Hey folks!

The twenty-second week of the Best Album of 2001 is over! But before we get into that, a repeat of the special message from last week:

We have another session of Best Album Virtual Karaoke coming up, this time for the inaugural year of 1995! But when should we do it? That’s what we’re asking in this quick little Google survey right here, that’s right, just click here. It’s all of two questions! And if you haven’t participated in the Best Album Virtual Karaoke, know you’re missing out. You don’t have to sing if you don’t want to!* (*unless you’re the Best Albums editor, then they make you.)

And now onto the weekly wrap-up!

WE HAVE OUR FIRST UPSET IN NEARLY A MONTH! That’s right, #23 SOUTHERN ROCK OPERA defeated #10 OH, INVERTED WORLD by four votes, in one of those last-hour rallies that happens… quite often really, but just hasn’t resulted in an upset in some time. My recollection was that SOUTHERN ROCK OPERA was very strong out the gate, pre-newsletter delivery, and then expectedly lost a lot of ground one the newsletter came out. But it didn’t lose that much ground, and so didn’t have to rally that hard. But hey, a rally’s a rally in my book. Kudos to both albums for the terrific match.

So that was exciting! And that’s all that was exciting. Underdogs #18 STEPHEN MALKMUS and #26 BLEED AMERICAN didn’t lose by that much, but their defeat was really never in doubt. Will we see an upset next week? Well, there’s #8 vs. #9 match, so you never know.

THE BEST ALBUM OF 2001 PREDICTION BRACKET TOP 20

Here’s Week #9 of the Prediction Bracket Top 20!

So with this edition of the Top 20, ALL RESEARCH AND SUCCESSFUL DRUG POLICY SHOWS THAT TREATMENT SHOULD BE INCREASED AND LAW ENFORCEMENT DECREASED WHILE ABOLISHING MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES is #1 for a 5th straight week, and the longest-running #1 of the 2001 Tournament. Congrats! Party Hard is still at #2, also for the 5th straight week. #3 this week is Alpha Delta Kilo, reaching a new highest position. Congrats also!

Björk Sweep and I know I'm going to regret doing this both move up 5 notches, and How to Disappear Completely from the Bracket top 10 jumps up 6, but the biggest moving bracket this week is The 2001 Music Project: Upsets & Despair, leaping 8 notches to #7 in its third week on the Top 20. On the flip-side, Who's Josh? falls the most this week, dropping 6 notches to #20.

Four brackets appear on the Top 20 this week, but only one is completely new. Take Off Your Pants and Bracket comes in at #19 after being last seen in Week #6, Life Was Full Of Possibilities, after dropping off last week, shows up again at #17 (a new high!) and I'm Bookish and Indie Rock Coded AND I VOTE, last seen in Week #7, leaps back in at #15. Welcome back, all! And a big welcome to Daft bracket, making its debut at #18. Hello! Stick around for awhile!

We gained four brackets this week, and we lost four brackets. Say goodbye, for now, to Vast Aire's 10k Hz Legend (last week #19), We Could Have Had The Crack (lw #16), Bjork's Swan Dress (lw #13) and sctttnnnt, last seen all the way up at #8. Hope to see you again before it’s all over!

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

On Monday, #2 The Strokes, IS THIS IT defeated #31 The Dismemberment Plan, CHANGE, 121-72. (193 total votes, +49)

On Tuesday, #15 Aaliyah, AALIYAH defeated #18 Stephen Malkmus, STEPHEN MALKMUS, 121-103-1. (225 total votes, +18)

On Wednesday, #7 Gorillaz, GORILLAZ defeated #26 Jimmy Eat World, BLEED AMERICAN, 125-104-3. (232 total votes, +21)

On Thursday, #23 Drive-By Truckers, SOUTHERN ROCK OPERA defeated #10 The Shins, OH, INVERTED WORLD, 126-122-2. (250 votes, +4)

On Friday, #3 The White Stripes, WHITE BLOOD CELLS defeated #35 Life Without Buildings, ANY OTHER CITY, 137-91-1. (229 votes, +46)

NEXT WEEK’S MATCHES

Monday, August 24th: #14 Jay-Z, THE BLUEPRINT vs. #19 Kylie Minogue, FEVER.

Tuesday, August 25th: #6 Radiohead, AMNESIAC vs. #27 Cannibal Ox, THE COLD VEIN.

Wednesday, August 26th: #11 Missy Elliott, MISS E... SO ADDICTIVE vs. #22 System of a Down, TOXICITY.

Thursday, August 27th: #1 Wilco, YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT vs. #16 Low, THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE.

Friday, August 28th: #8 Gillian Welch, TIME (THE REVELATOR) vs. #9 Spoon, GIRLS CAN TELL.

We currently have a Designated Cheerleaders for THE BLUEPRINT, FEVER, THE COLD VEIN, YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT, TIME (THE REVELATOR), GIRLS CAN TELL and that’s it. (Is that it? That’s more than half of them! Great job everyone.) If you’d like to write one for one of the other albums, which are AMNESIAC, MISS E... SO ADDICTIVE, TOXICITY, THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE (or even another for one of those other six), send it to [email protected]. Thanks!

Best,

Kent