Magazine/website/record store BEST OF 2011 end-of-year list pile-up

I'm excited as they should be using my photos for the CooS review

Aw, congrats on that!

Hmm...I thought that all print subscribers could now access the digital edition but I can't see how to make it work (I don't have an exact editions account). I guess I'll have to wait and see if it has been delivered at home.

Complete lack of love for the DJ Quik album in these lists. Should we be surprised?

No. With the exception of Jeff Weiss, the only people who've loved that record post here.

was there much love for blaqkout in that year's non-ILM lists?

this applies to like...at least 3/4 of all my favourite albums this year. i don't know whether people didn't like them or just didn't bother hearing them despite all my repping.

Wire
1. James Ferraro - Far Side Virtual
2. Rustie - Glass Swords
3. Eliane Radigue - Transamorem - Transmortem
4. Hype Williams - One Motion
5. The Beach Boys - The SMiLE Sessions
6. Michael Chapman - The Resurrection And Revenge Of The Clayton Peacock
7. DJ Rashad - Just A Taste
8. Laurel Halo - Hour Logic
9. Lou Reed & Metallica - Lulu
10. John Wall & Alex Rogers - Work 2006-2011
11. Keiji Haino / Jim O'Rourke / Oren Ambarchi - In a Flash Everything Comes Together As One There Is No Need For A Subject
12. Sun Araw - Ancient Romans
13. Bill Orcutt - How TheThing Sings
14. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
15. Peaking Lights - 936
16. Corrupted - Garten Der Unberwusstheit
17. Balam Acab - Wander/Wonder
18. Ricardo Villalobos & Max Loderbauer - Re: ECM
19. Anti G - Presents 'Kentje'sz Beatsz'
20. Thomas Ankersmit & Valerio Tricoli - Forma II
21. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
22. Cornelius Cardew - The Great Learning
23. Thundercat - The Golden Age of Apocalypse
24. Hecker - Speculative Solution
25. Andy Stott - We Stay Together
26. Rinse 16: Mixed By Ben UFO
27. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
28. Margaret Dygas - Margaret Dygas
29. Jim O'Rourke - Old News #5
30. Bangs And Works Vol 2: The Best of Chicago Footwork
31. Ekoplekz - Intrusive Incidentalz Vol 1
32. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
33. The Advisory Circle - As The Crow Flies
34. Miles Davis - Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol 1
35. Alexander Tucker - Dorwytch
36. Helm - Cryptography
37. John Chantler - The Luminous Ground
38. Ectoplasm Girls - TxN
39. Cindytalk - Hold Everything Dear
40. Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra
41. Kuedo - Severant
42. Structure - Toad Blinker
43. The Fall - Ersatz GB
44. Leyland Kirby - Intrigue & Stuff Vol 1
45. Patrice & Friends - Cashmere Sheets
46. Zomby - Dedication
47. Music For Merce (1952-2009)
48. Peter Evans Quintet - Ghosts
49. Rrose x Bob Ostertag - Motormouth Variations
50. Michael Chapman - Trainsongs: Guitar Compositions 1967-2010

nice to see corrupted make it

Yeah, really happy to see them rate that Corrupted album, its great.

is that rustie album good

yeah i'm pleased to see the rustie album getting lots of EOY love, though it's sliiiightly worn off for me (like from "dead cert top 10" to "dead cert top 20"

Here's the best track. You decide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUEU8nMy5mA

Lol good trolling on the part of Wire putting that James Ferraro at #1.

i'm surprised by the various results so far. i actually thought that let england shake would top many/most of these lists, yet so far it doesn't seem like it.

you're seeing the same acts though: Destroyer, Bon Iver, Frank Ocean, etc.

track is p dope, number none

I forgot about Smile. I'm yet to hear it - holding out for a Xmas present.

Your kidding re: PJ Harvey right? I mean, its not topping every list, but I mean... this is pretty much as universal acclaim as you can get:

5 pj harvey - let england shake
06 - LET ENGLAND SHAKE - PJ HARVEY
1. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
02) PJ Harvey: Let England Shake
2. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
4.PJ HARVEY - "Let England Shake" (Island)
01 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
1: PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
3. PJ HARVEY - 'Let England Shake'
1 - PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
7. P.J Harvey : Let England Shake
2) PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
01 PJ Harvey - Let England Shake.
1. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
8. PJ Harvey : Let England Shake (Island)
1. PJ Harvey Let England Shake
5. PJ Harvey Let England Shake

you're seeing the same acts though: Destroyer, Bon Iver, Frank Ocean, etc.

true.

Guess which album is leading the Metacritic list that compiles all the results so far?

http://www.metacritic.com/feature/music-critic-top-ten-lists-best-albums-of-2011

hm. okay. i guess i haven't studied the various lists enough. or maybe a few curious choices (e.g., ferraro; the weekend; florence + the machine) threw me off.

