This one’s tough for me, too, in a different way. I like both songs alright, but they both would have lost to 20 other songs in the 32.
Yet, each has one more moment that always charms me. In Stiperstones, it’s the spot when the music changes as he freaks out and runs away. In Bad Wools, it’s the lines where he corrects the song’s length and catalogue number. Did the band become pedantic after it realized its fans were, or are the fans pedantic because the band already was? Chicken? Egg?
Either way, I’m helpless in resisting pedantry’s charms. Bad Wools it is.
3 November 2015
Beltane beard
Both fine songs, but RARIFOBW edges it for having a fantastic demolition of plastic “celebrity” football fans and being a bit more melodic than its opponent.
Whether it will prevail in this tie is TBA though…….
3 November 2015
Two fat feet
Easy one to choose, difficult to predict. Bad Wools is alright, and would probably get my vote against quite a few others at this stage, but Stiperstones is deranged, and it’s brilliant.
However I suspect Bsd Wools will prevail by half a length with 53% of the vote.
3 November 2015
Hazelsound
This one has split our household – pretty sure it will split the wider vote here. For me Stiperstones has moments of brilliance, but loses its way (and I’ve been known to skip it). Bad Wools gets my vote – partly as it’s led to some great discussions about the history/concept of wools.
3 November 2015
flintlock
The best two songs from the last four albums up against each other? I’m just going to say that Exxo’s essay on the word ‘wool’ is the best thing I’ve read on this site.
3 November 2015
John come-on
Totally agree with Flintlock regarding Exxo’s article on wools. Another very difficult choice but Stipers for me not just because of it’s vaguely ‘rambling’ based opening (not enough British upland / hiking songs in the popular music charts these days) but “along with his bag of woods” makes me smile every time.
3 November 2015
Clash City Rocker
Agree with the comments about celebrity football fans. Tough choice two great tracks. I think I will mull this one over whilst I finish this jigsaw I’ve got on the go…if only I could find the piece to complete Hess’s uniform.
3 November 2015
paul f
One of the hardest calls of the round for me, but Wools edges it, perhaps after a replay, extra time and penalties.
3 November 2015
Talking to plankton
Stones gets my vote – as Two Fat Feet wrote; it’s deranged and brilliant. Wools is good but doesn’t have the imagination of Stones
3 November 2015
No Legs Best
This is a tough one, but RARIFOBW just edges it for me. Not just because I used to live near Leigh On Sea, but mostly for the line “play one the drummer knows” which had me giggling like an idiot the first time I heard it.
3 November 2015
toastkid
Both great but my instincts led me to The Stiperstones.
3 November 2015
EXXO
My ears must have been burning Flintlock cos I’ve been offline for a couple of weeks then I log on to see that comment no.22,222 was not somebody testing the microphone for plosive pops as one might have expected, but rather someone expressing his excellent judgement and taste …though you must have missed David Peace’s sketch in the 2011 semi-final thread which should claim the accolade you bestow upon me, (along with many other claimants superior to my own humble, prosaic and very long-winded efforts).
I should also remind you that the boringly authoritative & pompous nature of my ‘wools’ essay caused at least one erstwhile contributor to roll his pram off the edge of the site with toys all over the place …almost never to return.
3 November 2015
GOK WAN ACOLYTE
Glad to see I’m not alone in considering this the toughest choice of the round. Both have fantastic lyrical gems – “The crazy world of Arthur Brownlow” had me giggling the first time I heard it, but then again the whole LIPA groups section of Bad Wools is fab. I’m leaning towards Stiperstones purely on the musicality – the keyboards going crazier and crazier as the conversation with Lynette/Glenda becomes madder and madder is one of the highlights of 90B(C) – but I may be waiting to vote until the last minute. Shame one of them has to go out really, but that’s the Europa League for you.
3 November 2015
EXXO
We’ve got 2 residents of the village of Stiperstones coming to dinner tonight, 4 months on since I first played them this song, when we went to a wedding in that village and regretted not asking the DJ to put on some Biscuits. They park outside Mrs. Exford’s house when they come to the match in Leeds so we had to invite them in sometime. Season ticket holders who commute 200 miles to every home game. Good job Leeds has no concept of ‘wools’ so we do not have to debate whether their blind loyalty to their dad’s birthplace exempts them from criticism for not supporting their local team, though Shrewsbury Town must despair.
I might well be the only (regular) poster on here who has ever turned down a place on the soccer sofa on a Saturday morning on principle, so despite another of my all-time top ten having to go, my vote was never in doubt.
3 November 2015
Chris The Siteowner
I so hope David Peace is warming up for the latter stages this year too.
3 November 2015
EXXO
He’s usually happy enough to contribute where his work is appreciated – rather than roundly ignored like the last one – I’ll let him know if I see him – all it usually takes is someone to tickle his ego and it’s Peacey gone mad.
3 November 2015
Chris The Siteowner
I’m impressed he’s such a good mate, Exxo.
3 November 2015
SIMON P
Whilst on record there’s not much to choose here, RARIFOBW wins through its monstrous live presence.
3 November 2015
Kendo nagasaki
DotS by a hair. Rarifobw has some amazing moment “do you ever get to roots hall” etc but the madness of crucifixion nails and polo necked jeans does it for me
4 November 2015
Stringy bob
I prefer many other songs, but one of my favourite HMHB moments is (as described in comment 1 by Featureless TV Producer Steve) when the music changes as he freaks out and runs away (crashing into a mannequin dressed up as Warden Hodges). It is utter madness and utter genius in equal measures. Love it. So Descent it is for me.
4 November 2015
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There are now 50,503 comments on this site. Why not make it one more?
