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[kablooey]

Pitchfork's list is inverted, I think. Partially, at least. Albums like Black Sheep Boy, Look Aftering, Z, Before the Dawn Heals Us, etc. that were in the 40-50 range should have been in the 1-10 categories.

That's how I explain to myself how crap and predictable that list is, anyway.

 

[Nick]

Yeah... the list is very predictable. Even for a newbie like me. Some odd balls in there, however... Vashti and Okkervil placing so low surprised me. I assumed they would put Lookaftering in the top 10. Devendra not being in the top 20 was a surprise as well.

Good for Sufjan. He deserves it.

 

[kablooey]

On the bright side (zomg pun!), they didn't include Bright Eyes' album(s) on there, so it maintains at least some shred of respectability.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

Pitchfork's list is inverted, I think. Partially, at least. Albums like Black Sheep Boy, Look Aftering, Z, Before the Dawn Heals Us, etc. that were in the 40-50 range should have been in the 1-10 categories.

That's how I explain to myself how crap and predictable that list is, anyway.

Wait until Stylus does their top 10. Oh God, Girls Aloud.

 

[Nick]

On the bright side (zomg pun!), they didn't include Bright Eyes' album(s) on there, so it maintains at least some shred of respectability.

A little weird... considering it received a score almost as high as Art Brut.

Whatever.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

I can't believe Art Brut is on a list that isn't about slightly amusing illegally downloaded albums that were good for one listen.

 

[Nick]

Oh yeah, also surprising to see no Broken Social Scene on there.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

I can't believe Art Brut is on a list that isn't about slightly amusing illegally downloaded albums that were good for one listen.

Oh wait, that IS a list of slightly amusing illegally downloaded albums that were good for one listen.

 

[teepo]

i liked it better when pitchfork actually had INTERESTING shit in there top 20 lists.

 

[kablooey]

A little weird... considering it received a score almost as high as Art Brut.

Whatever.

Yeah, their scores are pretty arbitrary for the most part. I remember Neutral Milk Hotel's album got an 8.5 when it came out, and then got #3 on their best-of-the-90s list. So it's hard to tell where they're gonna go, really.

 

[Nick]

Pitchfork is just too "internet cool" for the internet.

 

[teepo]

reviews are oftentimes written by one person.

 

[teepo]

Pitchfork is just too "internet cool" for the internet.

pitchfork isn't even cool anymore. they've softened up over the last few years. i still think they're a good source of music though but half the shit they recommend now is usually a miss.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

They're just going through an identity crisis; one they're not bound to get out of. It's a trend most of the music zines are headed toward. Nothing new, I guess, but Pitchfork has gotten pretty big. Nothin' special. Just don't take it seriously.

You could do worse; you could take Stylus seriously.

 

[kablooey]

I think they're trying too hard to be "spokesman of indie kids all over the world", and telling people what to listen to. To be fair though, I think it's pretty much always been like this, it's just that people take them more seriously now.

Btw, I do think Cokemachineglow's gotten a lot better of late.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

They're really not doing that, though. They started out as a webzine meant to appeal to indie kids and expanded into something more diverse. Problem is, they've got some real phonies writing their features, and it's painfully obvious. The other problem is the people who read Pitchfork don't really give a shit about Cam'ron, unless you're some Stylus-reading, blog-worshipping poser like Star Power. But those types are already reading Stylus so it's like, what's the point?

I find the majority of Pitchfork unreadable. The features and reviews are terrible. I don't dislike it because I think I have better taste than anyone on their staff - although I do think most of them are extremely disingenuous (how could anyone honestly think that Axel F bullshit was one of the top singles of the year?) - it's the other stuff that's lacking. But I don't have to read it. I just like music, so I look at it every once in a while to see if they have anything to say.

