Best Ever Albums

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

baystateoftheart — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 19:51:58 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 07/26/2021 23:51

Fetch The Bolt Cutters defeats The Slow Rush 17-8 to advance to the sweet sixteen.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

kokkinos — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 14:36:42 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 07/25/2021 18:36

I thought I was done with casting my votes for this round, but this one somehow escaped my attention, maybe because I thought this would be an extremely one-sided matchup I didn't bother. Anyway, there was a time I liked Tame Impala, but that's a thing of the past and this album did nothing to convince me otherwise.
Fetch The Bolt Cutters gets my vote.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

cestuneblague — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 11:04:15 GMT

Author: cestuneblague

Posted: 07/22/2021 15:04

Yeah I don't think Fiona Apple's album is a perfect unicorn ("Shameika" always rubbed me the wrong way, felt like her first true punching-down moment, and the last couple of songs deliver a surprisingly limp landing) and I guess now it's okay to say that and not get called an Incel (I'm joking for the love of god don't let this drown out the thread), but it's so full of great ideas and feels like the perfect continuation/counter-point to The Idler Wheel in how many different directions it takes and (mostly) succeeds. I have no interest in Tame Impala anymroe and this album did nothing to change that, so Fetch the Bolt Cutters.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

meccalecca — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 16:49:59 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 07/13/2021 20:49

Repo wrote:

I think y0u guys spoiled me during the play-in round. Both of these underwhelmed me. Fiona comes off as a try hard and this Tame Impala album just seems lazy and half-baked compared with his previous releases.

I agree with you on Tame Impala. This felt like an album by a guy whose coasting on a sound and success without wanting to be bothered to really challenge himself to really write interesting songs.

Fetch the Bolt Cutters was my pick for album of the year. Unlike Kevin Parker, Fiona's been making records for three decades and has never sounded more adventurous

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

sandboy — Sun, 4 Jul 2021 08:54:53 GMT

Author: sandboy

Posted: 07/04/2021 12:54

I'm not a fan of Tame Impala to begin with, unfortunately, and The Slow Rush is probably my least favourite offering from them. Certainly nothing grating, and it goes down easy. 'Lost in Yesterday' is a cool track. I've never been to sure how I'm meant to react or feel to Tame Impala's music - I guess I'm meant to vibe out at my desk and wish I was on drugs or something. That's cool if you're into that.

It's pretty much the go-to to say Fetch The Bolt Cutters is good but not *that* good. Pitchfork still managing to shoehorn themselves into musical framing. It's a fine album, I do wish it was maybe slightly more concise. Apple is a talented musician, and she's head and shoulders above everyone else doing what she's doing. Easily her best, and I struggle to see how she could top it.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

baystateoftheart — Sun, 4 Jul 2021 00:03:44 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 07/04/2021 04:03

Listening to each again solidified my initial view of them. Fetch The Bolt Cutters is an inspired and intricate work of art, combining raw emotion and progressive instrumentation. I don't love all the songs, but it's a strong effort from Apple that's solidly in my top 20 of the year with a 4/5. Contrary to some, I really like the poppier sound Parker is exploring with The Slow Rush. However, this is about twice as long and meandering as it should be. I would cut some filler tracks that have thin songwriting, and greatly shorten many of the other songs. As is, it's slightly off my chart with a low 3.5/5.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

Fischman — Thu, 1 Jul 2021 19:00:32 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 07/01/2021 23:00

Can't bring myself to rave about the Apple here, but I can bring myself to give her my vote.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

Patman360 — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 09:57:00 GMT

Author: Patman360

Posted: 06/30/2021 13:57

Both good albums but nowhere near either's best album at the same time, gotta pick Fiona Apple though.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

Repo — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 16:53:30 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 06/29/2021 20:53

I think y0u guys spoiled me during the play-in round. Both of these underwhelmed me. Fiona comes off as a try hard and this Tame Impala album just seems lazy and half-baked compared with his previous releases.

Neither!

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

EyeKanFly — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 12:09:05 GMT

Author: EyeKanFly

Posted: 06/29/2021 16:09

Don't have much to say in addition to what others have said about the match-up.

