ILM's Top 77 Albums of 2012

Going backwards for a minute: The Coldplay analogy makes some sense to me, they have a very distinct sound (unlike generic indie band #214) but have an unfortunate taste for the obvious and formulaic. I could understand Talabot being accused of the same things, even if I might disagree.

or what Lamp said xp

I felt Tragedy was less song-based and a lot more fragmented and scattershot, but somehow a lot more immediate than Ekstasis, which is very cohesive but a seems slightly too uniform in one sitting.

Going backwards for a minute: The Coldplay analogy makes some sense to me, they have a very distinct sound (unlike generic indie band #214) but have an unfortunate taste for the obvious and formulaic. I could understand Talabot being accused of the same things, even if I might disagree.
― questino (seandalai), Thursday, January 31, 2013 9:24 AM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

haha yay someone gets it

Eh, that's probably more inflammatory at this point. Does anyone even still froth at the mouth about Coldplay in 2013? I mean ffs, one of the dance albums that's placed has a Coldplay cover and no one's crying foul.

Yeah, I meant more that saying something is the "Coldplay of X" is a much larger statement than is warranted even if you're unimpressed by Talabot. The reasons people like or dislike Coldplay go well beyond "they're MOR and tuneful and anthemic".

Ah yeah, another record from 2012 I like!

Eh that's about the totality of my opinion towards Coldplay xp

Tragedy used a lot more field recordings/concrete sounds placed in a 'storytelling' fashion. This album is definitely a turn toward the accessible.

yay this has a track called Marienbad, shame its not doing enough on the pretentious front.

Then again this is something its detractors would say about the film. Saddened the tribute didn't include enough organ workouts.

saw holter do a drone set w/ some dude about a wk ago in a bar where no one wanted to see a drone set and she cleared the room, it was better than standup comedy

yeah i am seeing her at a "festival" - worried it could go badly

saw holter do a drone set w/ some dude about a wk ago in a bar where no one wanted to see a drone set and she cleared the room

Just to set the record straight I would've stayed in that room.

I did

love the julia holter. it never really blows me away but it's really good to have around.

monotony are you going to laneway?

been thinking about what else is to come and certainties aside, here's my list of iffy ones (they get more iffy as you go down the list):

leonard cohen?
cat power?
bruce?
bobby womack?
andy stott?
sharon van etten?
bob dylan?
baroness?
flylo?
death grips?
schoolboy q?
liars?
peaking lights?

I think Death Grips already showed up (or at least the money store did and i doubt people were into NLDW more than that)

schoolboy q and stott are strong chances i'd've thought but to be honest i don't really know

what about EPs - are things like Club Rez likely to place?

Most of those seem pretty unlikely at this stage, except Andy Stott which will probably show up, maybe Sharon Van Etten and Cat Power as well. Would expect Meek Mill to place over Schoolboy Q.

Re: EPs - if Inspector Norse topped the tracks poll then It's The Arps will place pretty damn high as well.

i'm seeing cat power tnite! (i hope she places...)

andy stott is just about the best at what it does, deserves to show up.

Last one for today...

http://i.imgur.com/J3caiyH.png

21. GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (510 Points, 19 Votes) Spotify

Is this 1998?

Nick, out of your list I'd guess Andy Stott, Peaking Lights and Death Grips are the most likely. JF already gave away that Leonard didn't make it (which I wish he hadn't - even when it's "obvious" something didn't make it in it's always nice to have a little hope for a surprise).

this is the best GY!BE record.

I'd honestly forgotten there was a new GY!BE record until nominations time.

Still haven't heard it.

Schoolboy Q isn't iffy! Well apart from on ILX. I think Matt is right, he wont place at this stage of the game.

Oh God! what a boring album. I can't even stand their ridiculous album titles. Yuck!

I like this Mountain Goats record a good deal, and the standout tracks are amongst the high points of their catalog. However, it doesn't work that well as an album for me. I tend to skip around, dive in and out, and I haven't gotten hooked like I have with some of the prior albums.

^^^ this. I played All Eternals Deck last week and TY suffers in comparison.

Despite Godspeed ruling supreme for me back in the day, I didn't feel any need to give A!DB!A! more than a couple of listens.

lol

They have still never topped F♯ A♯ ∞ and Slow Riot... imo.

silent majorities are here to rule agane..

my guess at what would be left:

Andy Stott
Blondes
Carly Rae Jepsen
Chromatics
Dawn Richard
Fiona Apple
Frank Ocean
Grimes
Jessie Ware
John Talabot
Kendrick Lamar
Miguel
Scott Walker
Swans
Taylor Swift
Todd Terje

and that leaves 4 more - here are a handful of "potential" candidates

Jam City
Schoolboy Q
How To Dress Well
Goat
Solange
Girl Unit
Holy Other

How many have they released since those? I quit keeping up a long time ago. xps

dog latin OTM about Pretenders Get Close comparison vis a vis Chairlift.

Feel like if Lindstrom is not in with a chance I just don't know ILX anymore

Two before this one I think - they didn't put anything out for 10 years or so. xp

never plucked up the will to listen to that one, got a bit bored with them way back

I didn't vote in this, but Transcendental Youth by the Mountain Goats would have been my #1. That is a doozy of a record.

Any chance Lee Ranaldo's record makes a showing? That's a record that deserves more praise than it got.

I reckon Fourtet, Future and Farrah are more likely than most of your potentials, monotony

I waited for forever for a Lee Ranaldo song-based album, and when it came I wished it hadn't. ;_;

Future! of course

I voted for the Ranaldo - my favourite SY-related release in a long time. The songs were as good as his songs for the band imo.

i never heard that lindstrom album, didn't think it was very well received?

If Farrah breaks top 10 I will be giddy

i never understood the love for saint etienne. their music is so samey and vacuous. their best song isn't even theirs. only love can break your heart.

― miesepeter (alex in mainhattan), Wednesday, January 30, 2013 1:05 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

idgi, considering their music is really all over the map and each album has been pretty different. also i think 'only love can break your heart' is pretty overpraised, it's fine but a pretty tedious stomper relative to their other singles.

There were two Lindstrom albums. One was received well, one wasn't.

speaking of SY related projects, I thought YOKOKIMTHURSTON was interesting

!!G?Y!BE; is good! I have truly never given them the time of day, but I gave them a chance with this album for some reason (mr made me listen to it) and it was massive and enjoyable. I didn't love it ardently but I liked it way more than I expected and because I assembled my ballot extremely hastily, it stayed on there.

miguel
jessie ware
frank ocean
kendrick
talabot
scott walker
swans
fiona apple
future
grimes

goat
chromatics
dawn richard
blondes
farrah
taylor swift
carly rae
andy stott
cat power
fourtet

can't remember whether todd terje was nommed or not