Board 8 > Rank the Tracks 240: Ethel Cain - Willoughby Tucker (+ album noms)

(+) Yeah! (+)

This is an open nomination period

spreadsheets with previous results can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12PpZ3uQ093tRPVu-KLewIxmrzfLJf1oo?usp=drive_link

The rules:
1. Listen to the album in full
2. Rank every track on the album
3. For the results, there will be a curve at the top of each list; two additional points between #1 and #2, and one additional point for the next two ranks. This way, the songs that really stick out to someone get an edge that is not immediately negated by someone else putting it lower. In the case of Demon Days, someone's 15th track will get 1 point, 14th 2 points, 4th 12 points, 3rd 14 points, 2nd 16 points, and 1st 19 points. For albums with greater than 15 tracks, everything ranked below #15 will be given 0 points and the scale for the top 15 will be the same as a 15-track album. For albums with more than 20 tracks, you only have to list your top 15 (with 16-20, I still like having the average rank listed)
4. If you want to include comments for individual songs, I will compile them in the results
5. The results will be posted at the beginning of the next topic
6. The deadline to vote is Thursday, November 6th at 8:00 AM Central Time; If you do get in a vote after the deadline but before I post the results, I will probably include it.
7. Every few weeks, a nomination period will open; there may or may not be a theme. Each user can nominate one album. The following week, everyone will be able to rank their top ~5 among the choices - this will use a bottom-up scoring approach, i.e. voting for one album will give your #1 a single point, voting for five will give your #1 five points, so it is always better to vote for the maximum number of albums. The top ~5 will then be covered (if there is a tie leading to six entries, both get in - if more than that, I will do a tiebreaker)
8. Skits and tracks under 40 seconds will be excluded from the rankings unless argued otherwise

Ethel Cain - Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You track list:
1. Janie
2. Willoughby's Theme
3. Fuck Me Eyes
4. Nettles
5. Willoughby's Interlude
6. Dust Bowl
7. A Knock at the Door
8. Radio Towers
9. Tempest
10. Waco, Texas

Future weeks:
11/6: 100 gecs - 10,000 gecs (+ album voting)
11/13: Backxwash - Only Dust Remains

Are we still gonna do 2025 albums at some point? I was holding off on a nomination for that.

Assuming that's will happen, I'm going with Boston - Boston.

This is an awesome classic rock album and I'm certain everyone has heard multiple songs from it, including the Guitar Hero staple, More Than a Feeling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4QK8RxCAwo

Yes, the next themed cycle will be 2025 albums

As per the discussion a couple topics ago, and now that I'm actively participating again in time for an unthemed cycle, nominating Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On.

Rather less accessible than Sly and the Family Stone's previous acclaimed smash, its dense, almost deliberately muddy funk and soul stemmed mainly from Sly Stone himself, contrasting its studio predecessor's multifaceted recording process. Still, this lateral turn inward produced an album widely hailed as Sly and the Family Stone's moment-meeting magnum opus, and one that's manifested sweeping influence on subsequent music.

Sample track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xag5RKD0VHk&pp=0gcJCQMKAYcqIYzv

I will go ahead and formally nominate D'Angelo Voodoo tomorrow. I'm open to anybody who wants to advocate for Brown Sugar or Black Messiah instead, but I feel like Voodoo is the best representative pick.

Nom: Maria Daniela y su Sonido Lasser - Juventud en xtasis

This is the album that I've been obsessed with for the past month and a half since I first discovered it, so I'm trying to spread it as much as possible. Some fairly high energy electropop with some seriously addictive hooks, fronted with lighthearted and sometimes humorous lyrics if you're able to translate them. This also gives some more language variety to our rankings besides the usual English and Japanese, but I can assure you that you don't need to know Spanish in order to enjoy this.

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMsuxTST9gA

Comments on this week's album:

It'll come as no surprise that I didn't like this one. It's slow, it's moody, it's lyrics focused, it's completely antithetical to my tastes. I can see some talent there but this is not one I will ever want to listen to again.

PunishedJeezy posted...

