Year-End Critics' Polls '07

I know you did. I can't send out invites until the week. Be patient.

kk. Just asking :)

Ethan and R|T|C want me to push for a ban on voting for white rockers. Sasha will allow votes for Los Angeles rockers No Age though. None of this wimpy multicultural voting for African, Latin, rap and white guy rock though, like I did last year.

god if it's gonna be like that I probably won't even bother, wtf

I keed, I keed. But seriously, those dudes think that my advocacy of increasing the presence of non-rock contributors to alt-weeklies and music polls means I cannot ever admit myself to liking any white rockers, or uh, seeing holes in SFJ theories.

: ( I was planning on voting for 9 white rockers and one token rap act. (also white) I guess I'll have to reconsider.

Yeah, I'm gonna vote for a bunch of white dudes this year as well.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9gnMiBAj0FHLmYB7lCjzbkF/SIG=13nuhnitr/EXP=1195565248/**http%3A//products.priceclash.co.uk/images/nodrop/220/B000002VDL/music/free-to-beyou-and-me-import.jpg

Oh, so I'm not the only one who found SFJ's piece totally wrong and even a little disingenuous? THE BIG STATEMENT ABOUT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC AND RACE was neither convincing or big.

A Paler Shade of White---Sasha Frere-Jones Podcast and New Yorker article Criticizing Indie Rock for Failing to Incorporate African-American Influences

Wade through at your own discretion.

Uncut's list came out November 1 last year. The 2007 list must be out by now?

Uncut's Jan issue comes out today. Apparently with two books, one of which covers the albums and singles lists. The list should pop up online soon.

Paste Magazine
1. The National - Boxer
2. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
3. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
4. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
5. Feist - The Reminder
6. M.I.A. - Kala
7. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
8. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
9. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
10. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
11. Radiohead - In Rainbows
12. Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
13. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
14. Loney, Dear - Loney, Noir
15. Kanye West - Graduation
16. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
17. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
18. Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
19. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Living with the Living
20. Blonde Redhead - 23
21. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
22. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
23. Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil
24. Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
25. Over The Rhine - The Trumpet Child
26. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
27. Derek Webb - The Ringing Bell
28. Mary Gauthier - Between Daylight and Dark
29. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
30. Björk - Volta
31. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
32. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
33. PJ Harvey - White Chalk
34. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
35. Peter Bjorn & John - Writer's Block
36. Joe Henry - Civilians
37. Eleni Mandell - The Miracle Of Five
38. Olof Arnalds - Vid Og Vid
39. The Perishers - Victorious
40. Damien Dempsey - To Hell Or Barbados
41. Brandi Carlile - The Story
42. Lifesavas - Gutterfly
43. The Everybodyfields - Nothing Is Okay
44. Norah Jones - Not Too Late
45. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
46. Justice - †
47. Linda Thompson - Versatile Heart
48. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
49. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Dona Got A Ramblin’ Mind
50. Battles - Mirrored
51. The Frames - The Cost
52. Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy
53. Fionn Regan - The End Of History
54. Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew - Spirit If...
55. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
56. Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
57. The Clientele - God Save The Clientele
58. Romantica - America
59. Imperial Teen - The Hair The TV The Baby & The Band
60. The Broken West - I Can't Go On I'll Go On
61. Prince - Planet Earth
62. Joseph Arthur - Let's Just Be
63. Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
64. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
65. Caribou - Andorra
66. Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
67. St. Vincent - Marry Me
68. Office - A Night At The Ritz
69. Bat For Lashes - Fur & Gold
70. Ween - La Cucaracha
71. Josh Rouse - Country Mouse City House
72. Bettye Lavette - Scene Of The Crime
73. Warm In The Wake - American Prehistoric
74. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
75. Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara
76. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
77. Jeremy Fisher - Goodbye Blue Monday
78. The New Pornographers - Challengers
79. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
80. Akron/Family - Love Is Simple
81. Art Brut - It's A Bit Complicated
82. Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings
83. Deerhunter - Cryptograms
84. Liars - Liars
85. Menomena - Friend and Foe
86. Ruthie Foster - The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster
87. White Rabbits – Fort Nightly
88. Do Make Say Think - You, You're A History In Rust
89. Anat Cohen - Noir
90. Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
91. The Fratellis - Costello Music
92. Jesse Sykes – Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul
93. Lori McKenna - Unglamorous
94. Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime
95. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
96. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
97. Marissa Nadler - Song III: Bird on the Water
98. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
99. The Fiery Furnaces - Widow City
100. Stars – In Our Bedroom After The War

Harp Magazine's list (nice to see Okkervil top a list other than my own):

