Don't forget to fill out your brackets at home... on to the picks!
(1) Fleet Foxes vs. (16) Shearwater
Winner: (1) Fleet Foxes
By the narrowest of margins! Frequently, a #16 seed will stay competitive for a half, maybe even a little longer. But eventually, the #1 always ends up dominating them with a big run. Fleet Foxes is still riding that run, racking up a plethora of "Best Album of 2008" titles from various publications (scroll to the bottom). But Shearwater's Rook, along with their well-deserved critical praise, should have earned higher than a #16. Hard decision, but the right one.
(5) Wolf Parade vs. (12) French Kicks
Winner: (5) Wolf Parade
Filled with the type of frenetic energy you'd expect from Canadians who are probably trying to keep themselves warm, Wolf Parade's At Mount Zoomer was a very solid follow-up to their incredible debut album Apologies to the Queen Mary. The French Kicks, while also owning a good 2008 album (Swimming) and solid past albums, lose a significant amount of points for referencing the French in their band name. I don't know whether it's ironic or not, and I don't care. This is America!
(3) Andrew Bird vs. (14) Thao Nguyen
Winner: (3) Andrew Bird
Thao Nguyen has the second-coolest backing band name: the Get Down Stay Down (first = Nick Cave's Bad Seeds). Her album We Brave Bee Stings And All has a ridiculous title, but appropriate music that toes the line between childlike naivete and grown-up cynicism. But Andrew Bird has been churning out great albums for years, and Noble Beast, released this year, finds him at his whistling, big-vocab-using best. What happens when a storied program goes against a wily upstart? Usually... the big guy wins.
(7) M. Ward vs. (10) The Dirty Projectors
Winner: (7) M. Ward
Two words (and a symbol)... She & Him. Matt Ward has been making gorgeous, lo-fi, technically-impressive music as M. Ward for a long time, but his recent collaboration with actress Zooey Deschanel has been a revelation. Having seen the two of them live, I can say, without question, that they are a legit force to be reckoned with in the indie music realm, and her music chops are wondefully retro (like... really retro... as in 1950s). So, combine M. Ward's present and past, and he easily flies past a band I've only heard a couple of times.
(2) Of Montreal vs. (15) Ladyhawk
Winner: (2) Of Montreal
Ugh... this is the dumbest match-up so far. Without question. Neither of these bands put out good albums recently, and I'm finding Of Montreal more and more annoying (especially Kevin Barnes... and it's NOT just because he routinely dresses like this). That being said, at least Of Montreal provides some interesting musical interpretations. Ladyhawk sounds like most bands from Seattle in the early 90s. Not the best strategy.
(6) Vampire Weekend vs. (11) M.I.A.
Winner: (11) M.I.A.
Dear preppy-looking kids from Vampire Weekend: When you sing and dance on a stage in front of a live audience of thousands and a television audience of millions, and you're on the literal verge of giving birth... then you can win a match-up with M.I.A. And I wouldn't even guarantee a win, but at least you'd be competitive. Vampire Weekend was all the rage in 2008, and it should've been... it's an immediate, easy-to-listen-to album. It helped launch them into a Shins-like pop culture status (post-Garden State, of course). But M.I.A. didn't even put out a record in 2008 and still managed to stay extremely relevant, mainly through movies ("Paper Planes" was in every Pineapple Express trailer, and she sang on the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack... a small, independent film that very few people have ever heard of) and as a sample on hip-hop super collaboration "Swagger Like Us." This one isn't even close.
(4) Beirut vs. (13) Okkervil River
Winner: (4) Beirut
This is the dumbest seeding of all time! How could you possibly rank Okkervil River as a #13? With very few exceptions, if you put Okkervil River up against any of the teams that've made it to the next round, they win. No question. Stage Names may not be their best album, but they've got a track record of putting out phenomenal albums (ummm, Black Sheep Boy, anyone???). But my love for Zach Condon and Beirut is pretty unconditional right now. Beirut just continually releases sonically rich, diverse albums with musical themes you don't hear very often, and his newest release March of the Zapotec is no exception. I hate making this call, but the edge goes to Beirut.
(8) The Mountain Goats vs. (9) The Fiery Furnaces
Winner: (8) The Mountain Goats
The Fiery Furnaces are a band that music critics like to tout to see if people will blindly listen to anything they say. It'd be like if I told you that only the coolest, smartest, most badass people were getting their nuts shocked by Jack Bauer. And you agreed to do this, and went through it, and... charred balls and all, thought you were cooler for suffering through that shit. That's what listening to a Fiery Furnaces album is like. Except you can't say you met Jack Bauer. The Mountain Goats are awesome anyway, so even if The Fiery Furnaces didn't suck (they do... just to be clear), Mountain Goats are champs.
Alright... read this while watching the actual tournament/bemoaning your piss-poor picks. It's the most wonderful time of the year!!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
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dude - this was amazing. it kept music in my ears for about 30 mins of my work day!! do more tomorrow!!! mama loves you.
ReplyDeleteI hardly think that music critics tout bands in order to sway people to like shitty music. Have you actually ever listened to a Fiery Furnaces album all the way through? They are far more exciting than the tame, moaning sound of the Mountain Goats. Also, you chose M. Ward based on his collaboration, rather than his actual discography? No offense, but you should quit all your commentary on music, or at least listen to each of the artists you decide to talk about before you throw them on the pavement.
ReplyDeleteYAYYYYY!!!! someone posted a negative comment on a blog! that's so original i feel like taking a picture. my favorite part was the "no offense..." as in "no offense spencer, but no one gives a shit what you think." just like no one gives a shit what i think. the only reason anyone writes a blog is for fun.
ReplyDeletebut seriously, fiery furnaces suck. and m. ward is much better than dirty projectors. luckily, that's just an opinion, and says nothing about anything even remotely relevant about life. so... no offense, but i think i'll keep writing my meaningless thoughts, and you can keep spending your time making negative comments about people you've never met. long live inferiority complexes!
Omg hahahaha, this is the hardest I've laughed at a blog in awhile! I can't wait for my first truly negative comment either--although I'm not sure people get as uptight about things like my musings on Rock of Love.
ReplyDeleteI haven't listened to pretty much ANY of the music, but based on these reviews I'm expecting you to download all of them onto my Iphone come April. The good ones that is. Love you!