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Post by Kapitan on Oct 10, 2019 13:34:49 GMT
My favorite artist of the 2010s, and probably favorite artist of the last 20-25 years, Ghost, is also not represented. But, I have a feeling that the listeners over at Pitchfork would need to retreat to their safe spaces if they heard a power chord or two. You know, while I don't want to defend the very outlet I've been mocking for the past few posts (or, um, years), they actually do review metal more than they did in what I consider their heyday. Over the past few months, these bands that they categorized under metal had albums reviewed: Boris, Darkthrone, Type O Negative, Tool, Slipknot, Tomb Mold, Torche, An Isolated Mind, Baroness, Pelican, Redbait, and Darkthrone (again).
But that's across a span of about four months, meaning they review slightly less than one metal album a week. That's out of a total of probably 20 reviews per week.
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Post by kds on Oct 10, 2019 13:39:55 GMT
My favorite artist of the 2010s, and probably favorite artist of the last 20-25 years, Ghost, is also not represented. But, I have a feeling that the listeners over at Pitchfork would need to retreat to their safe spaces if they heard a power chord or two. You know, while I don't want to defend the very outlet I've been mocking for the past few posts (or, um, years), they actually do review metal more than they did in what I consider their heyday. Over the past few months, these bands that they categorized under metal had albums reviewed: Boris, Darkthrone, Type O Negative, Tool, Slipknot, Tomb Mold, Torche, An Isolated Mind, Baroness, Pelican, Redbait, and Darkthrone (again).
But that's across a span of about four months, meaning they review slightly less than one metal album a week. That's out of a total of probably 20 reviews per week.
More power to them. But, that just means they're one of several outlets that may review metal albums to get some clicks, but totally ignore the genre for lists such as the last two.
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 10, 2019 13:45:51 GMT
No question. I'll bet it isn't even that they get many clicks out of it, but rather is seen as a benevolent act toward broad coverage. Because obviously (as you note), if you can't find a single album form the genre warranting a top 200 spot, you're not especially invested in that genre.
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Post by kds on Oct 10, 2019 14:40:08 GMT
No question. I'll bet it isn't even that they get many clicks out of it, but rather is seen as a benevolent act toward broad coverage. Because obviously (as you note), if you can't find a single album form the genre warranting a top 200 spot, you're not especially invested in that genre. Exactly, and there have been several albums released by some of the more well known bands in the genre - Metallica, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, etc.
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 10, 2019 14:54:14 GMT
I'm sure as soon as Ozzy dies they'll go out of their way to praise his work.
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Post by kds on Oct 10, 2019 15:03:46 GMT
I'm sure as soon as Ozzy dies they'll go out of their way to praise his work. I wonder what slant they'll use - influential heavy metal singer of the 20th Century or lovable reality TV star of the 21st Century.
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 10, 2019 15:09:37 GMT
Oh, that's easy: they'll praise the work in a purportedly serious way. No question. The same way they talk about how influential Freddie Mercury was, someone who (had they existed during especially the latter half of Queen's career) they'd have panned as being out of touch artistically and commercial bores.
Actually they occasionally already talk about Metallica seriously, but only the first few albums' worth. From Justice onward, it's predictably negative. Whereas some others you've mentioned--Maiden and Priest--they'll also get the royal treatment after the fact, whether by Pitchfork or similar outlets that have ignored them.
Hell, that's what we just saw with Prince and David Bowie. Pitchfork and the mass media in general (in this country at least; I can't speak for elsewhere) hadn't given two shits about those two in a long time (other than to mock Prince on occasion). In the past few years, every reissue, posthumous release, and bit of news has been covered extensively. Death works wonders for artists' reputations, whether to rehabilitate legacy artists or promote unknown ones.
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Post by kds on Oct 10, 2019 16:20:46 GMT
Oh, that's easy: they'll praise the work in a purportedly serious way. No question. The same way they talk about how influential Freddie Mercury was, someone who (had they existed during especially the latter half of Queen's career) they'd have panned as being out of touch artistically and commercial bores.
Actually they occasionally already talk about Metallica seriously, but only the first few albums' worth. From Justice onward, it's predictably negative. Whereas some others you've mentioned--Maiden and Priest--they'll also get the royal treatment after the fact, whether by Pitchfork or similar outlets that have ignored them.