 

[teepo]

it's funny because 2 years ago they wouldn't even TOUCH rap albums. it's amazing how jayz's bluprint made it in top 5 in the 2000-2004 best album of the year list, yet it isn;t even mentioned anywhere on the 2001 list.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

it's funny because 2 years ago they wouldn't even TOUCH rap albums. it's amazing how jayz's bluprint made it in top 5 in the 2000-2004 best album of the year list, yet it isn;t even mentioned anywhere on the 2001 list.

My favorite is Ryan's Homework review, and Homework's eminence on the '90s list.

[edit]

Oops, I had that backwards. It's Discovery, and it's either the 2000-2004 list or something else. Whatever it is, it's hysterical.

 

[kablooey]

They're really not doing that, though.

Oh, I think they are. Ever since 2003, when they made the effort to put the Rapture at the top of their year-end list, or last year with the Arcade Fire, it seems like it's all about pushing an agenda of what the music scene should be like, and it's amazing how much clout they have with that.

I'm just kind of annoyed that simply writing great songs, like Okkervil River, isn't enough to get enough attention with them anymore, unless you fit into their pre-defined 'vision', like Wolf Parade or whatever.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

I don't know. I guess. They're definitely trying their hardest to impress the pop music bloggers.

I can't even talk about this. I've spent so much time watching people argue about this subject already. My opinion's worthless. I just like music.

 

[teepo]

has anyone noticed that sometimes they don't even review the music in there reviews? they're usually pertinacious and very boring.

 

[Lambtron]

Haha, Art Brut and Cam'Ron in the top 10, and Broken Social Scene doesn't even crack the top 50? Well played, PFM, well played!

Not nearly as terrible as The Fucking Rapture as #1 of 2003. "House of Jealous Lovers" was/is just about the greatest song ever, rest of the album was mediocre to awful. But this is pretty close!

 

[vatstep]

has anyone noticed that sometimes they don't even review the music in there reviews? they're usually pertinacious and very boring.

I've always skipped the first few paragraphs in all of their reviews. Most of the time I'll only read the last couple, since that's when they'll finally get to talking about the actual music. To write for Pitchfork, you don't need to be a critic, you just need to have taken a couple of college-level creative writing courses. I appreciate good writing like anyone else, but I don't give a shit about it when I just want to find out if a record is worth my time or not. I used to like going back and finding old reviews that were 2-3 paragraphs long and to the point, the ones from around 1996-97; obviously this was just due to a lack of staff writers, though. Of course, after that, you had Brent DiCrescenzo writing those long, pretentious, self-serving reviews that you really took nothing away from. I was happy when he supposedly left the site, which didn't really happen.

I don't read the site much at all anymore because it's just become too ambitious and overreaching, with too much time dedicated to pointless features. You also can't trust that what they say is "good" is actually good, because there are too many contributors with too varying of tastes, and it's obvious sometimes that they're writing about a record that they shouldn't be. That, and a lot of them are guilty of the writing style I mentioned before. One of the only guys I've noticed that I can actually trust and enjoy reading on the site these days is Brandon Stosuy. He's reviewed a lot of records I've been interested in this year, and he actually talks about the music, with little filler.

 

[Mr. Spinnington]

Surprise yay

"I'm fuckin! I'm gonna have a party!"

 

[muttyeah416]

i liked the weight is a gift. pretty standard pop sounding fare boring lyrics but its a fun listen.

 

[Kevtones]

No order really:


M83 ~ Before the Dawn Heals Us (quick note to all My Bloody Valentine fans: listen to these guys!)

Sigur Ros ~ Takk (seeing these guys live was SO awesome)

Boards of Canada ~ Campfire Headphase (greatness)

dredg ~ Catch Without Arms (somebody get these guys some goddamn pub)

Neutral Milk Hotel ~ Shannon Monroe's House Demos (okay so this isn't an album, but they're fucking great to hear! Its fucking NMH!)

