Comments on: countdown! http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/ notes from the digital underground Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:21:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: porieux http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11099 porieux Tue, 18 Dec 2007 23:49:02 +0000 http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11099 Wow no Aesop Rock love? That's surprising. Wow no Aesop Rock love? That’s surprising.

]]> By: Daniel, Esq. http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11100 Daniel, Esq. Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:46:24 +0000 http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11100 Well, it was a bit unfair of me to pick five. That makes it much easier to sound knowledgeable. But seriously, if I had to eliminate one as a likely contender, I would have said Person Pitch. It is a really good album, but it felt a bit more like a side-project to me -- for reasons I can't fully explain -- than the other four candidates. That Pitchfork list was interesting. First, it confirmed to me that this has been a really, really good year for new music. I haven't seen so many top notch albums dotting the top of their list in a long time (tho 05 was strong, too). I also had a weird feeling they would veer away from what perhaps people expected them to select at No. 1 (e.g., Kala or Sound of Silver or In Rainbows, one of which I thought would win it). (n.1) Second, I was surprised by some things they omitted and some things they included. No Drums and Guns? That blew me away. Neon Bible all the way down at No. 27? That actually felt about right (I had them at No. 23, but a messed-up omission of a disc on my part should knock them down to No. 24). Dan Deacon at No. 24? I don't get it. Anyway, lots to digest in that list. That "messed-up omission" in my list that I mentioned above is my failing to include The Field's From Here We Go Sublime. I would have slotted it in around No. 13, if I had remembered to include it. Final Point: The Popmatters Top 60 list was also interesting. Every year they include some discs I haven't heard of, which allows me to discover some new stuff during a normally dismal month for new releases (December). They also have some very strange choices (I think). Still, it's compelling reading (for me, anyway). Sorry for being longwinded. Just winding down a bit after a Hr'g. _________________________ (n.1) Something similar happened last year. I expected -- I think lots of people expected -- either The Hold Steady or Joanna Newsome to be ranked the No. 1 disc of the year (both had 9.2 ratings or something like that). Instead, Pitchfork veered away from the expected choices and selected Silent Shout, which was a great disc but which received an 8.6 rating at the time it was released. Well, it was a bit unfair of me to pick five. That makes it much easier to sound knowledgeable. But seriously, if I had to eliminate one as a likely contender, I would have said Person Pitch. It is a really good album, but it felt a bit more like a side-project to me — for reasons I can’t fully explain — than the other four candidates.

That Pitchfork list was interesting. First, it confirmed to me that this has been a really, really good year for new music. I haven’t seen so many top notch albums dotting the top of their list in a long time (tho 05 was strong, too). I also had a weird feeling they would veer away from what perhaps people expected them to select at No. 1 (e.g., Kala or Sound of Silver or In Rainbows, one of which I thought would win it). (n.1)

Second, I was surprised by some things they omitted and some things they included. No Drums and Guns? That blew me away. Neon Bible all the way down at No. 27? That actually felt about right (I had them at No. 23, but a messed-up omission of a disc on my part should knock them down to No. 24). Dan Deacon at No. 24? I don’t get it. Anyway, lots to digest in that list.

That “messed-up omission” in my list that I mentioned above is my failing to include The Field’s From Here We Go Sublime. I would have slotted it in around No. 13, if I had remembered to include it.

Final Point: The Popmatters Top 60 list was also interesting. Every year they include some discs I haven’t heard of, which allows me to discover some new stuff during a normally dismal month for new releases (December). They also have some very strange choices (I think). Still, it’s compelling reading (for me, anyway).

Sorry for being longwinded. Just winding down a bit after a Hr’g.
_________________________
(n.1) Something similar happened last year. I expected — I think lots of people expected — either The Hold Steady or Joanna Newsome to be ranked the No. 1 disc of the year (both had 9.2 ratings or something like that). Instead, Pitchfork veered away from the expected choices and selected Silent Shout, which was a great disc but which received an 8.6 rating at the time it was released.

]]> By: joe http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11101 joe Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:03:33 +0000 http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11101 You know, Daniel, when I saw your picks yesterday my first thought was, "Man, Daniel nails it again." The Pitchfork synergy is a happy coincidence. You know, Daniel, when I saw your picks yesterday my first thought was, “Man, Daniel nails it again.” The Pitchfork synergy is a happy coincidence.

]]> By: Daniel, Esq. http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11105 Daniel, Esq. Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:24:07 +0000 http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11105 (To other readers; Tinariwen isn't eMusic's No. 1 (or Pitchfork's No. 1, for that matter). However, it is highly ranked by eMusic. I just didn't want to give a spoiler for the No. 1 disc so early. The list is up on eMusic's home page, obv.). (To other readers; Tinariwen isn’t eMusic’s No. 1 (or Pitchfork’s No. 1, for that matter). However, it is highly ranked by eMusic. I just didn’t want to give a spoiler for the No. 1 disc so early. The list is up on eMusic’s home page, obv.).

]]> By: Daniel, Esq. http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11104 Daniel, Esq. Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:21:35 +0000 http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11104 Okay! Two points: (a) Tinariwen! Great choice; you guys are awesome, and (b) Same No. 1 as Pitchfork. I thought it was possible for that disc to be named No. 1 (see my comment above), but if you'd have forced me to give an answer, I'd have said it was the least likely of the five discs I mention to be named album of the year. Okay! Two points: (a) Tinariwen! Great choice; you guys are awesome, and (b) Same No. 1 as Pitchfork. I thought it was possible for that disc to be named No. 1 (see my comment above), but if you’d have forced me to give an answer, I’d have said it was the least likely of the five discs I mention to be named album of the year.

]]> By: mucker http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11103 mucker Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:06:30 +0000 http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11103 it will maaaaabye be aesop rock's none shall pass in to be unpredictable and cause debate. should be... galactic's from the corner to the block... but they aren't on emusic anymore. it will maaaaabye be aesop rock’s none shall pass in to be unpredictable and cause debate.

should be… galactic’s from the corner to the block… but they aren’t on emusic anymore.

]]> By: porieux http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11102 porieux Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:41:37 +0000 http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11102 Walalce Roney - Jazz but I'm not sure if the critics are hip enough ;) Walalce Roney - Jazz but I’m not sure if the critics are hip enough ;)

]]> By: Daniel, Esq. http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11107 Daniel, Esq. Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:16:50 +0000 http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11107 I would have voted for Kala as the "will be," too, but I thought her disc would only be considered in the British eMusic Critics Poll (since it isn't available on eMu in the U.S.). I would have voted for Kala as the “will be,” too, but I thought her disc would only be considered in the British eMusic Critics Poll (since it isn’t available on eMu in the U.S.).

]]> By: duggie http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11106 duggie Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:02:18 +0000 http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11106 will be: Kala should have been: West Coast will be: Kala
should have been: West Coast

]]> By: joe http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11108 joe Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:39:23 +0000 http://17dots.com/2007/12/17/countdown/#comment-11108 Ooh, I like the "will be/should be" idea. Other posters: feel free to follow that format. Ooh, I like the “will be/should be” idea. Other posters: feel free to follow that format.

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