Put a Pin on the Map View my Forum Guestmap
Free Guestmaps by Bravenet.com

The Old Acclaimed Music Forum

Go to the NEW FORUM

Music, music, music...
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

BRACKETOLOGY!

What is AM Bracketology?
Bracketology is a tournament of the 1,024 most acclaimed songs in music history, as ranked here. Songs are seeded by their Acclaimed Music rank and placed in groups of four. In the first round, the winner of each group advances to the second round of 256 songs. Winners from that round move on to the third round of 64 songs. Third-round winners advance to the Sweet 16. In the end, we’ll have a Final Four to figure out the overall winner.

How does it work?
That’s where you come in — you vote! In the first and second rounds, we’re doing eight brackets (32 songs) every week. In each bracket, you must rank the four listed songs from 1 to 4; #1 gets 4 points, #2 gets 3, and so on. At the end of the week, all the points will be totaled up and the song in each bracket with the most points moves on to the next round. So in the first round, there are eight winning songs (out of 32) every week. Voting for each group is open for seven days, and ballots are due at 11:59 PM Pacific time on Saturday of each week.

How do I vote?
You can vote on the Acclaimed Music forum (go to this site, click on "Forum" at the top of the page, and look for the appropriate thread), or you can e-mail me.

So that's it?
Not quite. Although anyone (yes, anyone!) can vote, for a ballot to be eligible, you must briefly explain your choices. This is important! Ballots with no explanations won't count toward the results.

You mean I have to comment on all of the songs?
Well, no. Not ALL of the songs. For the first round ONLY, for your ballot to count toward the results, you must comment on your #1 choice. If you decide to comment on ALL the songs, we would certainly appreciate it, but don't feel as though it is necessary. For the second round (and beyond), you will have to comment on all the songs, but there will only be four brackets (16 songs) each week.

So if I don't have to comment on all the songs in the first round, why should I?
If there should be a tie for first place in any bracket, a tie-breaker shall go into effect. However, only ballots that included comments for ALL four songs in that bracket will be counted in the tie-breaker. More information regarding the tie-breaker will be made available if and when it goes into effect.

Will anyone else see my ballot?
After each week of voting, I will post the results for each bracket, along with each voter's ballots, but without their explanations. I could possibly be persuaded to also include each voter's explanation. Let me know.

I have a question!
E-mail me.

So where are the brackets?
The brackets can be found here.




BRACKETOLOGY: ROUND 1, WEEK 1


A little breakdown of this week's songs by decade...
1920s: 1
1930s: 0
1940s: 0
1950s: 2
1960s: 6
1970s: 13
1980s: 6
1990s: 2
2000s: 2

Also of note:
Two songs by Marvin Gaye
Two songs by Public Enemy


Here are this week's brackets. Remember, you can also view the brackets on this site. Voting is now open, and you have until 11:59 PM Pacific time on this upcoming Saturday to vote. Vote either in this thread or e-mail me.



HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
#26: "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975]
#487: "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974]
#538: "New Rose" - The Damned [1977]
#999: "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971]
#494: "At Last" - Etta James [1961]
#531: "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978]
#1006: "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007]

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
#80: "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990]
#434: "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]
#592: "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]
#945: "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
#139: "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]
#374: "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]
#651: "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]
#886: "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
#148: "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]
#365: "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]
#660: "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]
#877: "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
#30: "London Calling" - The Clash [1980]
#483: "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]
#542: "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]
#995: "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
#138: "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]
#375: "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]
#650: "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970]
#887: "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
#47: "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]
#466: "Something" - The Beatles [1969]
#559: "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977]
#978: "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Here's my ballot. Hope this gets other people inspired to vote.




WEEK 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Born to Run"
One of my all-time favorites and one of the all-time greats. Who doesn't appreciate the Boss' sentiment of just wanting to get the hell out of his hometown?
2. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us"
I love listening to this song while I'm driving around delivering pizzas. Great music to get me charged up.
3. "It's Your Thing"
Funky, with a great sing-along chorus. Just not as good as the other two.
4. "New Rose"
I'm not a big fan of the whole punk genre.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "What's Going On"
Timeless anti-war song. Gaye never made a better song.
2. "At Last"
Another fantastic one, and Etta sang her ass off on this one.
3. "Dashboard"
I'm always torn on Isaac Brock's vocals, and this time I gotta land on the negative side.
4. "The Model"
Kraftwerk is a better band when they didn't make "pop" songs.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Fight the Power"
Tough call for me between #1 and #2, but PE wins based on the lyric "Elvis was a hero to most/But he never meant shit to me/You see, straight out racist, the sucker was simple and plain/Motherfuck him and John Wayne!"
2. "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)"
Yes, Kate Bush can top "Wuthering Heights". And then some.
3. "Groovin'"
Really pleasant, relaxing song. Just not on the same level as #1 or #2.
4. "At the Hop"
Going chalk here. But this one is just too corny and cheesy for me.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Rid of Me"
To me all four songs in this bracket are just "meh" songs, but "Rid of Me" is the least "meh". Maybe it's because I'm starting to get into Harvey.
2. "People Get Ready"
Sure, it's a classic civil rights song, but it's always struck me as overly-simplistic, and the strings and glockenspiel are just overkill.
3. "Box of Rain"
Maybe I'd feel better about this song if I was even a little bit of a Dead fan, but I'm not.
4. "Love Is Strange"
I lied. Not all four of the songs are "meh" to me. This one is "groan."

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "You Shook Me All Night Long"
Classic hard rock song by a classic hard rock band. It's just a lot of fun. I can't listen to this song and not think of a Saturday Night Live sketch where high schoolers are reading classic rock lyrics and passing them off as "poetry" to an unsuspecting English teacher (played by David Hyde Pierce).
2. "Hate It or Love It"
I'm in the "love it" category. And it reminds me of Mike Tyson's "Punch-Out." Someone out there must know what I'm talking about.
3. "I Feel Love"
I'll admit, it's got its charms. But I'd just rather listen to other songs. Like "Hate It or Love It".
4. "Wildwood Flower"
I am not a fan.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Don't Believe the Hype"
Not PE's best work, but this is a fairly weak bracket to my tastes.
2. "We Will Rock You"
Not nearly as good as the song that ALWAYS follows it: "We Are the Champions." Still, this one gets played at EVERY sporting event. That's gotta be worth something.
3. "London Calling"
Is this really the 30th best song of all time? Don't believe the hype.
4. "Madame George"
Morrison's voice really grates on me, and I just don't really like this song.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Bette Davis Eyes"
Now this bracket was much more difficult for me, as I love all four songs here. Carnes squeaks it out by a nose.
2. "Sexual Healing"
Wanna get into a girl's pants? You need two things: tequila and Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing." 'Nuff said.
3. "My Sweet Lord"
I don't like putting this song at #3, but I just love the other two a little more.
4. "Life on Mars?"
By process of elimination... I hate putting it here, but this was a really strong bracket for me.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "Layla"
One of my all-time favorite songs, definitely in my personal top 20 (if I ever bothered to make such a list). The instrumental break that starts at the 3:11 mark is pure heaven.
2. "Something"
Gorgeous love song from the Beatles' later period.
3. "Pump It Up"
Elvis squeaks out Murvin by a hair.
4. "Police and Thieves"
I actually kinda like this song. It just doesn't compare to the other three.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Cool - only 5 songs I need to download. Will probably be a similar case most weeks. Although 2 of those songs I don't have I've heard before...

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

I leave for one week of holidays tonight (Barcelona and Benicassim !), so I don't have time to listen several times to the songs I don't know well.
Anyway, only one song I have never heard and can not find, so I can vote for all brackets but one.
No personal favourite on any bracket this week.

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13

1: "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers : I don't listen much to funk songs, so maybe this one gets an uplift because of my lack of knowledge of that genre, really pleasant anyway.
2: "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks : very cartoonish song, does not sound like anything else, and if that is not the most important point for a song, it is still a good quality
3: "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen : I don't really get the acclaim for that song, maybe it is because I'm not fluent in English. I kinda like the crescendo however and well, we all know it will win this bracket don't we ?
4: "New Rose" - The Damned : well, I do usually like that kind of music, but I don't get how this one is better than tons of songs of the same era


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse : I'm currently dancing in the middle of my flat (well, I was before I came back to type that sentence anyway)
2: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye : coolest song about such a serious topic, even though I'm not a huge fan of the song on a songwriting point of view, Marvin's way of singing it is just incredible
3: "At Last" - Etta James : good song, nothing really great about it anyway
4: "The Model" - Kraftwerk : meh! (is that good ? I'm trying to talk with onomatopeia too)

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3 : 1 great song and 3 average ones. I hope that it is ok not to comment for every songs, but I would not have much to say
1: "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey : they are 3 lessongs to get from that song, first the production is very important for a song even for one with few instruments, 2nd it can be quite frustrating to have to change the volume of your computer/cd player 2 times in the same song to listen to it properly, 3rd : don't ever mess with P.J.
2: "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]
3: "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]
4: "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1: "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer : I can understand how this one has been a revolution, the slick production of Eno, the sexy voice of Donna, that sample that reminds me of an helicopter. Should be teached on music classes.
2: "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family : well, of course it could be more rock'n'roll, better produced but it was the 20s guys !
3: "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC : AC/DC trying not to play that other song they play again and again and again... but I prefer when they play the other one (call it Let's there be highway to back in TNT of whatever you like)
4: "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) : pretty weak hip-hop song, just trying to do what Biggie was doing a decade before and not succeeding in it

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "London Calling" - The Clash : spent all my trip to London singing that with my friend, never got tired of it
2: "Madame George" - Van Morrison : good Stones b-side
3: "We Will Rock You" - Queen : might have been #1 if I had voted drunk. Still I was a great fan of Queen when I was younger and they have tons of songs better than that one
4: "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy : I might be one of the most hip-hop oriented people on this forum and still I'm always among the only ones not to vote for PE... I don't know, I don't get them sorry !


HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1: "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie : One of the best "not included in Ziggy Stardust" bowie songs,
2: "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes : one of those old FM hits always pleasant to here once in a while
3: "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye : I like Marvin's voice, but I always found that song a bit caricatural... still, very efficient for romantic times
4: "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison : sympathetic sing along song

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1: "Something" - The Beatles, I guess that is one of the reason critics like the Beatles that much, but let's be realistic, while not being in my opinion among their top 20 songs, they can win a bracket with a large lead
#47: "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos : maybe the only reason I see not to hate Eric Clapton... I hate that guy seriously, he is responsible for half of the worst covers ever, and Hendrix was a guitar virtuoso too but had the great idea to use it for brilliant songs, not for sucky FM hits. Anyway, Little Wing is a fabulous song but totally stinks when played by Derek & the Dominos...
3: "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions : personal rule number 74 : never put a song available in Rock Band or Guitar Hero on last position. Nothing particular about this song however, in particular regarding when it was released
4: "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin : I don't like putting a song on last position knowing I might do it just because I dislike reggea... well, looks like I do it anyway

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

i am sick at home with a cold (no I don't think it's the swine flu). So I can do it quick, but 8 ballots is a lot and I don't think I will have the time to play every week;
My priority is the decade polls

i'm glad cause there are not that many recent songs and so I know (almost) everything (an old man I'm turning, and most of all, an oldies' man)

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975] : a rock anthem to teenage, carefully build without being overstuffed (which, given the nunmber of instruments, is a miracle) !
2. "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969] : good old funk à la JB
3. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974] : not my kind
4. "New Rose" - The Damned [1977] : I see the point

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971] 5 : a milestone. The first time a Motown artist could free himself from Gordy’s production teams. A masterpiece and a song about hope by a very hopeless man
"At Last" - Etta James [1961] : great song, great voice, totally forgotten now, between soul and blues
"Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007] : makes me think of Cure in 1987. Pleasant.
"The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978] : all I can say : it sounds like 1983 five years before. But I don’t like that sound

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967] Didn’t know that song. Huge ! One of these singles that only the 60s could produce.
2. "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990] : I prefer the previous, less preaching, Public Enemy. But it is still top-notch rap.
3. "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957] : decent ‘50s stuff
4. "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985] 3.25 : i’ve got a problem with Kate Bush; everytime I hear one of those peseudo-folk female singers (like Feist) all i hear is KB. But the mid 80’s are not my cup of tea. Nor the late 2000s.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965] Everything that would make Curtis big (vocals, guitar) is already here on this classic
2. : "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993] : not a great ballot; PJ ? well, I understand why people like her music, but I can’t say I’m a fan. Not melodic enough.
3. : "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970] : decent folk rock. Déjà vu ?
4; "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957] : great guitar licks by Mickey Baker, great calls in the end, but still...

