura Marling - Sophia
vs.
Beyonce - Love on Top

The Laura Marling song really picks up in the second half. Liking the falsetto too. 7/10. The Beyoncé song is typical Beyoncé and your enjoyment of the song is probably going to be proportional to your enjoyment of Beyoncé. I do really like the new jack swing flavor of the song though. It's something that wouldn't have sounded out of place in 1995. Another 7/10. Close call, but I'll give it to "Love on Top".

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
vs.
Wilco - Art of Almost

"Little Talks" is the embodiment of "hey!" "ho!" "yeah!" indie circa 2012, and that's not a compliment. It's like generic brand Arcade Fire. The chorus is sorta catchy though. 4/10. "Art of Almost" is probably Wilco's 20th best song, but it easily wipes the floor with the Of Monsters and Men song. That guitar work is something else. 8/10.

Daughter - Youth
vs.
The Roots - Make My

The Daughter song is nice and I like the drumming. I just wish there was a bit more to latch onto, to really sink my teeth into, you know? 6/10. "Make My" is also nice, great production with the "ghostly" synths in the song's second half. If you're in the mood for some melancholic rap, you could do a lot worse than this. 7/10.

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
vs.
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

"The Dream" is like a stoner's version of "Kickstart My Heart". No I am not joking. Listen to the two songs again. 7/10. "Replica" is serviceable background music. 6/10.

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
vs.
The Shins - Simple Song

"Gold on the Ceiling" is The Black Keys gone glam rock to great effect. I love the chorus and the "crunchiness" (I hope that makes sense) of the guitars. 9/10. "Simple Song" is also great, and it's the best thing The Shins have done since 2007. But it's not quite enough to beat The Black Keys here. Oh why did the best two songs this week have to be up against each other? 8/10.

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow
vs.
Chvrches - Lies

"Gone Tomorrow" has all the makings of a great song, but I wish its composition was just a little tighter. A bit too much meandering for me. 6/10. The Chvrches song is a typical Chvrches song, which is to say it's really enjoyable. Lauren Mayberry has such an incredible voice. Not quite as good as some of their other songs, but a solid addition to The Bones of What You Believe. 7/10.

The Tiers:

9/10 Tier:

1. The Black Keys- Gold on the Ceiling

8/10 Tier:

2. The Shins- Simple Song
3. Wilco- Art of Almost
4. Kendrick Lamar- A.D.H.D.
5. TV on the Radio- Will Do

7/10 Tier:

6. Fleet Foxes- Grown Ocean
7. Beyoncé- Love on Top
8. Laura Marling- Sophia
9. Chairlift- Amanaemonesia
10. Thee Oh Sees- The Dream
11. Chvrches- Lies
12. The Roots- Make My

6/10 Tier:

13. Daughter- Youth
14. Lambchop- Gone Tomorrow
15. Oneohtrix Point Never- Replica

4/10 Tier:

16. Of Monsters and Men- Little Talks

Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
Beyoncé - Love on Top
Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
The Roots - Make My
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
Chvrches - Lies

Rdwdbob wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2019 4:12 pm NOOO! Gold On The Ceiling VS. Simple Song??!! Say It Ain't So!

Yeah that is a brutal matchup of songs that probably share a similar fan base.

For the second straight week, there are some huge hits in here: Love on Top, Little Talks, and Gold on the Ceiling seem hardly "overlooked", though I get that they meet the definition for inclusion.

Nick wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2019 5:51 pm Nine Types of Light was a bit of a letdown, but listening to "Will Do" makes me want to give the album another chance.

I'd encourage you to give it another listen. Nine Types of Light may not be Dear Science, but it's pretty underrated. In addition to this song, Second Song, Caffeinated Consciousness, and Repetition are all top tier TVotR songs. My favorite from them this decade, Mercy, unfortunately wasn't on an album and is relatively unknown, but it's probably the closest they came to remaking Wolf Like Me.

Jackson wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2019 9:09 pm

Nick wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2019 5:51 pm Nine Types of Light was a bit of a letdown, but listening to "Will Do" makes me want to give the album another chance.

