It’s still a little strange to see top 10 lists now, but if it’s not too early for the onslaught of Christmas music to invade every public space I seem to go to, I suppose it’s OK to start trying to wrap 2008 in a cute bow. Which brings us to what’s apparently British music mag list day, with the once-entertaining Q and the real-rock bible Mojo battling it out to see, once and for all, which publication has better taste in American music.
THE GOOD: Both lists feature titles I assumed would have been on more lists already (Coldplay, Hercules & Love Affair, Drive-By Truckers, Portishead), so it’s nice to be validated a bit. Personally, I was happy to seerecent Pitchfork discovery The Gaslight Anthem on the Q list (No. 20), although the violent involuntary headshaking that ensued upon seeing Razorlight a spot below erased that brief moment of joy. Also, the Mojo list has a good number of British acts I’ve never heard of that I can proceed to champion for a few weeks to my unsuspecting friends on the basis of their American obscurity alone.
THE BAD: I suppose this is going to be a trend, but seeing the Fleet Foxes disc ranked near the top on both lists (Q, No. 2; Mojo, No. 1) makes me think that at some point in the near future I’m going to refer to 2008 as “The Year of the Bland.” I don’t mind the Fleet Foxes as much as some around here, but it’s hard for me to swallow the idea that this is the shining example of what’s great, exciting, and/or wonderful about music in 2008. When Rough Trade (the store) called the band “Seattle’s answer to CSNY,” they hit on an appropriate and damning description. (Even if the store’s list had Fleet Foxes at No. 2 as well.) I’m not someone who expects every bit of music I listen to be challenging aesthetically, but at very least, I expect it to be sorta moving. (See also Bon Iver: Mojo, No. 4; Q, No. 34.)
THE WHAAAA?:I say this as someone who actually enjoyed both of their previous releases to differing degrees, but having Keane’s Perfect Symmetry place as high as No. 12 seems like Q is trying to ham-fistedly apologize to British musicians for the deluge of American acts surrounding them. Speaking of Q and American musicians: John Mellencamp (No. 41)? Huh.
Mojo
1. Fleet Foxes
2. The Last Shadow Puppets, The Age Of The Understatement
3. Paul Weller, 22 Dreams
4. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago
5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!
6. The Hold Steady, Stay Positive
7. Glasvegas
8. The Week That Was, The Week That Was
9. The Bug, London Zoo
10. Neil Diamond, Home Before Dark
11. Portishead, Third
12. Don Cavalli, Cryland
13. Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
14. British Sea Power, Do You Like Rock Music?
15. Eli “Paperboy” Reed & The True Loves, Roll With You
16. Erykah Badu, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)
17. Sigur Rós, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
18. Pete Molinari, A Virtual Landslide
19. Beck, Modern Guilt
20. TV on the Radio, Dear Science
21. Amadou & Mariam, Welcome to Mali
22. Mercury Rev, Snowflake Midnight
23. Elbow, The Seldom Seen Kid
24. Fucked Up, The Chemistry of Common Life
25. Randy Newman, Harps and Angels
26. Peter Broderick, Home
27. M83, Saturdays=Youth
28. Neon Neon, Stainless Style
29. Yeasayer, All Hour Cymbals
30. The Night Marchers, See You in Magic
31. Duffy, Rockferry
32. Seasick Steve, I Started Out With Nothin’ and I Still Got Most of It Left
33. Kasai Allstars, In the 7th Moon, the Chief Turned Into a Swimming Fish and Ate the Head of His Enemy by Magic
34. Fuck Buttons, Street Horrrsing
35. Our Broken Garden, When Your Blackening Shows
36. MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
37. Gavin Bryars & Philip Jeck & Alter Ego, The Sinking of the Titanic
38. Goldfrapp, Seventh Tree
39. Abe Vigoda, Skeleton
40. The Black Keys, Attack & Release
41. The Fall, Imperial Wax Solvent
42. Juana Molina, Un Día
43. Aimee Mann, @#%&*! Smilers
44. Goldmund, The Malady Of Elegance
45. Metallica, Death Magnetic
46. James Hunter, The Hard Way
47. Flying Lotus, Los Angeles
48. AC/DC, Black Ice
49. The Neil Cowley Trio, Loud… Louder… Stop
50. Oasis, Dig Out Your Soul
Q
1. Kings of Leon, Only the Night
2. Fleet Foxes
3. Coldplay, Viva La Vida…
4. Vampire Weekend
5. Glasvegas
6. Duffy, Rockferry
7. TV On The Radio, Dear Science
8. Elbow, The Seldom Seen Kid
9. The Raconteurs, Consolers of The Lonely
10. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!
