quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome:
I have a quick question before I begin to narrow my list down. Can we list EPs or only full albums? Because two EPs (Overboard & Down by Okkervil River and "Curse Your Little Heart" by Devotchka) have been staples for me this year.

I think we established that EPs were okay.

quote:

I have a quick question before I begin to narrow my list down. Can we list EPs or only full albums? Because two EPs (Overboard & Down by Okkervil River and "Curse Your Little Heart" by Devotchka) have been staples for me this year.

Last year I included In the Reins by Iron & Wine/Calexico. A few other people did too.

Lines have been blurred between what actually constitutes an LP versus an EP, since The Thermals' latest is only 35 minutes, but it's 10 songs, and generally considered a full album. Antony, last year, was also under 40 I think. Conversely, Espers' The Weed Tree is seven songs and 37 minutes, but it's called an EP. (You certainly can't go by the old number-of-songs method, since Newsom's Ys is five songs, 55 minutes.) Who knows anymore. So long as it's not a CD single with two bonus tracks, I say it's a legitimate entry.

If somebody has a fail-proof litmus test for LP vs. EP, throw it out there.

Yeah, I agree. EPs qualify. I'll include the Mountain Goats EP on my list.

EPs should totally qualify all around.

If I had to throw a possible litmus test for EP out there, I'd say running time of 30 minutes or below is an EP-- essentially anything above is a full length.

That means my U.S. vinyl version of Rubber Soul is an EP, while the U.K. version with two more songs is an LP, even if the U.S. version flows smoother. There are several other LPs I own which are under 30 minutes, but maybe not so many nowadays, although I can recall a couple. I wouldn't be too strict on determining what an EP is, timewise, especially since we are allowing them.

quote:

Originally posted by Yay!:
EPs should totally qualify all around.

If I had to throw a possible litmus test for EP out there, I'd say running time of 30 minutes or below is an EP-- essentially anything above is a full length.

I'd agree, but it's still fuzzy in the 30–40 range. How the songs play together, as part of some convincing whole, is probably the ultimate factor, and that's completely dependent upon what the artist wants you to think. The Thermals say it's an LP, we'll judge it as one. Espers calls theirs an EP, we'll adjust expectations accordingly. It's the difference between a short novel and a short book of short stories.

quote:

Originally posted by mark f:
That means my U.S. vinyl version of Rubber Soul is an EP, while the U.K. version with two more songs is an LP, even if the U.S. version flows smoother. There are several other LPs I own which are under 30 minutes, but maybe not so many nowadays, although I can recall a couple. I wouldn't be too strict on determining what an EP is, timewise, especially since we are allowing them.

But mark, The Beatles are timeless.

Har, har!

The EP test I've seen at other boards is if it has more than 5 tracks or is longer than 20 minutes, it's an album, otherwise it's an EP.
Here's my list:
1. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
2. Comets on Fire - Avatar
3. Drive-By Truckers - A Blessing and a Curse
4. Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor
5. The Long Winters - Putting the Days to Bed
6. As Fast As - Open Letter to the Damned
7. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
8. Asobi Seksu - Citrus
9. Antennas - Sins
10. TI - King

11. Gomez - How We Operate
12. SOUND Team - Movie Monster
13. The Hold Steady - Boys & Girls in America
14. TV On the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
15. The Game - Doctor's Advocate
16. Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
17. Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops
18. The Roots - Game Theory
19. The Thermals - The Body The Blood The Machine
20. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther

21. Centro-Matic - Fort Recovery
22. Johnny Boy - s/t
23. Rhymefest - Blue Collar
24. Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
25. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
26. The Brother Kite - Waiting for the Time to be Right
27. Slowlands - Never Was There a Town
28. Trae - Restless
29. M. Ward - Post-War
30. Cat Power - The Greatest

31. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
32. The Kooks - Inside In Inside Out
33. Alejandro Escovedo - The Boxing Mirror
34. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
35. Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins - Rabbit Furcoat
36. Van Hunt - On the Jungle Floor
37. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
38. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
39. V/A - Open Season OST
40. Guillemots - Through the Window Pane

Voxtrot's Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, and Wives would be in my top 10 if it was an LP according to the rules I listed above.

Might as well trot this out... I see no major changes to this, and hey, if I listen to that Aloha or Cat Power album later and love it, I can retroactively change my list in my mind.

1. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
2. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
3. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
4. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
5. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
6. I'm From Barcelona - Let Me Introduce My Friends
7. The Pipettes - We Are the Pipettes
8. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
9. Joanna Newsom - Ys
10. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls of America
11. Bob Dylan - Modern Times
12. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
13. Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
14. Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins - Rabbit Furcoat
15. Islands - Return to the Sea
16. Junior Boys - So This is Goodbye
17. Ghostface Killa - Fishscale
18. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
19. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
20. The Blow - Paper Television

quote:

Originally posted by Chamberk:
18. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

I thought I was the only person on the forum who liked this album.

