Comments

The Michael Buble version is good - surprised it didn't get mentioned here!
Thanks for digging that up! Now we know that the previously scapped version of Ye would’ve also been pretty bad.
I am almost positive this was originally going to be Ye, because at one point in either April or May Kanye shared a photo of a board with a few tracks listed and “Ecstasy” was one (unless it’s coincidence...). Too lazy to go back and find that photo though.
I think the “Realiti” demo is the best thing she’s done - and actually probably one of my favorite songs of this decade. It’s the perfect blend between the more hazy, dreamy sound of Visions and the poppier tunes of Art Angels. It’s almost sad to me that it won’t get the love it deserves because it’s a “demo” and can only be found in video form!
The verses sound a lot like Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" and/or the acoustic versions of Bruce Springsteen's "No Retreat, No Surrender"
For me this follows my typical reaction to a Pinegrove song: Listen 1-Listen 4: this song is okay Listen 5: this song is everything
Robin, Thanks for making this. To me, it's a Kid A or Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. It reveals its beauty with each listen and is one of the most exciting albums I've heard in quite some time.
Also, album is definitely a grower and while I was pretty negative about it at first I've come around.
This must be what it feels feels like to like the Weird Al version of a song more than the original. It can be a joke but these are (especially #9) AMAZING pop songs.
Well, sometimes when I think something is great on my first one or two listens I quickly become bored by it and sometimes when I think it's horrible it turns out that it's Kid A, so we'll see.
I'm a huge fan of both artists, so I'm not trying to be a hater. I'm sure there's a strong 8 song record in here somewhere. But it's kind of hard to find the highlights when listening to the whole thing at once because so much of it sounds the same (quick aside: I much prefer short and concise records to long ones, but if you're going to go long, you have to have diversity in there i.e. White Album or London Calling). On top of it just being a long album, so many of the individual songs seem to go on forever. "Leaving L.A." is really beautiful and it would be an epic 6 or 7 minute song, but at 13 minutes it begins to feel like beating a dead horse. I've only listened to the record twice though, so my initial impression could be completely wrong and maybe it'll reveal itself as a stronger album than what I'm hearing so far.
Album feels like an indie folk-rock version of Drake's Views - overly long and monotonous.
I think it has a lot to do with the fact that artists (typically) release much less music now. An "off" album can feel like a big deal when it's 3-4 years between records rather than 1.
Exactly. Should be "No Problem" as best fromComoring Book. First song is pretty awesome but that Kanye vocal is a giant dump on an otherwise good song.
On second listen, I'm enjoying this a lot but there's a few things in almost every song that just flat out annoy. The Kanye vocal on "All We Got" sounds way too loud in the mix and throws it off, the vocal sample in the back of "No Problem" is just a little too loud (though I overall love that track), "Summer Friends" could use less of the Bon Iver imitation throughout, the "good God!" voice in "Blessings" bug, etc. And of course it could've been better with "Somewhere in Paradise"!
Should've included "Somewhere in Paradise." That song's amazing!
Maybe to build up hype around it he'll call it "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy 2." Since it's his most celebrated album and there's precedence for making sequels to celebrated rap albums...calling it that would signal how highly he wants everyone to consider it. And I remember that before MBDTF came out he played with album titles a bit until announcing that it was always MBDTF.
Don't comment often, but wanted to share mine so it could be used in the commenter's list being put together: 1 Kendrick 2 Tobias Jesso Jr 3 Jamie xx 4 Sufjan Stevens 5 Father John Misty 6 Tame Impala 7 Deafheaven 8 Courtney Barnett 9 Julia Holter 10 Chvrches
Surprised at all the hate this is getting. It's nothing forward-thinking, but the songs are just really, really pleasurable and have that classic feel to them.
