#564

BNMs that didn’t make the list:

Gil-Scott Heron/Makaya McCraven - 8.6 (probably didn’t regard it as a new album)
Jyoti – 8.4
Medhane - 8.4 (got cancelled)
Angel Bat Dawid/Tha Brothahood – 8.4
Jay Electronica (A Written Testimony) - 8.4 (already had his other album in the list)
Jeff Parker - 8.4
Blake Mills - 8.3
Popcaan – 8.3
Fireboy DML – 8.3
Julianna Barwick – 8.3
Touche Amore – 8.2

#565

Amazed RTJ4 and fooklore are that low. Is Bad Bunny any good? Or is this the children being wrong?

1 Like
#566

Bad Bunny is decent yeah. I find that record a bit long, it could definitely do with an edit, but the high points are really excellent.

#567

there’s probably a lot of good stuff in there

I’m not reading the blurbs, though. completely vaccuous

expanding your remit is fine, but there’s no personality anymore, and by and large the writing’s just awful

6 Likes
#568

didn’t really like much this year/listen to much

glad that not every albums of the year list starts with ‘in an age where the future of the album hangs in question’ etc anymore. seeing as they’ve proven their staying power consistently and that whole discourse was bullshit to begin with

1 Like
#569

didn’t even realise there was a 2nd Jay Electronica record despite really liking the first one.
totally missed it cos it’s not on spotify i guess? what a dummy

#570

Was on Tidal only, and now not even there

1 Like
#571

Even with everything going on in the world and Pitchfork itself it’s weird that SAULT have totally passed Pitchfork by this year

3 Likes
#572

Yeah I was thinking this the other day. They review quite a lot of UK music now - Pa Salieu got a great review on there the other day - so weird how they’ve not been covered. Black Is was in the overlooked albums of summer list but yeah it is strange.

#573

Kinda fitting really given it’s history. I listened to it a lot when it was up - still unfinished but really was stunning.

#574

He said at the time that it leaked/got uploaded to Tidal that he was going to put the finishing touches to it/clear the samples and it would get a proper release inc. Spotify.

There was also talk that the leaked version was several years out of date, and that there were already more complete versions of the songs in existence - so hopefully this is that process taking place…

I know it being Jay Elec that means either it will take forever or never happen but he seemed so genuinely relieved by the leak and the response that I’m choosing to have faith.

2 Likes
#575

Good article on Complex about the leak

It is very good.

Missed that Sault weren’t on it, hardly surprising they are forever missing off, giving low scores or not reviewing UK acts.

#576

Yeah, just seems weird considering they tick every Pitchfork box and considering they’ve been maybe a bit better with not overlooking UK/Irish acts this year as much with the likes of Roisin Murphy and Jessie Ware in the top 20

1 Like
#577

Pleased to see Mary Lattimore, Chloe x Halle, The Soft Pink Truth, Nubya Garcia, Ka, Kate NV and Duval Timothy placing in their 50. Fiona Apple a decent shout for number one, though I don’t think much of the rest of their top 5

2 Likes
#578

Always makes me cringe a bit when they start talking about their own reviews/selling it as some big cultural event.

21 Likes
#579

jfc

6 Likes
#580

Find it a bit strange that Pitchfork have rated Ghostemane highly but aren’t keen on Clipping. One of their main critiques of Daveed Diggs’ style is his fast speed and monotone delivery, which to me is what Ghostemane does too. It’s weird that they also say Ghostemane evokes a horror-film aesthetic well, but that Clipping fails to do this, when Ghostemane leans more into a Manson vibe that is inherently visceral, and arguably less mature. I don’t expect consistency, and these are very different albums, but it’s weird when they seem so hot on one thing and so cold on another, when there’s interesting overlap between the two.

#581

Might just be different reviewers?

1 Like
#582

Ghostmane sound a bit shite/embarrassing to me. Would say the sounds are different from a cursory listen; Ghostmane seem much more like… bad nu metal. Whatever floats their boat though.

#583

Aye that is the case here and like I say I don’t expect consistency just find it weird/interesting when the differences are like this sometimes.