Year-End Critics' Polls '08

robedoor and pocahaunted kinda leave me a bit cold, to be honest

Pocahaunted is Pocahorrible

Like if you're going to have a name that stupid, you better be awesome.

Surprised Fennesz' Black Sea hasn't appeared in any list so far as I thought it was pretty much the mainstream ambient album and artist of choice. I suppose the late release is to blame.

Its not that good and it's no longer fashionable for indie fuXXors to rally around Funnesz

Tape's Luminarium is much better in that vein, but it didn't get too much by means of press

haha i'll second that whiney

other great 08 noise: controlled dissonance, fuck buttons, growing, thurston moore, Istituzioni Ambienti Naturalismo / Lolita Vibrator Torture, whistletips, cash slave clique

more discussion of atlas sound plz

HOTOTOGISU people

also great: the north sea, satellite clouds, starving weirdos

In what issue will The Wire publish their list?

traditionally, it's the december issue, i think

The old Stylus staff should compile one for old time's sake and put it on the site. When ILM does one, we should expand entries to 20 albums to keep it interesting.

The best lists usually turn me on to albums I missed. Cokemachineglow, Brainwashed, Silent Ballet and The Wire are good for that.

Looks like Kanye West and Killers will be underrepresented when they normally would likely rule the mainstream lists.

Some favorite noise and avant records of 2008:

zdzislaw pierik / piotr zabrodzki - namanga
william parker - double sunrise over neptune
li jianhong - san sheng shi
sean mccann - flutter oasis
astro echo the echo from the purple dawn
datashock & shivers - vol IV
nasa - bummer daze
natural snow buildings - laurie bird

is that Tape, as in the Häpna artist? i didn't know they even had anything new out.

can you tell me about natural snow buildings?

forgot: neptune, "gong lake" (though it took me a while to "get" that one)

Whoah, didn't know about a new Tape record either! (and by the looks of it, it has been out for what, eight months? crazy!)

I think the problem everyone is having this year is that there hasnt been a definitive album which both mainstream and critics may agree on like say 'In Rainbows' or 'Person Pitch' last year. It hasn't been a very good year for pop or mainstream.

I still haven't ranked them as I don't have a favorite one but this are the records I listened to the most this year:

Jacaszek - Treny
Bruno Pronsato - Why Cant We Be Like Us
Clark - Turning Dragon
Shed - Shedding the past
Grouper - Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill
Zdzislaw Piernik & Piotr Zabrodzki - Namanga
Paavoharju - Laulu Laakson Kukista
Scott Tuma - Not for Nobody
Tape - Luminarium
Death Vessel - Nothing is good enough for us
Air France - No Way Down Ep
Four Tet - Ringer Ep

Also amidst a love/hate season with Lykke Li and Fleet Foxes. There's many things on both I like but I just cant seem to listen to the full album straight... they're very homogenic.

@Beatrix: Natural Snow Buildings released seven (!) albums this year. It seems the most popular is 'Laurie Bird' wouldnt know about the rest since I've only listened 'Sung to the North' and it's decent. The opening track on Laurie Bird (46 minutes long) is a hell of a trip, the other two tracks are ok.

For some reason people keep namedropping Vampire Weekend on Natural Snow Buildings reviews, when I can't hear any musical connection between them, anybody knows if they share a member or come from the same place or something?

no, natural snow buildings are french, and are really just two people. As far as I can tell there is absolutely not connection, musically or otherwise. people are crazy.

Actually all I've read over and over is 'Better than Vampire Weekend'... I suppose it's some sort of joke then.

I think the problem everyone is having this year is that there hasnt been a definitive album which both mainstream and critics may agree on like say 'In Rainbows' or 'Person Pitch' last year. It hasn't been a very good year for pop or mainstream.

Only someone with Paavoharju on their list would say that Person Pitch had mainstream resonance.

^ Wasn't it a global lovefest after pitchfork named it album of the year? I suppose I'm more forlorn than I thought I was :(

Are you dissing on Paavoharju?

Whiney's just does a victory dance anytime he finds someone indier than him.

Wasn't it a global lovefest after pitchfork named it album of the year?

Maybe on some indie-leaning message boards, but I don't think Rolling Stone readers know Panda Bear from Grizzly Bear because of that. Also, Paavoharju's all right.

Whiney's just does a victory dance anytime he finds someone indier than him.

some dude and the art of feigned ignorance.

I wasn't making fun of his choices, I was just saying his thinking that blog-hyped indie rock bands having some sort of mainstream push may be because he dwells so intensely in deep cuts.

Only someone with Paavoharju on their list would say that Person Pitch had mainstream resonance.

Yeah, I thought the same thing. I thought maybe he meant to say Sound of Silver.

(Or, for that matter, Graduation.)

Is there still such thing as "blog-hyped indie rock?" What blogs are still considered taste-makers?

I know someone says this every year on these threads, but: it's impossible to keep up with every frickin' album that comes out in a given year. In addition to the gazillion albums that came out in 2008 that I didn't buy, download illegally, or receive as promos, there are a lot that I did get as promos but never had a free moment to play because I was too busy listening to other stuff for reviews or just living life generally. All of which is to say that there's no such thing as a totally wide-open top 10 list and there never will be, until, perhaps, Multivac is invented. And even then probably not.

