Tuesday, December 4th, 2007
Simon Says
So. Those of you who’ve been around for a while – or at least a year – may recall that last November, I instigated a massive contest-slash-reader’s poll wherein I solicited everyone who cared to enter’s picks for their top five records of the year and from that pool, I gave away something like a dozen padded mailers of various sizes crammed full of music blogger promotional detritus. Perhaps some of you were hoping I’d do something like that again.
No and yes. As far “no”, last year’s little exercise was a nightmare in bookkeeping (as far as logging who wanted and might like what based one their submissions), cost me way more than expected to send all that stuff out – and a few packages were hand-delivered – and didn’t clear out my shelves nearly as much as I’d hoped it would. But to “yes”, I still have loads of promo stuff cluttering up my office and a closet full of padded mailers so I’m doing it again, but on a smaller and more manageable scale.
And so this year’s reader’s poll will work like this. You, the reader, leave me a comment down below there listing off your top six albums of the year, ranked and in order. Why six? Because. To be eligible, the record has to have been released in some form for retail, be it physical or digital. So yes, In Rainbows counts but that leak you’ve got of the new Magnetic Fields record – no, I don’t know if it’s actually leaked you can close your torrent clients – does not. Anyways, you submit me your year-end list and feel free to throw in whatever 2007-esque commentary you see fit and when I close this sucker in a few weeks – say, midnight, December 19 – then I’ll randomly select six names from the submissions, gather their mailing addresses and send out six more loot bags. They won’t be quite as industrial-sized as last year’s but I’ll make sure they have some good stuff, based loosely on your picks, to entertain you come Boxing week. And I’ll post the final results of your aggregate top records of the year before we all break for the holidays.
So send ’em in. As always, you can leave your spam-proofed email address in the “E-mail/HTTP:” field with an “AT” instead of the “@” and it won’t be displayed on the site, but I will have it on my end via the generated email (so as I can contact you, y’see). And if you were curious about last year’s results, check them out here.
…And I am hoping to have my year-end post up by next week. Note the operative word, “hope”. Also note the absence of the word “list”.
Okay, enough of that. Have some links.
Thanks to Reveille for pointing out that Songs: Illinois has got the first sample of the solo album from ex-Jayhawk Gary Louris. You can download that track and stream a few more on his MySpace. Vagabonds is out on February 19.
Super Furry Animals will tour their latest, Hey, Venus!, across North America this Winter and into the Mod Club on February 20. Full dates at BrooklynVegan. Have you heard any of the new record yet? No? Me neither. Let’s listen together. And also, on Christmas Day the Super Furries will stuff your stocking with a free holiday download – details at Uncut.
MP3: Super Furry Animals – “Run-Away”
Heckler Spray Q&As British Sea Power in advance of the release of Do You Like Rock Music?, out February 12. They also chat with Prefix and acknowledge the existence of Hot Hot Heat. And thanks to Torr for pointing out that the first single from the record is streaming at the band’s MySpace. That is some grandiose-sounding shit, man.
The Sydney Morning Herald talks to RiotBecki of The Pipettes about their retro leanings.
Filter learns a few of The Go! Team’s favourite things.
Chart pays tribute to The Horseshoe, sixty years young this weekend. Don’t forget that the Lowest Of The Low free show, which kicks off the birthday festivities, is tonight and if you are/were a Low fan, then you owe it to yourself to be there, if for no other reason than to salute some true local heroes and say goodbye. Yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like.
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12/6/07 10:53 pm
1] the twilight sad – fourteen autumns & fifteen winters
2] The National – Boxer
3] Blonde Redhead – 23
4] Bloc Party – A Weekend In The City*
5] lcd soundsystem – sound of silver
6] Ulrich Schnauss – Goodbye
*I actually preferred the majority of the b-sides/rarities/etc. from the AWITC sessions (specifically We Were Lovers, England, Version 2.0, Selfish Son & Rhododendron, wow) over the majority of the album tracks, but credit where credit is due for a great batch of songs nonetheless.
12/6/07 11:19 pm
I can’t believe after skimming through this that Kanye can’t get no love….
