Who's sitting P&J out this year?

[koganbot]

Dave over on Tumblr:

I like voting in it — stayed on board for the Jackin’ Pop year (voted in both polls) and have thought about staying on this year, since for better or worse it’s the only huge critics poll. Glenn McDonald is still doing stats, which alone kind of makes me want to participate. Just wondering if anyone is staging a parallel poll or “vote for Hinder” style shenanigans.

I'm voting (also voted in '06, when they fired Chuck and Xgau and, not incidentally, shut the door on me, too). The poll obviously doesn't mean what it once did: it's not going to reveal many surprises, since these days polls and wrapups and sum-ups are all over the Internet weeks and months prior. Also doesn't have the brains on call it once had. But it's the only place where ballots and writers show up in bulk, and it can provide an excuse for mass taking-of-stock all over the Web, not just at the Village Voice site. I remember some exciting ILM back-and-forth back in the day. Better some chance for a mass taking-of-stock than zero chance of a mass taking-of-stock, and there's no good reason for me not to be part of it.

Given that Pazz & Jop has little news value anymore, maybe the Voice will opt for intelligence, deciding that that will draw the reader. I wouldn't bet on it, or trust them to know it when they see it, but I can hope. Not that I'm likely to notice if they do: I haven't been reading their or most people's year-end talk for years. But I'll surely look at a lot of ballots. Looking at ballots is how Trevor Link found me last year, and therefore how I found him.

Mid year I'd have guessed that the Korean track most likely to garner multiple votes would be Sistar's "Alone." This was before "Gangnam Style." Don't know if anything other than "Gangnam Style" will exceed "I Am The Best"'s seven votes last year.

Speaking of Dave, a.k.a. DJ Bedbugs, this is the first year a friend of mine is a serious candidate for my albums ballot.* But he's also someone whose lists I'm checking for overlooked music. It would be ironic if something he recommends knocks him off my ballot. Am listening right now to the Dave-recommended Rebirth, by Jimmy Cliff; has a couple corkers ("One More" and "Bang"), but I don't know if there'll be enough to carry it through.

Currently on the bubble: Serebro, Miss A, DJ Bedbugs, Orange Caramel, Jewelry, Taylor Swift, After School.

*Iirc. Maybe I voted for a friend or two in years past and have forgotten.

Comments

Re: Chuck Pazzing And Jopping

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

Tried to get all the way through the Frank Ocean album again today and found it to be a real chore. When it wins, it will probably be the most boring record to win since 2006, or maybe the TVOTR win in 2008. (Aside from their first EP I think TVOTR is the most consistently boring band on the planet.) Or Animal Collective in 2009, though that one's not so much "boring record" as "bad record getting inexplicable acclaim" (and I liked Animal Collective a few albums prior).

Re: Chuck Pazzing And Jopping

[koganbot]

I liked hunks of the 2006 winner:

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Re: Chuck Pazzing And Jopping

[koganbot]

Forgot about "Oblivion," which is pretty mere compared to 2011's "Vanessa," which I placed on my long list. "Oblivion" is interesting as an Everlys/Del Shannon/Beatles melody put under restraints and behind a filter, which maybe is necessary so that it doesn't sound empty and regressive altogether. And no doubt many people find the restraint deeply moving. But there's a chasm of achievement between Evs/Shannons/Beatles and this stuff, which lacks the old stuff's thrill and outrageous beauty. Meanwhile, for new stuff, I've got Shinsadong Tiger, hence a new Ev-Shan-Beatle, just for the taking. Of course, from what I know of Grimes' taste,* she's got Shinsadong Tiger, too.

*But I've yet to click on that Grimes interview you linked on Tumblr.

Re: Chuck Pazzing And Jopping

[(Anonymous)]

I think I got through both the Ocean album and the Miguel album twice sometime in the summer or fall, paid at least perfunctory attention but couldn't hear at all what the big deal was, and moved on. Best I could tell, and I'm probably way off on this, they reminded me of mid/late '80s starting-to-go-downhill Prince, only not as good. Especially Miguel, who seemed to have a lot of "Raspberry Beret" tweeness in him. Got the idea that he's a better singer than Ocean, but neither of them seemed all that great at it.

Didn't even get through the Kendrick Lamar album when I tried last month. Maybe half of it. Though maybe (at least Frank's post suggests this) I just wasn't listening for the right things. But really (and something Dave said here mirrored this I think), these kind of overwhelming critic favorite albums just seem like work to try to get into (and actually, most hip-hop albums since the '90s have also seemed like worth to get into for me, so I've got a double blindspot there.) Though at least I tried with these three albums, which is more than I can say for, say, Fiona Apple.

Saw 15 minutes of Japandroids live at SXSW, and that told me all I needed to know about them. Ick.

Re: Chuck Pazzing And Jopping

[(Anonymous)]

overwhelming critic favorite albums just seem like work to try to get into

Which is to say that I'm kind of at the point in my career when, if I'm going to listen to something primarily out of professional duty, I kind of want to get PAID for it.

most hip-hop albums since the '90s have also seemed like worth to get into for me

Like WORK, I meant...And I still like plenty of them (and love even more singles), but to be honest I don't even return to those great old Eminem and Ying Yang and Mannie Fresh and Trick Daddy albums much. If at all. Though I did find a cool double-vinyl copy of Field Mob's From The Roota To The Toota in a dollar bin this year. Not as good as my memory thought it was, but not bad.