(xp)

Guess which album is leading the Metacritic list that compiles all the results so far?

wait, don't tell me. i think i already know.

Is that Metronomy album any good or is it rubbish indie electro of the highest order like I'm assuming?

hm. okay. i guess i haven't studied the various lists enough. or maybe a few curious choices (e.g., ferraro; the weekend; florence + the machine) threw me off.

The Florence album is really, really, REALLY good, like unreasonably so in the face of expectations. Basically, I bought it on a whim because I knew my wife wanted to hear more of her and most of the songs are just above and beyond what I was expecting, particularly "What The Water Gave Me", "No Light, No Light", "Remain Nameless", "Seven Days" and "Strangeness and Charm".

i haven't gotten around to it yet. reviews were mixed, IIRC.

pj harvey will top the ilm list obv

It's basically a big sweeping gothy pop album, I really love it and I didn't think I was going to (I thought it would be overbearing and try-too-hard).

Of course, I am not a fan of her videos...

pj harvey will top the ilm list obv

i've been wondering this - i'm not sure, it didn't actually seem to take with wider ilx beyond the hardcore in her thread.

pj harvey will top the ilm list obv

would be the first ever rock winner if it does

TIME magazine:

10. Black Keys - El Camino
9. Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
8. The Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee, Part II
7. Caitlin Rose - Own Side Now
6. tUnE-yArDs - W h o k i l l
5. Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra
4. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
3. Kanye West and Jay-Z - Watch the Throne
2. Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials
1. Adele - 21

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101344_2101364,00.html

who is this frank ocean then?

he's one of the more talented Odd Future ppl

I'll say this now: I wish Adele would just fuck off.

YEAH!

Actually, no, I don't mind that she exists, I just wish people outside of Mondeo drivers would stop trying to convince themselves she's supposed to be good.

she has a very nice voice!

she seems nice and inoffensive!

Adele is a weird case. I think she has a fantastic voice but it's clear that she is abusing the hell out of it; every recording of her I've heard has had at least one appearance of serious vocal fray, to the point where my only surprise at her cancelling her tour to have throat surgery is that she made it as long as she did before throwing in the towel. As a result, listing to her singles is this awful seesaw of going "what what a voice"/"yikes that sounds like it hurts, stop that".

isn't that the american idol effect?

everybody wails all the time, mostly for no good reason.

steve perry used to wail, too, but he chose his spots better.

I listened to the Frank Ocean album yesterday. I thought some of the production was interesting, especially considering he supposedly recorded it on a shoestring. That bit where he starts playing a Radiohead song and you think it's going to be used as a sample but his girlfriend tells him to switch it off is kind of funny. The lyrics are good, but I think it's his vocal style that lets him down - there's little dynamic or pitch change and that dogs down something that would be otherwise pretty cool. Also (and I'm absolutely not an expert here) but I've noticed a lot of avant-r'n'b producers ripping off Terius's vocal affectations - Frank does this, so does the Weeknd - and I'm not sure that's a good thing.

Adele's making a shitload of money for XL, so maybe that'll go towards financing some riskier stuff?

1. James Ferraro - Far Side Virtual

I'd never even heard of this fellow before but I think I really quite like this

"nice and inoffensive" is absolutely Adele. I figured I'd check some out before dismissing her outright, and I guess the songs are pleasant, but they don't do anything. They just sit there for four minutes doing fuck all. It's soundbite music - sounds great in a snatch on TV or radio and convinces people to buy it, but you're left with just extended versions of those snatches.

isn't that the american idol effect?

Pop singers have been doing that long before "American Idol"; go back and listen to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" for example. And the problem isn't wailing all the time, it's HOW they're wailing.

Also in what universe does "Rolling in the Deep" not sit there doing anything?

i would like to know what kind of shoestring pays for the services of Tricky Stewart and James Fauntleroy

James "Little Lord" Fauntleroy

adele's lack of risk-taking and "inoffensiveness" isn't her problem (and neither is the BORING strawman of the boring square mondeo driver who only wants comforting familiarity)

dog latin you are coming out w/some real clichés right now

It's difficult to get annoyed about Adele really, I don't actually like her voice that much, I don't here very much emotion in it at all really, it's like she sings like that because that's how soul singers are supposed to sound.

I don't here very much emotion in it at all really, it's like she sings like that because that's how soul singers are supposed to sound.

Interestingly, I feel that way about pretty much every Adele song I've heard EXCEPT "Rolling in the Deep"; I feel like she connected with that one.

well, adele isn't really my regular thing, so excuse cliches (although not entirely sure which bits you're exactly referring to here). can't help feeling that way. Is Rolling In The Deep the one that's just piano accompaniment and the same verse/chorus structure all the way through?

Is that Loutallica's highest placing so far?

my (lack of) response to adele is along much the same lines as my (lack of) response to frank ocean and the weeknd. you just don't move me guyzzz and none of you are as interesting as you think you are