Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

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Brad
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Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Brad »

We've finally reached the Quarter-Final Round of Moderately Acclaimed Albums!
Winners here move on to the Semi-Finals!

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 19th at 10am EST.

Here's a link to the bracket for the entire tournament:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=474290

Match-ups:
1. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
3. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives vs. Nils Frahm - Spaces
4. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir vs. Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey


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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by spiritualized »

1. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
3. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives vs. Nils Frahm - Spaces
4. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir vs. Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Listyguy »

1. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
3. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives vs. Nils Frahm - Spaces
4. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir vs. Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey
jamieW
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by jamieW »

The Pentangle - Basket of Light
Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
Nils Frahm - Spaces
The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir
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bonnielaurel
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by bonnielaurel »

Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle
Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives
Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by hectorthebat »

Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle
Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives
Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by acroamor »

1. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle
3. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives
4. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Rdwdbob »

1. The Pentangle - Basket Of Light
2. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Bang Jan »

5 | The Pentangle | Basket of Light
2 | Astor Piazzolla | Tango: Zero Hour

3 | Laura Marling | Once I Was an Eagle
1 | Fela Kuti | Expensive Shit

8 | Aretha Franklin | Aretha Arrives
4 | Nils Frahm | Spaces

6 | The Magnetic Fields | 50 Song Memoir
7 | Leyla McCalla | A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey
Last edited by Bang Jan on Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Jirin »

Basket Of Light 89 - Tango: Zero Hour 85
Once I Was An Eagle 93 - Expensive Shit 83
Spaces 88 - Aretha Arrives 84
50 Song Memoir 95 - A Day For The Hunter, A Day For The Prey 86
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by DaveC »

1. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
3. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives vs. Nils Frahm - Spaces
4. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir vs. Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Safetycat »

The Pentangle - Basket of Light < Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle < Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives < Nils Frahm - Spaces
The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir > Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Schüttelbirne »

5 | The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. 3 | Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
4 | Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. 1 | Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
8 | Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives vs. 7 | Nils Frahm - Spaces
2 | The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir vs. 6 | Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey

The third match-up is just sad.
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Rdwdbob »

3. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by mileswide »

8. The Pentangle - Basket of Light v. 5. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour/Neuvo Tango: Hora Zero
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle v. 4. Fela Kuti & Africa 70 - Expensive Shit
3. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives v. 7. Nils Frahm - Spaces
1. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir v. 6. Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey

Least favourites: The Cuckoo | Milonga del Angel | Master Hunter | Water Get No Enemy (like last week, by default) | You Are My Sunshine | Improvisation for Coughs and a Cell Phone | '85: Why I Am Not a Teenager | A Day for the hunter, a day for the prey
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Rob »

mileswide wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 8:00 pm Least favourites: Milonga del Angel | Master Hunter
If I didn't happen to agree with you on You Are My Sunshine (easily the worst song on any album this week, in my opinion) I'd say you are picking the best/ most beloved on purpose :P
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mileswide
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by mileswide »

Rob wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 9:33 pm If I didn't happen to agree with you on You Are My Sunshine (easily the worst song on any album this week, in my opinion) I'd say you are picking the best/ most beloved on purpose :P
Are you mistaking for me some kind of contrarian? :D Honestly, Master Hunter's a solid standalone song but disrupts the tone of the album for me. Practically everything's consistent on Tango: Zero Hour, Milonga meanders a smidgen more than it needs to though. It escapes me why anyone ever thinks covering You Are My Sunshine is a good idea, Aretha tries putting off starting the song in earnest as long as she can but even she realises any more than two minutes of improvising is excessive on a song this slight.
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Rob
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Rob »

mileswide wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 10:18 pm It escapes me why anyone ever thinks covering You Are My Sunshine is a good idea, Aretha tries putting off starting the song in earnest as long as she can but even she realises any more than two minutes of improvising is excessive on a song this slight.
It took me a few times to even consciously notice that she was indeed covering the old country song. I feel that her attempts to change it made it neither fish nor fowl.
I do really like Norman Blake's version of the song on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, but exactly because he keeps it light, simple and tender.
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Brad »

My picks:
1. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
2. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
3. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives vs. Nils Frahm - Spaces
4. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir vs. Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey

Thanks!
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Rob »

Ah, the first week were we can see all remaining nominations. Things are getting serious!

