In a photo-like finish, Paranoid Android is your next tournament champion (defeating Idioteque 66-64). The readers and interlopers of MerrySwankster.com have decreed: it is the best song in Radiohead's catalogue, as determined by a 65-team bracket.

Paranoid Android
OK Computer
1

We have some ideas for our next tournament, but, I must ask, "Do you?" In the comments, please.

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Radiohead tournament finals

Paranoid Android
OK Computer
1

Approbations:

NME - Greatest Tracks from 1996-2006
#3

Rolling Stone list of "500 Greatest Songs of All Time"
#256

Q Magazine greatest songs of all-time (Aug, 2006)
10

VS

Idioteque
Kid A
1

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's your final four. Results of the Round of Eight after the jump

Continue reading "And, then, there were four" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So I can't be accused of electioneering, I wanted to inform readers that the fourth-round voting at our Radiohead song contest will end Saturday at 11:30AM.

We pretty much know who will be winning three of the contests, but, right now:

Karma Police 50% (19 votes)
Airbag 50% (19 votes)

Fascinating!

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Voting starts below

Notables
Lowest seeds remaining: Airbag (10)
Highest seeds ousted: Creep (1), High & Dry (2), 2+2=5 (2)

Album records

Pablo Honey: 0-6

Bends: 10-11 (1-1 in the third round) Remaining (1): Fake Plastic Trees

OK Computer: 20 - 6 (5-1 in the second round) Remaining (5): Karma Police, Paranoid Android, No Surprises, Exit Music (For a Film), Airbag

Kid A: 14-5 (2-3 in the second round) Remaining (2): Everything in its Right Place, Idioteque,

Amnesiac: 3-8

Hail to the Thief: 9-9 (0-3 in the third round)

B-sides 1-11 (Pearly* winning the play-in game)

More stats after the jump

Continue reading "Third Round Stats" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 05:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

No Surprises
(4)
OK Computer

Fun Wikipedia "fact": introduced the song to his bandmates and the members of R.E.M. on the R.E.M. Monster Tour. They were all gathered on 3 August 1995, in a dressing room in Oslo, Norway.

No Surprises Wikipedia entry

VS

Fake Plastic Trees
(2)
The Bends

Fun Wikipedia "fact": According to singer Thom Yorke, it is about Canary Wharf in London.

Fake Plastic Trees Wikipedia entry

Continue reading "Pink Floyd bracket: No Surprises (4) v. Fake Plastic Trees (2)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 05:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Everything in its Right Place
(1)
Kid A
Fun Wikipedia "fact": Thom Yorke and guitarist Ed O'Brien have both cited "Everything in Its Right Place" as the moment their frustrations with a year of contentious recording sessions began to give way, and they felt they were actually getting somewhere with their experimental approach, which had initially been worrisome to O'Brien.

Everything in its Right Place Wikipedia entry

VS

Idioteque
(2)
Kid A
Fun Wikipedia "fact": "Idioteque" contains two credited samples of experimental 1970s "computer music." The first is several seconds of Mild und Leise, a piece by Paul Lansky, forming the four chord progression repeated throughout the song.
Idioteque Wikipedia entry

Continue reading "Kraftwerk bracket: Everything in its Right Place (1) v. Idioteque (2)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 05:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Karma Police
(1)
OK Computer
Fun WIkipedia "fact": Thom Yorke explained the idea of the lyrics to The Independent newspaper in 2006. "It's for someone who has to work for a large company. This is a song against bosses. Fuck the middle management!" He also said it was about those who are judgmental.[3]
Karma Police Wikipedia entry

VS

Airbag
(10)
OK Computer
Fun Wikipedia "fact": Ed O'Brien commented on the song's meaning, saying "It's about the wonderful, positive emotion you feel when you've just failed to have an accident; when you just miss someone and realise how close it was and stop the car and just feel this incredible elation. There's something joyous about it- life suddenly seems more precious."
Airbag Wikipedia entry