I will go ahead and formally nominate D'Angelo Voodoo tomorrow. I'm open to anybody who wants to advocate for Brown Sugar or Black Messiah instead, but I feel like Voodoo is the best representative pick.

Yea I agree, Voodoo is the best for this scenario I think

I nominate:
D'Angelo - Voodoo
a neo-soul masterpiece, influenced in part by Sly's There's a Riot Goin' On

and for the sample track, the big obvious pick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxVNOnPyvIU

Fuck Me Eyes
Nettles
Waco, Texas
Janie
Tempest
Willoughby's Interlude
A Knock at the Door
Radio Towers
Dust Bowl
Willoughby's Theme

Not bad, but just not sparkling enough. Also not every track needs to be longer than 5 minutes.

Nominate: Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYOW5uoyKl0

Overrated at their peak? Probably, but Kings of Leon are still a cool rocking band, especially in this album, which has a nice mix of alt rock and their more earlier Americana sound. Also just one of those bands that was iconic for a while that we haven't done!

I happened to be listening to this during the last nomination cycle. Revisiting it, I dig it a lot. Great production and mood. If I had to knock it a bit, Willoughby's Interlude isn't interesting enough to justify it's running time and Frig Me Eyes doesn't vibe with the rest of the record. (Not a bad song tho)

Nettles
Tempest
Dust Bowl
Waco, Texas
Janie
F*** Me Eyes
Willoughby's Theme
Radio Towers
A Knock at the Door
Willoughby's Interlude

I'm nominating American Football - American Football

Representing my city with the best local band. American Football is one of those legendary cult classics where the band broke up before the album could take off, only to grow in stature over the years. These days, it's pretty much THE Midwest emo album.

Sample track:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-SWkpGKdP8&list=RDp-SWkpGKdP8&start_radio=1

I wasn't even thinking about this when deciding on the nomination, but Ethel Cain actually covered a track for a 25th anniversary cover album released last year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5aJjQ0MRqQ

Feeling a little fun this cycle, maybe third time's the charm?

Nominate: Poppy - Negative Spaces

I know one of the times this failed to get through was because I missed voting, gonna try to avoid that this time! Just a really fun album that came out last year, and my favorite thing she's done. I think she nails the sounds she's going for on it, catchy and heavy in great measures. It also helps that Jordan Fish is producing on it. He's really started to shine on his own post leaving Bring Me the Horizon

https://youtu.be/OqVNYcaS-3E?si=DefNUJIdHKCMVXGX

I am excited to second Poppy. I don't have any cool album ideas. Thought about TLC, but wasn't really big on the albums themselves aside from the singles.

Got Big Thief vibes from the first track, a heavy hit of 'I need to listen to that three more times immediately and have a cry' on the third, and kind of zoned through the rest a number of times. Definitely going to be forgottem aside from #3.

Fuck Me Eyes
Tempest
Waco, Texas
Dust Bowl
Nettles
Janie
Willoughby's Theme
Radio Towers
A Knock At The Door
Willoughby's Interlude

Nominate:
Kiss - Destroyer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4okh7Y25dmQ

I'm not exactly a fan of 80s hair metal, but I mentioned wanting to do a Kiss album in honor of Ace Frehley passing. They were my dad's favorite band, and Destroyed is iconic enough of an album that its cover art basically defined an entire genre.

Nominate: Queensrche - Operation: Mindcrime

Going back to my very first nom, my favorite album. Incredible concept album with lyrical content that is still relevant today (maybe more than ever). Sample (two tracks in one here): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O8LhD6fZWg

Tempest
Willoughby's Theme
Janie
Waco, Texas
Nettles
Fuck Me Eyes
A Knock At The Door
Willoughby's Interlude
Radio Towers
Dust Bowl

As someone who likes longer songs, a lot of tracks here didn't really need the length. Tempest is really really good though so it was definitely worth the listen.

Nominate: Mobb Deep - The Infamous

My favorite 90's hip hop album. The dark production and the impressive beats really make this album. Great storytelling and rap delivery/flow as well. It's just so, so impressive all the way through.

