Time will tell if the Stone Roses can live up to their pre-tourney hype
The most fun part of putting together the first round posts and playlists is the sneak preview of the songs that will be competing- can already hear a couple that will be sliding onto the personal playlist. Got some great gems in this last group of 8 to finish out the week and get us halfway to finishing the Round of 128. Playlist is here and votes are due by Friday, September 7th at 8:00 PM.
Lost In The World (Kanye West) vs. What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club)
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) vs. Long Monday (John Prine)
Heaven (The Walkmen) vs. Prison Girls (Neko Case)
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) vs. Waterfall (The Stone Roses)
Living the Dream 
Lost In The World (Kanye West) vs. What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) 4 – 6.5
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) vs. Long Monday (John Prine) 3.5 – 4.5
Heaven (The Walkmen) vs. Prison Girls (Neko Case) 6.5 – 6.5
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) vs. Waterfall (The Stone Roses) 5.5 – 6
Lost In The World (Kanye West): 6.5
What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club): 8
After all these years I still don’t think that Kanye is the best rapper. Sure, he’s quirky and comes up with some obscure metaphors while he prances around in women’s clothing, but his flow just isn’t that good. He tends to wander all over the track, off-beat/on-beat it can be a bit jarring at times. On the flip side, he sure is creative and can produce the shit out of a track. On a side note, I thought Jay-Z killed auto-tune, right? I really am appreciating this tournament for the broadening of my musical horizons. Two Door Cinema Club is definitely going to make it’s way into my ever growing collection. What You Know is a really good song. I absolutely enjoyed these two going head-to-head.
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers): 7
Long Monday (John Prine): 8
This one was a tough choice to make. I had to listen to each song multiple times to make my decision. In the end I had to go with Long Monday, it’s a nice heartfelt song. Two similar and solid tracks.
Heaven (The Walkmen): 6.5
Prison Girls (Neko Case): 8
Another great match-up. I have to go with Neko Case. She is just an amazing musician with a great voice.
Champagne Supernova (Oasis): 3.5
Waterfall (The Stone Roses): 6
Waterfall isn’t amazing by any means, but it’s leaps and bounds better than Champagne Supernova.
Lost In The World (Kanye West) 6
What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) 7.6
Really dig this Two Door Cinema Club song! Nice pick.
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) 6
Long Monday (John Prine) 7
Thumbs up from this guy, John Prine gets it right.
Heaven (The Walkmen) 7.7
Prison Girls (Neko Case) 5.5
Perfect for now.
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) 5
Waterfall (The Stone Roses) 7
I’d like to leave What’s The Story (Morning Glory) along with my walkman on the AM Takoma Park Middle School math/science magnet bus in 1996, thanks. It’s ok, but it is very, very long. I don’t mind this Stone Roses song, gets you in a good mood, you know?
Lost In The World (Kanye West) vs. What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) 6/8
Kanye is fine, but I really liked this TDCC song. I hadn’t heard it before and am so glad to have met it.
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) vs. Long Monday (John Prine) 6.5/7.25
Heaven (The Walkmen) vs. Prison Girls (Neko Case) 7/5.5
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) vs. Waterfall (The Stone Roses) 4/6
Lost In The World (Kanye West) vs. What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) = 8.5 to 4.5
Never listened to the ‘twisted fantasy’ record but i realize i should. Still a huge fan of Kanye’s musical thoughts, still bored by the cartoon-character public persona. Hope he sticks to making cool records and not burn out in some lame way, but one can’t dictate the motivations/ actions of the person driving the creative process. That being said, what i’ve heard of ‘watch the throne’ or whatever, was boring. Hope he puts out another weird LP sometime soon.
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) vs. Long Monday (John Prine) = 4 to 6.5
Not bad.
Heaven (The Walkmen) vs. Prison Girls (Neko Case) = 5.5 to 8
Wow! I didn’t realize this was Neko Case, really cool.
