Personally don't see what's so heteronormative about the Reigning Sound.

Just my opinion:

The Sunset Rubdown album recieved little critical attention, but here gets the #17 spot, and the Weezer album will probably be in the Top 20. Are these 2 albums representative of the best music of the year? Nah. Clearly, the board does lean toward indie rock stuff, and both albums are bland. I know people like these albums now, but because they are safe indie rock choices, i doubt they'll have the same impact in a few years.

That this ongoing argument is centered on Love and Curses confuses and hurts me. Love that record but... yeah, fuck.
Great Morrissey blurb by the way Heretix. As always, kudos EVERYBODY for getting these blurbs together. Amazing stuff. Almost living up to the unbeatable heights established by Undo with blurb #1.

Sweet countdown overall though

I don't see Raditude being a particularly "safe indie rock" choice seeing as it is neither safe nor an indie rock album. Not to mention the fact that most people spew vitriol at its mere mention. And Sunset Rubdown is too often simply ignored to be a "safe" indie rock choice, IMHO.

I don't know either, but it may have to do with that weird "penis" lyric. I still don't know what's going on with that song.

Easily my least favourite song on the record, but would be open to hearing it redone in some format that involved not being sung like a sea shanty.

Weezer isn't safe?

Considering it ended up in a lot of "Worst album" lists, I don't think so. But maybe my definition of "safe" is not the commonly-accepted one.

It's about as safe as a Weezer snuggie.

Safe as fook

No shit? A list of music has some stuff you like and some stuff you don't like?

That's some deep commentary there, Custo.

Let's step up the fucking game, people.

With 15 to come and records like Converge, The Dream, Fever Ray, Raekwon and Sunn O))) to come you have to say this is a lot more varied than anything we've had before. I doubt a few of those records would have cracked the top 50 a few years back.

Been missing you, Smokey.

EDIT: Custo?

montana you're dead

#15.




Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It’s Blitz!
(1995 Points, 36 Votes, One #1 Vote)

US Chart Position: #22

UK Chart Position: #9

Charting Singles: "Zero" (#49 UK, #18 US Alternative), "Heads Will Roll" (#98 UK)

SOMB Says: This all could have gone so wrong, considering It's Blitz is the Yeah Yeah Yeah's second consecutive "mature" album, and we all know what "mature" means, don't we? Granted, when your debut consists of you orgasming drunkenly for thirty-seven minutes while your guitarist fixes his hair, you sure do give yourself plenty of room to mature. Still, it's hard to blame the indie-rock-consuming public for being a bit reluctant upon hearing the news that the band traded in the guitars for keyboards, further distancing themselves from the chaotic arty dance punk that they built their name on oh so long ago in the mythical land of Brooklyn.

Of course this step should have been obvious. You don't purport to be "dance punk" without learning a few moves from Siouxsie Sioux, and the new sound fits the Yeah Yeah Yeahs like a glittery leopard-print leotard. Frontwoman Karen O soars like the fucked-up indie queen we've all come to tolerate on the A+ single "Zero," and alternates between frantic crazy-eyed madwoman and soothing angel on "Heads Will Roll," turning it into one of the better "Blue Monday" rip-offs of recent vintage. And let's not forget those synths. They twinkle and throb and build layer over layer, washing gorgeous textures over "Softshock" and "Dragon Queen," and you wonder what the big deal was over Nick Zinner losing his guitar.

And yeah, I guess there are the mature moments. Early on Karen O proved she can show vulnerability as easily and effectively as she can spit beer all over herself, and she carries songs like "Skeletons" and "Hysterical" admirably. Sure, you won't find a "Maps" here, but that's a high bar for anyone to clear. And it's not like we're being spoon-fed soppy, important music here. Anyway, the triumphant, bittersweet keys of "Skeletons" are more engaging then the Yeah-Yeah-Yeahs-by-numbers rocker, "Shame And Fortune," and that's not necessarily a knock on the latter.

Basically the Yeah Yeah Yeahs surrounded a few excellent singles with some solid if less memorable tracks, which is about all you can really ask from a good synth pop record without being greedy. Karen O will still deep throat a microphone if sufficiently moved, but It's Blitz shows that the YYYs don't need such theatrics to craft some fine songs. Which is the good kind of maturity. - Duff.

