Best Decade Tournament 2010->: Finals 9/18-9/20

[Mike]

no time for more song ratings but i already know that this one goes to FJ. might do the song ratings later.

[ABNorman]

ABNorman
LetMeSleep
Farmer John

ABNorman vs. Plat: I don't have time to listen to plat's mix at the moment, but it looks like he'll trounce me, so I'll catch up later. For my part, there are some songs I'm really passionate about on my team, but a few tracks that were audibles, or that are just pleasant. It takes me time to let the last few years of music sink in, so I'd probably have a very different team for this time period if we played in 5 years time.

LetMeSleep [6] vs DeLima [4]: LetMeSleep's team were all tolerable or higher, whereas DeLima had a few duds.

Farmer John [11] vs Numbers [10]: My two favourite teams so far. Each had one dud for me (track 8 for Numbers, track 5 for FJ), but the rest of the teams are really strong. FJ had more songs that I loved, Numbers had a more solid all-round team.

[Jorge]

I appreciate the votes, but I think this is my weakest team so far. I kind of had an idea of the type of playlist I wanted to go for, but I got myself lost at some point. I still love every song on my team, but I don't think they gel that well together, and it doesn't completely reflect my taste in this time period. For this reason I am voting for ABNorman, who has a more self-assured team with a lot more color to it, and a collection of songs I enjoy.

I also vote for LetMeSleep and Farmer John.

[stip]

I think I may be able to give these a listen after i get back from taking Ellie to the doctor.

[stip]

Okay, one kid is down for a nap. The other is playing happily. lets see if I can get a mix or two knocked out.

[ABNorman]

Okay, one kid is down for a nap. The other is playing happily. lets see if I can get a mix or two knocked out.

Start with LMS and DeLima - there's a tie to break.

[stip]

I started with you since you make the playlists.

[stip]

ABNORMAN
1. St. Vincent—one of the better songs on this record. There’s a sense of deeper mysteries without being weird for the sake of being weird
2. Tom Waits—A beast of a song. The way he barks the word BROKE during the chorus is ridiculous
3. Joanna Newsom—I can’t get into her voice, and I can’t decide if her lyrics are brilliant or overwritten (or sometimes both). Unfortuantley this is one of those artists/songs that probably requires more time to digest than I can give it right now
4. TuneYards-If I may disagree with the description of the youtube uploader this song is not, in fact, dope as fuck. There is a tittering quality to the vocalist that I don’t care for with the female vocalist, and a Journeyish quality to the guy, which is also not a good thing. Not really a fan of the music either. This was just a miss
5. Japandroids – I get the appeal but I like my anthems to sound less innocent and a bit wiser/more experienced
6. War on Drugs – Red Eyes I loved this song when it appeared on someone’s mix in Lament’s thread. I was disappointed with the rest of the album for not being as awesome as this one.
7. Titus Andronicus - I don’t’ like the samples at the start of this (I’m generally not a fan of that kind of stuff), and I don’t think the song was sufficiently epic or important to justify it. A little too punk for me, and the song overall just felt a bit too immature
8. Big Boi-This may be good for what it is, but I just don’t care about what it is
9. Sufjin- From what I’ve heard by him I think I prefer his acoustic stuff as opposed to his peter Gabriel side, but he remains pretty appealing in small doses.
10. Cults-this was pretty good.

There were a quite a few misses for me here (Titus, Japaondroids, Big Boi, Tuneyards, Joanna Newsom,) but the Sufjin and Cults stuff was good, the St. Vincent is very good, and the War on Drugs and Tom Waits tracks were great.

Onto the platypus

[stip]

I appreciate the votes, but I think this is my weakest team so far.

I just want to let you know, Abnorman, that if I win, your team must have REALLY sucked

[William Bloke]

I appreciate the votes, but I think this is my weakest team so far.

