5.11.09

End of the Decade

Ok, so I set in my head a deadline for compiling my list of favorite albums from the past decade, and that date was over a month ago. Knowing my slavish devotion to a certain site, the cutoff needed to be before their list began that following Monday morning. Starting with my 5* songs, I sifted through and took note of albums that felt crammed with them. Then, for the first time since I joined the world of the mp3 in 2k4, I started listening to albums. Oh, Rapture! (though ultimately, their efforts fell short of my best of).

As the idea formed, I would have ranked 1-200, or at least a top 100 and done a write up about my choices to be published here. The best laid plans and all that, I wound up with pretty solid rankings of 1-20 and worked to cap off the top 100 by eliminating a couple dozen solid contenders. The fallout of my search left me just short of 200 and the attempt to round out my list was probably my fatal error.

Naturally I could not stick to my guns and avoid the pitchfork countdown while finishing the project. But recent discussions with other contributors here have led me to think that my list need not be consigned to the dustbin. The goal now will be to revive my top 100 list for completion to include at least some sort of writeup, although probably not for all 100. I will stick to the list that I pared down as of 9/27.

More to follow, or that's the plan anyway...

12 comments:

OP-lo said...

Do you actually mean to say that all this time you've only listened to singles? Did I read that right? How coudl you ever judge an album as an album? I, for one, and almost an exclusive album listener. I feel a sense of guilt hitting the FF button - even on the worst of tracks.

Unknown said...

that is surely a half-truth, my daily listening set-up does not include full album listening. during the month of january i begin to do front to back listening, but not for the entire collection. at that point i can tell the ones that jump out at me and it is more for splitting hairs that i return for the full listen. of course the best albums fairly demand a proper listen and i do make time for that.

Unknown said...

with oley's excellent BI XI announcement, comes the shelving of posting anything material about the contents of my list. i may write about stuff that fell outside my top 200 though. first up would be sigur ros which missed a possible top 5 only because i had it down as a 1999 release. if anyone would prefer to be spoiler free let me know.

Unknown said...

and since three is the magic number i will end my comments with some questions.

for the purposes of our "featuring the top albums of the decade" we need to put some parameters around the count. how many "top albums" will feature on the night (5 is my vote)? what is the number of albums submitted per voter (could go with 50 or 100)?

can we agree on the following criteria: valid release date 2000-2009, not a re-issue or greatest hits compilation?

i would be fine with throwing wide the doors on the electorate. with a catch of course, entrants must adhere to what is agreed upon by the Board regarding the above questions and any others that become documented here. also, they must attend (for exceptions apply to a Board member directly).

OP-lo said...

i like 50 right now.

by featured albums do you mean full play-throughs? i like the idea. concerned about time of course. especially if we plan to to a best of 09 list as well.

agreed on the parameters you listed so far. this assumes EPs can qualify (per usual). are we allowing for complilations - i.e DFA or Dark Was The Night? I would vote no on this one.

Unknown said...

for compilations i wonder about things like the Erlend Oye DJ Kicks? Is Les Savy Fav "Inches" a compilation?

i think it will be difficult to devise a rule that will satisfy a majority. for me at least the bar is set so much higher for a compilation. it still has to work as a cohesive whole but with so many artists contributing that becomes more elusive.

some things are obvious though, no greatest hits.

OP-lo said...

I think a comp of original material from a single artist shoudl be allowed.

Unknown said...

by original you mean material composed by the artist or band? ie not covers? that rules out about half of cat power's catalogue from the decade no?

djfukstein said...

sorry i'm late to the party here. first off, i have been a singles guy thus far this year, but have now switched exclusively to album listening, similar to what BW said.

i don't really care what we listen to BI night, just as long as we don't remain buried in front of a laptop all night - we can't get bogged down in the weeds trying to select songs - i just want to get buzzed and listen to great music and keep it simple.

lastly, all i know is that LSF Inches will be in my top 100 (I am doing 100 albums) - it is a singles comp but i consider it a new work of art with stuff that i had never heard before (as well as single artist), and besides it kicks ass. i will also have Brian Wilson Smile on the list as it is not a reissue - i agree that re-issues and greatest hits do not belong.

Oley said...

I would rather make the minimum requirement for the top decade list at 20. Those who want to go farther than that are free to do so. We will then use the top 20 of each person to create the consensus 'best of decade' list.

Given that this covers 10 years, I am ok with a compilation or greatest hits disc if for some reason that makes sense. It sounds like not all agree with that.

OP-lo said...

bw - what do you mean re cat power? she has one album on exclusive covers called "covers album" incidentally. covers interspersed with original material is not a problem. this is splitting hairs, analysis paralysis...etc.

no greatest hits oley. you are just saying that to be contrarian. we know you don't mean it.

splunge on LSF Inches.

Oley said...

After thinking further, I believe a top 50 submission is ok