Sample track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLjXz9ghUtk

Willoughby's Theme
Tempest
Radio Towers
Willoughby's Interlude
Janie
A Knock at the Door
Waco, Texas
Nettles
Dust Bowl
f*** Me Eyes

How about

Metric - Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?
https://youtu.be/ec74Q0DbE2w?si=GrGpQVZ8YddBErn0

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Exodus

https://youtu.be/Gj9holHsi90

I have to drive my reactive and anxious dog a lot lately. They apparently respond well to reggae music, so this has been my go-to.

Bitto posted...

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Exodus

https://youtu.be/Gj9holHsi90

I have to drive my reactive and anxious dog a lot lately. They apparently respond well to reggae music, so this has been my go-to.

This album was already covered during the RtA 5 timeframe, so you'll have to pick something else! Also, it's pretty good!

Oh, thanks for letting me know! Ill pass then.

Johnbobb posted...

I'm not exactly a fan of 80s hair metal, but I mentioned wanting to do a Kiss album in honor of Ace Frehley passing. They were my dad's favorite band, and Destroyed is iconic enough of an album that its cover art basically defined an entire genre.

Yeah, IMO Destroyer is THE Kiss album to do if we're gonna do one

MarkS2222222222 posted...

How about

Metric - Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?
https://youtu.be/ec74Q0DbE2w?si=GrGpQVZ8YddBErn0

Oooooh I love me some Metric, probably would've gone Fantasies but OWU rules too.

Great when you're in the right mood (which is why I put it off until now oops). Colossal slowcore.

Nettles
Fuck Me Eyes
Waco, Texas
Dust Bowl
Tempest
Janie
A Knock at the Door
Radio Towers
Willoughby's Theme
Willoughby's Interlude

FoolFantastic posted...

Great when you're in the right mood (which is why I put it off until now oops).

Yeah, I've done one listen and liked it but I can tell I'll have stronger thoughts when I'm in the mood for it. Can absolutely see why anyone could love or hate this album though.

I've also not been in the right mood for this album - only that right mood seems to be very specific for me - so have been delaying my own second and third listens. Hoping to at least commit enough to have a track ranking to post in the next few days...

Woof, this album. I mean that in a good way! Prior to this I'd only gotten into Ethel earlier his year, when her project Perverts came out. Which is a much different type of project than either of her albums, much more drone and ambient which intrigued me. I thought it was great, and was looking forward to another release from her when this started being teased. Love the story being told, even if I don't have all of the details because it's a prequel to her first album Preacher's Daughter which I haven't gone through yet. This love between these young individuals despite their various circumstances and trauma, which ultimately succumbs to the forces around them. Ethel's voice in delivering this story is beautiful, and I love the inflections for some words as she sings them. It's definitely not an album for every mood, and such won't hit for every listener. But I did really enjoy it, and like I said in one of the song writeups, I'm ready to go on a long drive and have this blasting.

1. Fuck Me Eyes - The synth is super nice, and the "no one wants to take her home" before the bridge is a great pop off. Probably the most "approachable" song on the album, and yea I can't help putting it first too.
2. Tempest - Really love how ethereal this one is, would love to blast it while doing a long drive. I think it earns its 10 minute run time, even just the last 3 1/2-4 minutes being "Forever" repeated just goes so nice with the instrumental.
3. Nettles - The theme of "to love me is to suffer me" is so appealing to me, and it's just a gorgeous song in general
4. Waco, Texas - Takes a bit to get going, understandably with being 15 minutes long, but once it really gets into the meat it's killer. Incredibly sad. Great song to end an album like this on.
5. Dust Bowl
6. Janie
7. A Knock At The Door
8. Willoughby's Theme
9. Radio Towers
10. Willoughby's Interlude

1. Tempest
2. Willoughby's Theme
3. Fuck Me Eyes
4. Dust Bowl
5. Janie
6. Waco, Texas
7. Willoughby's Interlude
8. Radio Towers
9. Nettles
10. A Knock at the Door

Really good album. Definitely not something I'd be down to put on my general playlist, but I really enjoyed the vast majority of the album. My typical dislike for long songs don't really factor in here; the time really flies with this one.