Tuesday, December 20, 2005

P4k's top 50 albums of the year is out now, thankfully not the same day as TMT's or I'd be spending all day at work looking at year-end music websites. What's up with the picture they've got on the front page? I don't know if I get it- it's like New York skyscrapers with a Logan Square street sign in front. Whatever.

I'm down with Sufjan as #1, but much of the rest of their list leaves some things to be desired. I still don't get this Art Brut band and what makes them so fascinating, other than they're supposed to be ironic or something. I don't get why albums that they consider "best new music" during the year don't even make the top 50 (Architecture in Helsinki, Black Mountain, Caribou). Andrew Bird is sorely missing, even though the site raved about him fairly regularly and gave "Fake Palindromes" five stars.

The idea of a top singles list also doesn't make total sense to me, since I'm not sure what makes something a "single" anymore. I'll stand by Kelly Clarkson at #4, Antony's "Hope There's Someone" was a nice change of pace at #1, but most of it is mainstream rap singles with random indie stuff thrown in the midst. Why is Animal Collective's "Grass" considered a single while nothing from Illinois can get single status? Stylus Magazine's top singles were also very, very odd choices.

Still have no clue what will be on TMT's top 25 tomorrow, other than Sufjan of course! We have a nice "song" list that is purely writers blurbing about some of our favorite songs of the year. Once again, take a wild guess what I added to the list.

2 comments:

Mike H. said...

agreed on those missing-in-action best new music selections. I am appalled that Architecture did not make the list... appalled.

I'm also with you on Art Brut, who appear to be this year's Futureheads. I never really understood the draw of either.

Anonymous said...

The fork is way too rap or r & b for me. I generally like clicking on their site most days but hardly understand their reasoning for their best of selections. While I enjoyed the Art Brut CD (The Futureheads release of last year was kick-ass) I don't see how anyone could have it anywhere near the top of a list. Fun and quirkiness aside, it's not a serious contender for a best of list. Anyway, all lists make for good reading and conversation.