http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/top/2004/index5.shtml

Pretty shitty list, but very diverse.

Animal Collective fucking sucks from what I've heard of their music ("freak folk" or something), but there are the usuals (Interpol, Modest Mouse, Franz Ferdiand, Iron and Wine, Loretta Lynn, TV on the Radio, Sonic Youth, Kanye West), the good (The Arcade Fire), the bad (Bjork's Medulla), and the ugly (Fiery Furnaces' Blueberry Boat). What was a surprise? Devendra Banhart, gonna have to actually listen to these MP3s now, Joanna Newson who was recommended to me by a friend of mine who writes music reviews, The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows - good album, Air's Talkie Walkie - GREAT album, and especially Califone's Heron King Blues which came out in Jan., but I've been listening to it again in the last month, which is fantastic and should have been higher (on pfork its #32). Also a band called Comets on Fire who anybody who's into the MC5 and their psychadelic proto/metal/punk rave-ups should check out. Its decent, but glad to see some diversity for heavier rock on their list.

Another thing that pissed me off about Pitchfork's list and why people complain about how pretentious it is were all the classic composition-ey shit albums. This ain't fucking rock music, and I know bands like Sigur Ros are supposedly pushing boundaries, but give me a fucking break, this is ambiet, gimmicky-ethereal wank.

MIA:

Wilco's A Ghost is Born (for fucking shame)
The Killer's Hot Fuss (thank heavens)
Nick Cave's Abattoir Blues (could be grounds for legal action)
Tom Waits new one (haven't heard it)
Ghost (they raved about there new album back in January)
Black Keys (should have replaced Johan Johansson)

There really is absolutely nothing redeeming about that site.

This sums it up nicely: http://www.somethingawful.com/fake/richdork/

quote - "pretentious unreadable crap + why were smarter then you + stories that go nowhere + failed grad school applications"

I simply cannot appreciate a vapid review that talks about banana pudding for 9/10s of the review only to mention one song on the album without elaborating beyond its title, then attaching an arbitrary score to it.

I was predicting it would take at least 5 posts before somebody had something nasty and condescending to say. I never said Pitchfork was the be-all end all of music sites. Fuck, I shouldn't even be defending why I go there.

Deathbyflannel, as usual, you have been the human/poster/troll equivalent of a flacid penis. You have probably not heard of 1/2 those albums, and have probably only actually listened to maybe 5 or 6. If you have an even better list or site, please post it.

Until then, if you haven't heard the fucking music, you obviously have nothing to contribute by dissing it. Very classy

I liked about 90% of that list. I'll be checking out the ones i havnt heard yet though.

You should see the one from Tiny Mix tapes, its exactly the same

Guess there were plenty of good albums I missed this year

http://www.tinymixtapes.com/

Keep in mind my sig...

Tiny Mix Tapes list:

25. The Robot Ate Me
On Vacation

24. The Go! Team
Thunder, Lightning, Strike

23. Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand

22. Panda Bear
Young Prayer

21. Sufjan Stevens
Seven Swans

20. TV on the Radio
Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

19. AC Newman
The Slow Wonder

18. Comets on Fire
Blue Cathedral

17. Elliott Smith
From a Basement on the Hill

16. Interpol
Antics

15. Frog Eyes
The Folded Palm

14. Björk
Medúlla

13. Iron & Wine
Our Endless Numbered Days

12. Modest Mouse
Good News For People Who Love Bad News

11. Wilco
A Ghost Is Born

10. Devendra Banhart
Rejoicing in the Hands

9. The Walkmen
Bows & Arrows

8. Sonic Youth
Sonic Nurse

7. The Fiery Furnaces
Blueberry Boat

6. Joanna Newsom
The Milk-Eyed Mender

5. Madvillain
Madvillainy

4. Xiu Xiu
Fabulous Muscles

3. Brian Wilson
SMiLE

2. Animal Collective
Sung Tongs

1. The Arcade Fire
Funeral

finally a list that doesnt have the lightweight pop garbage Franz Ferdinand on top!

but Morrissey's You Are The Quarry at #38?Give me a break!That is the best cd not only of the year but of the new decade!

pfork left out the icarus line and pj harvey. popmatters at least put miss harvey on the list, but the icarus line deserve better.

Pitchfork forgot about From A Basement On The Hill. They suck.

j.

Yeah... the review of it wasn't too fantastic either so it's not surprising. But it still kind of sucks.

Yeah I was just thinking about that.

And miss Polly Harvey was forgotten once again

Gee, I haven't heard a single album from that list. That must mean it is not diverse enough to REALLY be the top 50. Or maybe I am just out of touch with recent music, as a result of how badly it sucks.

The Streets at #3 seems waaaayyyy too high as well.

Actually, there's heaps of great contemporary bands around at the moment. You'd probably notice and appreciate them more readily if you enjoyed a wider range of music. :shrug:

j.

I'm gonna agree with Deathbyflannel. Pitchfork is an incredibly asinine site. The good albums on the list were too low, and the crappy ones were too high. It sucks, as does Pitchfork.

Also, dbf only gave his opinion, like I'm doing right now. And I think the site is bullshit.

I didn't know my comment was enough to illicit this kind of a remark. Maybe you should figure out, first, why I am unfamiliar with most of that music, and then attack afterwards. :shrug:

So is Devendra Banhart any good?

I don't know why you'd consider it an attack. Seems more like a statement of fact to me - you are unfamiliar with the bands on Pitchfork's list because you actively avoid them, ie. you impose limits on the range of music you listen to.

j.