Year-End Critics' Polls '08

alex ross from the nyer also did a list, his covering the classical recordings of the year.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/tny/2008/12/alex-rosss-ten-best-recordings.html

I LOIKE Don't routhc me butr fuck artab money wtf is that

lol

we gettin reverend money

it's weird that no one ended up caring about that song

well they changed 'aye-rab' to 'ahrab' so

for a while there i had trouble not reading every instance of "arab" as "ay-rab"

it was way catchier when it was racistier

i feel the same way about marcello posts

http://www.krazy-kreations.com/spiderman/emote_artwork/gobby_drums.gif

i always see the sfj steez as a kind of purposely antiquated throwback to old school new yorker (and beyond, i suppose) crit, if that makes sense. it's hard to break down in so many words but i guess at the heart of it is an unperturbed belief that the job of a critic is fundamentally something of a sinecure rather than that of a responsible representer of dialogues, and while personally i do prefer my critics to go out and stunt if they must insist on taking to the stage the problem with sfj is that it shows up a certain thoughtlessness in regards to his own crippled little biases. however irritating he may be though, the sly benefit of his gnomicism is that you'd have to come a bit better than over-earnestly arguing the toss over a couple of trifling points* to knock him off his lofty perch. and really who can be bothered with that.

(*he's not really saying rihanna dropped the ball but that whatever numbers 'please don't stop the music' did it carried a ball rihanna didn't inflate in the first place, unlike 'umbrella'; yeah he's deliberately folded in an extra meaning into "hitness" there, but whatever. the busta contention really is a case of personal preference since either way it bears no particular relevance right now.)

it's true about son of bazerk though!

His #1 album choice Bon Iver refers to himself as neo-soul on his myspace site. I guess that's how SFJ rationalizes that choice with his complaints from last year about indie-rockers.

nominees for a Southern soul list--albums and singles (anybody can vote?)

http://bluescritic.com/SSVoting2008.htm

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/music/2008/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/26/AR2008122600358.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/26/AR2008122600355.html

Ross list => apart from viols its uninspiring...

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=36618
had me really o_O at the compression of time in this part:

When Nas recorded his debut and career high point, 1994’s Illmatic, he wasn’t old enough to drink. The immaturity showed: Soon after, he and Jay-Z entered into a long-running and contrived pro-wrestling-style beef that seems petty and foolish in retrospect.

Music 2008: Saying Goodbye to Pain

I read this is "Music 2008: Saying Goodbye to Palin".

bon iver is opposite of soul

I read this is "Music 2008: Saying Goodbye to Palin".

If only...

had me really o_O at the compression of time in this part:

When Nas recorded his debut and career high point, 1994’s Illmatic, he wasn’t old enough to drink. The immaturity showed: Soon after, he and Jay-Z entered into a long-running and contrived pro-wrestling-style beef that seems petty and foolish in retrospect.

Suggest Ban Permalink
― I LIKE HOO_S!! (some dude), Sunday, December 28, 2008 11:02 AM Bookmark

The (wtf) dual review of The Game and Solange is really challopy, too.

Naz vs. Jay-Z was the best thread ever. What was its lifespan? 9/11 didn't stop it, I know that (Noted in passing:"Your towers fell because you're weak.")

Nas vs. Jay-Z wasn't bad either.

oh man it's such a shame that review is so boneheadedly dull cos pairing up solange & the game is actually a GREAT idea - her paulo coelho = his dr dre!!

oof yeah that's full of clangers

Beyoncé and 50 Cent can barely attract interest to their own projects, let alone ones by baby siblings and irate former collaborators. Beyoncé’s 2006 album, B’Day, and 50 Cent’s 2007 album, Curtis, were both critical and commercial letdowns.

i mean like even beyond the fact that she's already released a more recent album that's doing solid business, B'Day sold marginally less than Dangerously and generally got better reviews. certainly not a Curtis-type fiasco, anyway, but i guess whatever makes their tenuous angle work.

b'day was huge 'culturally' as well

yeah wtf, i was under the impression bday was widely thought to be her best work, and one of the best pop albums of the decade. my op at least

im sorta whatever on it personally but my impression of the consensus w/ r&b fans i know irl was that it was pretty much an artistic success

Regarding the Pfork end of year list:

Scores By Rank (Top 25)
1 - 9.0
2 - 8.8
3 - 9.2
4 - 8.8
5 - 9.2
6 - 9.2
7 - 8.8
8 - 8.5
9 - 9.1
10 - 8.8
11 - 8.7
12 - 8.6
13 - 7.8
14 - 8.6
15 - 7.8
16 - 8.5
17 - 8.8
18 - 8.1
19 - 8.5
20 - 8.6
21 - 7.6
22 - 7.1
23 - 7.0
24 - 8.5
25 - 8.5

