Seems like exactly the standard indie pop fare you would expect to be on this list.
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Stereogum Ranks The Top 50 Albums of 2015
- Thread starter ElectricBlanketFire
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AyaisMUsikWhore
Member
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSS
Carly getting the true props she deserves. I agree with some of this list.
Carly getting the true props she deserves. I agree with some of this list.
At least someone who knows Timbre. I love that album.
Good thing I recognize most of these albums, but I haven't heard the new grimes one. 2015 was a ridiculously good year for music, and so I can understand that it's hard to list the best albums since there are so many great ones.
It's good to see Kamasi Washington recognized (#35), one of my favorite records of this year and the best concert I ever have been.
kitchenmotors
Banned
Their debut was outstanding, EOE is just average. Hits some marks but loses all the charm of the first album. Maturing as an artist or band isn't pointlessly changing sound, it's called growth. Chvrches lacks growth and just did more of the same, except it bored me this time around instead of being fresh.
Monocle
Member
It didn't bore me at all, honestly. I've listened to the full album a good few times now and I still love it. I have EOE on heavy rotation just like Art Angels.
If CHVRCHES don't show any growth in their third album, that's the time to be concerned.
kitchenmotors
Banned
It felt so disappointing to me. I spun BOWYB so many times and have seen them live 3 times. I had extremely high expectations, maybe that was my issue.
Art Angels met my expectations though. For sure.
Nope.
I appreciate you shitting on my opinion of a music album of all things. Especially considering I've seen you do quite the same in other topics. But hey, why recognize your hypocrisy , right? Just insult me cause I don't love the same thing you do. Just saying.
Btw, popular consensus =/= guaranteed quality. That's a really poor argument to make, especially considering subjectivity within or questionable things that do become popular. Like Nascar or the Macy's Day Parade.
Lol, what are you talking about? You don't even have an opinion of it yet. You haven't even listened to the damn thing.
I literally stated my opinion of some of the songs in a post right after the one you initially quoted where you balked about sex. Here's that post even.
I just tire of hypocrisy and dismissive/illogical arguments. Especially over a music album of all things.
You're right, I missed your post somehow. My bad. I still find it weird to avoid something because it receives praise, but to each his own I suppose.
Monocle
Member
What is even happening right now? I was responding to your fairly ridiculous attitude where the widespread positive response to Grimes' album has somehow debased it for you, before you've even heard it. It's an awful reactionary contrarian way to engage with entertainment. It's almost like the stereotypical hipster's habit of rejecting a band they like as soon as it becomes mainstream, because popularity instantly depreciates art or something. Consider a different approach maybe? You'll enjoy more good things that way.
As for my "hypocrisy," I would be fascinated to see some examples if they weren't A) off topic and B) irrelevant to our exchange in particular. If you didn't detect any humor in my half-serious reference to chocolate and Stars Wars as examples of popular things that are also good, it's pointless anyway. I don't know how I could possibly reassure you that casual discussions about my tastes in entertainment aren't deadly serious to me. Like most people, I enjoy having my opinion validated, and I sure don't mind defending my interests. But a minor row over an ultimately trivial topic doesn't exactly get my pulse pounding.
Oh, and I'd encourage you to reread my post. Specifically the part where I said "Sometimes popular consensus is justified." Not always, sometimes. How you confused that modest and accurate statement with the absurd claim that "popular consensus guarantees quality" is beyond me.
Jack Remington
Banned
Drones by Muse is better than most of their top 10.
Oh, I don't avoid things because of high praise. I just get a bit on edge about them. Precisely because I often do not agree with the high praise such things get. It's kind of like when you get built up to believe something is the god-send of x piece of entertainment and then it falls so incredibly short of that. It's happened more than enough that I generally do not believe high praise until I hear it myself. And then if it doesn't meet that praise, it just kinda continues affirming my experience with that.
That said, the Grimes album seems alright. It's well-made. Better than some stuff out there but it's not mind-blowing for me. I probably wouldn't put it in a top 10 but it's alright.
torre_avenue
Banned
Troll post?
equippedwithtowel
Member
Jack Remington
Banned
No.
Was putting Carly Rae Jepsen in the top 10 a troll post by Stereogum?
They put out mostly awesome music.
ElephantShell
Banned
Props for having Joy, Departed on there. No Turnover though? Weak.
I'd appreciate and encourage you to reread my post. I did not state that high praise for something = me not liking it. I stated it makes me leery and puts me off precisely because I often find myself not agreeing with the high praise that some things get. I also stated that I would need to hear it and I did. And I formed my view on it.
I tend to enjoy most things I hear, which is most genres of music. You don't know me or my interests. So, thanks for the prejudgment on my tastes/open-mindedness. And next time please don't mischaracterize my posts for your own ends ie: claiming I argued something I didn't and then comparing that to a buzzword like hipster with them not liking a breakout album from a former favorite band of theirs.
In my lurking and skimming of topics I'll see you mention not liking some popular thing so getting on MY case just because it's a Grimes album makes no sense to me. Which is precisely why I find it odd you'd get on my case in the first place about it if you say it doesn't matter much. I've been saying it doesn't make sense for people to get on me about something as miniscle as a music album of all things. I'll just never say my view on a music album again here on Gaf if people get this way about an opinion different from their own. The fact I have to even type this out baffles me.
Yes, you said sometimes. I will acknowledge that. But you are essentially saying popular consensus = quality. You have a qualifier of sometimes but the fact of the matter remains you are stating that.
torre_avenue
Banned
I'm not going to be derogatory towards Drones namely because I haven't listened to it because of the mediocre reviews, but, going of your tone towards Carly Rae Jepsen, I don't think you've heard Emotion. Emotion's one of the best pop albums I've heard today, and separates itself from the usual 80s-inspired dreck by actually having varied production and generally being a fun record that isn't a collection of singles meant to be mindlessly consumed.