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) vs. Waterfall (The Stone Roses) = 6 to 10
Most Oasis songs, while fun, unfortunately crumble under the weight of time. That being said. Good tune.
First memory of the Stone Roses = mowing the lawn in middle school and hearing an ad on the local college radio station about their ‘Progressive Torch and Twang’ show (which was amazing but over my head at the time. The ad was dialogue between two people talking about the show, and the girl at the end said “well, it may not be as cool as the new Stone Roses record, but it’s pretty cool” or something along those lines. The exotic voice of a college woman and her labeling of this strange English band, who I probably only barely read about in random music magazines at that point, as ‘cool’ cemented their mysterious, awesome nature in my head to this day. It became something to seek out and understand in a long line of things to seek out and understand. I think it’s for the best they only put out one good record and fell apart. Their reunion shows are discerning, but I guess everybody’s gotta get paid.
2nd memory of the stone roses – taking the cd booklet into the hair salon junior year of college before moving to london for a semester and asking the the girl to cut my hair like Ian Brown’s.
Lost In The World (Kanye West) vs. What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) 5.0 vs 6.5
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) vs. Long Monday (John Prine) 6.0 vs 7.0
Heaven (The Walkmen) vs. Prison Girls (Neko Case) 5.0 vs 6.0
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) vs. Waterfall (The Stone Roses) 5.0 vs 6.0
Lost In The World (Kanye West) vs. What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) 5.0 vs 6.75
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) vs. Long Monday (John Prine) 6.5 vs 7.25
Heaven (The Walkmen) vs. Prison Girls (Neko Case) 5.0 vs 5.5
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) vs. Waterfall (The Stone Roses) 6.0 vs 6.0
Jeez. When The Walkmen are the weak spot in a set, you know it’s a strong night.
Lost In The World (Kanye West) vs. What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) 9 / 9
Tough right out the gate! Kanye’s more innovative, but What You Know is a super solid little dance ditty. Also gives me something I’ve never heard of to check out. I was going to give Kanye the edge but I can’t decide, so it’s a tie.
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) vs. Long Monday (John Prine) 7.6 / 9.5
I really liked that Wood Brothers song, but then Prine just blew it out of the water. Beautiful. That man can do no wrong.
Heaven (The Walkmen) vs. Prison Girls (Neko Case) 6 / 7.5
The Walkmen did one of the worst live performances I have ever seen, and Neko Case one of the best. That’s factoring in here. Not sure if this is the greatest stand-along Neko song, but her voice just can’t be stopped.
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) vs. Waterfall (The Stone Roses) 7.4 / 10
So I work with teenagers with behavioral disorders, and this year I’ve decided to use more music to sooth my little charmers and help them with transitions. I wanted a track that was about 5 minutes long, that was chill but still had enough structure that you could hear it build toward its end. “Waterfall” fit the bill, so I play this daily for a bunch of 14-year-old wannabes who think they’re too tough for life and only like to have heinously misogynistic gangsta rap drilled into their ears through tinny earbuds 24/7, and it’s only taken like two days for them to stop whining about “this hippie shit” and shut up and write. A song I not only can but want to listen to two, three, four times a day, every single day, is a 10 in my book.
Voting on an iPad with airport wifi is tricky #dedication
Lost In The World (Kanye West): 7
What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club): 8.5
Both really good but I love Two Door – filmed a livestream show with them recently: great energy and a couple of solid albums.
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers): 5
Long Monday (John Prine): 8
I’ve never heard of John Prine and generally struggle with country music but this is just a straight up beautiful song: I think it has room to grow on me even more too
Heaven (The Walkmen): 7.5
Prison Girls (Neko Case): 6
Love the Walkmen – taken as a whole, this new album is A+
Champagne Supernova (Oasis): 9.5
Waterfall (The Stone Roses): 6
Champagne Supernova – and Oasis in general – holds a special place in my musical heart. They were my first show and it blew my little teenage mind. Also, on my birthday last year, I descended on a karaoke bar in NYC with 29 American friends. This song was – to my surprise – the highlight of the night
Lost In The World (Kanye West) 4
What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) 7
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) 6
Long Monday (John Prine) 8
Heaven (The Walkmen) 6.2
Prison Girls (Neko Case) 8
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) 9
Waterfall (The Stone Roses) 6
Kanye West (Lost in the World) 4.5
Two Door Cinema Club (What You Know) 3
The Wood Brothers (When I Was Young) 4
John Prine (Long Monday) 6.5
The Walkmen (Heaven) 7
Neko Case (Prison Girls) 8.5
Neko Case could sing the phone book and I’d love it.
