Hey folks!

The thirteenth week of the Best Album of 2001 is over! Not a whole lot to say here — all the higher seeds won their matches. I thought #75 MUSIC TO MAKE LOVE TO YOUR OLD LADY BY was going to be more competitive and get within tie range, but that didn’t happen. (Still did pretty well, though.) TOXICITY, while winning, did pretty poorly for a #22 seed against a #107 seed, suggesting, like last week, that Detroit garage rock was underseeded and metal (like last week’s #38 LATERALUS) is overseeded.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

On Monday, #11 Missy Elliott, MISS E... SO ADDICTIVE vs. #118 Ruby, SHORT-STAFFED AT THE GENE POOL, 118-31. (149 total votes, +87)

On Tuesday, #54 Unwound, LEAVES TURN INSIDE YOU vs. #75 Lovage, MUSIC TO MAKE LOVE TO YOUR OLD LADY BY, 86-69-5. (160 total votes, +17)

On Wednesday, #22 System of a Down, TOXICITY vs. #107 The Detroit Cobras, LIFE, LOVE AND LEAVING, 112-88-1. (201 total votes, +24)

On Thursday, #43 Josie and the Pussycats, JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS: MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE vs. #86 Broken Social Scene, FEEL GOOD LOST, 96-74-1. (171 votes, +22)

On Friday, which is today, I took the day off. Happy Juneteenth to all who celebrate!

NEXT WEEK’S MATCHES

Round 2 Begins!

Monday, June 22nd: #1 Wilco, YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT vs. #64 Rufus Wainwright, POSES.

Tuesday, June 23rd: #32 Mary J. Blige, NO MORE DRAMA vs. #33 Aesop Rock, LABOR DAYS.

Wednesday, June 24th: #16 Low, THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE vs. #80 Roots Manuva, RUN COME SAVE ME.

Thursday, June 25th: #17 Cake, COMFORT EAGLE vs. #48 Ben Folds, ROCKIN' THE SUBURBS.

Friday, June 26th: #8 Gillian Welch, TIME (THE REVELATOR) vs. #72 Kristin Hersh, SUNNY BORDER BLUE.

Saturday, June 27th: the next edition of the Weekly Wrap-Up will debut the tournament’s first Prediction Bracket Top 20! The Prediction Bracket Top 20 is the most popular part of the Best Album tournament, many people are saying this.

We currently have a Designated Cheerleaders for YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT, LABOR DAYS, RUN COME SAVE ME, ROCKIN' THE SUBURBS, TIME (THE REVELATOR), SUNNY BORDER BLUE and that’s it. If you’d like to write one for one of the other albums (or even another for one of those two), send it to kentmbeeson@hey.com. Thanks!

Best,

Kent