I just want to let you know, Abnorman, that if I win, your team must have REALLY sucked

I like plat's team in this tourney for sure, but even so, of the few teams I've so far heard it actually is a draw with stip's on my personal points system, and overall I'm pretty down on the quality of songs in this tourney as a whole, compared to the tourney's prior.

Except my team of course. That one's fucking awesome.

[Brett]

ABNORMAN
1. St. Vincent—one of the better songs on this record. There’s a sense of deeper mysteries without being weird for the sake of being weird
2. Tom Waits—A beast of a song. The way he barks the word BROKE during the chorus is ridiculous
3. Joanna Newsom—I can’t get into her voice, and I can’t decide if her lyrics are brilliant or overwritten (or sometimes both). Unfortuantley this is one of those artists/songs that probably requires more time to digest than I can give it right now
4. TuneYards-If I may disagree with the description of the youtube uploader this song is not, in fact, dope as fuck. There is a tittering quality to the vocalist that I don’t care for with the female vocalist, and a Journeyish quality to the guy, which is also not a good thing. Not really a fan of the music either. This was just a miss
5. Japandroids – I get the appeal but I like my anthems to sound less innocent and a bit wiser/more experienced
6. War on Drugs – Red Eyes I loved this song when it appeared on someone’s mix in Lament’s thread. I was disappointed with the rest of the album for not being as awesome as this one.
7. Titus Andronicus - I don’t’ like the samples at the start of this (I’m generally not a fan of that kind of stuff), and I don’t think the song was sufficiently epic or important to justify it. A little too punk for me, and the song overall just felt a bit too immature
8. Big Boi-This may be good for what it is, but I just don’t care about what it is
9. Sufjin- From what I’ve heard by him I think I prefer his acoustic stuff as opposed to his peter Gabriel side, but he remains pretty appealing in small doses.
10. Cults-this was pretty good.

There were a quite a few misses for me here (Titus, Japaondroids, Big Boi, Tuneyards, Joanna Newsom,) but the Sufjin and Cults stuff was good, the St. Vincent is very good, and the War on Drugs and Tom Waits tracks were great.

Onto the platypus

Stip, just thought you should know: the "guy" vocalist on the tUne-yArDs song is the same person that's doing the "female" vocals in the beginning of the song. She's the only one singing, though her vocals are looped and multi-tracked.

[stip]

Huh. I'm gonna go listen to that again.

[stip]

Platy:


Neil Halstead: This was a nice track--nice combination of sparse distance and intimacy

Janelle Monae: Now I've heard two songs from her. They were both quite solid. If I had more time for new music I'd check her out. I don't normally go in for this kind of stuff, but she's clearly a ridiculous talent. I'm so glad Lament introduced her to the board


British Sea Power: this was a pretty song. We'll grade this one in Alfred Mahans, even though this is technically British Sea Power

Elvis Costello: I've tried, Platy, I promise, but I can't get into him. It was cool to see him do something in this crooner's style. He sounded better than I expected.

Maria Pien: Pretty enough, but the song was a bit bland. The harmonies were nice

Eluvium: That Eluvium track on Brett's mix (or Heathen, whoever that was) was really cool. Looking forward to this. This guy should stop talking over his awesome music. I feel like I'm at a symphony trying to enjoy myself while the guy next to me is talking to his date. Not as good as the other song, and that staticy burst towards the end was utterly unnecessary, but I'm sorely tempted to get this album (or something from them). This would be great background music

Beach House: This was really nice, especially the lush finale.

BMT: I was bored by this. But it was long, so at least there's that

Kishi Bashi: this was pretentious and vaguely annoying, but there's a good song underneath it

Lisa Hannigan: This was nice.

Few standout tracks here, but bracketing a weak stretch towards the end a consistently enjoyable listen with a few artists I'd like to hear more of if I had the time. Not sure how i'm gonna vote. Now I wish I gave ratings to Abnorman's songs.