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]: one of the greatest hard-rock, macho, dumb songs.
2. "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928] : one of the first country hits, from a great year (1928) and an era Im specialiezd in ( see my blog, River's invitation ). Not my favorite song of the era, though
3. "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]: decent rap
4."I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]: my immune systems says “red alarm”

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "London Calling" - The Clash [1980] : what can I say ? one of the greatest songs of the ‘70s
2. "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]: I prefer this PE
3. "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]: Queen, the chameleon band, doing stadium hard rock
4. "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]: a great ballott; In every other one, this song would have been 2nd or 3rd

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971] : Between rock and cabaret, one of the finest melodies crafted by Bowie, altough the lyrics are quite obscure
2. "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982] : great song, great lyrics, and f*** the puritans
3. "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970] : still, it is a good song
4. "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981] 3.75 : another great blog ending with a very pleasant song for the ‘80s.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970] : the only time that I follow the AM order. Another milestone. The final part is divine.
2. "Something" - The Beatles [1969] : a great song in a great album, one of Harrison’s best
3. "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977] : another great reggae classic from the ‘70s.
4. "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978] : I’m not a big Costello fan. The guy is too cold blooded for me.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. Born to Run
One of the greatest songs of all time. As a teenager living in Smalltown, NJ I can't really stress how important it's been to me some nights.charged up.
2. New Rose
Solid punk song. I like it
3. It's Your Thing
Solid soul song. Its being new rose because of genre.
4. This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us
This one doesn't do anything for me, andf the guys voice is kind of annyoing.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. What's Going On
My number 4 song of all time, and my father's number one song. I have fond memories listening to it with him.
2. "At Last"
Timeless classic.
3. "Dashboard"
Solid, I like the band, but it can't realistically hang with the other two.
4. "The Model"
Can't really listen to Kraftwerk.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. Fight the Power
One of the greatest rap songs of all time by the greatest rap group.
2. Groovin'
Very solid jazz song that I hadn't heard of before this poll!
3. Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)
I don't like Kate Bush as much as Jazz I guess.
4. At the Hop
Not a fan.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. People Get Ready
A classic protest song, will stand the test of time.
2. Rid of Me
One of Polly Jean's best songs.
3. Love is Strange
It's faint, but you can definately hear the Beatles in this.
4. Box of Rain
No love for the Dead.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. Love It or Hate It
Winner of this very weak block.
2. You Shook Me All Night Long
Not a big AC/DC fan, but it's better than the other two.
3. I Feel Love
Dislike.
4. Wildwood Flower
Dislike more.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. London Calling
Greatest punk rock song of all time. The one song on London Calling that stands tall above all the rest.
2. Don't Believe the Hype
Another great PE song.
3. Madame George
By virtue of it not being...
4. We Will Rock You
I detest Queen and everything they've ever done.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. My Sweet Lord
I don't even know why I like this song so much. Whenever I here it's intro I go "Wait, I love this song!". It makes me feel happy.
2. Life on Mars?
I'm not as huge a fan of this song as some other members on this board, but I still like it a lot.
3. Sexual Healing
Fantastic romance song, would've won an easier bracket.
4. Bette Davis Eyes
Didn't stand a chance in this tough bracket.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. Something
And George tops second bracket in a row. As a love song this one is really without equal.
2. Layla
I feel like we underrate it, maybe because the classic rock audience overrates it. None the less, the song is fantastic.
3. Pump it Up
One of Costello's best.
4. Police and Thieves
Once again, just not on the level of the other three.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN 13

1. THE DAMNED - NEW ROSE
- This was my song at the pub I used to go to when I was younger, single and heavy on the bottle. They always played it for me (usually, but not always, upon my request).

2. THE SPARKS - THIS TOWN AIN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BOTH OF US
- Weird and kinky music. I can enjoy that.

3. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - BORN TO RUN
- I like the way he sings ...baby, we were born to RUUUUUUUUUUN. It got a nice feel to it, and the lyrics are good.

4. THE ISLEY BROTHERS - IT'S YOUR THING
- Not really particularly interesting.


VIVALDI 13

1. KRAFTWERK - THE MODEL
- Kraftwerk's only song about a woman, I believe. It's very enjoyable, especially in Deutsch.

2. MODEST MOUSE - DASHBOARD
- This song is new to me, and on first listen it sounds pretty much like all other music that came out in 2007. I used to like Modest Mouse a bit some years ago, but now they're nothing special. OK song, nothing more.

3. ETTA JAMES - AT LAST
- I find it quite dull. Works well as background music in a restaurant. A good restaurant.

4. MARVIN GAYE - WHAT'S GOING ON
- It's one of the mysteries of mankind, but I simply cannot enjoy this.


SIBELIUS 8

1. PUBLIC ENEMY - FIGHT THE POWER
- Public Enemy were once the best rock band in the world, according to NME. Of course they weren't, NME always talk in BIG letters, but they were cool. It's a good and important song.

2. KATE BUSH - RUNNING UP THAT HILL
- Pretty close with Fight the Power, but lost. I don't like it as much as I like the earlier songs, but it's worthy of some points.

3. DANNY & THE JUNIORS - AT THE HOP
- This is fun. I used to burn this on party cds back in the days.

4. THE YOUNG RASCALS - GROOVIN'
- Not bad, but falls short.


god damn, there's a lot of writing here. still good, though.


SCHUBERT 3

1. PJ HARVEY - RID OF ME
- Fantastic song, scares the hell out of sleeping people. Good for other uses too.

2. MICKEY & SYLVIA - LOVE IS STRANGE
- I've seen Dirty Dancing 20+ times (and I love Eurovision Song Contest), still I'm not gay. Hard to believe, I know. This is one of several great songs off that soundtrack.

3. THE IMPRESSIONS - PEOPLE GET READY
- It's just not my cup of tea. I need more exciting hooks should I listen to this genre.

4. GRATEFUL DEAD - BOX OF RAIN
- Yawn. Music for dads of dads.


BRAHMS 15

1. THE CARTER FAMILY - WILDWOOD FLOWER
- It's good to hear bad recordings (by today's standard) now and then. It's a beautiful song, with a refreshingly simple arrangement.

2. AC/DC - YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
- All AC/DC songs sounds the same, but they all sound good as well. If there's a tiny difference in them, then this is the poppiest one.

3. THE GAME - HATE IT OR LOVE IT
- 50 Cent is a disaster to hip hop music, and so is probably The Game, although I don't know much about him (It's a him, right - not a group?) This song is, I am sad to admit, not making my ears ache.

4. DONNA SUMMER - I FEEL LOVE
- It's disco.


MOZART 13

1. THE CLASH - LONDON CALLING
- A giant among punk songs.

2. PUBLIC ENEMY - DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE
- It's really great. It was the last song I danced to, except when I danced to The Laughing Gnome with my son a couple of hours ago.

3. QUEEN - WE WILL ROCK YOU
- Queen has some great song, and this isn't one of them. It is ruined forever by Robbie Williams, and appearing in places it shouldn't be played.

4. VAN MORRISON - MADAME GEORGE
- I've never cared for Van Morrison. Everybody I know who likes Van Morrison, dislikes me, so I take out my rage on not liking Van Morrison.


HANDEL 3

1. DAVID BOWIE - LIFE ON MARS
- Why don't they make music and men like David Bowie anymore. This is so full of pleasure.

2. GEORGE HARRISON - MY SWEET LORD
- For the Scandinavians out there: 5 or so years ago I was on a bus when this song came on the radio. And just as it started playing, a young girl at the back shouted out "Björn Rosenström!", quite quickly followed by a "no, wait, hang on...". The song is fine (Harrison's, not Rosenström's), but he has made better.

3. KIM CARNES - BETTE DAVIS EYES
- It's a crap pop song.

4. MARVIN GAYE - SEXUAL HEALING
- God, if there ever was one Marvin Gaye song I'd pay not to ever hear again...


LISZT 9

1. ELVIS COSTELLO - PUMP IT UP
- It's not as dull as he looks. I've grown to like Elvis Costello. It must be a dad thing.

2. THE BEATLES - SOMETHING
- Oh, this was the famous love battle. The Beatles won it.

3. DEREK AND THE DOMINOS - LAYLA
- Now I've been thinking for 30 seconds, and I can't come up with something to say about this song. I don't think I have any opinions about it. No.

4. JUNIOR MURVIN - POLICE AND THIEVES
- It's quite pleasant to listen to. Had to look it up on Spotify. I might add this to a playlist for my next drinking binge. But falls short.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Rune, your small stories always make me smile!

And btw, Rid of Me ALWAYS scares me. It's like watching a horror movie and you know that the killer is behind the door, you just don't know exactly when he's gonna show up. Same with balloons...

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

I'm really enjoying reading everyone's comments on these songs! (And I see that I'm not the only one who's enjoying reading them.)

Just a reminder, it is not REQUIRED that you comment on all the songs. It is however appreciated. The minimum requirement is to comment your number 1 choice.

nicolas- I was meaning to ask one of the people who rated "Wildwood Flower" highly to explain why it's such a great song, but thank you so much for posting a link to your blog! I'm learning so much!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974]

Somehow packs all the highlights of a 20-minute prog epic into 3 minutes. These guys were everything Queen should have been.

2. "New Rose" - The Damned [1977]

What a great riff -- one of the first classic punk songs leaps out of the speakers, a new genre arriving fully formed.

3. "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975]

I know this is going to win the round, and from an objective point of view I'm sure it deserves it. There is no doubt this is a great track, and is one of those where I wish I could de-program my brain to forget I ever heard it and then take it in fresh again.

4. "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969]

The victim of easily the best 4-song block in this round. Excellent late-60's soul from a transitional time for the Isleys, but it just can't quite stand up with the others here.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971]

An evergreen classic of which I cannot get tired. I can listen to a different part of the song each time -- Gaye's perfect vocal, the string arrangement, the poignant (and still relevant) lyrics, the NFL players Gaye brought in for background chatter....

2. "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978]

Pretty darn pop for such an experimental group, and another example of the wry humor that emanated from an expressionless facade.

3. "At Last" - Etta James [1961]

Absolutely amazing vocal, but an arrangement that was probably a bit dated even in 1961. Always works on wedding videos, though.

4. "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007]

I really, really dislike Modest Mouse, mainly because of the eminently punchable Isaac Brock.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8

1. "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990]

The opening of "Do the Right Thing", with Rosie Perez dancing to this, is one of the great iconic marriages of music and film in recent times.

2. "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]

Tough round when this doesn't get #1 from me. Somehow this is both incredibly dated yet very timeless. She should have kept the original title "A Deal with God" though.

3. "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]

A nice enough bit of '50s exuberance, though I'd probably skip the station if I ran into it on oldies radio.

4. "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]

The worst kind of hippies are boring hippies.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3

1. "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]

Probably the best piece of gospel/pop that's ever been made.

2. "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]

Jaw-droppingly terrifying; I have to give this its props, though I rarely feel compelled to play it.

3. "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]

I'm not much of a Deadhead, but I've got a soft spot for this because it's a. sung by Phil Lesh, and b. is pretty poignant as he wrote it for his dying father. Also, no meandering pseudo-fusion solos.

4. "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]

I guess it's got some sort of weird '50s atmosphere that aesthetes love, and I'm all for that kind of stuff, but this one has never clicked for me on any type of emotional level.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15

1. "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]

Best disco song ever, and also one of the best singles ever.

2. "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]

Gorgeous and timeless early country, though somewhat ruined by Walk the Line as my mind now conjures up Reese Witherspoon singing it. D'oh.

3. "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]

Actually, I neither Hate This nor Love This. It's OK I guess.

4. "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]

I'll actually defend AC/DC from time to time, as they've got some great tracks and I have a lot of respect for the fact that they've never even considered changing their sound. But I never ever need to hear this again.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]

The Astral Weeks highlight for me, there's some kind of strange magic going on in this winding epic.

2. "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]

Probably only my 6th favorite track from It Takes a Nation of Millions......which of course means it's an absolute killer.

3. "London Calling" - The Clash [1980]

See my comments re: "Born to Run".

4. "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]

See my comments re: "You Shook Me All Night Long".

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3

1. "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]

Probably the song where Bowie's results first met his ambition (though there are others on Hunky Dory I like just as well). The lyrics are absolutely ridiculous, though.

2. "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]

A return to his lover-man form, though not really as good as his mid-'70s peak. Still strong enough for #2 in this group.

3. "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]

Brings a wave of nostalgia to me when I hear it, though it's kinda baffling in retrospect that this was as huge as it was.

4. "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970]

I've never liked this, and it's not just because it rips off the Chiffons. It's cloying, simple-minded, and over-produced. (And I generally love "All Things Must Pass".)

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9

1. "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]

I used to be pretty tired of this, but gave it a spin lately and have to give it proper classic rock props. That piano-led outro is the alpha and omega of outros.

2. "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977]

Definitely better than The Clash's version, with a wonderful vocal and Lee Perry in classic Black Ark production mode.

3. "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978]

Great song, just like pretty much everything on This Years Model.