50. Tunng, Good Arrows
49. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, 100 Days, 100 Nights
48. Oakley Hall, I'll Follow You
47. Yeasayer, All Hour Cymbals
46. Manu Chao, La Radiolina
45. Bettye LaVette, The Scene Of The Crime
44. Beirut, The Flying Cub Cup
43. Explosions In The Sky, All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
42. Mavis Staples, We'll Never Turn Back
41. Dr. Dog, We All Belong
40. Ian Hunter, Shrunken Heads
39. Patty Griffin, Children Running Through
38. Eleni Mandell, Miracle Of Five
37. Rufus Wainwright, Release The Stars
36. Bright Eyes, Cassadega
35. Animal Collective, Strawberry Jam
34. Ryan Adams, Easy Tiger
33. St. Vincent, Marry Me
32. Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew, Spirit If...
31. Robert Wyatt, Comicopera
30.Grinderman
29. Kings Of Leon, Because Of The Times
28. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, This Is Somewhere
27. Of Montreal, Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
26. Steve Earle, Washington Square Serenade
25. Jesse Sykes And The Sweet Hereafter, Like, Love, Lust, And The Open Halls Of The Soul
24. M.I.A., Kala
23. Bill Callahan, Woke On A Whale Heart
22. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Living With The Living
21. The National, Boxer
20. Rilo Kiley, Under The Blacklight
19. Bruce Springsteen, Magic
18. Georgie James, Places
17. The Good, The Bad, And The Queen
16. Wilco, Sky Blue Sky
15. The New Pornographers, Challengers
14. The Shins, Wincing The Night Away
13. Avett Brothers, Emotionalism
12. Devendra Banhart, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
11. White Stripes, Icky Thump
10. Jason Isbell, Sirens Of The Ditch
9. Neil Young, Chrome Dreams II
8. Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
7. Radiohead, In Rainbows
6. Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
5. Feist, The Reminder
4. Future Clouds & Radar
3. Iron & Wine, The Shepherd's Dog
2. Band Of Horses, Cease To Begin
1. Okkervil River, The Stage Names

If Rihanna isn't at the top of any given list, they lose. They lose the whole Interwebs. LOSE.

Sharon Jones at only #45 in Paste? Josh Rouse only at #71? Recount!

Mordechai, aren't you aware that R&B is only good when made by relics and retroists?

Oh, so I'm not the only one who found SFJ's pieceMordechai Shinefield's post totally wrong and even a little disingenuous? THE BIG STATEMENT ABOUT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC AND RACERIHANNA was neither convincing or big.

Mags that pay attention to metal will be giving big props to Wolves in the Throneroom Two Hunters (Southern Lord).

<sticks out tongue at Alex in Baltimore> Phphhhtt.

You poptimist you...

What is going on with these early lists, people? Hissing Fauna showing up in the mid 20s? And New Magnetic Wonder only making it to 66? This is an outrage!

I know, right.

Quick, someone tell SFJ the news!

Since its inception, Metacritic has provided a cross-section of reviews from a carefully-screened group of the most respected critics

Decibel: Where nobody gives a flying fuck about In Rainbows
Satan bless Decibel and their metal-lovin' ways.

40 - Grave In The Sky - Cutlery Hits China: English For The Hearing Impaired
39 - Trap Them - Sleepwell Deconstructer
38 - Darkest Hour - Deliver Us
37 - Year of No Light - Nord
36 - Pissed Jeans - Hope For Men
35 - Alcest - Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde
34 - Torche - In Return
33 - Between the Buried and Me - Colors
32 - Evoken - A Caress Of The Void
31 - Destroyer Destroyer - Littered With Arrows
30 - Down - III: Over The Under
29 - Engineer - The Dregs
28 - Rwake - Voice Of Omens
27 - Architect - All Is Not Lost
26 - Obliteration - Perpetual Decay
25 - Dax Riggs - We Sing Of Only Blood Or Love
24 - Big Business - Here Come The Waterworks
23 - Rosetta - Wake/Lift
22 - Magrudergrind - Rehashed
21 - Machine Head - The Blackening
20 - Caina - Mourner
19 - Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today
18 - The End - Elementary
17 - Melt-Banana - Bambi's Dilemma
16 - Graf Orlock - Destination Time Tomorrow
15 - Bergraven - Dodsvisioner
14 - Moonsorrow - Viides Luku/Havitetty
13 - Pelican - City Of Echoes
12 - The Red Chord - Prey For Eyes
11 - Deathspell Omega - Fas-ite Maledicti In Ignem Aeternum
10 - A Life Once Lost - Iron Gag
09 - High on Fire - Death Is This Communion
08 - Portal - Outre
07 - Witchcraft - The Alchemist
06 - Neurosis - Given To The Rising
05 - Baroness - The Red Album
04 - Jesu - Conqueror
03 - The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
02 - Watain - Sworn To The Dark
01 - Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb

Uncut
I love LCD Soundsystem to death. They rocked hard when I saw them, when they blew M.I.A. off the stage. But the new one is just a bit too inconsistent. It looks like some of their staff agree with me that the new Arctic Monkeys is far better than their first. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss and Wilco are predictable entries (is Tweedy old enough to be called a geezer yet?), and White Chalk and Comicopera are surprisingly challenging albums that high on an Uncut list. Voice of the Seven Woods is an interesting guitar album I'd never heard of before. They must not let Simon Reynolds vote anymore, otherwise at least Burial and Pinch would be on there, representing dubstep.

1. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
2. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
3. PJ Harvey - White Chalk
4. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
5. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
6. Robert Wyatt - Comicopera
7. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
8. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
9. Radiohead - In Rainbows
10. Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
11. Björk - Volta
12. Battles - Mirrored
13. Neil Young - Chrome Dreams II
14. M.I.A. - Kala
15. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
16. Grinderman - Grinderman
17. Super Furry Animals - Hey Venus!
18. Voice of the Seven Woods - Voice of the Seven Woods
19. Feist - The Reminder
20. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
21. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
22. Babyshambles - Shotters Nation
23. Rilo Kiley - Under the Brightlight
24. Lessavy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
25. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
26. Manu Chao - La Radiolina
27. Steve Earle - Washington Square Serenade
28. Rufus Wainwright - Release the Stars
29. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse
30. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
31. Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
32. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
33. Tinariwen - Aman Iman: Water Is Life
34. The National - Boxer
35. Bill Callahan - Woke on a Whaleheart
36. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
37. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
38. The Cribs - Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever
39. Interpol - Our Love to Admire
40. Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
41. Justice - †
42. Richard Thompson - Sweet Warrior
43. Manic Street Preachers - Send Away the Tigers
44. Maps - We Can Create
45. Richard Hawley - Lady's Bridge
46. Von Sudenfed - Tromatic Reflexxions
47. Nick Lowe - At My Age
48. Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy
49. Ry Cooder - My Name Is Buddy
50. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond

Q Magazine
It's nice to see Soulsavers and Field Music here, as they aren't on many lists yet. I haven't heard of Cherry Ghost, will have to check them out. They have Klaxons, but no Maximo Park, The Rakes, Good Shoes or The Maccabees. If Q doesn't champion them, who will? Guess it'll have to be NME or lil' ol me.

1. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
2. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
3. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
4. Radiohead - In Rainbows
5. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
6. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
7. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
8. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
9. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
10. Rufus Wainwright - Release the Stars
11. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
12. Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
13. Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob
14. Cherry Ghost - Thirst for Romance
15. Interpol - Our Love to Admire
16. Manic Street Preachers - Send Away the Tigers
17. Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight
18. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
19. Björk - Volta
20. The Rumble Strips - Girls and Weather
21. Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards
22. The Coral - Roots & Echoes
23. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
24. PJ Harvey - White Chalk
25. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
26. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
27. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
28. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
29. Roìsìn Murphy - Overpowered
30. The National - Boxer
31. Soulsavers - It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land
32. Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
33. Neil Young - Chrome Dreams II
34. M.I.A. - Kala
35. Hard-Fi - Once upon a Time in the West
36. Common - Finding Forever
37. Robyn - Robyn
38. Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High
39. Joni Mitchell - Shine
40. Field Music - Tones of Town
41. Keren Ann - Keren Ann
42. The Enemy - We'll Live and Die in These Towns
43. Patrick Watson - Close to Paradise
44. Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta!
45. Lucinda Williams - West
46. Sigur Ròs - Hvarf-Heim
47. Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
48. Justice - †
49. Jamie T - Panic Prevention
50. Stereophonics - Pull the Pin

man i really wish i could participate in the idolator pop critics poll but i'm not a critic (as i don't have an outlet for any of my writing), just an ilxor/enthusiastic music listener and fan with opinions that need to be heard :(

"Hail Satan!"

xp

ilx will have its own poll this year, won't it?

Good luck trying.

ILX will have ONE MILLION polls this year.

37. Robyn - Robyn

this should be much higher, but in 2007 it's just really old.

ilx will have its own poll this year, won't it?

-- Fastnbulbous, Tuesday, December 4, 2007

yeah, it should. someone always puts something together...

i volunteer Bee OK for the job

MOJO Best of 2007
I do like Neon Bible more than the first Arcade Fire album, but it's still spotty. Like the last Killers album, its homages to Springsteen are both clumsy and charming. The result is a merely decent album, but happens to appeal to a broad enough spectrum that it's sitting near the top of almost every list. So again the more interesting stories are buried below the top 10s. Actually there's not much of interest there either in MOJO's list, at least until #40. Plant/Krauss, Lowe and Young are the requisite geezer entries after The Boss. I haven't heard the Joni Mitchell, Pissed Jeans, Linda Thompson, Seasick Steve, Willy Mason, Edgar Jones, Amiina or Gravenhurst.