Artist's Previous Rankings on Our Albums Lists: "Fever To Tell" (#10 of 2003), "Show Your Bones" (#35 of 2006)

Ranked Highest By: amotin (#1)

Also Ranked By: Gluehead (#2), st. park (#3), superhersh2002, no magnets (#4), without_opinion, Man Is Matter (#5)

Amazon Link

Yeah come on everyone; where's your pointless YouTubes, laughing smiley army and ad hominen attacks?

Jacques Custo, reference to "deep see diving", hence "deep commentary".


20 pages of "nice placement" comments makes Jack a dull boy.....

crack that egg!

LOL cousteau

'Jacques Custo'

Actually really dig the ballads on that album. Sometimes the synth textures remind me of OMD's Architecture and Morality, weirdly enough.

otmfm.

YYYs album should have sold way more. Should have made them Blondie sized. (in a 21st century context of course) not just "here's your half seven slot on the second stage" big. If they keep writing songs like 'Zero' they could end up with a top ten single in the UK.

Ernest Hammingway

Co-sign. And to be honest, I really don't even dislike the song. It's just that its overall aesthetic is so far from anything I'd have associated with RS that it leaves me scratching my head. Which can definitely be a good thing.

On another topic:



Whooo-oooh-oooooh!

lol that's the midwestern landlocked hick spelling.

#14.




Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II
(2043 Points, 28 Votes, Two #1 Votes)

US Chart Position: #4

UK Chart Position: n/a

Charting Singles: n/a

SOMB Says: Can’t say “rap” makes much sense to me. I’m a cloistered, white dude who spends most of his time drinking beer, smoking pot, going to school, and fucking around on the internet. Of course there’s Deej, so there’s that, but I tend to stick with what I know: Japanese psych, pigfuck, indie rock, and whatever happens to be the IDM flava of the month. So I was surprised when this Raekwon album affected me so powerfully.

FTR: I haven’t really listened to Only Built for Cuban Linx pt. I, only heard it in passing. It sounds nice. Good beats and all that, swell verses, but I have better things to do with my time lately. I don’t know how this album – pt. II – compares to its predecessor, but I do know that it wouldn’t have made a lick of sense a 2 years ago.

I like the Wu-Tang Clan I think. Fucked up rhymes about cutting up shit. Dick jokes. Mentions of meth and anal sex. But OBfCL,PII is different. All Wu albums have their share of “serious” songs – tales of feds, death, and coming up hard in a harder world – but they’re also filled with skits, jokes, and fronts. No Doubt the W-TC has earned any frontery they care to present at this point. They’re all millionaires, no doubt – if not present, at least past – and they’re well respected enough in this “rap game” to have no need for slanging yay or cooking meth. But, thank God, that other game is still a topic of discussion.

Now drugs: bad, whatever, cool: I don’t really give a shit how you feel about them. The point is that here’s Rae, a 40+ year old man (I shit you not), perfectly afforded to rest on his laurels, doesn’t need to talk about slinging yayo and cooking meth anymore. I’ll bet a stack of benjamins that he hasn’t touched that shit since ’93. The thing is, that subject allows Chef Raekwon to bring this album to a minor place. Rather than the well-afforded victory lap that Rae deserves – and The Wu has exploited on record as of late - pt. II becomes a dank reflection of the dark times were in. The struggle to get by for the everyman is amplified in Raekwon, et al’s lyrics – the job hunt becomes a battle for territory; a promotion becomes war with the Fed.

I don’t know. Ultimately, Raekwon knows that dark beats, macabre verses, and fiery lyrics sell records. We don’t want to hear about GZA performing Liquid Swords to crowds of white indie kids; we don’t want to see Redman and Method Man yukking it up in Right Guard commercials; and we sure as shit don’t want to see a ride get pimp’d. But here, in an epically concise sequel, Chef Raekwon gives us exactly what we want: a slice of those 8 million tales that thrum beneath the streets of Brooklyn, a dark view of the reality that these Wu-Tang fantasies are built upon. - Michael K.

Artist's Previous Rankings on Our Albums Lists: n/a

Ranked Highest By: +marios+, Tongue-Tied (#1)

Also Ranked By: سلام عليكم و رحمة الله و ب , Bleep Blop (#2), amnesious (#3), SonicAlligator, cappacappa (#4)

Amazon Link

Mitch is right, a few years ago you would read the list through #60 or so and then change the channel because the rest of the way was going to be a SOMBnambulist stroll through indie rock. There's a lot more variety now.


Would you say... it won't stand the test of time???


Viv, get the gurney

whatever Custo

Duff keeps on bringing the no-bullshit OTM blurbs.

hey it's a rap album sequel

Wayne Coin

How many blurbs has Duff had so far?

