Robyn

Actually, there's a lot more >'s to go, I just got a little tired of leaning on that key.

oh scottpl, today's issue makes me cry!

The new Fiona Apple CD is crap, though, Matthew.

But anyway, ROBYN -- 8.2 was definitely too low. And it's a serious issue, because Pitchfork readers only seem to flock to mega-ratings -- and WHY DID THIS NOT GET A MEGA-RATING. While I'm content to yell about this album to an indie-rock brick wall, veryone would love this album if it was hip.

PFM gives out a gazillion reviews in the 7-8.4 range. Thus, if an album is in a genre you don't normally listen to (eg: pop), and it gets one of those generic 'pretty good' ratings, I can't imagine someone going out of their way to hear it. If it rates a 9.7, say, there's something compelling there - "maybe this is actually good and worth hearing, even if I don't normally like that stuff".

ALL HAIL EMPEROR SNOOZANS!

Sean, "Tymps" is actually probably the best argument in favor of Elizondo's version, and the relative flatness of Brion's arrangement!

Broken Social Scene
Franz Ferdinand
Wolf Parade
Devendra Banhart
Serena Maneesh
Kanye West
Super Furry Animals
The New Pornographers
Sufjan Snoozans
Wilderness
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Isolee
Art Brut
Sleater-Kinney
Stephen Malkmus
The Hold Steady
Architecture In Helsinki
Rosebuds
Sigur Ros
Jóhann Jóhannsson
Jason Forrest
Blood on the Wall
Bloc Party
Bell Orchestre
Kalikak Family
Kompakt 6
Part Chimp
Field Music

Well, I guess I shouldn't be very shocked by any of this.

I think there was originally some conflicted half-assed "I have reservations" stuff in that review, too, but they weren't clear and precise enough to survive editing.

Come to think of it, it sounds like an Eels cover, which isn't really a plus or minus either way.

:(

Heh, didn't notice this, BUT "Anytime You Like" (ie the last track) sounds REALLY Bush-like to me – both in the voice (incl the stereoed refrain-thing) and especially the instrumental backing, which (at least at the start) is some sort of twin of "Watching You Without Me" from The Ninth Wave.

the bad news: apart from the stuff i'd already heard (and i had reservations about 'konichiwa bitches' anyway), it basically sucks. thoughts here

Listening to this made me really appreciate the internet. There was a time I may actually have paid to listen to this kind of crap. Thanks to miracle of technology, I can now listen to crap for free!

get one history that extends beyond the millennial mark

I'm hardly convinced she's taking cues from 'electro-house' either. And oh no! ACOUSTIC GUITAR!? It's hardly the main instrumentation, just a tiny melodic frill on that song. Are you really that allergic? The strings are acoustic too as far as I can tell...

The beats are a bit thin & wonky sure (these 'poptimists' have actually heard pop music before haven't they?), but I think they're deliberately so & well used. Every suggestion I've heard to 'improve' Konichiwa Bitches sounds like something that would remove an equal amount of charm & lightness in the process.

The other criticisms just annoy me because I can imagine other scenarios where they'd be totally flipped or disregarded "oh look another boring ballad" (this isn't an r'n'b record!)

OK- I'm off on my history of the white appropriation of R&B. Backstreet Boys? Hmm...
http://www.musicobsession.com/Pictures/c/o/colormebadd340764.jpg
Oh wait, there's a black guy there. I guess they pass the cool test.