Nope. Some of it drags - they could have easily made it a single album, and they really could have come up with a better album name - but there are some definite gems on there. The best part is, I never listen to the radio, so I can't get sick of Tell Me Baby!

Oh, and I posted my explanations for my list in the Best of 2k6 thread.

quote:

Pulque
Guru
Posted 09 December 2006 07:25 PM Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Chamberk:
18. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

No, I'll have it even higher, not sure exactly where yet, but it's got more songs I absolutely love than any other album this year.

Waiting to give Midlake, Clipse, Ys, Orphans a chance before posting final list.

My turn to take the, um, dive:

1. Hold Steady - BAGofA
2. Jay Dilla J. Dee - Donuts
3. Danielson - Ships
4. Liars - Drum's Not Dead
5. Poni Hoax - Poni Hoax
6. Neko Case - Fox Confessor
7. The Knife - Silent Shout
8. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
9. Lil Wayne - Dedication 2
10. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mtn.
11. Grizzly Bear: Yellow House
12. Fiery Furnaces: Bitter Tea
13. Peter Bjorn and John: Writer's Block
14. Sway: This is My Demo
15. Scott Walker - The Drift
16. First Nation - s/t.
17. Junior Boys - So this is goodbye.
18. Scritti Politti - White Bread, Black Beer
19. Fujiya and Miyagi - Transparent Things
20. Tapes 'N Tapes - the Loon

quote:

Originally posted by The_Sprawl:
My turn to take the, um, dive:

1. Hold Steady - BAGofA
2. Jay Dilla J. Dee - Donuts
3. Danielson - Ships
4. Liars - Drum's Not Dead
5. Poni Hoax - Poni Hoax
6. Neko Case - Fox Confessor
7. The Knife - Silent Shout
8. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
9. Lil Wayne - Dedication 2
10. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mtn.
11. Grizzly Bear: Yellow House
12. Fiery Furnaces: Bitter Tea
13. Peter Bjorn and John: Writer's Block
14. Sway: This is My Demo
15. Scott Walker - The Drift
16. First Nation - s/t.
17. Junior Boys - So this is goodbye.
18. Scritti Politti - White Bread, Black Beer
19. Fujiya and Miyagi - Transparent Things
20. Tapes 'N Tapes - the Loon

This is one of the more interesting lists I've seen so far. Good one, T_S.

Grizzly Bear - Yellow House.....never heard of it, so I had to look it up. Now my list will have to wait, because it sounds good....may download later on itunes.....

quote:

Originally posted by The Furnace Is Fiery:
may download later on itunes.....

Do it!

p.s. at least hear "Colorado," the first time I heard that song, it was so amazing I lost control of my limbs.

I know I'm only a new member, but here it is :

1. TV on The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
2. Peter, Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
3. Chad Vangaalen - Skelliconnection
4. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
5. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
6. The Long Winters - Putting Days to Bed
7. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
8. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
9. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
10. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
11. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
12. Joanna Newsom - Ys
13. Comets On Fire - Avatar
14. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
15. The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth
16. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming
17. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
18. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls of America
19. The Sleepy Jackson - Personality
20. Islands - Return to the Sea

Here Goes:

1. Islands - Return to the Sea (there's magic on this Island)
2. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies (Lyrically-dense, epic folk-rock)
3. The Thermals - The Body the Blood and the Machine (ass-kicking. In the Aeroplane of punk)
4. Junior Boys - So This is Goodbye (love this group. Love the chill beats. Love listening with the girlfriend)
5. TV On the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain (and your winner is...)
6. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (Neko is the best female vocalist IMHO)
7. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I am Dreaming (Wow, 5 of my top 7 are Canadian artists. I didn't realise I was so biased)
8. Joanna Newsom - Ys (Emily is my favourite song of the year. Beautiful stuff)
9. Yo La Tengo - I'm Not Afraid of You and I will Beat Your Ass (they beat my ass with this one)
10.Califone - Roots and Crowns (computers and folk music fall in love and make Roots and Crowns)
11. The Roots - Game Theory (Of all the rap/hip-hop albums released this year, this one works the best as a whole. Well, maybe Donuts does, but I don't quite love that album)
12. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America (who knew Bruce Springsteen could rock so hard?)
13. Liars - Drum's Not Dead (like the hard rock Animal Collective)
14. Oneida - Happy New Year (noise jam heaven)
15. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time (the Shins meets MMJ comparisons were accurate)
16. Loose Fur - Born Again in the USA (Guitarmonies!)
17. The Annuals - Be He Me (How is the singer of this band only 19??)
18. Dosh - The Lost Take (what an incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist. Like the Books meets Four-tet)
19. Thom Yorke - The Eraser (Love the untouched vocals. I think this is the underrated album of the year. If it wasn't Thom Yorke people would think it's amazing. IMO)
20. The Futureheads - News and Tributes (love the vocals. I don't know why there was so much hate, I think it's tight)

There's my list, so good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.

quote:

18. Dosh - The Lost Take (what an incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist. Like the Books meets Four-tet)

Totally checking this record out now.