2010年 Feb 19日 Friday, 8:37
Masochist that I am, here I go for the third year in a row with my answer to March Madness - namely Music Madness. Sixty-four songs randomly chosen by my iTunes, the only stipulation being that participants from previous years have been excluded.
This year's crop is interesting. There are no less than three long medleys here. There's not as much over-representation of artists this year; Ben Folds gets three - one with and two without the Five; and Sufjan Stevens and Smashing Pumpkins each score two entries (which is strange because I only have two Pumpkins albums). As in years previous, there's a great spread of material, from pop to prog to jazz to novelty. Jandek even rears his head once more. Seems like he's had an entry every year.
One changeup from last year. My difficulty rating symbol has been changed from the reliable asterisk to the plus sign - the scale being one plus (I could judge this one without listening to either song but I did anyway just to be fair) to five pluses (why, oh why do I put myself through this every year?). I did this so I could append each song with its respective star rating that I gave it in iTunes. Dudethemath and I discussed mathematical analysis of the smackdown when I started doing it (rather, he talked and I listened raptly), so I thought this would make the job of any potential pundits easier. Which means yes, criticism, commentary, and predictions are, as always, welcome.
And now… on with the show, this is it:
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Frosted Flake Wood - Hooverphonic ***
We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters ***
Difficulty: +
Comments: A lumbering, almost novelty track from Hooverphonic versus a classic cover by the Carpenters. Basically a battle between a Mellotron and nostalgia.
The Winner: The Mellotron wins. Always.
—
Take Me- Our Daughter's Wedding **
Perspective - Peter Gabriel ***
Difficulty: ++
Comments: An also-ran track from an 80's synth group that nobody but me remembers versus a song from a the "scratch" album that most people consider an also-ran (but I think it's a great record)
The Winner: Rated PG.
—
Cigarettte - Ben Folds Five ***
All The Way Up To Heaven - Guster ***
Difficulty: ++
Comments: A downer from Ben Folds versus an upper from Guster.
The Winner: The quicker picker upper.
—
Sam Hall - Johnny Cash **
Triad - Enya **
Difficulty: ++++
Comments: Cash's folk song cover is okay, but I prefer Richard Thompson's acappella version, with the live audience booing and hissing him. And I've long since grown weary of Enya's synthy noodling and Carpenteresque overdubbed vocals. So which at this point do I prefer less?
The Winner: The man in black.
—
Got To Get You In My Life - The Beatles ***
Jellybelly - Smashing Pumpkins **
Difficulty: ++
Comments: A die-hard pop classic versus…. oh, forget it. The Beatles is the band that Billy Corrigan wishes the Smashing Pumpkins were. Seriously, We all know it and so does he.
The Winner: JohnPaulGeorgeRingo
—
Misfire - Queen ***
Moon Ra / Chords / Song Of Search - Jon Anderson ++++
Difficulty: * *
Comments: The first of the medleys shows up here, in a prog lite versus prog race. One of the few Queen songs I still bother to listen to versus the only Jon Anderson solo album worth listening to.
The Winner: (spoken by Hugo Weaving) Mister Anderson.
—
Nice Day - Tommy Womack ****
Gertrude's Garden Hospital - Brian Protheroe ***
Difficulty: ++
Comments: Battle of the novelty songs. One with heart, the other just plain goofy.
The Winner: That's nice.
—
Hit Me WIth Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury & The Blockheads ****
Scary But Fun - Grace Jones **
Difficulty: +
Comments: A pub rock evergreen versus a disco diva in the "where are they now and do they still have aircraft carrier hair" category.
The Winner: Hit me slowly.
—
Chicago - Sufjan Stevens ****
City Of Light - Phil Manzanera ****
Difficulty: +++++
Comments: This is why I tell myself I'm not going to do this again. Two great tracks, each from one of my Desert Island albums. No matter which one I choose, I'm going to hate myself for not picking the other one.
The Winner: I'm going with the Manzanera for the wonderfully dystopic atmosphere. Of course, maybe he's describing Chicago…
—
Tulsa Queen - Emmylou Harris ***
Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan ****
Difficulty: +++++
Comments: A live Emmylou classic versus one of my favorite Becker/Fagen tracks.
The Winner: The Dan
—
Main Theme From Missing - Vangelis **
The Storm - Big Country ****
Difficulty: +
Comments: An atmospheric sound cue versus some new wavers who should have been bigger.
The Winner: What a great country.
—
Cool 'N' Out - Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros **
Death Cab For Cutie - Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band ***
Difficulty: ++
Comments: Strummer having fun being serious and the Bonzos having some serious fun. Now where's the serious moonlight?
The Winner: The Bonzos
—
Learn to Live with What You Are - Ben Folds **
Solo (So Low) - Joe Jackson ***
Difficulty: +++
Comments: It's the battle of the former Angry Young Men! One is pondering, the other is bitter.
The Winner: He's the man.
—
Serpentskirt - Cocteau Twins ***
Hold On - Yes ***
Difficulty: ++++
Comments: One of my favorite tracks from 90210, now sounding a bit dated, up against the always baffling but always pleasing Cocteaus.
The Winner: Yes held on.
—
Endless - Bozzio, Levin, & Stevens ***
Red Bandana - Randy Newman ***
Difficulty: +++
Comments: Skilled prog goodness versus biting social commentary. Talk about an odd matchup.
