The Year in Review 2 - What Pitchfork wants me to think about music
Here were my responses to Pitchfork's reader's poll. I know some of you nerd-out on stuff like this, but I didn't pay it too much attention. Everything is pretty accurate except for the fact that I listen to way more records and bands than the list suggests. Old music, people. Old music.
Best Albums
1. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
2. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
3. Animal Collective - MPP
4. Various Artists - Dark Was the Night
5. jj - jj nA^2 (oh god, why did they name their record that)
Best Songs
1. Camera Obscura - Forest and Sands
2. Dirty Projectors - Stillness is the Move
3. Animal Collective - My Girls
4. Dinosaur Jr. - I Want You to Know
5. The National - So Far Around the Bend
I had to type in Forest and Sands manually- that's how good that song is.
Best New Artist
1. Cold Cave
2. jj
3. Rural Alberta Advantage
jj's record is better, but Cold Cave needs the support. My man Wes doing it away from hardcore.
Best Live Act
1. Dirty Projectors
2. Dinosaur Jr.
3. Yo La Tengo
Not a big selection to choose from. Dirty Projectors win by virtue of their kick-ass record and hot girls. Animal Collective would have won a year ago, but you know how Milwaukee goes...
Most Underrated Record
1. Mew - No More Stories
2. Weezer - Raditude
3. Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns
Mew wins because they drew like 100 people at Pitchfork while Grizzly Bear played (see below). I would have picked Camera Obscura's record if they would have let me. Even though it was "BNM'd," it barely gets talked about anymore, except by me, it's biggest champion, and Pat W., who likes "French Navy" a whole lot. IN JOKE.
Most Overrated Album
1. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
2. Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
3. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
How people tolerate Veckatimest in the wake of the very cool Yellow House is beyond me. Harmonies will trick anybody. That Jay Reatard album blows. Didn't expect that.
Apparently I don't know any new hype bands, nor do I know what dubstep is. Who cares who has the most entertaining twitter? This will probably be the last time I write on music in 2009 unless I do a piece on that Camera Obscura record or on Sea of Treasures.
What did you say? What do you think? I didn't post this on my music/ movies blog because I don't want weirdo lurkers thinking I suck Pitchfork's teat every afternoon after work, which of course I do.
Best Albums
1. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
2. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
3. Animal Collective - MPP
4. Various Artists - Dark Was the Night
5. jj - jj nA^2 (oh god, why did they name their record that)
Best Songs
1. Camera Obscura - Forest and Sands
2. Dirty Projectors - Stillness is the Move
3. Animal Collective - My Girls
4. Dinosaur Jr. - I Want You to Know
5. The National - So Far Around the Bend
I had to type in Forest and Sands manually- that's how good that song is.
Best New Artist
1. Cold Cave
2. jj
3. Rural Alberta Advantage
jj's record is better, but Cold Cave needs the support. My man Wes doing it away from hardcore.
Best Live Act
1. Dirty Projectors
2. Dinosaur Jr.
3. Yo La Tengo
Not a big selection to choose from. Dirty Projectors win by virtue of their kick-ass record and hot girls. Animal Collective would have won a year ago, but you know how Milwaukee goes...
Most Underrated Record
1. Mew - No More Stories
2. Weezer - Raditude
3. Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns
Mew wins because they drew like 100 people at Pitchfork while Grizzly Bear played (see below). I would have picked Camera Obscura's record if they would have let me. Even though it was "BNM'd," it barely gets talked about anymore, except by me, it's biggest champion, and Pat W., who likes "French Navy" a whole lot. IN JOKE.
Most Overrated Album
1. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
2. Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
3. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
How people tolerate Veckatimest in the wake of the very cool Yellow House is beyond me. Harmonies will trick anybody. That Jay Reatard album blows. Didn't expect that.
Apparently I don't know any new hype bands, nor do I know what dubstep is. Who cares who has the most entertaining twitter? This will probably be the last time I write on music in 2009 unless I do a piece on that Camera Obscura record or on Sea of Treasures.
What did you say? What do you think? I didn't post this on my music/ movies blog because I don't want weirdo lurkers thinking I suck Pitchfork's teat every afternoon after work, which of course I do.