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: Karma Police (1) v. Airbag (10)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 05:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Paranoid Android
(1)
OK Computer
Fun Wikipedia "fact": Bassist Colin Greenwood said "On 'Paranoid Android' what we were into was the idea of a DJ Shadow meets The Beatles thing." [source]

Paranoid Android Wikipedia entry

VS

Exit Music (From a Film)
(6)
OK Computer

Fun Wikipedia "fact": "Exit Music (For a Film)" is a song by Radiohead, written specifically for the ending credits of the 1996 film William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Although included in neither of the two soundtrack albums at the request of Thom Yorke, the song appears on the band's highly acclaimed third album, OK Computer (1997).

Exit Music (From a Film) Wikipedia entry

Listen to the songs after the jump

Continue reading "Roxy Music Bracket: Paranoid Android (1) v Exit Music (For a Film) (6)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 05:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Third round results

Roxy Music bracket

Paranoid Android (1)

VS

Exit Music (From a Film) (6)

Pink Floyd bracket

Karma Police (1)

VS

Airbag (10)

Kraftwerk bracket

Everything in its Right Place (1)

VS

Idioteque (2)

Pink Floyd bracket

No Surprises (4)

VS

Fake Plastic Trees (2)

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 07:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

HM Blog has the mp3 of Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell Williams, and Kanye West rapping over Thom Yorke's "Eraser."

It's called "US Placers" and its found here.

Did you know that the third round of our Radiohead tournament ends at 5pm today? It's so very true. If you haven't voted, you can do so below.

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

2+2=5
Hail to the Thief
(2)
Sporting equivalent: Germany national soccer team. Efficient, calculated, stronger. Then, without much notice, they explode with a thunderous goal. "You have not been; paying attention. You have not been. GOL!"

VS

Exit Music (For a Film)
OK Computer
(6)
Sporting equivalent: Cincinnati Bengals passing attack. If you've ever watched Carson Palmer connect with Chad Johnson, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh in slow motion; this is the song that plays in your head. Sheer aerial beauty.

Listen to the songs after the jump

Continue reading "Roxy Music bracket: 2+2=5 (2) v Exit Music for a Film (6)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 09:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Paranoid Android
OK Computer
(1)

Sporting equivalent: 2006-2007 New England Patriots. It's well known that Bill Belichick is a coaching genius. Nowhere was this more apparent than when the Patriots played the Minnesota Vikings in 2006. The Vikings were (are?) a substandard team that just happened to do one thing well (stop the run). So what did Belichick do? He had Tom Brady pass and pass and pass to a 31-7 victory. That's what "Paranoid Android" does. It does what is necessary to win, and it does it well, no matter what structure it requires.

VS

Optimistic
Kid A
(4)
Sporting equivalent: Acie Law IV - Texas A&M point guard. All heart. Throughout the song, you don't think that much of it. But when it comes times to send it home, it won't let you. It wants to win too much.

Listen to the songs, after the jump

Continue reading "Roxy Music bracket: Paranoid Android (1) vs Optimistic (4)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 08:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

"There There (The Boney King of Nowhere)"
Hail to the Thief
(3)

Sporting Equivalent - Chicago Bears: Fueled by a rhythm that is partly plodding and partly marching, these teams create an increasingly chaotic environment before pounding their opponents into submission.

VS

"Airbag"
OK Computer
(10)

Sporting Equivalent - Detroit Pistons: There are attempts at beauty, such as Thom Yorke’s rising vocal in the second verse, or Richard Hamilton rising for a jumper on the wing, but those are just segues into the grinding, industrial, wintry themes that are the trademarks of these teams.

Listen to the songs after the jump

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: There There (3) v Airbag (10)" »

Posted by Randall Monty at 03:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Karma Police"
OK Computer
(1)

Sporting Equivalent - Muhammad Ali: Many have lined up to face these juggernauts, only to be laid to wayside. The pace is not surprising: slow and calculated until you are worn out. And "This is what you get when you mess with us" is about as close to outright braggadocio that Radiohead gets.