Queens of the Stone Age ~ Lullabies to Paralyze (when will they get the props they deserve? one of the few ROCKING bands left)

Stars ~ Set Yourself On Fire (Not sure why, but I love it)

some others stuff that escapes me @ the moment....next year should be good (Mogwai, Flaming Lips, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Massive Attack, Jeff Magnum rarities, Radiohead, Deftones....all of these possibilites and more)

 

[enjoy bell woods]

I've always skipped the first few paragraphs in all of their reviews. Most of the time I'll only read the last couple, since that's when they'll finally get to talking about the actual music. To write for Pitchfork, you don't need to be a critic, you just need to have taken a couple of college-level creative writing courses. I appreciate good writing like anyone else, but I don't give a shit about it when I just want to find out if a record is worth my time or not. I used to like going back and finding old reviews that were 2-3 paragraphs long and to the point, the ones from around 1996-97; obviously this was just due to a lack of staff writers, though. Of course, after that, you had Brent DiCrescenzo writing those long, pretentious, self-serving reviews that you really took nothing away from. I was happy when he supposedly left the site, which didn't really happen.

I don't read the site much at all anymore because it's just become too ambitious and overreaching, with too much time dedicated to pointless features. You also can't trust that what they say is "good" is actually good, because there are too many contributors with too varying of tastes, and it's obvious sometimes that they're writing about a record that they shouldn't be. That, and a lot of them are guilty of the writing style I mentioned before. One of the only guys I've noticed that I can actually trust and enjoy reading on the site these days is Brandon Stosuy. He's reviewed a lot of records I've been interested in this year, and he actually talks about the music, with little filler.

I've just taken to looking at Metacritic for an overall glance

 

[Diablos]

Yeah, metacritic is a good site.

 

[Thraktor]

AOTY:

The Mighty Rearranger ~ Robert Plant And The Strange Sensation

It is far and away the best album released this year. Plant is in searing form on it. It matches or exceeds a sizable portion of Led Zeppelins output.

AND NONE OF YOU BASTARDS BOUGHT IT!

Seriously, of all the bands that deserve to be listened to that GAF has ignored, this is the worst.

Outside of Thraktor I don't know of a single other GAFer that has ever mentioned the album.

Very much seconded (even if my opinion was rather implied in his post), the album literally just stopped playing in iTunes as I started typing this post, and it sounds even better now than the first time I heard it. I think an awful lot of people ignore music like this because they see Robert Plant as a relic of the '70s, past his prime by today's standards, which is understandable if you look at most of his contemporaries, but is a completely inexcusable criticism to level at Robert Plant. The band he's got playing with him are absolutely wonderful, Justin Adams being one of the most talented and individual guitarists I have come across in a long time. And, although it isn't much relevant to "album of the year", I saw them play live just last week, which is a not-quite-describable experience. To put it in perspective, after coming out of the concert, if there had been the exact same show on the following day, for twice the cost, I would have bought a ticket that very instant. Anyway, I think one of the main reasons we're not getting listened to here is the complete lack of unneccesarily-large images of the cover artwork, which seem to be the only attention-getters in this topic, and I suppose if you can't beat 'em, join 'em:

 

[swoon]

Oh, I think they are. Ever since 2003, when they made the effort to put the Rapture at the top of their year-end list, or last year with the Arcade Fire, it seems like it's all about pushing an agenda of what the music scene should be like, and it's amazing how much clout they have with that.

I'm just kind of annoyed that simply writing great songs, like Okkervil River, isn't enough to get enough attention with them anymore, unless you fit into their pre-defined 'vision', like Wolf Parade or whatever.

let's be honest though. okkervil river has never written a great song and most of their songs are bogged down by some of the worst production this side of alt.country.

 

[enjoy bell woods]

let's be honest though. okkervil river has never written a great song and most of their songs are bogged down by some of the worst production this side of alt.country.

If only that song about Otis Redding, the one with the pretty sweet title, were half as good as it is promising.

