Today’s winner of “best band name.”
As we enter our third day, let me know how great it is to see some of the familiar faces from tournaments past, including people I only know through this forum. Good listening to tunes with you. Welcome to our newcomers as well. If you have any questions about scoring etiquette or other arcane rules, feel free to post your question or email me or Guillermo.
I try not to blur the lines between tournament host and fellow nominator, but I’ll start off by saying that I’m a little bummed out that my first nomination got placed against Bruce. Such is life. To win this tournament you need to win seven match-ups in a row, and that’s never easy. I also like that Ana Sun has a song called “Walk the Moon” and that it could battle Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon” in a potential Round of 32 showdown.
Here is today’s playlist. Votes are due at 8pm, Thursday.
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen)
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) vs. Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket)
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave)
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought)
Living the Dream 
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen): I’ve really been enjoying Backstreets for the past 3 weeks or so, so this is slightly biased. However, I really did not care for Bali Eyes. 3.5/8.8
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) vs. Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket): 4/5
Here’s the My Morning Jacket Rocket Man – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPDhGbsVhJc
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave):7/4
Sam and Dave were too slow for my form of jam. Soulful, though.
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought): 7/6
Grooveshark is fixed, don’t know how Elton got in there. Can you make sure it’s the version you want?
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) 5.5 – 4.5
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) vs. Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) 4 – 6.5 . For rocket man, props for a great song, but I thought just a mediocre performance.
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) 7 – 3.5
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) 4.5 – 4 Walk the moon was a good song spoiled by the repetitive lyrics. Your house is falling apart – we know already!!!
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) 7
This sounds like Janes Addiction coming down from something. Very nice.
vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) 7
Is this in honor of Chris Christie reappropriating the Boss for the GOP?
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) 10
I love the little cascading bridge.
vs. Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) 6
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) 5
vs. When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) 8
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) 4
vs. We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) 6
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) = 4 to 4.5
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) vs. Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) = 9 to 6
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) = 3 to 6.5
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) = 3.5 to 3
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros): 3
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen): 3.5
Porno for Pyros sounds to me like Jane’s Addiction on downers. Not a fan. Neither song does much for me.
Pink Moon (Nick Drake): 2
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket): 5
Not my favorite version of Rocket Man, but still solidly beats Pink Moon in my book.
Stubborn Love (Lumineers): 6
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave): 3
I’m going to venture to say that Stubborn Love is my favorite song on day 3.
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun): 3
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought): 2
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) – 6
not my favorite pfp song. it’s a pretty tune, and i’ve always been a sucker for perry farrell. not sure about the lyrics. a point for nostalgia, bringing me back to epic 2002 road trip days.
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) – 3.5
yup, still not into bruce.
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) – 6.5
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) – 8
never heard this cover before. it works quite nicely with that older mmj sound.
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) – 9
excellent pick. i’m really happy with what the lumineers have going on. i dig their sound instrumentally/vocally and great song-writing on top of that. i don’t love every song on this album, but the good ones are true gems, and this is one.
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) – 4.5
i appreciate the soul, but yawn…
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) – 4
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) – 6
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) = 9.5 : 7.9
Porno for Pyros is indeed Perry Ferrell along with the drummer from Jane’s Addiction and two new dudes. I realized that all my nominees this round are super laid back, which is a testament to a generally happy summer. The visuals of tripping on mushrooms on a Bali beach is pretty awesome. I do love Backstreets also.
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) vs. Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) = 5.5 : 6.5
Mixed feelings here. Pink Moon was pretty forgettable, but feel weird about giving a high score to a cover that is lesser than the original. For this round, My Morning Jacket advances…
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) = 6.4 : 6
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) = 6.1 : 6
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) vs. [7]
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) [6]
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) vs. [7]
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) [6]
– not sure MMJ added anything to the original
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. [8]
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) [7]
– I like the Lumineers more and more. Good pick.
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. [The grooveshark link isn’t working]
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) [8]
Joe, Claudia, and Nikita. Commentary by Joe
Porno for Pyros (Bali Eyes) 7.5, 6, n/a
Bruce Springsteen (Backstreets) 8, 6.8, n/a
Nick Drake (Pink Moon) 9, 6, 6
My Morning Jacket (Rocket Man) 6, 5.6, 4.5
My rule on bands recording covers, is the covering band better do something different so that the song transcends the original. My Morning Jacket is a cool band, but this cover is nothing special. It sounds like something any band could play in a bar on a Saturday night. Then again I’m biased.
Lumineers (Stubborn Love) 7, 6.8, 6.7
Sam and Dave (When Something is Wrong With My Baby) 6, 6.3, 5.9
Nothing against Sam and Dave, but it’s not a summer song for me. Maybe I’m just in a great mood.