11. Sigur Ros, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
12. Keane, Perfect Symmetry
13. MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
14. Kaiser Chiefs, Off With Their Heads
15. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III
16. Hot Chip, Made In The Dark
17. Adele, 19
18. British Sea Power, Do You Like Rock Music?
19. Goldfrapp, Seventh Tree
20. The Gaslight Anthem, The ’59 Sound
21. Razorlight, Slipaway Fires
22. The Killers, Day and Age
23. Beck, Modern Guilt
24. The Last Shadow Puppets, The Age of The Understatement
25. Metallica, Death Magnetic
26. Conor Oberst
27. Neil Diamond, Before Home
28. Paul Weller, 22 Dreams
29. AC/DC, Black Ice
30. Portishead, Third
31. Black Mountain, In The Future
32. Oasis, Dig Out Your Soul
33. Hercules & Love Affair
34. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago
35. The Hold Steady, Stay Positive
36. R.E.M., Accelerate
37. Lykke Li, Youth Novels
38. John Mellencamp, Life Death Love And Freedom
39. Santogold
40. My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges
41. Lindsey Buckingham, Gift of Screws
42. Liam Finn, I’ll Be Lightning
43. Joan As Police Woman, To Survive
44. Black Kids, Partie Traumatic
45. Jack Johnson, Sleep Through Static
46. Jenny Lewis, Acid Tongue
47. The Verve, Forth
48. Randy Newman, Harps and Angels
49. Emmylou Harris, All I Indented To Be
50. Dido, Safe Trip Home
50 Best Albums of the Year [Q]
Best of 50, Mojo [In New Music We Trust]
I am pretty sure everything ranked under Glasvegas is better than Glasvegas.
Three cheers for Flying Lotus.
The Gaslight Anthem is boring retro. The Brits always like Paul Weller more than we do. The Kasai Allstars have the album title of the year, and a good album to boot. Nick Cave was fine. Fleet Foxes and Vampire Weekend were both weak cans of beer. TV On The Radio is overrated due to NYC chauvinism. The Drive-By Truckers was excellent, the Randy Newman was great. Good work from Juana Molina, Jenny Lewis, and Aimee Mann. But, on the whole, a pretty lackluster year.
Putting the Fleet Foxes record on the top of your list is like declaring Benjamin Harrison the greatest president in history. Just because it’s completely forgetable doesn’t entitle it to stardom. Maybe I’m just pissed because I can’t grow facial hair.
P.S. Due to his last release, I’m currently in negotiations with Randy Newman to adopt me.
2 things:
(1) Q is really adding fuel to the fire for those people who think the British are TOO into Kings of Leon,
And
(2) Eventhough I listen to and/or peruse a lot of music, I still looked at Mojo’s list and felt like I missed out on A LOT of long players this year. Seriously, it’s like 5% percent usual suspects thus far (MGMT, TVOTR…) and 95%, “oh word?”
I love the 1st British Sea Power album, and liked the 2nd one enough, but Do You Like Rock Music? did absolutely nothing for me.
I’m glad to see the Drive-By Truckers finally getting some attention. But I’m surprised Portishead and TV on the Radio aren’t getting ranked higher. They’re both a lot better than Fleet Foxes, at least.
Also, am I the only one who’d place the Roots album in the top 5? Maybe the lyrics are a little labored, but I’ve listened to it just about ever time I’ve gone to this gym this year, and it hasn’t failed me yet.
@AL: I thought the second one was better than the first, but yeah, Do You Like Rock Music was totally dullsville.
