THE BLANK GENERATION

Did you watch Paul McCartney during the Superbowl halftime show? My god, was that awful. M suggested that the elder Paul was the most nonsexual musical God they could find. But, c'mon, surely Billy Joel was available, too. Why not throw the two of them in front of a couple Steinways and let them tickle some ivory together? Now that's really not hot.

On a sad note, McCartney's appearance last night is only throwing money into Michael Jackson's defense fund. Surely, that sterling version of "Get Back" is going to move a few thousand copies of Let it Be.

And, what in the hell was up with the tacky patriotic visual effects during "Hey Jude"? Since when does that song have anything to do with America's identity? Actually, "Na-na-na-na-na-na-na" is applicable to us Americans; after all, it's GW's favorite phrase to utter when someone criticizes his decisions.

But seriously, Paul wrote the song, originally titled "Hey Jules," as a comfort to John Lennon's son Julian while John and Cynthia were getting a divorce. Aha! Now I get it: divorce! Now there's a wholly American concept.

Moving right along, Pitchfork has posted their Top 100 albums of the 2000s, so far. Since we're at the decade's midway point, it makes sense. I pondered doing the same thing late last year, but the "Best of 2004" list in and of itself proved too time-consuming.

Needless to say, I find plenty of questionable choices in their list. That fucking Unicorns record has no business being anywhere near the Top 100. And, while I'm no fan and can't intelligently comment on the record, Eminem's Marshall Mathers LP seems far too low at No. 93. Maybe the record actually isn't that good, but it sure has seemed to make an impression on everyone who has heard it. Prefuse 73's Vocal Studies & Uprock Narratives in the 80s is also too low. That record was the shit. (I haven't heard his follow-up, which charts here at No. 51.) Cat Power's You Are Free at a lowly No. 63 is a joke. I'd love to hear someone defend that record's poor ranking.

I was glad to see my No. 1 of 2004, Ms. Joanna Newsom, appearing in the 50s. I disagree with that low ranking, of course, but I understand that she's not for everyone. Even though it's an EP, I would have charted TV on the Radio's debut Young Liars higher than 46. I can't think of anything else from the past five years that sounds like it. I don't have much beef with Arcade Fire at No. 45, but it goes to show how much of a passing fad they consider that band's freshman album to be considering it was No. 1 on their 2004 list. I'm sure that The Flaming Lips' Yoshimi at No. 32 will raise some eyebrows. Certainly, plenty would say at that position it's underrated. Fugazi's The Argument landed at No. 29. I can't really disagree with the ranking, since I've never heard the record. But, I'm skeptical nonetheless.

I'm pleasantly surprised to see Devendra Banhart's Rejoicing in the Hands at No. 18. Once again, though, to differentiate this release from its brother-in-law Nino Rojo is foolish. Nino did not make the Fork's Top 50 of '04; nor did it make this list. The Strokes debut lands at No. 16. How it failed to crack the Top 10 is beyond me. Ditto for Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which sits on the bubble at No. 11.

I wish the Fork would finish sucking off Animal Collective and move on already. Sung Tongs is not the ninth best record released since 2000. The rest of the Top 10 is, well, bland. Interpol, Radiohead, Modest Mouse, White Stripes, Outkast, meh. I still need to hear that Avalanches record in full.

Maybe some day I'll get around to my list, which you'll probably find bland as well.


N/P—"Illinoiseboy Blues," a mix that I'll be discussing in the coming days.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 7 at 10:34 AM.

2 Comments:

Billy Joel hasn't gotten work since he got drunk and drove into that guys house.

Luckily I avoid the superbowl like the plague and missed this years (as well as every other years) halftime show.

I did watch Illinois beat the pants off of Indiana tho.. You will be proud to know that at a baby shower I had, a cousin of mine got my son 2 illini coats, a scarf, an illini shirt and an illini diaper bag (which by the way will probably never get used cause it's quite mom-ish).. So as soon as he is old enough to fit into this stuff he will be headed to the games. Or atleast wear it at home while I watch the games.

-Mary

By  Anonymous, at 11:08 AM  

>>Did you watch Paul McCartney during the Superbowl halftime show? My god, was that awful.

Could have been worse, methinks.

>>Surely Billy Joel was available, too

Oh god, no!

>>On a sad note, McCartney's appearance last night is only throwing money into Michael Jackson's defense fund.

Agree. Sadness.

>>And, what in the hell was up with the tacky patriotic visual effects during "Hey Jude"? Since when does that song have anything to do with America's identity?

No doubt!

>>Needless to say, I find plenty of questionable choices in their list.

Certainly.

>>That fucking Unicorns record has no business being anywhere near the Top 100.

Disagree.

>>Eminem's Marshall Mathers LP seems far too low at No. 93.

Agree.

>>Prefuse 73's Vocal Studies & Uprock Narratives in the 80s is also too low. That record was the shit. (I haven't heard his follow-up, which charts here at No. 51.)

I have not heard Vocal Studies, but have heard the follow-up, yet not enough to comment.

>>Cat Power's You Are Free at a lowly No. 63 is a joke. I'd love to hear someone defend that record's poor ranking.

I can. I have two Cat Power LPs, and a couple others burned, and I never listen to em. It's not that I don't like them, but I just don't get what's so special about em.

>>Even though it's an EP, I would have charted TV on the Radio's debut Young Liars higher than 46.

Most definitely.

>>I don't have much beef with Arcade Fire at No. 45, but it goes to show how much of a passing fad they consider that band's freshman album to be considering it was No. 1 on their 2004 list.

Call me a bandwagon-hopper, but I say it deserves better.

>>I'm sure that The Flaming Lips' Yoshimi at No. 32 will raise some eyebrows.

Eyebrows raised.

>>Fugazi's The Argument landed at No. 29. I can't really disagree with the ranking, since I've never heard the record. But, I'm skeptical nonetheless.

Agree. I have it, I like it, but it's no #29.

>>The Strokes debut lands at No. 16. How it failed to crack the Top 10 is beyond me.

I like it, but it's worn thin. #16 is too generous.

>>Ditto for Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which sits on the bubble at No. 11.

Ditto. This is Top 5 material, fer sure, if not #1.

>>I wish the Fork would finish sucking off Animal Collective and move on already. Sung Tongs is not the ninth best record released since 2000.

I love Sung Tongs, but yeah, it's not a Top Tenner.

>>The rest of the Top 10 is, well, bland. Interpol, Radiohead, Modest Mouse, White Stripes, Outkast, meh. I still need to hear that Avalanches record in full.

Never heard the Avalanches. I like all the albums you mention, but none of em would come anywhere near my Top 10.

>>Maybe some day I'll get around to my list, which you'll probably find bland as well.
Disagree. If you're anything, you ain't bland.



My gripes: The Decemberists, the Wrens, and the Notwist should be way higher. And I'd lower the entire Top Ten quite a few notches.

By  Jonathan Wright, at 2:52 PM  

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