Year-End Critics' Polls 2013

Finally giving the Fantasia album a spin at present, and it's wholly satisfying!

AV Club

If I was A Bird off that Fantasia album is one of my fave tracks this year.

tbh this is a stance that's been drummed into the public by decades of rockist music journalism

It's a perennial attitude, it precedes rock journalism AND rock music. Precedes jazz even.

left liberalism is riddled with concerns about authenticity tbh

false consciousness etc

I have been playing "Without Me" incessantly

fantasia album is good but i like k. michelle's more

has anyone heard the john legend album? i think one of his singles is going to be #1 in australia this week.

I love them both and would give them big hugs if those albums were real people

fantasia more likely to hug you back, k michelle more likely to punch you in the face

(which is why both are great)

it surprises me a little how narrow-minded Guardian music readers are, considering the paper's supposed progressive stance and the general remit of its editorial.

― a beef supreme (dog latin), Thursday, December 5, 2013 4:16 PM (9 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I think it just gathers a bunch of bad-tempered torch wavers and rap-more-like-crap dullards in one place by virtue of being one of the more visible, swiftly turned over outlets for music writing that also has a comment box. rarely get the impression that ppl posting under music articles are esp invested in the 'image' of the Guardian, in the same way that commenters on say food articles might be

I feel like people regard Fantasia as something of a joke when she's (IMO) one of the best singers to appear on the scene in the past decade.

but also yeah if Guardian readers had been able to comment at will in the 1950s it would probably be full of junior Ewan McColls decrying the idea of singing over instruments

I feel like people regard Fantasia as something of a joke

It's possible that's true. To me, she'll always be that last really interesting winner of American Idol (no offense Carrie Underwood).

I'm gonna play the Fantasia album brb

all the offense in the world to Carrie Underwood, tbh

disclosure's US PR must be incredibly strong

lex, can you elaborate? Do you think "White Noise" (which is mostly what I'm seeing on these lists) is that unworthy, or is it more a matter of the mainstream U.S. music press not normally including things along the lines of Disclosure in year end lists?

"white noise" is a great song, the US music press usually doesn't really care about UK dance though, the idea that disclosure are being used to represent UK dance is lol for many reasons

why have guardian writers failed to convince their readership - or commentship - of the uselessness of the rockist position?

why bother?

the idea that disclosure are being used to represent UK dance is lol for many reasons

Since I have fallen in love with UK dance this year (at least for now), I agree that there's plenty more going on that's equally good or better. (I don't know too much about how Disclosure fits in with the larger scenes involved.)

Magnet Magazine - Best Of 2013: Indie Roots
http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2013/12/05/best-of-2013-indie-roots/

MAGNET’s Devon Leger picks the best indie-roots releases of the year.

1 Sam Amidon - Bright Sunny South (Nonesuch)
2 Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer - Child Ballads (Wilderland)
3 Luke Winslow-King - The Coming Tide (Bloodshot)
4 Various Artists - Inside Llewyn Davis (Nonesuch)
5 Valerie June - Pushin’ Against A Stone (Concord)
6 Blind Boys Of Alabama - I’ll Find A Way (Sony Masterworks)
7 Wes Tirey - I Stood Among Trees (self-released)
8 Blackbird Raum - False Weavers (Silver Sprocket)
9 Vikesh Kapoor - The Ballad Of Willy Robbins (Mama Bird)
10 Square Peg Rounders - Galax, NYC (self-released)

wtf is indie roots?

faux-Americana with a sheen of crusty punk? at least in the case of Blackbird Raum, who I have sen live and liked OK

It's "folk," but with a marketable name.

haha yes

elite folk

wtf is indie roots?

― rp boo bryson (NickB), Thursday, December 5, 2013 5:15 PM (4 minutes ago)

^^^

Though may I add - HOLY JESUS WHAT FRESH HELL IS THIS?

best hand-crafted artisanal mp3s

Sam Amidon is married to Beth Orton, I believe. They must be indie-roots royalty.

They're Johnny Cash and June Carter to Marcus Mumford's Woody Guthrie

wtf is indie roots?

the blind boys of alabama/bon iver record should have been the whole list

Yes. Although I am curious about this one song on that Coen Brothers Inside Llewyn Davis movie soundtrack

Please Mr. Kennedy – Justin Timberlake, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver (Ed Rush, George Cromarty, T Bone Burnett, Justin Timberlake, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen)

inside llewyn davis soundtrack is gonna be all indie roots crap. saw a trailer last week and it was just dreadful

I like Sam Amidon, but Bright Sunny South seemed kind of slight compared to his previous two releases. The good Tim McGraw cover at least makes up for the half-assed, ponderous Mariah Carey cover.

xpost to DL … If everyone who complained about the lack of Swans last year had bought the Swans album, they'd be headlining the O2.

"white noise" is a great song, the US music press usually doesn't really care about UK dance though, the idea that disclosure are being used to represent UK dance is lol for many reasons

Since my experience with UK dance is usually confined to ILM and related Internet tendrils, I was really surprised to encounter mentions of Disclosure twice IRL in 2013: 1) a kid talking excitedly on the train after a day at Lollapalooza (seemed like a fan rather than someone who'd just heard them for the first time); 2) my brother's girlfriend, tipped off by her own brother (who's gay and lives in NYC).

just listened to the oneohtrix point never album - wow, a lot of interesting ideas shoved haphazardly together

everything i've heard in the bleak/industrial/electronic end of the spectrum hasn't really touched prurient/vatican shadow

When worked at the Free Library of Philadelphia, I once got a ride home from a dinner party related to work (probably someone's retirement) with a middle aged African American Jehovah's Witness couple, one of whom I worked with (a really easy going and great co-worker). I had had way too much to drink (and they had had a fair amount as well). They were playing the most incredible live disco recording and instead of asking what it was, I lost my opportunity to find out what it was by joking about feeling like I was back in the 70s. Another strike against formulaic joking around. Not really into most of these so far, but the Jones Girls is more like it.

Oops thought this was the disco poll! Kind of OT even there.

Did Disclosure have a song in an ad in the US, or something? I ask because someone I know, who doesn't read music sites or blogs ever, and who mostly listens to classical radio in the car, bought the album.

Marcel Dettmann released one of the finest techno albums of the year for me, the only vocal-ish type track on it ft Emika is a masterpiece alone.

To use the old cliche, Oneohtrix Point Never gains some clarity and improves considerably over multiple listens. Seems much less haphazard to me now than the first couple of listens.

i think it's a beautiful record. i don't hear the haphazardness.

why have guardian writers failed to convince their readership - or commentship - of the uselessness of the rockist position?

lol at convincing pissed off commenters of anything. You'd have to pull some Jedi mind-control shit to get any of them to change their opinion on Miley Cyrus.

everything i've heard in the bleak/industrial/electronic end of the spectrum hasn't really touched prurient/vatican shadow

There's a new Shifted album out which I haven't heard yet but promises much on the strength of his previous records

FACT: The 50 Best Reissues of 2013

My initial thoughts on the new Shifted were it ain't quite as good as the last one, maybe I am being harsh and need to listen again.
xp

oh well, there goes that one