Sasha Frere Jones Perfect Recordings Volume 1 - Poll

not a bad batch of songs but way less idiosyncratic than his annual singles lists used to be. if you told me this was by a webzine staff i'd believe it

is he doing ebert-style essays or just tweeting?

he wrote about a couple of them here but i think that's it:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/04/beyonce-run-dmc-perfect-recordings-music-playlist

feels kinda lazy/indulgent for a "major" critic to just put these lists out without writing anything, even just for framing/context, but whatever

was almost about to vote for the song i requested last week at the bowling alley disco night (toxic) but then i saw carey and now i just don't know

well, "wrote"

SFJ: This one: it’s obvious, but it’s insane. And in terms of rap appearances, it’s one of Jay Z’s best verses, period. It’s perfect. I’m not gonna fight with a hit – sometimes the hit is the hit. With Beyonce, I could have chosen so many songs. I could have put on Irreplaceable. Almost did. Got very close.

this undercuts my assumption this is in preparation for a book cuz i think he'd have more interesting things to say if he was putting that degree of thought in to this.

yeah that's what i mean, like this is no different than one of my friends throwing together a playlist except that the guardian wouldn't call them to talk about it.

Also I like "hot thing" ok but that he picked that over "ballad of Dorothy Parker" is disappointing not the least becuz I first learned of "ballad" from a spin review of timbaland he wrote in the 90s (not even getting into whether prince has a couple dozen other worthy contenders)

lol was so taken back by "hot thing" i missed he also big-up'd "never take the place of your man". nonetheless.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Also I like "hot thing" ok but that he picked that over "ballad of Dorothy Parker" is disappointing not the least becuz I first learned of "ballad" from a spin review of timbaland he wrote in the 90s

haha yeah -- in a SPIN review in '97. I had the same response.

"outstanding"

or "the word girl" but really "outstanding"

Hot Thing is perfect, tho. It's a p good/interesting list to me bt I don't know why SFJ's thought of as objectionable

Voted for Pony. His list could've been autogenerated by Amazon recommendations.

eah that's what i mean, like this is no different than one of my friends throwing together a playlist except that the guardian wouldn't call them to talk about it.

― call all destroyer, Saturday, September 6, 2014 10:03 PM (5 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol otm, this is just "hey here are some songs i really like!" ok thx dude!

What a villain

just kind of feel like the notion of a canon in general is just kind of dumb. more so when you are just arbitrarily throwing up your personal favorite songs

I think this "canon" thing comes from the title of this thread, the SFJ piece about this doesn't mention that word.

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/sasha-frere-jones/perfect-beat

fair enough

in any case though i feel like this thread needs this image

http://www.newyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/frerejones.png

I only hate 3 or 4 of these songs. Good effort.

Most of these lists is zzzz

needs more artists with dollar signs in their name, huh?

It's actually a very good list. My only quibble at a glance is that I think that's a boring, though perfectly fine, Joni Mitchell song to pick out of all of them.

Oh but hey we could aall be wetting ourselves over fkav Twigs

I was going to comment earlier but I vomited all over my keyboard when I saw this list. I thought ISIS was evil...

xp she's on the tracklist of Perfect Recordings 4

crazy isn't even one of my ten favorite pylon songs. getting your opinions on post-punk from michael stipe is like getting your opinions on jazz from wynton marsalis.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

It's essentially a list of famous, mostly downbeat and slow, pop songs from his lifetime. Yawn.

there are maybe 4 slow songs on there. also SFJ is 12 years old. You are wrong on all counts.

I am shocked to discover that "Warm Leatherette" was not a US pop hit...Racoon, you steered me wrong.

I think this "canon" thing comes from the title of this thread, the SFJ piece about this doesn't mention that word.

i feel like most canon-constructing exercises don't "mention that word" either... basically any Important List published by a prominent critic or publication can be assumed to be an attempt to add to the canon, especially if so much of what it includes is already acknowledged in the canon

Raccoon double c better check the spelling

that's my favorite travie mcscott lyric