The Old Acclaimed Music Forum
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Welcome to Week 12! Four more songs will depart the game, while four more will advance to bracket L2.
Please listen to the songs before making your choice, and provide comments (however brief) to form the basis of your pick.
The deadline for Week 12 is 11:59 PM, December 25th AM time.
You can read the descriptions of why these songs were nominated in the rules thread.
Match L1.13:
The Jayhawks - "Will I Be Married"
Serge Gainsbourg - "Cannabis"
Match L1.14:
Lisa Germano - "Puppet"
Rob Dougan - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix)
Match L1.15:
Bang Bang Machine - "Geek Love"
Joanna Newsom - "Colleen"
Match L1.16:
Jack Johnson - "Flake"
OK Go - "A Million Ways"
Well, let's try this again. 
The new deadline is 11:59, the 1st of January, 2011 AM time!
Match L1.13:
The Jayhawks - "Will I Be Married"
With all due respect to one of the most important artist in French music history, this song by Gainsbourg bores me
Match L1.14:
Rob Dougan - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix)
I listened to that all the time at the time Matrix was released, still a fav of mine
Match L1.15:
Joanna Newsom - "Colleen"
As I said, it has got to be one of the best Joanna Newsom's songs I have ever heard.
Match L1.16:
OK Go - "A Million Ways"
Fun beats dull.
"Cannabis" over "Will I Be Married"
Definitely not Serge's best, but that's no problem in this round. I like the vocal version better, by the way.
"Clubbed to Death" over "Puppet"
"Clubbed to Death" was my favorite song I didn't vote for in the first round. It should do really well in the loser's bracket.
"Geek Love" over "Colleen"
First time listening to "Geek Love," and I think its fantastic.
"A Million Ways" over "Flake"
Two artists I don't care for, but "A Million Ways" is the best OK Go song I've heard.
"cannabis" was simply a more thought out,better song.
"Puppet" is a dark and creepy piece. Quite possibly my pick of the week.
"Colleen" is my next pick because this song is where I like her voice best.
"Flake" wins next because I can't let a nostalgic favorite lose to a song I've just heard.
Match L1.13:
The Jayhawks - "Will I Be Married"
Serge Gainsbourg - "Cannabis"
I've frown to become an admirer of this little Gainsbourg gem since it first appeared here.
Match L1.14:
Lisa Germano - "Puppet"
Rob Dougan - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix)
I really like the production of this track and the video is kind of remarkable.
Match L1.15:
Bang Bang Machine - "Geek Love"
Joanna Newsom - "Colleen"
A pick of mine and one of my favorite Joanna Newsom songs.
Match L1.16:
Jack Johnson - "Flake"
OK Go - "A Million Ways"
Jack has a lot of potential to deliver something good, but Flake is too safe and A Million Ways is fun pop, good enough to win this match.
Match L1.13:
The Jayhawks - "Will I Be Married"
Serge Gainsbourg - "Cannabis"
I vote Gainsbourg of course, but the Jayhawks song is a good "country" song (I hope it's really what Americans call a "country" song).
Match L1.14:
Lisa Germano - "Puppet"
Rob Dougan - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix)
Once again, I really love the two songs, I think I have vote for them before....but I prefer the Lisa Germano. Maybe I have listeb too many time the Rob Dougan's song.
Match L1.15:
Bang Bang Machine - "Geek Love"
Joanna Newsom - "Colleen"
Even if I don't understand the words, I prefer the Newsom's song. The bang bang machine's song is a little boring for me.
Match L1.16:
Jack Johnson - "Flake"
OK Go - "A Million Ways
The first have a beautiful melody.
Match L1.13:
The Jayhawks - "Will I Be Married"
Serge Gainsbourg - "Cannabis"
Cannabis (I'm going to vote for the version with vocals from now on) versus marriage is not quite the easy choice it might seem. Cannabis does win though.
Match L1.14:
Lisa Germano - "Puppet"
Rob Dougan - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix)
I voted for Puppet and didn't vote for Clubbed To Death in the last round, but to switch things up (and since Dougan really has the better song) I'll vote for CtD this week.
Match L1.15:
Bang Bang Machine - "Geek Love"
Joanna Newsom - "Colleen"
Not a big fan of either song, but I suppose Geek Love is alright.
Match L1.16:
Jack Johnson - "Flake"
OK Go - "A Million Ways"
While I called Johnson the definition of bland, Flake is not really a bad song. Neither is "A Million Ways", though, so that makes this kind of a hard choice. In the end I have to go with OK Go.
Match L1.13:
The Jayhawks - "Will I Be Married"
Serge Gainsbourg - "Cannabis" WINNER
I agree that the vocal version of "Cannabis" is better, but even the instrumental version is slightly preferable to the groove rock of the Jayhawks.
Match L1.14:
Lisa Germano - "Puppet" WINNER
Rob Dougan - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix)
Happy to vote for Germano after going against this song in Round 1. One of the better discoveries for me this tournament.
Match L1.15:
Bang Bang Machine - "Geek Love"
Joanna Newsom - "Colleen" WINNER
Bang Bang Machine just doesn't hold up against Newsom's tour de force.
Match L1.16:
Jack Johnson - "Flake"
OK Go - "A Million Ways" WINNER
Pretty darn good OK Go song easily defeats the bland "Flake".