4. "Something" - The Beatles [1969]

It's probably heresy placing this last (and I feel bad for putting George last 2x in this round), but this is one of those tracks where I really think a simpler arrangement would make the song more powerful. It's certainly beautifully written, but I never want to play this anymore.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1."Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975] This is what makes The Boss, THE BOSS.
2.#538: "New Rose" - The Damned [1977] Starting off with a quote from Leader of the Pack helps. Looking up this song on youtube also gave me this great comment: "nigga you swear your hardcore but i bet you dont even have any invader zim tshirts or nightmare before christmas merchandise"
3. #999: "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969] The definitive version of this funk staple.
4. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974] The 70s at their worst.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "At Last" - Etta James [1961] I'm more partial to Sunday Kind of Love, but this is Etta at her most powerful.
2. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971] THE politically-conscious song of the 70s.
3. "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978] A haunting synth-pop classic.
4. "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007] A faster pop song to accommodate the new fans from Float On.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990] Probably the best rap song ever.
2. "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]
3. "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]
4. "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965] A beautiful soul song.
2. "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957] An incredibly seductive song.
3. "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]
4. "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]


BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005] The most listenable song on a bracket I don't like.
2. "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]
3. "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]
4. "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988] OK, maybe this is the best rap song ever. Public Enemy was just so good.
2. "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977] Nothing gets people at sporting events more pumped.
3. "London Calling" - The Clash [1980]
4. "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970] Such a beautiful song. It seems like it could last forever.
2. "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]
3. "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]
4. "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978] A great danceable song, everything is just so tight.
2. "Something" - The Beatles [1969]
3. "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]
4. "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977] Wow, talk about a great song that is never going to get a chance.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN
1. "Born to Run" - an anthemic song w/ epic orchestration.
2. "It's Your Thing"
3. "New Rose"
4. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us"

VIVALDI
1. "What's Going On" - note-perfect title track from one of the greatest albums
2. "At Last"
3. "The Model"
4. "Dashboard"

SIBELIUS
1. "Fight the Power" - one of PE's 2 or 3 best tracks and the soundtrack to one hot, tragic summer in bed-stuy
2. "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)"
3. "Groovin'"
4. "At the Hop"

SCHUBERT
1. "People Get Ready" - many fine versions of this classic, including The Chamber Brothers', but this is still the best
2. "Box of Rain"
3. "Rid of Me"
4. "Love is Strange"

BRAHMS

1. "You Shook Me All Night Long" - takes me right back to college frat parties...:/
2. "Wildwood Flower"
3. "Love It or Hate It"
4. "I Feel Love"

MOZART

1. "London Calling" - a sort of mock-military march. not one of the album's best tracks, but really the perfect opener
2. "Madame George"
3. "Don't Believe the Hype"
4. "We Will Rock You"

HANDEL

1. "My Sweet Lord" - plagiarism thing aside, harrison's slide guitar owns. the outro is rather silly, though. i prefer the album's title track
2. "Bette Davis Eyes"
3. "Life on Mars?"
4. "Sexual Healing"

LISZT

1. "Layla" - this outro, on the other hand, is incredible
2. "Police and Thieves"
3. "Pump It Up"
4. "Something"

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
#26: "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975] - This song is just untouchable. Bruce could have never written another song after this and he’d still be a legend.
#999: "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969] - Pretty good funk song, especially for its day.
#538: "New Rose" - The Damned [1977] - I’m not exactly the biggest punk fan, but this was decent.
#487: "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974] - I don’t know what was going on here.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971] - A classic, probably the best protest song ever, with amazing vocals, production, arrangements, everything is spot-on.
#494: "At Last" - Etta James [1961] - A standard, it’s enjoyable if not entirely fresh.
#1006: "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007] This feels like they’re looking for another “Float On” and they didn’t get it.
#531: "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978] Kraftwerk are good at German electronica, not English pop.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
#80: "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990] A shining moment in hip-hop.
#434: "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985] Whatever that instrument is in the background, it makes for a heckuva hook.
#945: "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957] Hey! I actually think this is fun.
#592: "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967] This puts me to sleep.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
#139: "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965] - The beginning of greatness for Curtis Mayfield and a great example of less being more and simplicity executed perfectly.
#886: "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957] - OK song.
#374: "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993] - Grating song. If I listened to it a few more times I think I might “get” it.
#651: "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970] - Boring song.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
#660: "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005] - I loved this song when it came out. Great horn sample and hooks.
#365: "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980] - Not the best in their canon, but still rocks.
#148: "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977] - I like disco, but I have always found this overrated.
#877: "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928] - Almost made it to the third spot.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
#30: "London Calling" - The Clash [1980] - Best song off a genre-defining album. Classic.
#542: "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988] - It’s not their best, but come on, it’s Public Enemy.
#995: "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977] - Cheesy even for Queen. But great fun to sing along to, but only if you’re at a sporting event or other male-dominated place.
#483: "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968] - Chalk me up as someone who doesn’t get Astral Weeks.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
#375: "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971] - The lyrics don’t make any sense and it doesn’t matter, the sheer force of David Bowie’s personality carries the song and the listener on a bizarre dream voyage.
#138: "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982] - Who could resist this?
#650: "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison [1970] - Would place higher in a weaker block, even if it is a ripoff.
#887: "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981] - Chicks shouldn’t try to sing like Bob Dylan.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
#466: "Something" - The Beatles [1969] - One of my favorite Beatles songs, it should make up for George’s lousy showing above. It really is a great love song, with a great bridge and better guitar solo.
#47: "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970] - Awesome riff, and even with the outro it never feels too long or too weepy.
#978: "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978] - Probably my favorite Costello tune.
#559: "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977] - A good song in the toughest bracket yet.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Henrik, that's nice to hear (or rather read) :)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1- "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969]
2- "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975]
3- "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974]
4- "New Rose" - The Damned [1977]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1- "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971]
2- "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978]
3- "At Last" - Etta James [1961]
4- "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007]

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1- "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990]
2- "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]
3- "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]
4- "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1- "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]
2- "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]
3- "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]
4- "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1- "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]
2- "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]
3- "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]
4- "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1- "London Calling" - The Clash [1980]
2- "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]
3- "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]
4- "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1- "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]
2- "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]
3- "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]
4- "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1- "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]
2- "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977]
3- "Something" - The Beatles [1969]
4- "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Just a reminder: for your ballot to be counted, you must comment AT LEAST your number one choices.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen:
An easy choice for the first bracket. This song may be filled with desperation, but it pulls it off. One of my favourite moments in music is "and well walk in the sun" around 3:30. The last time I named my favourite song it was this.
2. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks:
For me this song doesn't really make any sense, but somehow it comes together great. A song that just freaks me out.
3."It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers:
A funky track that wasn't far behind This Town, but makes me want to dance in a completely different way.
4. "New Rose" - The Damned:
A good early punk song that I keep thinking of the cover by Guns N' Roses. Anyways for me a huge gap between third and fourth.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1."What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye:
Marvin sings this so beautifully. One of the best voices of soul shows he has something to say.
2."Dashboard" - Modest Mouse:
A good song that seems to get done what it wants. For me the largest gap between Marvin and this.
3."At Last" - Etta James:
Generally not what I listen to, but it is powerful and I like it.
4."The Model" - Kraftwerk:
Not my favourite Kraftwerk song, but I guess the synth is ok with the rest being not really my thing.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy:
Another powerful political song from Public Enemy. At some points it feels a little repetitive, but is great.
2."At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors:
A fun little tune. It's simple danceable and what else do you need?
3."Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush:
Slow and with an obvious timestamp on it.
4."Groovin'" - The Young Rascals:
A little slow, but with melodies holds up ok.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "People Get Ready" - The Impressions:
Is pretty enough with great singing to stick out from a weak crowd.
2. "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey:
Hard song with enough energy to make it do ok.
3. "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia:
An ok song for what it is. It is kinda fun and a nice duet.
4. "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead:
I don't know what to think of this song other than it bores me immensely and I do not see any beauty.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC:
As hard as it is to listen to AC/DC this song manages to sound a little different and is great to sing along to.
2. "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent):
Decent hip-hop that I can understand. Is something that I could grow to like.
3. "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family:
Everything about it does not appeal to me, but it is only 3 minutes.
4. "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer:
Wow I did not like that, at all. Not only was it annoying, but clocked in at 6 minutes. These would have to be the worst two songs this week.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "London Calling" - The Clash:
One of the greatest punk songs and a perfect opener for the album to follow.
2. "We Will Rock You" - Queen:
What other song could be better for a crowd of thousands. The crowning jewel of rock anthems.
3. "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy:
Really hard choice for one of my favourite rap songs.
4. "Madame George" - Van Morrison:
A very good song, just not up to the other three. It still is a song that is great in context of Astral Weeks.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie:
Bowie's best singing make this one of his best songs.
2. "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye:
A close one. Is meant for one purpose and is absolutely successful in its aim.
3. "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison:
Calm and does not do as much for me as George's late Beatles work.
4. "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes:
The singing and the parodies leave me thinking meh.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "Something" - The Beatles:
One of the best love songs ever and George's best song.
2. "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos:
The second half of the song is a fantastic while the first half I've hear a few too many times.
3. "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions:
Haven't got into Costello, but this is like able enough.
4. "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin:
Not really my thing, but is nice and relaxing.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. Sparks- “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us”

This startling song is from the artier side of glam that I adore. The androgynous vocals, multiple key changes and epic sense of drama are right up my alley. I actually prefer “Amateur Hour” from Kimono My House, but “This Town” is definitely a winner.

2. The Damned- “New Rose”

I had never heard this song before, but I’m glad it’s come up! This is one of the reasons I’m quite high on this extended Bracketology- it’ll introduce me to great gems that have somehow escaped my radar. A raucous jolt of energy that will get rotation well beyond the duration of this game, I suspect!

3. Isley Brothers- “It’s Your Thing”

Confession- I used to adore the Milli Vanilli cover version of this. The original is full to the brim with sass and kicks up a big funk, but I tend to prefer my funk with synths as opposed to horns, which is why it falls here.

4. Bruce Springsteen- “Born to Run”

I’m no Bruce fan, but I can see why this song gets love. It encapsulates everything that makes Bruce… Bruce. It suffers from being in a tough bracket, I’m afraid.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. Kraftwerk- “The Model”

It’s definitely not my favorite Kraftwerk song (that honor goes to the whimsical majestry of “Computer Love”), but it is their anthem for a reason. Alluring synth pop at its finest, it simply jumps through the speakers and makes these feet move without a second thought.

2. Modest Mouse- “Dashboard”

A fine, fine single from Modest Mouse, although it doesn’t quite reach the heights of “Float On”. It’s perfectly hummable and slinks along to a fine rhythm indeed.

3. Marvin Gaye- “What’s Going On”

Yes, it’s a classic! However, I gravitate to many other Marvin songs ahead of this one. I respect that it completely changed the face of music, and inspired a ton of music that I adore (culminating in Stevie Wonder’s brilliant Songs in the Key of Life). However, as important as this song is, I’d rather listen to the above two.

4. Etta James- “At Last”

It’s a sultry, fine song in its own right, but like “Born to Run”, it suffers from placement in a tough bracket.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8

1. Kate Bush- “Running Up That Hill”

Ethereal, heavenly and powerful, and it still doesn’t hold a candle to “Cloudbusting” from the same album! Nevertheless, Kate’s signature song never fails to move me or keep my attention. The fact that it clearly inspired my favorite single from 2009 (Bat for Lashes’ “Daniel”) cements its spot here.

2. Public Enemy- “Fight the Power”

Revisiting the theme of black empowerment displayed by Marvin Gaye, “Fight the Power” ups the ante in anger and militarism. It’s a powerful statement and a true landmark of rap. It’s a shame to see the caricature that the genre has become.

3. The Young Rascals- “Groovin’”

This is another song I hadn’t heard before, but this time I don’t feel like I was missing out on anything.

4. Danny & the Juniors- “At the Hop”

One of the pre-eminent examples of why I used to hate anything from the 50s.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3

1. PJ Harvey- “Rid of Me”

This sinister song manages to be terrifying and alluring at the same time, which is part of the reason why Polly Jean gets so much love, and deservedly so. While most of the alternative scene of the 90s left me cold, she was one of the few to penetrate my bias, which is quite the feat.

2. The Impressions- “People Get Ready”

A classic civil-rights anthem well deserving of its acclaim, it still doesn’t hold a candle to “Rid of Me” for me. That said, it completely dominates the songs below and could have easily won other brackets.

3. Mickey & Sylvia- “Love Is Strange”

One of the better oldies in my book. The guitar is pretty memorable as is the to-and-fro between the two singers. That said, I wouldn’t ever go out of my way to hear it.

4. Grateful Dead- “Box of Rain”

Q: What does Moonbeam hate more than oldies? A: The Grateful Dead

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15

1. Donna Summer- “I Feel Love”

The dawn of a new age, this song IS disco to me, and its roar echoes through dance music to this day.

2. The Carter Family- “Wildwood Flower”

I hadn’t heard this song before, and I won’t be listening to it again. Yikes. What a weak bracket for me!

3. The Game- “Hate It or Love It”

Hate it.

4. AC/DC- “You Shook Me All Night Long”

One of my bottom 10 songs of all time. The horrific vocal delivery is only worsened by the hordes of drunk idiots who want to sing it in bars. Moonbeam hates bars, and this song is one of the reasons why. Other songs in this category include “Yellow Submarine”, “Hotel California” and “American Pie”. “Classic” rock that classically sucks.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. The Clash- “London Calling”

My favorite Clash song by far, it is the quintessential punk song for me. Monstrous!

2. Public Enemy- “Don’t Believe the Hype”

Another 2nd place finish for PE, who deserve a bit better, but were placed in difficult brackets. This is my favorite PE song, probably because it nods its cap to funk.

3. Van Morrison- “Madame George”

I can see why it’s esteemed, but this just isn’t my kind of music at all, unfortunately.

4. Queen- “We Will Rock You”

But at least it’s not this schlocky stadium-pleaser. Queen (at least this strain of Queen), is everything that glam should be ashamed of.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3

1. David Bowie- “Life on Mars?”

And just like that, glam strikes back with this simply soaring track. This is my favorite song of the week’s choices- the melodrama, the passion, the unabashed yet strange key changes, and the alien message would make for 4 great separate songs. Combining them into one spine-tingling anthem is just too much to bear. This is why God gave us ears.

2. Kim Carnes- “Bette Davis Eyes”

One of the giant songs of the 80s, and deservedly so. I’m sure Stephan will be quick to launch this into the top of his bracket! That synth line alone is timeless and worth hundreds of replays! The drum-machine claps, Kim’s croaky but assured vocals and some clever lyrics for a huge single launch it into an all-time great. It would have won a majority of the other brackets.

3. George Harrison- “My Sweet Lord”

Talk about a leaden drop! George is the only Beatle who doesn’t make me want to poke my eyes and ears out. This song is pleasant enough, but it’s simply overmatched by the more Moonbeam-friendly choices above.

