I've noticed a pattern for the first round...
 

the older album always wins. I hope this doesn't mean that the middle and newer albums are going to get short-changed.

Not entirely true. Murray Street killed EJT&NS. As a rule, it is bound to go the way you say though. At least until the albums are in the same basic time frame.

The problem is, my two favorite albums went up against each other in the first round, and they're from totally different SY eras. =(

That was the case with a lot of the choices for me. Bad Moon Rising will always win, but NYC Ghost & Flowers would have been at top 5 contender if it wasn't against the best.

Yes, there is a LOT of love for the early stuff, no doubt about it. My 2 faves have gone (probably) - Sonic Nurse and NYCG&F. Dammit!!!

On the whole, their earlier material is a lot better. For me, Murray Street is the only album in the last 10 years that holds a candle to their 80s material.

i see what you did there!

EJST&NS sucks! that's why!\

Nurse rules though