Mean Score: 8.5
Median Score: 8.6
Highest Scoring (9.2): #3 No Age, #5 Deerhunter, #6 TV on the Radio
Lowest Scoring (7.0): #23 Hot Chip

... if anyone cares

My top 100 albums, as posted on Rhapsody

1 - 50:

http://blog.rhapsody.com/2008/12/george-jones-once-called-1970-a-good-year-for-the-roses-and-though-the-fellow-who-made-my-very-favorite-album-this-year-ac.html

51 - 100:

http://blog.rhapsody.com/2008/12/51-eddy-current-suppression-ring-primary-colours-goner--52-dolly-parton-backwoods-barbie-dolly--53-black.html

So you like Rick Springfield's latest better than Toby Keith's greatest hits, the Kid Creole Going Places Comp, and – Nigeria Disco Funk Special: The Sound Of The Underground Lagos Dancefloor 1974-1979 (Soundway), to name a few others farther down in your list. Interesting.

So you like Rick Springfield's latest better than Toby Keith's greatest hits, the Kid Creole Going Places Comp, and – Nigeria Disco Funk Special: The Sound Of The Underground Lagos Dancefloor 1974-1979 (Soundway), to name a few others farther down in your list. Interesting.

Chuck, so your Rhapsody list means you like Jamey Johnson's new one and Rick Springfield's new one better than the Toby Keith greatest hits comp you listed (and better than the Kid Creole comp and numerous others farther down in your list)? Interesting.

Oops, wrong thread

I heard one of the new Rick Springfield songs the other day, can't remember which one after looking at the tracklist, and I found it surprisingly... pleasant. But certainly wasn't something I'd actively seek out again, nor would I expect anyone to get overly excited about it. Maybe I just heard the wrong track though.

or maybe not.

Well, you can certainly never accuse Chuck of going along with the crowd.

Not that I've heard a note of it, so shall now shut up.

http://blogs.chicagoreader.com/post-no-bills/

Pete Margasak of the Chicago Reader has been counting down his 40 faves ten or so at a time. He's into jazz, Brazilian, whirled, and rock

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7803609.stm

Elbow's Mercury Prize-winning album The Seldom Seen Kid is UK music critics' album of the year, a survey says.

The "poll of polls", conducted by retail chain HMV, took into account votes from media critics as well as the firm's staff and online customers.

The Seldom Seen Kid was nominated by 18 out of the 35 outlets polled, with Portishead's Third coming second on 17.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' Dig, Lazarus, Dig came third, followed by Fleet Foxes and Vampire Weekend.

Their self-titled debuts came fourth and fifth respectively.

TV on the Radio and MGMT also featured in the top 10, as did Bon Iver, Glasvegas and Hot Chip.

The year's biggest-selling album, Duffy's Rockferry, came 28th in the list.

Last year's album of the year was LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver.

"The poll reflects an excellent, eclectic year in music," HMV rock and pop buyer Damian Evans said.

"Fleet Foxes, Vampire Weekend, MGMT and Bon Iver have really made their mark with wonderful debut albums, underlining how vibrant the music scene is right now.

"Established artists such as Portishead and Nick Cave have also returned to great acclaim, although I suspect few people would dispute that Elbow have given us the album of the year."

POLL OF POLLS
1) The Seldom Seen Kid - Elbow
2) Third - Portishead
3) Dig, Lazarus, Dig - Nick Cave
4) Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
5) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
6) TV On The Radio - Dear Science
7) MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
8) Bon Iver - For Emma Forever Ago
9) Glasvegas - Glasvegas
10) Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
Source: HMV

Elbow's Mercury Prize-winning album The Seldom Seen Kid is UK music critics' album of the year, a survey says.

The "poll of polls", conducted by retail chain HMV, took into account votes from media critics as well as the firm's staff and online customers.

Everyone is a critic these days...

Ha.

Meanwhile here's Margasak's top 10--http://blogs.chicagoreader.com/post-no-bills/2008/12/30/best-2008-part-four/#comments

I left in his comments below for groups/artists I knew less about and cut out the ones for folks I know!

10. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Dig, Lazarus, Dig! (Anti-/Mute)

9. Rachel Unthank & the Winterset, The Bairns (Real World)
I doubt this British folk outfit would've landed so high on my list if they hadn't completely wowed me during the World Music Festival. Rachel Unthank and her small but resourceful band use gorgeous vocal harmonies, clever arrangements, and a subtle pop sensibility to bring new life to tunes that have survived centuries--and the easy charm and wit of their live set made their striking inventiveness seem totally nonchalant.

