Yo P&J, I'm really happy for you, Imma let you finish, but ILX had the greatest 2009 poll of all time! All time! (2009 ILX Trax Poll Results: TOP TEN TODAY)

Assuming Reverend's predictions are right, I'm now looking at tons of songs in the 50 and thinking, b-b-but this isn't better than Daniel. I'm getting non-voter's remorse - that would have been in my top 3 with Zero and The Fear.

The dif between Phoenix and Interpol/The Killers, though, is that they don't seem aggressively fame hungry. They're more concerned with making perfect-sounding records (something I'm sure was considered by Air when they brought them all together as a backing band).

I really loved those first two Phoenix albums and would name Too Young as one of the best songs of the last decade but the latest stuff just leaves me cold. I really can't put my finger on why? I think I just want more songs like If I Ever Feel Better and Everything is Everything.

b-b-but this isn't better than Daniel

I voted for Pearl's Dream, but I'll be disappointed if Bat for Lashes doesn't get in when a lame-o Florence & The Machine remix does.

everything is everything and if I ever feel better are all time

I know nothing about Interpol (except for their original pre-fame drummer was Greg Drudy who rules), the Killers nor Phoenix, I'm merely basing my impression on their sound, matter of fact!

I get the impression I would like Phoenix's early stuff better, it's just that their new stuff doesn't make me interested in hearing it.

speaking of odd combinations of songs

for singing cat lovers dirtyprojnewsom doubleplay

hahahahahahahahaha okay I have JUST NOW realized what song "1901" is

cell phone ads are like ground zero for half of these bands, huh

i think "daniel" was the only indie track i voted for - in principle i don't have a problem with it not being on the list but given some of the stuff that's in its place...

know yr ads! "1901" sells Cadillacs.

actually, looking fwd to 1901 on Rock Band, seems like it would be a fun song to play on a video game which is a pretty late 00s way of evaluating music.

even i like "if i ever feel better" - there were some great filter house remixes of phoenix around that time too - the new stuff is soooo not as good but i totally understand the "generic comfort food" justification for liking them, i value that stuff a lot too

can ppl keep making these mashups plz

oh ok i just listend to that one

The dif between Phoenix and Interpol/The Killers, though, is that they don't seem aggressively fame hungry. They're more concerned with making perfect-sounding records (something I'm sure was considered by Air when they brought them all together as a backing band).

― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 3:43 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

don't see how a lack of fame hunger has any effect on how they come across to me (other than that they sure are a lot more faceless than the Killers, for better or worse)

Oh, it probably shouldn't. I just appreciate bands who are total studio rats and only go play live out of obligation.

btw as someone who has been experiencing phoenix's old records for the first time in the last two weeks or so, i'd strongly encourage people to give them a chance as they're quite different from the newer stuff.

i loved when noz tweeted after pazz & jop "i youtubed some 'indie rock' songs i didn't recognize from the p&j list but it turns out that i already do know them from tv commercials."

Joanna Newsom vs Dirty Projectors is amazing BTW

also the DP singing is not nearly as off-putting next to JN

its never been like that>united>alphabetical>wolfgang amadeus imo

i'm kind of with kitchen on this; I don't want to do the old "I liked their first album better" schtick but, well....

dp newsom is kinda shaggsy i spose

I just appreciate bands who are total studio rats and only go play live out of obligation.

― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 3:51 PM (43 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

i understand this with, like, Steely Dan, but in the ProTools era hearing spotless antiseptic car commercial rock doesn't really fill me with appreciation for the band's sense of studio craft

are people trying to use the fact that "1901" is in a car commercial as a dig against phoenix? like who cares? also i'd kind of guess that whatever phoenix album you heard first is gonna be your favorite--if you've heard one...

if you've heard one you've heard em all that is

eh i heard them in order and i don't think thats right at all

United was the first one I heard, but I like each successive album better than the one before it.

tbh it's only a dig w/ me because it sounds like a car commercial (i.e. if I had no idea that it was a real song by a critically acclaimed band I'd assume it was just some ad agency hackwork)

I get the impression I would like Phoenix's early stuff better, it's just that their new stuff doesn't make me interested in hearing it.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 2:46 PM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark

you would dig "if i ever feel better" and "everything is everything" and "too young"

too young and rally are their best songs

much more indebted to soul & disco then car commercial indie rock

I brought up the commercial thing and it wasn't a dig at all, it was an "oh, THAT song! I like that song!" reaction followed by an observation on how I actually hear all of this stuff since I never listen to alt radio anymore.

yeah "rally" makes me so happy

i think ppl are making the case that phoenix SOUNDS like it was made for car commercials but the lyrics/vocals are willfully eccentric and kind of blow that up imo

I liked their first album better isn't a schtick w/phoenix, just how it is
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01442/jamie-hector_1442541c.jpg

car commercial music sounds like a compliment wrt phoenix and their album before this is one of my favourite of the 00s

Television is alt radio now. Hipster twenty-somethings at ad agencies read music blogs too, have favorite bands, and slip them work if the opportunity arises.

yeah 'it's never been like that' is just about the perfect guitar pop record

btw this thread is inspiring me to finally check out Grizzly Bear and my initial reaction is "...really?"

Starting to think that "Daniel" will make the list and "Heads Will Roll" or possibly "My Girls" will get the shaft... just a hunch (er... hope?).

the little drum break in consolation prizes is so perfect it made me lol 1st time i heard it

much more indebted to soul & disco then car commercial indie rock

― big hoos state of mind (J0rdan S.), Tuesday, February 2, 2010 3:57 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

talking about a band's non-indie rock influences when defending their indie rock-sounding stuff is a weird dead end (see also: Dirty Projectors upthread)

If I'd voted, I would have voted for "Daniel" or "Pearl's Dream".

i'd be stunned if my girls got cut. and don't we have our YYY quota yet?

The first two Phoenix albums really are different than the last two, though. It's a legit point of contention.

04 -- Animal Collective - My Girls (21 votes, 243.5 points, 1 #1 vote/s) (3 in P&J, 1 in p4k)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zol2MJf6XNE

For me, this song is like one of those action movies that only gets good about half-way through itself, and so that’s where you always start it when you pop in the DVD. Mid-way through “My Girls” the strong melody and howling vocals start harmonizing wonderfully with the rhythms and peripheral sounds, and Noah Lennox’s spiritual or pharmaceutically-induced contentment about life and family becomes piercing. The Beach Boys-Animal Collective comparisons aren’t too far off, either. Aside from the sonic similarities and holding nature in worshipful awe, there is from Lennox that innocent, maybe naïve, philosophy about contentment that Brian Wilson had. “I don’t care about social status/I just want four walls and adobe slacks for my girls” isn’t too far from “then we’ll be married and then we’ll be happy/oh wouldn’t it be nice.” -Cunga

for as much AnCo irritates the tits off of me, "My Girls" is one song where they got it right

lol actually an xpost

"heads will roll" being top 4 would be mind-boggling to me. "1901" wouldn't but i don't think it deserves it at all

talking about a band's non-indie rock influences when defending their indie rock-sounding stuff is a weird dead end (see also: Dirty Projectors upthread)

well their early albums sound way different than their other two -- the albums are spotty as hell but the singles are classic and definitely not indie rock in the classic sense