 

[Particle Physicist]

Radiohead - Me and This Army (rap remixes)
It's unofficial, but I love it. Who would've ever thought people would be rapping over songs like My Iron Lung and I Will, and the computer voice that did Fitter Happier singing (well, talking) along to a remix of Creep? Brilliant. Plus, it having De La Soul doesn't just make this any underground rap release.

ive never heard of this. is it actually in stores? id love to listen to it.

 

[Diablos]

It's not a commerical album, but an underground rap release.

 

[swoon]

If only that song about Otis Redding, the one with the pretty sweet title, were half as good as it is promising.

the way he says christmastime in that song makes me want to die. but a lot of their songs are like that really.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

has anyone noticed that sometimes they don't even review the music in there reviews? they're usually pertinacious and very boring.

I assure you that you are the very first person to ever make note of this.

 

[teepo]

I assure you that you are the very first person to ever make note of this.

you're cool thx!

 

[Diablos]

So cool that he's baking you a pie RIGHT NOW!

 

[Dilbert]

OK, finally some time to do a proper "best _____ of 2005" list. I guess I should start with a couple of caveats:

* An album had to come out for the first time in 2005 for it to count. (Obviously some albums had tracks on them which were released as singles in earlier years.) Reissues are in a separate category.

* My criteria for "best" is some combination of how "good" the music is on some intellectual scale...and how much I actually listened to it. There are great albums which are hard to listen to, and not-quite-as-great albums that I played to death -- hopefully this listing credits both categories.

* The "song" list isn't restricted to singles. The primary criteria is that it was a song which got stuck in my head or got played over and over again thoughout the year. (Looking over the list, I suspect that I subconsciously favored songs which were the best one from an album which was good but not great. Many of the best albums had a crapload of good songs, and they tended to cancel each other out.)

* My tastes run very strongly to "dance" music (whatever the hell that means anymore) and rock. My interest in hip-hop dwindled down to almost zero this year -- in fact, I think only one hip-hop album made my list anywhere.

Top Ten Albums of 2005

1) Silicone Soul, Staring Into Space
Simply one of the best house albums I've heard in many years. EXTREMELY strong across the board -- almost every track could be a single -- and fairly eclectic within the genre. This is a perfect soundtrack for a long, nighttime drive...back to your apartment for some action.

2) Eels, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
After the very disappointing Shootenanny!, I was preparing for the worst when I heard that E was putting together a 33-track double album for the followup effort. It turns out that the concern was unwarranted -- this is arguably the second-best Eels album of all time, behind only the untoppable Electro-Shock Blues. Not every song is perfect, but there is more than enough great material here to warrant the double-album length. As usual, E balances honest, simple emotion with wry irony while writing pop songs that will stick in your head for weeks.

3) Jamie Lidell, Multiply
How the hell did a white guy on Warp Records from England end up putting together a classic soul/funk album? If you heard the album without knowing who put it together, or when, you would suspect that you'd unearthed a rare gem from another decade. There is some top-notch production here, but the glitchy Warp sound is VERY subtle and in the service of the music.

4) Jens Lekman, Oh You're So Silent Jens
My favorite Beck album is still his obscure, thrown-together acoustic record, One Foot In The Grave. This album from Jens Lekman is very much in the same vein -- lo-fi production, raw hooks that get by on charm, amateurish lyrics that occasionally stumble over brilliance. Definitely recommended...and if you like it, buy that album from Beck, willya?

5) The Decemberists, Picaresque
I've seen the comments complaining about this album, and I dunno what to say other than "I liked it a lot." The songwriting is terrific, and I played this album to death after I bought it. (I've also been tempted to make a mixtape with "The Mariner's Revenge Song" and Iron Maiden's "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner" back to back, but that's another story...)

6) As One & Kirk Degiorgio, Elegant Systems
The artist name has got to be some kind of inside joke -- "As One" is a name that Kirk Degiorgio uses as a pseudonym -- but the music is no joke at all. This album is full of ambient, minimal music which doesn't shy away from the possibilities of beat.