VS

"The National Anthem"
Kid A
(5)

Sporting Equivalent - 1975-1976 Red Army Ice Hockey Tour: Fans and opponents weren't quite sure what to make of these teams the first time they stepped on the ice. They were bigger, meaner, uglier and carried with them wave of disaster total disaster. The two best Russian clubs skated to a combined 5-2-1 record, but many NHL proponents remained defiantly unimpressed.

Hear the songs after the jump

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: Karma Police (1) v The National Anthem (5)" »

Posted by Randall Monty at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Idioteque
Kid A
(2)
Sporting equivalent: Air Force football or the 2007 Boise State football team in bowl game. Sheer audio audible. Whereas "Everything" was the clue to the departure, no one truly knew where Radiohead would go until they heard Idioteque.

How to Disappear Completely
Kid A
(14)

Sporting equivalent: George Mason (obviously); San Antonio Spurs. This songs lulls you into complacency with its methodological structure; but it's the little flourishes that gets its through the competition.

Listen to the songs after the jump

Continue reading "Kraftwerk bracket - Idioteque (2) vs How to Disappear Completely (14)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Fake Plastic Trees"
The Bends
(2)

Sporting Equivalent - 1915 Boston Red Sox: Just like I (sometimes) long for the days when Radiohead made straight-forward, guitar oriented rock, I long had to look to the past to find Boston baseball greatness. That Sox teams won three World Series titles in four years, but it was in '15 when the starting rotation (Ruth, Foster, Shore, Wood and Leonard) combined to go 86-36 with a 2.00 ERA. Nearly flawless, just like this track, albeit now just a distant history.

VS

"Let Down"
OK Computer
(3)

Sporting Equivalent - Fans of the '06-'07 Dallas Mavericks: If basketball fans in D-Town knew a damn thing about the sport, they'd probably be more bit more depressed than they are now. But Dallas is a Cowboys town, so the depression will never reach suicidal proportions. So Mark Cuban is free to try keepin' up with the Joneses from San Antonio, a mirror of a team that is much more polished (like "No Surprises").

Listen to the songs after the jump

Continue reading "Pixies bracket: Fake Plastic Trees (2) v Let Down (3)" »

Posted by Randall Monty at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

"the Bends"
The Bends
(9)

Sporting Equivalent - Liverpool: Not the first teams you'd mention, they kind of get lost in the mix of the other squads ("High and Dry", "Fake Plastic Trees", Manchester United, Chelsea). But put 'em all in a giant tournament (such as this one, or the just completed UEFA Champions League), and these two always seem to end up standing.

V

"No Surprises"
OK Computer
(4)

Sporting Equivalent - Detroit Lions (Barry Sanders era): When you stepped on the field against the Sanders-led lions, you always knew what you were going to get: 35-40 carries for #20, and a bunch of your defenders strewn on the ground. It didn't matter if you put eight in the box, Sanders would get his buck-twenty and a score or two. And you can't tell me that the lullaby piano part wouldn't beautifully soundtrack a slow-motion YouTube clip of Barry's highlights.

Listen to the songs after the jump

Continue reading "Pixies Bracket: The Bends (9) v No Surprises (4)" »

Posted by Randall Monty at 09:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Everything in its Right Place

VS

A Wolf at the Door

Listen to the songs after the jump

Continue reading "Kraftwerk bracket - Everything in its Right Place (1) vs A Wolf At The Door (4)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Third-round previews

Pink Floyd bracket

Karma Police (1)

74% (23 votes) defeats Where I End and You Begin (9) 26% (8 votes)

VS

The National Anthem (5)

71% (22 votes) defeats (Nice Dream) (4) 29% (9 votes)

__

There There (3)

66% (23 votes) defeats You and Whose Army? (11) 34% (12 votes)

VS

Airbag (10)

80% (28 votes) defeats High and Dry (2) 20% (7 votes)

WINNER OF PINK FLOYD BRACKET TO FACE

Kraftwerk bracket

Everything in its Right Place (1)

