the thesis is flawed re: its analysis of 808s but this is kind of OTM:
The doubters on CMG staff question how much of this album’s strength is dependent on what we know of Kanye versus how much is intrinsic. To which I can only respond: does it matter? Kanye West loves the living shit out of music, and if you can’t hear that in every meticulously arranged note and gleefully tossed-in guest appearance (even in a misplaced Rick Ross), then you will never hear it.
― Tina Tina Cheneuse (DJP), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:19 (thirteen years ago) link
You know, I hate conflict of all types but Nostradumbass is pretty funny.
― Carl Jung Jeezy (Doran), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:19 (thirteen years ago) link
haven't looked over the guardian list in much detail, just a cursory glance at the list, but the janelle monae blurb is *fantastic* and really serves to capture her appeal, i think
http://m.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/dec/16/albums-2010-janelle-monae-archandroid?cat=music&type=article
― i genuinely thought when i first joined that he was the admin (ilxor), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:20 (thirteen years ago) link
it's also oldxp
― Shakey Moe Szyslak (Algerian Goalkeeper), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:21 (thirteen years ago) link
Kanye West loves the living shit out of music, and if you can’t hear that in every meticulously arranged note and gleefully tossed-in guest appearance (even in a misplaced Rick Ross), then you will never hear it.
also, this is true -- but could easily apply just as well to, say, nickelback; are they not passionate about their music as well?
― i genuinely thought when i first joined that he was the admin (ilxor), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:21 (thirteen years ago) link
"he's passionate about his music" = "points for trying hard"
― lex diamonds (lex pretend), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:22 (thirteen years ago) link
Yes they are, and they aren't actually as terrible as everyone says they are.
― Tina Tina Cheneuse (DJP), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:24 (thirteen years ago) link
Kanye feat. Chad Kroeger = "We Love It"
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 17 December 2010 15:26 (thirteen years ago) link
exactly; it says absolutely nothing about quality!
xp to lex
― i genuinely thought when i first joined that he was the admin (ilxor), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:27 (thirteen years ago) link
also, this is true -- but could easily apply just as well to, say, nickelback; are they not passionate about their music as well?Yes they are, and they aren't actually as terrible as everyone says they are.― Tina Tina Cheneuse (DJP),
― Tina Tina Cheneuse (DJP),
oh yes THEY ARE
― Shakey Moe Szyslak (Algerian Goalkeeper), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:28 (thirteen years ago) link
14 :: Sharon Van Etten - epic
glad to see this finally making into a couple lists, she's really great
― /\/K/\/\, Friday, 17 December 2010 15:29 (thirteen years ago) link
the janelle monae blurb is *fantastic* and really serves to capture her appeal
otm great blurb
― dirty *plop* (The Reverend), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:40 (thirteen years ago) link
lex i'm really glad you voted for K. Michelle high in the Guardian.
I tried to get it in the lower regions of the FACT list but it wasnt really happening. havent seen it in any other lists :(
― tomlea, Friday, 17 December 2010 15:41 (thirteen years ago) link
Nickelback are passionate about writing songs that are radio-ready enough to offend the least amount of people and make the most amount of money from shallow masses.
― I will always think of you, while (quite) fondly, myself (Evan), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:43 (thirteen years ago) link
thanks for waking us up to the truth, bra
― dirty *plop* (The Reverend), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:45 (thirteen years ago) link
my attempts to make k. michelle happen this year may have been one of my hugest failures ever
― lex diamonds (lex pretend), Friday, 17 December 2010 15:47 (thirteen years ago) link
The K Michelle mixtape has some terrific songs on it but the sound quality is kind of poor which makes for a frustrating listen. She could put out an amazing record when she gets round to recording a proper album.
― Matt DC, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:00 (thirteen years ago) link
Sad to see lack of The Books in most of these.
― reallysmoothmusic (Jamie_ATP), Friday, 17 December 2010 16:09 (thirteen years ago) link
― lex diamonds (lex pretend), Friday, December 17, 2010 10:22 AM (51 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
seriously. don't any other critics deal with tiny talentless no-names who are SO SERIOUS about their music to the point that they realize how little the artist's enthusiasm and dedication really matters as far as separating the good from the bad?
― some dude, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:17 (thirteen years ago) link
I don't know, I like to listen to music that sounds enthusiastic.
― congratulations (n/a), Friday, 17 December 2010 16:22 (thirteen years ago) link
pretty much every album i'd rep for this year sounds "enthusiastic" in its own way.
― lex diamonds (lex pretend), Friday, 17 December 2010 16:27 (thirteen years ago) link
at least her *fantastic* collab w/ r. kelly on his new album may heighten her profile a bit, no?
― i genuinely thought when i first joined that he was the admin (ilxor), Friday, 17 December 2010 16:29 (thirteen years ago) link
thing is, the overwhelming majority of the artists listed in this thread, regardless of how you feel about them, are really enthusiastic about their music and obsess over it every chance they get. that's the baseline of how most records of any value get made, not a virtue unto itself. Kanye's only kind of a standout in a genre where a lot of the biggest artists kind of cultivate a not-giving-a-shit image (but still work hard and make a ton of music).
― some dude, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:33 (thirteen years ago) link
i have n-thusiasm about bbcode
― ARP 2600 vs. Atari 2600 (Ówen P.), Friday, 17 December 2010 16:38 (thirteen years ago) link
Also, DJP, please relax gurl
― ARP 2600 vs. Atari 2600 (Ówen P.), Friday, 17 December 2010 16:39 (thirteen years ago) link
dan's shortening dude's "kanye loves music" argument into something less ridiculous than it is.
