Album Wars II: Beat the Champ!!! [COVER ALBUMS]
 

Welcome to
Albums Wars: Beat the Champ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are the rules:


1. We will collect themes to vote on. These themes can be anything from 60's albums, rap albums, albums with 3 songs or less, albums with blue album covers, ect, ect... Just be sure to pick nothing that limits the number of albums we can have (i.e. Albums that feature a homicidal, time-traveling gynecologist from Jupiter). You may submit your themes to me via PM.

2. We will select a theme by voting for a week, and that will be the theme for the subsequent albums wars that will follow. For this example, let's say the winning theme will be Beatles albums. You guys will submit your albums to me via PM. First come, first serve.

3. Check out the albums up for battle. If you need a source to download them, feel free to ask. When you've made your decision, give a small blup about why you choose that albums, then add your vote to the running total. When it appears all discussion has been exhausted, I will declare a winner and we will move onto the next battle. I would like to see a minimum of 5 votes per battle, but I'll play it by ear regardless. So, this round Sgt. Pepper defeated Yellow Submarine in a squeaker, 8-7.

4.In the Beat the Champ format, Sgt. Pepper will go up against another album from the current theme. I will continue to accept. Again, first come, first serve. Sgt. Pepper will keep appearing in album battles as long as it keeps winning. I have decided a cap of 6 victories (the initial win, plus 5 more title defenses) will result in that album being the winner of that particular war, and the theme would then be retired for the time being.

5. I don't see many albums managing to run the table. So if no album manages to win it all, a few different things could happen:

a. If a theme does not develop enough interest and votes over the long hull, it will be tabled for another match-up, or possibly removed if the interest is flat-lining. I don't see this happening, and I plan to be very forgiving about this rule.

b. If we go several battles and no album gains a foothold, something like 7 match-ups with 7 different albums winning, it will be considered for tabling. The reason why I would table the topic is not to discourage certain albums from winning, but so the thread can keep moving forward. I will take into account the broadness of the theme and the number of options it has available. Tabling does not mean the theme is removed, but it will be saved for another time. And much like the lack of interest clause; I plan being hands off as much as possible.

6. As for allowed match-up, as long as the battle features no double jeopardy parings, any album in the theme is allowed. When we choose the theme, I will have some sort of guideline for what is considered appropriate for the theme.

Happy Voting!

In our most recent battle, (which can be viewed in the original Album Wars thread), AMM's The Crypt defeated Massive Projection 4-0. Continuing with our theme of 4 tracks or less, Janszoon has submitted the next challenger to AMM.

I'm going again for The Crypt, even though Hancock gets some good melodies in there, I prefer cacophony. I especially like the vast array of textures that AMM uses.

AMM's The Crypt: 12th June 1968-1
Herbie Hancock's Thrust-0


Had you said Saturn we would have lost out on a "Best Sun Ra Album" category.

In terms of quality, both are even par to my ears. Where The Crypt has weird textures and valleys of musical extremes that both terrify and intrigue me; Thrust is some of the best space funk this side of Parliament. I found Thrust very enjoyable, but The Crypt is still resonating in my brain. This is a toss-up for me, but I'm going to go with Thrust just because I enjoyed it just a little bit more.

AMM's The Crypt: 12th June 1968- 1
Herbie Hancock's Thrust- 1

I will join this when we're not comparing albums that are two hours of noodling, which I can only find to download in 4 parts (each part only able to download at a time, and the wait multiplying tenfold after each download). :)

Yeah, what Pedestrian said.

You forgot to mention that, when you're finally finish with all that, the files turn out to be corrupted. I know it's a bit unfair but I'm voting against AMM for that reason, to prevent this thread from dying a premature death. Plus, Thrust is a really fantastic album so I'm more than happy to vote for it.

AMM's The Crypt: 12th June 1968- 1
Herbie Hancock's Thrust- 2

hmm, I agree, hence my abstinence

AMM's The Crypt: 12th June 1968- 1
Herbie Hancock's Thrust- 3

I love Thrust so, so, so much. So much. It was actually the first jazz album that I listened to all the way through and enjoyed, so I may be a bit biased... but whatever, it's awesome.

I think this is as far as this battle will go. So, Thrust ends The Crypt's win streak at 1, and Thrust is now our new winner. It will go up against Frownland's suggestion, Astronome by John Zorn. Both albums are only 45 minutes each, so no more excuses!

ok, i'm interested in this battle

have downloaded both and will get back to you after digesting them

ok, so here it is:-

Astronome:-

Act One - Mike Patton warming up tonsils, sounds like a cartoon.
Act Two - Mike's free jazz stylings actually fit the music, alleluia!
Act Three - Very atmospheric and heavy.

One of the best avant-garde free jazz/metal albums I've heard.

Thrust:-

As a follow-up to "Headhunters", i don't think it reaches the bar set by that album, besides "Butterfly". Too "chill" and "lounge" for me, when i want dirty grimy funk. Best I can say about this album is that it sounds timeless.

So:-

Astronome - 1
Thrust - 0

Astronome - 1
Thrust - 1

Can't say I liked that at all. Patton's vocals were just obnoxious over top the rather cool music. If he had been doing anything else besides... that... I probably would have voted for Astronome. But as it is, I can't stand it, and Thrust is still one of my favorite jazz/funk fusion albums, so the vote goes to Thrust.

