Friday, December 21, 2012

Playing along at home with Pitchfork's top 20 albums of 2012

Doing this for albums too. Doing this is a lot like assembling a puzzle. 

longlist:

andy stott - luxury problems
bat for lashes - haunted man
godspeed you black emperor - don’t bend ascend
converge - all we love we leave behind
tame impala - lonerism
grizzly bear - shields
swans - the seer
passion pit - gossamer
baroness - yellow & green
dirty projectors - swing lo magellan
twin shadow - confess
ty segall band - slaughterhouse
fiona apple - idler wheel
japandroids - celebration rock
mount eerie - clear moon
killer mike - rap music
beach house - bloom
death grips - the money store
chromatics - kill for love
perfume genius - put ur back n2 it
grimes - visions
burial - kindred
cloud nothings - attack on memory
kendrick lamar - good kid maad city
frank ocean - channel orange

OK, after much deliberation here’s my top 22 picks for the 20:

22. baroness - yellow & green
21. converge - all we love we leave behind
20. passion pit - gossamer
19. chromatics - kill for love
18. andy stott - luxury problems
17. burial - kindred
16. killer mike - rap music
15. ty segall band - slaughterhouse
14. japandroids - celebration rock
13. cloud nothings - attack on memory
12. bat for lashes - haunted man
11. beach house - bloom
10 death grips - the money store
9. grimes - visions
8. dirty projectors - swing lo magellan
7. swans - the seer
6. grizzly bear - shields
5. fiona apple - idler wheel
4. tame impala - lonerism
3. godspeed you black emperor - don’t bend ascend
2. kendrick lamar - good kid maad city
1. frank ocean - channel orange

20. Jessie Ware - Devotion
C’mon!! It’s just so weird to see upsets at this point because that means another one of the albums on my list weren’t even honorable mentions.
19. Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory
I’m glad this is here, because I am mean-spirited and thought this wasn’t as good as other people were saying it was.
18. Ty Segall Band / Ty Segalland & Fence - Slaughterhouse / Hair
Getting the rock and rollers out early, I see..
17. Bat For Lashes - The Haunted Man
Interesting - my picks for the low teens are theirs for the high teens. I think the easiest distinction in my estimations was picking the albums I thought they thought were incredible.
16. Burial - Kindred EP
Rightfully in the top 20 after that shocking snub in the best tracks list!
15. Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan
Really, at 15??
14. Andy Stott - Luxury Problems
This album in the teens was one of the easiest predictions. Pitchfork wouldn’t put this any higher or lower.
13. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
Yep, more of the teens placement here.
12. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Alleluia! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
I should have known this’d be in the teens. I’d probably have it there on my personal list as well. Feels too much like an EP/reissue to me to stick in the top ten.
11. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Alright, so there was a bit of shuffling in my predictions, but I actually did OK this time, guessing 7/10 in the right set of ten tracks. one surprise, two from the top ten in my picks. Restructuring the list:

10. chromatics - kill for love
9. beach house - bloom
8 death grips - the money store
7. grimes - visions
6. swans - the seer
5. grizzly bear - shields
4. fiona apple - idler wheel
3. tame impala - lonerism
2. kendrick lamar - good kid maad city
1. frank ocean - channel orange

10. Grizzly Bear - Shields
I still am not sure I’ve listened to this. What am I doing??
9. Death Grips - The Money Store
My #1 of the year. What a record.
8. Chromatics - Kill For Love
With GB so low and these other two out of the picture, I’m going to toss one ‘pitchfork indie’ back in the top ranking:

7. grimes - visions
6. swans - the seer
5. beach house - bloom
4. fiona apple - idler wheel
3. tame impala - lonerism
2. kendrick lamar - good kid maad city
1. frank ocean - channel orange

7. Beach House - Bloom
Ugh, shouldn’t have done that. Glad I’m not placing wagers on this.
6. Grimes - Visions
Good! That’s a decent placement for this. I’d have been frustrated if it was any higher.
5. Swans - The Seer
Alright!! Back to the top four now. I’m going to stick with my ranking... Ahhh... or maybe I’ll switch fiona and tame impala... Yes, I’ll do that.

