Also, I've seen critics taking Ke$ha seriously, but have yet to see similar treatment for Bieber or Katy Perry. Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Adele, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift all seem to be taken relatively similarly, but is this really that much of a change, or are the years from roughly the mid-90s to the late 2000s just a shift from what should be the norm? Let's remember that Prince, Madonna, and Michael Jackson -- probably the 3 biggest pop stars of the 80's -- all earned their share of critical acclaim in their day, and while none of today's pop stars (save Kanye, if you could even call him that anymore) have reached any of their heights and are even criticized for being derivative of aforementioned 80's pop stars, I'm not sure it's so much of a sudden seismic shift of critical taste so much as a slow readjustment to accepting pop music as legitimate after the horrifying manufactured junk that polluted pop music airwaves in the late 90's and early 00's (think *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, early Britney...).
But I might be completely wrong. I don't know. Just some thoughts. Also I know that last sentence up there was way too long but I'm too lazy to edit it right now, sorry.
Good article, but I'm not sure citing "Call Me Maybe" as the Pazz and Jop winner proves it's anything more than a novelty singer that everyone's tired of by now -- let's not forget they named "MMMBop" the best single of 1997.
Tracks 5-7 are all among the best tracks of the year / best tracks he's ever recorded IMO. Bound 2 is really good too. The rest were all good and I think this is definitely AOTY material at the moment, but I can't figure out where i'd place it if I were to rank his discography. But there's plenty of time for me to figure that out.
Glad I tempered my expectations, it exceeded them wildly.
What about the entire east coast what about the upper midwest which I could feasibly roadtrip to Kevin Shields why do you have to play with my emotions like this!?
I figured you liked it but just in naming the first 3 tracks I also figured you might think it was frontloaded/uneven etc. I can see that though, I feel like everyone reads their discography differently and such so no hard feelings
This is the first record I have a distinct memory of acquiring. I was in 3rd grade. My dad took me to a place that sold CDs (I feel like it was a Borders) and as the cashier was ringing us up the power went out and we were trapped in the store because of a sudden violent storm.
Anyways. Vastly underrated in their catalog and a great album. A+.
and for what it's worth:
10. Vampire/Forest Fire
09. My Body is a Cage
08. Haiti
07. Intervention
06. Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
05. Cold Wind
04. The Suburbs
03. The Well and the Lighthouse
02. Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
01. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
Sad to see Deerhunter so low.
My top 5 at the moment:
My Bloody Valentine - m b v
Deerhunter - Monomania
Disclosure - Settle
Deafheaven - Sunbather
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Awesome year for music. Here's hoping Arcade Fire releases their 4th LP before the year wraps up!
Tidal is pretty underrated but I was a baby when it came out and there seems to be a haze clouding it for people who were. Sullen Girl is a pretty great song, though. So is The First Taste. And Carrion. And Sleep to Dream! Come on, guys! The chorus for the opening track on her debut album had the line "don't forget what I told you, don't come around / I've got my own hell to raise"! That second line practically defines her career?!?!!
Whatever. I'm pretty happy with this list, all things considered.
Uhhhhh, so maybe I'm insane.... but yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the release Souvlaki? And I'm definitely not the only person who loves that album? And thinks it deserves a feature? At least on it's American 20th anniversary of February 2014? Right? :(
I'm ready to embrace the more obtuse sound of where the new record seems to be going, but I can see why people aren't digging this. I dig inaccessible and crazy so this is where I hoped they would go, and it's incredibly exciting.
So, so thrilled. And to anyone who didn't catch it yesterday, there are several good quality streams of "Full of Fire" floating around on soundcloud.
My new most anticipated. Well, most anticipated with a release date thanks to MBV.
Since it was written by Joy Division I'm not complaining, but it is my favorite song recorded by New Order and I would have liked to see it on the list, but I understand why it was omitted.
Awkward because the new Swans and Scott Walker albums have been praised here. Michael Gira is 58, Walker is 69. I think the difference is that the older musicians ranking highly here, are, you know, not making good music anymore.
Yeah, I'm not finalizing everything until I hear Big Boi (which hasn't leaked?) and Scott Walker (which has, I think, but I haven't been able to give a good attentive listen to yet.) But so it goes. Mojo did include El Camino on their 2012 list even though it was released in 2011 last year, so...
I like Grimes but she isn't close to being an act I can support with all my love and passion, even though I can see her growing into one. So at #2... especially when they forgot Fiona Apple...
Not to mention Crystal Castles at 4, the very presence of the Vaccines, and the overall silliness of the top 10... come on, y'all.
This is swell! The top 5 is perfect, at least. Filth and Cop should be higher though. And I miiiight switch White Light and The Great Annihilator. But maybe not.
(II) will always have my heart, but this isn't bad. I really like Plague, Sad Eyes, and Child I Will Hurt You. There's a bit of a slump after Transgender though, and placing Wrath of God and Affection back to back doesn't really make sense. Still solid though.
I wouldn't go that far, but I find the claim that the second half falls off incredibly strange. I thought the second half was way, WAY better than the first - Codex and Give Up the Ghost alone should make that clear. But I can see how a few songs (cough, Feral) would give off aforementioned vibes.
A TOP TEN LIST FOR A BAND I ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT! And it's not awful! You even got I've Been Tired! And Oh My Golly. And the highlights from Doolittle (apart from Gouge Away (and what am I saying that whole album is a highlight.)
Shoutout to "In Heaven (Live)" though. And "Into the White".
He probably meant selected by the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry for special preservation as an artifact of cultural significance, which Daydream Nation is... pretty sure the only other complete rock albums with that status are Nevermind and The Velvet Underground and Nico.
Switch Rather Ripped with Dirty and A Thousand Leaves with Washing Machine and this isn't bad. Bad Moon Rising is way underrated though, Death Valley 69 is spectacular. And Daydream Nation belongs at the top but I'll let it go because Sister is pretty much perfect itself. I'd just take 70 minutes of perfection over 40 minutes.
Hey guys
hey guys guys
why did no one point out ever in history that Yo La Tengo has a new album coming out in January
or did I miss something
I demand an explanation
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