6. The Pentangle - Basket of Light vs. 1. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour
5. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle vs. 4. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
8. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives vs. 3. Nils Frahm - Spaces
2. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir vs. 7. Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey

I personally don't think that Aretha Arrives comes even close to the other seven, but otherwise a great group for the quarter finals. Never expected Leyla McCalla to still be here.
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Honorio »

After many years I got two of my nominations on quarter finals (and one of them with chances of getting to semifinals). I checked it and, after an stellar first participation on MAA4 (the final battle was between two of my nominations so obviously the winner was nominated by me), later I got only an album on the final of MAA7 and one album on quarter finals on MAA9 and MAA10. My nominations on this is edition were mostly butchered on Round 1 but, to my surprise, two of them came this far (yes, jamieW, I also suffer when my nominations get eliminated but I prefer not to take it as personal, this is a game after all).



4. The Pentangle - Basket of Light (1969) vs. 3. Astor Piazzolla and the New Tango Quintet - Tango: Zero Hour (1986)
Loved the Pentangle album since I discovered in MAA7, love the contrasting voices of Bert Jansch and sweet Jacqui McShee, the mastery of John Renbourn and Danny Thompson, the mix of traditional and contemporary. But I can't help for voting for Piazzolla and what could be the best instrumental tango album ever (well, maybe tied with "Libertango"), a tight interaction between tango, modern classical and jazz. "Milonga del ángel" is no less than sublime, it doesn't meanders to me, it majestically flows.

5. Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle (2013) vs. 6. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit (1975)
Before relistening, I was sure I was going to vote for Fela Kuti. And I love this album, the sixth position on my list only talks about the solid quarter-finals we came with. The mid-70s period of Fela Kuti was great, he only released masterpieces that solidified the Afro-Beat sound. But Marling's amazing initial four-songs run (depicting a destructive relationship) got me again. Reportedly she recorded her guitar and vocal parts in a single take, an outstanding achievement for the (then) 23 years-old singer-songwriter.

8. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives (1967) vs. 2. Nils Frahm - Spaces (2013)
Nils Frahm has a solid body of work, mostly released during the 2010s decade. But my favourite album of his is this live album recorded in different locations over the course of two years, described by Frahm as a "collage of field recordings rather than a live album," interacting with the audience in tracks like the humorously named "Improvisation for Piano, Laughs, Coughs and a Cell Phone" and going from the intimate to the (almost) bombastic, with "Says" as the most obvious peak. So sorry, Aretha…

7. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir (2017) vs. 1. Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, a Day for the Prey (2016)
I discovered "A Day..." in early 2017 looking for "best world music albums of the year" (I don't remember the exact source) and then again I found it last year on the wonderful Dan's list of best albums of the 2010s. I was making my own 2010s list and Leyla McCalla second album climbed on my list like a rocket. Glad to see that some of you also liked her delicious album with Cajun and Haitian sounds. She won't pass to semifinals but at least she'll lose against "50 Song Memoir," a masterful concept album.
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Brad »

20 hours left to vote for the Semi-Finalists!
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Rdwdbob »

4. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by Brad »

16 total voters this week:
acroamor
Bang Jan
bonnielaurel
Brad
DaveC
hectorthebat
Honorio
jaimeW
Jirin
Listyguy
mileswide
Rdwdbob
Rob
Safetycat
Schüttelbirne
spiritualized

Winners:
1. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour over The Pentangle - Basket of Light 9-7
2. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit over Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle 9-7
3. Nils Frahm - Spaces over Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives 10-6
4. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir over Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey 12-4

Semis are next!
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Re: Moderately Acclaimed Albums 12 - Quarter-Finals!

Post by mileswide »

Rob wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 9:15 am It took me a few times to even consciously notice that she was indeed covering the old country song. I feel that her attempts to change it made it neither fish nor fowl.
I do really like Norman Blake's version of the song on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, but exactly because he keeps it light, simple and tender.
What a film O Brother is! So much to like, the Sirens are responsible for my musical (and maybe my cinematic) highlight of the movie but the whole thing's constructed exclusively of memorable, vivid set pieces- best of the Coen Brothers I've seen.
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