Year-End Critics' Polls 2012

I think the difference between now and 2008 or whatever, lex, is that it's now congealed into a genre with its own set of rules rather than just a few people shooting off in the dark. It reached its "wot do you call it?" moment (and has suffered greatly for it). Obviously, one side affect of this is that it allows for the laziness I mentioned earlier.

side effect, even

lol i have listened to 50% of the Ultimate Classic Rock list -- ZZ Top the only one that'll be in my year end list

Combined age of that top ten is like 5,000 or something. It's a fine tribute to medical science as much as anything else.

There's something perennially beautiful about the Classic Rock list's refusal to both to yield to fashion and to chase a kind of old-timer credibility and plump for Dylan or someone.

well, there are no new "classic rock" bands, and if there were they'd be even worse than the new records those ancients are still making

I've heard 6 off that Classic Rock list. Would rank what I've heard ZZ Top > Rush > Heart > Bob Dylan > Van Halen >>>>>>> Neil Young

it's Classic Rock magazine, the whole point is that it doesn't yield to fashion.

"making a halfway listenable album past the age of 55" is a genuine noteworthy accomplishment imo

well, there are no new "classic rock" bands, and if there were they'd be even worse than the new records those ancients are still making

Oh of course, but even so their resolve not to sneak in a Jack White or Alamaba Shakes or whoever is admirable.

My admiration has abated somewhat upon reading the gallery sidebar 'HOT ROCK DAUGHTERS - the baby girls of your rock gods are no longer children'.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/top-10-leg-songs/

Lex's favourite, Uncut.

Oh fuck, it's 75. I'm not typing all that out. Dylan controversially beaten to top spot by Cohen.

Token modern hip-hop R&B: Frank Ocean, 5
Happily welcomed returning prodigal son: Bill Fay, 6
Obligatory acknowledgement of Lawrence: Go-Kate Mozart, 12

"making a halfway listenable album past the age of 55" is a genuine noteworthy accomplishment imo

― some dude, Friday, 23 November 2012 13:15 (19 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this might be for another thread, but why is this so often the case? I'm loving that in recent years, albums by (I'm gonna say their names again, sorry) Swans, Scott Walker, Tom Waits and a few others have proven to be exceptions to the rule, but for every one of these there are at least three hoary old rockers or idea-starved popstars churning out uninspiring bilge every year.

Uncut top ten:

1. Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
2. Bob Dylan - Tempest
3. Jack White - Blunderbuss
4. Dr John - Locked Down
5. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
6. Bill Fay - Life Is People
7. Ty Segall & White Fence - Hair
8. Bear Shields - Grizzly
9. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill
10. Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball

With this lascivious little classic off just their second album, 1974’s ‘Get Your Wings,’ Aerosmith figuratively earned their ‘ready for prime time’ diplomas, graduating from semi-glam boys (and New York Dolls doppelgangers) to seasoned hard rock men about town. ‘Lord of the Thighs’ comes swaggering into view on Joey Kramer’s iconic drum beat before Steven Tyler starts slobbering his come-hither lyrics all over the object of his affection; aided and abetted all the way by Joe Perry and Brad Whitford’s slippery guitar licks and solos, which clearly can’t keep their hands to themselves.

this might be for another thread, but why is this so often the case

Inspiration and strong work ethics collide if you're a rock and roller over 50.

you can hear the trouser rubbing from here.

Yeah that ZZ Top is kind of great. I was kind of excited about the Van Halen at the time but have no desire to listen to it anymore. I'm a Rush but it leaves me cold just like everything they've done since 1985. Have not been motivated to hear Young, Aerosmith, Heart, Dylan, Kiss.

Another heavy rock album along the lines of the 'Swedish stuff' is Golden Void. Earthless’ Isaiah Mitchell moves to SF, gets married and writes some REALLY great songs.

xp Some of the malaise I'm sensing seems to be along the lines of what Simon Reynolds wrote about in last year's book Retromania in which he essentially bemoans the end of 'hot new genres.' I hope some might consider my response (here) and give themselves permission to just enjoy what they enjoy without worrying about how 'important' or groundbreaking its supposed to be.

8. Bear Shields - Grizzly

lol

haha

aw man, i really want to hear a south london grime artist called Bear Shields now

Bear Grills

Mojo

1 Jack White
2 Frank Ocean
3 Bill Fay
4 Leonard Cohen
5 Dexys
6 Black Keys
7 Django Djangp
8 Dr John
9 Julia Holter
10 Dyland
11 Scott Walker
12 Tame Impala
13 XX
14 Hot Chip
15 Cat Power
16 Bobby Womack
17 Mark Lanegan Band
18 Orbital
19 Advance Base
20 Lee Fields & The Expressions

man, that frank ocean really is gonna walk it isn't it? i've had it on my iphone for months now and haven't got round to hearing a single thing off it yet.

So glad to see Bill Fay doing so well in a few of these lists. Not just cos it's a good album but I mean really glad for Bill, the person.