8. Mary Halvorson Trio, Dragon's Head (Firehouse 12)
Probably the most original jazz guitarist to emerge this decade, Mary Halvorson has already distinguished herself in projects with Anthony Braxton, in a folksy, genre-bending duo with violist Jessica Pavone, as a member of Taylor Ho Bynum's sextet, and in the art-rock duo People, among many other contexts--but on Dragon's Head, with bassist John Hebert and drummer Ches Smith, she distills all her vast talents as a composer, improviser, and sound explorer into one compact ensemble.

7. Martial Solal Trio, Longitude (Cam Jazz)
On the one hand, Longitude is just another album by veteran French pianist Martial Solal, who's now 80. But on the other hand, every album he makes reasserts his brilliance in redefining and revitalizing post-Monk piano playing. The rhythm section--twin brothers François and Louis Moutin on bass and drums--does an especially fine job anticipating and accommodating Solal's curious lines and chords.

6. Deerhoof, Offend Maggie (Kill Rock Stars)

5. Kassin + 2, Futurismo (Luaka Bop)
It's hard to separate Futurismo from the two preceding records by what's come to be known as the "Plus Two"--Alexandre Kassin, Moreno Veloso, and Domenico Lancellotti. Like the others, Kassin's outing is cool, cosmopolitan, and diverse, casually shuffling between Brazilian forms, electro, rock, pop, and just about anything else that strikes his fancy. I prefer to think of it as the last disc of a mind-blowing three-record box set that just happened to be released across eight years.

4. Mike Reed's People, Places & Things, Proliferation (482 Music)
Local drummer Mike Reed transcends homage by reinventing overlooked tunes from Chicago's late-50s postbop heyday. His killer quartet, which also includes reedists Greg Ward and Tim Haldeman and bassist Jason Roebke, updates the songs with fierce multilinear improvisation and free-jazz techniques, allowing them to be heard afresh, but doesn't diminish their soulful core. The best part is the joy and mutual trust these guys radiate onstage--they're my favorite working band in town.

3. Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple (Downtown)

2. Donny McCaslin Trio, Recommended Tools (Greenleaf)
Saxophonist Donny McCaslin has been one of the most reliable players in jazz since the mid-80s, and in the past few years he's become one of the most exciting as well. This lean trio session with bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Johnathan Blake is a genuine tour de force: McCaslin pushes his granite-hard tone anywhere he wants it to go, from tender ballads to harmonically adventurous barn burners.

1. Atomic, Retrograde (Jazzland)
On Retrograde this Scandinavian quintet--bassist Ingebrigt Haaker Flaten, drummer Paal Nilssen-Love, and pianist Havard Wiik from Norway, trumpeter Magnus Broo and reedist Fredrik Ljungkvist from Sweden--opts for a set of compositions much looser than its usual repertoire. The musicians' intuitive rapport and high-level communication skills allow them to transform even the sketchiest melodic or rhythmic structures into gripping narratives--they nail this new paradigm with all the gusto and daring they brought to their old freebop-based approach.

I had a hard time including the Kassin album for this year, as it was out in 2006 in Brazil I think and I reviewed it in 2007. It's pretty good, especially towards the end.

He listed a number of Brazilian acts and I was curious about that one. Thanks

So, not sure if this has been mentioned before, but it seems like previous years' Pazz & Jops are no longer available online.

Rachel Unthank and the Winterset=best name in a while! Rachel Unthank the Academy for me, okay? Specially when it comes to Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, and Vampire Weekend, though the latter are pretty fly for a white guy and could make a good back-up band, especially in boot camp for Obama's Afghanistan campaign (winning hearts & minds, people). I'll check Rachel and Mary, based on his descriptions (he didn't try to justify Cave and Barkley, which is okay by me)

Margasak did say why he went for Cave and Gnarls Barkley I just left it out of my cut and paste!

Halvorson keeps showing up on jazz lists. Youtube seems to only have her quieter acoustic duo side though.

Year-End Summary & Fester's Lucky 13s

Includes a top 100 list and genre lists as usual. Have a happy New Year.

Cokemachineglow had some interesting hip-hop choices. Invincible - Shapeshifters, hrm.
http://www.cokemachineglow.com/feature/4098/top50albums-2008?pg=5

Silent Ballet. As usual, I've only heard 25% of their list, just 3 of the top 10.
http://www.thesilentballet.com/tsbt/2008/10_01.html

From cokemachine glow:

If two of the best hip-hop albums (the other being Hell Hath No Fury) production-wise of the past three years are also the most innovative, the reason they’re innovative is…(quiet voice) they don’t just rely on an Akai sampler. But where the Neptunes have their cred elsewhere, and so they don’t need to worry so much, Black Milk is taking a huge risk by foregrounding his adoption of synths—rather than just quietly using them like everybody else does.

Question: I haven't heard Black Milk yet, but is he really taking such a "huge" risk?