Onstage they ain’t got no roots rock rebel

Results first, ask questions later.

#19 Cracker, Low – 8 votes
defeats
#14 Madness, One Step Beyond – 7 votes
(2 abstentions, 1 iPod shuffle)

Analysis:
“One Step Beyond. Yet another entry in this tournament that I only know thanks to the musical tastes of Lane Kim...and I've got to admit, it did work surprisingly well as background music for the Stars Hollow High School cheerleading squad.” – Hedge H.


#11 Flaming Lips, She Don't Use Jelly - 13 votes
defeats
#22 Foo Fighters, This Is A Call - 5 votes
(1 iPod shuffle)

Analysis:
“foo fighters -- continuing my present straight-ahead rockin' mood, though, contrary to popular belief, wayne coyne is way hotter than dave grohl.” -A


#10 Nick Lowe, Cruel to Be Kind – 9 votes
defeats
#23 Tricky, Black Steel - 7 votes
(1 abstention, 1 iPod shuffle)

Analysis:
“Damn, damn, damn, damn...Slight edge to the Jesus of Cool, because:
1. early Stiff Records material underrepresented and the whippersnappers will vote it down
2. Portishead and Massive Attack get byes; therefore Bristol triphop has its props
3. Black Steel's a cover.” – Verbose Uncle Greg


#15 Blur, Girls and Boys – 13 votes
defeats
#18 Ani DiFranco, Napoleon – 3 votes
(1 abstention, 1 iPod shuffle)

Analysis:
“My favorite radio yell-along song defeats a song I can turn off by the
third note: "Napoleon" wins.” (what radio station can play “Napoleon” and not get shut down by the FCC?)


#17 They Might Be Giants, Birdhouse in Your Soul – 9 votes
defeats
#16 The Cure, Lullaby – 7 votes
(1 abstention, 1 tie)

Analysis:
“They Might Be Giants -- Triangle Man, Triangle Man, Triangle Man hates Pouty Goth Man. They have a fight, Triangle wins, Triangle Man.” – Canadian Dave


#9 David Bowie, Heroes – 14 votes
defeats
#24 The Raincoats, No One's Little Girl – 3 votes
(2 abstentions)

Analysis:
“My previous position on Bowie notwithstanding, there's too much violin in that Raincoats song, and it reminded me of Dave Matthews. And we can't have that.” – Cranky Deaf Uncle Greg


#12 PJ Harvey, Down By the Water – 10 votes
defeats
#21 Suzanne Vega, Luka – 6 votes
(2 abstentions)

Analysis:
“Down By the Water. I'll give that Luka song props for being unique and interesting but I can't vote against Polly Jean.” - MMC


#13 Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea – 11 votes
defeats
#20 Marshall Crenshaw, Someday, Someway – 5 votes
(3 abstentions)

Analysis:
“Neutral Milk Hotel, because it's the most heartbreaking, intense record ever commited to tape. It's a shame that people lump it in with E6, because it's so much more than that.” – Rud (Editorial from Ms. L: if you’ve not heard it, do try to hunt down this song. Seriously amazing, and you’ll be voting on it again.)

And now, the predictable part... Voting for this round will end at 9:00pm CST Wednesday. Comment or email me. We'll post and tally the results then.


From the South Regional, at the Whisky-A-Go-Go, Los Angeles, CA

#14 Michael Penn, No Myth (video)
vs.
#19 My Bloody Valentine, Only Shallow (video)
Sean's brother and reclusive noise genius Kevin Shields in an apples and oranges battle.

#11 Minor Threat, Straight Edge (iTunes)
vs.
#22 Garbage, Queer (video)
The Minor Threat snipped is actually 3/4 of the song. One song inadvertently launched a movement. The other...has Shirley Manson singing it.

#10 The Ramones, Sheena is a Punk Rocker (video)
vs.
#23 The La's, There She Goes (video)
The band with One Song vs. the band with a zillion interchangeable songs.

#15 Joy Division, Transmission (video)
vs.
#18 Bauhaus, Bela Lugosi's Dead (video)
Mope-itty, mope mope. If you have any doubts these bands are birds of a feather, here is horrible-quality video of Bauhaus covering the Joy Division song.

From the Southeast Regional, at Max's Kansas City, New York City, NY

#16 X Ray Spex, Oh Bondage, Up Yours! (video)
vs.
#17 Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Rich (video)
Two kickass frontwomen some 30 years apart.

#9 R.E.M., The One I Love (video)
vs.
#24 New York Dolls, Personality Crisis (video)
R.E.M. have cited the New York Dolls as an influence, but David Johansen and co. never got as big as R.E.M. was by the time this song was released. Of course, I don't believe any of the Dolls ever coated themselves with yogurt on an airplane, either.

#21 'Til Tuesday, Voices Carry (video)
vs.
#12 The Clash, White Man (in Hammersmith Palais) (video)
Treble or bass?

#13 Grandmaster Flash, The Message (video)
vs.
#20 Cocteau Twins, Lorelei (video, iTunes)
One's all about the lyrics. The other is too, but good luck deciphering them. (iTunes clip included because the video quality is so poor)