4. Marvin Gaye- “Sexual Healing”

Remember how I said that there were plenty of other Marvin Gaye songs I gravitated to over “What’s Going On”? This isn’t one of them. It’s tired and forced, and clearly sounds like Marvin was trying to return to the top of the charts by churning out the sexy. But formulaic and planned sexy isn’t really that sexy, is it?

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9

1. Elvis Costello- “Pump It Up”

I only got turned onto Mr. Costello last year when I picked up This Year’s Model. Boy, am I glad I did! The entire album is a class act, and this song is one of the finest offerings. Rumbling along with a legendary adolescent pulse, the marriage of guitars and synths displayed here is one of the reasons why I love new wave so much.

2. Derek and the Dominos- “Layla”

Bluesy, druggy and sultry, even I can’t deny that it’s a deserving classic.

3. Junior Murvin- “Police and Thieves”

Reggae isn’t really my thing, but this song is beautiful!

4. The Beatles- “Something”

As I posted above, George is the only Beatle I can stomach. However, this song just didn’t have much of a chance against the others.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
Even before I liked Springsteen I loved this song. It's just plain brimming with charisma with possibly the best hook in rock history.

Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us
You can hear a lot of people like Kate Bush and Tori Amos in this, but with screaming guitar riffs, and it was written in 1974? I can't believe I've never heard of them before. If it came out tomorrow it would fit right into the indie scene.

The Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing
I'm conflicted about this kind of early R&B. On one hand it's so hook driven you can feel the record producer's hand on the steering wheel. On the other hand, back then the record producers were a lot better at finding and showcasing talent. And they sure put out a lot better singles than they do today.

The Damned - New Rose
Pretty good old school punk. One of them that really sounds wild and organic (As opposed to just angry for the sake of angry) because of the guitar. Kind of like the Ramones meets the Stooges.

--

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
It's a beautiful song. I'm a Marvin Gaye fan but I don't put him quite as high as everyone else does.

Etta James - At Last
In this you hear the archetype for the background music that plays every time anyone goes back in time to the 50s. Etta James was burned so deeply into our national consciousness it's impossible to dissociate her sound from her era as a whole.

Kraftwerk - The Model
I just don't like Kraftwerk. I think they're one of those bands that gets too many bonus points for being first.

Modest Mouse - Dashboard
Not one of their better songs. I don't see why it's the one that gets ranked so high. Out of the four Modest Mouse albums I have, 'We Were Dead' is by far the weakest.

--

Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill
This song influenced a whole group of female vocalists with big, epic voices over echoey guitar and keyboard. You can't help but be drawn in.

Public Enemy - Fight The Power
I'm a fan of this sort of 80's rap. Public Enemy sang about racial hypocrisy, whereas newer big rap stars just seem to flaunt their own ego and sing about shooting people. Plus Public Enemy worked harder on the dance loops that backed them, now it's usually either a straight cut and paste from another hit or boring drum and bass loops.


The Young Rascals - Groovin
Listening to all these older R&B hits is making me remember that perfect production used to be okay, back when they were forced to actually have people in the studio playing real instruments at the same time the vocals were recorded.

Danny & The Juniors - At The Hop
No, I don't want to go to the hop. I imagine many blonde teenagers with propeller caps named Skip.

--

The Impressions - People Get Ready
One of the smoother grooves out there.

PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me
Why is this album recorded so quietly? Whisper-wail songs piss me off, because I'm often playing music while people are just across the wall not wanting to hear it. So this song starts up, I turn it up so I can hear it. Then BOOM. This is a great song but it works better in the context of the full album.

Mickey & Sylvia - Love Is Strange
I had no idea this was the group being parodied specifically in A Mighty Wind.

Grateful Dead - Box Of Rain
My dad is a deadhead. The sort of deadhead who, when we went to Maui, he could get us into a museum on the membership card of one of his bootleg friends. At one point he had like three thousand concerts. I get that he likes the 'Every concert is different, there is no setlist' approach. I just don't freaking like them. No quality of live performances could make them sound less boring. (I think he's mad downloading is marginalizing his subculture!)

--

Donna Summer - I Feel Love
I've been warming up lately to the dance-pop stuff influenced by disco, particularly stuff like Donna Summer. Back then of course, although the backing loops were starting to get dull and dreary, the vocals themselves were still unmangled by mechanical hands.

AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long
I don't like AC/DC. But I respect them somewhat. Enough to put them above the other two.

The Carter Family - Wildwood Flower
That drawl sounds embellished. I bet she dressed exaggeratedly folksy on stage.

The Game - Hate It Or Love It
Ug. The same sort of boastful nonsense that pervades the entire popular front of the genre. I understand why it sells records, but why do critics like it? I think people like Christgau honestly think artistic value and shock value are the same thing.

--

Public Enemy - Don't Believe The Hype
Public Enemy worked for their shock value so The Game wouldn't have to.

The Clash - London Calling
Nothing like a song that makes you feel like an H bomb is about to fall out of the sky.

Van Morrison - Madame George
A nice song as beautiful as it is boring. ...I think I just described 80% of Van Morrison's total output.

Queen - We Will Rock You
Written to be chanted in stadiums, and insufferable in any other context.

--

David Bowie - Life On Mars?
One of the better musical climaxes, especially in songs with Bowie eccentricity.

Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing
Nobody does what Marvin Gaye does as well as Marvin Gaye.

Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes
This song somehow reminds me of Come Together by Primal Scream.

George Harrison - My Sweet Lord
Good song, that just happens to be against three better songs.

--

Derek & The Dominos - Layla
That riff, no matter what you're doing, immediately jolts you into full attention. One of the greatest bluesy rock songs ever written. They need to stop playing the downbeat version of it at CVS. Every time they do I hum the riff during the chorus.

Elvis Costello - Pump It Up
There's nothing so immediately engaging as the energy of early Elvis Costello songs.

The Beatles - Something
Pretty meh as far as Beatles songs go.

Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves
That voice clashes with the raggae beat. Something about it just sounds wrong.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975]
2: "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974]
3: "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969]
4: "New Rose" - The Damned [1977]
"Born to Run" wasn’t my favorite Bruce song until I saw him live this summer. But it was such a clear highlight of the show that I had to give in. THE HOOKS!
It hurts to put one of the most unique pop pieces in history to #2.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971]
2: "At Last" - Etta James [1961]
3: "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978]
4: "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007]
"What’s Going On" has made the same journey as "Born to Run" – I used to think it’s a little overrated and now I don’t know how to comment other than that it’s perfect.
What a top 3! For me personally, this bracket will probably beat the final bracket. Well, except for the average "Dashboard".

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1: "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990]
2: "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]
3: "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]
4: "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]
After many thoughts, I have to go with the AM order here, although I have always found the whole "Fear of a Black Planet” album somewhat messy sounding, while "Hounds of Love" is one of my favorite albums. But “Running Up That Hill” doesn’t stand out the way that "Fight the Power" does.
No hop for me.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1: "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]
2: "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]
3: "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]
4: "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]
As an atheist (sort of) "People Get Ready" doesn’t really speak to me personally, but I still think it’s a wonderful song.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1: "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]
2: "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]
3: "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]
4: "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]
I love The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s cover of "Wildwood Flower". Don’t know if I’ve heard the original before, but it’s good as well. A good song is a good song.
All AC/DC songs don’t sound the same. For example "You Shook Me All Night Long" is a little weaker than most songs off "Back in Black".

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "London Calling" - The Clash [1980]
2: "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]
3: "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]
4: "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]
It’s impossible to not like "London Calling". Can it really be punk then?

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1: "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]
2: "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]
3: "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]
4: "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970]
Big drama from Bowie easily beats the cheesier Gaye and the others are way off.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1: "Something" - The Beatles [1969]
2: "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978]
3: "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977]
4: "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]
Now this is a great Harrison song, with stunning arrangement and production. One of the 10 best Beatles songs IMO.
Layla = awful production and boooooooring.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Haydn Bloc, Bracket 13:
1. Bruce Springsteen- Born to Run
Probably one of the most epic songs ever created
2. Isley Brothers- It's Your Thing
Great, funky song
3. Sparks- This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us
I was surprised by how much I liked this song. Almost beat out #2
4. The Damned- New Rose
Pretty boring sounding punk

Vivaldi Bloc, Bracket 13:
1. Marvin Gaye- What's Goin' On
Timeless, beautiful, classic.
2.Kraftwerk- The Model
Kind of haunting, i like it
3. Modest Mouse- The Dashboard
Kind of average, nothing really that great about it
4. Etta James- At Last
Sappy sounding

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. Public Enemy- Fight the Power
Culmination of all their talent? maybe. damn good song regardless
2. Kate Bush- Running up that Hill
Interesting Song, Cool.
3. Danny and the Juniors- At the Hop
Fun song, makes me want to do the sock hop
4. Rascals- Groovin
Not bad, but not great

Schubert bloc, Bracket 3
1. Greatful Dead- Box of Rain
I forgot about this song, i like it. best out of a very meh bunch
2. PJ Harvey- Rid of Me
Creepy, but good i guess
3. Impressions- People get ready
Never understood the acclaim for this song. probably would be #4 in any other bracket
4. Mickey and Silvia- Love is strange
Don't like this at all.

Brahms bloc, bracket 15
1. Clash- London Calling
Fierce, Apocalyptic and powerful
2. Van Morrison- Madame George
London Calling's antithesis? Sprawlingly beautiful
3. Queen- We Will Rock You
A foot-stompin' good time
4. Public Enemy- Don't Believe the Hype
Don't believe the hype, there are better songs on the album.

Handel Bloc, bracket 3
1. David Bowie- Life On Mars?
To be honest, I'm not so crazy about Hunky Dory as most, but this is very good
2. George Harrison- My Sweet Lord
Nice, sweet song
3. Marvin Gaye- Sexual Healing
Better than #4
4. Kim Carnes- Bette Davis Eyes
this song has acclaim?

Liszt Bloc, Bracket 9
1. Beatles- Something
"The Greatest Song Lennon and McCartney ever wrote" - Frank Sinatra
2. Derek and the Dominoes- Layla
Loses b/c Eric neither made the riff nor wrote the piano ending
3. Elvis Costello- Pump It Up
Either hits me as energetic and awesome or slightly annoying
4. Junior Murvin- Police and Theives
Clash version is better and i don't even like that version

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN 13 (the everyone gets a trophy bloc)

1. It's Your Thing (Screw-you-Gordy-songs won't ever fail me)
2. New Rose (intro reply: yes... blaxploiting myself)
3. This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us (..neither it's me)
4. Born To Run (ronnie spectrally bearded)


VIVALDI 13 (oh, another everyone gets a trophy bloc)

1. At Last (from time to time the walls around me get goosebumps - intestine ingrain wall paper)
2. What's Going On (oversoulgrieved - but i'm buying into it)
3. Das Modell (perfectly symbiotic - shallow, gritty, dumb and shiny)
4. Dashboard (still Dexys obsessed, I'm fine with that)


SIBELIUS 8

1. Fight The Power (best elvis eulogy ever)
2. Groovin' (Dianne Wiest entering 1987's Murder Capital Of The World, also nice Kiefer drum part)
3. At The Hop (ballroom coil)
4. Running Up That Hill (heretically waftin)


SCHUBERT 3

1. Love Is Strange (guitar riff shangri-la)
2. Rid Of Me (the last 17 seconds!!.. everything else goes direct-to-video)
3. People Get Ready (finger exercise)
4. Box Of Rain (nah - put candyman on)


BRAHMS 15

1. I Feel Love (craving for a candyflip right now)
2. Wildwood Flower (last nite I dreamt that my brother would play this one in front of his breton core audience - benevolent applause)
3. Hate It Or Love It (indiffarunz)
4. You Shook Me All Night Long (brett!)


MOZART 13

1. London Calling (bytheriveryadayada... apocalyawnpsico)
2. Madame George (rosé & dusk)
3. Don't Believe The Hype (carotid artery still hungry)
4. We Will Rock You (nice little gem, would perfectly match sports venues)


HANDEL 3

1. Sexual Healing (so hush, little baby, don't you cry afterwards)
2. Life On Mars? (bloatee)
3. Bette Davis Eyes (belgian road trip song)
4. My Sweet Lord (you're gonna want me for your girl)


LISZT 9

1. Police And Thieves (guns for me hips, ammunition for me phrenic)
2. Pump It Up (pete is a beast)
3. Something (kitteh devotion)
4. Layla (i'm not pattie)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Another great way to organize my new music listening! Can't wait to continue to put Rhapsody to good use, digging up these songs.

HAYDN

1. BORN TO RUN - Musical innovation leading up to 1975 must have had just the right mix of courage, soul, and need for someone to wear their hearts on their sleeve to get away with this absolutely timeless and bombastic song. I can't get over how big it sounded when I first hear it. If this song was released in any other era, the artist would have to make excuses for being self-indulgent, or critics would say the luscious instrumentation is appropriately humbled by introspective lyrics, self-depricating posturing, etc. But this is Bruce's baby all the way.

2. ISLEY BROTHERS - IT'S YOUR THING
3. SPARKS - THIS TOWN AIN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BOTH OF US
4. DAMNED - NEW ROSE

VIVALDI

1. MARVIN GAYE - WHAT'S GOING ON It's getting a little tired, especially considering the album as a whole song cycle of the album, but no other song in this bracket has been a part of my musical conscious longer.

2. THE MODEL
3. AT LAST
4. DASHBOARD

SIBELIUS

1. FIGHT THE POWER - A weak bracket for me, have to go with Public Enemy's fearless hip-hop delivery.

2. GROOVIN'
3. RUNNING UP THAT HILL
4. AT THE HOP

SCHUBERT

1. PJ HARVEY - RID OF ME - I also have trouble with the audio levels of this album. But this is a puzzling alternative classic in the heyday of that genre. PJ has to be one of the most elastic vocalists ever. I saw some recent footage of her with John Parish performing and it's amazing the same squeaky sounds coming from her mouth also made the last seconds of this song, a vocal embracing complex emotions and sensuality that has not been repeated by anyone since.