Is there still such thing as "blog-hyped indie rock?" What blogs are still considered taste-makers?

My point exactly

Oh yes, 'Sound of Silver' is a better example I guess, but anyways you got the point. Everyone already knew by November what album was ranking on the first place for them and this year it's been very harsh pleasing everyone by the choices, critics seem confused. The best records this year are too offbeat or strange for mainstream audience yet the pop releases have been very bland.

PS: I'm a girl.

As for music blogs which could be considered 'taste-makers' I'd nominate gorillavsbear.

gotta second these noms for avant albums of the year...

paavoharju - laulu laakson kukista
natural snow buildings - laurie bird
emeralds – solar bridge
burning star core - challenger
the goslings – occasion

a few suggestions...

demons/hatred - split lp
liquid metal - alternative soundtrack to digital overdrive
u.s. girls - introducing...
teotihuacan - live smokeshows from inside the ciguri cave hazed diamonds with windswept hair
bulbs - light ships

no more... fuck buttons, please.

i kinda like pocahaunted, even though i'd choose mi ami over them any day of the week. speaking of which, add mi ami - african rhythms 12" to that suggestions list.

i would really hope gvb doesn't influence anyone's taste
sorry if anyone on that site is here but i really dislike that blog

xp

The best records this year are too offbeat or strange for mainstream audience yet the pop releases have been very bland.

let's just talk about those offbeat ones then?!

I usually compile a top list and stick it on Last Fm but i dont think I can be bothered this year as There's just too much to choose from for me.
Of course maybe in january I'll end up making one like last year.

I think gorillavsbear is only run by Chris and I doubt he visits this board. Personally I think it he tries to cover too much ground without really exploring anything but to his favor I'll say he has a strong personal taste, not that I agree with all of it but he seems to me more like an influence-maker than your average blogger. Also he receives Pitchfork's love and support every now and then so I assume half of pitchfork's readership is on to him.

xp

let's just talk about those offbeat ones then?!

― psychgawsple, martes 25 de noviembre de 2008 20:58 (6 minutes ago)

I don't know if this is the right thread for it :P

xpost to psychgawsple: that Mi Ami 12" was pretty great, although I listened to it a lot more at 33 than 45 (don't ask). I remember hearing Burning Star Core and liking it, but not as much as I had hoped I would. how is the Demons/Hatred split? vinyl-only? I liked Evocation a lot, didn't know they had anything new out.

and I just now noticed Genghis Tron at number 3 on Decibel's list. I mean, I like that album, but... seriously?

gotta second these noms for avant albums of the year...

paavoharju - laulu laakson kukista
natural snow buildings - laurie bird
emeralds – solar bridge
burning star core - challenger
the goslings – occasion

a few suggestions...

demons/hatred - split lp
liquid metal - alternative soundtrack to digital overdrive
u.s. girls - introducing...
teotihuacan - live smokeshows from inside the ciguri cave hazed diamonds with windswept hair
bulbs - light ships

no more... fuck buttons, please.

i kinda like pocahaunted, even though i'd choose mi ami over them any day of the week. speaking of which, add mi ami - african rhythms 12" to that suggestions list.

I couldn't get into the Burning Star Core there's a trio of tracks I really enjoyed (Challenger, Mezzo Forte and Mysteries of the organ) but the rest is not as good. Same goes with Fuck Buttons, a couple of good tracks but that's it. Lot of those seem like they'll wind up on TinyMixtapes list.

I like the staff pick lists on Dusted Magazine. Every year they turn me on to some great record that went under my radar.

Screw magazines, where can I see some ilx people's lists?

i can post a tentative top 100 if anyone cares, or should that be another thread?

Answered my own question:

So we're halfway through 2008; what are your top 10 albums of this year, so far?

it sounds great at 33 rpm! i did this on accident a couple times, and the room full of people i was with was fooled into liking the 33 rpm as well. makes the normal version seem so hyper, but obv they're both good.

i realllllly like that demons/hatred split, esp if you dug evocation.

also, it's funny when metal turns electronic. genghis tron and zombi are good examples of bands where metal kids hear something a little different and flip their shit for it, probably because they get so bogged down with technicality/musicianship/doooooom. i think this crosspollination is great though, although i'll admit to liking zombi much more than genghis tron

^ See I could never play something like Burning Star Core to anyone I know without them asking me to play something else. I need new friends.

moka- tinymixtapes' eureka list and the dusted ones usually have some good picks, but i'd peruse the picks that volcanic tongue and aquarius have been making this year to maybe even predict what those will turn out like

^ links please?

here's my "indie rock" best of. totally boring! what can i say? i likes what i likes.
1. Robert Forster – The Evangelist
2. Pas/Cal – I Was Raised On Matthew Mark, Luke & Laura
3. James Blackshaw – Litany of Echoes
4. Stephen Malkmus – Real Emotional Trash
5. Earth – The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull
6. Destroyer – Trouble In Dreams
7. Lambchop – OH (Ohio)
8. Stereolab – Chemical Chords
9. Silver Jews – Lookout Mountain Lookout Sea
10. Lindstrom – Where You Go I Go Too

tylerw: How's that Lindstrom album? I loved the collaborative album with Prins Thomas released two years ago but for no real reason I haven't given this one a chance and I've been seeing it pop up on several lists.