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Originally posted by mark f:
I may actually type a retort to your last post when I stop biting my tongue

Yeah, mark, I know you're a staunch Lil Wayne defender.

BULL. SHIT. Mark. Have you listened to Boxer. It's at the very least artistic, when so much music is simply "music". Come on old man, give us some reasons!!!

No The Stage Names there (Why!?), so I went with Spoon, which I almost like as much.

Actually I pretty much exactly agree with your analysis Casper (apart from the few I haven't heard)

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Originally posted by goathouse:
BULL. SHIT. Mark. Have you listened to Boxer. It's at the very least artistic, when so much music is simply "music". Come on old man, give us some reasons!!!

It's his opinion, but I don't get Mark's hatred for Boxer either. Especially since I have a pretty good idea of the kind of music Mark likes. It's seemingly right up his alley.

Actually, I don’t think it’s right up his alley. I mean, mark likes a lot of different things and sometimes what he does like ends up surprising me—like the Sunset Rubdown album, though I love it as well—but I would say that Boxer does not sound like something mark would like. I think he has given a few reasons as to why he doesn’t like it but never anything definite, other than that he thinks it’s way too boring.

I know, I know. And I didn't mean to sound so aggressive, but -- in the nicest possible way -- I'm calling bullshit on anyone trashing this album.

And yeah, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he liked RSL. Can't wait to see his year-end.

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Originally posted by Dork:

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Originally posted by smileyface:
Funny, after my first listen I never thought I'd say it, but "Icky Thump" would be my pick for best album of the year.

Icky Thump kicks everything else on Stylus' list square in the ass by a pretty impressive margin.

I agree. It's my favourite album of the year so far and it's as good as any of their previous albums, I think. Michael Stipe said that if Up was REM's first album, everyone would be running around in the streets naked with excitement, but because they've been around for ages, it's taken for granted. I think it's a similar situation for the Stripes. They've lost that initial buzz/hype. But I think when we look back on this decade, they're albums will be among the classics of the time.

I'll be pissed off when In Rainbows beats it as album of the year in all the polls..but maybe I'm just a sucker for that old time rock n' roll (Hey, that sort of rhymes. Maybe I could turn it into a song?).

Sweet to see The Field on there. The rest of the list is pretty standard.

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Originally posted by Filmore Mescalito Holmes:
Sweet to see The Field on there. The rest of the list is pretty standard.

Yep, I voted for The Field. Toss-up between that and Spoon.. the only two albums on the list that I like.

Icky Thump is the dog's bollocks and will rank very high on my year-end list, most likely.

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Posted 06 November 2007 04:20 PM Hide Post
My favorite, the latest Okkervil River release wasn't one of the ten, so I voted for my #2, Kala.

Analysis

My Favorite was Hissing Fauna...of this batch Radiohead gets the nod.

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In Rainbows - Much more consistent than their last two albums, but still way behind the strongest pack this year. Seems more like a tribute to Radiohead's past than a bold new direction.

I don't know about your final comment, feels more to me like a coming to fruition of what they've been toying with the last five years, rather than a retread...not as good as OK, but I think it's better, if less original, than Kid A or the never particularly original but fantasticly rocking THE BENDS.

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From Here We Go Sublime - One of my favorites of this year, the beeps and bloops are nothing but euphoric.

I'm not a big enough of a straight electronica fan to put it this high overall, but along with Eluvium, it is one of the most memorable and original Electronic releases in recent memory...have no problem with this selection.

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Kala - Nearly tops her debut and it's certainly more self assured. The references to indie gods of yore help bring everything full circle.

Highly original, but I just don't like how most of this sounds...other's want to pump it up, fine, I'd rather listen to something else.

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Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - More from one of the decade's most consistent groups. Rarely ever possessing the standout album, they continue to slowly branch out from their meat-and-potatoes formula that's still quite successful artistically. Loved their "secret" show in SF, btw.

Like this one, love the looser sound of Don't You Evah and Finer Feelings, but overall, it's overrated. This is a populist, career honoring selection for a likeable album...I'd would have much rather seen Apples in Stereo nail down this spot.

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Graduation - I liked this better than most, it's more streamlined than the other two and has some of his finest moments. A top ten contender for me.