Astronome is one of my favourite albums period, I love how it's essentially cartoon music for adults. Can't hate what's been directed by Zorn so:
Astronome - 2
Thrust - 1

I like John Zorn a lot but Astronome just sounded like a very typical Zorn/Patton collaboration to me. Nothing special. I may just not have been in the mood for it, but nevertheless I'm voting Thrust.

Astronome - 2
Thrust - 2

What Janszoon said.

Astronome - 2
Thrust - 3

Can't find Astronome. This seems a difficult club to participate in.

It's on Grooveshark.

I think part of that is the theme that was chosen. The album genres that fall into 4 tracks or less include the likes of ambient, jazz, avant-garde and prog. We really haven't had a prog selection and the unfortunate fact is those other genres are not uploaded as much as many other genres, so they're harder to find.

Here's the way I see it going:

-If Thrust wins, we will keep going with the theme. I don't have another album to challenge it, so I will put in my own selection unless someone else has one.

-If Astronome wins, I'll consider tabling the topic since no album will have won more than once. I'll leave it up to you guys but since no album is really being a champ, if defeats the purpose of the new format.

EDIT: I felt like its been 5 battles when it's actually been only 3. We'll keep going even if Adtronome wins... unless there is violent resistance to that idea.


In either case, PM me themes for future use! I made up the first 4 on the spot and the more options I have, the more variety and participants this club can have. I still think things are going well, but I expect this thread to be thriving after the first couple of runs.

Astronome - 2
Thrust - 4

I didn't really like Thrust all that much. I found it a bit dull, and a bit tacky. It's the sort of music I would expect to hear in an elevator or while waiting for an operator to get to my call on the telephone.

However, 5 minutes of Astronome makes me want to publicly stab someone in the chest repeatedly, decapitate them, and eat their lungs.

Aw, it's not Herbie's fault that he was imitated so much. In 1974, when Thrust came out, there wasn't much music that sounded like that at all, and it certainly wasn't the kind of thing you'd hear in an elevator (I don't think there was such a thing as hold music on the phone at the time).

Is Thrust widely considered his best? Perhaps as a starting point, Thrust is the wrong album for me. I certainly wouldn't write him off, but in this particular case I wasn't moved.

I don't know if it's considered his best or not, but I definitely wouldn't write him off based on any one album. His music career covers more than fifty years and he's played in a variety of styles during that time, both solo and in other people's bands. I'm not sure what jazz, if any, you're into, but if you dig mid-60s Miles Davis albums, Herbie Hancock was the pianist on them.

Fair Warning: Thrust will win unless Astronome gets some votes before I add the next battle tomorrow morning. If that's the case; your album is up next, Duce-- err, Duck.

his best album from this era is often considered to be Headhunters

check that out if you want funky Herbie Hancock

otherwise, there are tons of other stuff in his discography other people consider to be his "best"

We have our first repeating champ! Thrust wins it's second battle, 4-2. Next up, Howard the Duc(k/e) has suggested an album I figured would have been suggested earlier than this: A Prog classic from 1972...

I've not listened to the Herbie Hancock album, but since it seems so highly regarded will give it a twirl. As for Thick as a Brick, that's often a great cure for insomnia.

Thick as a Brick, most definitely. Thrust just kind of drags on, and funk is not really my bit. But still, I can't go against folkrock roots and vote against the Tull.

Thick as a Brick-1
Thrust-0

Where did you get the two votes for Thrust? It's a new battle so the votes are reset. The score should be

Thick as a Brick- 1
Thrust- 0

Oh crap, my bad. Edited.

Thick as a Brick- 2
Thrust- 0

I don't have a lot of patience for prog, but I actually really liked this album. THIS is where I wish I'd started with prog. What's more is I think I can see how this album has influenced the work of some of my favourite artists since, which is a great connection to see made. Excellent.

Thick as Brick is probably Jethro Tull's epochal work, even though Part 2 is mostly a recapitulation of Part 1, it's still pretty good folk-rock-prog as it goes

my criticism of Thrust still stands, too "chill" and "lounge"

so:-

Thick as a Brick - 3
Thrust - 0

Thick as a Brick........easily. ;)

Thick as a Brick - 4
Thrust - 0

I'd never listened to the Herbie Hancock album before and hopefully I shall never have to listen to it again.......geez it was just 40 mins of painful noodling. So, without a doubt I'd sooner fall asleep with the Jethro Tull album.

Thick as a Brick - 5
Thrust - 0

I'm voting Thrust again. Thick as a Brick has a few nice moments here and there but overall I found it to be kind of a slog to get through.

Thick as a Brick - 5
Thrust - 1

TAAB is one of my favorite albums of all time, and in my opinion it rivals Close to the Edge as the greatest progressive rock album, so my vote goes to TAAB.

Thick as a Brick - 6
Thrust - 1

You did at least give a listen to Thrust though, right?

Believe me folks: I'm doing my best not to use my infinite un-mod powers to influence this battle.

In all seriousness, I enjoy Brick. I really do. But in my pantheon on Prog, it's a not regarded that highly by me. Thrust is a very good take on funk and fusion. But it wore out its welcome the second time I heard it.

I'm voting for Thrust out of principle... as futile as it may be.

Thick as a Brick - 6
Thrust - 2

Yes, but in all seriousness-- not enough, nor as much as I've listened to TAAB. I listened to "Actual Proof" a few times before voting, but I know TAAB front to back.

I'd never heard Thrust before but I do enjoy it more than Thick as a Brick, so as futile as it may be, it's on the rise....

Thick as a Brick - 6
Thrust - 3

Fancy being stuck on a desert island, with just these two albums for company:yikes: