Year-End Critics' Polls '07

The trend for normally sensible critics to give accolades to crappy mainstream rap albums continues, with Jay-Z, UGK, Ghostface Killah and Kanye West topping lists. You'd think from them that hip-hop has stopped evoloving and is curled up waiting to die. And please stop encouraging Lil' Wayne. Hitting one clever lyrical turn for every ten raps does not equal brilliance. Soon the market will be flooded by amateur tapes of rappers throwing every rhyme that falls off the top of their heads with no self editing whatsoever, because they know those white critics will eat anything up. Kanye West isn't totally horrible, as he always manages a couple decent singles. But if you actually listen to what else is out there, there's really no excuse. Artists like Dälek, El-P, Aesop Rock, Shape of Broad Minds, Oh No, Busdriver and Cloud Cult are actually pushing the art of hip-hop to new horizons, chipping away at the untapped vast potential for sounds. Oh No dug into Lebanese, Italian and Greek psych rock, and it's only the tip of the iceberg. Pharoahe Monch, Brother Ali, Black Milk and Little Brother showed it's still possible to make accessible hip-hop that's still powerful and relevant. Saul Williams, well, he's like that crazy uncle who freestyles at the family picnics. He's a little embarrassing, but still he speaks the truth.

Soon the market will be flooded by amateur tapes of rappers throwing every rhyme that falls off the top of their heads with no self editing whatsoever

ok this part is RONG in a different way from the rest of it is

i mean...uh...SOON?

Hip Hop taken to new levels.

Lil' Wayne really needs to stop trying so hard to appease the white critics, maaan.

no wfb no credibility

cloud cult are a bunch of hippies from northfield.

you should check out some other cool hip hop acts like the flaming lips.

i wish wayne hadn't self-edited so much this year and instead decided to flood the market with every rhyme that fell off the top of his head.

i saw the video for "way of life" on mtv jams last night and -- although i can't claim to be any kind of big expert w/r/t to cash money or hot boys or NO stuff in general -- that wayne's getting a lot of critical props for being a WORSE rapper than he used to be.

he was great on that song, phrasing and timing was real crisp, contrasted very much w/the "i'm so hood" video i'd seen earlier that day where he's just a fucking spazz for no reason and pretty much everything abt that verse sucks dick.

OMG, deej is way classic on the thread I linked.

i saw the video for "way of life" on mtv jams last night and -- although i can't claim to be any kind of big expert w/r/t to cash money or hot boys or NO stuff in general -- that wayne's getting a lot of critical props for being a WORSE rapper than he used to be.

he was great on that song, phrasing and timing was real crisp, contrasted very much w/the "i'm so hood" video i'd seen earlier that day where he's just a fucking spazz for no reason and pretty much everything abt that verse sucks dick.

-- M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, January 3, 2008 5:22 PM (7 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

I don't particularly like "Way Of Life" but I get what you're saying, there's decent punchlines and great vocal performances all over stuff from his pre-Carter solo albums, I still hear DJs play "Shine" and "The Block Is Hot" alongside his new shit and it fits together more than most people would seem to think. His new stuff is better in many ways but definitely more uneven. I kinda like his "I'm So Hood" verse for a few of the lines, but it's still at most the 4th or 5th best verse on the remix.

<i>i mean...uh...SOON?</i>

Yep, I was being generous.

I didn't feel like including Common in the hip hop list so I threw in Cloud Cult. It was funnier at 3 A.M. You folks are cracking me up though, you're like the jackals I was watching on Animal Planet -- one whiff of weakness and the pack all jump in for the kill, ha ha. I guess I should put Public Enemy in there.

I didn't have a category for extreme-experimental-folkmetal, so yeah, Caïna was shoehorned a bit.

yeah i mean that was just what i happened to see, but even that which isn't like a legendary song by him by any means seemed to be so much more focused and well written...like i dig the sort of kool keith zany punchlines he gets now to a degree but i wish it didn't have to come at the expense of clarity and precision.

Fastnbulbous, I've really enjoyed your year-end lists. Keep on compilin'!

Best Wayne performance is still on the The Mind of Mannie Fresh album from a couple of years ago. His off-the-wall freestyling is put into context and boosted by Mannie's...well, whatever it is that Mannie does on that thing.

Dang I have to find that CD, it got deleted off my iPod and I didn't back it up.

I used to love Kool Keith. Anyone heard the Ultramagnetic MCs album this year? I was afraid to hear it, as it would make me miss Dr. Octagon/Dooom.

It was terrible. He's still capable of sneaking out a good song now and again (like "Drugs" on "Spankmaster"), but his '00s stuff has been really disappointing.

DeRogatis:
1. Grinderman, 'Grinderman'
2. Glenn Mercer, 'Wheels in Motion'
3. Tim Fite, 'Over the Counter Culture'
4. Modest Mouse, 'We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank'
5. Kanye West, 'Graduation'
6. LCD Soundsystem, 'Sound of Silver'
7. Spoon, 'Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga'
8. The Apples in Stereo, 'New Magnetic Wonder'
9. Radiohead, 'In Rainbows'
10. Air, 'Pocket Symphony'
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/derogatis/709668,SHO-Sunday-dero23.article

Tony I'm surprised to not see the new Nacao Zumbi on your list. I haven't heard it myself yet but would have thought anything they did would be an automatic for you. Have you not heard it or is it not any good?

Saul Williams, well, he's like that crazy uncle who freestyles at the family picnics.

i do not have this uncle.

I didn't get a chance to hear the latest Nação Zumbí in time for the lists, sadly.

Albums I heard too late to make the lists
1. Momo - A Estetica Do Rebisco (Umvd) - Brazil
2. Nação Zumbí - Fome De Tudo (Deck Disk Brazil)
3. Boris & Michio Kurihara - Rainbow (Drag City) - Japan
4. Vladislav Delay - Whistleblower (Humme) - Finland
5. M83 - Digital Shades Vol. 1 (Mute)
6. Caspian - The Four Trees (Dopamine)
7. Grails - Burning Off Impurities (Temporary Residence)
8. Yakuza - Transmutations (Prosthetic/Red)
9. Giuseppe Ielasi - August (12k) - Italy
10. O'Death - Head Home (Ernest Jenning)
11. Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music I (Noble) - Japan
12. Opitope - Hau (Spekk) - Japan
13. Signal Hill (Tidemark)

Maura and Jess' top 40 song list at idolator.com

http://idolator.com/tunes/idolator.s-2007-top-40-list-of-awesomeness/idolators-year+end-top-40-because-you-can-never-have-enough-download-recommendations-in-your-life-329612.php

Can I just point out, the Brainwashed readers' poll that came out on January 1 is a really, really great list - the top 25 (copied and pasted below) is the best I've seen for the year. I really enjoy about 20 out of these 25 albums, and that's a fucking great ratio. Enjoy:

1. Stars of the Lid, "And Their Refinement of the Decline" (Kranky)
2. Jesu, "Conqueror" (Hydra Head)
3. Angels of Light, "We Are Him" (Young God)
4. Throbbing Gristle, "Part Two: The Endless Not" (Mute)
5. A Place To Bury Strangers, "A Place To Bury Strangers" (Killer Pimp)
6. Burial, "Untrue" (Hyperdub)
7. Grinderman, "Grinderman" (Mute)
8. Om, "Pilgrimage" (Southern Lord)
9. Einstürzende Neubauten, "Alles Wieder Offen" (Potomak)
10. Panda Bear, "Person Pitch" (Paw Tracks)
11. M.I.A., "Kala" (XL)
12. Six Organs of Admittance, "Shelter from the Ash" (Drag City)
13. Battles, "Mirrored" (Warp)
14. Earth, "Hibernaculum" (Southern Lord)
15. Boris with Michio Kurihara, "Rainbow" (Drag City)
16. Caribou, "Andorra" (Merge)
17. Deerhunter, "Cryptograms" (Kranky)
18. Liars, "Liars" (Mute)
19. LCD Soundsystem, "Sound Of Silver" (DFA)
20. Animal Collective, "Strawberry Jam" (Paw Tracks)
21. Boris with Merzbow, "Rock Dream" (Southern Lord)
22. Faust and Nurse With Wound, "Disconnected" (Art-Errorist)
23. Threshold HouseBoys Choir, "Form Grows Rampant" (Threshold House)
24. Robert Wyatt, "Comicopera" (Domino)
25. Shellac, "Excellent Italian Greyhound" (Touch & Go)

The full top 100, plus a bunch of awards for EPs, reissues, box sets, music videos, labels, and some other fun stuff, including the 10 worst albums of the year: http://brainwashed.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6665&Itemid=1

I guess I should get around to listening to this Stars of the Lid band, now that I see 'em big-upped everywhere. But I didn't like Battles, Grinderman, Burial or Animal Collective, and they seem to show up in the same places.