The Mojo list has five albums I liked, one I half-liked (Neon Neon was soooooo alternately good and awful), and British Sea Power’s the only one I didn’t like. Plus they also had the next 3 CDs I was planning on buying (Juana Molina, Amadou & Mariam and Glasvegas), so I might want to check out some of the others. Anybody know anything about Seasick Steve? Or Gavin Bryars post-1992?
I’m not much of a believer of charts so I’m not sure what a band needs to do in order to earn the number one spot, but if you’re not moved by the music of Fleet Foxes (the beauty of which is that it’s quite elemental), then I really think it’s time to clear your palate. Innovation is never a bad thing, but it’s misleading to think that it’s a requisite for great music; it’s nourishing to get back to the basics once in a while.
Nightmarchers ftw
good work Mojo
That mojo list is probably the most diverse I’ve seen so far. I can appreciate it because it took some chances. It’s not as “safe” as every other list I’ve seen so far.
I just listened to that Fleet Foxes record again and I think the Blitzen Trapper is a billion times better but not getting as much attention on these lists, which is a shame, since more people should hear it.
Also, I like The Week that Was, but #8, Mojo? Really?
I know, I know, I’m a big VW fan, but still… not on Mojo‘s list at all? Really? I’m not saying their album has to be #1 (or anywhere near it) on a given list, but I feel like not considering it one of the top fifty albums of the year is a bit of a stretch.
Partie Traumatic belongs on no year-end best-of list; it’s not bad enough to be singled out for criticism but it is awful enough that it shouldn’t be anywhere a top 50.
I’m glad that Goldfrapp’s Seventh Tree is on the list. It’s one of the albums I’ve unwittingly returned to most this year.
Oh, and I know H&LA are too gay-gay-gay for most people but that album is just so great, start to finish.
I’m stoked to see Peter Broderick on the Mojo list. It is nice to see dude get some recognition after being behind some of the better records to come out of Portland as of late.
Also, I’m shocked neither of these publications picked up on the new Frightened Rabbit.
@bugsbark: oh please. no one I know who dislikes the Fleet Foxes album gives a fig about “innovation.”
I count just the one dance record (Hercules And Love Affair), which is way to little when there were great albums from Nôze, Low Motion Disco, Studio, Newworldaquarium, Bruno Pronsato and Stefan Goldmann. But, y’know, Q and Mojo. Still, they’re English, and they should know better.
Apparently Q has forsaken Jack Johnson:
[stereogum.com]
^As have I. Since day 1.
The wonderful thing about Q sticking Coldplay at #3 is that I can save a lot of time by not bothering to read the rest of the list. I love the fact that Mojo stuck The Fall in their list as if it acts as some sort of powerful credibility injection after sticking Weller at #3 and Oasis at 50. Also, that Verve album was a travesty, and I appear to continue to be the only person alive who thinks the third TVOTR album is a pale, mainstream shadow of the first two. Disappointment of the year.
By the way, that Pitchfork review of The Gaslight Anthem is incredibly late but remarkable – a Pitchfork reviewer spending more time enjoying the music than working out if they’re supposed to be enjoying the music. I’ve been defending The 59 Sound against detractors all year, and now I can just send a link that sums it all up.
@moomintroll: Really?! Damn, I think that’s probably my number one this year. But, then again, I did break up with a long term partner this year, and that fact probably has a pretty big influence on my listening habits.
@RaptorAvatar: Cosign on Johnny Foreigner–really like that one, need to play it some more, thanks for reminding me.
@futurehorse: Only two songs really grabbed me (“Modern Leper”, “The Twist”), but those two songs rip my heart out every time I hear them.
@Lokimotive: No, it did suck. And I love Mercury Rev, but there’s only so much I can take before it’s just irritating. This album was too much.
Not surprised at all by Mojo giving Fleet Foxes #1. I recall that Mojo went crazy over The Coral’s debut album and FF is mining the same type of territory.
@Halfwit: Oh man, those are good, but “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms” and “Poke” effing kill me. I mean, really, how can you go wrong with lines like “I”m armed with the past and the will and a brick/I might not want you back but I want to kill him” and that whole part in “Poke” about the picture and sisters and telling people that you were once lovers…
Ugh, I may be projecting here, but that whole record is absolutely ridiculous.
