Your mission, should you accept it, is to finally post a comment under this post and push the comments into double digits!
This message will self-destruct in 3 seconds.
3 - 2 - 1 ...whoops, the powder got wet, I guess...
So, friends and neighbours, how will I get some of you to finally comment?
Why, I'll have you talk about the merits of classic albums, of course! If music nerds like something almost as much as compiling lists, it's that! It's my best gambit, so don't disappoint me!
So, this is how the Best Album Eliminator works:
I have drawn albums from one of those "Best Albums Of All Time" lists and assigned them seeds. It'll be like March Madness, but in, like; October (and November). 32 classic albums will confront each other and it is YOUR vote that counts. But not only! Tell us which album you prefer and why! Use your commenting ability to tell us a little about both albums and, if push came to shove, which one you would prefer!
So, music fans, get ready for the first region:
Pet Sounds (1) - Remain In Light (8)
Velvet Underground And Nico (4) - Astral Weeks (5)
Dark Side Of The Moon (3) - Led Zeppelin IV (6)
Nevermind (2) – Thriller (7)
Let the fights begin!
Hi From Chicago. Love your blog. I check in everyday. Just listened to All Pearls Vol. 1. Wonderful! Big thanks for your efforts. Will make a point to comment on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteHey there, Bob, west side is the best side, Amiright? ;-)
DeleteGreat to get to know the silent readership.
Remain In Light wins, easy! I first had the Once in a Lifetime 45 vinyl and a little later bought the album, utterly brilliant & weird, still very listenable today! Pet Sounds..., good album, but I only discovered it many many years later, so it never had the same impact.
ReplyDeleteVelvet Underground And Nico (4) - Astral Weeks (5), similar like Pet Sounds, so hard to tell.
Dark Side Of The Moon (3) - Led Zeppelin IV (6), DSOTM as my room mate had it & played it a lot. However he certainly wasn't into Led Z...
Nevermind (2) – Thriller (7), despite hearing Michael much more on the radio/tv and getting into Nirvano later, I prefer the later due to its incredibly raw energy level!
Yo Art, we need a result for the 4 v 5 match up! Coin flip?
DeleteIn that case I vote for VU!
Delete"Remain in Light" for sure.
ReplyDelete"Nevermind", "Dark Side Of The Moon", by a hair, Van and Nico, both "meh"
DeleteOne Buck I can’t agree more although I’ve got many friends from the Northside/Southside who might disagree (poor misguided souls, but great people nonetheless).
ReplyDeleteNow down to business. I’ve owned all of the albums (except Nevermind) for many years. I love them all. But I return to Pet Sounds regularly. It brings back memories of my youth which seem to grow dim with age. Every time I hear the train on side two, I’m back at Mozart park (train tracks adjacent) playing ball and wishing I had the nerve to talk to the pretty girls.
For what it’s worth, it’s also one of Paul McCartney’ favorites.
Really enjoying your blog and the comments.
Pet Sounds - Gamechanger album. Also reminds me of so much in my life around that time.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I guess you're asking for it, eh? Well so be it.
ReplyDeleteFirst bracket: Pet Sounds. I've been around since it came out, actually quite a few years before it came out. But a classic album. Even though I love the Talking Heads, they lose out to this lp.
Second bracket: The Velvet Underground album by a landslide.
Third bracket: Led Zeppelin IV over Dark Side in a photo-finish. Yep, that close!
Fourth bracket: Thriller, even though I prefer Michael in the Jackson 5, over him as a solo artist. Just a great album!
There you go, good sir.
Sorry, this is greg from Michigan
DeleteNo worries, Greg from Michigan, and your picks are reheating some of these races.
DeleteThough some of the above commenters seem to have forgotten some picks (hint...hint...cough...cough)
I'll go with Remain In Light over Pet Sounds, only because the Talking Heads bring back fond memories of my college years.
ReplyDeleteThe VU easily over Astral Weeks. There was a question posted on another blog (possibly the Good Old Major's Hole) asking readers to name an album widely considered a classic that you've never been able to appreciate, and for me it's Astral Weeks.
Zoso prevails over DSOTM because the former is less pretentious. And Nevermind over Thriller. Both were game changers. Not proud to admit that I've never listened to the entire Thriller album.
I have songs from Pet Sounds, but own the Heads' album, so TH; tie for LZ vs PF; I have songs off Thriller but own the Nirvana album, so Nirvana; I have none of Astral Weeks, but own the VU album, so VU.
ReplyDeleteC in California
Hands down; Pet Sounds. Remain In Light is one of my LEAST favorite Talking Heads albums.
ReplyDeleteVelvet Underground And Nico. No contest. Astral Weeks can’t touch it.
Led Zeppelin IV because they were the first band I saw live.
Nirvana’s Nevermind rocks hard, & could only be improved if you moved LOVE BUZZ over from Bleach. Only Kim Shattuck of the Muff's has a better rock wail than Kurt.
- Stinky
Welcome, Stinky. Really liked some of your comps over on Jonderblog. (I take it you are the one and only Stinky?!)
DeleteThe man himself! I encouraged him to vote (but cannot endorse his opinion of Remain in Light).
DeleteI have a really hard time with 1 vs. 8, as I'm a massive TH fan. As an album, though, it isn't my absolute top one of theirs. Whereas, this could be argued to be the best BB, or the best in a truly miraculous year, or... Not to diminish the influence of "Remain In Light," but when the Beatles hear an album and say "we need to get to work..."
ReplyDelete4 vs. 5 is tough because I've never liked either. Not that I don't have respect, but for my personal taste, neither make me wanna go back again. I guess I'll say VU & N by a hair, for the songs that were recorded again.
I'm surprised by the seedings for 3 vs. 6! Both of these were huge at my high school ;) I listen to both infrequently now, but I'm a touch more excited to hear "Battle of Evermore" again soon, so LZ gets the nod.
2 vs. 7 is ... different. Not big on either, but I know I've heard all of MJs tracks sometime, and wouldn't say the same for N. So, thrill me!
- D in California
Your thoughts on Pet Sounds vs. Remain in Light pretty much mirror mine. I like a lot of individual moments on Remain In Light, but as an entire album it doesn't really register, it doesn't have a flow to it that I'm jibing with...
DeleteThe seeding of 3 vs 6 was due to LZ being surpisingly low on the list while I slightly raised Dark Side (due to on other lists being a top ten record, one even had it at numer one!)
So, time to get my votes in before we close up shop up here.
ReplyDeletePet Sounds
Astral Weeks
Led Zeppelin IV
Nevermind
All great albums. For me, it's a toss-up between Astral Weeks and Blood on the Tracks as the greatest album of all time. Both reveal new subtleties each time you listen to them.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm too late here but here are my votes:
ReplyDeleteRemain In Light - I'd reach for this over Pet Sounds 13 times out 17 though Pet Sounds is supposedly some kind of "Masterpiece." D in California makes a good argument though. Unlike Stinky, Remain in Light is probably my favorite TH album; but we know Stinky didn't get his name for nothing (JUST KIDDING Stinky!! You know I love you)
Astral Weeks - This was the hardest but AW is in my top 10 albums and VU w/ Nico is not my favorite VU to listen to these days even though it's no doubt their most significant and groundbreaking. Tough choice but nod goes to Astral Weeks
Led Zeppelin IV - love Dark Side but Led Zeppelin stomps all over their sad and dour mood piece
Nevermind: NO CONTEST, this was the easiest choice. Thriller sucks balls (sorry Greg)
No, you're not too late, MrDave! Your votes close out the official polling, even though Johnny and Jane Come Lately's are welcome to add their picks either way...
Delete