Battle of the Bands VII

Here are letters N-R.

N
“Northern Star”: Melanie C. vs. Hole
The Decision: Okay, so maybe I was a little bit in love with Sporty Spice when I was fifteen. Tell me you didn’t have an embarrassing teenybopper obsession. I know; I know. I’m not fifteen now, but it’s hard to get rid of music, okay? That’s why I still have all these Dave Matthews albums. Also, say “hole.” Heh, “hole.” It’s fun!
Winner: Hole

“Not Today”: Kelly Clarkson vs. Jump, Little Children
The Decision: I just started listening to the rest of this Jump, Little Children album, Magazine somewhat recently--I had previously only been interested in “Cathedrals.” This song is good, but Kelly Clarkson has to win something. I also totally love this song of hers.
Winner: Kelly Clarkson

P
“Paper Bag”: Fiona Apple vs. Anna Nalick
The Decision: Oh, jeez. This is one of my favorite Fiona Apple songs—or maybe my favorite Fiona Apple song; I haven’t decided yet—and Anna Nalick is just… Not as good. You remember that song “Breathe” that died a horrible death in my collection from too much radio airplay (and from totally ruining that montage at the end of the bomb scare episode of Grey’s)—none of her songs are really better than that. Even though she does use a line from “No Rain” in this song. Okay, so I think this song may be better than “Breathe”—but not better enough.
Winner: Fiona Apple

“Perfect”: Guster vs. Alanis Morissette
The Decision: I said earlier that it would take a really good song to beat something from Jagged Little Pill, and I love Guster, but this is not that song.
Winner: Alanis Morissette

R
“Recently”: Dave Matthews Band vs. Polaris
The Decision: Well, I’ve said before I’m growing disenchanted with a lot of DMB’s stuff, and this Polaris song is from The Adventures of Pete & Pete. That says it all, I think.
Winner: Polaris

“Run”: Indigo Girls vs. Ben Kweller
The Decision: Oh, god this is hard. I, like, am in love with the Indigo Girls’ latest album, and I’ve never met a Ben Kweller song I didn’t love. However, Emily Saliers does not have any grammatical errors in her song. “I have ran”? Come on, Ben.
Winner: Indigo Girls