[stip]

ABNORMAN
1. St. Vincent—one of the better songs on this record. There’s a sense of deeper mysteries without being weird for the sake of being weird
2. Tom Waits—A beast of a song. The way he barks the word BROKE during the chorus is ridiculous
3. Joanna Newsom—I can’t get into her voice, and I can’t decide if her lyrics are brilliant or overwritten (or sometimes both). Unfortuantley this is one of those artists/songs that probably requires more time to digest than I can give it right now
4. TuneYards-If I may disagree with the description of the youtube uploader this song is not, in fact, dope as fuck. There is a tittering quality to the vocalist that I don’t care for with the female vocalist, and a Journeyish quality to the guy, which is also not a good thing. Not really a fan of the music either. This was just a miss
5. Japandroids – I get the appeal but I like my anthems to sound less innocent and a bit wiser/more experienced
6. War on Drugs – Red Eyes I loved this song when it appeared on someone’s mix in Lament’s thread. I was disappointed with the rest of the album for not being as awesome as this one.
7. Titus Andronicus - I don’t’ like the samples at the start of this (I’m generally not a fan of that kind of stuff), and I don’t think the song was sufficiently epic or important to justify it. A little too punk for me, and the song overall just felt a bit too immature
8. Big Boi-This may be good for what it is, but I just don’t care about what it is
9. Sufjin- From what I’ve heard by him I think I prefer his acoustic stuff as opposed to his peter Gabriel side, but he remains pretty appealing in small doses.
10. Cults-this was pretty good.

There were a quite a few misses for me here (Titus, Japaondroids, Big Boi, Tuneyards, Joanna Newsom,) but the Sufjin and Cults stuff was good, the St. Vincent is very good, and the War on Drugs and Tom Waits tracks were great.

Onto the platypus

Stip, just thought you should know: the "guy" vocalist on the tUne-yArDs song is the same person that's doing the "female" vocals in the beginning of the song. She's the only one singing, though her vocals are looped and multi-tracked.

I just listened again. You must be mistaken

[stip]

I have Abnorman scored at 24, and Platy at 26, so Platy gets my vote. Close though

[stip]

Okay, I know Delima's team already. Maybe I can get Letmesleep taken care of before the girls wake up. It'll be tight.

[Kaius]

that was a great post, stip

The plat list rating, that is

[Brett]

Trust me on this, that's Merril Garbus singing throughout the whole tune.

Also, the vocals in Platy's Eluvium song are Ira Kaplan from Yo La Tengo.

[stip]

Trust me on this, that's Merril Garbus singing throughout the whole tune.

Also, the vocals in Platy's Eluvium song are Ira Kaplan from Yo La Tengo.

Am I the only person here who thought those were two separate singers?

[stip]

LMS

Bon Iver: Insert standard Bon Iver comment here. See also: Stevens, Sufjan.

Nick Cave: there are a few nick cave songs I love, but for some reason I’ve never been able to fully commit to him. He should be right up my alley. This was pretty good

Bonnie Price Billy: See also Iver, Bon and Stevens, Sufjan. This was decent.. This may be a bit too relaxed of a song for me to fully appreciate right now.

Four Tet: Is the skipping sound a gimmick in the song or a bad recording. It was irritating, which was too bad because I was getting into the music. Seems like a gimmick, just not a good one

Fleet Foxes: Did this song appear somewhere? It sounds really familiar. This was very good. The best thing on this mix so far. I think the second half definitely drops a step, though.

Kurt vile: I’ve yet to hear a Kurt Vile song I care about, despite it hitting all the right notes on paper. See also: National, The

Laura Marling: This was good. Pretty and agile

M83: 10 seconds into this song and that keyboard part is already grating. That never really changed. This song has 44 million hits? What the hell?

Joy Formidable: This was pretty cool. Another artist I’d check out if I had more time

Swans: some interesting/exciting moments in the music. Not a fan of the singer, but he's a small part of the song.