At the end of the day, it's your opinion, but...to say Drones is up there with Summertime '06, Art Angels, To Pimp a Butterfly, Carrie & Lowell, or even the Courtney Barnett record is a hell of an opinion.
Dicktatorship
Junior Member
White people at it again stealing from blacks smh
I definitely feel as though the band would be much more listenable as an instrumental band. The vocals are terrible in my opinion but I'd say as much about most metal acts. I liked Mastodon before dude's voice was thrashed.
Drones isn't too bad honestly. I'd put it up there. Critic reviews are just that. People with opinions. Only they get paid for it....even if most don't really form them all that critically.
Edit: And it's precisely because of troll accusations all over music that only further leads me to believe music discussion on Gaf isn't worth the time anymore.
mariachi507
Member
It's a good album. It's still very fresh so it's possible, but ultimately I bet that Kendrick claims it.
kitchenmotors
Banned
I hope this is a joke post because that kind of bullshit doesn't belong in music threads.
But.. your attitude in this thread is part of the problem.
Oh please, I was straight-forward and kind about my views on the album. The treatment I got cause of that is anything but. And the treatment I've seen others get all over differing taste in music only further solidifies the impression for me. But that's veering off-topic at this point and frankly not worth it.
sixteen-bit
Member
whoa, i've heard the first two
I can see why people both love it or think its meh. It tends to fall all over the place on lists. Kendrick is consistently in the top 5.
Jack Remington
Banned
I thought Adele was supposed to win all the awards. From the media coverage I thought she had made everyone else irrelevant like what Steph Curry is doing in basketball right now.
kitchenmotors
Banned
Adele's album is boring and extremely middle of the road. Sales don't lead to automatically getting the top spot on these lists.
Carly Rae's album did badly in the charts but it's one of the top albums of 2015.
Jack Remington
Banned
I don't want to live in a world where the Call Me Maybe chick gets serious awards consideration.
You guys are all joking with that, right?
You guys are all joking with that, right?
Have you listened to the album, or are you basing this on one song she released three years ago?
FaintDeftone
Junior Member
Good list, but I would have put Chvrches much higher on that list myself.
Jack Remington
Banned
Bjork's album should have been top 20 at a minimum. I'd have it in the top 5 myself.
I gave it a listen when it came out. Re-listening now. I don't hear anything special. It sounds about Taylor Swift caliber. There's much better pop. Something like Lorde's debut album was head and shoulders over this.
I gave it a listen when it came out. Re-listening now. I don't hear anything special. It sounds about Taylor Swift caliber. There's much better pop. Something like Lorde's debut album was head and shoulders over this.
kitchenmotors
Banned
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Jack Remington
Banned
Musically that album was far beyond this Carly album. Far superior compositions, better beats, better arrangements. The gap is something like Miles Davis vs Kenny G. Not that any of these pop stars are within an order of magnitude of Miles, but I'm saying the gap is huge.
Lorde isn't even all that great, but Emotion is lightweight popcorn. It's the musical equivalent of carnival cotton candy. Which can be fun to eat, but it's not getting any Michelin stars.
zer0blivion
Member
The lack of Faith No More Sol Invictus is disappointing.
kitchenmotors
Banned
EMOTION is a pretty damn perfect pop record. Lorde doesn't even compare, she's very one note. And terrible live.
teruterubozu
Member
And no Iron Maiden The Book of Souls. These lists are for a specific audience anyway.
Jack Remington
Banned
Yeah, the new Iron Maiden album is fucking great.
Lists like this aren't about live performances though. From a composition standpoint there's no comparison. Lorde has A LOT more musical ability. I guess the Carly record is more... fun? Fun is probably the right word.
Lists like this aren't about live performances though. From a composition standpoint there's no comparison. Lorde has A LOT more musical ability. I guess the Carly record is more... fun? Fun is probably the right word.
I agree and I loved EOE.
People who criticise EOE for being samey would also have been the same sort of people who would shit on Reckoning by R.E.M. for being too similar to Murmur.
wild wild rice
Member
Simple Songs is kinda boring, Behold is the truly great O'Rourke album this year.
Dicktatorship
Junior Member
What are you? Some kind of colonization-supporter? Hello! 1700 called, it wants its ideology back.
kitchenmotors
Banned
Thewonandonly
Junior Member
Dude TPAB is easily in the top ten rap albums ever. I would personally but it number one but I know I would get shit on because I don't like old stuff except a tribe called quest. TPAB had so much raw emotion and it had some amazing flow. Overall a great rap album and a great album in general.
Eh. It's good, but nowhere near the best of her work. It's certainly no Homogenic or Vespertine.
Thewonandonly
Junior Member
This album is what got me into rap in general. I can see if u like old school rap that u find it boring but it's my favorite album ever. It's so funky and I love the use of jazz that Kendrick uses during his rap. It's also so emotional just listen to u and u feel the emotion Kendrick is trying to portray. Each there own though.
Mango Positive
Member
The list is pretty indie-pop heavy. Not always my thing. Sometimes I want the clang of distorted guitar.
Sad to not see Failure's The Heart Is a Monster on the list. It was my favorite album. I listened to the Grimes album. It's OK. Not quite sure that should be near the top of a "best of" list, but everyone is an asshole with opinions (that's how that goes, right?).
Sad to not see Failure's The Heart Is a Monster on the list. It was my favorite album. I listened to the Grimes album. It's OK. Not quite sure that should be near the top of a "best of" list, but everyone is an asshole with opinions (that's how that goes, right?).
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