73% (24 votes) defeats Bullet Proof (8) 27% (9 votes)

VS

A Wolf at the Door (4)

defeats 53% (18 votes) Subterranean Homesick Alien (5) 47% (16 votes)

--

Idioteque (2)

74% (26 votes) defeats Motion Picture Soundtrack (10) 26% (9 votes)

VS

How to Disappear Completely (14)

Roxy Music bracket

Paranoid Android (1)

90% (27 votes) defeats Lucky (9)10% (3 votes)

VS

Optimistic (4)

--

Exit Music (For a Film) (6)

71% (22 votes) defeats Planet Telex (3) 29% (9 votes)

VS

2+2=5 (2)

84% (26 votes) defeats The Tourist (10) 16% (5 votes)

WINNER OF Roxy Music bracket TO FACE Pixies bracket

Pixies bracket

The Bends (9)

VS

No Surprises (4)

77% (23 votes) defeats Morning Bell (5) 23% (7 votes)

--

Fake Plastic Trees (2)

63% (20 votes) defeats Pyramid Song (10) 38% (12 votes)

VS

Let Down (3)

68% (21 votes) defeats A Punch Up at a Wedding (11) 32% (10 votes)

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Notables
Lowest seeds remaining: You and Whose Army (14), Airbag (10), The Bends (9)
Highest seeds ousted: Creep (1), High & Dry (2), Just (3), Planet Telex (3)

Album records

Pablo Honey: 0-6

Bends: 9-10 (2-3 in the second round) Remaining (2): Fake Plastic Trees, The Bends

OK Computer: 15 - 5 (6-3 in the second round) Remaining (6): Karma Police, Paranoid Android, Let Down, No Surprises, Exit Music (For a Film), Airbag

Kid A: 12-2 (5-2 in the second round) Remaining (5): Everything in its Right Place, Idioteque, Optimistic, The National Anthem, How to Disappear Completely,

Amnesiac: 3-8 (0-3 in the second round)

Hail to the Thief: 9-6 (3-3 in the second round) Remaining: 3 (2+2=5, There There, A Wolf at the Door)

B-sides 1-11 (Pearly* winning the play-in game) Remaining: 0

More stats after the jump

Continue reading "Second round stats" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All matchups below are no longer in play.

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"A Punch Up at a Wedding (No No No No No No No No)"
Hail to the Thief
(11)

Best Shout-Along Lyric: the first "In a drunken punch-up at a wedding, yeah"

VS

"Let Down"
OK Computer
(3)

Best Shout-Along Lyric: "You know, you know where you are with you, know where you are / With floor collapses floating, bouncing back and one day?

Posted by Randall Monty at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Pyramid Song"
Amnesiac
(10)

Best Shout-Along Lyric: the closest this song comes is the "ooo" part

VS

"Fake Plastic Trees"
The Bends
(2)

Best Shout-Along Lyric: "He used to do surgery for girls in the eighties / but GRAVITY always
wins / and it wears him out"

Posted by Randall Monty at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

"No Surprises"
OK Computer
(4)

Best Shout-Along Lyric: "This is my final fit, my final belly-ache with..."

VS

Morning Bell
Kid A
(5)

Best Shout-Along Lyric: "Sleepy jack the fire drill / Run around around around around around..."

Posted by Randall Monty at 04:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"The Bends"
The Bends
(9)

Best Shout-Along Lyric: "they brought in the CIA / the tanks and the whole marines to blow me away / to blow me sky high"

VS

"Scatterbrain. (As Dead as Leaves.)"
Hail to the Thief
(16)

Best Shout-Along Lyric: "somewhere I'm not / scatterbrain" (at 2:27)

Posted by Randall Monty at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"The Tourist"
OK Computer
(10)

Sexiest Lyric: "I guess it's seen the sparks a-flowing / No one else would know"

VS

"2+2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.)"
Hail to the Thief
(2)

Sexiest Lyric: "Because / You have not been / Payin' attention"