I completely agree with this. From about 2002 to 2011 I was an obsessive fan. When In Rainbows was announced, especially with how new and fresh that announcement felt at the time, I actually ran around my apartment screaming with excitement. I've never had a reaction like that to something in popular culture before or since. I think Hail to the Thief is underrated (maybe a little long - chop off one or two of the weaker songs and it's pretty perfect), and I couldn't wait to see where they were going next. I remember in the 10 days leading up to In Rainbows just fantasizing about how amazing it would be. Even something about the name sounded so un-Radiohead like but still kind of oddly beautiful (along with that amazing cover artwork), and many of those songs had been out for a while and were amazing and I couldn't wait to hear the recorded versions. Though it wasn't a huge push forward, it pretty much lived up to the hype I created around it because it was just so damn good. But King of Limbs was an entirely different beast. Even the name and album artwork left me cold. While it wasn't terrible, it was the first time I was left with really wanting more from them. It was the first time it felt like something was missing. Beyond not pushing forward, I agree with Ryan in saying that something was just missing... There are definitely some enjoyable moments...but the first half just sounds like throwaways to me ("Bloom" is okay - the From the Basement version with the horns works a lot better, but the other 3 just feel flat). But the second half - man, that second half is gold! If they had made a 10 song album with the quality of those 4 last songs, we'd have another masterpiece. Maybe it wouldn't have pushed the envelope - maybe that's too much to expect now anyway - but it would've had some strong, beautiful songs. I think there were 6 great songs from those sessions - the 4 on the back half of the album plus "The Daily Mail" and "Staircase" (seriously, God that song is good!). While I haven't lost my love of the band, there is a bit of worry that their best days are behind (especially with the weak stuff Thom Yorke has been doing lately...not horrible or anything, just lacking). But then again, with a band this great, I would not be surprised if they make a "comeback."
I think you're right. Night 4 would be Tuesday...typical release day.
It does sound like a Yeezus outtake - unfortunately, imo, one that should've been left unreleased.
I've basically said this in a post somewhere on this site before, but they should've definitely had some of those Good Friday songs on here, especially because some of them are great and it would've exposed them to a larger audience. Pretty much any of the tracks that haven't already been released somewhere else ("The Joy" or the ones that eventually did make it onto MBDTF) are just as good as the stuff on here, if not better. "Christian Dior Denim Flow" = amazing. Same with "Lord Lord Lord" and "Chain Heavy." And the rest is pretty great too ("Looking for Trouble," "Take One for the Team")...these are so much better than most of what's on here except for "Mercy," "Clique," "So Cold" and maybe a few others that will grow on me. I just feel like it was a wasted opportunity to get some of that other stuff out there beyond people who would bother finding it on the internet, and it could've made for a super strong compilation if they had them on there.
I pretty much have never written in a comments section to complain, because I'm all about the positivity, but I have to say this somewhere, and none of my friends go on this site, and I just want to voice this opinion one time, because internet (I stole that from someone in the comments section last week), so here goes: I love the site, but sometimes (sometimes, not always) I feel like the mission is to hate and complain and find things wrong about everything. That and never, ever break the rule that one must write sarcastically and in the same tone and voice all the time. I'm not trying to be a dick, I really do like this site, but does everything need to be drenched in sarcasm? And I'm not trying to say quit doing that entirely, not at all, I'm just trying to be reasonable and say can't we sometimes drop the veneer? (I'll be honest I'm not sure if I'm using that 100 percent correctly). It's not my site to run, but it's odd to look at Mad Men and Breaking Bad recaps that spend most of the time ripping on the shows when they're pretty much brilliant and two of the best shows ever, and I certainly don't walk away thinking they're perfect but I also don't walk away trying to find things wrong (I did love the True Blood recaps, because they deserved it and because you didn't have to try to find things wrong with that show because there were so so many obvious things). Don't you guys (and I mean Kelly and Gabe, who by the way I think are really good writers and most of the time really enjoy their voice and style) like anything? Even when you do like something, you still have to find everything that was wrong with it. Can't there be the occasional change in style? Again, I actually love your style and voice, and even find myself emulating it in my own writing sometimes because it's distinct and funny, but occasionally I feel like everyone's is picking at everything so much that it takes away from the enjoyment of it. By nature, film and television narrative can't be perfect, and sometimes it's just nice to sit back and enjoy something. I know I've repeated myself a bit here but I just want to get out my point nicely and please don't be mad at me because I respect you guys and the commenters on this site and would be kind of sad if people didn't like me even though it's the internet.
True, not all those "for the ladies" songs are terrible, and "One More Chance" is great. But I would say the majority of them are fairly atrocious. There have been a lot of good rap albums that would've been better if they didn't have to devote 2 or 3 songs to those kinds of tracks. Plus, Biggie just has that charisma about him where he could do those songs and get away with it. Rick Ross, not so much.
