TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Al reminded me that a few years ago we ran a knockout (FA Cup style) competition to find the top Fairport album.

Now it seems that in 'Myths and Legions' we have a new contender for at least a quarter final place, but a knockout seems unfair.

So we will be having the Fairport League.
Each week there will be a full set of 'matches' where eventually each album will be up against every other one, with the league finishing the weekend before Cropredy.

Proposed system:
Each album in each match can be awarded a score of up to 3. So it will be possible to have draws and albums lose by different margins.
eg.: 3-0 easy win, 3-1 win but the other album has a couple of good tracks, 0-0 both poor, 1-1 both alright.
 
This will all have to be automated, so won't start until the beginning of April, giving me a few weeks to sort out the software. (Yes I know that's not enough weeks, there will be some mid-week matches)

Comments welcome.

That's a lovely idea......................................and the winner is ......Liege and Lief. :o ;D ;)

Yes, that is the inevitable outcome and perennial problem with these things. L&L has won every tournament we have so far held, even against other artists. There is no way to suppress it. I still maintain it is good but not that good. Nevertheless, a league system will give a better view of the pecking order for the remaining albums than a cup competition did, where two big favourites or two non entities may come up against each other in the draw in the knockout format.

I don't believe that Liege & Lief is 100% certain to win at all.  There are one or two others that I think may just edge it this time around.  I do however think that this new Fairport albums vote is a great idea.  I can barely wait!

Jules

Sounds like an excellent plan;

the only problem I see is that this works on the assumption that the voters have heard all the albums; how do you prevent, say Nine going dow 0-3 v's The Wood and the Wire just because it's not a well known album?
Maybe use YouTube links to key tracks?

Wouldn't one only vote on the matches where you had heard both albums?
I see a relegation battle and series of drubbings coming up for S.O.O. mind - the veritable Leicester City of the Fairport canon*.


*apologies to all you Leicester supporters out there.  ::)

'Heroes'.  [;-)

Are we doing Bowie albums too?

A don't know would have no effect on the outcome. It wouldn't count as a draw.

L&L might well win, but I can't see it winning all it's matches.
I'm going to ask people to try and think that if they sat down now and played them back to back, which would they enjoy more. Rather than getting nostalgic.

Jules I was just being provocative...........................................but would be interesting if,' the most influential folk album of all time' didn't win.

Colin that's a really interesting concept. I find it difficult to be so objective about the music that I can seperate it from the time and place it takes me back to.
I was 17 in 69 and loved Fotheringay and Ledge from Holidays, Sailors Life and WKWTTG from Unhalfbricking (Sailors Life was the song that just really got me hooked, that moment sitting in my bedroom and listening to Swarb and RT swopping lead lines)) but Liege and Lief, as an album still has the most emotional power.
Sloth from Full House is up there with Sailors Life which is why History Of is an album of choice in the van but the Cd doesn't have Crazy Man Michael, another fave...................................and i will always have a soft spot for the whole of Babbacombe Lee. Saw them do it live, early 72 and it was magical.........so being objective is almost impossible for me.
 Liege and Lief 3, Babacombe Lee 2,after extra time. RT header on the far post.

Great idea, loved the FA Cup when we did it. But L&L will win. So ... I suggest we just call it the EELALL: The Everything Except Liege And Lief League.

I genuinely think that the likes of Holidays and Full House are in with a serious chance, even with Liege & Lief in the running.

Jules

Remember when Sgt Pepper was routinely described as the best Beatles album?  These things can ebb and flow over time.... Having said all that I still regard the 5th best Fairport album very highly..  ;) :)

My prediction still stands.

holidays always does it for me... I know Liege and Leif is the seminal and most likely but Holidays (and History)
is the one that I play most   ;)

I thought we were starting the vote in April.  Wh'appen?

Jules

I must go for Unhalfbricking and Holidays.

My favourite Beat album, too. Followed closely by "I Just Can't Stop It", then "Special Beat Service".  ;)

So are we doing this vote or not?  Has the moment passed?

Jules

My suspicion is, knowing how much work was involved in even doing the simplified version a few years back, that this might just be too much.

Just too much 'real work' at the moment.  :-\

Ah, fairy nuff.

Jules