Hey! Ho! Let's go!

#9 The Pixies, Debaser – 14 votes
defeats
#16 Gil Scott-Heron, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised – 3 votes

Analysis:
“Debaser. Is it wrong for me to vote based on making the mp3 compilation easier?” – Cranky Uncle Greg

#5 White Stripes, Fell In Love With A Girl – 9 votes
defeats
#4 The Cure, Close to Me – 8 votes

Analysis:
“Fell In Love With A Girl is the better Pixies song in today's bracket.” – Cranky Uncle Greg

#11 New Pornographers, Letter From An Occupant – 14 votes
defeats
#3 Massive Attack, Unfinished Sympathy – 3 votes

Analysis:
“NPs (would Neko and Dan show up for the streetfight? would it make a difference?)” – SRF [Ms. L: They probably wouldn’t. It wouldn’t ultimately matter, but Neko would help out, while Dan would watch, drink, and self-referentialize.]

#10 New Order, Bizarre Love Triangle – 9 votes
defeats
#2 The Smiths, How Soon Is Now? – 7 votes
(1 abstention)

Analysis:
“4. Bizarre Love Triangle wins the battle of songs that I once identified with too much. Where oh where is "Dancing with Myself?"” – JZ [Ms. L: Ahh! Why are you admitting to this in public? Ahh!]

#9 Nirvana, All Apologies – 11 votes
defeats
#1 U2, I Will Follow – 6 votes

Analysis:
“U2. Having to decide between U2 and Nirvana in this tournament is the equivalent of asking a Blue Jays fan to decide between the Yankees and Red Sox. They're both overhyped by the media for more than their performance would suggest.” – Canadian Dave

#4 Replacements, I Will Dare – 11 votes
defeats
#5 Sleater-Kinney, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone – 6 votes

Analysis:
“Mats!” - CDB

#6 Belle & Sebastian, If You're Feeling Sinister – 11 votes
defeats
#3 Mission of Burma, Academy Fight Song – 5 votes
(1 abstention)

Analysis:
“B&S. Is Mission of Burma slowly losing coolness points becaquse they've started putting out new records? (Probably.) Even though the records are good? (Even though.) And aren't they one of those bands that you say you like more than you actually like? (Yup.) IYFS, meanwhile, is totally awesome. S&M and Bible study, my friends.” - Rud

#10 Beck, Where It's At – 13 votes
vs.
#2 Nine Inch Nails, Head Like a Hole – 3 votes
(1 abstention)

Analysis:
“abstain, I'm not going to vote for Beck, nor will I vote for a Nine Inch Nails song that makes me nostalgic for the era of Jesus Jones.” - WBF

Here are the pairings. To ease your decisions (and avoid any abstentions), download all 16 songs in a .zip file here or here. 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 Mid-Atlantic Regional, at The Middle East, Cambridge, MA
#1 Joy Division, Love Will Tear Us Apart
vs.
#4 Ramones, Blitzkrieg Bop

#11 Talking Heads, Life During Wartime
vs.
#23 Sonic Youth, Teen Age Riot

From the Midwest Regional, at The Hacienda, Manchester, U.K.
#1 The Clash, London Calling
vs.
#12 David Bowie, Sound and Vision

#3 New Order, Blue Monday
vs.
#18 Guided By Voices, I Am A Scientist

From the Great Plains Regional, at the 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA
#9 Talking Heads, Once in a Lifetime
vs.
#12 REM, Driver 8

#6 Matthew Sweet, Girlfriend
vs.
#2 Iggy Pop, Lust for Life

From the South Regional, at the Whisky-A-Go-Go, Los Angeles, CA
#9 David Bowie, Heroes
vs.
#13 Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

#19 My Bloody Valentine, Only Shallow
vs.
#2 Elvis Costello, Alison