Featureless tv producer steve
This one’s tough for me, too, in a different way. I like both songs alright, but they both would have lost to 20 other songs in the 32.
Yet, each has one more moment that always charms me. In Stiperstones, it’s the spot when the music changes as he freaks out and runs away. In Bad Wools, it’s the lines where he corrects the song’s length and catalogue number. Did the band become pedantic after it realized its fans were, or are the fans pedantic because the band already was? Chicken? Egg?
Either way, I’m helpless in resisting pedantry’s charms. Bad Wools it is.
3 November 2015
Beltane beard
Both fine songs, but RARIFOBW edges it for having a fantastic demolition of plastic “celebrity” football fans and being a bit more melodic than its opponent.
Whether it will prevail in this tie is TBA though…….
3 November 2015
Two fat feet
Easy one to choose, difficult to predict. Bad Wools is alright, and would probably get my vote against quite a few others at this stage, but Stiperstones is deranged, and it’s brilliant.
However I suspect Bsd Wools will prevail by half a length with 53% of the vote.
3 November 2015
Hazelsound
This one has split our household – pretty sure it will split the wider vote here. For me Stiperstones has moments of brilliance, but loses its way (and I’ve been known to skip it). Bad Wools gets my vote – partly as it’s led to some great discussions about the history/concept of wools.
3 November 2015
flintlock
The best two songs from the last four albums up against each other?
I’m just going to say that Exxo’s essay on the word ‘wool’ is the best thing I’ve read on this site.
3 November 2015
John come-on
Totally agree with Flintlock regarding Exxo’s article on wools.
Another very difficult choice but Stipers for me not just because of it’s vaguely ‘rambling’ based opening (not enough British upland / hiking songs in the popular music charts these days) but “along with his bag of woods” makes me smile every time.
3 November 2015
Clash City Rocker
Agree with the comments about celebrity football fans. Tough choice two great tracks. I think I will mull this one over whilst I finish this jigsaw I’ve got on the go…if only I could find the piece to complete Hess’s uniform.
3 November 2015
paul f
One of the hardest calls of the round for me, but Wools edges it, perhaps after a replay, extra time and penalties.
3 November 2015
Talking to plankton
Stones gets my vote – as Two Fat Feet wrote; it’s deranged and brilliant. Wools is good but doesn’t have the imagination of Stones
3 November 2015
No Legs Best
This is a tough one, but RARIFOBW just edges it for me. Not just because I used to live near Leigh On Sea, but mostly for the line “play one the drummer knows” which had me giggling like an idiot the first time I heard it.
3 November 2015
toastkid
Both great but my instincts led me to The Stiperstones.
3 November 2015
EXXO
My ears must have been burning Flintlock cos I’ve been offline for a couple of weeks then I log on to see that comment no.22,222 was not somebody testing the microphone for plosive pops as one might have expected, but rather someone expressing his excellent judgement and taste …though you must have missed David Peace’s sketch in the 2011 semi-final thread which should claim the accolade you bestow upon me, (along with many other claimants superior to my own humble, prosaic and very long-winded efforts).
I should also remind you that the boringly authoritative & pompous nature of my ‘wools’ essay caused at least one erstwhile contributor to roll his pram off the edge of the site with toys all over the place …almost never to return.
3 November 2015
GOK WAN ACOLYTE
Glad to see I’m not alone in considering this the toughest choice of the round. Both have fantastic lyrical gems – “The crazy world of Arthur Brownlow” had me giggling the first time I heard it, but then again the whole LIPA groups section of Bad Wools is fab. I’m leaning towards Stiperstones purely on the musicality – the keyboards going crazier and crazier as the conversation with Lynette/Glenda becomes madder and madder is one of the highlights of 90B(C) – but I may be waiting to vote until the last minute. Shame one of them has to go out really, but that’s the Europa League for you.
3 November 2015
EXXO
We’ve got 2 residents of the village of Stiperstones coming to dinner tonight, 4 months on since I first played them this song, when we went to a wedding in that village and regretted not asking the DJ to put on some Biscuits. They park outside Mrs. Exford’s house when they come to the match in Leeds so we had to invite them in sometime. Season ticket holders who commute 200 miles to every home game. Good job Leeds has no concept of ‘wools’ so we do not have to debate whether their blind loyalty to their dad’s birthplace exempts them from criticism for not supporting their local team, though Shrewsbury Town must despair.
I might well be the only (regular) poster on here who has ever turned down a place on the soccer sofa on a Saturday morning on principle, so despite another of my all-time top ten having to go, my vote was never in doubt.
3 November 2015
Chris The Siteowner
I so hope David Peace is warming up for the latter stages this year too.
3 November 2015
EXXO
He’s usually happy enough to contribute where his work is appreciated – rather than roundly ignored like the last one – I’ll let him know if I see him – all it usually takes is someone to tickle his ego and it’s Peacey gone mad.
3 November 2015
Chris The Siteowner
I’m impressed he’s such a good mate, Exxo.
3 November 2015
SIMON P
Whilst on record there’s not much to choose here, RARIFOBW wins through its monstrous live presence.
3 November 2015
Kendo nagasaki
DotS by a hair. Rarifobw has some amazing moment “do you ever get to roots hall” etc but the madness of crucifixion nails and polo necked jeans does it for me
4 November 2015
Stringy bob
I prefer many other songs, but one of my favourite HMHB moments is (as described in comment 1 by Featureless TV Producer Steve) when the music changes as he freaks out and runs away (crashing into a mannequin dressed up as Warden Hodges). It is utter madness and utter genius in equal measures. Love it. So Descent it is for me.
4 November 2015