They don't sound like any of those bands. (But you might dislike them too.)

Prefix
50 Wu-Tang Clan: 8 Diagrams
49 Digitalism: Idealism
48 Soulsavers (with Mark Lanegan): It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s How You Land
47 Jesca Hoop: Kismet
46 The Brunettes: Structure & Cosmetics
45 Bill Callahan: Woke on a Whaleheart
44 Boris featuring Michio Kurihara: Rainbow
43 Electrelane: No Shouts, No Calls
42 Little Brother: Getback
41 Nina Nastasia and Jim White: You Follow Me
40 Dan Deacon: Spiderman of the Rings
39 Beirut: The Flying Club Cup
38 Blonde Redhead: 23
37 Blitzen Trapper: Wild Mountain Nation
36 Baroness: The Red Album
35 Amiina: Kurr
34 Cass McCombs: Dropping the Writ
33 Klaxons: Myths of the Near Future
32 Iron & Wine: The Shepherd's Dog
31 Deerhoof: Friendship Opportunity
30 Burial: Untrue
29 Dragons of Zynth: Coronation Thieves
28 Justice: Cross
27 Liars: Liars
26 Fennesz: Cendre
25 Robert Wyatt: Comicopera
24 Sean Price: Jesus Price Superstar
23 Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
22 Stars of the Lid: And Their Refinement of the Decline
21 El-P: I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
20 Low: Drums and Guns
19 The Field: From Here We Go Sublime
18 PJ Harvey: White Chalk
17 Battles: Mirrored
16 Caribou: Andorra
15 Amy Winehouse: Back to Black
14 Okkervil River: The Stage Names
13 Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
12 Deerhunter: Cryptograms
11 Jens Lekman: Night Falls Over Kortedala
10 Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam
09 Andrew Bird: Armchari Apocrypha
08 Pharoahe Monch: Desire
07 Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
06 Kanye West: Graduation
05 The National: Boxer
04 Panda Bear: Person Pitch
03 LCD Soundsystem: Sound Of Silver
02 Radiohead: In Rainbows
01 M.I.A.: Kala

yea that brainwashed list is awesome

xpost - why was I under the impression that brainwashed was no more? evidently my memory's reports of its death were greatly exaggerated.

Great list, Brainwashed; thanks Fastnbulbous.

NPR is running more indie-rock top 10s on their site if you're interested.

i hope the nina nastasia/jim white record gets some year-end love. that might be my fav record this year.

BMG Music Club sez:

https://webspace.utexas.edu/sdb55/criticspicks.png

You must be new here. WE THE BEST, MAN!

*jumps off the fucking bridge*

Reminds me, I gotta use some more of my BMG Music Service $5.99 coupons (last was M.I.A.) I've left most of my lists in their original form, (orig *published* form, that is, like with P&J's glitches).Maybe some Songs Of The Year to be blogged later. But for now, here's my Nash Scene ballot, with links to my reviews added (re those on PTW, of course you can still stream and, in some cases still download songs from ballot entries)Entries not so Nashvegas this year(although somewhut). Also a lot of comments added, starring Charlie Daniels, Billie Holiday, Johnny Bush, Jon Langford & Sally Timms, Paul Newman & Piper Laurie, Pam Tillis, the Staples Singers, Sugarland, Michelle Shocked, Ashley Monroe, Hope Partlow, and a cast of thousands:
http://thefreelancementalists.blogspot.com

loooooooooool hoos

musicnerd | Posted on Nov 1st, 2007

in a year where so few good albums came out, (seriously I find it hard to even think of 15 true contenders for classics) Of Montreal at 27 is just uncalled for.

oops wrong thread