New music you are into?

[SigmaChiCard]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

My top 10 (explanations here):

10- Okkervil River, The Stage Names
9 - Simian Mobile Disco, Attack Decay Sustain Release
8 - Spoon, Ga ga ga ga ga
7 - Blitzen Trapper, Wild Mountain Nation
6 - Panda Bear, Person Pitch
5 - MIA, Kala
4 - Burial, Untrue
3 - Justice, [Cross]
2 - Of Montreal, Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
1 - LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver

Honorable mention to The Hood Internet mixtapes, which are sick

I agree that most of these are great, but honestly I believe Panda Bear is terrible...I feel that people like to think he's good more than anyone actually likes him...the same way most people are with Pere Ubu. SMD was a great one as was Burial.

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I'm on par with Cory's list, only I would add the Spoon, White Stripes, You Say Party!We Say Die albums...maybe Rilo Kiley and Digitalism.

YSP!WSD! is another of my favorite bands of the year though people give me shit for it. I did a little piece on them earlier this year when they were refused entry into the country for a tour.


There was a ton of great music this year....

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by SigmaChiCard

I agree that most of these are great, but honestly I believe Panda Bear is terrible...I feel that people like to think he's good more than anyone actually likes him...the same way most people are with Pere Ubu. SMD was a great one as was Burial.

Well, from your blog post, it seems like you're also down on Strawberry Jam and Let's Stay Friends, two albums that would have been in the 20-25 range on my list this year - it's likely a difference in taste more than anything, so there's really not going to be much in the way of discussion here.

However, I'll tell you that "Bros" isn't the singular work of genius Pitchfork et al. would have you believe - I personally don't find it to be the best song on the album, even. However, I find Person Pitch a remarkably rewarding listen, sort of a complex version of Brian Wilson's work with a sort of Brian Eno vibe. It's not like the lyrics would win a Pulitzer if written on the page, but I don't particularly care if the music works well.

It was kind of a grower for me, though - sort of the opposite of the SMD album, really, in that I like it a LOT more after many spins that I did at first blush (whereas SMD's early singles blew me away, and A/D/S/R was almost a letdown when finally released).

Finally, you may be right that Panda Bear benefits in the press from his Animal Collective ties, as I think AC is one of the most overrated bands out there in general (Strawberry Jam was their first album I actually really enjoy on any level, and Sung Tongs makes me wish I was just listening to Man Man and cutting out the middle man), but I can tell you from my point of view that Person Pitch is considerably better than any of the Animal Collective work, so I can't really chalk it up to nuthugging either. YMMV apparently.