Oasis (Champagne Supernova) 7
The Stone Roses (Waterfall) 3
There’s a weird nostalgia associated for me with Champagne Supernova. I really don’t like Oasis, but do like the memories I have which go with this song. If it weren’t for the emotions it stirs from a small, yet important time in my life I wouldn’t care a rat’s ass for this bombastic song.
Lost In The World (Kanye West) 7
What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) 8
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) 7
Long Monday (John Prine) 5
Heaven (The Walkmen) 7.5
Prison Girls (Neko Case) 5.5
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) 7.5
Waterfall (The Stone Roses) 7
Lost In The World (Kanye West) 8
What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) 8.5
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) 8
Long Monday (John Prine) 7.75
Heaven (The Walkmen) 7
Prison Girls (Neko Case) 6.25
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) 9.5
Waterfall (The Stone Roses) 8.5
Lost In The World (Kanye West) – 4
What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) – 6.5
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) – 5.5
Long Monday (John Prine)-6
Heaven (The Walkmen) – 6
Prison Girls (Neko Case) – 6.5
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) – 6.25
Waterfall (The Stone Roses) – 6.5
Lost In The World (Kanye West) – 3.5
the auto-tune was a bit much to stomach, especially the first minute
What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) – 7
yes.
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) – 8.5
this was my nomination. i have no sentimental attachment to it (ie i won’t be too upset if it doesn’t move on). i just think these guys are absurdly talented musicians, and this song has grown on me a lot in the past few months (though i can understand if people don’t love it on first listen). i think it’s a well-written song, musically and lyrically, and energetically performed. and chris wood’s bass playing (also featured in yesterday’s mmw pick) is insane. definitely recommend seeing these guys live if you ever get a chance.
Long Monday (John Prine) – 7.5
oh, that was nice. who’s the lady singer?
Heaven (The Walkmen) – 7
Prison Girls (Neko Case) – 6.5
love neko’s voice, but this dragged.
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) – 6
Waterfall (The Stone Roses) – 7.5
4- Lost In The World (Kanye West) vs.
7- What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club)
I like Kanye a lot. That said, I think I would have just preferred Bon Iver in the spot rather than the artsy auto-tune of Lost in the World. Never heard Two Door Cinema Club before. Really enjoyed it.
6- When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) vs.
6- Long Monday (John Prine)
I guess I just wasn’t feeling either on a Friday that is dragging on.
8- Heaven (The Walkmen) vs.
7- Prison Girls (Neko Case)
Great matchup. Had to go with the upbeat Walkmen track.
9- Champagne Supernova (Oasis) vs.
8- Waterfall (The Stone Roses)
9 is for 90’s-riffic. I needed that. Oh, hey there weekend. Loved both of these.
Lost In The World (Kanye West) 4
What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club) 8
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) 6
Long Monday (John Prine) 6
Heaven (The Walkmen) 8
Prison Girls (Neko Case) 7.7
this match-up was tough for me — narrow edge to the walkmen but if could have gone differently another day
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) 9
Waterfall (The Stone Roses) 6.5
Lost In The World (Kanye West) vs. What You Know (Two Door Cinema Club)-3/6
When I Was Young (The Wood Brothers) vs. Long Monday (John Prine)-5/3
Heaven (The Walkmen) vs. Prison Girls (Neko Case)-6/2
Champagne Supernova (Oasis) vs. Waterfall (The Stone Roses)-7/6