However I will say that I didn't have very high hopes for Fiona Apple since I'm not huge on her prior stuff, but this blew me away. The Slow Rush was disappointing for me. The songs Tame Impala released before the album came out were very promising, but the rest of the album just did not live up to the same potential. While The Slow Rush is 6th seed and got a harsh pull facing Bolt Cutters in the first round, I also feel like there are so many better albums here, and it surprises me that this is regarded so highly here on BEA.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

travelful — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 10:50:21 GMT

Author: travelful

Posted: 06/29/2021 14:50

travelful wrote:

Excited to give them both a relisten. I remember both being good but yet still leaving me disappointed for not living up to my high expectations.

I was supposed to see The Slow Rush tour last year but of course covid happened and then they cancelled the Orlando reshow for 2021.

After relistening to both my opinion hasn't really changed. I think they're both good records and would certainly recommend them to others. But for me in a year that I found so much amazing music, I don't even have either in my top 80 of 2020. Overall this is just the most forgettable Tame Impala record. Even after 5-6 listens now. It sounds nice when listening but by the time it's over I can't remember much as far as highlights go. I can't see myself playing over any of the other Tame Impala records going forward.

Fiona Apple's record is constantly impressive and overall very memorable. So my vote will go to Fetch The Bolt Cutters. Even so I am definitely not convinced this is even her best album, so I am still missing something. Why exactly is this being praised as the best record since TPAB? And for Pitchfork I believe it's their first 10 since MBDTF in 2010...

I just don't hear what makes this record an all-time great album. Unfortunately that's the hype that led me to initial disappointment last year. When I put on my first listen I was expecting some crazy ass shit. Overall I think it would be on the border of 2nd/3rd in her discography behind Idler Wheel and maybe When The Pawn.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

Purplepash — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 04:25:04 GMT

Author: Purplepash

Posted: 06/29/2021 08:25

Yeah this shouldn't be a first round match up...both albums are really good and in my top 100 for the year, but I like The Slow Rush (and all things Kevin Parker) just a little bit more.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

AwaitingAndrew — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:57:41 GMT

Author: AwaitingAndrew

Posted: 06/29/2021 01:57

What a brutal draw for my nominee...

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

RoundTheBend — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:39:53 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 06/29/2021 01:39

travelful wrote:

Ditto - oddly enough Fiona's album (while good) is getting all this praise when her 2012 Idler Wheel is better and didn't get that praise.

As for Tame Impala, I've just heard better from them. Cool album art though.

Easy win for Fiona in the end.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:24:34 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/29/2021 01:24

I'm one of those people who liked The Slow Rush. But Fetch The Bolt Cutters is the album of the year 2020. So a pretty easy vote for Fiona Apple for me too.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

travelful — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 19:42:18 GMT

Author: travelful

Posted: 06/28/2021 23:42

Excited to give them both a relisten. I remember both being good but yet still leaving me disappointed for not living up to my high expectations.

I was supposed to see The Slow Rush tour last year but of course covid happened and then they cancelled the Orlando reshow for 2021.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

Luigii — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 18:05:27 GMT

Author: Luigii

Posted: 06/28/2021 22:05

Honestly I could repeat what Hayden said. But it actually be for Tame Impala.

Re: Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

Hayden — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 18:00:50 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 06/28/2021 22:00

Not much of a contest here for me. Comfortable voting Apple.

Round 1: Fiona Apple v. Tame Impala

baystateoftheart — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 17:49:22 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 06/28/2021 21:49

Seed #1:

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Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple

Nominated by: Komorebi-D
Genres [RYM]: Art Pop, Singer/Songwriter, Progressive Pop

Seed #6:

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The Slow Rush by Tame Impala

Nominated by: AwaitingAndrew
Genres [RYM]: Psychedelic Pop, Neo-Psychedelia, Synthpop

Instructions:

If you have not already, please listen to both albums in full before voting. Share your thoughts and/or your vote in this thread. This poll will be tallied in no fewer than twenty-eight days. See Tournament Spreadsheet for the full bracket.