We want you to know the full results almost as bad as this kid wants this cake
Okay, did I say we would “crack” the Top Ten today? Oops, I meant we would “APPROACH” it, “CIRCLE TANTALIZINGLY OUTSIDE ITS BORDERS,” “HOVER IN AGONIZING ANTICIPATION ON ITS BRINK.”
What we have for you, instead, is #19-11:
19. Cat Power – Jukebox
18. Dr. Dog – Fate
17. Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
16. The Dodos – The Visiter
15. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals
14. She & Him – Volume One
13. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
12. Shearwater – Rook
11. The Gaslight Anthem – The ‘59 Sound
We see a couple of bigger, more familiar names in this list as we get closer and closer to your consensus favorites — Of Montreal and Cat Power, for instance, are perennial round here — but we also see a heartening number of new faces, records by bands and artists that were utterly unknown quantities this time last year. Cut Copy have been around for awhile, I guess, (I know this because Alex informed me when I asked who this New Order cover band was), but they only registered on the wider indie radar this year, with the endlessly fun and totally shameless In Ghost Colours. Shearwater’s album is wondrous strange; I don’t think I’ve ever been able to sit through the whole thing without growing either discomfited or bored, but I find a moment of transporting beauty every time.
The Dodos! I had not heard a note of these guys until last night, actually, when they opened for the Walkmen. Really fun, hyperactive, lotsa crash-bang (they consist of a guitarist/singer, a drummer, and a marimba player who also bangs a trash can for emphasis), and some great-sounding tunes, so I will have to check out the full album today. The Girl Talk I took a pass on this time around — Night Ripper was hugely fun in small doses, but after about twenty minutes I got that panicky “I’ve been at the amusement park for eleven hours” slightly nauseated feeling. Def fun stuff, tho, when used sparingly.
And, of course, the Gaslight Anthem. Our choice of this album in our editors’ list as No. 1 has started a pleasing amount of discussion, with people debating back and forth about its merits — and that’s really what I, personally, think a list is good for — getting people talking about records and listening to them. I love this album — it’s as shameless as the Cut Copy, just with a whole other batch of signifiers. Great to see it rated so highly here.
Jump in if you’ve been quoted! There are a couple of real gems on this one (the Cut Copy and the Of Montreal are home to my two favorite blurbs, period) and you should def. stand and be counted.
Tomorrow: we crack the Top Ten! (For real!) As always, you can view the full list as it unfolds here.
Finally! Two of my favorites, Rooks and Skeletal Lamping, made it. I may have made one of the Shearwater remarks but I really can’t be sure.
I imagine Okkervil River will be up there in the top 10. Visiter is a decent album with some great tracks (“Red and Purple” is one of the best pop confections this year), but I’m nto sold on it as being a great album by any means.
I’m surprised at how many of us loved Skeletal Lamping; it’s a very polarizing album. I know my wife gave me a filthy look and told me to turn that (crap) off when I listened to it at home when it came out, but I love its wacked-out madness.
Excited for the top ten!
I totally agree with you on those two BRILLIANT quotes, Jayson (even though I didn’t like either album). I really want to know whose those were! Also nice to see Dr. Dog so high up–it kept jumping in and out of my list but in the end got edged out…just barely.
Just read through the whole list, found two of my quotes in there:
“I think happy jangle pop must be Sweden’s main export by now…” from Marching Band’s Spark Large,
and “It’s like the soundtrack to an indie Addams Family movie that hasn’t been made yet.” from the very awesome Heretic Pride, by the Mountain Goats.
Nice ones, Megan! I really liked both of those….
Jayson any idea when our top 20 list in the UK will be up
Cheers
It’ll be up today. Within the next two hours.
Billy,
The UK Top 20 list is live! Here’s a link:
http://www.emusic.com/features/hub/best08ukusers/index.html
The Canada and Europe lists will be up in the next hour, and there will be a 17dots post shortly about everything shortly…..
DODOS FTW. Album of the year in my eyes, their previous release Beware of the Maniacs is slammin too.