My Pazz & Jop Ballot, part one

[koganbot]

Here's my Pazz & Jop ballot as I just submitted it; I've got a week to write comments. If I write any, I'll repost this with the comments added. Also, as far as I'm concerned the year doesn't end until December 31, so I'll post expanded lists then, and for all I know the order and contents of my top tens might also have changed.

Frank Kogan's Pazz & Jop Ballot 2008

SINGLES
1. Rihanna "Disturbia" (Island)
2. Ashlee Simpson "Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)" (Geffen)
3. Ashlee Simpson "Little Miss Obsessive" (Geffen)
4. Heidi Montag "No More" (no label)
5. Robyn "Who's That Girl?" (Konichiwa)
6. September "Cry For You" (Robbins)
7. Annie "Songs Remind Me Of You" (Island)
8. Britney Spears "Break The Ice" (Jive)
9. Buraka Som Sistema f. Pongolove "Kalemba (Wegue Wegue)" (Fabric)
10. V.I.C. "Wobble" (Reprise)

ALBUMS
1. Danity Kane Welcome To The Dollhouse (Bad Boy) 13 points
2. Willie Nelson Moment Of Forever (Lost Highway) 13 points
3. Scooter Jumping All Over The World (All Around The World) 12 points
4. Ashlee Simpson Bittersweet World (Geffen) 11 points
5. CSS Donkey (Sub Pop) 11 points
6. María Daniela Y Su Sonido Lasser Juventud En Éxtasis (EMI Mexico) 10 points
7. Vanessa Hudgens Identified (Hollywood) 9 points
8. Santogold Santogold (Downtown) 8 points
9. Britney Spears Circus (Jive) 8 points
10. Buraka Som Sistema Black Diamond (Fabric) 5 points

Comments

[koganbot]

I resist "Small Town" since I listen to a lot of country where I feel like I'm getting battered to bits by that theme.* Main problem I have with the song is the singing, which is dreadful. I like the rapping, even if the words are sentimental cliché. My favorite voice is the funny high-pitched one.

*I like Miranda Lambert's "Famous In A Small Town" in that it's a send-up of the sentimental small-town song. "Whether you're late for church or you're stuck in jail, hey, word's gonna get around." Even better is "Dry Town," about one of the drawbacks of a particular type of small town.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Did you ever hear Bubba Sparxxx's country-tinged "hick-hop" album from a few years back?

Next year I shall make an effort to get into country: I feel by resistance to it is unjustified at this point.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

*my resistance

[koganbot]

I got my book contract because an acquisitions editor read what I wrote in my comments to my Country Critics Music Ballot 2003 about Bubba and David Banner et al. (Posted it on ILM, where he read it.)

Resistance is quite understandable, but if you can get by it, you'll find an incredibly rich world of artistry and emotion. You can ease yourself in by starting with Taylor Swift, who's basically Ashlee South, even if not yet as good as Ashlee. Also, listen to Miranda Lambert who thinks of Ashlee as a great singer and songwriter, according to Chuck, who interviewed her boyfriend, Blake Shelton.

Taylor writes in realistic detail about her struggles with romance, while Miranda writes expressionistically about wanting to blow it all up with fire.

When you're ready for it, I'll post a country set on my MySpace playlist.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Yeah my resistance isn't much more than not really "getting" the little I've heard (as opposed to disliking it), and the general premonition of weariness at the thought of plunging into a whole new genre, set of rules, set of artists and so on.