The Pitchfork News/reviews thread

[TallGuyCM]

No doubt.

[ods..]

Ha....oh yeah. I know I've seen that name before. STILL DOPE.

Maybe the dopest ever. Listen to that album!

[FEELS]

I remember my mom playing Voodoo on repeat when I was like 7. Didn't appreciate it then, but it looks like I'll have to revisit that.

[bmack86]

Oh jeez Cara, that album is pretty much just pure sex and awesome. You will never stop listening to it.

[guedita]

You know, upon further reflection I distinctly remember the "untitled (how does it feel)" track from high school. But I'll definitely give the album a few proper listens. And get my groove on.

[getbetter]

I almost played that D'angelo track this past weekend.Im pretty sure untitled(how does that feel) is on that single Byran gave me.I need Voodoo in my collection.

[bmack86]

Yup, the single has Untitled and Left and Right.

[IceyHotshot]

Graysin Currin on the last Hydra Head release: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/...e-imagination/

[xanman86]

http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-...rable-mention/

Surprised Holly Herndon didn't make the top 50. They usually eat shit like this up.

[ods..]

wow.... they are leaving out so many of my favorites of the year. starting right off the top with ab-soul's album

[Spooks]

Twenty albums that didn't make our Top 50 but are well worth a spin.....

Be patient!

[xanman86]

Be patient!

My predictions

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...WMxUEZyWTN2d0E

[bmack86]

I was editing the whole damn Show No Mercy Top 40 Metal albums list and then my fucking browser crashed, so you will just have to look at it here.

Holy crap, Royal Thunder. Shit's great.

[Spooks]

My predictions

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...WMxUEZyWTN2d0E

I would include Grimes in your prediction. I saw her video for the first time last night. Bros will be all over that song soon....

ps Converge made it to Top 40 metal list. Can they be on Top 50 list as well?

[SoulDischarge]

I wonder what bullshit radio rap or ditzy pop or dull as dishwater 30th generation indie bland out will make it on there instead of WIXIW.

[bmack86]

They will be, as will Pallbearer and Baroness. I can almost guarantee that. I love these metal lists though. This year was widely acknowledged as not so good for black metal, and it's a boon in disguise, as there are so many other metal sub-genres that created great music. Grind, doom, thrash, hardcore and (in my mind, especially) trad metal all really shone. Between Baroness, Pallbearer, Dawnbringer and now Royal Thunder, I think the old-school metal sounding records from this year are my biggest surprise.

[bmack86]

I wonder what bullshit radio rap or ditzy pop or dull as dishwater 30th generation indie bland out will make it on there instead of WIXIW.

Rick Ross, Taylor Swift and diiv, respectively.

[SoulDischarge]

Do you follow the A.V. Club's feature Loud? Covers metal, hardcore, noise, and general other unpleasantries. They did a best of the year list with some interesting sounding stuff. I need to give Pallbearer another chance. I got so turned off by the classic rock vocals that I just wrote the entire thing off. My distaste for classic rock radio is so fucking strong that I've let it ruin a lot of fairly decent music.

[bmack86]

For me, that was the stuff I grew up on (along with grunge and 90s alt radio, which is basically classic rock) so I'm loving all these new bands throwing back to those sounds.

I'll check out that A.V. Club feature. Sounds totally up my alley, and after this year I'm going to start following metal in earnest again. Most of the bright spots in rock this year were at least tangentially metal.

[stochasticism]

They will be, as will Pallbearer and Baroness. I can almost guarantee that. I love these metal lists though. This year was widely acknowledged as not so good for black metal, and it's a boon in disguise, as there are so many other metal sub-genres that created great music. Grind, doom, thrash, hardcore and (in my mind, especially) trad metal all really shone. Between Baroness, Pallbearer, Dawnbringer and now Royal Thunder, I think the old-school metal sounding records from this year are my biggest surprise.

Dawnbringer put out one hell of an album. I just can't stop listening to it. I was glad to see it top popmatters year end metal list. Pallbearer's record was also great.

One record that I think is vastly underappreciated is Dragged Into Sunlight's new album. Might be my favorite metal album of the year.

[bmack86]

Thanks! I will check it out. You should check out Royal Thunder - CVI. It fights in nicely with Dawnbringer and Pallbearer (and they're touring with Pallbearer and Enslaved next year!)

[stinkbutt]

What? How did I not hear about that tour?

That list is pretty great, besides omitting Faustcoven's new one. Also I would have had Inverloch in the top 10

[stochasticism]

That would be an awesome show if it wasn't for Enslaved. At least I could leave early.

[stinkbutt]

Do you not like Black Metal?

As far as the proto metal sound that was popular this year, I'm surprised Kadavar wasn't on more lists. That record is great

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

For me, that was the stuff I grew up on (along with grunge and 90s alt radio, which is basically classic rock) so I'm loving all these new bands throwing back to those sounds.

I'll check out that A.V. Club feature. Sounds totally up my alley, and after this year I'm going to start following metal in earnest again. Most of the bright spots in rock this year were at least tangentially metal.

FYI LOUD is a monthly feature, written by the same guy that writes most of the reviews for the heavier stuff there. I haven't checked it out in a while, but I've discovered a lot of really good stuff from it in the past.

[stochasticism]

Do you not like Black Metal?

As far as the proto metal sound that was popular this year, I'm surprised Kadavar wasn't on more lists. That record is great

I do like black metal, but I didn't like Enslaved's live show at all when I saw them in 2011. It just struck me as cheesy.

[rage patton]

http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-...rable-mention/

It is absolutely unbelievable that WIXIW didn't make the top 50 albums of the year.

[nosurprises12]

It is absolutely unbelievable that WIXIW didn't make the top 50 albums of the year.

Agreed; I'm also shocked by the Laurel Halo, Thee Oh Sees, and Voices from the Lake omissions as well (and to some extent Icon Give Thank, Four Tet, and Holly Herndon).

[SoulDischarge]

Not really surprised by Voices From The Lake, Pitchfork has always given serious techno a bit of sideways recognition but it's definitely not a priority, and I'd say that album is maybe too niche for their year end list. Laurel Halo's album really doesn't do it for me, but I guess it's been pretty well regarded this year, although I'm not all that surprised it ended up in the honorable mentions. Again, probably a bit too niche. I still have no idea how WIXIW isn't in the top 20, let alone top 50. It was well reviewed, it's the best Liars album in years and years, and they're an act Pitchfork has always supported.

[stochasticism]

Do you follow the A.V. Club's feature Loud? Covers metal, hardcore, noise, and general other unpleasantries. They did a best of the year list with some interesting sounding stuff. I need to give Pallbearer another chance. I got so turned off by the classic rock vocals that I just wrote the entire thing off. My distaste for classic rock radio is so fucking strong that I've let it ruin a lot of fairly decent music.

Thanks for mentioning LOUD. Without that I would have missed the Panopticon album which I am loving.