Other Hip-Hop albums may be more complete, more progressive, and more culturally relevant. BUT, the Clipse album is the purest form of Hip-hop in several years. Seriously, its like a quarter-gram in a CD jewel case. The one thing about it is, you'll never be confused about what it stands for. So...best Hip-Hop album of the year, and definitely my #1

1. Clipse - Hell Hath no Fury
2. The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon
3. Gnarls Barkley
4. Ryan Adams - DJ Reggie, The Shit, and WereWolph
5. Bob Dylan - Modern Times
6. The Decemberists - Crane Wife
7. TV on the Radio - Cookie Mountain
7. Ghostface - Fishscale
8. Diddy - Press Play
9. Pearl Jam - s/t
10. Chris Brown - Chris Brown

quote:

Originally posted by Kuro:
2. Tom Waits—Orphans

So far Waits has claimed my #2 spot as well. (Would be #1 without Bawlers.) It bugs me that somehow Dylan's deadly dull album is beating Orphans by ~50 points, but I guess most people here aren't prepared to shell out $45 for an album. Which is a shame, as Discs One and Three are both masterpieces, not just phenomenally written and performed but wildly inventive and energetic. It's heartening to see an old codger like Waits struggle against the Dad-rock clichés and remain vital, creative and interesting. In my opinion it's a feat that even other musical greats like Dylan haven't managed to avoid.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:
If you like your indie rock on the poppier side of things, you may also want to check out two albums that just missed my top 20: The Pernice Brothers' Live a Little and Maritime's We, The Vehicles.

Live A Little would also be in my best of the year list somewhere. I'm not sure what it is about the new breed of indie artists that are making such a splash in recent years that I can't appreciate. I have a feeling it's because the music can be "unstructured" and that's not at all a bad thing, it's just not my bag. Unfortunately I think people had their fill of poppier rock in the 80's so I don't see it making a critical comeback anytime soon.

quote:

i just registered on these boards, so what do i need to do--comment 29 more times then make my list eligible?

Yes, you need to have a minimum of 30 posts for your list to count. Just look around the forums - it's pretty easy to get 30 posts. I'd come back to this thread and leave a not for RavingLunatic to count your list after you get 30 just to make sure.

I'm surprised Maritime's album isn't listed more. It's got to be Davie's best album in a long, long time.

quote:

Originally posted by 12amStroll:
I'm surprised Maritime's album isn't listed more. It's got to be Davie's best album in a long, long time.

That Maritime album is pretty good. For some reason it seemed to fly under the radar for a lot of people, even thogh Pitchfork gave it a pretty good review (7.8), and it had a high metascore (80). It's extremely catchy and very easy to like. It didn't make my top 20, but it's probably in my top 25.

quote:

Originally posted by GL464:

4. Ryan Adams - DJ Reggie, The Shit, and WereWolph

wow... some of ryan adams' download-only excess has made someone's list.
i hear the stuff is pretty out-there. i mean, for adams.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:

quote:

Originally posted by 12amStroll:
I'm surprised Maritime's album isn't listed more. It's got to be Davie's best album in a long, long time.

That Maritime album is pretty good. For some reason it seemed to fly under the radar for a lot of people, even thogh Pitchfork gave it a pretty good review (7.8), and it had a high metascore (80). It's extremely catchy and very easy to like. It didn't make my top 20, but it's probably in my top 25.

Yea, it's a simple record and by no means anything groundbreaking. But in a year riddled with bad releases it shines above most.

1. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
2. Tanya Donelly - This Hungry Life
3. The Pipettes - We are the pipettes
4. Beyonce - B'Day
5. Cat Power - The Greatest
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
7. Camera obscura - let's get out of this country
8. sol seppy - the bells of 1 2
9. regina spektor - begin to hope
10. gwen stefani - the sweet escape

ciao it's my first post. I am from italy, so some of the names may sound unknown

1.tom waits - orphans
2.vinicio capossela - ovunque proteggi
3.bonnie prince billy - the letting go
4.ali farka toure - savane
5.built to spill - you in reverse
6.bob dylan - modern times
7.yo la tengo - i'm not afraid of you and i ...
8.mastodon - blood mountain
9.howlin' rain - howlin rain
10.califone - roots and crowns
11.comets on fire - avatar
12.cansei de ser sexy - cansei de ser sexy
13.tool - 10.000 days
14.ooioo - taiga
15.hot chip - the warning
16.sonic youth - rather ripped
17.oakley hall - second coming/gypsum string
18.black angels - passover
19.scott walker - the drift
20.the decmberists - the crane wife

1) Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm not
2) The Rapture - Pieces of People We Love
3) The Hidden Cameras - AWOO
4) The Dears - Gang of Losers
5) In Flames - Come Clarity
6) Graham Coxon - Love Travels at Illegal Speeds
7) Keane - Under the Iron Seas
8) She Wants Revenge - She Wants Revenge
9) The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
10) Tapes N Tapes - The Loon
11) Junior Boys - So This is Goodbye
12) Devin Townsend Band - Synchestra
13) Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
14) People in Planes - As Far as the Eye can see
15) Malajube - Trompe-L'Oeil
16) The Roots - Game Theory
17) Wolfmother - Wolfmother
18) Thursday - A City by the Light Divided
19) TV on The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
20) Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

i think that "orphans" is getting a lot of style points. it's really hip to dig tom right now. especially since he was on the daily show and jon stewart kissed his rear (just kidding, hipsters ).
but, it is a wonderful collection. i just couldn't include it because something in my inner workings thinks of an album as something that can be easily digested in one sitting.
three discs of tom waits is a beggar's feast for sure, but i just couldn't call it album of the year.

and, it just qualifies, having more than half new material...

quote:

Originally posted by redlight:
1. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
2. Tanya Donelly - This Hungry Life
3. The Pipettes - We are the pipettes
4. Beyonce - B'Day
5. Cat Power - The Greatest
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
7. Camera obscura - let's get out of this country
8. sol seppy - the bells of 1 2
9. regina spektor - begin to hope
10. gwen stefani - the sweet escape

Are you a hot chick?

I ask because your list almost perfectly bridges the gap between rockist and popist. If you are an aspiring rock critic and are the least bit attractive, I wish to marry you. Oh, and you have to like beards. You gotta thinks beards are, like, awesome.

That is all.

quote:

Originally posted by Karen:
I don't read Spin, but I love to read. Do you think I should check it out? Do my favorites suggest that I would benefit from reading Spin?

It seems like a very SPIN list to me. It would seem to me that the stuff they cover would suit your tastes. I couldn't speak for the writing quality because I haven't read it lately.

Some on this board will interperet the SPIN reference negatively (you shouldn't, by the way-- you like what you like, knaamean?).

However, I think the list is descriptive to where SPIN and a lot of music listeners are right now mentally, collectively and culturally.

Your list... fascinates me, let's put it that way. All due respect, mine is a lot different. But different strokes for different folks. 'Sall goooood.

quote:

Originally posted by BContrat:
Yay, have you posted your list yet? I'm interested in seeing it...

To be fair, I've talked a lot of quote-unquote "shit" about other's lists but I only have a half-decent one. I know my number one already, but that's it. Telling you that would be anti-climactic, methinks.

Just for the heck of it, I'll give you a hint, if you want. Since you're interested.

(I'm so smug I should be shot.)

For those that are complaining the Tom Waits CD is not doing so well, I might mention, that in Australia, it is selling (or not selling) for $100. That is about $78 US, and about double what I expected. Not too many outlets are carrying it.

Most 3 CD box sets seem to sell at around $50 Aussie, which is a good deal. I might have forked out $60 bucks or so. So I have not rated it (though I suspect it would have made my list - Waits normally would with a good new one.

quote:

Originally posted by the wuss:

quote:

Originally posted by GL464:

4. Ryan Adams - DJ Reggie, The Shit, and WereWolph

wow... some of ryan adams' download-only excess has made someone's list.
i hear the stuff is pretty out-there. i mean, for adams.

I have all of Ryan Adam's albums, but I've never heard of this. Where do I get it?

1. Built To Spill - You In Reverse
2. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
3. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
4. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go
5. Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time
6. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
7. The Blow - Paper Television
8. Joanna Newsom - Ys
9. Islands - Return to the Sea
10. Figurines - Skeleton
11. The Fiery Furnaces - Bitter Tea
12. The Lovely Feathers - Hind Hind Legs
13. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
14. Man Man - Six Demon Bag
15. I'm From Barcelona - Let Me Introduce My Friends
16. Howe Gelb - 'Sno Angel Like You
17. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming
18. M. Ward - Post War
19. Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
20. Charalambides - A Vintage Burden

The first three were easy - after that the decision making got progressively harder.

quote:

Originally posted by Troy:

I have all of Ryan Adam's albums, but I've never heard of this. Where do I get it?

i believe at http://www.ryan-adams.com/RyanAdams.html
but, i can't be sure... as i haven't navigated the site too deeply.

Ryan's had a whole bunch (ten? eleven?) 'albums' streaming on his site over the last few months. I can't confirm that they're all still there now, but some of the stuff was pretty good. Some was godwaful.