@Chris Barrus: speaking of damning with faint praise…
Where’s R.E.M.? Accelerate was fantastic, and the Brits love those guys!
Also, I’m glad that The Gaslight Anthem is on there, The ’59 Sound is a really good record.
OH…R.E.M. is on the Q list…I missed it. hahaha
@Bong14: To be honest, I agree with your assessment of the new TVOTR. It pains me to say it.
@moomintroll: I still really like the new album, but
A) I think that “Return to Cookie Mountain” falls apart midway through, and I never LOVED the first half to start, and
B) I still think that “Blind” is the best thing they’ve done.
So, you know… my opinion may be irrelevant.
@Michaelangelo Matos: oh i’m sure that dislike of fleet foxes isn’t calculated as such, but there are implications: for example, what does the word “bland” (used in this post) mean exactly? does music have to be necessarily “interesting” to be great, and if so what defines “interesting”? and sure taste cannot be argued – i myself am surprised with how much love bon iver seems to be getting. but i’m just having a hard time imagining that someone is unable to respond positively to the simple language of harmonies and melodies in fleet foxes even if that person may not necessarily be in love with it. for example on this blog i’ve read commenters say that they don’t like fleet foxes because they sound just like my morning jacket – first of all, i think the differences are small but significant, and second of all, it just seems like a lousy, close-minded reason. it’s like walking past a church on sunday morning and not being moved by the choir! i’m curious if “year of the bland” is perhaps a response to the increased emphasis on aesthetics and branding.
1. I like the Fleet Foxes quite a bit (and it contains “He Doesn’t Know Why”, which is in the running for my 10 favorite songs this year), but come on, their not that good.
2. Black Ice?
3. Mojo has The Fall in their list and Q has Liam Finn and Hot Chip. Which is pretty nice, because those are among some of the best sleeper hits of the year.
4. No Los Campesinos!. Boo.
5. Again, it’s nice to know that there’s alot of Drive-By Truckers love on Idolator.
@bugsbark: What’s surprising to me about Bon Iver is that Megafaun, the other guys he was in a band with before he was Bon Iver, are 100x better and 100x less famous. Those guys are just amazing.
Anyone care to venture a guess as to who will be the first to include Chinese Democracy on their list?
I don’t know why I’m continually surprised to see Oasis on these Brit lists, but here I am again…was there some act of Parliament I don’t know about?
@sofatruck: Either Kerrang! or Rolling Stone.
What, no Girls Aloud on the Q list? I actually don’t dislike Duffy at all, but Rockferry is in no way better than Out of Control.
Good to know its fans share the band’s own entitlement. @kicking222:
Oh, good for Eli Reed. That record is such a disarming no-bullshit lo-budget old-fashioned soul disc, and the tunes are good.
@fabulousrobots: Yes, Blitzen Trapper write better songs.
Love Abe Vigoda and Gaslight Anthem as dark horses. However, how in the fuck are Los Campesinos! and Johnny Foreigner not taking up 3 spots on both of those lists? Do both of these mags dock you points for having a record that actually sounds like it’s from 2008?
Mojo: Yay for Amadou and Mariam, British Sea Power, M83, Elbow, and The Bug! I couldn’t be bothered to read the Q one.
Also, there’s more Blur reunion speculation out there today, I know it’s not related but just, just, ahhhhh! It makes my tummy hurt it’s so exciting! (yeah, I know it won’t really happen)
Wait a second, Mercury Rev? Did I totally miss something and that record didn’t suck?
@futurehorse: I was disappointed with Frightened Rabbit, I was all ready to love them. I mean they’re from where I was born! But they didn’t really grab me.
08 is the worst year in music this decade.
So many disappointments by good bands/artists (Sigur Ros, TVOTR, M83…)
Kings of Leon? They are 5 seconds away from becoming Nickelback.
And if you’re going to put a pop record in your top 10, give it Little Jackie not monotonous Duffy. And if you want a token dance record Cut Copy’s 2nd kicks Hercules’ ass.
2007 was a great year, I can’t even make a top 10 for this year.