Comments on:

By: bcapirigi

bcapirigi — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 03:50:11 +0000

I’d rather read a good book about an album I’ve never heard (ie. Let’s Talk About Love) than a so-so book about one of my favorite albums. Though ideally, I’d like a good book about an album I love…
My proposal didn’t make the list. I guess the world will just have to wait for my thesis about George Michael’s facial hair.

By: scott pgwp

scott pgwp — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:45:41 +0000

@Nicolars: Fuck, I guess if mine gets picked I'm going to have to come up with a new angle. I thought "give Slint a blowjob" was the way to go, but maybe not...

By: Chris Molanphy

Chris Molanphy — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:46:23 +0000

@DocStrange: Just to clarify: that's because "Lost in You" is the only song Brooks released as a commercial single. Prior to 1998, that was required in order to chart on the Hot 100; the Country chart is all-airplay. So, no offense, but your data point means nothing viz. Brooks's/Gaines's popularity.

By: Ned Raggett

Ned Raggett — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:34:59 +0000

I’m on the shortlist — if I get through, great, but my goal with the book is far more than simply talking about the album in question (it will have a lot to do with technology and the reception/discussion of music and what has become normative over time).

By: DocStrange

DocStrange — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:19:41 +0000

and not only that, but the fact that even though the Chris Gaines album was a failed and laughed at, its first single “Lost in You” remains his only Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 even though its not as good of a song as, say, “The Thunder Rolls”.

By: DocStrange

DocStrange — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:16:26 +0000

@La Mareada: Oh yes, reading about a bad or crazy album would be a much better read than on a great album like "Funeral". But hey, you never know. Maybe the Arcade Fire book will be as interesting as the Masters of Reality book from last year.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:06:19 +0000

For anyone interested in reading one of the proposals that barely missed the cut, here is one of them:
[perfectlines.wordpress.com]

By: the rich girls are weeping

the rich girls are weeping — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:05:51 +0000

@the rich girls are weeping: er, or the popist hits of the 90's and early-aughts for that matter. clearly there will be a smattering of canonized classics in the mix for crediblity, but this just might actually be the year for exile in guyville!

By: the rich girls are weeping

the rich girls are weeping — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:57:37 +0000

It's amazing how less and less interested in I am in the whole 33 1/3 folderol the slimmer this list gets.

That being said, I wish I was the one behind that that All Hail West Texas pitch. (ha!) Other than that, though -- the shortlist is beyond yawn-worthy. Then again, if the target audience is entry level-alts, as Hipster Runoff so lovingly describes them, than the greatest indie hits of the 90's and early-aughts is where the $$$ is.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:23:47 +0000

@Diglett: Yes, the Paul's Boutique book is quite good- I never knew about that other guy who was involved in the making of the album (the one who is kind of a recluse now), because normally you hear only about the Dust Brothers. Colin Meloy's "Let it Be" is pretty decent, too, coming from the point of view of a young kid in Montana.

I'm still in favor of anything involving "Marquee Moon," X, "Odessey and Oracle," Phil Ochs, or Dinosaur Jr.

I think it's too soon for anything on Kanye, Britney, Arcade Fire or even Mountain Goats.