December 19, 2007
For those of you that still have a little pent-up aggression at the year-end list marathon, you may wanna take it all out here; don't think there's many more crooked arrows left in 2007's quiver. For all the analysis of these lists -- and the meta analysis of said analysis -- these ranked wrap-ups provide a valuable function to people slightly less music obsessed than you and me. And hopefully, they help point people to some albums that maybe they hadn't heard about that were awesome, or just give 'em some framing and context with respect to the rest of the year's artistic output. With that, and with our last listed, listless breath, we give you Blender's faves:
25 Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad
24 Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
23 Lily Allen - Alright, Still...
22 Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin
21 Okkervil River - The Stage Names
20 Brad Paisley - 5th Gear
19 Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank
18 Justice - †
17 Bruce Springsteen - Magic
16 Jay-Z - American Gangster
15 Alison Krauss & Robert Plant - Raising Sand
14 The White Stripes - Icky Thump
13 Feist - The Reminder
12 Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
11 LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
CONTINUE READING BLENDER BOWS TO KALA...
Posted at 5:04 PM in
Tags: M.I.A.
latest by Dan
December 18, 2007
Well finally here it is, the undisputed and anticipated biggie list we've all been patiently awaiting so as to begin the lobs and insults of pretension. But honestly, P4K's done well by their readers, and mostly well by us, too. After the cavalcade of mag lists that've been tolerable to shitty (for the record, no list will go by without complaint, but really only two were bad enough to merit the Shit stamp -- and we're still in shock over that Rolling Stone catastrophe), the list reads like a sight for sore eyes. Where else will you see No Age not only being remembered by getting a well-deserved #11, the Field's sonic experiment in the top 10, Bon Iver getting a top 30, etc. And how about that, remembering Deerhoof's awesome Friend Opportunity. Much like you guys, Pitchforkmedia.com thought it was a top 10 year for Noah Lennox and Animal Collective, putting both the Panda and AC album within a few of each other at the top of the pops. During the Gummys reveal, we called Panda the year's VIP (#7 Hottie, two top 8 albums). Pitchfork agrees, and puts Person Pitch atop 'em all. A little agenda-based statement-making, that choice, but that's what these lists are, after all. And shit, given that we're still listening to Noah's little opus, and next year's bound to have a rush of aesthetic-incorporating sound-alikes, it's a good choice. So all in all, good show. Obligatory bitch session after the jump, of course.
50 Tinariwen - Aman Iman: Water Is Life
49 Dizzee Rascal - Maths + English
48 Robert Wyatt - Comicopera
47 Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals
46 Marissa Nadler - Songs III: Bird on the Water
45 Ricardo Villalobos - Fabric 36
44 Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
43 Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement of the Decline
42 Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab
41 Life Without Buildings - Live at the Annandale Hotel
40 Beirut - The Flying Club Cup / Lon Gisland EP
39 The White Stripes - Icky Thump
38 Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams
37 Grizzly Bear - Friend EP
36 Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
35 Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil
34 James Blackshaw - The Cloud Of Unknowing
33 King Khan & the Shrines - What Is?!
32 Sally Shapiro - Disco Romance
31 Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
30 Caribou - Andorra
29 Bon Iver, For Emma - Forever Ago
28 Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
27 Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
26 Various Artists - After Dark
CONTINUE READING PITCHFORK'S TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2007 LIST GETS PERSON PITCHED...
Posted at 10:27 AM in
Tags: Panda Bear
latest by Michael
December 17, 2007
P4K's Top 100 Tracks Of 2007 covers the gamut. We have a few complaints -- "Myriad Harbour," "Mistaken For Strangers," and No Age's "Neck Escaper" way too low-- but there are enough solids to offset the misses. For instance, good to see Magik Markers and Sally Shapiro make showings. Maybe MM could've been stronger. Interesting facts: Kanye, Animal Collective, Jay-Z, Spoon, LCD, and M.I.A are the only folks to show up more than once, unless you include rap guest spots (hey Lil Wayne). If you count Panda Bear as part of his Collective then AC wins out. Animal-wise, there are two different types of "Deer" (and one "Dear"), a bear, a bat, a caribou, a mouse, and an elephant gun. Finally, Mr. and Ms. Indie Rock placed right next to each other in the top 15, cute.