4. tame impala - lonerism
3. fiona apple - idler wheel
2. kendrick lamar - good kid maad city
1. frank ocean - channel orange

4. Tame Impala - Lonerism
Whoooo buddy! That was close. The rest are pretty much concreted into their positions. Thanks for playing, guys!
3. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel is Wiser Than The Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Rope Will Ever Do
Yep
2. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
WHaaaaaaaat! I lose.
1. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city
I should have known. I think I still prefer Channel Orange, but m.A.A.d. city is much more cohesive and Pitchfork threw in too many tracks into their top 100 for the year. Well, there it goes!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Instant Review - Knee-jerk reactions to the P4k 100 for 2012

I get really weird about these lists.

100. Swearin’ - Just
What a great starter for the list: a song that sounds great but I’ve probably only heard twice this year.
99. Blur - Under The Westway
I still haven’t really ‘gotten into’ Blur yet, so I still have the ability to lump this in with their catalog in a really amorphous way. How was this released in 2012? It sounds like BLUR, man.
98. Odd Future - Oldie
Not to say that I’m completely over OF, but this year was the first I haven’t been following them very closely. It’s tough out there for an Odd Future.
97. Twin Shadow - Golden Light
I did a really bad job at following up on the bands that released some of my favorite albums in recent memory this year. I am pretty sure I’ve actually never heard this song before. It does sound nice, though, now that I’m hearing it.
96. Merchandise - Time
These guys are going to be big at SXSW.
95. R. Kelly - Share My Life
Oh god, this is great. I hadn’t heard it before, but hope this makes its way into my brain enough to make up for that.
94. Saint Etienne - Tonight
Oh yeah, Saint Etienne released something this year! Could’ve gotten that past me. This is groovy though. I feel pretty unsurprised with this list so far - fairly unfamiliar stuff in the 90s of the list, but not things they haven’t been hyping. Very par for the course for Pitchfork.
93. Cassie - King Of Hearts (Richard X Remix Edit)
Is this a ranking or a mixtape? Curveball please.
92. King Louie - Val Venis
ALRIGHT!
91. Antony & the Johnsons - Cut The World
I wish I didn’t know anything about Antony so I could get into all of his albums for the first time at the same time. What a dude
90. Daphni - Yes, I Know
This album is one of my most criminally underplayed of the year considering how much I enjoy everything Dan Snaith does.
89. Jeremih - 773 Love
This production is very appealing. Surprised I haven’t gotten to this release yet.
88. ASAP Rocky - Goldie
Finally! The first song on this list that I’ve listened to a zillion times.
87. Lotus Plaza - Monoliths
Lockett Pundt is such a hunk of Man Meat!
86. Chief Keef - Love Sosa
I feel like Chief Keef is moderately talented as a songsmith but shines through in his execution.  It blows my mind that this has as many youtube plays (20 million) as “Don’t Like”. I wonder where “Don’t Like” will be on this list. My guess is in the 30s.
85. Major Lazer - Get Free
Oh Major Lazer. I’m fine with this at 85. I hope “Climax” will be in the top ten.
84. Lower Dens - Brains
Lower Dens: Grumpiest Rathskeller performers OTY
83. How To Dress Well - Cold Nites
Another album I haven’t listened to once yet.
82. ScHoolboy Q - There He Go
The first travesty of the list! Come on. 82??
81. Liars - No. 1 Against The Rush
Liars put out a great album this year. I kind of forgot about it though. With Swans and Scott Walker in the running for best albums of the year it’s hard to make room for other scary musicians. Tuff out there for a scary band when Swans and Scott Walker are in top form nahmean
80. Baauer - Harlem Shake
This is great. Dance music in 2k12: As easy to wile out to as ever
79. Rich Kidz - My Life [ft. Waka Flocka Flame]
I’m going to be real here and admit I’ve never heard this before. I will also be real and say that this track is great (duh)
78. King Tuff - Bad Thing
WSUM swag
77. The xx - Angels
What a snub! Good work, P4k
76. Blawan - Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage?
This song is so awesomely weird. I’ve never heard of Blawan or this track before.
75. Angel Haze - Werkin’ Girls
Decent pick for 70s.
74. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - Baby
Man, I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve listened to anything from this album.
73. Juicy J - Bandz A Make Her Dance [ft. Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz]
Juicy J has been such a bizarre star these past 2 years. I’m proud of him.
72. John Talabot - Destiny [ft. Pional]
The blurb for this calls it an anthem. Really? Good track though, of course.
71. Thee Oh Sees - Lupine Dominus
Haven’t really ever paid attention to Thee Oh Sees’ recorded stuff. This is enjoyable though.
70. Four Tet - Pyramid
The first of two tracks with this title in this list?
69. Le1f - Wut
Travesty #2! This is such a terrific track.
68. TNGHT - Goooo
NOOO THIS IS A JOKE. Any TNGHT track not in the top 20 for this year is going to make me shudder. I will severely disappointed if two more tracks off this ep aren’t yet to come in this list.
67. DIIV - How Long Have You Known?
