I'm not going to give him kudos personally for bravely making what I found a terrible album and as a separate point I don't think that an American publication including him high up should be taken as anything other than following the herd.
So correct me if I'm wrong, Michael, but the reason you don't like Sufjan's placement in the top 10 is because you personally didn't like the album. Otherwise, I can't follow your argument about it being a "safe" choice. The fact is, the critical reaction to it was far more mixed than with his other records, and I was actually worried that it WOULDN'T make as many EOY lists as it deserved to. Placing what many people seem to consider Sufjan's weakest album in their top 10 doesn't seem very safe to me. Look at all the other EOY lists posted since this one. How many have had Age of Adz ranked so high?
Also, Phosphorescent, Titus Andronicus, and Mumford & Sons all in the top 10? This is far from a typical list, and it is a good one.
Look at all the other EOY lists posted since this one. How many have had Age of Adz ranked so high?
The US magazine UNDER THE RADAR placed it right at #1. I'm going to try to buy a copy and post the list later today, because no one else seems to have seen it yet.
Look at all the other EOY lists posted since this one. How many have had Age of Adz ranked so high?
The US magazine UNDER THE RADAR placed it right at #1. I'm going to try to buy a copy and post the list later today, because no one else seems to have seen it yet.
They're the only ones who have gotten it right, then! I can understand that The Age of Adz is a divisive album, but to categorically call it his worst is kind of ridiculous, I think.
50. Local Natives – “Sun Hands”
49. The Tallest Man on Earth – “Burden of Tomorrow”
48. April Smith and the Great Picture Show – “Colors”
47. Beach House – “Norway”
46. Free Energy – “Free Energy”
45. Joanna Newsom – “Good Intentions Paving Company”
44. BLK JKS – “Zol!”
43. Sarah Jaffe – “Clementine”
42. Deerhunter – “Helicopter”
41. The Walkmen – “Stranded”
40. Sufjan Stevens – “I Walked”
39. Dr. Dog – “Stranger”
38. Belle & Sebastian – “I Want the World to Stop”
37. Jamey Johnson – “Poor Man Blues”
36. New Pornographers – “Crash Years”
35. The Black Keys – “Tighten Up”
34. Avi Buffalo – “Truth Sets In”
33. Freelance Whales – “Hannah”
32. Magic Kids – “Hey Boy”
31. Surfer Blood – “Floating Vibes”
30. Gorillaz – “Stylo”
29. Suckers – “It Gets Your Body Movin’”
28. Vampire Weekend – “Horchata”
27. Yeasayer – “Ambling Alp”
26. Stornoway – “Zorbing”
25. Josh Ritter – “Change of Time”
24. Justin Townes Earle – “Harlem River Blues”
23. Lil Wayne – "6’7""
22. Mark Ronson & The Business International – “Bang Bang Bang”
21. Band of Horses – “Laredo”
20. Big Boi – “Shutterbug”
19. Florence & The Machine – “Dog Days Are Over”
18. Jónsi – “Go Do”
17. Arcade Fire – “Sprawl II”
16. Broken Bells – “The High Road”
15. Lissie – “Little Lovin’”
14. Robyn – “Dancing on My Own”
13. Caribou – “Odessa”
12. Phosphorescent – “It’s Hard to Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama)”
11. The Middle East – “Blood”
10. Kanye West – “Runaway”
9. Titus Andronicus – “A More Perfect Union”
8. Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Tom Waits – “Tootie Ma Is a Big Fine Thing”
7. The National – “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
6. LCD Soundsystem – “Dance Yrself Clean”
5. Frightened Rabbit – “Swim Until You Can’t See Land”
4. Sleigh Bells – “Tell ’Em”
3. Janelle Monae – “Tightrope”
2. Mumford & Sons – “Little Lion Man”
1. Cee Lo Green – “Fuck You”