7) My Morning Jacket, Z
Is it possible to love a record and be disappointed in it at the same time? As much as Z was awesome, I still like It Still Moves more since it had more of that "epic feel" that really wasn't captured on Z except in a few spots...most notably the amazing "Dodante" which closes the album. Even so, this was a fine album that got a LOT of play.

8) Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas, Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas
Speaking of disappointments -- this is the album that Röyksopp SHOULD have released. Lindstrøm is an up-and-coming artist with some hot singles on the charts ("I Feel Space"), and both he and Prins Thomas have stellar reputations as remixers, but the combination of their talents is very impressive. Norway is fast becoming THE music hotbed...

9) Boards of Canada, The Campfire Headphase
The only major nit that you can assign to this album is that it sounds a lot like their other work...but since their other work is brilliant, that is far from being a major negative. This album is arguably their "brightest" in terms of tone, which is a nice step.

10) Beck, Guero
Even though it didn't top career high points such as Odelay or Sea Change, this was a fun summer record with the inimitable Beck sound which had a couple of tracks ("Missing," "Earthquake Weather") that rank with his best work to date.

Honorable Mention (not in order):

Okkervil River, Black Sheep Boy
Amusement Parks On Fire, Amusement Parks On Fire
Broken Social Scene, Broken Social Scene
Lisa Shaw, Cherry
Sufjan Stevens, Illinois
Stars, Set Yourself On Fire
Jason Forrest, Shamelessly Exciting
Moogwai, 5 Wishes & More
The Clientele, Strange Geometry
Sigur Rós, Takk
Thievery Corporation, The Cosmic Game
Sound Directions, The Funky Side Of Life
Caribou, The Milk Of Human Kindness
Isolée, We Are Monster
Christopher O'Riley, Hold Me To This
Common, Be

Top DJ Mixes of 2005

1) Nick Warren, Global Underground 028: Shanghai
Not as essential as the amazing GU024: Reykjavik, this was still a great outing. With Nick Warren, you can count on great track selection (including some exclusive tracks/mixes) and solid mixing...this double-CD is no exception.

2) Andrew Kelly, Blue Industries Mix
Great progressive house mix from an up-and-coming star. About half the mix is Kelly's own work, with the centerpiece being my favorite track of the year, "A Downside To Belonging." (I'm looking forward to his artist album, whenever it comes out...)

3) Fred Everything, House Of Om - Fred Everything
Surprisingly gritty house mix, considering the label -- this is not the jazzy/funky background music that you might expect, but rather a bumping dance album that wants to get people out of their chairs.

4) Bedrock Records, Layered Sounds Volume 2
Nice double-CD mix from Bedrock. The first CD is more laid-back and ambient; the second CD is more club-friendly stuff.

5) Ben Watt, Buzzin' Fly Volume 2
Not as good as Volume 1 (but still pretty damn good), Ben Watt and friends at Buzzin' Fly continue to define the best of deep house at the moment.

Top Ten Songs of 2005

1) "A Downside To Belonging," Andrew Kelly
Progressive house with an amazingly epic sound...a permanent fixture on my workout mix for the gym.

2) "Multiply," Jamie Lidell
Infectious soul channeled straight from Motown through Warp.

3) "Glósóli," Sigur Rós
Gorgeous, subtle song that builds up to a sheer wall of noise before fading out. Classic Sigur Rós, and the best song on Takk.

4) "Venus In Cancer," Amusement Parks On Fire
20-year-old bedroom producer in love with My Bloody Valentine creates this angsty gem. Yes, the riff probably sounds familiar...and it still kicks ass.

5) "The Mariner's Revenge Song," The Decemberists
Two-act play reimagined as 8:45 song. The odd instrumentation and clever lyrics demand attention and repeated listens. (In some weird parallel universe, this has got to be the most-requested karaoke song...)

6) "Warning Shots," Thievery Corporation
The best song on the solid The Cosmic Game, the mix of the smooth Thievery sound and the tension from the guest rappers/toasters works extremely well.