I was recently looking through my list of shows and I saw that I’d entered this band’s sxsw finale show under the name “Dive”. Can it be that it was always so simple then?
66. Rick Ross - Stay Schemin’ [ft. Drake and French Montana]
Don’t know this one. I’m going to be admit as well that when I saw Rick Ross this year I did not deserve to be there. I know 2 or 3 of his songs. YOLO though
65. METZ - Wet Blanket
This is rock and roll!
64. Julia Holter - In the Same Room
so much <3 for="for" intl="intl" rvng="rvng" span="span">
63. Passion Pit - Constant Conversations
It’s so mindblowing how far Passion Pit has come.
62. Philip Glass - 73 - 78 (Beck Remix)
Listening to this (yes, for the first time) was very pleasant. I should look into this release.
61. Jessie Ware - 110%
This sounds great. I didn’t spend 2012 paying attention to Jessie Ware, but maybe I’ll do 2013 differently.
60. Anna Meredith - Nautilus
I can’t remember where I first heard this. I feel like it was either in a dj mix or on TMT. So great. One of the most ‘trap’ ‘singles’ OTY IMO. A nice analogue to Roomful of Teeth in this year’s releases.
59. Mac DeMarco - Ode to Viceroy
Take a moment, please, and think about how similar the guitars in this track sound to Ween.
58. Purity Ring - Fineshrine
A jam from what is mostly likely my most played album OTY. I obviously think this is incredible.
57. Killer Mike - Big Beast [ft. Bun B, T.I., and Trouble]
This is a startler.
56. Peaking Lights - Beautiful Son
Madison’s only song on the list (Wisconsin’s too?) and they don’t even live here anymore. Sad year for our City.
55. Miguel - Do You
Alright, I can get down to this.
54. Savages - Husbands
Ooh, this is scary. Scariness is one of my favorite qualities music can have, I think.
53. Rhye - The Fall
I’ve never heard of this character, but the song is alright. I like the Midlake strings.
52. Sharon Van Etten - Serpents
This is pretty Midlakey as well.
51. Kendrick Lamar - Backseat Freestyle
Decidedly unlike Midlake. If this is 51, I’ve got high hopes for the next half of this list.
50. Icona Pop - I Love It
Is this song in commercials? This song sounds like a commercial to me.
49. Future - Turn On The Lights
This is Ok
48. Burial / Four Tet - Nova
These guys! Despite being big fans of both, I don’t think I’ve heard this before.
47. Grizzly Bear - Sleeping Ute
Wow, so high up here! Wonder if they’ll have anything else on this list. I did a bad job of paying attention to GB this year.
46. Ty Segall Band - I Bought My Eyes
Solid mid-40s pick.
45. Spiritualized - Hey Jane
Such a great song! This is another track (like Blur) that I want to say feels like the 90s, but I’m probably just distracted by how familiar the voice is.
44. AlunaGeorge - You Know You Want It
I have never payed attention to AG before but this is such a pleasant sound. I love the r&b vocals + hyperbass-style production
43. Dum Dum Girls - Lord Knows
Whoa, this is a lot better than I remember DDG being. I wasn’t into their live show this year, but I am definitely into this.
42. Gunplay - Jump Out
This guy really bothers me. I’m not too squeamish about violent music, but I can’t enjoy anything with such prominent shrieks. Freaks me out.
41. El-P - The Full Retard
Title makes me wince, but this is a great track.
40. The Men - Open Your Heart
Rock and roll!!!
39. ScHoolboy Q - Hands on the Wheel [ft. ASAP Rocky]
AHH this is undoubtedly in my top 5 songs of the year. Between seeing both of these guys about 5 times each this year and this being an unstoppable party hit, very few songs have carried this year through so prominently.
38. Hot Chip - Flutes
Hot Chip at their Four Tet-iest. This song slays.
37. Killer Mike - Reagan
YEahhh
36. Todd Terje - Inspector Norse
He was in last year’s list too. I didn’t know him then, and I barely know him now! A shame, because this track is awesome.
35. Fiona Apple - Every Single Night
Another one of my top 5 tracks! What’s going to be in Pitchfork’s top songs? I’m expecting to be either really disappointed or reminded of more terrific songs that I’d forgotten about.
34. Cloud Nothings - Stay Useless
I didn’t fall in love with this record as much as some of my friends did, but here’s a track that belongs in the thirties.
33. Danny Brown - Grown Up
Danny Brown was probably one of my four most-listened-to artists in 2012. Tough to get tired of that voice! Just like Gangnam Style, here’s a song I almost never listen to without watching the video (or playing it along with the song in my head).
32. Sky Ferreira - Everything Is Embarrassing
I wouldn’t have placed it this high, but I do like this song. I’ve never listened to anything else of hers though.
31. Frank Ocean - Bad Religion
2012 will go down as the year I sang along to Frank Ocean in my apartment.
30. Kanye West - Mercy [ft. Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz]
2012 will go down as the year I sang along to Big Sean’s verse every time I heard this, which was a lot of times.
29. Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
2012 will go down as Call Me Maybe
28. Cat Power - Nothin But Time
Wait, there are songs that came out in 2012 that were better than Call Me Maybe? Shenanigans!
27. Grizzly Bear - Yet Again
This song is SO LUSH. How is this 27? What’s the come?
26. TNGHT - Higher Ground
NO they didn’t! 26?? The best ep of 2k12 with several of the very best tracks of the year, ladies & gents. So dissatisfied with this placement.
25. Grimes - Genesis
Fair enough, so Oblivion will be in the top ten.