Posted by Randall Monty at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Planet Telex"
The Bends
(3)

Sexiest Lyric: "You can walk it home straight from school / You can kiss it, you can break all the rules"

VS

"Exit Music (for a Film)"
OK Computer
(6)

Sexiest Lyric: "Breathe, keep breathing, don't lose your nerve, breathe, keep breathing / I can't do this alone"

Posted by Randall Monty at 02:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Paranoid Android"
OK Computer
(1)

Sexiest Lyric: "Why don't you remember my name?-- I guess he does"

VS

"Lucky"
OK Computer
(9)

Sexiest Lyric: "Kill me Sarah, kill me again with love"

Posted by Randall Monty at 01:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Optimistic"
Kid A
(4)

Sexiest Lyric: "If you try the best you can / The best you can is good enough" right into the "whoa-a-whoa" part

VS

"Street Spirit (Fade Out)"
The Bends
(5)

Sexiest Lyric: aided by the tapping percusion, "this machine will not communicate these thoughts"

Posted by Randall Monty at 01:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Airbag"
OK Computer
(7)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "I am born again"

VS

"High and Dry"
(2)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "All your insides fall to pieces / You just sit there wishing you could still make love"

Posted by Randall Monty at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"You and Whose Army?"
Amnesiac
(11)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "You and whose army? / You and your cronies / You forget so easily"

VS

"There There. (The Boney King of Nowhere.)"
Hail to the Thief
(3)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "Just cause you feel it doesn't mean it's there"

Posted by Randall Monty at 09:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"(Nice Dream)"
The Bends
(4)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "I call up my friend the good angel / but she's out with / her ansaphone"

VS

"The National Anthem"
Kid A
(5)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "It's holding on" (x5)

Posted by Randall Monty at 09:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

"Karma Police"
OK Computer
(1)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "This is what you get / when you mess with us"

VS

"Where I End and You Begin"
Hail to the Thief
(9)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "X' will mark the place / like the parting of the waves / like a house falling in the sea"

Posted by Randall Monty at 09:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"How to Disappear Completely"
Kid A
(14)
defeated "Just" (3)
Most Depressing Lyric: "I'm not here. This isn't happening. "

vs.

"Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box"
Amnesiac
(6)
defeated "Anyone Can Play Guitar (live)" (11)
Most Depressing Lyric: "After years of waiting nothing came."

Continue reading "Kraftwerk bracket - How to Disappear Completely (14) v Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box (6)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Idioteque"
Kid A
(2)
defeated "Polyethylene (Parts 1& 2)" (15)
Most Depressing Lyric: "Throw them in the fire"

vs.

"Motion Picture Soundtrack"
Kid A
(10)
defeated "Sulk" (7)

Most Depressing Lyric: "Red wine and sleeping pills. Help me get back to your arms."

Continue reading "Kraftwerk bracket - Idioteque (2) v Motion Picture Soundtrack (10)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"A Wolf at the Door (It Girl. Rag Doll)”
Hail to the Thief
(4)
defeated "A Reminder" (13)

Most depressing lyric: "Steal all my children if I don't pay the ransom"

vs.

"Subterranean Homesick Alien"
OK Computer
(5)
defeated "The Trickster" (12)

Most depressing lyric: Of all these weird creatures Who lock up their spirits Drill holes in themselves And live for their secrets."

Continue reading "Kraftwerk bracket - A Wolf at the Door (4) v Subterranean Homesick Alien (5)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 09:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Everything in its Right Place"
Kid A
(1)
defeated "You" (16)

Most depressing lyric: "Yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon."

vs.

"Bullet Proof (I Wish I Was)"
The Bends
(8)
defeated "Stop Whispering" (9)

Most depressing lyric: "Heat the pins and stab them in."

Continue reading "Kraftwerk bracket - Everything in its Right Place v Bullet Proof (I Wish I Were) (8)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 08:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For your edification, there is no more voting on the entries below. That ship, she has sailed.

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 02:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)