Truth. Had my laughing my face off too.

#13.




Handsome Furs - Face Control
(2149 Points, 23 Votes, Six #1 Votes)

US Chart Position: n/a

UK Chart Position: n/a

Charting Singles: n/a

SOMB Says: With a clash of electric programming for percussion, an attack of electric guitar, and Dan Boeckner’s voice sound like he’s being tortured throughout most of the disc, Face Control seems like it should be a lot more miserable than what it actually is. Instead, Boeckner and wife bring a warmth to the songs that make them fantastically curious, tremendously interesting, and most of all, a joy to listen to. Think of it as a No, Really, It’s An OK Computer, with the machines bringing a humanity to the songs. Songs like “Talking Hotel Arbat Blues” and “All We Want, Baby, Is Everything” are pure pop gems, sticking in your head through this decade and the next. When Boeckner sings, “We never said goodbye,” to end the album, you wish he wouldn’t.- MattDrufke

Artist's Previous Rankings on Our Albums Lists: n/a

Ranked Highest By: SonicAlligator, tennisclay, without_opinion, solace, simakos, Bobzilla (#1)

Also Ranked By: chiefstrutter (#2), lostbikes, amotin (#4), phlowtron (#5)

Amazon Link

Not enough.

wow, never heard of this one

Listening to that YYYs album again, and I remember why I was so addicted to it when it first came out. All these e-Custos made me feel bad because it wasn't some deep Evangelista-level stuff.

Who knew!

how fantastically curious!



he didn't

I didn't really have to of much of an opinion but 6 #1s including Bobzilla, Simakos and Solace suggest I should give it another go.

#12.




Weezer - Raditude
(2159 Points, 27 Votes, Three #1 Votes)

US Chart Position: #7

UK Chart Position: #80

Charting Singles: "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" (#81 US, #2 Modern Rock)

SOMB Says: During the final two years of the '00s, Weezer has revealed itself to be a band of gods. More confident and startlingly purposeful than ever, their recent artistic pursuits have inspired as much disgust amongst their devoted listenership as unbridled joy. And nothing they do makes any fucking sense. Kanye West can continue searching for ways to creatively embarrass himself in public and the Flaming Lips can keep trotting out their wacky "psychedelic" live show gimmicks, but all of these things are not terribly surprising when one considers these artists' reputations and overall aesthetics. Weezer, on the other hand, has pulled off the remarkable feat of somehow abolishing the very idea of having any kind of aesthetic whatsoever, challenging any and all preconceived notions of what their music and public image should convey. Sincere stabs at R&B, album art that is often mistaken for some kind of jokey Photoshop prank created by fans, collaborations with Kenny G and Lil Wayne, bizarre cover choices that for some reason actually work really, really well ("The Weight," "Kids/Poker Face"), having Scott Shriner write and sing a couple songs here and there... for any number of reasons, "career suicide" seems to be a concept that Weezer is invincible towards. And while "great songs" isn't the only one of these reasons, it is certainly the one that looms largest in my mind. At this point, Rivers Cuomo is a seasoned veteran of the alternative era who unlike, say, Chris Cornell and Art Alexakis, has successfully adjusted his ambitions so that they match up with and ultimately enhance the current musical landscape, all while keeping his approach fresh. Going back to the thrill of hearing "Hash Pipe" fit in with yet jump right out of the nu-metal dominated radio playlists of 2001 and through "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" sounding like some kind of mutant mainstream pop tour de force, Weezer's unjustly shat upon '00s output (musical and otherwise) has been nothing short of inspiring, reveling in all the ridiculousness that is essential to popular culture in a way that shows not cynicism and condescension, but an honest love for and willingness to embrace what many of the band's older fans initially prided themselves over retreating from.