Speaking of, here’s my estimation, as of right now:

24. sleigh bells - born to lose
23. purity ring - fineshrine
22. the xx - chained
21. jai paul - jasmine
20. earl sweatshirt - chum
19. m.i.a. - bad girls
18. chromatics - kill for love
17. anco - today’s supernatural
16. tame impala - apocalypse dreams
15. frank ocean - sweet life
14. swans - mother of the world
13. nick minaj - beez in the trap
12. death grips - hacker
11. solange - losing you
10. kendrick - drank
9. beach house - myth
8. burial - kindred
7. perfume genius - hood
6. grimes - oblivion
5. b4l - laura
4. frank ocean - think’n about you
3. usher - climax
2. japandroids - the house that heaven built
1. dirty projectors - gun has no trigger

Okay, back to work!

24. Chief Keef - I Don’t Like [ft. Lil Reese]
man, an obvious one I forgot about already! what a 2012 anthem.
23. Dirty Projectors - Dance For You
Oooh, i’m 0/24 so far. This is a wonderful song though. I’m still pushing for ‘gun’ at #1 or #2. We’ll see where it ends up.
22. Death Grips - I’ve Seen Footage
0/24 STILL, I’VE SEEN FOOTAGE, I SHOULDN’T HAVE CUT I’VE SEEN FOOTAGE OFF MY SHORTLIST, IT WAS #26 ON MY LONGLIST, GREAT SONG THOUGH, I STAY NOIDED
21. Jessie Ware - Wildest Moments
0/24. Why did I even bother? Did anyone even like any of those songs? I didn’t pay much attention to JW this year (obviously at least enough to forget she put something out that P4k liked this year)
20. Kendrick Lamar - Swimming Pools (Drank)
I remember this had just come out when I saw Kendrick at Pitchfork fest. People went berzerk.
19. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - Only In My Dreams
I’ve never listened to this before. I have seen the video before, but when it was the video for Todd Rundgren’s “An Elpee’s Worth of Tunes
18. Nicki Minaj - Beez In The Trap - ft. 2 Chainz
I’m happier with this at #18 than I was with Superbass at #4 last year.
17. Chairlift - I Belong In Your Arms
I didn’t know this song existed! It’s enjoyable though.
16. Solange - Losing You
I am so excited for Solange’s explosion in popularity in 2013.

alright, now an updated anticipation of P4k’s top 15:

15. the xx - chained
14. m.i.a. - bad girls
13. chromatics - kill for love
12. anco - today’s supernatural
11. tame impala - apocalypse dreams
10. swans - mother of the world
9. beach house - myth
8. burial - kindred
7. perfume genius - hood
6. grimes - oblivion
5. b4l - laura
4. frank ocean - think’n about you
3. usher - climax
2. dirty projectors - gun has no trigger
1. japandroids - the house that heaven built