100 Ost & Kjex - "Milano Mugolian (A Thrilling Mungophony in Two Parts)"
99 Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew - "Backed Out on the…"
98 Old Time Relijun - "Indestructible Life!"
97 Sir Richard Bishop - "Ecstasies in the Open Air"
96 Times New Viking - "Teenage Lust!"
95 Groove Armada [ft. Mutya Buena] - "Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)"
94 MGMT - "Time to Pretend"
93 Antibalas - "Beaten Metal"
92 Air - "Mer du Japon (Kris Menace Remix)"
91 Menomena - "The Pelican"
90 Miranda Lambert - "Gunpowder & Lead"
89 Air France - "Beach Party"
88 The New Pornographers - "Myriad Harbour"
87 Sophie Ellis-Bextor - "Me and My Imagination"
86 Rekid - "Next Stop Chicago"
85 BARR - "The Song Is the Single"
84 50 Cent - "I Get Money"
83 Sonic Youth - "I'm Not There"
82 Tinariwen - "Matadjem Yinmixan"
81 Modest Mouse - "Dashboard"
80 Grizzly Bear - "Little Brother (Electric)"
79 Magik Markers - "Taste"
78 Amy Winehouse - "Tears Dry on Their Own"
77 The National - "Mistaken for Strangers"
76 Klaxons - "Golden Skans"
CONTINUE READING PITCHFORK'S TOP 100 TRACKS OF 2007...
Posted at 11:04 AM in
Tags: LCD Soundsystem
latest by tiger
We'll get into the homestretch of 2007's work-year, here, with what is probably the last year-end list (save Pitchfork's), and definitely the most aggressively shitty. Congrats, RS! Despite some close calls from other rags, this list pretty much has it all; it's a fully functioning masterclass in boat-missing predictability, so take notes on 'how-to' from the vets at Wenner Media, annotated with #s for extra happy fun times. For starters, after Bob Dylan's win last year, you knew Bruce was gonna be #2 -- dad's choice for top spot, replaced last minute by something hipper to avoid any sense of being out of touch with what the kids are listening to. And what are the kids listening to anyway? Well, the indie kids like that Bright Eyes (#12) and those White Stripes (#17) and this Devendra Banhart (#19) and Rilo Kiley (#8?!?!), right? OK, enough bowing to the crazy fringe acts and their career-defining opuses? Good now get to some bands from Papa Jann's youth, like a little Plant (#24) and Macca (#22), and get Fogerty at #11.
Now something for the older guitar girls, say Lucinda Williams (#18). Did Melissa Ethridge put anything out this year? She did? Are you sure? Far out! Make it top 20. And for those mall kids, say, oh I dunno, Fall Out Boy. Ah and that Apple ad! Put the "1234" gal up there somewhere. OK, one more for you kids (Band Of Horses) and one more for Papa Jann (Mavis Staples). So, that's 48. Who else was in the news this year? Red Sox won the baseball thingy there was that band with the song that gave us the music angle on the Series -- put 'em at #49. And, wasn't there something with limos and underwear and everybody talking about Britney Spears? That's a thing, right? Ladies and gents, I think we've got ourselves a list. Boom, baby.
50 Britney Spears - Blackout
49 Dropkick Murphys - The Meanest of Times
48 Mavis Staples - We'll Never Turn Back
47 Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
46 Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High
45 Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
44 Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
43 Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
42 Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
41 of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
CONTINUE READING GUIDE TO THE MISGUIDED: ROLLING STONE'S TOP ALBUMS OF '07 LIST...
Posted at 9:12 AM in ,
Tags: M.I.A.
latest by James
December 14, 2007
A couple weeks ago we told you about David Byrne, Kim Gordon, and Marissa Nadler's year-end lists in Artforum. The list-giving season continues, so here are a slew of additional artists-on-artists top 10s. We've come to discover that artist lists are often more idiosyncratic and varied than the others sorts of lists we've been investigating from magazines and blogs alike. Why is that? Seems like it could be a curious mix of honesty and less cynicism toward things that are "over-hyped"? Who knows, but it makes for some fun reading.
CONTINUE READING VARIOUS ARTISTS'S 2007 BEST OF LISTS...
Posted at 7:32 PM in
Tags: Black Lips | Carrie Brownstein | Devendra Banhart | Interpol | John Darnielle | Mark Ronson | Mountain Goats | Paul Banks | Sam Fogarino | Sleater-Kinney | Sondre Lerche
latest by ISHMAel back
Sorry Ri, you don't get to claim the top spot this year, even though "Umbrella" will go down as this annum's "Hey Ya"/"Crazy"/big-time pop jam. Rolling Stone's we-love-everything-but-country countdown doesn't even give the Barbados bombshell's syllabic stutterer the #2 slot -- that belongs to ... actually we'll preserve the drama. But not at the top spot, 'cause we're pretty sure that was awarded in a way to give everybody a chance to say "and the winner is ... Hov!" So fine, we said it. At 100, there's bound to be some nice inclusions, so we'll say that up front, and save the bitching for the other side...