2. LOVE IS STRANGE - Odd what 'oldies' music makes the top AM cut.

3. BOX OF RAIN
4. PEOPLE GET READY



[NEXT BRACKET, I think the last poster forgot about one, I can't find the title]

1. I FEEL LOVE - One of the first songs in Pitchfork's 500 Song book that I'm listening to chronologically. Anything spacey, anything Daft Punk, any super raved up groove-o-rama that I love can be attributed to this song's pioneering atmosphere.

2. WILDWOOD FLOWER
3. HATE IT OR LOVE IT
4. YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG

BRAHMS

1. MADAME GEORGE - Just got into Astral Weeks over the past few months. Credit due to the loose but focused vocal work throughout this album.

2. WE WILL ROCK YOU
3. LONDON CALLING
4. DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE

HANDEL

1. MY SWEET LORD - Life on Mars? makes it close for being endearing epic Bowie, but this song is just so comforting. Unlike Hey Jude even on a good day, the repetition of Harrison of his spiritual comforts never loses it's impact, perhaps because it warms your heart with each "Hallelujah" lushly sung.

2. LIFE ON MARS?
3. SEXUAL HEALING
4. BETTE DAVIS EYES

LISZT

1. SOMETHING - More George, as one of my favorite Beatles songs taps into something more authentic and human than the exciting but a little aloof Lennon/McCartney stuff of this period.

2. PUMP IT UP - Thanks Rock Band 2 for bringing this song up a notch.

3. LAYLA
4. POLICE AND THIEVES

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

damn. someone screwed up brahms 15, which screwed me up and i think some others too!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

I would have thought for sure that Henrik would have placed "The Model" at number 1 of its bracket!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Good to have old bracketology back

Thanks Matt !!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Matt, am I allowed to simply copy and paste my comments from previous polls here (including the previous bracketology game)? If I'm not, I’m afraid I got no time enough to participate. If I’m allowed, I would feel sorry for boring you with the same comments again and again but it’s the only way I could join.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

No problem here, Honorio. Odds are I haven't read them anyway, as I didn't read 99.9% of the comments from last time.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

The scary thing for me about approaching bracketology two years later is that I’ve become much more small-c catholic in my tastes. Makes the choices harder, in most brackets at least. Nevertheless, here we go:

HAYDN 13
1. THIS TOWN AIN’T BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BOTH OF US. Kooky was not held in high esteem in 1974 (assuming mascara and platforms don’t count). There are almost no songs in the top 1000 more out of step with their time. And thank goodness; in an era when ponderous stadium rock loomed over everything, these two nuts put on a drag act funnier, and more musically interesting, than anything David Johansen ever did (sorry, Harold). Extra points for the ricocheting gunshots.
2. BORN TO RUN. I’ve said it before, and often: for me, 1975 was the year Bruce started going downhill. Still, a good song, and an iconic one. If you haven’t seen Robert Wuhl’s bit on the New Jersey legislature trying to make it the state song, see if you can find it on YouTube.
3. IT’S YOUR THING. It seems impossible to either love or dislike the Isley Brothers. All you can do is like them.
4. NEW ROSE. This might surprise, coming from a champion of first-generation punk, but somehow I never really got the Damned. They just don’t seem to have the range of their contemporaries.

VIVALDI 13
1. AT LAST. This one’s for anyone who remembers what it was like to slow dance at summer camp at the age of 13. A little slice of perfection, and I’m glad that Etta’s getting some recognition these days from Beyoncé’s recent portrayal in Cadillac Records.
2. THE MODEL. More nostalgia…this was the first Kraftwerk I ever heard. When I was a kid, it sounded to me like Devo on Ritalin. And I mean that as a compliment, actually. She’s still looking good.
3. WHAT’S GOING ON. I love Marvin Gaye, but this song just isn’t terribly interesting outside the context of its time and its album. It does have a couple of the Detroit Lions on it, though.
4. DASHBOARD. Not awful. Talk to me again when we get to “Float On,” though.

SIBELIUS 8
1. FIGHT THE POWER. The idea that the most ferocious protest song ever could emerge from the late 1980’s must have seemed like a bad joke at the time. But PE did it (yes, with an assist from Spike Lee, but still).
2. RUNNING UP THAT HILL. After a re-listen, I’m slightly less enchanted with it—the Freaky Friday lyrics are starting to seem pretty silly—but the quirky synth and percussion still entertain, and, hey, I’m an 80s kid.
3. AT THE HOP. Chintzy and relentless and a whole lot of fun. If this doesn’t make you want to pogo, you need to get your shocks checked.
4. GROOVIN’. I feel less hostile to the late sixties than I once did. Then I hear a song like this and I reconsider. Just awful.

SCHUBERT 3
1. RID OF ME. Scary, yes. For me, this forever ruined “Every Breath You Take,” another great stalker song: Sting burbling passive-aggressively over sweet soul music melts to nothing once you hear Polly’s full-blown assault.
2. PEOPLE GET READY. I hate not to pick this…I love Curtis, and I love gospel (although usually when it’s more upbeat than here).
3. LOVE IS STRANGE. A fun goof now ruined for me by Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey.
4. BOX OF RAIN. Ugh.

BRAHMS 15
1. I FEEL LOVE. Listened to it again on Sunday, the 30th anniversary of the Chicago White Sox’s infamous “Disco Demolition Night,” and I can’t think of a better riposte to Bill Veeck. I don’t care much for Donna Summer, or disco, generally, but this one achieves the trifecta: artful, irresistible and influential. Moroder’s production basically created the next two decades of dance music.
2. WILDWOOD FLOWER. Actually, I’m not sure June sang on this one. Anyhow, it’s gorgeous and timeless…and on a different planet than the rest of this bracket. Listening to the Carter Family put a major dent in my youthful disdain for country music. I had to go back to the beginning to find the entry point.
3. YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG. Back in Black was the first vinyl LP I ever bought (I bought Pretenders a couple of months later and things changed). For me, this is close to Rock Song Zero, and I love it for being exactly what it is. Still #3 here, though.
4. HATE IT OR LOVE IT. I’m not opposed to the genre as such; I just don’t see that this is anything special.

MOZART 13
1. LONDON CALLING. Not the greatest Clash song, and it’s been travestied by appearing in both a Friends episode and a James Bond movie, but if rock and roll is supposed to be apocalyptic (and it is), this is the real deal. It also happens to be the opener to the greatest album ever made.
2. DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE. Just a notch below “Fight the Power,” “Bring the Noise” and “Welcome to the Terrordome.”
3. MADAME GEORGE. I’m dispensing with the use of “meh” this time out, so I’m not sure what to say about this one. Astral Weeks is worth a listen, though.
4. WE WILL ROCK YOU. It seems unfair that Queen gets to clog up the tournament with slots for both this and “We Are the Champions.”

HANDEL 3
1. LIFE ON MARS?
2. SEXUAL HEALING.
The top two here are very close for me, both excellent songs by artists I really like, but somewhat removed from their career peaks (late for Marvin, early for Bowie). I thought about picking “Sexual Healing” just because I think it deserves a lot more love than it’s been getting here (et tu, Moonbeam?), but after listening to them back to back, I have to give Bowie the nod…even though I think it’s about his tenth-best song.
3. BETTE DAVIS EYES. A well-crafted pop song which tries just a little too hard to be really sexy, this nevertheless achieved immortality when Eddie Murphy sang it in the voice of Buckwheat.
4. MY SWEET LORD. I probably shouldn’t say this, but the more I listen to George the less interesting I find him. One by one, I’ve quickly gotten tired of his songs, to the point where my favorite of his might now actually be “Long, Long, Long.”

LISZT 9
1. LAYLA. I cannot emphasize this strongly enough: I really, really dislike Eric Clapton. But this song is like that Giants pitcher with a 2-8 record who threw a no-hitter on Friday (I do seem to like my sports references today, don’t I?). Normally, old Slow Hand is almost embarrassing to listen to, but he hit the bullseye this time. Come to think of it, this can stand credibly alongside “Rid of Me.”
2. POLICE AND THIEVES. Unfortunately, since I’ve fully absorbed the output of the Clash, this sounds strange, and kind of lugubrious, being sung by someone other than Joe…yeah, I know I lose cred points for preferring the cover. Still, a killer reggae song.
3. PUMP IT UP. Major fun, but minor Elvis.
4. SOMETHING. A monumental, stirring love song. At least when I was 8. (I do feel bad about being so hard on George this week.)

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1- "New Rose" - The Damned [1977]
2- "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974]
3- "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969]
4- "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975]

New Rose is a song that has grown on me in the past year, This Town is a song I just heard for the first time and I like, It's Your Thing is a decent song but not one I ever listen to and Born To Run is one of my least favorite Bruce hits.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1- "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978]
2- "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971]
3- "At Last" - Etta James [1961]
4- "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007]

First listens for The Model (I think I actually heard that before but I didn't know it by name) and Dashboard. The former is great, the latter is pretty bad. What's Going On is pretty good and I'm pretty meh about At Last.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1- "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]
2- "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]
3- "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990]
4- "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]

I didn't think I'd heard the Kate Bush song before but I have many times and I really love it. I just never knew the name. Groovin is a nice song, Fight the Power is pretty overrated imo and At the Hop just doesn't cut it.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1- "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]
2- "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]
3- "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]
4- "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]

I like all of the songs in this bracket: the top 2 are fantastic (I'm not a Deadhead but that is one great song), Love is Strange is a fun song that Wings did a great cover of. Rid of Me is the weak link even though it's a pretty dang good song.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1- "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]
2- "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]
3- "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]
4- "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]

Weak bracket. Hate It or Love It is a pretty good hip-hop track but nothing special. I Feel Love has an awesome beat but I abhor Summer's vocals in it. I'd never heard Wildwood Flower before- it's ok but I've heard better Carter Family songs and definitely better trad folk songs. I'm not a fan of You Shook Me at all.




MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1- "London Calling" - The Clash [1980]
2- "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]
3- "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]
4- "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]

Two classic songs on top. I wanted to give the edge to Madame George but couldn't. If I was hearing We Will Rock You for the first time... who knows it could be #1... probably not. But, overkill kills it. And I'm just not a Public Enemy fan.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1- "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]
2- "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]
3- "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970]
4- "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]

Life On Mars is what I'd probably call "Minor Bowie" It's good but not nearly Bowie's best. Bette Davis Eyes... ok and I'd appreciate hearing it on the radio but it's not that good. The other two are kind of cringeworthy.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9

1- "Something" - The Beatles [1969]
2- "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977]
3- "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978]
4- "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]

Everything in this bracket is good, #1 and #2 are close to great. I highly doubt I'll be voting any of these songs #1 in the next round (without looking ahead) but I can't deny that they are all good songs.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1 - "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975]
2 - "New Rose" - The Damned [1977]
3 - "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974]
4 - "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969]
'Born To Run' just has too much firepower here,I'd use a sports analogy but that's been done already. Still sounds as thrilling now after countless listens as it did on first listen. 'New Rose' is one of the first and best UK punk songs which has grown on me immensely. 'This Town...' is interesting without being anything particularly great,and 'It's Your Thing' is a decent song,but I never come back to it...

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1 - "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971]
2 - "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978]
3 - "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007]
4 - "At Last" - Etta James [1961]
'What's Going On' by a mile here. Landmark song,an absolute masterpiece of it's genre. My favourite song of the 32 here. 'The Model' is a solid song,a lot different from their other stuff that I've heard but I never thought it was anything amazing. First listen on 'Dashboard' - nothing to get too excited about. 'At Last' - fine vocals sure,but not really my style...

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1 - "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]
2 - "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]
3 - "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990]
4 - "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]
Dismissed by many here as lightweight pop,I'm just too much of a sucker for good-time songs so 'Groovin' wins here. 'Running Up That Hill' sounded very familiar when I downloaded it,and was impressed with it. 'Fight The Power' is easily the best PE song,but they don't impress me much. 'At The Hop' is good fun but not really in the class of the others.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1 - "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]
2 - "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]
3 - "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]
4 - "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]
Love the melody and singing of 'People Get Ready' - classic. 'Rid Of Me' is new to me,and in fact,PJ Harvey is an artist I know very little about,but I was very impressed by this song. Great talent. 'Box of Rain' is by the very boring Grateful Dead so enough said and 'Love is Strange' is painfully dull...

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1 - "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]
2 - "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]
3 - "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]
4 - "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]
Weak bracket. 'I Feel Love' is a decent disco track,but doesn't do too much for me,'You Shook Me...' is yet another mindless AC/DC anthem,'Hate It Or Love It' sounds pretty generic,and 'Wildwood Flower' is too early for me to get too excited in it's sound...

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1 - "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]
2 - "London Calling" - The Clash [1980]
3 - "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]
4 - "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]
I don't listen to Astral Weeks very often,but if I do,'Madame George' is the track I come back to. Great song to relax to. 'London Calling' - great,explosive start to one of rock's greatest albums. I think as a track,it's way overrated though. 'We Will Rock You' is a great sports anthem that always seems to be over before you know it,but hardly a classic. Can't stand this PE track...

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1 - "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]
2 - "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]
3 - "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]
4 - "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970]
Pretty close here between the top 2,I know 'Life On Mars' is the better track,but 'Bette Davis Eyes' is just the track I prefer to listen to,great synth line and love the vocals. Sometimes playful early Bowie can get on my nerves a bit. 'Sexual Healing' is solid,but not special. 'My Sweet Lord' just sounds really dull these days...