Which brings us to Raditude, either a reinforcement of this band's ability to reach incredible heights or sink to incredibly crushing depths. Enough people here seem to think the former so let's work with that. Allow me to point you towards the synth break in "I’m Your Daddy," the bridge in "Let It All Hang Out," the "WHOA-OOHHH-OOHHH-OOHHH-OOOOHHHHH"s in "Can’t Stop Partying," just about every fatass multitracked guitar solo to be found here… this is brilliant pop songwriting, plain and simple, exploring the world of processed radio ready pop/rock and forging as much from it as possible. Wacked out genre experiments like "Can’t Stop Partying" and "Love Is The Answer" rub shoulders with comparatively traditional sounding guitar rock like "Let It All Hang Out" and "Trippin’ Down The Freeway," and yet even the latter two songs are lightyears beyond something like Make Believe (a quite good recording, don't get me wrong) in terms of sheer life affirmation through the power of perfectly placed and communicated musical ideas. Some of the melodies sound simplistically sing-songy upon first listen, as if Cuomo is connecting the dots between a few precisely mapped out notes, but this is only a reflection of the grasp he has on the pop song’s ability to spread its infectiousness throughout all corners of the listener's consciousness. Reviews point out Cuomo’s acceptance of middle age as being a carried over lyrical subject from his group's 2009 Red Album, but more than that it's the arrangements, the songcraft, the vocal performances, all of these things working together to make Raditude into a moment where Weezer finally seems to have reached a glorious point of no return and state of contentment as a band that is going to continue doing whatever the hell it wants while retaining its knack for powerful melodies. If Red Album was Weezer announcing its ambitions to not hold a thing back and just get fucking dangerous already, Raditude is a taste of what happens when they stand by their word. - Pavement Ist Rad

Artist's Previous Rankings on Our Albums Lists: "Weezer (2008)" (#13 of 2008)

Ranked Highest By: Diesel, Paul, Pavement Ist Rad (#1)

Also Ranked By: UselessRocker, The Good Dr Bill (#2), Chronodiggity (#3), MattDrufke (#4), Shackleton's Great Adventure (#5)

Amazon Link

Didn't hear that Handsome Furs. Off to iTunes store right now......


edit: LOL

Say what you want, but at least it's not Wilco.

Six #1s on Handsome Furs does seem really surprising, although I never listened to it so I'm just basing it on them being part of that whole indier-than-indie scene that I don't really bother with.

Paves has done a great job of expounding on the Weezer experience. Looking forward to seeing some deep commentary from Montana on that one.

#11.




Fever Ray - Fever Ray
(2300 Points, 37 Votes, One #1 Vote)

US Chart Position: n/a

UK Chart Position: #90

Charting Singles: n/a

SOMB Says: Fever Ray is the work of Karin Elisabeth Dreigier Andersson, the female half of Pitchfork Media acclaimed electro pop band, The Knife. (Creators of the number one album of 2006! Silent Shout.) And, really, it's hard not to see this as an extension of that. It's a solo album, but it features all the same "Knife-ian" trademarks, warbly goblin vocals, trippy bloops & bleeps, haunting drums, synth arpeggios, and lots of cool & fun pop hooks. There's no "Heartbeat" type highlight to be found here, but the album is surprisingly consistent all the same. Chock-full-of-8.7s, if you will. And while it wasn't an immediate favorite, it has done well with time. That is to say, it has been a real grower & a thinker.

The big problem with a release like this, though, is, good as the songs may be, you start to question why you'd listen to it over, say, Silent Shout. And yet I keep finding myself returning to this synth filled long player. There are a few reasons for this. Part of it has been critical reception. Not so much the usual locations, but rather the non significant number of posters from the I Love Music message boards (and other places) who have rallied behind this particular album as their album of the year, and as the best Knife related project yet. And of course the videos have helped too, no doubt. Plus her skull makeup in "If I Had A Heart" is pretty badass, certain avatar abuse notwithstanding. Even so, I've been tempted to dismiss the album from time to time, and yet I keep returning, week after week, trying to figure it out. As I said, a real thinker.

In the end, is Fever Ray better than its predecessors? Probably not. But it is still a great album, and an enjoyable one too. And, really, even if it is only the third best The Knife release, it still is one of the better albums of the year. IMO.

A "buy it" record. (Live show is probably worth checking out too, idk.)- stphone

Artist's Previous Rankings on Our Albums Lists: n/a

Ranked Highest By: Saskadelphia (#1)

Also Ranked By: robbie, Ogawa, maxexactly, Izzy (#2), cappacappa (#3), Gluehead, phlowtron (#4), Eskimo Kisses (#5)

Amazon Link

that weezer record came off to me as more of a novelty experience than Red, which touched my soul in ungodly ways

decent album though

The Handsome Furs album's enjoyable, but the 6 #1 votes for it is shocking.

And once again, a great Weezer blurb in the SOMB year-end.

Say what you want about Weezer, Wilco and M.Ward - at least you guys stick to your guns and don't STOP overrating them once they have made it clear they're never going to release anything good/anything else good.

lol