Other Mojo polls

Urban

1 Spoek Mathambo
2 Main Attraktionz
3 Frank Ocean
4 Homeboy Sandman
5 JJ DOOM

Electronica

1 Actress
2 Christian Loffler
3 Laurel Halo
4 Jon Talabot
5 Dean Black & Inga Copeland

Jazz
1 Gareth Lockrane's Grooveyard
2 Tomasso Starace
3 John Turville Trio
4 Phronesis
5 Simcock Garland

Undeground
1 Julia Holter
2 Mount Eerie
3 Shackleton
4 Oren Ambarchi
5 Morten Feldman

Reissues
1 Can
2 the Beat
3 The Vlvet Underground & Nico
4 Sex Pistols
5 Darondo

Spoek Mathambo eh? nice one.

So glad to see Bill Fay doing so well in a few of these lists. Not just cos it's a good album but I mean really glad for Bill, the person.

Was just going to say; that album was nowhere as good as everyone wanted it to be.

fastnbulb: The exciting thing about "hot new genres" is that they don't sound like music you've heard before! I mean I hate to get all EPCOT WORLD OF THE FUTURE abt it, but yeah those Witchcraft and Grand Magus albums are great, but that Goat album is like beamed from an alternate reality

Jazz
1 Gareth Lockrane's Grooveyard
2 Tomasso Starace
3 John Turville Trio
4 Phronesis
5 Simcock Garland

Have heard exactly zero of these (my #1 jazz album is the Vijay Iyer one, #2 probably the Endresen/Westerhaus); anything worth checking out?

Also I think that Van Halen album is prolly the classic rock album of the year (but I didnt hear ZZ yet)

did actual jazz heads rate the neneh cherry & the thing album?

I think I've actually heard one of the songs off that Goat album (it was called Goatman I think) and yeah it was terrific.

Goatman, and yeah that track is great.

Unless it was Goathead which is also great ;)

did actual jazz heads rate the neneh cherry & the thing album?

this one did - free jazz and vocals is a p difficult thing to pull off, but it works so well here. great alb.

also, aside from one or two dodgy production choices and a certain lyrical... openness... that you just have to accept, the Bill Fay album IS as good as people say/were hoping. Parts of it are very beautiful, imho.

No sign in the old-man lists of my favourite old-man album this year, then: Loudon Wainwright III - Older Than My Old Man Now.

ha i just mentioned that in this thread: POX new albums from the 21st century by old fossils

Neneh Cherry + Thing is obv great; in my head I wasn't counting it as a jazz album but there's no real reason not to.

Unsurprisingly there's no mention of it in the Jazzwise magazine list:

http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/news-mainmenu-139/69-2012/12580-jazz-breaking-news-courtney-pine-wins-jazzwise-album-of-the-year

TOP 20 NEW RELEASES 2012
1 Courtney PIne House Of Legends Destin-E
2 EST 301 ACT
3 John Surman Saltash Bells ECM
4 Christine Tobin Sailing To Byzantium Trail Belle Records
5 = John McLaughlin and 4th Dimension Now Here This Abstract Logix
5 = Gregory Porter Be Good Motéma
7 = Jeremy Pelt Soul Highnote
7 = Robert Glasper Black Radio Blue Note
9 = Branford Marsalis Four MFs Playin’ Tunes Marsalis Music
9 = Django Bates Belovèd Confirmation Lost Marble
11 Béla Fleck/Marcus Roberts Trio Across The Imaginary Divide Rounder
12 Christian Scott Christian aTunde Adjuah Concord
13 Esperanza Spalding Radio Music Society Decca
14 Phronesis Walking Dark Edition
15 Kurt Elling 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project Decca
16 = Ahmad Jamal Blue Moon Jazz Village
16 = Roller Trio Roller Trio F-ire
18 = Simcock/Garland/Sirkis Lighthouse ACT
18 = Colin Towns’ Blue Touch Paper Stand Well Back Provocateur
18 = Billy Hart All Of Our Reasons ECM

7 = Robert Glasper Black Radio Blue Note

this is good though! i'd forgotten about it, gonna revisit

9 = Branford Marsalis Four MFs Playin’ Tunes Marsalis Music

awesome title

yeah it's really good jazz/noise/soul all at once. and fits in with this recent trend of avant/leftfield pop/rock albums that make good use of brass - Love This Giant, Black Vomit, New History Warfare, Alice by Sunn O))) etc...

that was about Neneh Cherry btw

Jazz-wise, I agree with Glasper, Spalding and Roller Trio (and Neneh Cherry). Would also add:
Troyka - Moxxy
Get The Blessing - OC DC
Brad Mehldau Trio - Ode
Neil Cowley Trio - The Face of Mount Molehill
Portico Quartet - Portico Quartet
Lund Quartet - Lund Quartet

i wish i knew stuff about jazz. maybe i'll give it a go in 2013.

i'm saving it for when i'm too old to go raving

which on the evidence of last weekend is not yet

if only i had the opportunity to go raving more.

Piccadilly Records

http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/shop/feature.php?feature=708