A Year In Pop: 10

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Last week's poll has mustered a pretty disappointing 30 votes so far - well down on the usual totals. This is probably due to it featuring 12 new entries and not a single agreed-on standout: it's always good to put yr tick against a box, though, even if that box is the dispiriting HAVEN'T HEARD option.

Another nine new tracks this week, but at least the chart compilers have taken pity and slipped a famous name or two in, and a trendy indie band in at no.40.

[Poll #946429]

Meanwhile in League of Pop news: anthonyeaston is stepping down because of illness - get well soon Anthony, we'll keep a place warm for you next season.

In one of the American buyouts that is rocking sport, however, koganbot will be stepping in to take the reins.

Also, in incompetence of Tom news: there were TEN new tracks this week - the one I forgot will go in next week's poll. Don't hold yr breath though.

Comments

People who ticked 'North American Scum'

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Don't you find Murphy's voice, well, just a LITTLE insufferable and unlistenable on it?

Re: People who ticked 'North American Scum'

[koganbot]

Yes! And I ticked the thing anyway! 'Cause the voice adds pressure to the beat, creating yr basic Fall-Velvets headbutt. But Murphy's done better (and Fall and Velvets have done way better). And he does sound like he needs a spanking. Which is what Xgau said about Jonathan Richman the first time he heard the Modern Lovers back in the '70s. In several years, when you stop blaming rock 'n' roll for its progeny, I'll send you some vintage Modern Lovers tracks. My friend Maureen said that Richman sounded like Lou Reed crossed with Leave It To Beaver; Richman had a not-quite-musical voice and sounded unsufferably juvenile, and pretended to guilelessness, which was even more unsufferable, yet was totally charismatic doing it. Murphy sounds like a dulled-out version of that.

Re: People who ticked 'North American Scum'

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's a tick despite not a tick because, as Frank says.

They've still not done anything that matches "Beat Connection" rly.

Re: People who ticked 'North American Scum'

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Oh I prefer 'Yeah' (crass version), 'Losing My Edge' and maybe '45.33' to 'Beat Connection' - though probably my favourite LCD thing is the Lindstrom mix of 'Tribulations'. And a lot of their dodgier moments are much much better in a live setting. But they veer between absolutely fantastic and weirdly awful far too much for a band whose aesthetic I'm broadly in favour of.

Re: People who ticked 'North American Scum'

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I've still not heard 45.33.

Losing My Edge is the most overpraised track of the decade.

Re: People who ticked 'North American Scum'

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Actually I probably just mean overquoted.

Re: People who ticked 'North American Scum'

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

But apart from the lyrics which are really funny, it's got a really irresistible rhythm! The moment when the beat kicks up a notch is awesome.

Re: People who ticked 'North American Scum'

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I have just rescinded my tick, on discovering that Good Charlotte now do LCD Soundsystem better than LCD Soundsystem do.

Re: People who ticked 'North American Scum'

[zenith.livejournal.com]

I generally like the album with the exception of the dire last track, but I do wonder how wise it is for them to basically turn into Achtung Baby era U2 and alienate so many of the people who initially liked them. Not that bands don't do this all the time, but...

Be interested to know which are the two tunes which meet yr approval, as I suspected you might hate almost all of it!

Re: People who ticked 'North American Scum'

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I still love LCD the band, '45.33' confirmed that when he's not trying to write conventional rock songs James Murphy does genius things. And they've always been great fun live.

I love 'Get Innocuous' and can tolerate one of the weepy ones ('Someone Great' I think?) - it tries too hard to be heart-tugging and doesn't quite succeed, but it's OK.

Everything else = zzzzzz and occasionally aaargh.