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1 - "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]
2 - "Something" - The Beatles [1969]
3 - "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978]
4 - "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977]
'Layla' wins easily. Arguably the best guitar riff and outro of all time. 'Something' is pretty up there as far as Beatles songs go,but it can get a bit tired after a while. 'Pump It Up' was what got me into Costello - now I realize he has much better songs,this is still decent though. 'Police and Thieves' is OK,prefer it to the Clash,but doesn't do too much for me...

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Moonbeam
I would have thought for sure that Henrik would have placed "The Model" at number 1 of its bracket!


Yeah, maybe I will regret the third place, but it was an unusually good bracket! Well, it doesn't really matter, Marvin will win anyway.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

schleuse
The scary thing for me about approaching bracketology two years later is that I’ve become much more small-c catholic in my tastes.


Does it mean that you're more open to compromise ?

if that's the case, welcome to the church.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975]: As others have said, everything that makes Bruce “BRUUUCE!” is right here, and then some. HUH!
2. "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969]: Incredible funky groove, with great horn charts.
3. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974]: The last two songs here are basically tied. I like them equally, but this one gets the nod for being so gloriously weird.
4. "New Rose" - The Damned [1977]: Early U.K. punk at its tersest.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971]: I’m on record as being more of an admirer than a lover of the album, but here’s one case where the hit singles actually are the artistic highlights. A timeless record.
2. "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978]: The electronic pioneers at their deadpan best. Check out Big Black’s cover, too.
3. "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007]: They were actually TRYING to write a radio hit this time, and it’s still unmistakably them.
4. "At Last" - Etta James [1961]: A classic, but I really don’t care at this point if I ever hear it again.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990]: I will always associate this song with the opening of Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING. Utterly galvanizing; the apotheosis of the ferocious mix of the Bomb Squad’s incendiary aesthetic and Chuck D.’s equally fiery politics. Probably the greatest hip-hop record ever made.
2. "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]: Not my favorite of theirs, but a great summer single emblematic of its era.
3. "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]: Bush is an artist I need to spend more time getting to know, and this – her one minor American hit single – is a great example of her formidable, singular personality.
4. “At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]: Fun fact: I’ve spent my entire life thinking that that one line is “take your lips and wet your chicken,” which I’ve always taken as a spectacularly stupid way to describe kissing your girl. Now, after finally looking it up, I learn that it’s actually “you calypso and you chicken,” describing some of the dances you can do at the hop. It’s still stupid, but not quite as bad. Another classic I don’t need to hear again, except I never liked it in the first place.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]: I’ll admit it – I was one of the people who turned my stereo way, WAY up when I first played this, thinking there was something wrong with it, and then YAAAA! MY EARS! My pain immediately gave way to exhilaration. Awe-inspiring, and it brilliantly sets the tone for the whole album. There are few sounds in rock more disturbing than Harvey’s voice at the very end of this.
2. "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]: I’m not a big fan, but I love this song, a lot, from its wonderful melody to the best set of lyrics Robert Hunter ever wrote.
3. "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]: A great, important song that’s never done a whole lot for me musically.
4. "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]: An interesting record, mostly for the way legendary session man Mickey’s (full name: Mickey “Guitar” Baker) instrument becomes a third “vocal” partner.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]: Sorry, Moonbeam – I grew up on classic-rock radio, and this is a favorite of mine. One question: that one line where he says, “She told me to come but I was already there” – what does that mean?
2. "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]: Disco at its very best: a great singer meets an even better producer.
3. "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]: Eh. I obviously understand its importance, but it’s kind of a chore to listen to.
4. "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]: I had never listened to any of Game’s stuff before. He’s got an interesting flow, and Dre’s still a great beatmaker, but there’s nothing here we haven’t heard a million times before.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "London Calling" - The Clash [1980]: As instantly arresting as any record ever made. Brilliantly effective both on its own and as the intro to one of the all-time great albums.
2. "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]: The centerpiece of ASTRAL WEEKS, and as mysteriously moving and beautiful as the album is as a whole.
3. "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]: Works better as part of IT TAKES A NATION… than on its own.
4. "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]: Works better as an intro to the ballad that follows than on its own. Great guitar work at the end, though.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]: Possibly his best song. Definitely his most soaring.
2. "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]: I’m surprised I ranked it this high, but I had to be honest – it’s a near-perfect pop single, early-‘80s overproduction and all, and I’d much rather listen to it than the other two songs here.
3. "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison [1970]: As much as I love ALL THINGS MUST PASS, I’ve never been a fan of its biggest hit. The mega-strummed intro is great, but it’s downhill from there.
4. "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]: I have to echo others here; while it was nice to see Marvin come back with such a massive hit, I’ve always found it kind of tepid and uninspired.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]: Simply one of the greatest rock records of all time, a grafting of what are really two separate songs (Clapton’s howl of anguish and Jim Gordon’s spiritually uplifting coda – horribly ironic, given how Gordon’s own story turned out) that somehow works, in no small part due to Duane Allman’s genius for finding spaces to fill in what mere-mortal ears would consider airtight arrangements.
2. "Something" - The Beatles [1969]: Harrison’s finest contribution to the Beatles, with a particularly brilliant arrangement: subtle strings, some of Ringo’s most quietly powerful drumming, one of the most lyrical guitar solos ever recorded, and a McCartney bassline that takes your breath away.
3. "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978]: Perfectly emblematic of the restless roar that Costello’s new band brought to his music. There are other tracks on THIS YEAR’S MODEL I like better.
4. "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977]: Having lived with the Clash’s version my whole life, it’s hard to hear the original on its own; my first reaction was to marvel at how faithful the cover actually is. Fantastic Lee Perry production, but I miss those alternating guitar jabs.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Sorry for repeating previous comments (the only new ones are the ones for "Groovin'" and "Something")

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975]: The backstreet Romeo and Juliet stories of the previous two albums, the stories about girls that “comb their hair in rear-view mirrors” and boys that “try to look so hard” got here its culmination with Springsteen fighting hard to achieve his more focused and intense effort. Yes, intense is the word. It sounds more like a flood of music overflowing than a band playing.
2: "New Rose" - The Damned [1977]
3: "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969]
4: "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974]

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971]: Marvin going from the individual to the universal, from the hard experience of his brother Frankie fighting in Vietnam to all the “far too many” brothers dying (black, white and, yes, yellow too). And to all the people dying and suffering because of war. Then and now. Now still “we’ve got to find a way / to bring some understanding here today”.
2: "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978]: Kraftwerk, the pioneers par excellence of electronica, made with “Das Modell” the track most similar to a pop song of their entire repertoire. Even the usual cold and robotic tone of the voice of Florian Schneider slightly minimizes in that song, keeping an unheard ironic taste. But, of course, its entrance in the universe of the models, the playgirls, the women-machine fitted very well with the world of the men-machine.
3: "At Last" - Etta James [1961]
4: "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007]

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1: "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]: I can’t think of a better example of tight connection between form and substance, between ambiance and meaning. The birds, the harmonica, the harmonies and the overall feeling are the perfect companions for precisely "groovin’ on a Sunday afternoon". And for gettin’ ready for the then upcoming summer of love.
2: "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]
3: "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990]
4: "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1: "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]: “Lick my legs / I’m on fire”. Till the arrival during the nineties of PJ Harvey (and Liz Phair) we were not used to such a raw expression of the darkest female desires.
2: "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]
3: "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]
4: "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1: "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]: When Brian Eno first heard the song, he told David Bowie: “I’ve heard the sound of the future”. And no one can discuss the visionary abilities of Brian Eno.
2: "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]
3: "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]
4: "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "London Calling" - The Clash [1980]: Gorgeous opener of one of my ever favourite albums. Love the strong rhythm (marking all the times of the bar “Instant Karma” style), love the bass line at the beginning, love the backward guitars in the middle section, love the “singin’ in the rain” clip, love the lyrics, love the attitude. And it’s not the best song from the album…
2: "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]: Every musician in his right mind accepts gladly the hype. Probably they wouldn’t admit it easily, but I can imagine them looking to the end of year lists to see their position. But not Public Enemy, even when they really were talking about the hype from the mass media they slipped a line like this one: “Writers treat me like Coltrane, insane”. Amazing.
3: "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]
4: "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1: "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]: It’s not by chance that Bowie had chosen his dramatic “Life on Mars?” for his 2005 comeback with Arcade Fire. Backed by Rick Wakeman’s piano and Mick Ronson’s string arrangements, Bowie brilliantly croons a cryptic litany about the strange times going on 1971, with “the mice (hippies?) in their million hordes”, when “the workers struck out for fame / cause Lennon’s (Lenin?) on sale again” and “Mickey Mouse’s grown up a cow”.
2: "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]: The swan song of Gaye was one of his best songs, with pure sensuality emanating from a blanket of synthesizers and music boxes.
3: "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970]
4: "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1: "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]: Eric Clapton teamed with members of Delaney and Bonnie and Allman Brothers Band to form Derek & the Dominos. Their masterpiece was these pleading of love for the wife of his best friend (no other than George Harrison). The first part of the song is superb, with its legendary riff and the desperate lyrics. But the second part, built around a wonderful piano part, is pure beauty.
2: "Something" - The Beatles [1969]: quite a bizarre coincidence within the same bracket of two songs about the same woman, Pattie Boyd later Pattie Harrison later Pattie Clapton (and even more bizarre that no one of you commented that previously!!). “Layla” wins because is a desperate plea for love to a woman married with your best friend and “Something” is the serene love from a husband to a wife. And passion, sin and forbidden love will always win the tame love inside the marriage. And you know it’s true, isn’t it?
3: "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978]
4: "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977]

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Honorio
And passion, sin and forbidden love will always win the tame love inside the marriage. And you know it’s true, isn’t it?

I'll remember to bring up this topic at the dinner table.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Henrik
I'll remember to bring up this topic at the dinner table.


Not really a good idea

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1) "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975] -- My comment from bracketology 2007: "one mark of a great song is when you're not listenting to it you think "God, that's overplayed," but every time it's on you get sucked right back into it. This does that for me" I'm over that sentiment now. I always love it.
2) "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969] -- Very solid soul. Great vocal by Ronald, comitted on every line.
3) "New Rose" - The Damned [1977] -- Solid if unexceptional.
4) "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974] -- I am not impressed.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1) "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971] -- This song, along with "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues," is the perfect marriage of Gaye's beautiful voice, committed delivery, and great songwriting. We will later in this bracket see how far he was to fall off this height.
2) "At Last" - Etta James [1961] -- Some time ago on these borads I was lamenting that I had not fallen for any female soul singers, like I have for a lot of female jazz singers. It was suggested to me that I should check out Etta James' stuff. Even after the Cadillac Records/Beyonce at the inauguration kerfuffle I haven't had a chance to delve into her work. But I'm warming to her vocals on this song.
3) "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978] -- The vocal left me very cold and unimpressed. I kinda liked the background on this song, but just kinda.
4) "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007] -- I'm still digesting The Moon & Antarctica, but have not been impressed so far. As for this song, I hear them trying to add to the arrangement and instrumentation. But unlike a truly inventive group, like, say, Spoon on "The Underdog," it feels forced and does not grab my attention. And Britt Daniels is ten times the vocalist that Isaac Brock is.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1) "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985] -- I did not like Bush for some time. I have recently come around on her somewhat. This song has a nice drive to it and her delivery is tempered enough for me to enjoy it.
2) "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957] -- Lots of fun. Makes me want to dress in my poodle skirt and go to the Rydel High school dance.
3) "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990] -- Not among my favorites by PE. I just don't think it includes the best work by any of them.
4) "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967] -- If they're groovin', then where's the groove?

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1) "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993] -- Genius. There is no creepier yet still deep and thoughtful lyric than "I'll make you lick my injuries." Albini takes the soft/loud production dynamic to a whole other level.
2) "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965] -- It hurts to put this second. I so very very very very much adore Mayfield's work with the Impressions, and the pure loveliness of his voice.
3) "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957] -- Pretty sexy song.
4) "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970] -- I really like the Grateful Dead songbook. I have said a number of times that they are underrated songwriters and recording artists (and overrated musicians and live performers). But I'm not a fan of this number.

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1) "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980] -- Not a sexy song... but great to party to.
2) "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977] -- The Moroder backing track is very effective. I'm not a fan of Summer's vocals here (or elsewhere really). She never feels like she's trying particularly hard.
3) "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928] -- Kind of a boring song. Nice vocal though. Was that Mother Maybelle singing? I don't know who sang lead on their stuff.
4) "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005] -- The Game - hate it. Fitty - I wouldn't go so far as to say I love it, but I'm usually fairly amused by his peculiar delivery.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1) "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988] -- I really like this number by PE. One of their best.
2) "London Calling" - The Clash [1980] -- Rpeating what I've said elsewhere... I like it a lot, and would like it more if Strummer was more understandable.
3) "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977] -- Slight, and makes all those footie hooligans from the late 70's sound more cuddly and fun than they actually were. But still fun isn't bad.
4) "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968] -- No a bad melody, but it keeps repeating and repeating, and that means we have to listen to Van give his vocal flourishes, which is not a good thing.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1) "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971] -- My favorite Bowie song, and one of the best of all time. As fine a pairing of melody and chord progression as you get in pop music.
2) "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison [1970] -- Good record.
3) "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981] -- Her vocal is only good when she does the raspy voice thing. I know, you're saying "when does she not do the raspy voice thing?" Well listen again, sometimes she does an annoying swooping voice thing, and then sometimes she gets lazy and doesn't do anything with her delivery.
4) "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982] -- I'll admit, I'm not a fan of 80's baby making music. Too little soul. And for a man who used to have a ton of it to give us this is a shame. Other than a few nice falsetto lines, he gets lazy also. And the song is not as good as "Bette Davis Eyes."

