POPTIMISTS REVIEW OF 08: Most Horrible Pop Thing

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

As before* this is being done canon-style - you get THREE picks plus! whether you pick the X-Factor or not in the main poll you can take part in the special sub-poll.

[Poll #1312786]

*all polls will be open until the end of the year when official results will be posted.

And remember - send yr list of 10 top tracks to leagueofpop@gmail.com before the end of the year too.

Comments

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

haha what the BBC list is just COMEDY in how appalling it is! "wacky" seems to be their watchword for next year :(

[martinv.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I massively disapprove of 'wacky' music, yet approve of most of the bands on that list.

I'll give you the fact that it's pretty limited to a certain kind of fun aimed at a certain demographic though... but that isn't overly surprising...

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Yeah I'm thinking of VV Brown (VV Clown more like), Florence and the Machine (which I thought was a joke act for months), Dan Black (the most reprehensible bullshit ever to exist) and look-at-me Lady Gaga mostly. I don't mind Little Boots (though not exactly enthusiastic either) and haven't heard Frankmusik yet.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I have a really horrid love/hate relationship with Dan Black's Biggie cover - I find it apalling but also weirdly affecting, it's certainly the record I'm most embarassed about liking this year, but I've listened to it more than most.

Not heard most of the others - really like that Empire Of The Sun single though, in a "what if Neon Neon had been good?" way.

[martinv.livejournal.com]

I love the Empire of the Sun single, but that's mainly because it involves Luke Steele.

But then I also like the Neon Neon album.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

WTF it's terrible, it actually makes me feel nauseous, it's thoroughly despicable. What on earth is affecting about it? His smug face bobbing around in the video is so punchable.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Never seen the video! I just hear it as being quite sincere - the way he switches the "sometimes your words just hypnotize me" thing from backing vox to lead turns it into a kind of tribute and the effortful non-flow on the verses acknowledges how hard it is to do while slowing things down to let Biggie's lyrical dexterity shine.

OR of course it's just awful novelty shite. But I'm really torn - there's SOMETHING to it I respond to.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Hang on you like it because it's sheer crapness acknowledges the talent of the original artist?!

I have little doubt that Mr Black would claim it to be a sincere tribute but I don't believe him for a second - 1) I am sure that 99% of his fans will just take this as pt943229 of "aren't black men funny", 2) if he really loved the original he would leave it the fuck alone.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Yes it dramatises the contradictions of being a white hipster who likes commercial hip-hop!

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

There aren't any contradictions! White hipsters should get over themselves.

[martinv.livejournal.com]

The first two you mention are my least faves on the list. Both seem kind of novelty (and yes, 'wacky') and thus not really my cuppa.

I sort of don't mind Dan Black... but I'm not sure if I've made a bad early call on that one...