Best Ever Albums

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

Listmeister — Tue, 2 Sep 2014 10:05:16 GMT

Author: Listmeister

Posted: 09/02/2014 14:05

COOL!

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

brun027 — Mon, 1 Sep 2014 21:18:44 GMT

Author: brun027

Posted: 09/02/2014 01:18

A Tábua de Esmeralda is the best album of 1974, and can be any day in my top 5 ever. It's like it is already in my soul or something. Still, I thought it would lose for much more than it did when I saw it was against Wyatt. 😄

Listmeister wrote:

[b]If only someone could explain Tabua's album cover...

Around 1370, Nicolas Flamel found an acient book which contained texts and enigmatic drawings. For a long time, his life centered around protecting this book, and even studying it for years and years, he couldn't understand what it was about, till one day he came by a wise jew in the way to Santiago, Spain, who deciphered the book, that was about alchemy and Kabbalah, and contained the secret to the Philosopher's Stone. Soon after, he dedicated himself to practical alchemy, discovering how to produce gold, how to turn other metals into gold and finally, the Elixir of Life. On his and his wife's tombs only their clothes were found, and the symbols below were carved. He and his wife are still out there somewhere...

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The phrase written on the lower left corner of the album's cover is the first part of The Emerald Tablet (Tábua de Esmeralda), and can be translated as "Tis true without lying, certain & most true." The Emerald Table is a compact and cryptic piece of Hermetica reputed to contain the secret of the prima materia and its transmutation. It was highly regarded by European alchemists as the foundation of their art and its Hermetic tradition.
Alchemy is a common theme through out the album, that rendered Jorge the title of "sound alchemist".

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

Listmeister — Mon, 1 Sep 2014 13:19:16 GMT

Author: Listmeister

Posted: 09/01/2014 17:19

If only someone could explain Tabua's album cover...

Rock Bottom 11-10

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

Jimmy Dread — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 17:03:29 GMT

Author: Jimmy Dread

Posted: 08/29/2014 21:03

Now all 3 of my noms have been knocked out (what's wrong with you people?) I'm adopting Jorge Ben and backing him to go one better than he did in the +1500 tourney. One of my personal quartet of masterpieces by the man, along with 1969 S/T, Forca Bruta and Africa Brasil.

A Tábua De Esmeralda all the way.

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

WindowAbove — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 13:54:38 GMT

Author: WindowAbove

Posted: 08/29/2014 17:54

A Tábua De Esmeralda

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 09:10:42 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 08/29/2014 13:10

yeah, I'm in the Wyatt over everything camp as well. But, I'd still take any of the albums in this second round over A Tabua De Esmeralda. Considering how Africa/Brasil was one of my faves in the 1500 tourney, I couldn't initially figure out why Tabua didn't resonate with me until the discussion on culture and music broke out a few days ago. Mecca and Sp4cetiger brought up the whole lyrics thing, but it's so much more than just that - the tone and the feel of a lot of Central/South American music itself is probably more the issue. And Tabua is a decent enough example of that that I'll try to explain. Over the first half of Tabua especially, the experience (music, tone, feel, vocal stylings, etc.) conjures an image of a cassanova/lothario type seducing some beauty into a night of heated passion. Not that there's anything's wrong with that! LOL. Now I've dated quite a few girls who listen to Salsa and Latino music precisely for this reason (yeah for me), and its precisely for the this reason that I've alway wished that I could more into this kind of music. But alas, I can't. It just seems so over the top, forced and quite frankly cheesy to me. I have the same problem with super over the top r&b singers as well such as Barry White in which the entire package always strikes me as more comical than seductive. I remember one time that for kicks and giggle me and old flame who were getting back together put on some Marvin Gaye or something to that effect for a romantic dinner and we both just broke out laughing. More recently, the lyrics on one of the tracks on Sweet Exorcism had me feeling like a ten year old boy squirming while watching a kiss on the silver screen when actual kissing & even fucking in the movies doesn't make me squirm in the slightest. (I like it a lot.) What can I say, I'm so white I'm virtually transparent. My ideal form of dancing is the pogo. I make Seinfeld references. This is a white man's true burden. LOL.

Rock Bottom

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 18:02:27 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 08/28/2014 22:02

Sucks sucks sucks. These are two of my favorites from the tournament. More like a semi- than anything. I have to go with Rock Bottom, and I'm glad Esmeralda isn't getting smoked, but Jorge Ben deserves to advance way more than most of the albums in the other threads.

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

Listmeister — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 17:21:23 GMT

Author: Listmeister

Posted: 08/28/2014 21:21

There is so much joy in Jorge Ben's albums. Vote to Esmeralda.

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

NickVolos — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 16:21:39 GMT

Author: NickVolos

Posted: 08/28/2014 20:21

Easily two of the best albums in the tourney and one of the toughest match ups. Both albums of equal beauty and uniqueness in their respective genres. Thankfully there is an Abstain option... 😁

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 14:32:31 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 08/28/2014 18:32

meccalecca wrote:

Pretty much Wyatt over anything

Yep. There are some matches that would break my heart, but even then...

Re: [Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

meccalecca — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 13:01:53 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 08/28/2014 17:01

Pretty much Wyatt over anything

[Closed] B1974 2AM: A Tábua De Esmeralda vs. Rock Bottom

Listmeister — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 10:07:33 GMT

Author: Listmeister

Posted: 08/28/2014 14:07

2AL is waiting for the results of the Wild Card playoff. We'll do that one with the next bunch.

meccalecca wrote:

The first spin of Tabua is absolutely breathtaking. Those strings on "Errare Humanum Est", along with Ben's echo'd vocals are the stuff of legend.

This is the kind of album that makes these tournaments so pleasurable. And it's also the type of album that wins.

Listmeister wrote:

Jorge Ben's 1974 offering gets my vote for the most interesting album cover of the tournament.

A Tábua De Esmeralda [A Tabua De Esmeralda] by Jorge Ben

sp4cetiger wrote:

Yeah, I haven't heard the other one yet, but I would be very, very surprised if it beat out Rock Bottom, which is in my top 20. I haven't heard everything yet, but right now it's my favorite to win the whole thing.

meccalecca wrote:

Wyatt by a landslide.

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Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt, nominated by BEA.[/quote]