Ana Sun (Walk the Moon) 4, 5.4, 3.8
Ed Solo & The Skool of Thought (We Play Music) 5, 5.5, 5.2
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros): 5
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen): 8
Good, slow-burning, Bruce
Pink Moon (Nick Drake): 5
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket): 2
I don’t get this cover at all
Stubborn Love (Lumineers): 8
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave): 5
I think I’m going to end up really loving Stubborn Love
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun): 8.5
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought): 5
I really like Ana Sun – pure, unpretentious, fun
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros): 4
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen): 5
Never been a fan of either group, I have to go with the boss here.
Pink Moon (Nick Drake): 9
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket): 4
It’s Nick Drake vs a cover. I love My Morning Jacket, but they bring nothing new to the table with this cover. To be fair this is a decent reproduction and Jim James can croon, but MMJ never makes Rocket Man their own. As far as the match-up goes it just has to go to Pink Moon.
Stubborn Love (Lumineers): 8
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave): 7
I thoroughly enjoyed the Lumineers. It’s hard to vote against Sam and Dave I love that early Stax sound.
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun): 4
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought): 6
Walk The Moon lost me, grabbed me and lost me again. We Play Music is decent.
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) 5.0 to 6.0
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) vs. Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) 6.0 to 5.0
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) 5.0 to 7.0
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) 6.0 to 6.5
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) 5.0 to 6.0 Ehh! and Ehh+!
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) vs. Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) 5.0 to 4.0 Should have left in Elton.
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) 5.0 to 7.0. The only non-meiocre cut in this list.
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) 5.0 to 6.0. More ehh!!!
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros): 5
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen): 7
Pink Moon (Nick Drake): 6.8 (Incredible talent died too young. I’ve been searching for this entire album for a while now– Pink Moon may have been used in that VW add, but Drake’s perfect for exactly that- driving around on quite nights, etc. For some reason, it didn’t quite hit tonight — I’d usually give this a 8.5-9.)
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket): 7.8 (liked this- surprised myself. I thought this was a very different version of rocket man from the up-tempo original or shatner’s strangeness).
Stubborn Love (Lumineers): 8.7 (new song- think this has potential.)
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave): 5
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun): 6.9 (I think I like this?)
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought): 4
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros): 6.8
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen): 6
Pink Moon (Nick Drake): 7
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket): 8
Stubborn Love (Lumineers): 8
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave): 5
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun): 7.5
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought): 6
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros): 7.5
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen): 5
Pink Moon (Nick Drake): 4.0
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket): 6
Stubborn Love (Lumineers): 6.5
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave): 5.5
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun): 4.0
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought): 2.5
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros): 6
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen): 5.5
Pink Moon (Nick Drake): 5
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket): 2
Stubborn Love (Lumineers): 8
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave): 4
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun): 8
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought): 4
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros): 4
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen): 4
Neither here nor there with these two. Have a bit of Springsteennui. That cannot be pronounced I intend it to be.
Pink Moon (Nick Drake): 7
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket): 3.5
Stubborn Love (Lumineers): 8
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave): 7.5
Brutal choosing between these two.
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun): 7
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought): 7.5
These last two are pretty awesome as well.
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) – 7
vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) – 6.5
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) – 8.5
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) – 6
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. – 7
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) – 8
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. – 6.5
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) – 7
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros): 7.5
Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen): 6.5
Pink Moon (Nick Drake): 7
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket): 8
Stubborn Love (Lumineers): 8.4
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave): 8
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun): 7.2
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought): 7.4
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) 3/3.2
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) vs. Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) 8/7.75
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) 8/7.95
Confession time: Sam & Dave was my pick. I’ve been listening to this song all summer. I hate that it is against Lumineers, because I really really liked this song!
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) 6/6.5
AM I TOO LATE?!? i’m voting anyway it’s cool if it doesn’t count…
Bali Eyes (Porno for Pyros) – 9.4
vs. Backstreets (Bruce Springsteen) – 6.9
Pink Moon (Nick Drake) – 9.6
Rocket Man (My Morning Jacket) – 8.1
Stubborn Love (Lumineers) vs. – 8.3
When Something Wrong With My Baby (Sam and Dave) – 7.8
Walk the Moon (Ana Sun) vs. – 10
We Play Music (Ed Solo and the Skool of Thought) – 10 what just happened! don’t even know either of these artists (yet)
wow well i really liked this round, glad i listened these were some choice picks, pink moon is an old heart song but bali eyes, walk the moon, and we play music were first time listens thanks people!