Kanye West loves music. Only someone who loves music with every fiber of their being could put every fiber of every music they’ve ever loved into the music they make and have it make such ineffable sense. These six-minute bangers are haikus. Kanye West loved music better than any other artist this year and I loved his music better, too.
― da croupier, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:44 (thirteen years ago) link
These six-minute bangers are haikus.
Eight syllables, doesn't fit the form.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:45 (thirteen years ago) link
Kanye West loves the music I love and his music possesses its communicants, wholly. Himself, included. Pinch yourself halfway through the orchestral El-P transmission that is “So Appalled” with all its invoked ciphers to make sure you’re awake, because Ye sure isn’t. Dude’s unconscious.
― da croupier, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:46 (thirteen years ago) link
rofl
― some dude, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:47 (thirteen years ago) link
Pusha T’s surreal “invisibly set, the Rolex is faceless” on “Runaway” is the line of this young decade, cracking asunder its lush surroundings like some bolt of divine inspiration.
― da croupier, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:48 (thirteen years ago) link
Now this is how you troll ILM.
― da croupier, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:49 (thirteen years ago) link
Ladies and gentlemen, the gangsta Wilco (The Album) is here.
― The Reverend, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:50 (thirteen years ago) link
“Gorgeous,” for instance, is W.E.B. Du Bois-relentless in dropping knowledge, evidenced as much by Kanye’s torrential rapping as by the mere presence of Raekwon.
I really need to pay more attention to the writing of Chet Benz.
― da croupier, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:56 (thirteen years ago) link
sorry, Chet Betz.
― da croupier, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:57 (thirteen years ago) link
is that black milk record worth checking? i never even knew dude dropped anything this year. and even though i love tronic, i find it very hard to be enthusiastic about him
― irish xmas caek, get that marzipan inta ya (a hoy hoy), Friday, 17 December 2010 16:58 (thirteen years ago) link
Anthony is right re: me abbreviating dude's argument; he goes to ridiculous extremes shortly thereafter which no one in their right mind would defend (aside from allowing for subjective reactions). The main point I agreed with is that if you don't think the album sounds like Kanye slaved over it or you don't find the amount of work he put into it impressive, no amount of listens will change your mind.
I have no idea what this is in reference to...?
― Tina Tina Cheneuse (DJP), Friday, 17 December 2010 16:58 (thirteen years ago) link
the music crit pen name of Chester Bennington (xpost)
― some dude, Friday, 17 December 2010 16:59 (thirteen years ago) link
just noticed that Cokemachineglow put Yellow Swans at #16 on their year-end list, thats a great f'ing album
― i genuinely thought when i first joined that he was the admin (ilxor), Friday, 17 December 2010 17:03 (thirteen years ago) link
it doesnt really hold a candle to Tronic (which i love) -- haven't listened to it a lot, though
― i genuinely thought when i first joined that he was the admin (ilxor), Friday, 17 December 2010 17:04 (thirteen years ago) link
did anyone post the new york times critic lists
caramanicahttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/arts/music/19caramanica.html?_r=1
pareleshttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/arts/music/19pareles.html
raitliffhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/arts/music/19ratiliff.html
chinenhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/arts/music/19ratiliff.html
― /\/K/\/\, Friday, 17 December 2010 17:09 (thirteen years ago) link
― Tina Tina Cheneuse (DJP), Friday, December 17, 2010 11:58 AM (16 minutes ago) Bookmark
Any Owen + Lex synthesis. It's not gonna happen.
― ARP 2600 vs. Atari 2600 (Ówen P.), Friday, 17 December 2010 17:18 (thirteen years ago) link
awww youd be a cute couple doe
― irish xmas caek, get that marzipan inta ya (a hoy hoy), Friday, 17 December 2010 17:21 (thirteen years ago) link
lol
I recognize that intellectually
― Tina Tina Cheneuse (DJP), Friday, 17 December 2010 17:21 (thirteen years ago) link
<3 you LexFrom across the room
― ARP 2600 vs. Atari 2600 (Ówen P.), Friday, 17 December 2010 17:24 (thirteen years ago) link
Greg Kot:http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2010/12/top-albums-of-2010.html
Jim DeRogatis:http://www.wbez.org/blog/jim-derogatis/reasons-living-20-best-albums-2010
Spoiler: Both picked Janelle Monae as their #1 album.
― Zsa Zsa Gay Bar (jaymc), Friday, 17 December 2010 17:32 (thirteen years ago) link
huh that's kind of interesting, esp. considering they're both chicago-based and write for local sources
― congratulations (n/a), Friday, 17 December 2010 17:36 (thirteen years ago) link
ie i'm surprised at least one of them didn't go for kanye.
but on the other hand it's not surprising because they both suck
Perhaps only West could turn all the hatred directed at him into a song as thrilling, surreal and anthemic as “Runaway,” the centerpiece of an album that turns contradictions into strengths, a mix of classical opulence, grimy beats, boldness and vulnerability.
rubbing my eyes...a critic cogently praising this album without implying this album is either a culmination of his or the earth's previous efforts and tweets. it happened.
― da croupier, Friday, 17 December 2010 17:39 (thirteen years ago) link
4. Robyn, “Body Talk” (Interscope): In an era when big, buoyant pop is king, from Katy Perry to Black Eyed Peas, this Swedish singer trumps them all. “Body Talk” caps her trilogy of releases this year with an affirmation that pop can be both smart and danceable.
― Gus Van Sotosyn (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 17 December 2010 17:46 (thirteen years ago) link
get that: smart AND danceable!
― Gus Van Sotosyn (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 17 December 2010 17:47 (thirteen years ago) link