I'd encourage you to give it another listen. Nine Types of Light may not be Dear Science, but it's pretty underrated. In addition to this song, Second Song, Caffeinated Consciousness, and Repetition are all top tier TVotR songs. My favorite from them this decade, Mercy, unfortunately wasn't on an album and is relatively unknown, but it's probably the closest they came to remaking Wolf Like Me.

I agree - this is a good, if under rated, album. 'Will Do' was my pick for this competition.

It certainly wasn't as groundbreaking/experimental as their previous albums but it deserves a listen. It is definitely an 'easier' listen.

Nick wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2019 5:51 pm Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
vs.
Wilco - Art of Almost

"Little Talks" is the embodiment of "hey!" "ho!" "yeah!" indie circa 2012, and that's not a compliment. It's like generic brand Arcade Fire. The chorus is sorta catchy though. 4/10. "Art of Almost" is probably Wilco's 20th best song, but it easily wipes the floor with the Of Monsters and Men song. That guitar work is something else. 8/10.

I'm pretty sure "Ho Hey" (2012) is the embodiment of "hey!" "ho!" indie circa 2012... I'm guessing you're not the biggest Lumineers fan either. I see how they're both kind of Arcade Fire lite, but that's probably why I like those two songs.

TV On The Radio - Will Do
Wilco - Art Of Almost
Roots - Make My
The Black Keys - Gold In The Ceiling
Chvrches - Lies

TV on the Radio - Will Do vs. Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D. vs. Chairlift - Amanaemonesia

Laura Marling - Sophia vs. Beyonce - Love on Top

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks vs. Wilco - Art of Almost

Daughter - Youth vs. The Roots - Make My

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream vs. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling vs. The Shins - Simple Song

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow vs. Chvrches - Lies

TV on the Radio - Will Do

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.

Laura Marling - Sophia

Wilco - Art of Almost

The Roots - Make My

Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

The Shins - Simple Song

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow

Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D. (I truly believe this is one of the greatest songs of the decade)

Beyonce - Love On Top

Of Monsters And Men - Little Talks (I think I remember hearing this song on a commercial when I was a little kid)

The Roots - Make My

Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica (Another masterpiece!)

The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling

Chvrches - Lies

Jackson wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2019 9:09 pm

Nick wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2019 5:51 pm Nine Types of Light was a bit of a letdown, but listening to "Will Do" makes me want to give the album another chance.

I'd encourage you to give it another listen. Nine Types of Light may not be Dear Science, but it's pretty underrated. In addition to this song, Second Song, Caffeinated Consciousness, and Repetition are all top tier TVotR songs. My favorite from them this decade, Mercy, unfortunately wasn't on an album and is relatively unknown, but it's probably the closest they came to remaking Wolf Like Me.

I'll definitely have to get around to listening to it before I finalize my EOD list. And I haven't listened to "Mercy" in years but I remember liking it a lot. Shame they never put it on an album.

andyd1010 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2019 9:40 pm

Nick wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2019 5:51 pm Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
vs.
Wilco - Art of Almost

"Little Talks" is the embodiment of "hey!" "ho!" "yeah!" indie circa 2012, and that's not a compliment. It's like generic brand Arcade Fire. The chorus is sorta catchy though. 4/10. "Art of Almost" is probably Wilco's 20th best song, but it easily wipes the floor with the Of Monsters and Men song. That guitar work is something else. 8/10.

I'm pretty sure "Ho Hey" (2012) is the embodiment of "hey!" "ho!" indie circa 2012... I'm guessing you're not the biggest Lumineers fan either. I see how they're both kind of Arcade Fire lite, but that's probably why I like those two songs.

Ha! You're right, "Ho Hey" is the true embodiment of that sound. I'm not a fan of that song either, but it's a little better than "Little Talks". That whole indie-pop sound from the early 2010s is, to me, to Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse what that bland post-grunge wave of music in the late 90s/early 00s is to like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Happens to every movement in music though, sadly.