I listened to it yesterday, granted just once, and was not impressed. He's definitely become a better rapper, but so many of the beats, themes, etc just seemed subpar. I'd really like to see rappers quit with the "for the ladies tracks" (are there any girls that actually like this stuff? Who really wants to listen to a song with a repeated mantra of "Fucking you" in the background?) I was really surprised to read such a positive review. BUT, I really respect your opinions Tom, and will definitely give this a few more listens before I make any real judgments. That's what I love about reading music criticism, it can always help me reassesses something, usually for the positive (after all, I'd rather like and enjoy more music than not). So I'll give it another try.
I love original material, but there were a lot of GOOD Friday songs released before Dark Twisted Fantasy that I think deserve to go on an album proper too, if only because they deserve to be heard by more than just obsessive, blog-following music fans. Casual Kanye listeners should also get to hear (especially) "Christian Dior Denim Flow," "Lord Lord Lord," "Take it for the Team,"...even "Christmas in Harlem" is pretty damn good. And so is this. Maybe a double album with a second disc of the GOOD Friday stuff that's come out before? (excluding early versions of the stuff that did make it on Dark Twisted Fantasy.)
http://www.metacritic.com/feature/music-critic-top-ten-lists-best-albums-of-2011 Hope this helps. It looks like PJ Harvey is in the lead right now.
I'm enjoying it (based off of one listen) but it's about 30 minutes too long (like most rap albums).
They should've just packaged Murmer and Automatic for the People together
Agreed on the song of the year bit.
I can't believe that guy bought it for 50 bucks. Conrad is right - that record goes for a just a few dollars at most record shops, and that's with the mark-up after they've gotten it from someone else. What a chump!
I thought it was pretty amazing and beautiful. I love watching music done in a more raw way with just one instrument and a voice (which is why I love La Blogotheque). I honestly thought after watching that the comments were going to be about how great it was - it was gutsy, well done, and showed that those Raitt songs aren't trite or "cheesy" like most people think, but actually very well written and emotional when the overproduction is stripped from it. Oh, and it certainly didn't seem like an American Idol audition. Every time someone sings next to a piano, is that an American Idol audition?
Definitely agree - the falsetto is cool, but I actually like his natural lower key a bit better, and think that some songs on the album actually would've been better served by it.
And someday, maybe it will be considered a masterpiece. This is a hard band to prematurely evaluate - they have a way of sneaking up on you.
Whether or not you like it, I don't think it's calculated or them trying to be "trendy." I think they actually enjoy the current movements in music and were influenced by it. Just like Kid A was influenced by late 90s Warp records, not some need of theirs to be "trendy." It's okay to not like it, and it's not the awesome masterpiece I was hoping for, but I can't really expect that every time, and I respect that it's different than what they've done in the past. A calculated move would be to remake The Bends or OK Computer for the rest of their career. Again, whether or not you like what they do, I don't think Radiohead makes calculated moves.
Brandon's top 10 from last year... http://www.villagevoice.com/pazznjop/critics/2010/686058/ 1 Agalloch, Marrow of the Spirit Profound Lore Points: 10 2 Swans, My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky Young God Points: 10 3 Deathspell Omega, Paracletus Norma Evangelium Diaboli/Season of Mist Points: 10 4 Zola Jesus, Stridulum EP Sacred Bones Points: 10 5 Thou, Summit Gilead Media Points: 10 6 Salem, King Night Iamsound Points: 10 7 Ludicra, The Tenant Profound Lore Points: 10 8 Inquisition, Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm Hells Headbangers Points: 10 9 Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles II Fiction Points: 10 10 Titus Andronicus, The Monitor XL
I'm going to just agree with you both on that one - I'm tired of the misogyny in hip hop. Period. I On another note about the song, it's okay, but I would've rather have seen them do something a little more classic Jay-Z/ Kanye West-like, something soulful. Rather than let a 19 year old kid who's style will (in my opinion) soon be considered a flash in the pan produce the record, why not take it back to a classic, Blueprint/College Dropout sound? Imagine if they were rapping over something like the beat for Exhibit C. Now that would be a single that would blow me away.
I don't think this will be on Watch the Throne...it was originally supposed to appear on MBDTF. It was part of a leaked tracklist early in the summer.
I criticized "Hell of a Life" earlier, but it's grown on me quite a bit. This album definitely should've made room for "The Joy" and "Chain Heavy." Cutting off the Chris Rock bit alone would've made room for them, and they are pretty much masterpieces of classic hip hop sound. "Chain Heavy" was originally supposed to go after "Power" and "The Joy" after "Devil in a New Dress." Would've been great additions.