Hahaha I can’t stand Ryan Schreiber. There’s a 1989 album up this week that isn’t terribly far off from I GET WET in some ways. 😉
What’s the best album of 1989? Let’s find out! A new match every M-F, 9am CST. What just lost? Look at the pics above! Bracket: https://challonge.com/bestalbumof1989 Newsletter: https://buttondown.email/kentmbeeson. Managed by @kentmbeeson.bsky.social
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Hahaha I can’t stand Ryan Schreiber. There’s a 1989 album up this week that isn’t terribly far off from I GET WET in some ways. 😉
Welp, sorry Soul II Soul, been a dream run but back to reality.
Pretty great live. Not a great studio band
Today’s random 2001 album is: My Morning Jacket, AT DAWN Give it a listen, or at least sample it, and see if it’s something you’d want to nominate for the upcoming Best Album of 2001 tournament! www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqLs...
Having heard Boys Don't Cry, Friday... and at least one other since I got in from work, I can confirm that they still go through that phase
Greatest workout album ever
Love the "cyborg Kenny Loggins" - both as description and in album form. On a side note, I used to make carefully calibrated running playlists. One time I just listened to I Get Wet. Fastest I ever ran.
I'm sorry I wasn't around to get them into the bracket, Kent! (Thanks for sharing.)
Alas, if only I had known of the Tournament at that time...
It was one vote short of qualifying. ☹️
And you're telling me that Nitzer Ebb's "Belief" wasn't one of those?! Smh, I had more faith in the Electorate....
That's amazing, Tom. (And your write-up was a lot of fun, too). Keep partying hard!
Interesting… it’s true I never saw them live. Wonder if there are any songs that I’ve turned around on after seeing them performed live…
buttondown.com/kentmbeeson/...
Yes! freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2002/07/a...
I didn't get Soul II Soul at all. Way too chill for its own good, most of the time. Peaks a bit in the middle with the flute instrumental and the track straight after, and I think I liked the closer. Pretty low energy otherwise.
You can have it!
That’s my favourite track though!
Gun to my head that’s my favorite one!
that would be @doorsitlabyrinth.bsky.social who somehow can't stand "Fascination Street" (I don't get it either) 🤭
Well that just makes sense. Wonder which your friend hates…
Ohhh, you were going off song length and percentages of overall album length... I believe we loathe the same song!
I dare not type it’s name lest it gets in my head for hours, but I’ll just say this as a hint: I said 90% intentionally (a song half its length would make it 95%) which by my math leaves two options, and the one I hate is the (by far) more famous one.
I've listened to it several times and just can't get into it. Which is weird to me, describe it on paper and I should be all over it. (Also tbc, SINCE I LEFT YOU’s release date is listed as Nov 2000, so it already competed in that tournament.)
I was told later that my reply to this on my blog was ultimately what got me hired there which makes me laugh (I love this record)
Link still extant?
Curious about your take on The Avalanches "Since I Left You", probably my overwhelming #1 from that year
Not my favourite Cure album, and I do have some positive (nostalgic) feelings for Soul II Soul... but c'mon!
1989 me and 2025 me are in total agreement that Soul II Soul rules, while Disintegration is just a bit dull
This was pretty much the discussion at the time!
After @nichtnutz.bsky.social comment, looked for the Pitchfork 0.6 review and literally, truly, LOL'ed several times. But then noticed that a decade later they upped their score to 8.6 and that review also made me LOL. Here they are: pitchfork.com/reviews/albu... pitchfork.com/reviews/albu...
I had never heard of Andrew W.K. in my life, but based on your description I had to give it a try. After the first three tracks I wrote "I think this is so dumb it's actually good". Then after another I wrote "no, it's so dumb, it's just dumb". I went back and forth like that the whole album. 1/2
CURE
I had to pre-vote for THE CURE! After a day spent with DISINTEGRATION, 'Pornography,' 'Seventeen Seconds,' 'Faith,' 'Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me," and the surprisingly wonderful "Songs of a Lost World," I may be too depressed to vote.
This is not a groundbreaking comment as it's a universally beloved and discussed album, but Disintegration has a perfect 1-2 punch as its opening two tracks. Hit you one way on Plainsong, and another way on Pictures of You I think my favorite song on here is Fascination Street though. Now listening
Voted Soul II Soul. I ain't picking those geezers from the 70's!
Personal failing: I've never quite overcome my conditioned aversion to the Roland TR-series drum machine pattern praxis enough to seriously consider voting for Soul II Soul here. If I'm randomly putting on a Cure record...oops not enough space left to justify vote for Disintegration.
I'll give my unpopular opinion that I like "Blame it on the Rain."
Not gonna lie, I like it too! And I don’t begrudge its #1. But “Love Shack” shoulda been a #1 too.
I used to feel that way until I saw the track I didn't like done live and now I love it!
OOOOH which track? I hate one of them too and a good friend hates a different one!
The other building block is Primal Scream’s own I’m Losing More Than I Ever Had Despite that, Disintegration.
Time to nerd out This Italian bootleg mix of Edie Brickell & Soul II Soul (Keep on Movin’) is one of the building blocks of Primal Scream’s Loaded
“Love Shack” somehow didn’t make it to #1. Ahead of it while it peaked at #3: Bad English, “When I See You Smile” (#2) and Milli Vanilli, “Blame It On The Rain” (#1).