7) "Neon," Moogwai
Classic trance with just enough house in the bassline to keep it interesting.

8) "Earthquake Weather," Beck
One of Beck's best songs and most complicated productions...very subtle hooks.

9) "'76 aka Stay With You," Lemon Jelly
Catchy, driving song -- the best song on '64-'95 by a mile.

10) "Pocketful of Money," Jens Lekman
Incredibly catchy song that is almost perfect pop until the bass voice comes in, mixed way too high, to screw things up...which somehow makes it better.

Honorable Mention (not in order):

"Fat Cat (Way Out West Mix)," SJ Esau
"Four Squares," Adam Johnson
"Fingerpaint (Original Mix)," Digital Witchcraft
"Dayvan Cowboy," Boards of Canada
"In The Yard, Behind The Church," Eels
"Railroad Man," Eels
"Old Shit/New Shit," Eels
"Hands All Over," Brazilian Girls
"Let It Ride (Jimpster Remix)," Lisa Shaw
"38 Thousand Feet," As One & Kirk Degiorgio
"Missing," Beck
"Casimir Pulaski Day," Sufjan Stevens
"Sykkelsesong," Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas
"My Truth (Original Mix)," Funk Harmony Park
"Black Cab," Jens Lekman
"Eli, The Barrow Boy," The Decemberists
"Ageless Beauty," Stars
"War Photographer," Jason Forrest
"When The Devil Drives," Silicone Soul
"Folie a Deux," Silicone Soul
"Under The Werewolf Moon," Silicone Soul
"Alpha Male," Röyksopp
"Mädchen Mit Hase," Isolée
"Dodante," My Morning Jacket

Top Reissues of 2005

Global Communication, 76:14
Ulrich Schnauss, Far Away Trains Passing By

2005 was an awesome year for reissues. The top spot in my list is a tie between 76:14 by Global Communication and Far Away Trains Passing By by Ulrich Schnauss. (The Global Communication album is one of the all-time best, but the Ulrich Schnauss album got more playtime from me...so it's a tie.) Both also offered a bonus disc with some good, semi-rare extra content.

Other worthy contenders:

Luomo, Vocal City
Brilliant, lush micro-house. I'm not a huge fan of micro-house -- a lot of it doesn't resonate with me -- but this stuff is minimal AND beautiful.

Randy Newman, Ragtime (soundtrack)
Arguably Newman's best soundtrack, this wasn't available on CD for a long time.

The Go! Team, Thunder, Lightning, Strike (U.S. release)
One of my favorite albums from last year. The U.S. version has different samples, but is largely the same. (With the exception of "Everyone's a V.I.P. To Someone" -- the changed version flat-out sucks compared to the original.)

----------------

(Holy CRAP...this ended up taking forever to put together. Ummm...happy holidays, GAF? Does anyone even read this stuff?)

 

[=W=]

5) The Decemberists, Picaresque
I've seen the comments complaining about this album, and I dunno what to say other than "I liked it a lot." The songwriting is terrific, and I played this album to death after I bought it. (I've also been tempted to make a mixtape with "The Mariner's Revenge Song" and Iron Maiden's "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner" back to back, but that's another story...)

Yeah, the haters boggle my mind too. I don't get how anyone could like their previous albums, but not this one. It's not my personal favorite, but it easily has some of their best work on it. And the video for "16 Military Wives" is just awesome.

 

[Mifune]

Holy shit, a whole page of Pitchfork whining? Keep it going, guys! Your wildly unique opinions must be heard!

 

[enjoy bell woods]

Holy shit, a whole page of Pitchfork whining? Keep it going, guys! Your wildly unique opinions must be heard!

There's 20 pages on Hipinion.

 

[Mifune]

There's 20 pages on Hipinion.

Ha! I know, and it's the same shit every year.

 

[Nick]

Since everyone was so upset with Illinois, what is everyones opinion on Michigan? Did you like that album in the first place?