TV on the Radio - Will Do
vs.
Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.
vs.
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia

Laura Marling - Sophia
vs.
Beyonce - Love on Top

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
vs.
Wilco - Art of Almost

Daughter - Youth
vs.
The Roots - Make My

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
vs.
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
vs.
The Shins - Simple Song

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow
vs.
Chvrches - Lies

Top 7

1 Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
2 Beyonce - Love on Top
3 Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.
4 The Roots - Make My
5 Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
6 Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
7 Laura Marling - Sophia

TV On The Radio - Will Do
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
Beyonce - Love On Top
Of Monsters And Men - Little Talks
The Roots - Make My

TV on the Radio - Will Do
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
Pass
Wilco - Art of Almost
The Roots - Make My
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
Chvrches - Lies

1. Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
2. Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.
3. Beyonce - Love on Top
4. Wilco - Art of Almost
5. The Roots - Make My
6. Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
7. The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
8. Chvrches - Lies

Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
Laura Marling - Sophia
Wilco - Art of Almost
The Roots - Make My
Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
The Shins - Simple Song
Chvrches - Lies

TV on the Radio - Will Do > Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D. < Chairlift - Amanaemonesia

Laura Marling - Sophia < Beyonce - Love on Top
Love on Top is a highlight from listening to the 4 album for moderately acclaimed.

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks < Wilco - Art of Almost
Little Talks is a great driving song and I really like it (I prefer Mountain Sound from the same album though). But Wilco blew it out of the water. Really amazing find.

Daughter - Youth < The Roots - Make My

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream > Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling > The Shins - Simple Song

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow < Chvrches - Lies

TV on the Radio - Will Do vs. Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Fleet Foxes tend to make me sleepy

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D. vs. Chairlift - Amanaemonesia

I like both songs but Kendrick will win all other the awards anyway

Laura Marling - Sophia vs. Beyonce - Love on Top

Not my favorite Laura Marling song, but I only like Lemonade Beyonce, so...

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks vs. Wilco - Art of Almost

Of Monsters and Men is too Großraumdisko for my liking. That Wilco song is a new favorite

Daughter - Youth vs. The Roots - Make My

Hard call, I like both songs but the Roots more in general

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream vs. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

Even harder call, two new favorites, coin toss

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling vs. The Shins - Simple Song

Gold on the ceiling is a bit overplayed for me, but I find the Shins song kind of boring

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow vs. Chvrches - Lies

TV on the Radio - Will Do vs. Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
It sucks when I find a cool new song and it loses. Unfortunately, pretty much any song from Helplessness Blues will clobber its competition. "Grown Ocean," like "Congratulations," is an amazing closer. But more so than last time, "Grown Ocean" lives within the context of its album. It's supposed to be the cliffhanger pump-up anthem after the lowest point of "Blue Spotted Tail." I recognize that Robin's vocals are very nasal on this song, and if the song loses, I would blame it on that aspect. TV on the Radio is a band with which I haven't been too familiar, only really acquainting myself in the wake of the 2000s decade poll. I actually like "Will Do" better than the songs featured in the 2000s poll. There is a melodic nature that is so different from the atonality of a lot of their music.

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D. vs. Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
"ADHD" almost feels like the anthem of a generation, the way it covers topics like addiction, depression and poverty. The simultaneously-jolting-and-hypnotic production matches the topics discussed. Chairlift's song feels like standard, middle-of-the-road indie synthpop.

Laura Marling - Sophia vs. Beyonce - Love on Top
This was a tough choice. "Sophia" has a slow start, but then it becomes great, with Joni Mitchell-esque vocal harmonies and driving guitar and drums. "Love on Top" 's biggest positive is its catchiness. You won't be able to get that melody on the hook out of your head. But unfortunately, when listening to the song, the melody gets really tired and repetitive. Beyonce's vocals can't carry the song on a rather mediocre instrumental. The four key changes don't awe me like they did the first time I heard the song. If the instrumental changed on each of those key changes, then this would have easily won.

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks vs. Wilco - Art of Almost
I don't see how "Little Talks" is just Arcade Fire-lite. I hear it as just as good. There are enough differences where maybe the comparison isn't even warranted. The Wilco song is very lavish and multifaceted.

Daughter - Youth vs. The Roots - Make My
"Youth" is pretty good, but it makes me grimace everytime it comes on, because it sounds like the soundtrack to every indie movie about growing up.

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream vs. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
"Replica" was a surprisingly sweet ambient piece.