15. Andy Stott - Numb
How did Andy Stott make it this high on this list? Awesome!!
14. M.I.A. - Bad Girls
#LFDYBGDIW. this song feels like it’s been around for 4 years. The video for this is definitely one of the best of the year.
13. Chromatics - Kill For Love
Alright, two in a row accurately guessed on my most recent edit of the top 15. I think we’re getting into the most obvious picks--now it’s just a matter of where they’re ranked.
12. Miguel - Adorn
Oh yes, and then the obvious picks I didn’t think of in my guess lists. Miguel is such a Smoove B.
11. Frank Ocean - Thinkin About You
Oooh, freeing up a space in my top 5! This song is phenomenal. Makin’ me proud, Frank!


I just took Burial out of my top ten to make space for 2 chainz. I feel like I’ll regret it. The song that won’t be on the list is one of these: 2 chainz, swans, beach house, burial. If there’s any surprises I’ll be floored that one of these songs isn’t as good as any of the rest on this list... but here goes:

10. 2 chainz - birthday song
9. anco - today’s supernatural
8. swans - mother of the world
7. beach house - myth
6. dirty projectors - gun has no trigger
5. perfume genius - hood
4. grimes - oblivion
3. b4l - laura
2. usher - climax
1. japandroids - the house that heaven built

10. Jai Paul - Jasmine
Haha! I took this out after I made my revision to a list of 15. I should have known better than to think Pitchfork wouldn’t put this on their list. They love him! I would be very excited to see more than one song from JP in 2013. Maybe he’ll go the James Blake route and release an entire album of completely different material and blow everyone away.

Taking out 2 Chainz...

9. anco - today’s supernatural
8. swans - mother of the world
7. beach house - myth
6. dirty projectors - gun has no trigger
5. perfume genius - hood
4. grimes - oblivion
3. b4l - laura
2. usher - climax
1. japandroids - the house that heaven built

9. Fiona Apple - Werewolf
Well I’ll be. A track by Fiona in the top 10 makes sense, and this is one P4k wrote about in a BNM track review. It’s not one of my top 2 or 3 songs off the album, but such is life.

Taking out Swans, but I’m not happy about it! Maybe The Seer will be in this list. Who knows.
8. anco - today’s supernatural
7. beach house - myth
6. dirty projectors - gun has no trigger
5. perfume genius - hood
4. grimes - oblivion
3. b4l - laura
2. usher - climax
1. japandroids - the house that heaven built

8. Beach House - Myth
Beach House got really upset when people said this sounded too much like Teen Dream, but it totally does. It’s great, but would have fit in perfectly with that album.
7. Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
Like ‘I’ve Seen Footage’, this was just barely cut off my initial list of 24 guesses. It’s because that album is such an album-album that I have a hard time picking a ‘single’ off of it. Happy to see them on the list.

Now taking ‘Gun Has No Trigger’ off my list, though it was my #1 pick initially. I feel the top 5 are pretty untouchable still though.

6. anco - today’s supernatural
5. perfume genius - hood
4. grimes - oblivion
3. b4l - laura
2. usher - climax
1. japandroids - the house that heaven built

6. Bat For Lashes - Laura
AAAH I LOVE NATASHA KHAN SO MUCH

5. anco - today’s supernatural
4. perfume genius - hood
3. grimes - oblivion
2. usher - climax
1. japandroids - the house that heaven built

5. Japandroids - The House That Heaven Built
OoOOOoOOh, an upset!! What a sweaty song.

4. Kendrick Lamar - Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe
WOOOOHOoOah, a true upset! This is pretty surprising. I like the song, but #4??. And as for the ones I had slated for this list, these songs were all so fantastic. I’m going to have to give the boot to AnCo, which is really puzzling. Was that really not as good as any of the other songs on this list? Merchandise???

3. perfume genius - hood
2. grimes - oblivion
1. usher - climax

3.  Usher - Climax
One of the most incredible singles of the year. Big ups to Diplo and Usher for being as much of Smoove Bs as Miguel.
2. Frank Ocean - Pyramids
REALLY?? PYRAMIDS REALLY?? HOOD ISN’T ON THIS LIST?? GOD pitchfork sucks. I obviously like this track but Grimes is the obvious pick for #1 and I’m sad about the big snubs.
1. Grimes - Oblivion
One of the most consistently disappointing live acts of the year, but definitely one of the best singles. It really is a great song. So 2012.