The Winner: Not my favorite Newman track, and it's a little dated, but it still works.
—
Rain On Down - Drywall **
Inner City - The Buggles **
Difficulty: +++
Comments: What gives with this? A Stan Ridgway side project versus Trevor Horn's post-Yes Buggles? It feels weird just to write it.
The Winner: Ridgway, by inches.
—
Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing - Chris Isaak ****
Bewilderbeast - Badly Drawn Boy **
Difficulty: +
Comments: An interesting and somehow appropriate matchup. There seems to be a common bond between these two guys, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
The Winner: It's a bad, bad song.
—
In Between Days - Ben Folds **
Halley's Waitress - Fountains Of Wayne ****
Difficulty: ++
Comments: More Folds navel gazing and a pop charmer .
The Winner: The waitress.
—
Two Rocks And A Cup Of Water - Massive Attack ***
Tom's Diner (12" Version) - DNA Featuring Suzanne Vega ****
Difficulty: ++
Comments: Another theme battle - trip hop v. trip hopped Acappella.
The Winner: Tom. To go with the waitress, above.
—
Burn Down The Mission/My Baby Left Me/Get Back - Elton John ***
Islands - Nash The Slash ***
Difficulty: ++
Comments: If you're an Elton fan prone to depression about the current state of Elton-ness, 11/17/70 is the album you should pull from the shelf and listen to in order to remind yourself of why you liked him. Versus a punk progger who wears bandages over his face when he plays live.
The Winner: Nash does everything with a violin and cheap effects pedals. And this part of 11/17/70 overstayed its welcome during round one.
—
No Rain - Blind Melon ****
Caroline - David Gray **
Difficulty: ++
Comments: The dead vs. the career dead. Oh wait, Blind Melon has a new singer? And David Gray has a new album and tour? Well, that changes things…
The Winner: Melonhead.
—
This Side of the Blue - Joanna Newsom ***
The Pacific Age - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark ***
Difficulty: +++
Comments: The fresh faced artist versus the group as they began to go stale.
The Winner: Fresh every time, mostly.
—
Trap Door - T-Bone Burnett ***
I've Heard That Song Before - Harry James & His Orchestra *****
Difficulty: +++
Comments: I see T-Bone Burnett as the American version of Richard Thompson, what with his unappreciated virtuosity and encyclopedic knowledge of his nation's roots music. Which is why I really would like to see him advance.
The Winner: Unfortunately, I have a really soft spot in my heart for this Harry James song. I grew up listening to Harry, fercryinoutloud…
—
Bomb the World - Michael Franti & Spearhead ***
Stronger Through The Years - Roxy Music ***
Difficulty: ++++
Comments: Why are the battles between midlist songs so tricky sometimes?
The Winner: Franti…. no, Roxy. No. Franti. Really.
—
If You Want Me - Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova ***
Oliver's Army - Elvis Costello & The Attractions ***
Difficulty: ++
Comments: Classic Costello, albeit a bit creaky and dusty, and a song from a film that was really about music.
The Winner: The "Once" tune just does it. Would it be as good out of context of the film?
—
Scarborough Faire - Queen Anne's Lace ***
Star Bright - Jason Smith ***
Difficulty: ++
Comments: An acappella arrangement versus a practitioner of jazz.
The Winner: Did you know that Jason Smith used to feed my fish when he was a kid? Seriously.
—
Lighten Up Mcgraw - Crack The Sky **
Upon The Grandeur - Jandek ***
Difficulty: ++
Comments: Obscure prog versus an outsider people wish would stay obscure.
The Winner: This was surprisingly easy - and didn't go the way I thought it would. I must've been in the mood for a little Jandek.
—
Where Did You Go - Jets Overhead ***
Le Banquet - Yann Tiersen ***
Difficulty: +++
Comments: Neopsychedelia versus a music cue from the film Amelie.
The Winner: I love the Amelie score, but Jets prevail. Maybe I'm growing tired of instrumentals right now.
—
Boarded Up - XTC ****
Golden Heart - Mark Knopfler ***
Difficulty: ++
Comments: Knopfler from the beginning of his solo career - Moulding from the end of his songwriting career.
The Winner: Moulding's last gasp.
—
Can't Be Long Now - Francoise - For Richard - Warlock - Caravan
Summersong - The Decemberists
Difficulty: ++
Comments: More jazzy prog rock goodness versus… well, whatever The Decemberists are.
The Winner: All I know is that I was groovin' to Caravan, but when Malloy and company began to play, it was like I suddenly woke up. Summersong FTW.
—
Cuckoo Cocoon - Genesis ***
Here's To The Atom Bomb - Smashing Pumpkins ***
Difficulty: ++++
Comments: A song out of context from the Genesis masterpiece - someday they will be represented by a stand-alone song. Versus a Pumpkins song that is starting to grow on me, although I'm sure if I listened to the lyrics closely, it would only tick me off.
The Winner: I still haven't listened to the lyrics that closely.
—
The Moon Has Lost The Sun - A3 ***
Size Too Small - Sufjan Stevens ***
Difficulty: +++++
Comments: Stompin' acid house country versus etherial Sufjanness.
The Winner: Maybe it's because I'm exhausted, but the stompin' went over really well.
—
For The Record (Previous Tournaments)
2008 begins here.
2009 begins here.