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling vs. The Shins - Simple Song
"Gold on the Ceiling" is a perfectly constructed blues rock song updated for the 2010s. If I squint hard enough at "Simple Song," I can see the hype, but there is something about the song that is not clicking with me. It might be the vocals.

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow vs. Chvrches - Lies
Another matchup where I can go either way.

Favorite discovery: "Will Do"

This week is not as strong as the last one, but is solid overall.

10. TV on the Radio - Will Do
vs.
15. Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

I love the Fleet Foxes debut, but their two follow-up albums haven't done that much for me. I find Helplessness Blues in general a rather less lively album than it's predecessor and despite hearing it multiple times I can never remember Grown Ocean. Will Do is also not the highlight of TV on the Radio, but it is pretty good and memorable.

13. Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.
vs.
9. Chairlift - Amanaemonesia

I never heard anything of Section.80 before, but A.D.H.D. sounds almost disappointingly regular. There was room for growth still and he filled that room. Amanaemonesia isn't all that original itself, true, but I like it's general sound just more.

1. Laura Marling - Sophia
vs.
14. Beyonce - Love on Top

I was about to nominate Sophia myself, but StevieFan beat me to it. I read a lot here about the song only becoming great in the second halve. Of course, that is where the tempo goes up and I won't deny it is the meat of the song, but after hearing it a lot I have come to appreciate the slow first half to. This is a top 1000 song for me. Love on Top isn't. That one is probably the only case I know of Beyoncé having a song were the production is lacking. The melody is good and she gives it her all, but somehow the instrumental part seems badly mixed and seems too subdued, making Beyoncé's voice too much the center piece. Therefor, it becomes a piece of shouting that actually becomes annoying to me before it hits the end. I feel there is a better song underneath.

16. Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
vs.
7. Wilco - Art of Almost

Oh God, I'd almost forgotten about Little Talks, despite being ubiquitous on the radio for much of the decade. I always disliked that one, a nadir of cutesy indie-pop, with bad lyrics, two minor vocalists whose voices don't match, some of the worst use of Latin flavored instruments (it makes me long for Train songs) and the death knell for hey-ho background vocals (The Lumineers provided a funeral the year after). I do not, like Prosecutorgodot, think that indie was a mistake, but this song comes to mind when people lament the influence of the genre.
The only thing Wilco had to do to win this match-up was show up. They brought along a good song too, which is nice of them.

5. Daughter - Youth
vs.
6. The Roots - Make My

The only real tough match-up. Two soulful songs. Make My is more original, but I'm more a sucker for the type of song that is Youth.

3. Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
vs.
4. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

The strongest match-up. Replica is a beautiful, haunting piece and also a calling card for writing movie soundtracks (though they only scored one yet, Good Time). But The Dream goes further and develops in many cool ways. I have liked Thee Oh Sees a lot the last few years, but hadn't caught up with their earlier work. That makes this song the discovery of the week.

2. The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
vs.
11. The Shins - Simple Song

Gold on the Ceiling is the first appearance of a song I nominated. I added it quite naively, not knowing that it was such a big thing. I knew it was known, but no by this much. Probably because I completely ignore the existence of sport events. Simple song is good to, but maybe a little too close to that cutesy type of indie music for it's own good. Anyway, I can't resist the crush of the guitars of The Black Keys.

8. Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow
vs.
12. Chvrches - Lies

The name Chvrches has become something of a warning for me to turn of all music devices, but once they were good and made Lies. Nothing groundbreaking, but fine electronic pop. But Gone Tomorrow, with it's mysterious lyrics, cuts deeper.

TV on the Radio - Will Do
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
Laura Marling - Sophia
Wilco - Art of Almost
The Roots - Make My
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
The Shins - Simple Song
Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow

None of these are my nomination but a lot are personal favorites or on albums that I love -- well done, AMF. Sophia was the best new discovery so far in this game for me, and got me to listen to A Creature I Don't Know, which of course is excellent like everything else Marling has done this decade.

TV on the Radio - Will Do
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
Beyonce - Love on Top
Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
The Roots - Make My
Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
Chvrches - Lies

TV on the Radio - Will Do

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.

