i guess they’re still actually popular in the uk, it’d just been like 3 years since i’d even been reminded they exist
Oh I’m not arguing that the NME doesn’t have a dearth of ideas, just saying that the Arctic Monkeys album appearance probably isn’t the worst offense on the list. Actually I’m kind of surprised they didn’t toss in the other Gallagher bro’s album too.
(xpost)
Surprised because lol NME, not because it is any good or anything.
yeah I quite like the Monkeys record.
I thought those Alex Turner songs had the effect of killing the emotional moments in Submarine stone dead actually.
from a personal aversion to Turner? his voice?
Nah while I’m not particularly into him I don’t have much of a problem with Turner or his voice either. It’s just that it was an emotional enough movie anyway, and it really didn’t need sensitive acoustic busker ballads indicating when the viewer should feel sad.
Yeah, it was a good movie, but when he started singing it suddenly killed it because y’know, “oh, it’s the Arctic Monkeys guy singing”. So many US indie films have been guilty of doing this—crowbarring music from some indie act and it feels like you’re being force-fed these acts in a kind of “Of course you like Moldy Peaches, don’t you?” kind of way. I felt similar about Submarine, so I hope it’s not a trend the UKers will continue.
Wire put Lulu at #9
James Ferraro at #1 apparently.
Is it out today?
I have to say that, despite FACT’s best attempts to make it seem horrible, that Loops Haunt track is outstanding
Looks like it, Sean xp
Yeah i got my digital edition today. Will try to type some of it out when I can.
Oh damn, we don’t have a Wire thread on the sandbox, do we? I’m excited as they should be using my photos for the CooS review.
even with Kreayshawn, this section of the FACT list is so so sooooooo much better than what they posted yesterday
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
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
“someone like you” is borderline top 10 track imo
I don’t mind her voice or arrangements; it’s that I don’t find her songs memorable.
i’m not sure if adele finds herself that interesting
“rolling in the deep” is a pretty great song—i agree with dan that that’s the one time i’ve felt she could be as special as her hype says she is. it’s been way overplayed this year though, kinda turned me off it—BUT this version of it RULES MY LIFE
(dan especially, watch that!)
Is that Loutallica’s highest placing so far?
It’s their first placing outside of SE Asia!
LOVE YOU, WIRE
I think I might love “Rolling in the Deep” if Alison Moyet in ’85 had sung it.
ken stott gave it a good review in the wire
Is Rolling In The Deep the one that’s just piano accompaniment and the same verse/chorus structure all the way through?
That is “Someone Like You”, and criticizing a pop song for having “the same verse/chorus structure all the way through” shows a fundamental misunderstanding/misconception of what makes a pop song.
she sings like that because that’s how soul singers are supposed to sound
This^^ And it goes with a number of other singers—it’s like a really good impression of how a singer ought to sing rather than inhabiting a song with one’s own personality, which leaves this uncanny valley effect that’s really prominent with Adele. It’s like someone sucking their stomach in and over-compensating their posture during a job interview. I’m always left hanging on every note, waiting for her to completely fuck everything up and come out with some wonky braying baritone canard.
Lol good trolling on the part of Wire
VT are probably stocking up on the ltd box so they can punt it on ebay to stupid wire readers
Amazon.com—Best Music of 2011
Top 10 music editors’ picks for best albums of the year
=======================================================
1. Adele, “21”
2. Bon Iver, “Bon Iver”
3. The Decemberists, “The King is Dead”
4. James Blake, “James Blake”
5. The Civil Wars, “Barton Hollow”
6. Cut Copy, “Zonoscope”
7. Cults, “Cults”
8. Little Dragon, “Ritual Union”
9. tUnE-yArDs, “W H O K I L L”
10. Foo Fighters, “Wasting Light”
Top 10 customer MP3 favorites for 2011:
=======================================
1. Lady Gaga, “Born This Way”
2. Adele, “21”
3. Original Broadway Cast, “The Book Of Mormon”
4. Coldplay, “Mylo Xyloto”
5. The Decemberists, “The King Is Dead”
6. Fleet Foxes, “Helplessness Blues”
7. She & Him, “A Very She & Him Christmas”
8. Death Cab for Cutie, “Codes and Keys”
9. The Civil Wars, “Barton Hollow”
10. Bon Iver, “Bon Iver”
gross
I think it was just a typographical error on the part of the Wire—it was meant to read “9. Ilx—Precovers Lulu’
okay wau @ X-Factor “Rolling in the Deep”
smh @ dog latin
yeah that was dope
That is “Someone Like You”, and criticizing a pop song for having “the same verse/chorus structure all the way through” shows a fundamental misunderstanding/misconception of what makes a pop song.