1. Kanye West – Graduation
2. The National – Boxer (Its great this album is getting the credit it deserves)
3. Panda Bear – Person Pitch
4. The Besnard Lakes – …. Are the Dark Horse
5. Ohbijou – Swift Feet For Troubling Times
6. Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala
12/7/07 11:04 am
1. Sunset Rubdown – Random Spirit Lover
2. The National – Boxer
3. Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam
4. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
5. Miracle Fortress – Five Roses
12/7/07 12:06 pm
1. Southeast Engine – A Wheel Within A Wheel
2. Jason Anderson – Tonight
3. Band of Horses – Cease To Begin
4. Hallelujah The Hills – Collective Psychosis Begone
5. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
6. The Twilight Sad – Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters
12/7/07 12:15 pm
1. Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You…
2. Wheat – Everyday I said a Prayer…
3. The Acorn – Glory Hope Mountain
4. White Rabbits – Fort Nightly
5. Radiohead – In Rainbows
6. The National – Boxer
12/7/07 2:18 pm
1. Low – Drums and Guns
2. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
3. Panda Bear – Person Pitch
4. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
5. Radiohead – In Rainbows
6. Explosions in the Sky – All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
12/7/07 5:09 pm
The limited number is tough, and the ranking is tougher, but here goes:
1. The Cribs – Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever <because they bring the raucous>
2. New Pornographers – Challengers <For the Love of God, let them be mature!>
3. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible <in many ways, harder, better, faster, stronger>
4. Editors – An End Has a Start <pure guilty pomp pleasure>
5. Pop Levi – The Return to Form Black Magick Party <deliciously loopy, and he rocks>
6. Interpol – Our Love to Admire <if only for Mammoth alone>
Determined as I was to stick to the prescribed six, it turns out this is a regrettably estrogen-light list, so to somewhat make up, some close contenders were: M.I.A., Blonde Redhead, Feist, Bat for Lashes and CSS.
12/8/07 7:46 am
1. LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver
2. Radiohead – In Rainbows
3. Burial – Untrue
4. The National – Boxer
5. Okkervil River – The Stage Names
6. Bloc Party – A Weekend In The City
12/8/07 9:45 am
1. The National -Boxer
2. Miracle Fortress- Five Roses
5. Dan Deacon – Spiderman of the Rings
3. Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam
4. Arcade fire – Neon Bible
6. The Besnard Lakes – Are the Dark Horse
Damn you! This list is too short!
from andrew
12/8/07 1:10 pm
1. Neon Bible – Arcade Fire
2. Great Lake Swimmers – Ongiara
3. The National – Boxer
4. Elliot Smith – New Moon
5. Antibalas – Security
6. Basia Bulat – Oh My Darling
12/8/07 2:21 pm
1. Two Cow Garage – III
2. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
3. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
4. The Snake The Cross The Crown – Cotton Teeth
5. The Gourds – Noble Creatures
6. Chris Knight – The Trailer Tapes
12/8/07 3:44 pm
1. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
2. Bishop Allen – The Broken String
3. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – Living with the Living
4. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
5. Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight
6. Radiohead – In Rainbows
12/8/07 10:17 pm
1. Our Earthly Pleasures-Maximo Park
2. Year Zero-Nine Inch Nails
3. An End Has A Start-Editors
4. Icky Thump-The White Stripes
5. A Weekend In the City-Bloc Party
6. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank-Modest Mouse
12/9/07 12:08 am
6. Bloc Party – A Weekend in the City
5. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
4. Radiohead – In Rainbows
3. Beirut – The Flying Club Cup
2. Okkervil River – The Stage Names
1. The National – Boxer
Tough fight between #1 and #2 and The National won purely because I managed to catch them in London on May 22, the release date for Boxer, and it’s all thanks to you, Frank, who reminded me of a thing called Guest Lists!
12/9/07 12:08 pm
1. Cloud Cult – The Meaning of Eight
2. Okkervil River – The Stage Names
3. Ted Leo + Pharmacists – Living With the Living
4. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
5. Dr Dog – Ain’t It Strange
6. Pela – Tenement Teeth
Got to see the top 3 in Toronto this year (Ted twice). Would love to see Cloud Cult headline! Thanks for the great blog; Slainte!
12/9/07 12:10 pm
ooops, Pela’s CD is called Anytown Graffiti – try it!
12/9/07 3:07 pm
Wilco — Sky Blue Sky
Stars of the Lid — And Their Refinement of the Decline
The National — Boxer
Twilight Sad — Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters
Blonde Redhead — 23
Feist — The Reminder
12/9/07 4:01 pm
1. Okkervil River – The Stage Names
2. Manchester Orchestra – I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child
3. The New Pornographers – Challengers
4. The Weakerthans – Reunion Tour
5. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
6. Beirut – Flying Club Cup
12/9/07 4:57 pm
1. In Good We Trust – Harry Manx & Kevin Breit
2. Raising Sand – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
3. Orchestra for the Moon – Jenn Grant
4. In Your Dreams – Gregory & the Hawk
5. Wire Waltz – Last Town Chorus
6. Reminder – Feist
Though it was released in 2007, somehow it didn’t seem right to include Neil Young’s ‘Live at Massey Hall 1971’ & although they weren’t available in North America until 2007, recordings by Lucky Soul & Joan As Police Woman were available elsewhere in the world last year.