Laura Marling - Sophia

Wilco - Art of Almost

The Roots - Make My

Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow

TV on the Radio - Will Do
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
Laura Marling - Sophia
Wilco - Art of Almost
Daughter - Youth
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow

I'm already 0/2 in the game, with the knock-out suffered by "Silver Soul" and, likely, by "Grown Ocean"

3. TV on the Radio - Will Do
vs.
2. Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
"Will Do" 's bridge is TVOR as I most like them: inventive, funky, soulful and well-produced. If only for this part, it could have easily placed on "Dear Science", and I also like the melodic verses! A pity it faced one of my favorite Foxes songs, which contains some of their best melodies over a grand arrangement, making their sophomore album end in a quite epic way.

11. Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.
vs.
7. Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
First time I listen to Chairlift, and it's a creative track. It demanded me some listenings until I realized it was sung in English. Nice pop music.

1. Laura Marling - Sophia
vs.
9. Beyonce - Love on Top
"Love on Top" has some groovy and intricate R&B, but those key changes and disproportionate screams at the end almost kill the entire song. I could see "Sophia" ending the whole game as the great champion. Gorgeous track!

5. Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
vs.
10. Wilco - Art of Almost
What so many hate about "Little Talks" is exactly what I like: the "cutesy indie" in the likes of Lumineer's "Hey Ho" (but with a much more fullfilled sound) gets me. A guilty pleasure, maybe? And I also don't find it an Arcade Fire pastiche such as "I'm From Barcelona", for example.

16. Daughter - Youth
vs.
12. The Roots - Make My
Both tracks I didn't know, but easy choice now.

8. Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
vs.
15. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
So many interesting arrangements on "The Dream"!

14. The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
vs.
4. The Shins - Simple Song
It may sound weird for many, but I had never heard "Gold on the Ceiling" before. Maybe it's not an overplayed song in Brazil. My first impression is that the vocalist sounds too much like a Bono Vox apprentice. All the times I heard the song I coudn't help remembering of this track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hXLGYUf1hI). Maybe after I listen to the whole album I change my view, but today this "U2 goes blues-rock" thing can't match "Simple Song", with its deliciously affected vocals and '80s climate.

13. Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow
vs.
6. Chvrches - Lies
An authentic vocal saves "Lies" from being just an average synth-pop track. Easy win.

Daughter - Youth (9.8)
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica (8.9)
Laura Marling - Sophia (8.2)
Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow (8.1)
TV on the Radio - Will Do (7.75)
The Shins - Simple Song (7.5)
Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean (7.5)
The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling (7.5)
Chvrches - Lies (7.5)
Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D. (7.5)
Wilco - Art of Almost (7.5)
Beyonce - Love on Top (7.25)
Thee Oh Sees - The Dream (7.25)
The Roots - Make My (7.25)
Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks (7.25)
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia (7.0)



No time to comment like I did last week...

This week features what is likely my favorite song in the tourney and it appears to be getting decimated. Guess it's grown on me in an odd way, being a song that really resonated with me as I was going through my divorce.

"Replica" starts as a nice ambient piece and subtly grows into something altogether menacing, and then shifts back towards something hopeful. Few songs I know command atmosphere as much as this one.

I bumped Sophia up into my 8+ range and Gone Tomorrow was an entirely new experience for me. Altogether a fair bit weaker than last week, which I believe had 7 songs in my 8+ range. I feel a lot of the songs this week are fairly good if standard rock tunes. "Little Talks" makes me strangely nostalgic.

Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
Laura Marling - Sophia
Wilco - Art of Almost
Daughter - Youth
Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow

I was too harsh with "Amanaemonesia." It is quite good. I still have it stuck in head. (But I stick with ADHD)

TV on the Radio - Will Do
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
Laura Marling - Sophia
Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
Daughter - Youth
Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
Chvrches - Lies

Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Chairlift - Amanaemonesia

Beyonce - Love on Top

Wilco - Art of Almost

Daughter - Youth

Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling

Chvrches - Lies

TV on the Radio - Will Do v. Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean The forced falsetto on Will Do evokes bad memories of Coldplay at their most manipulative, even though I know TVOR otherwise couldn't be more different than Chris Martin's mob. Grown Ocean wins almost by default but this is also one of Fleet Foxes' more rousing efforts.