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
Toughest bracket to order:
1) "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970] -- I just listened again, and had forgotten how powerful the first half was, from the get go. My estimation of this song that I have lived with a long time is on the rise.
2) "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978] -- It's all good, except maybe the groove until the organ comes in... the organ makes the song... oh and of course Elvis' vocals.
3) "Something" - The Beatles [1969] -- Wikipedia claims that Sinatra called it the greatest love song ever written. He also called it a Lennon/McCartney song, so that shows what he knows. I do like it quite a bit, but it's not as much of a standout for me as other people feel it is.
4) "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977] -- Oooh... I do like Murvin's deliery here. No shame in 4th place in this bracket, Junior.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Under normal circumstances, I would be posting the results from this week's brackets, as well as next week's brackets, at midnight Pacific time this upcoming Saturday (that's in about 49 hours). Unfortunately, I'm a pizza delivery man, and I have to work this Saturday and won't be able to post until I'm off. So this week you'll have an extra hour-and-a-half. And you'll have one less hour-and-a-half for next week. Sorry in advance.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
#26: "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975]- This song charges forward from the first note but it REALLY starts to "run" once Clarence Clemons' sax wails.
#538: "New Rose" - The Damned [1977]- Turbo-charged punk blast with an indelible opening riff.
#999: "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969]- Good song but perhaps too laid back for its own good. I like a lot of other Isley tunes better than this one.
#487: "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974]- A song I like MUSICALLY but it's ruined for me by the vocalist's pinched falsetto.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
#19: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971]- Marvin’s creamy falsetto times three. A laidback jazz-influenced groove. Lyrics that still sound current. What’s not to like?
#494: "At Last" - Etta James [1961]- James brings a ton of yearning to her vocal. Class all the way..a narrow #2 to Marvin.
#531: "The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978]- I'm not terribly familiar with either of the last 2 at this point. But as of right now, I like the Kraftwerk tune better than MM.
#1006: "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007]

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
#80: "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990]-Despite my disagreement with Elvis being a "straight up racist", there's no denying the way this makes my blood pump when it comes on. 4 minutes of fury.
#434: "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]- The keyboard riff makes this tune.
#592: "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]- Sounds as groovy as its title and on the right day, I'd probably rank it above Kate. But overall it's lacking the type of energy Kate infuses her song with.
#945: "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]- Though I do like doo-wop, this is a fairly average uptempo ditty with not much to recommend it over the stronger numbers elsewhere in the bracket.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
#139: "People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]- Majestic choral reading.
#886: "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]- Way more seductive and sexy than an explicit come-on would ever be. I feel like a voyeur when Sylvia moans “Baby…”.
#651: "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]- Beats PJ Harvey by default. I don’t dislike the song but it’s only OK to me thus far. Harvey I really don’t “get”.
#374: "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
#365: "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]-After much internal debate, I selected this one out of two songs with very basically melodies. Mostly for the visceral reaction I have when the gut-punch of a riff assaults my eardrums at high volumes.
#877: "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]- Quite obviously a classic for its simple but immediately memorable melody.
#660: "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]
#148: "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]-Although I’m not a knee-jerk disco hater (I actually liked her 2008 release) I don’t think of this as highly as other Summer efforts.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
#995: "We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]- There’s a reason this primal crotch kick of a song is played at every sporting event ever. It makes you want to fight. If it doesn’t, check your pulse.
#542: "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]
#30: "London Calling" - The Clash [1980]
#483: "Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]- I have so far completely failed to grasp what’s so great about ASTRAL WEEKS. And this is from someone who typically likes Van the Man.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
#887: "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]- The whipcrack digidrums make this one pop out of the speaker. If you’ve heard the DeShannon original, you realize how much difference that makes.
#138: "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]- Gaye’s voice is silky as crème brulee.
#650: "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970]- A bit facile but I’m still kind of new to the Bowie song. I have a feeling Mssr. Jones would overtake Harrison if I was doing this a year or two from now.
#375: "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
#47: "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]- If the main riff didn’t take it to the top, then Allman’s slide solo would. And if that wasn’t enough, the piano coda is yet more icing on an already delectable sonic cake.
#978: "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978]- Reclaims the idea that rock and roll is dangerous. The 70s version of “Rock Around the Clock”…
#466: "Something" - The Beatles [1969]- Probably one of the 2 best songs Harrison has ever written. Too bad he didn’t have Clapton on this one. ;)
#559: "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977]- Decent reggae number but it doesn’t really grab me.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
Very strong group, all 4 songs are winners.
1. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-Born to run (one of the 70s top drawer songs, more epic than Haydn even)
2. The DAMNED-New rose
3. SPARKS-This town ain't big enough for both of us
4. ISLEY BROTHERS-It's your thing

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. KRAFTWERK-The model (blueprint to everything that's Synthpop)
2. MARVIN GAYE-What's going on
3. MODEST MOUSE-Dashboard
4. ETTA JAMES-At last

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. YOUNG RASCALS-Groovin' (nice Summer of love track. If you're interested, check out also their earlier, more garagey efforts like 'Good lovin' or 'Love is a beautfil thing', they're even better)
2. DANNY & THE JUNIORS-At the Hop
3. KATE BUSH-Running up that hill
4. PUBLIC ENEMY-Fight the power (greatest Hiphop crew, but not their best song)

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
Again, strong group
1. IMPRESSIONS-People get ready (classic early C. Mayfield)
2. GRATEFUL DEAD-Box of rain (favorite 70s Dead song)
3. PJ HARVEY-Rid of me
4. MICKEY & SYLVIA-Love is strange

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. DONNA SUMMER-I feel love (best Disco track ever, beats the shit out of the other three)
2. CARTER FAMILY-Wildwood flower
3. The GAME-Hate it or love it
4. AC/DC-You shook me all night long (so-so version of a song which was so-so in the first place)

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET
1. The CLASH-London calling (Clash wins by a mile)
2. QUEEN-We will rock you
3. PUBLIC ENEMY-Don't believe the hype
4. VAN MORRISON-Madame George (not the best song from an otherwise brilliant album)

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
DAVID BOWIE-Life on Mars ? (the saga of Bowie becoming the most defining artist of the 70s starts here)
MARVIN GAYE-Sexual healing
GEORGE HARRISON-My sweet Lord
KIM CARNES-Bette Davis eyes

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
Very strong group, numbers 1 and 2 are a close call
1. DEREK & THE DOMINOS-Layla (great, great, what else is there to say about it ?)
2. JUNIOR MURVIN-Police and thieves (besides 'Police & thíeves' Murvin never really did anything else, but this one track is enough to secure him a place in the Reggae pantheon forever. This was also THEE song that got the Punk scene hooked on Reggae)
3. BEATLES-Something
4. ELVIS COSTELLO-Pump it up (Costello has some fantastic songs, but I've never been a devoted fan to him)

BTW: It's a bit of a late reaction Nicolas, but it's nice to read that I'm not the only pre-rock 'n' roll music lover on this site. The 20s indeed may very well be the best decade of that whole early period. Yes, great music didn't just start with Elvis....

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Matt are you getting any e-mail ballots?

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN 13
1. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - BORN TO RUN
Merely first 10 seconds (the guitar melody) make this the winner of this group.
2. THE SPARKS - THIS TOWN AIN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BOTH OF US
3. THE DAMNED - NEW ROSE
4. THE ISLEY BROTHERS - IT'S YOUR THING

VIVALDI 13
1. MARVIN GAYE - WHAT'S GOING ON
I almost put Kraftwerk to #1. But this song is just so good that I must give the points it deserves. Everything has already said about waking political awarness, reforming the motown sound etc. So I just say that Marvin sings quite well this song.
2. KRAFTWERK - THE MODEL
Magnificent pop song.
3. ETTA JAMES - AT LAST
4. MODEST MOUSE - DASHBOARD


SIBELIUS 8
1. KATE BUSH - RUNNING UP THAT HILL
Powerful melody, Kate's wonderfull singing and those catchy effect sounds make this one of the best songs of 80's (sound).
2. THE YOUNG RASCALS - GROOVIN'
3. PUBLIC ENEMY - FIGHT THE POWER
4. DANNY & THE JUNIORS - AT THE HOP

SCHUBERT 3
1. PJ HARVEY - RID OF ME
This song was my first contact to Polly Jean's music in mid 90's (I had heard Henry Lee duet with Nick Cave). I thought PJ Harvey was pleasant piano and guitar folk/rock artist - something like Tori Amos, Alanis Morissette or the rest of the angry young women. And it definitely wasn't. Haunting, shocking and amazing song.
2. THE IMPRESSIONS - PEOPLE GET READY
3. MICKEY & SYLVIA - LOVE IS STRANGE
4. GRATEFUL DEAD - BOX OF RAIN


BRAHMS 15
The only group in which any of these four songs could be the winner.
1. THE CARTER FAMILY - WILDWOOD FLOWER
Beautiful old country song.
2. DONNA SUMMER - I FEEL LOVE
3. AC/DC - YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
If AC/DC have only one song how come this version sounds so much worse than usually.
4. THE GAME - HATE IT OR LOVE IT

MOZART 13
1. THE CLASH - LONDON CALLING One of the best punk songs.
2. QUEEN - WE WILL ROCK YOU
3. PUBLIC ENEMY - DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE
4. VAN MORRISON - MADAME GEORGE


HANDEL 3
1. DAVID BOWIE - LIFE ON MARS
This wasn't the first perfect song from Bowie but maybe this was the best.
2. KIM CARNES - BETTE DAVIS EYES
Somehow I feel nostalgic while listening to this 80's song. Looks like I've become old. (I checked and this song was released before I was born.)
3. MARVIN GAYE - SEXUAL HEALING
4. GEORGE HARRISON - MY SWEET LORD

LISZT 9
Another group where the battle hasn't ended.
1. ELVIS COSTELLO - PUMP IT UP
Groovy song. I would love to hear Prince cover of this.
2. THE BEATLES - SOMETHING
3. DEREK AND THE DOMINOS - LAYLA
4. JUNIOR MURVIN - POLICE AND THIEVES

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Alex D
Matt are you getting any e-mail ballots?


Surprisingly, no.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Here is my contribution... Many of these songs ive heard for the first time today...

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13

1. "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers [1969]
This is the catchiest song here with a nice grove and great vocals
2. "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen [1975]
The music is good, and has a soaring epic feel, but i dislike the boss' singing on this
3. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks [1974]
This track is okay, reminds me a bit of ABBA which I enjoy
4. "New Rose" - The Damned [1977]
I like some punk, but the song is just repetitive and boring.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1."The Model" - Kraftwerk [1978]
I love the catchy hypnotic synthesizers on this track. Sounds like it came from a video game in the early 90s
2."At Last" - Etta James [1961]
A classic song, very nostalgic sounding. The vocals are pretty solid
3."Dashboard" - Modest Mouse [2007]
This sounds like very mediocre modern rock. I really didn't care for the singers voice either
4."What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye [1971]
I don't like some of this soul music too much the lyrics are okay though.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1."Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush [1985]
I've never listened to kate bush before but i really like this song. The song sounds very dark and the lyrics are cool sounding.
2."At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors [1957]
This is just a classic song. I rank this high because every movie set in the 50s seems like it has a scene with this song playing.
3."Groovin'" - The Young Rascals [1967]
4."Fight the Power" - Public Enemy [1990]
This is actually one of the better public enemy songs, i just cant stand all the sampling in this it is so irritating.


SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1."Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead [1970]
Nothing really jumped out at me in this bracket but this song is probably the one i would listen to if given a choice
2."Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey [1993]
3."People Get Ready" - The Impressions [1965]
4."Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia [1957]
This song is like torture

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1."You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC [1980]
Classic Hard Rock
2."Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent) [2005]
Has a great vibe, the lyrics flow great, and unintentionally features (I think) a hilarious internet meme!
3."I Feel Love" - Donna Summer [1977]
This song makes me want to go to a dance club and take ecstasy. Its good but goes on too long.
4."Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]
Ugh there is a reason i try not to listen to music before 1967. Jimmy Carter should be embarrassed.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1."London Calling" - The Clash [1980]
this is one of the best punk songs by one of the best punk bands.
2."Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy [1988]
wow this song is better than fight the power, better lyrics and a great beat
3."Madame George" - Van Morrison [1968]
nine minutes of this wore me down pretty quick, but i could see this being a grower...
4."We Will Rock You" - Queen [1977]
The most overrated Queen song. They have songs that are infinitely better that get played a lot less.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1."Life on Mars?" - David Bowie [1971]
I just really like these over the top bombastic rock operaish songs
2."Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes [1981]
These 80s type pop songs were great.
3."My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison 1970]
4."Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye [1982]
Not a fan of this marvin gaye dude

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1."Layla" - Derek & the Dominos [1970]
Oh man, this song is AWESOME! never knew who did this song.
2."Something" - The Beatles [1969]
I hear this beatles band is pretty good. Need to check them out more
3."Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions [1978]
nice up tempo energetic song. Its cool
4."Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin [1977]
crap

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

The Lone Gunmen
.
4."Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family [1928]
Ugh there is a reason i try not to listen to music before 1967. Jimmy Carter should be embarrassed.


?? What does that mean

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

The Lone Gunmen
...unintentionally features (I think) a hilarious internet meme!