1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
3. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
4. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
5. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
6. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
7. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
8. PJ Harvey - White Chalk
9. Robert Wyatt - Comicopera
10. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
11. Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
12. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
13. Rufus Wainwright - Release the Stars
14. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
15. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
16. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
17. Field Music - Tones of Town
18. Grinderman - Grinderman
19. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
20. Nick Lowe - At My Age
21. Neil Young - Chrome Dreams II
22. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
23. Efterklang - Parades
24. Björk - Volta
25. Joni Mitchell - Shine
26. Pissed Jeans - Hope for Men
27. Linda Thompson - Versatile Heart
28. The Cinematic Orchestra - Ma Fleur
29. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
30. Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy
31. Gruff Rhys - Candylion
32. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
33. Seasick Steve - Dog House Music
34. Willy Mason - If the Ocean Gets Rough
35. Bettye LaVette - The Scene of the Crime
36. Tinariwen - Aman Iman: Water Is Life
37. Edgar Jones and The Joneses - Gettin' a Little Help
38. The Besnard Lakes - Are the Dark Horse
39. Battles - Mirrored
40. Yoko Ono - Yes, I'm a Witch
41. Amiina - Kurr
42. Gravenhurst - The Western Lands
43. Interpol - Our Love to Admire
44. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
45. Matthew Dear - Asa Breed
46. Kevin Ayers - The Unfairground
47. Edwyn Collins - Home Again
48. Babyshambles - Shotter's Nation
49. Voice of the Seven Woods - Voice of the Seven Woods
50. Alasdair Roberts - The Amber Gatherers

That list is horrible. Does MOJO realize there's this relatively new thing called HEAVY FUCKING METAL?

http://www.thedirks.org/thegirls/erica-yawn-20030521.jpg

Afropop.org top 10

Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective “Wátina” (Cumbancha) (Belize)
Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni ba “Segu Blue” (Out There Records) (Mali)
Caetano Veloso “Cê” (Nonesuch) (Brazil)
Dee Dee Bridgewater “Red Earth” (Emarcy) (USA)
Erol Josué “Régléman” (High Times Records/Mi5 Productions) (Haiti)
Puerto Plata “Mujer de Cabaret” (iASO Records) (Dominican Republic)
Ricardo Lemvo “Isabela” (Mobiato Music) (Congo)
Sergio and Odair Assad “Jardim abandonado” (Nonesuch) (Brazil)
Vusi Mahlasela, “Guiding Star” (ATO Records) (South Africa)
Youssou N’Dour, "Rokku Mi Rokka (Give and Take)" (Nonesuch) (Senegal)

Largehearted Boy is keeping track of the year-end lists in this post:

http://www.largeheartedboy.com/blog/archive/2007/11/2007_online_bes.html

-- three handclaps, Saturday, November 17, 2007 12:44 PM (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Link

So, who will Pitchfork pick for their album of the year?

My guess: In Rainbows.

(If that's wrong it will be Sound of Silver, Person Pitch, or Strawberry Jam.)

25. Joni Mitchell - Shine
26. Pissed Jeans - Hope for Men
27. Linda Thompson - Versatile Heart

a pissed jeans folkie sandwich. i think linda's going on my top 10. that's a good record.

these polls are pretty much interchangeable aren't they. why don't these rags just club together and give us one list and be done with it. nice to see alasdair roberts scrape through in the mojo poll though. i liked that album.

speaking of which…

2007's best albums

As voted by the Guardian's music writers

Friday December 7, 2007
The Guardian

1 LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
2 Radiohead: In Rainbows
3 The Hold Steady: Boys and Girls in America
4 MIA: Kala
5 Klaxons: Myths of the Near Future
6 Kings of Leon: Because of the Times
7 Grinderman: Grinderman
8 Battles: Mirrored
9 PJ Harvey: White Chalk
10 Feist: The Reminder
11 Arctic Monkeys: Favourite Worst Nightmare
12 Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
13 The Felice Brothers: Tonight at the Arizona
14 Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
15 Les Savy Fav: Let's Stay Friends
16 The Good, the Bad & the Queen: The Good, the Bad & the Queen
17 Britney Spears: Blackout
18 Bruce Springsteen: Magic
19 Josh Ritter: The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
20 El-P: I'll Sleep When You're Dead

There's starting to be a disturbing lack of Hissing Fauna appreciation.

Just when you couldn't think it could get any worse, it's the Guardian music poll.

It was a bad year.

it was a great year. too many lists are ignoring apparat and mary timony, though

Yeah, that Mary Timony album is growing on me.

The Decibel list shows it was a great year, unfortunately other publications see fit to put Yoko Ono and Britney Spears on their lists.

metal is shit

^^^stfu, prejudice is the fucking worst

<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