Match L 1.13 Winner - Serge Gainsbourg, "Canabis"
Such dirty, 70's, grindhouse theatery, funnky goodness from Gainsbourg. I remain totally impressed with Gainsbourg as composer, arranger, and producer. THe Jayhawks number has failed to grab me again.
Match L 1.14 Winner - Rob Dougan, "Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix)"
Not as enthusiastic about Clubbed to Death, but it had a movement and strength that I did not hear in the Germano track.
Match L 1.15 Winner - Joanna Newsom, "Colleen"
I liked "Geek Love." Gives me some of the feeling I have for Velocity Girl and some other alt rock faves from the early 90s. But once again the supreme musicality of Newsom is more striking.
Match L 1.16 Winner - Jack Johnson, "Flake"
I'm not sure that either of the songs her are that good, but Johnson's and OK Go's performances on the songs make the recordings better. This is by far the better OK Go track in the tournament, and I like the disco beat. I think Johnson has a lovely voice, and based on my limited exposure to him he uses it to good effect. I think Johnson noses this one out, but it was close.
Match L1.13:
Serge Gainsbourg - "Cannabis" wins over
The Jayhawks - "Will I Be Married"
Cannabis is tightly performed and is a solid composition. The Jayhawks have a pleasant musicality about them, but I am not a fan of their "harmonies."
Match L1.14:
Rob Dougan - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix) wins over
Lisa Germano - "Puppet"
Both songs are worthy contestants. There is a haunting quality to Puppet that is effective for me. But, the driving rhythm and clean sound of Clubbed to Death makes it the winner for me in this match.
Match L1.15:
Bang Bang Machine - "Geek Love" wins over
Joanna Newsom - "Colleen"
Geek Love has its moments as the band rocks it out a bit more as the song develops and the vocal delivery becomes less muddled. While I can respect her talent and appreciate that she is composing and performing unique songs, my ears are not yet calibrated to reasonably appreciate the pitchy vocal delivery of Ms. Newsom.
Match L1.16:
OK Go - "A Million Ways" wins over
Jack Johnson - "Flake"
This was a fairly close match for me. Johnson is effective in very sparse production and demonstrates some impressive skills, while the OK Go song is infectious fun that is more than just trivial in it message.
Match L1.13:
The Jayhawks - "Will I Be Married": Not really my thing, this. I can see a lot of people would like it, but I can't overcome my bias.
Serge Gainsbourg - "Cannabis": I'd be very happy to see this in the next round. I liked it a lot better the second time hearing it.
Match L1.14:
Lisa Germano - "Puppet": Another song I wish I could have voted for in the first round gets a deserving nod here. Most of the 90s left me cold, but I liked quite a few alterna-chicks.
Rob Dougan - "Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix)": This will be the one song I'm most regretful about voting against twice. I like it, but I just have enjoyed its opponents a little bit more.
Match L1.15:
Bang Bang Machine - "Geek Love": This is a lot of fun, and I'm rather amazed that I hadn't heard of this song before. Hooray for this game!
Joanna Newsom - "Colleen": I can see Joanna's talent, but there's something about her songs that puts me off, and I can't quite put my finger on it.
Match L1.16:
Jack Johnson - "Flake": This song just kind of disappears into the wallpaper. Sorry.
OK Go - "A Million Ways": I hope this OK Go song gets through. I haven't been too kind to them prior to this, but this is decent enough to advance.
Once again, there is a tie that needs to be broken! The next vote will decide it.
Vote: Serge Gainsbourg
A decent song against a really good song.
Vote: Lisa Germano
This is a very close vote. They're just about equally good to me. Germano's sounded just a bit more natural.
Vote: Joanna Newsom
There's nothing wrong with Geek Love, but I really like Newsom's idiosyncratic singing as well as the folky Celtic-sounding harp.
Vote: Jack Johnson
As much as it pains me to vote for Jack Johnson, I still hold that OK Go is primarily a video band. Their music is sort of competent, but just isn't that good.
Voting for this week is now over.
I missed the deadline, but if I made it I would have gone: The Jayhawks, Germano, Bang Bang Machine & Jack Johnson. I would have voted for the OK Go song over the top 3...
Moonbeam, are we on hiatus, or have I missed Week 13's posting?
Here are your results for Week 12!
Match L1.13:
The Jayhawks - "Will I Be Married": 1
Serge Gainsbourg - "Cannabis": 10
Serge takes a big win in a bloodbath!
Match L1.14:
Lisa Germano - "Puppet": 6
Rob Dougan - "Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix)": 5
Following a recent trend of matches ending in ties at the deadline, a final vote swung things in Lisa Germano's favor.
Match L1.15:
Bang Bang Machine - "Geek Love": 4
Joanna Newsom - "Colleen": 7
In a close battle, Joanna had just enough to outlast "Geek Love".
Match L1.16:
Jack Johnson - "Flake": 4
OK Go - "A Million Ways": 7
OK Go manage to escape the infamy of going 0-4 in the tournament by advancing "A Million Ways" in a close match over Jack Johnson.
The winners advance to bracket L2, while the losers have sadly left the building one last time.
Moonbeam, are we on hiatus, or have I missed Week 13's posting?
You haven't missed anything! With two weeks worth of brackets still left undecided due to ties, I thought it would be a bit of overload to have 3 rounds up simultaneously.