9/2/1989: #42 Miss You Much - Janet Jackson #47 Mixed Emotions - Rolling Stones #53 Sowing The Seeds Of Love - Tears For Fears #56 Love In An Elevator - Aerosmith #65 Dr. Feelgood - Motley Crue #77 The Best - Tina Turner #84 Love Shack - The B-52's
Can’t say I am a massive Soul II Soul fan, but neither am I a fan of the Cure…
The winner of the whole challenge makes another appearance
I’m a fan of 90% of Disintegration but there’s one track that I never liked and feel brings down the average enough for me not to vote for it against something like this relatively impeccable proto-trip-hop album by Soul II Soul.
Two very different varieties of nighttime Brits here. Club Classics is an enjoyable groove, but I’ve gotta go with pasty goth masterpiece on this one.
Unless my prediction comes true and Disintegration wins the whole thing, this is the best record it will knock out, RIP Jazzie B and co!
only one of these records got me accused of Satanism and it wasn't Soul II Soul
Easy choice. I tend to like The Cure singles best and the ones off Disintegration aren’t my favourites, Soul II Soul’s singles go hard and they changed Black British music, so a doomed but absolutely heartfelt vote for them
I didn’t vote because I hadn’t heard the Mekons album in question but I’ve played it a couple times now and it’s the rightful winner. It’s better than the weakest ‘Mats album!
It's always Correct to vote The Cure
A record so sublime that one of the band’s best tracks didn’t even make the album and had to settle for being a B-side (“2 Late).
Thank you for sharing this! I’ll try to be less insufferable about Disintegration than I was about Don’t Tell a Soul. No promises.
I wonder if Disintegration, the best album ever recorded, will perform well here
One of these is good. The other is the actual best album of 1989. Vote The Cure.
Wednesday’s @bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social match features The Cure vs Soul II Soul, two bands I liked back in 1989! also my lipstick collection, my bedroom decor back in high school, finding light in darkness, and a review of Disintegration that hasn’t aged well
My prediction says I should have flipped my vote. My ears are glad I didn’t. (Top 10 though..the temptation was real).
Voted Disintegration, nothing against Soul II Soul or anything. I feel kinda bad for The Blue Nile though.
Woot!
Disintegration is the best album of 1989, no apologies to the poo poo contrarians
One Designated Cheerleader today, it’s from @kevinalexander.bsky.social and it’s for DISINTEGRATION! Take it away, Kevin!
#68 Soul II Soul, CLUB CLASSICS VOL. ONE a.k.a. KEEP ON MOVIN' Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/5VxTLm... YouTube: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
#4 The Cure, DISINTEGRATION Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/0A13Jy... YouTube: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Yay!
Great job everyone
Voting for the inevitable loser here
THE MEKONS ROCK N’ ROLL is one of the 32 best albums of 1989.
THE MEKONS ROCK N’ ROLL defeats DON'T TELL A SOUL, 81-79-1.
THE MEKONS ROCK N’ ROLL defeats DON'T TELL A SOUL, 81-79-1.
The Best Album of 1989 Round 2 Match #73 #4 The Cure, DISINTEGRATION vs. #68 Soul II Soul, CLUB CLASSICS VOL. ONE a.k.a. KEEP ON MOVIN' forms.gle/GXHsED7VeZiu...
Replacements fans! It’s not too late for a last minute rally!
Also for 1989 there were like 125 qualifying albums(!) but for other tournaments we had a lot more open slots.
So then those 100 albums qualify (assuming the release date is correct & there’s a free version to hear) and those 28 open slots are filled with contest winner picks, etc. Then, once the 128 are finalized, we do another round of voting, and the album with the most seed votes is #1, next is #2, etc.
… it’s rare that I get exactly 128 albums. Usually, it’s more like 100 albums with (for example) 10 nomination votes, and if I lower the bar to, say, 9 nomination votes, then suddenly there’s like 148 qualifying albums — too many. [2/x]
Rena answered this below, but a little more detail for those that don’t know: 1st, there will be a nomination period, and everyone can send in as many noms as they want. I’ll add all the nom votes, and first 128 with the most votes make it into the tournament. However, [1/x]
VOTE, MY TREENS
For the nominations period, you can nominate as many albums as you want (some people do hundreds). For the seeding period, you pick which of the final 128 albums you want to have a high seed.
Not voting but listened to the Mekons album this evening. I'd vote for that over this 'Mats one.
That Vaselines album cover would make a pretty cool Terminal Classic shirt:
My fave track by them
Others are no doubt further along or are much better informed going into '01 research than I am; the Aughts aren't my strong suit. But today I listened to my 100th album from the list! So. Much. Fun. @bestalbumbrackets.bsky.social, it's my 1st rodeo; how many do you put up for initial seed voting?
Okay, Dead Man’s Pop is an improvement over whatever version is on Spotify. The Mekons Rock N’ Roll is still far superior. 😉
youtu.be/UymmRvB5_C4?...
That's absurd, it's the Mekons in a fucking walk. Maybe their best album vs. maybe the Replacements' worst.
Although it's kinda clumpy and undifferentiated, the Mekons catalog is remarkably consistent from Fear and Whiskey (1985) through I Love Mekons (1993), a period during which they plowed through a whole bunch of material. There's a lot there that should be nominated in its respective year.
But then “something to sell your labor for when hair sprouts out below” shows up in Justin Bieber, so what are you going to do?
🎶 Reverse your safe unhappy vote before it is too late. 🎶
@noahjoad.bsky.social i go for R&R over DTaS. Top-tier Mekons vs. Mid-tier Replacements.
Glory to the TREENS! Crush the hated DAN DARE
yeah I love “achin’ to be” but the rest of this album is a yawn and a half. vote mekons!
Maybe in 1985 - the same year as TIM.
Also a reminder that this is an ALBUMS tournament. 😉 The Replacements will have more chances in future tourneys with better albums (imo) - dunno about the Mekons.