― OH NOES, Wednesday, 7 December 2011 16:58 (24 seconds ago) Bookmark Permalink
No, come on. There are fantastic pop songs out there that don’t rely on bludgeoning repetition and inertia to get the point across. I found that song infuriating because it was a pleasant idea utterly wasted. There’s nothing to come back to—no uplift, no tension, no bridge, no nothing -just the same melody repeated over and over in this really uninspiring way. I call this the Beautiful South effect. You can sing the song in 20 seconds and just paste it back-to-back on itself for four minutes and boom: there’s your hit. That’s not songwriting—that’s coming up with a catchy riff and forgetting to finish the job.
okay wau @ X-Factor “Rolling in the Deep”
misha b was voted out last weekend, having consistently come in the bottom two, because the british public are racist morons. SORRY she just wasn’t “likeable” kmt
my favourite thing about misha’s “rolling in the deep” might be her chorus following the rap—those low notes, so fierce
xpost not that repetition is a bad thing, I mean one of my favourite songs of the year was King Creosote’s “Your Young Voice” which is essentially a one-line tone poem. But this is done very deliberately. There’s no meat to that Adele song.
I don’t think I’ve actually heard Rolling In The Deep, so I’ll listen to that when I get home.
There’s no meat to that Adele song.
gonna let this one pass, i think
anyway i always forget that year end time on ilx drives me up a wall bcuz dog latin comes back and starts saying inane shit
was there much love for blaqkout in that year’s non-ILM lists?
― lex pretend, Wednesday, December 7, 2011 11:03 AM (45 minutes ago) Bookmark Permalink
it had a pretty healthy showing on P&J (#62) and Pitchfork (#25), certainly a larger critical profile than Book of David anyway
I think ‘Rolling in the Deep’ is a pretty good song, though I get the feeling I might have only heard a remix? I wasn’t feeling the X Factor version until the rap, but then I was really impressed with her. I think one thing about X Factor versions is that they aren’t really ‘songs’ but more presentations, right? Because her version doesn’t really make any narrative sense at all, but as a presentation of “look, this is what I can do and this is the style I can work with” she’s quite compelling.
Is that Amazon list supposed to be the 10 bestselling mp3 albums of the year? How many people bought “A Very She & Him Christmas”???
“Someone Like You” is very droning and monotonous imo, it’s really a shame that THAT is the first #1 piano-and-vocals-only ballad in US pop history because it really doesn’t do much with those tools
I think one thing about X Factor versions is that they aren’t really ‘songs’ but more presentations, right?
yeah i’m not sure whether this is intent (on the programme/contestants’ part) or just a function of the songs having to be edited down to 2.5 mins (cher lloyd managing to cram the backing vox, lead vox and queen pen rap of “no diggity”, PLUS a tears for fears chorus in the middle of it all, last year was some mind-boggling feat of timing)
anyway i always forget that year end time on ilx drives me up a wall bcuz dog latin comes back and starts saying inane shit
― v-shasty, Wednesday, 7 December 2011 17:09 (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Permalink
hmm... this is the first negative thing i’ve had to say about pretty much anything on these lists so far. And face it like-it-or-not, Adele isn’t the most exciting music out this year. I’m not saying she doesn’t have talent. She has got a great voice and her songs are pleasant enough. I just don’t think anything this tepid should be hitting the high marks in these polls.
half the albums on all these lists are pretty fucking tepid! bon iver, fleet foxezzz! adele is no more tepid than they are
trolling in the deep
No, come on. There are fantastic pop songs out there that don’t rely on bludgeoning repetition and inertia to get the point across. I found that song infuriating because it was a pleasant idea utterly wasted. There’s nothing to come back to—no uplift, no tension, no bridge, no nothing -just the same melody repeated over and over in this really uninspiring way. I call this the Beautiful South effect. You can sing the song in 20 seconds and just paste it back-to-back on itself for four minutes and boom: there’s your hit. That’s not songwriting—that’s coming up with a catchy riff and forgetting to finish the job.
Sorry, this entire paragraph is flat-out wrong.
The song clearly follows the pattern intro-verse-prechorus-chorus-verse-prechorus-chorus-bridge-chorus-chorus-outro with slight variations in the melody in each section with the one strict constant being the arpeggios in the piano up until the third chorus. The entire song does a series of swells that builds to the bridge, which relaxes into the third chorus and crescendos directly into the repeated chorus.
It’s not a complicated song, but it is not underwritten or underperformed.
Now, I will say that the piano part is really, really, really simple, like Alicia-Keys-first-album simple, and that has a tendency to overwhelm the song; that’s an arrangement problem, and one that I found pretty easy to overcome when I started focusing on what she was doing.