ILM's Top 77 Tracks of 2019

my fellow Americans: I feel like the fact an artist named Purple Mountains keeps placing makes this argument moot

I mean, I'm not into those songs either

I voted for a few country tracks (including “Pretty Bitchin’”)

"Jogging" sounds like a charmless Tom Vek song with a lot of unnecessary guitar slapped onto it to me

I used 'busker' because it was p much the only thing in that song that I could possibly imagine an Americaner not understanding, but of course it's in use. Hey we have trap on mainstream radio over here so we know what 'molly' is.

i "do not get" big thief at all

i may have told this story before: i was hanging out with a guy a few years ago who i was just getting to know who, when i told him i worked tangentially in music industry, trepidatiously asked "um do you know big thief because one of those guys was my ex-roommate" and when i said "sure, they're a big deal right now" he said "i mean, i don't like the guy and i don't like their music... do YOU like their music?" and i was able to take some comfort in assuring him i did not but man he seemed kinda like his sense of the universe bending to aesthetic beauty was really shaken

i adored peasant and dawson is still a great lyricist but i did not like the arrangements on 2020 at all

Did he live with shirtless hippie bass dude?

xp

Is it because of Lenker's vocals? (I'm tired of being utterly alone on this one.)

2xp

how is old town road less than a year old, it feels ancient, primordial even

most of the ppl i know who dislike big thief hate lenker's vocals, you're not alone pom

I know I must be paranoid
But I feel the atmosphere 'round here
Is growing nastier
People don't care anymore
Would you like to sponsor me
for running the London Marathon?
Though it's really daunting
We're aiming to raise a thousand pounds
for the British Red Cross

not a big thief fan, prefer small thieves

Good to know. I googled negative reviews and none of them focus on that facet of the band, hence my initial impression.

2xp

My reservations about BT entirely revolve around how people talk about them like they're the only extant rock band, but they are good to very good

yeah I heard Old Town Road at a liquor store the other day and it seriously was like hearing Mambo No. 5 or the Macarena or some shit

I voted for "not" but that's really the only thing I've heard by big thief that I liked

xp: This has been my reaction to "Old Town Road" since my first exposure to it, only I still like "The Macarena" and "Mambo No. 5"

Has anyone mentioned Severed Heads?

God, "Ghostin" is such a beautiful track. Good job, everyone.

was that meant for the discography thread or are you still plotting vengeance against vampire weekend xp

"not" is great. i don't hate lenker's vocals but the other big thief songs are too wispy and boring. also their white bass player had cornrows.

I remain largely impervious to Big Thief. Everything is in the right place but it just doesn't make me want to buy. I almost feel guilty about it.

I find the latter Dawson kinda boorish. Well, he's always been boorish but mostly his street-ranter thing made me want to beat my chest in solidarity and listen closely because if I didn't I'd miss some important clue about everything. 2020, in particular, just made me feel hectored and small instead.

These may or may not be because of my essential Britisher nature.

if you prefer big muscular guitarry big thief then you could stand to revisit Capacity tbh

that's funny cause despite the arrangement "Jogging" is quite tender and fearful xp

how is old town road less than a year old, it feels ancient, primordial even

― ciderpress, Wednesday, January 29, 2020 3:53 PM (nine minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

even older! came to soundcloud in december 2018.

if you prefer big muscular guitarry big thief then you could stand to revisit Capacity tbh

I'll give it a go. Cheers.

if you prefer big muscular guitarry big thief then you could stand to revisit Capacity tbh

― opden gnash (imago), Wednesday, January 29, 2020 4:02 PM (one minute ago) bookmarkflaglink

there's a couple of songs like that on capacity, but most of them are quite delicate, at least compared to masterpiece and two hands.

ftr capacity is my fav of their albums

I thought Cattails was amazing in the context of this rollout and it made me revisit Big Thief and then then album just slipped right past me again. They feel like a band with a classic in them that I'm happy to wait around for without otherwise paying much attention.

also simon correct there - 2020 may have brasher production but it's laden with pathos and doubt

capacity was their classic (so far) imo

that's funny cause despite the arrangement "Jogging" is quite tender and fearful xp

Yeah, the response was pretty visceral and I've only gone back once, cowering. My staying power is pathetic at the moment (and, I've never been the most loyal of listeners - to any artist - so there's that).

ok, i'll bite: what's this Balloon song i keep seeing mentioned?

yeah I heard Old Town Road at a liquor store the other day and it seriously was like hearing Mambo No. 5 or the Macarena or some shit

― frogbs, Wednesday, January 29, 2020 3:56 PM (eight minutes ago)

OTM. I don't hate it, but all the year-end attempts to frame it as something other than a classic one-hit novelty song have been bewildering to me

i love where ufof and two hands have taken them sonically but the songwriting and atmosphere of capacity are where it's at xxp

agreed re: Capacity, but like Matt I think they have better in them. probably unlike Matt I think the way forward is to get proggier* though

*this is my way forward for every band

xxxp 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈BUSY SIGNAL • BALLOON (floating, floating, everybody floating)🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈

was that meant for the discography thread or are you still plotting vengeance against vampire weekend xp

lol oops

Best to wait on finding out about Balloon until it places imo :l

probably unlike Matt I think the way forward is to get proggier* though

*this is my way forward for every band

― opden gnash (imago), Wednesday, January 29, 2020 2:07 PM (thirteen seconds ago) bookmarkflaglink

lj can i convince you to check out the new tricot record

Uh, that was meant to be :)

I went to get some supplies and we went past a grassy area outside City Hall and there were some people doing what I later found out is called Buttigiegaerobics. It is the closest I have ever come to calling the police
― saer, Wednesday, January 29, 2020 12:31 PM (three hours ago)

v underrated saer post here btw

yes yes I'll hear Tricot, on the list, pre-sent, etc

yes i loved that saer post so much lmao

also their white bass player had cornrows.

― na (NA), Wednesday, January 29, 2020 4:01 PM (eight minutes ago

this was a factor in my reluctance

Dawson at his best when channeling ragas imho.

Kicking myself for not putting the Sun El track on my ballot. Pretty much anything this guy touches is sunshine and happiness. I truly hope he has a solid mainstream breakout in the next year or two

I'm still holding out for "Sondela". Think the Black Coffee Surprise isn't going to happen. Also, "Lover" will definitely place.

I found Two Hands harder going than its two predecessors; I wanted more "Not," more stuff like "Shark Smile."