90s Cup Round 7 Match 4 *Kaspar 13- Hatz 9*

[never/ever]

A

Madredeus - O Pastor





B

Henry Butler - Blues for All Seasons

[The Modernist]

Both pleasant, if slightly conservative at heart. Lovely singing on A but the string arrangement felt like something I'd heard many times before. B generally engaged me more through the strength of the playing, even if you could question the point of rehashing Bud Powell in the 90s.

B

[algroth]

I agree with G here. I reckon that A is a little further from my place of comfort and for that I feel it's more appealing in this matchup.

[toomanyhatz]

In with G as well. And I like A just fine, it passes pleasantly enough, just doesn't really linger on after particularly.

B is indeed a conservative choice, and not really any kind of decade marker, but the playing is just so damn good. And the 90s were friendlier to pure musicianship than the decades before or after, so that lends a bit more appropriateness to it. Or at least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

[WG Kaspar]

A

[Darkness_Fish]

I get the feeling that Madredeus are teetering on the edge of respectability, but I'm not sure what way they're falling, cheese or ... the opposite of cheese. Not chalk. That's not an opposite. Something else. A good, odd pick for the cup, and I salute the brave soul who chose this.

I'm not sure I can stomach any wobbling piano-led lite jazz. I expect the track to finish and Barry Norman to start reviewing the week's latest films any second. I mean, again it's a different pick, and I can't hate it for being obvious, or for being retro in a dull 60s rock way. It's just not my kinda jazz, and wouldn't have been my kinda jazz in 1955.

Good tie though, if you're going to be retro, don't pick tracks by Blur, The Black Crowes or Primal Scream. Do this.

A

[C]

Both excellent!

B




.

[Loki]

I'm having a hard time choosing here - they're both terrific.

[Diamond Dog]

I'm not sure I can stomach any wobbling piano-led lite jazz. I expect the track to finish and Barry Norman to start reviewing the week's latest films any second.

Precisely my thoughts.


A quite easily, but I suspect a little bit of Madredeus would go quite a long way.

[copehead]

A because all modern Jazz is unlistenable rubbish

A

[Penk!]

I agree with the people saying that A teeters on the brink of cheesiness, but I think they just about pull it off. I'd be happy to hear more.
B is fine, too, an enjoyable listen with good playing, but feels a bit fluffier, too cocktail bar.

A

[fange]

This has been a cool match. Cheers folks.

The rocking bop of B is more in my wheelhouse - shit, it's basically a large part of my whole fucking musical building if i'm honest - but i did enjoy A a lot, and it would have got my vote in a fair few ties.


B

[Dayodead]

Pass

[Ranking Ted]

Now here’s an interesting tie. Neither of these scream “90s” to me but both have idiosyncratic appeal. I get the Barry Norman jibes at B but it’s undeniably well done. And A is definitely something else, I don’t even know how you categorise that. Not sure I’d be bunging it in the car stereo for the commute but it’s got something. Yeah.

A

[Jumper K]

At least B shows some deference to Hampton Hawes. A is shit.
B.

[Count Machuki]

B

[Buddha B-Rex]

B

[The Red Heifer]

Get fucked the pair of you.

A

[trans-chigley express]

A is very tasteful and is the sort of thing my mum would approve of. B sounds like it's from a bygone age and lacks a strong hook to distinguish it from a million other jazz piano pieces but on balance I prefer the sound of B and I'd be quite happy to listen to Barry Norman review a movie right now.

[never/ever]

I've been enamoured by Madredeus' pastoralia for some time, seen them live and they are exquisite.
B didn't do much for me.

A