Black Cat Bone

I can appreciate that A was going for a Fura Fura sort of disconnected and floaty theme and I can sense and appreciate their carefully planned flow -- the tracks flowed together well in a way that is usually a big hit for me. But I really hated the first track and that skewed my experience badly from that point forward so that not even Interpol, Ghost in the Shell and Space Oddity could get me back on course. I guess I just wasn't fully on board with A's flight plan. It didn't take me anywhere I wanted to go particularly if you know what I mean.

That track kicks off with a sample from Twin Peaks. Which could be cool, except no. I don't wanna write a master's thesis on David Lynch and misogyny here, but listening to women act out some man's lines that make them seem really fucking stupid is never a big happy maker for me. I get that Laura Palmer wasn't the brightest bulb in the box, but she was a high school student when daddy killed her, so surely she and Donna must have had some basic exposure to Newtonian physics! You won't go faster and faster for fucksake!

So yeah....that's where my head went with this. Sorry A. I get ornery about science and wimmenfolk.

But I also wasn't a big fan of B, I almost feel like they are trying to sucker me in to thinking their list is my bag and appeals to me by including tracks by Cabaret Voltaire, Alex Chilton and The Durutti Column. But the track choices are befuddling and uninteresting.

So A could have won for me despite me not liking the musical trip at all. At least it engaged me, even if it was just to make me crabby...But I really don't want to listen to either list so....

Abstain.

B

B

B

A

The Interpol and the Jason Molina were more than enough for me

A

I wouldn't invite A round for tea if they promised the earth with sprinkles on top, sorry. The Bowie aside, it's not my thing at all.

So it goes to B by default (the Chilton is OK, half of the others are tolerable).

martha's rant against that Twin Peaks sample is the best thing to emerge from this cup so far. This is actually an interesting tie, and I wonder if A has shot themselves in the foot by getting bored and not bothering to think about their last 3 selections. Which is a shame, as at least they've tried for a little variety.

B has it for me though. I liked the delicate little Troy Von Balthazar track, the Vini Reilly piece was gorgeous, and y'know, Shirley Collins rules. Poor choice of Cabs, however, they were much better when Chris Watson was involved.

First close tie of the comp.

B

The cup confuses me. A has all the strength and on paper wins but sonically, as a listening experience its a bit meh!

B however is the underdog which sonically outperforms A.

B

B

A is weird, part Q cover CD and part art-rock safezone, placing the massively overrated El-P and an OK manga soundtrack piece in key positions along the way.
B is also odd, as it starts off with a track that makes me want to punch it and then has some strange choices, like the Chilton (an interesting deep cut, but worthy of selection for the BCB Cup?), the Durutti Column (again, why choose that from his whole catalogue?) some lacklustre Northern Soul and Little Junior Parker, which basically sounds like somebody inventing the hidden track.

Abstain

Not my favourite tie.

B

Tough. Very tough.


B

PENK wrote:A is weird, part Q cover CD and part art-rock safezone, placing the massively overrated El-P and an OK manga soundtrack piece in key positions along the way.
B is also odd, as it starts off with a track that makes me want to punch it and then has some strange choices, like the Chilton (an interesting deep cut, but worthy of selection for the BCB Cup?), the Durutti Column (again, why choose that from his whole catalogue?) some lacklustre Northern Soul and Little Junior Parker, which basically sounds like somebody inventing the hidden track.

Abstain

Yeah... I'm considering changing my vote to abstain for all of those reasons you have listed.....

The Further Spanish jury is frowning deeply on that over-obvious Bowie pick. But anyway I think I prefer

B