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D. v. Chairlift - Amanaemonesia Close one, Kendrick's delivery seems hesitant compared to the flow we've known the last five years and without a doubt compared to Chairlift's crazed aerobics class number. The lysergic groove of A.D.H.D. is strong enough to carry Kung Fu Kenny over the finishing line (mind the mixed metaphors).

Laura Marling - Sophia v. Beyoncé - Love on Top Sophia's a slow-burner that has more of a home towards the end of A Creature I Don't Know but what I really have to laud Marling for is how she can instinctively build the atmosphere she wants with simple elements; she rarely vocally oversells a song either. Not an observation we can level at Queen B on Love on Top as many have noticed. Even so, when everyone on the radio is trying to chase trends (the singer of this track included), LoT appeared dated on arrival but was arguably the first time Beyoncé released something with no interest in public acclaim, the melisma is genuine for a change.

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks v. Wilco - Art of Almost Probably would feel more strongly either way about Little Talks if I'd known it at the time. As it is, it's a quaint enough stomp. The Art of Almost gets a lot out of its glitchy synths acting as a metronome through its various left-turns from folk-flecked indie to headbanging wig-out at the end. This week's best discovery to a degree that I may give Summerteeth, YHF and AGIB another chance...

Daughter - Youth v. The Roots - Make My The vocals could do with imposing themselves more on Youth but the artillery fire of the combined synths and drums do enough to sway me in this contest. Black Thought's one of rap's most underappreciated lyricists but I tend to like my hiphop instrumentals less smooth than this.

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream v. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica Not heard anything yet by Thee Oh Sees in their various guises that exceeds my initial impression of them as amiable yet a bit aimless, a perception not altered by The Dream but it ambles along with ideas and effort at least. Replica slips through my fingers, I suppose I could end up falling for it on a day where I'm feeling particularly emotional but today ain't that day.

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling v. The Shins - Simple Song Gold on the Ceiling is glam for the Pro-Tools generation. Like much of El Camino, it's slick but heartstoppingly so. Mainly rock reduced to its fundaments yet its greatness is secured for me with the trippy "I could never drown in" before the chorus. Simple Song is as modest as its ambitions, nothing wrong with that but barely heard over GOTC ringing through my brain.

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow v. Chvrches - Lies Kurt Wagner never sounds less than bunged up and the rest of the band seem to think the same, staying restrained while he says his piece, then we see the drummer torn between cool jazz and Chemical Brothers-style big beat, leading the song down a similarly uncertain but intriguing path. Lies is likeable, never less so when Lauren Mayberry's accent peeps through like on the word 'dirty' in the chorus, but not distinctive.

Best song: Gold on the Ceiling
Best 'new' songs: Art of Almost, Gone Tomorrow

TV on the Radio - Will Do
vs.
Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.
vs.
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia

I honestly didn't like either one very much but Chairlift gets the edge. Maybe I need more listens for it to grow on me a bit...

Laura Marling - Sophia
vs.
Beyonce - Love on Top

I liked Marling more than I expected but it still couldn't compare to Bey's bouncy pop/R&B confection.

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
vs.
Wilco - Art of Almost

Of Monsters always sounds like Mumford and Sons with a guest female vocalist to my ears.

Daughter - Youth
vs.
The Roots - Make My

I had never heard either song before. I liked Daughter. I LOVED The Roots.

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
vs.
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
vs.
The Shins - Simple Song

This was the toughest duel for me because I genuinely liked them both. The Shins have the stronger hook so "Simple Song" takes it.

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow
vs.
Chvrches - Lies

This was the easiest pick for me.

Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia
Laura Marling - Sophia
Wilco - Art of Almost
The Roots - Make My
Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow

A bit over three hours left - one match is currently tied.

Also, like last week, I will be busy during the day and may not be able to share the results for a bit.

Results:

TV on the Radio - Will Do: 17
Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean: 12

Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D.: 10
Chairlift - Amanaemonesia: 18

Laura Marling - Sophia: 17
Beyonce - Love on Top: 10

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks: 9
Wilco - Art of Almost: 20

Daughter - Youth: 9
The Roots - Make My: 20

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream: 15
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica: 14

The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling: 22
The Shins - Simple Song: 7

Lambchop - Gone Tomorrow: 12
Chvrches - Lies: 17