From: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org (support-system-digest) To: support-system-digest@smoe.org Subject: support-system-digest V8 #178 Reply-To: support-system@smoe.org Sender: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk support-system-digest Friday, December 9 2005 Volume 08 : Number 178 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [support-system] the worst 10-best list of 2005 ["over pavema" Subject: [support-system] the worst 10-best list of 2005 it's an ipod, itunes, i-don't-think-people-listen-to-albums-very-much-anymore world, so my list contains mostly songs, and only a couple-three albums. which i used to think i would hate, but frankly the shuffle setting is a beautiful thang, on a long airplane flight or doing whatever. one of the downsides of liz phair making lousy records anymore is that this list moves at a much slower pace, with even the most vocal defenders of 'Somebody's Debacle' sounding pretty half-hearted about it. and although in the past i've learned about a lot of good music from this list (a lot of which is reflected in my list below), that doesn't happen too much anymore here, because there are fewer posts, and only very rare threads and conversations. not liz's phault, of course, but it's a by-product, and it's regrettable. i really hope the 10-best lists that are posted point out some new interesting music. so, my top 10 for 2005, with commentary that is even more commentational than the music it describes: cat power - 'the greatest' -- top of the heap to me. just a beautiful, mysterious record. wanna hear something hilarious? on the cat power mailing list, a very vocal thread is that *this* is a sell-out! they accuse cat of making a norah jones record. that's not the worst thing anyone could do, btw, but this is definitely not that. it's a remarkable thing to hear. it's been posted up on the matador site for a month or two, but you can get it on itunes now. full album due next month. sufjan stevens - 'illinois' -- where the f did this come from? i saw a review of this that made me want to hear it, so i bought it and have to say that this is nearly an impossible feat. don't know if people will like this in 10 years, but for now it's a brilliant, fun achievement with great songs. sleater-kinney - 'the fox' -- i like the whole album of 'the woods', but this song best. it would fit the album containing the next song on my list. especially if the musical purpose was to simulate a filthy cold brick being heaved through a picture window and hitting you upside the head. to hear corinne tucker sing this live at 930 was my concert-going highlight of the year. madeleine peyroux - 'you're gonna make me lonesome when you go' -- i like to think i look for a sort of honesty in music, but maybe i'm just a sucker for a catchy voice. from the excellent cd 'careless love'. i suspect most people on this list wouldn't like this too much; it's sort of jazzy and i stand behind no man in hating jazz as a rule. but i do like this a lot. it's the stylistic polar opposite of 'the greatest', but that's what makes me so complex! now, you should know that not a single person had a fucking bomb dropped on their head and died because of this record, and that's something you can claim about fewer and fewer things in life anymore. and while i don't think they're going to make that their ad slogan for promoting the record, if they do then i have witnesses that the slogan was my idea. white stripes - 'get behind me satan' -- brilliant from start to finish, but would be great even if it only contained 'i'm lonely but i ain't that lonely yet' loudon wainwright III - 'hank and fred' -- a song about visiting hank williams' grave on the day fred 'Mr.' rogers passed away. martha wainwright - 'martha wainwright' -- the whole album. holly golightly and the greenhornes - 'there is an end' william shatner w/joe jackson - 'common people' -- i'm sure a lot of people prefer the pulp original version, but i like the production here. elliott smith - 'from a basement on a hill', especially 'coast to coast, 'pretty (ugly before)', and 'fond farewell'. surprisingly, the only dead person on my music list. i must be getting more cheerful as the years pass. foo fighters - 'the best of you' -- hometown heroes, but i didn't really like 'in your honor' all that much as a complete album (or pair of matching albums). best music video: 'cool' by gwen stefani. directed by sophie muller, so evocative and gorgeously photographed, every frame of this thing is remarkable. best podcast: springsteen's 20th anniversary history of 'born to run'. i only have 3 podcasts, so it's slim pickin's, but i found it interesting to hear how much work went into every note, every track, every arrangement. RIP: mitch hedberg. best tv commercial: http://www.bravia-advert.com/ what everybody else is trying to achieve: '2046' the big thumbs-down: i only really listened to 'somebody's miracle' once. i used the aol streaming service, and it was very bleh. i like what the trouser press reviewer wrote: 'who, exactly, does she think is supposed to be buying this stuff?' it's not god-awful, not like if she made a polka record. but it's lame, disinterested music from someone who is very quickly turning into a touring oldies act. i didn't buy it, so maybe it grows on you or something. but there was a lot of really good music to hear this year, and i can't imagine spending time listening to this. i would honestly rather hear 'the greatest' 12 times in a row, than to hear 12 songs off of SM one time each. there's just no comparison to see who's taking risks, who's invested in the music, who is at least making the effort. i would rate SM as worse that the self-titled cd, only because while 'LP' was wrong-headed and peculiar, at least they seemed to work pretty hard to concoct that doozy, whereas this one is soggy old oatmeal. SM isn't even good enough to be the worst record of the year. i was in seattle a month or so ago, and i found a copy of WSCE in the bottom of my backpack, so i put it into the car cd player, and drove around an alien (to me) town, and was really surprised at how good that record is, how the songs always keep you wondering where they're going. i was glad to hear it again. but as for SM, i just really wonder if anyone listens to it anymore -- and it's only 3 months old. i keep hoping for the best, but there aren't enough hours in the day to listen to music you don't really like. op=qo >From: Easter > >The year's ending, >yes, the time's near. >Where we list the CDs >that brought us cheer. > >So, rack your brains >as you try to recall >the ones you've bought >from Wal-Mart to the mall. > >You can list them in your post >or rank them in order. >Don't confuse yourself to where >you'd scream bloody murder. > >Here's to remember the >best and worst of 2005. >And that the music >is what keeps us alive. :) > >Katie (); ) ------------------------------ End of support-system-digest V8 #178 ************************************