100 "Rockstar" - Nickelback
99 "Never Again" - Kelly Clarkson
98 "Wild Mountain Nation" - Blitzen Trapper
97 "Honey Bee (Let's Fly To Mars)" - Grinderman
96 "Big Girls Don't Cry" - Fergie
95 "Satan Said Dance" - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
94 "2 Hearts" Kylie Minogue
93 "Is There A Ghost" - Band Of Horses
92 "Mistaken For Strangers" - The National
91 "Freak Out" - Liars
90 "Threshold Apprehension" - Black Francis
89 "I Wish That I Could See You Soon" - Herman Dune
88 "Computer Camp Love" - Datarock
87 "Dashboard" - Modest Mouse
86 "Pagan Angel And A Borrowed Car" - Iron & Wine
85 "It's Me, Bitches (Remix)" - Swizz Beat
84 "The Crystal Cat" - Dan Deacon
83 "The State Of Massachusetts" - Dropkick Murphys
82 "Ultimate" - Gogol Bordello
81 "Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe" - Okkervil River
80 "Stop Me" - Mark Ronson
79 "Myriad Harbor" - New Pornographers
78 "The Songs That We Sing" - Charlotte Gainsbourg
77 "Chelsea Dagger" - The Fratellis
76 "Go Getta" - Young Jeezy
CONTINUE READING ROLLING STONE'S TOP SINGLE OF THE YEAR IS NOT "UMBRELLA"...
Posted at 9:31 AM in
Tags: Jay-Z
latest by iAnon
December 13, 2007
This is a tough one to love. And a sort of tough one to hate. At the very least, Spin's list of Top 40 albums of 2007 earns points for giving a nod to Panda Bear's Person Pitch which, aside from a Top 10 finish in the Gummys, has been unjustly left off a lot of year-end roundups so far. But, then they forgot Animal Collective. Bonde Do Role clocking in at #36 is probably more a show of nostalgia and sympathy for recent events than a critical assessment of the album's decent merits, but okay. (If not, Spin you're welcome to use that as an excuse when you explain yourself to Dirty Projectors, Jens Lekman, Andrew Bird, and Battles fans.) The Top 10 at least hits upon the usual (and deserving) suspects. Except for Winehouse. But get back on the see-saw: Rilo Kiley doesn't belong on any of these lists (not even the Gummys, silly kids). And our WTF captured in one word: Prince.
40 Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight
39 Turbonegro - Retox
38 Dizzee Rascal - Maths + English
37 Ted Leo & The Pharmicists - Living With The Living
36 Bonde Do Role - With Lasers
35 Say Anything - In Defense Of The Genre
34 Bat For Lashes - Fur And Gold
33 The Wildhearts - The Wildhearts
32 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81
31 Handsome Furs - Plague Park
30 Brother Ali - Undisputed Truth
29 Panda Bear - Person Pitch
28 Iron And Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
27 Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin
26 Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
25 Queens Of The Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
24 The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
23 Peter Bjorn & John - Writer's Block
22 Elliott Smith - New Moon
21 Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
CONTINUE READING SPIN GIVES IN TO AGAINST ME!'S NEW WAVE...
Posted at 5:34 PM in
Tags: Against Me!
latest by willy
December 12, 2007
For the #1 slot, at least, the New Music Express's album list was easy to call; you don't think they'd let the world start to think it was the Mercury Prize that got Klaxons in headlines, do you? No sir, this is the band that came complete with ecstatic slang and day-glo and a nifty new genre tag (and a penchant for rejecting all those things as NME journalistic sensationalism, as if such a thing existed). Oh and, right, they came complete with a pretty fine album, too. Also, remember UK law: Arctic Monkeys must be in the top 5. But it's not all Brit hype by the numbers cookie cuttery; check the savvy #5 for Les Savy Fav.
50 Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
49 Interpol - Our Love To Admire
48 The View - Hats Off To The Buskers
47 Enter Shikari - Take To The Skies
46 Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly Angry Mob
45 !!! - Myth Takes
44 Gruff Ryhs - Candylion
43 Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence Patience and Grace
42 Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position
41 Menomena - Friend and Foe
40 EL-P - I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
39 Jeffery Lewis - 12 Crass Songs
38 Justice - †
37 Jamie T - Panic Prevention
36 Holy Fuck - Holy Fuck
35 Super Furry Animals - Hey Venus!
34 New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom
33 Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Decay Sustain Release
32 Grinderman - Grinderman
31 The Pigeon Detectives - Wait For Me
30 QOTSA - Era Vulgaris
29 Lethal Bizzle - Back To Bizznizz
28 Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
27 The Horrors - Strange House
26 Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
CONTINUE READING NME THINKS KLAXONS ARE STILL MDMA-ZING...
Posted at 5:31 PM in
Tags: Klaxons
latest by Uryu Ishida
