Year-End Critics' Polls 2011

i think you're EXACTLY right about that list being only people who released music in 2011 (whether the figures only count their new music or all their music, i have no idea)

James Blake had a bigger year among music critics/nerds on the Internet, but I am not so sure about the broader pool of "fans."

i dunno, this is a worldwide list! he had pop hits in a few countries!

afaict the strokes didn't really have a top 10 hit anywhere last year

he had pop hits in a few countries!

OK, I guess I didn't realize quite how popular he was in the UK/Europe. #1 album in Flanders, huh.

http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Rock-Roll/The-Dean-s-List-Christgau-s-Best-of-2011/ba-p/6657

http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Rock-Roll/Dad-Rock-Makes-a-Stand/ba-p/6659

Christgau's year-end essay

"sleeper hit" isn't really the right description for an album that debuted at #1 with 300k copies sold, stayed there for a week and then returned a few weeks later

is there a thread for best mix/ mixtape/mix album in general of 2011? couln't find one

― Sébastien, Thursday, 12 January 2012 20:20 (Yesterday) Bookmark

It's this http://dismagazine.com/disco/mixes/14817/nguzunguzu-the-perfect-lullaby/

2 albums by Wussy in the Christgau top 10. I think I listened to one song of theirs once. Maybe I should give them more listening time.

afaict the only fans Wussy has on earth are Christgau and his disciples

Yep.

Predictable from me I know, but I like checking out the various African releases he includes. Usually he has some in his top 20, but this year they seem further down. He and Jon Pareles from the NY Times give love to afropop.

Plastic People of the Universe put out an album recently?

I was not aware of that either

The Plastic People record on his list came out in mid-2010. I wonder if it's placement has to do with Havel's passing.

That sounds like something Christgau would do, though it could just be that he heard it late and liked it a lot.

Havel's death might have brought them to mind and he checked out their latest. Who knows.

there are over a dozen 2010 records that he presumably first heard in 2011 peppered throughout the list, all with "'10" noted in parentheses

He's written about the Plastic People a fair amount over the years as well (so whenever he became aware of it, it's not surprising it would make his list)

Nice year-end show here:
http://radio.maximumrocknroll.com/mrrradio1278/

Been a loyal listener ever since they introduced me to Kitchen's Floor.

James Delingpole's Records of the Year 2011

Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know (Virgin)
Kate Bush – Director’s Cut (Fish People)
Seasick Steve – You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks (Play It Again Sam)
Jack Cheshire – Copenhagen (Safety First)
David J Roch – Skin & Bones (Dram Music)
Paul Kalkbrenner – Ich Wieder (Rough Trade)
Cashier No. 9 – To The Death Of Fun (Bella Union)
Kate Bush – 50 Words For Snow (Fish People)
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake (Island)
Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi – Rome (Parlophone)
The Pierces – You & I (Polydor)
Other Lives – Tamer Animals (Play It Sam)

http://jamesdelingpole.com/images/logo.png

Christgau has the 2010 Extra Lens album on his list but not he 2011 Mountain Goats one. Weird.

All critics of ILM, please apply your critical faculties to voting in the end-of-year poll! If you've already done a 2011 list for somewhere else it's double-easy: just check which of your choices have been nominated and send off a ballot.

ann powers agrees with me now ...

Congrats. But what did she say or write that prompted this?

Check her fb

ah, now I get it

She is arguing that over the years now the media has gotten worse and only covers tiny subset of pop stars;

Yeah a trend her coverage has been more or less emblematic of since ... this thread

That’s not fair to her entirely ofc, I don’t think she didn’t cover interesting or niche or whatever stuff (I only followed so closely) — But it was def an underlying uhh ... dynamic I feel like I was trying to get at in this thread

She’s gotten more into roots Americana stuff since moving to Nashville ( but she’s missing out on less hyped southern soul, zydeco, blues, brass band , whatever Americana)