Hell, that's what we just saw with Prince and David Bowie. Pitchfork and the mass media in general (in this country at least; I can't speak for elsewhere) hadn't given two shits about those two in a long time (other than to mock Prince on occasion). In the past few years, every reissue, posthumous release, and bit of news has been covered extensively. Death works wonders for artists' reputations, whether to rehabilitate legacy artists or promote unknown ones.
Yeah, it's amazing how the tide has turned on Queen. I'm not even sure if Maiden will get a fair shake even after they're gone. Rock elitists tend to look down on a band that has a mascot, and writes increasingly longer songs that don't have mass appeal.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
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Post by bellbottoms on Oct 10, 2019 22:13:43 GMT
Thanks for the commentary! I'll look into some of these and see whether any of them appeal to me. My pleasure! I hope you find something there to enjoy.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
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Post by bellbottoms on Oct 10, 2019 22:20:07 GMT
I figured maybe I should actually contribute a top 10 list to this thread. On the topic of the best music of the 2010s, I put together what I think are probably my top 10 albums of the decade.
1. Perpetual Motion People (2015) - Ezra Furman and the Boyfriends 2. Love, Sunshine and Hysteria (2018) - Attica Riots 3. That's Why God Made the Radio (2012) - The Beach Boys 4. Blackstar (2016) - David Bowie 5. Coming Home (2015) - Leon Bridges 6. Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats (2015) 7. Love Stuff (2015) - Elle King 8. A Sailor's Guide to Earth (2016)- Sturgill Simpson 9. Half the City (2014) - St. Paul and the Broken Bones 10. REVO (2013) - Walk Off the Earth
Honourable mentions:
Collapse Into Now (2011) - R.E.M The Next Day (2013) - David Bowie Mysterious Power (2011) - Ezra Furman and the Harpoons
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 12, 2019 0:27:47 GMT
My impression is they’ve made a (very woke...) concerted effort to show they AREN’T just champions of the stereotypical white boy rock scene. So they went overboard on promoting rap and pop, going to great lengths to highlight (non white) race, (non cis male) gender, and (non straight) sexual orientation at every opportunity. (An example in the top 200 albums is their choice of lyric to quote from the tremendously gifted Earl Sweatshirt: “there ain’t a black woman I can’t thank.” THAT is a brilliant lyric? Seriously? THAT deserves to be highlighted? Perfectly nice sentiment, but hardly a demonstration of the man’s skillful wordplay!) Inclusion is great: the best music is the best music, and no real fans care about those atypical traits. But I don’t see inclusivity here, I see strained virtue signaling. Reading the review for Big Thief's new Two Hands album, my previous post/thought (quoted above) came to mind. Here is why:
"[Andrianne Lenker's lyrics] are pared down to just the most crucial bits of dialogue and wisdom. “Everybody needs a home and deserves protection,” she sings in “Forgotten Eyes,” her voice breaking at the word “needs.” “Talk to the boy in me/He’s there,” she begs in the closing “Cut My Hair”..."
OK, I'm sorry, but "everybody needs a home and deserves protection" is a fine sentiment, but as a lyric? It's entirely unremarkable!
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Post by B.E. on Oct 12, 2019 2:22:15 GMT
"[Andrianne Lenker's lyrics] are pared down to just the most crucial bits of dialogue and wisdom. “Everybody needs a home and deserves protection,” she sings in “Forgotten Eyes,” her voice breaking at the word “needs.”
God, this is torture. I've never heard of Big Thief, but I decided to listen to this song to see if that (wordier) line could work as well as Dylan's "they say every man needs protection", and I was met by extremely familiar musical elements, some of which I can't place! Right off the bat I was getting some blue album Weezer vibes, which then turned into Neil Young vibes. That's all good, I can roughly place it. But, the melody and chord progression of the first line of the chorus ("the wound has no direction") sounds SO familiar! Help.
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Post by Kapitan on Oct 12, 2019 2:37:51 GMT
I want to add, it's not really any offense to Big Thief. I liked a song of theirs earlier this year, "UFOF." My beef was with Pitchfork for the absurd praise for a pedestrian--I mean, fine, but pedestrian--line.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Oct 12, 2019 11:56:31 GMT
I haven't seen Paul McCartney's Egypt Station mentioned. I think it's...pretty good.
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Post by kds on Oct 12, 2019 12:21:29 GMT
I haven't seen Paul McCartney's Egypt Station mentioned. I think it's...pretty good. I'm not too keen on Paul's recent work, but you'd think he'd get a nod because he's Paul McCartney. And even paint by numbers Paul is far better than the ear pollution Pitchfork is pimping.
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