I love the bottom half of this list, less keen on 5-1, but they're all winners. My #1 is a tie between "It Was a Strange Time in My Life" and "Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song"
I also got the clean version for my birthday, and that's the one that's on my computer so I still listen to it that way. I like it better for some reason, maybe because of the whole innocence thing, but just in a whole different way.
Putting in a top ten of the year feels a little like trolling, but I will say I also had a strange, powerful reaction to "I Drive Your Truck" this year. Pleasant surprise to see it on here.
I like Cassie on here, and Blood Orange and Tegan and Sara up as high as they are. So much to choose from this year but I think the top 50 has room for Toro y Moi and UMO. Worried those ones got released too early to be a big presence on year end lists. I loved those albums. And I hate to lobby for people who couldn't need it less, but I'd move JT and Drake both into the top 20. This must have been a difficult year to listify though.
I disagree with pretty much everything you say about The Love Below (except that "My Favorite Things" should've been left off), but for some reason I hated this criticism the most: "Andre’s outsized persona squashes the otherwise pleasant Norah Jones guitar ballad 'Take Off Your Cool.'” I have no idea what that means! It is such a slight, brief, lovely song. What is being squashed there? What about it is outsized?
It's difficult to dispute your main point here, which is that you do not like The Love Below, but it seems like you are just doling out criticisms indiscriminately, whether or not they fit the song you're talking about.
I can't see the forest for the trees, I know, but just want to say that I like Big Sean. He's got a knack for cadence that keeps me coming back to his verses no matter how wormy or gross he gets.
Maybe it's the apologist in me, which you referred to, but as time has passed the (relatively) slighter, less dramatic songs have become my favorites. Songs like "Grace Cathedral Hill," "Isn't It a Lovely Night?" and "O New England." I love this list though, and you're right on #1.
There are pretty major shades of Yeezus on Cruel Summer. I think there was more of a progression into the sound on Yeezus than the Death Grips connection makes it seem like.
I see UMO in the honorable mentions, but that album might be my favorite so far. If not it's second only to The 20/20 Experience. Also, happy to see Rhye on here.
Is it possible to safely say, without offending or any form of facetious side-taking, that I am loving this album after one listen? Slight but catchy strikes me as true, but it's the brand of catchy that works for me.
I always loved "Hot Knives" too. That song gets me amped. The first four tracks of Cassadaga are so good. I like the rest of the album too, but it starts like a classic.
A list completely full of I'm Wide Awake ballads would've been kinda boring, so I don't fault em for it, but yeah it must have been painful leaving anything from that album out. "Poison Oak" is my fav.
I had no idea how much I loved "Marvins Room" and "Headlines" until I heard the rest of Take Care. His songs feed off each other so much. I love "Started From the Bottom" but was reassured once he followed it with "5AM in Toronto." They make each other better. Already love this one, but I think the album around it is gonna make it so much better. It's exciting. It's all happening!!!!
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