We didn't have as much participation this round as we usually do, possibly due to the holiday weekend. That was a shame, though, as this was one perhaps my favorite round of the contest so far.
Here's what I had to say:
This was a very tough vote.
I like the Regal Worm album a lot. I did feel like there were some lags -- the first four or so songs are excellent, whereas after that, it's a bit more hit and miss for me. But this is certainly right in my prog sweet spot, and if this album makes it through this round (and it's certainly off to a strong start), it should be a powerful contender throughout the tournament.
As for the Strawbs LP, I agree with what some of you have said re/I don't think it's quite as powerful the series of albums that came directly after this, which is where Strawbs really hit their stride. Regardless of this, Strawbs has always been one of my favorite bands, and this is Strawbs with one of their most powerful lineups. "Song of a Sad Little Girl" is exquisite. I wavered on this vote a little, but I'm voting for Strawbs.
Now I'm going to be honest here: By the time I voted, the vote already wasn't close, which allowed me to just vote my heart. If the vote had been close, I think I would have given them each another listen, and I'm not entirely sure which way I would have gone.
However, as I said, the vote really wasn't that close this week.
Final Result: Regal Worm 10, Strawbs 5.
And I expect that Regal Worm will be a real force in the next few rounds. As I said in my comments when I voted, it looks to me like a contender with a chance to win it all. Stay tuned.
