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!