 

[enjoy bell woods]

Ha! I know, and it's the same shit every year.

I can't even give any effort to discussing Pitchfork. That board ran that well dry a long, long time ago.

 

[Diablos]

Nice work jinx!

while writing pop songs that will stick in your head for weeks.

Hey Man (Now You're Really Living) is catchy, funny stuff

5) The Decemberists, Picaresque
I've seen the comments complaining about this album, and I dunno what to say other than "I liked it a lot." The songwriting is terrific, and I played this album to death after I bought it. (I've also been tempted to make a mixtape with "The Mariner's Revenge Song" and Iron Maiden's "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner" back to back, but that's another story...)

I really haven't listened to this one enough to say much about it, but what I've heard is pretty decent. 16 Military Wives seems to take a stab at modern politics as a whole, which is a pretty brave thing to do.

7) My Morning Jacket, Z
Is it possible to love a record and be disappointed in it at the same time? As much as Z was awesome, I still like It Still Moves more since it had more of that "epic feel" that really wasn't captured on Z except in a few spots...most notably the amazing "Dodante" which closes the album. Even so, this was a fine album that got a LOT of play.

No, it's perfectly natural to be disappointed... I'd argue MMJ losing their two band members, one of them being the most talented guitarist and a founding member I believe, has a LOT to do with that. The question is, can they swing back to what they once were? I've said it a million times on GAF, but I'm so, so glad I got to see them open for Foo Fighters in 2003 before anyone left. What a show. They kicked Foo Fighters' ass. They were so sloppy and drowned out compared to the super-tight performance MMJ gave the crowd.

10) Beck, Guero
Even though it didn't top career high points such as Odelay or Sea Change, this was a fun summer record with the inimitable Beck sound which had a couple of tracks ("Missing," "Earthquake Weather") that rank with his best work to date.

It's no Odelay perhaps, but I think it's superior to Sea Change. IMO, Beck excels at the Odelay/Guero sound rather than the more folky, acoustic-ish Sea Change stuff.

Mifune: So you're a Pitchfork fanboy, I take it?

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Since everyone was so upset with Illinois, what is everyones opinion on Michigan? Did you like that album in the first place?

I enjoyed Illinois a lot. It's a bit too long, but there are some rather great songs on it. As for Michigan, I like it even more than Illinois. Actually, I like Seven Swans more as well.

 

[Nick]

I enjoyed Illinois a lot. It's a bit too long, but there are some rather great songs on it. As for Michigan, I like it even more than Illinois. Actually, I like Seven Swans more as well.

I'm with you on that. Both Illinois and Michigan are wonderful. Even though I agree that a lot of ideas are rehashed on Illinois, that doesn't take away that they were beautiful, original ideas.

 

[Mifune]

Mifune: So you're a Pitchfork fanboy, I take it?

If keeping a photo of Ryan Schreiber in my wallet is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

No. I just have given up on caring where albums I like and don't like show up on Pitchfork's lists. I like the site for news and album reviews, but their opinions don't hold much sway with me anymore. Just not worth discussing.

 

[Dilbert]

Since everyone was so upset with Illinois

I liked Illinois quite a bit...it just wasn't the kind of album that I'd fall in love with.

Pitchfork is a useful site for hearing about artists that I might not hear about otherwise, but I've been burned by their opinions to the point that I INSIST on previewing the album before I buy it. For every good, obscure band they champion, there are two other obscure bands which get praised there who are utter crap.

I have the same problem with URB, incidentally. Their review page is a fucking joke lately -- the vast majority of the albums get four stars on a 1-5 scale, plus or minus a half-star. How are you supposed to tell the good from the bad? They are also WAY too concerned with being hip/cool/trendy/whatever, and their choices for major coverage are predictably bad.

 

[ourumov]

Franz Ferdinand - YOu could have it so much better
Metric - Live it Out
Maximo Park - A certain Trigger