12/10/07 12:33 am
1. The National – Boxer
2. Okkervil River – The Stage Names
3. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – Living With the Living
4. Voxtrot – Voxtrot
5. Get Him Eat Him – Arms Down
6. Crowded House – Time on Earth
12/10/07 1:09 am
1. The National – Boxer
2. Radiohead – In Rainbows
3. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
4. Patrick Wolf – The Magic Position
5. Beirut – The Flying Club Cup
6. Sunset Rubdown – Random Spirit Lover
12/10/07 9:38 am
1. The National – Boxer
2. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
3. Radiohead – In Rainbows
4. Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha
5. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
6. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
12/10/07 3:25 pm
1. The Shins – Wincing the Night Away
2. Nicole Atkins – Neptune City
3. Blonde Redhead – 23
4. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
5. Peter Bjorn and John – Writer’s Block
6. Feist – The Reminder
12/10/07 4:35 pm
1. Radiohead – In Rainbows
2. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
3. Amy Winehouse – Back To Black
4. Mark Ronson – Version
5. M.I.A. – Kala
6. Feist – The Reminder
12/11/07 12:55 pm
1-LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
2-Feist – The Reminder
3-Spiral Beach – Ball
4-Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
5-Spoon – GA GA GA GA GA
6-Iron & Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog
12/11/07 2:49 pm
1: LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
2: The Autumn Defense – The Autumn Defense
3: Feist – The Reminder
4: Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna…
5: Stars – In The Bedroom After The War
6: Menomena – Friend and Foe
12/11/07 2:53 pm
#2 above is a damn lie; I really meant St. Vincent – Marry Me
12/11/07 4:57 pm
1. Nicole Atkins – Neptune City
2. Patty Griffin – Children Running Through
3. Jenn Grant – Orchestra for the Moon
4. Bruce Springsteen – Magic
5. Jay-Z – American Gangster
6. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
12/13/07 7:06 pm
1. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
2. Crowded House – Time on Earth
3. Blonde Redhead – 23
4. The Shins – Wincing the Night Away
5. Iron & Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog
6. Super Furry Animals – Hey Venus!
12/13/07 11:34 pm
1. Radiohead – In Rainbows
2. Handsome Furs – Plague Park
3. Menomena – Friend and Foe
4. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
5. The National – Boxer
5. Jim White & Nina Nastasia – You Follow Me
12/15/07 12:37 am
1 – Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
2 – The National – Boxer
3 – Basia Bulat – Oh My Darling
4 – Miracle Fortress- Five Roses
5 – Okkervil River – The Stage Names
6 – Blonde Redhead – 23
I’m wondering: Are Chromewaves readers wrong, or is the Polaris Prize committee? I checked last year’s list http://www.chromewaves.net/… and there was no mention of Patrick Watson. And no belated mention this year either. Could we all have been wrong?
12/15/07 11:51 pm
Nothing you haven’t seen on this list before, well besides Ash:
1. The National – Boxer (Beggars Banquet)
2. Jesu – Conqueror (Hydra Head)
3. Explosions In The Sky – All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone (Temporary Residence)
4. Ash – Twilight Of The Innocents (Warner Bros.)
5. Iron and Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog (Sub Pop)
6. Spoon – Ga ga ga ga ga (Merge)
See the whole editors lists here:
http://www.musicemissions.c…
12/16/07 7:42 am
1. fall out boy – infinity on high (argh, i can’t help it!)
2. apples in stereo – new magnetic wonder (so happy :)
3. kanye west – graduation (amazing)
4. spoon – ga ga ga ga ga (ya ya ya)
5. feist – the reminder (her voice!)
6. andrew bird – armchair apocrypha
aaaand tied for seventh…too many!
12/16/07 4:52 pm
My favorite album of the year is the unheard one that should be considered in 2008. Mono In VCF with Mono In VCF. Amazing record. Brilliant. The more I listen the more I love it. It’s like Pink Floyd in the town of Twin Peaks.
1. Mono In VCF – Mono In VCF
2. Panda Bear – Person Pitch
3. Radiohead – In Rainbows
4. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
12/16/07 6:21 pm
person pitch – panda bear
boxer – the national
untrue – burial
from here we go sublime – the field
xerrox vol I – alva noto
and the refinement of their decline – stars of the lid
12/16/07 7:11 pm
1. jens lekman – night falls over kortodela
2. modeselektor – happy birthday
3. radiohead – in rainbows
4. wu-tang clan – 8 diagrams
5. the national – boxer
6. burial – untrue
12/16/07 8:41 pm
1. a northern chorus – the millions too many
2. radiohead – in rainbows
3. the most serene republic – population
4. the acorn – glory hope mountain
5. the national – boxer
6. wintersleep – welcome to the night sky
12/17/07 4:24 pm
1. The National – Boxer
2. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
3. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
4. Radiohead – In Rainbows
5. St. Vincent – Marry Me
6. Basia Bulat – Oh, My Darling
12/18/07 11:12 am
1. Nicole Atkins – Neptune City
2. Basia Bulat – Oh, My Darling
3. St Vincent – Marry Me
4. Feist – The Reminder
5. The National – Boxer
6. Lucky Soul – The Great Unwanted
12/18/07 12:15 pm
1. The National – Boxer
2. Ron Hawkins – Chemical Sounds
3. Stars – In Our Bedroom, After The War
4. Okkervil River – The Stage Names
5. LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver
6. Radiohead – In Rainbows
with honourable mentions (and hair-splitting non-Top 6 rationalizations) to: Spoon, !!!, Miracle Fortress, Kevin Drew, Patrick Wolf, The Shout Out Louds, The Acorn, The Field and Editors.