Someone else knew what I was talking about! Ha ha!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen: My favorite song of this round might also be the most difficult one to comment on. I don't own much Bruce, and while I probably owe it to myself to delve into his back catalog, it's always been this song's unreachable greatness that makes me think "why bother?"
2. "It's Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers: An undeniable groove, but a distant 2nd.
3. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" - Sparks
4. "New Rose" - The Damned

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1: "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye: The real magic of this album only hit me about a year or so ago, and really, this song IS the album, isn't it? (even though I think "Mercy Mercy Me" is a better song). The awful Bono/Chris Martin version almost ruined it for me. Almost.
2. "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse: I get a feeling that this is a band that's about one or two amazing songs away from me owning their entire catalog.
3. "The Model" - Kraftwerk
4. "At Last" - Etta James: A song that I definitely do not ever need to hear again.

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8

1. "At the Hop" - Danny & the Juniors: I've made no bones about the fact that pre-'60s rock ain't my thing, but this tune is pretty fun. Was probably written in the time it takes to play it.
2. "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush
3. "Fight the Power" - Public Enemy
4. "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals

These remaining songs are about as boring to me as watching ice not melt. I think "Groovin'" is the ultimate stinker, so I'll give it the last spot. "Fight the Power", for as acclaimed as it is, is nothing that I'd ever feel the need to hear. And I'm deducting points from "Running Up That Hill" for being a probable evolutionary link to certain god awful careers, namely, Enya.

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Rid of Me" - PJ Harvey: "Lick my legs, I'm on fire"? Good lord. This is why you should never date a female musician.
2. "People Get Ready" - The Impressions
3. "Box of Rain" - Grateful Dead
4. "Love Is Strange" - Mickey & Sylvia

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "Wildwood Flower" - The Carter Family: The only song in this bracket that doesn't annoy me.
2. "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC: I used to like it, back when I was too young to know better. I'm hard-pressed to think of a more inartistic act than AC/DC.
3. "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer
4.: "Hate It or Love It" - The Game (Featuring 50 Cent): It's songs like this that rob other more deserving songs from having a spot on AM.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "London Calling" - The Clash
2. "We Will Rock You" - Queen
3. "Madame George" - Van Morrison
4. "Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy

Nary a song in the bunch that I'd ever intentionally cue up on the iPod, so I'll leave the rankings as is. I suppose "London Calling", for as much it completely fails to engage me, deserves the top spot by sheer virtue of its stature in rock. "We Will Rock You"... well, it's Queen at their worst. And Alex, I'm with ya on Astral Weeks.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes: Using the tried-and-true first round bracketology rule... I'd just rather listen to this delicious '80s pop nugget over the other three. Even though I've played "My Sweet Lord" more, there's something about that synth line and those sultry vocals (especially the half-spoken/singing "...she's precocious!"...) that I really dig. I guess one man's cheese is another man's gold. (Right, Moonbeam? haha)
2. "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison: It's lost a lot of its caché for me in recent years; there's a few other cuts on All Things Must Pass that shine brighter, but it's still a classic.
3. "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie: Haven't listened to this one in a while, and honestly, it's a lot better than I remember. I forgot how tasty that chorus is.
4. "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye: If you ask me, he peaked about nine years prior to this.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "Layla" - Derek & the Dominos: If the Eric Clapton hate train is making stops, I guess I'll hop aboard. Let's face it... Slowhand just never cut any track that had the intensity, emotion and all-around flawlessness of this one; it's the Ayers Rock of his musical landscape.
2. "Something" - The Beatles: Out of 227 Beatles songs, it ranks 77th on my iTunes in terms of plays (tied with "I Will" and "Honey Pie"), which is quite indicative of my feelings toward it. I really think Harrison's best stuff was in the garden hose that Lennon and McCartney were standing on (as Pitchfork says) that led to that triple-LP deluge. In another bracket, I'd have it ranked lower. But it's still better than...
3. "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin: One of those songs where the music is only there to hold up the lyrics.
4. "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Sounds like a weird hybrid of "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and Roxette's "The Look". I know, right?

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Comments only on the relevant tracks

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1) Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run: There couldn't be a better track to start all this game! What a fuckin' huge song! As itself, it always sounds to me as one of the most perfect constructed songs ever, although in the album, Jungleland, Backstreets and Thunder Road are always my favorite ones.
2) The Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing: Nice funky song. Nothing extraordinary about it, though.
3) Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us: Some parts remind me much of Laurie Anderson's "O Superman", but this time a much more varied and melodic version.
4) The Damned - New Rose: Begins as a nice punk song, but goes nowhere from it.

VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13:
1) Modest Mouse - Dashboard: A pearl inside all the catalog of garage-indie-rock songs of our decade.They don't create anything different here, but they take what everyone is making to the highest level. Would win almost every other bracket for me!
2) Marvin Gaye - What's Going On: One of the best vocals ever recorded. It sounds like it was sung from someone from other world.
3) Etta James - At Last: Another track marked for it's excellent vocal work. Unfortunately got one of the strongest brackets of the week.
4) Kraftwerk - The Model: Coping other's words: Meh!

SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8:
1) Public Enemy: Fight the Power - A rap that sounds more like funk. And every audition is a new experience!
2) Danny & the Juniors - At the Hop: The more danceable, the better are the '50s songs.
3) The Young Rascals - Groovin' (On a Sunday Afternoon)
4) Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)

SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3:
1) Mickey & Sylvia - Love Is Strange: Only Mickey's guitar and that duet in the end are already enough to put this song at first in this average bracket.
2) Grateful Dead - Box of Rain: Looks like a more country "Kinks meet McCartney" song. It's nice, but I fear it will lose all the appeal if I listen to it much times.
3) PJ Harvey - Rid of Me: One of the most difficult songs to get in love with. I'm no PJ Harvey fan, but probably next round this one will get a better position in my bracket (yes, we all know it will be the winner here).
4) The Impressions - People Get Ready

BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15:
1) Donna Summer - I Feel Love: Wins a very weak bracket. It's hard to believe this song was recorded in the late '70s! All the production and interpretation is great, but the song extends for too much more time than it should.
2) AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long: Nice in the first half minute, and then you go fastly becoming tired of it.
3) The Game (featuring 50 Cent) - Hate It or Love It
4) The Carter Family - Wildwood Flower: Respect and aprecciate it, but I don't have to love it.

MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13:
1) The Clash - London Calling: Maybe not among my 5 or 10 favorite songs on its album, and still great (much due to that thriller arrangement).
2) Van Morrison - Madame George: It starts quite uninteresting, but, although maintaining the same climate until the end, you go progressively liking it. A feat, for such a long and soft song.
3) Queen - We Will Rock You: Good to listen to at sport games, only.
4) Public Enemy - Don't Believe the Hype: Inside the album it sounds perfect, like all it's other tracks, but very boring in it's own.

HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3:
The strongest bracket! In Brazil we would call it "o grupo da morte" (the bracket of death):
1) George Harrison - My Sweet Lord: Equally as excellent as Life on Mars?, but wins here because of my aprecciation for George. Since 68, he had already developed his totally own music style, becoming the most kind and refined of the Beatles composers. I could remain listening to the last part of this song for one minute after another and still continue enjoying it.
2) David Bowie - Life On Mars?: Although not liking much Mr. Bowie, there are around 5 or 6 songs I love from him, and this is one of theirs. Awesome piano work, vocal, melody and structure. Let's assume, the guy knew how to construct a perfect pop song!
3) Kim Carnes: Bette Davis Eyes: Even my friends who appreciate only crappy music recognize the quality of this track.
4) Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing: Not as great as the other three, but still nice. His vocal here, though, wasn't half as good as in his past anymore.

LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9:
1) The Beatles - Something: Not one of my favorite Beatles tracks, but wins this median bracket because of its last half (i.e., from the riff on). That second voice in the end always gets me!
2) Elvis Costello - Pump It Up: For me Costello is what I could call a "misacclaimed" artist. He's undeniably talented, but people tend to hypervalorize the wrong songs and albums. This track is very amazing, but far away from the numberless great songs he composed between 77-82.
3) Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves: Awesome song, didn't know this one! The late '70s-early '80s was the golden period for this kind of reggae!
4) Derek and the Dominos - Layla: Well, for me George wins by far this battle!

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

The Lone Gunmen
I hear this beatles band is pretty good. Need to check them out more


Huh???

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Toni
The Lone Gunmen
I hear this beatles band is pretty good. Need to check them out more


Huh???


The Lone Gunmen is a good friend of mine, and I'm 100% certain he was joking around.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Okay, voting is now closed on this week's brackets. I'll be posting the results as soon as I get them all totaled up. Should be just a few minutes.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

RESULTS: ROUND 1, WEEK 1

HAYDN BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "Born to Run" (95 points, 20 first-place votes)
2. "It's Your Thing" (66, 3)
3. "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" (63, 3)
4. "New Rose" (56, 2)

The Boss took an early lead and never looked back. This one was always a race for second place, which the Isley Brothers managed to squeak out at the end. Sparks and the Damned get eliminated after one week.


VIVALDI BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "What's Going On" (96, 18)
2. "The Model" (67, 5)
3. "At Last" (66, 3)
4. "Dashboard" (51, 2)

Another run-away. Kraftwerk managed to squeak into second place at the end after a slow start, but Modest Mouse never had a chance. Etta's lone song is out in the first week.


SIBELIUS BLOC, BRACKET 8
1. "Fight the Power" (87, 16)
2. "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" (74, 6)
3. "Groovin'" (60, 4)
4. "At the Hop" (49, 1)

Public Enemy took an early lead, and though some late love for Kate Bush made this one a little closer, this one was a PE runaway. Danny & the Juniors make an early exit, while the Young Rascals are left with only one chance for total victory.


SCHUBERT BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "People Get Ready" (88, 13)
2. "Rid of Me" (85, 11)
3. "Love Is Strange" (54, 2)
4. "Box of Rain" (53, 2)

This one was always about the Impressions and PJ. "People Get Ready" got an early push into the lead, then held on as Harvey slowly chipped away. Ultimately, "Rid of Me" didn't have enough, and fell short by a mere three points. Mickey & Sylvia are eliminated, and Deadheads are down to their last chance.


BRAHMS BLOC, BRACKET 15
1. "I Feel Love" (77, 11)
2. "You Shook Me All Night Long" (70, 8)
3. "Wildwood Flower" (67, 2)
4. "Hate It or Love It" (56, 4)

This was the closest bracket of the week, with only ten points separating first and third place. A late push puts Donna Summer into the second round, and the Game goes one-and-done (though 50 Cent still has a song in the running).


MOZART BLOC, BRACKET 13
1. "London Calling" (100, 20)
2. "Don't Believe the Hype" (65, 5)
3. "Madame George" (59, 2)
4. "We Will Rock You" (56, 1)

With 100 points, the Clash are this week's big point-getter, as well as earning the biggest blow-out of the week. Public Enemy goes 1-for-2 in week one, and Van Morrison and Queen will have to put their hopes on other songs.


HANDEL BLOC, BRACKET 3
1. "Life on Mars?" (95, 18)
2. "Bette Davis Eyes" (64, 4)
3. "My Sweet Lord" (62, 5)
4. "Sexual Healing" (59, 1)

David Bowie pulls off this week's only upset, in a blow-out. Kim Carnes is eliminated in her only bracket, as is George Harrison's solo work. Marvin still has four other songs in the first round, as well as "What's Going On" (which already advanced to the second round).


LISZT BLOC, BRACKET 9
1. "Layla" (86, 14)
2. "Something" (80, 9)
3. "Pump It Up" (68, 4)
4. "Police and Thieves" (46, 1)

This one was always between "Layla" and "Something." It was close at first until the Beatles pushed forward, but a late surge pushed Derek & the Dominos into the second round. Junior Murvin is eliminated in his only bracket, though Elvis Costello still has six songs remaining.

Re: Bracketology: Round 1, Week 1

Okay, I saw that this was a fairly popular bit the last time around, so here's a bit of statistics.

WHO GOT THE MOST CORRECT WINNERS?

1 (tie). 6 out of 8 (75%)
Alex D, BillAdama, brose, Greg, Harold Wexler, Henrik, Honorio, Mindrocker, nicolas, sonofsamiam

11. 5 out of 7 (71.43%)
Michael

12 (tie). 5 out of 8 (62.5%)
Greg Rumpff, Midaso, schleuse, SR

16 (tie). 4 out of 8 (50%)
Anthony, Jonah, Matt Schroeder, pop elton, Schwah, Toni

22. 3 out of 7 (42.86%)
Nassim

23 (tie) 3 out of 8 (37.5%)
John, Moonbeam, netjade, Rune, The Lone Gunmen, VanillaFire1000




WHO GOT THE CORRECT ORDER (1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th)?

HAYDN 13
nicolas, Michael, Jonah, Harold Wexler, Anthony, Toni

VIVALDI 13
sonofsamiam, Jonah, Honorio, pop elton

SIBELIUS 8
Matt Schroeder, greg, Henrik, Greg Rumpff

SCHUBERT 3
SR, brose, BillAdama

BRAHMS 15
BillAdama

MOZART 13
SR, Moonbeam, Henrik, schleuse, Honorio, The Lone Gunmen

HANDEL 3
Moonbeam, John, Harold Wexler, The Lone Gunmen

LISZT 9
Matt Schroeder, Midaso, Harold Wexler, Honorio, The Lone Gunmen



1 (tie). 3 correct
Harold Wexler, Honorio, The Lone Gunmen

4 (tie). 2 correct
BillAdama, Henrik, Jonah, Matt Schroeder, Moonbeam, SR

10 (tie). 1 correct
Anthony, brose, greg, Greg Rumpff, john, Michael, Midaso, nicolas, pop elton, schleuse, sonofsamiam, Toni