My biggest quibble...I'm a big Kayne fan, and will spout out in favor of his last two anytime, but this album, other than getting tighter, is a big step backwards, not bad by any stretch, but miles from spectacular...It'll end up in Village Voice/Idolator top 5, but doesn't belong in the years top 30. So much duller than his first two, the beats here, his greatest strength, often fail to deliver.

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Boxer - LOVED Alligator, quite liked Cherry Tree...but Boxer is a plodding bore. Not that I don't think they're trying, but The National are at their best when they're upfront not turning into a lounge act.

Totally disagree...Alligator has strong moments, but is tremendously overrated by posters on the board...this album is fantastic and far more cohesive and mature...Fake Empire, Brainy, Green Gloves, Slow Show, Ada,and especially the insanely catchy Apartment Story are all among the year's most memorable tunes.

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Lil Wayne - Banal. Derivative. Cliched.

Method of release, as with In Rainbows, a big part of the consideration here...not a big fan myself, but has been one of the year's most influentail artists.

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Panda Bear - WAY too high although I was wooed by it. Love how it sounds like it was recorded in an empty swimming pool.

Love this one too, though agree, not worthy of top ten consideration in this powerhouse year...and I've always likened it's sound to that happy distance one gets when you're making out with some new found love a few hundred yards away from a beachside bonfire party, a feeling everyone should experience at least once.

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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - ZZZZZZZZZ

No, it's not that bad. Simply put, Miranda Lambert is this year's country equivalent to the Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, or Arctic Monkey debuts of years past...young talents who choose a tried and true niche upon which to launch their careers. Personally, I think some of the songs, particularly Gunpowder & Lead are a lot of fun...but overall top ten...no...if any female country album belongs here, it's Patty Griffin.

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Sound Of Silver - Gr-eat! But I don't see how it's more of a genre statement than the two disc debut. Some of it feels like a retread, some of it moves forward from the past, but overall it's slightly underwhelming compared to one of the decade's greatest triumphs.

Face it gang, this is going to be a super safe choice for a lot of publications...it's hip, it's now, it's high energy, it's incredibly solid, and it's a lot safer pick to recommend to uninitiated readers than Hissing Fauna or Random Spirit Lover...A shoe-in for top five finish in Village Voice/Idolator...but also deserving...I have it at number three...and to the question of the first album, is it growth...no, it's more of the same, but even better.

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Originally posted by Illiniq:

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Lil Wayne - Banal. Derivative. Cliched.

Method of release, as with In Rainbows, a big part of the consideration here...not a big fan myself, but has been one of the year's most influentail artists.

Both Tim Fite (Anti-) and Saul Williams (produced by Trent Reznor) released their new hip-hop albums for free online this year too, and both of them were a billion times better than anyone retarded enough to put a "lil" in their name. It wasn't Saul's best album, mind you, but Fite's was solid gold.

I vote for LCD Soundsystem. Most of the tracks were great, and I love how they blend electronic music and a little bit of indie rock together.

Kinda upset that Arcade Fire's Neon Bible wasn't up on their top 10 though. I know it doesn't quite match up to Funeral, but to me it was still a pretty good sophomore effort.

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Originally posted by Filmore Mescalito Holmes:
Both Tim Fite (Anti-) and Saul Williams (produced by Trent Reznor) released their new hip-hop albums for free online this year too, and both of them were a billion times better than anyone retarded enough to put a "lil" in their name. It wasn't Saul's best album, mind you, but Fite's was solid gold.

Although it won't be making it on my top 20, I agree that the Tim Fite album was really entertaining and is very underrated.

I love Weezy F too... but his new stuff has really been making me angry.

I voted for The National.

While it may be standard to say round these parts, I just love them. I can't really explain why, I just do. Maybe because they remind me of a more subdued, younger U2. I don't know. I just don't know.

It was tight between Boxer and Ga, but the former simply won out because I've spent more time with it.

Graduation was in the running, but I really haven't spend enough time with it. I love Sound of Silver and have listened to it often, but it's not really my musical niche (I'm not a '80s-obsessed synth geek), and I feel like it isn't 100 percent solid front to back. There are tracks I skip on that thing all the time.