MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post Reply
User avatar
Otisredding
Keep On Movin'
Posts: 1875
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:00 am
Location: Banyoles, Catalonia (Spain)

MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by Otisredding »

The best albums of 2019 (update January 31)

The numbers presented next to each album title are the weighted average rating, and, in brackets, average and number of ratings (out of 31 included sources). The weighted average is based on a formula that includes a) the average of ratings and b) the number of sources that have rated the album.

The magazines I used for the ratings were:
EUR + Australia: Gaffa-dk; Gaffa-sw; Humo; Indiestyle; Jenesaispop; Laut; Mondosonoro; Musikexpress; Nojesguiden; Ondarock; Plattentests; Sentire Ascoltare; The Music
UK: DIY; Drowned In Sound; The Guardian; Music OMH; NME; The Line Of Best Fit; The Skinny; The 405
USA + Canada: Allmusic; AV Club; Consequence Of Sound; Earbuddy; Exclaim!; Paste; Pitchfork; Popmatters; Rolling Stone; Under The Radar

Highlights: These are the top three songs from the album according to Allmusic, Consequence of Sound, Jenesaispop, Plattentests, The Skinny, Beardfood, BostonGlobe, Nowtoronto, Entertainment Weekly, etc…

New entry or Re-entry
Albums that have obtained new reviews and improved the score
Albums that have obtained new reviews but worsened the score

10 - Beirut: Gallipoli - 72,3 (76,6 / 8)
Highlights: Gallipoli - Landslide - We Never Lived Here
Indie Pop
[imgsize 280x280]https://exclaim.ca//images/beirut_2.jpg[/imgsize]


09 - Tim Presley & White Fence: I Have To Feed Larry's Hawk - 72,8 (76,5 / 10)
Highlights: I Have to Feed Larry’s Hawk - Forever Chained - Phone
Psychedelic Pop
[imgsize 280x280]https://rovimusic.rovicorp.com/image.jp ... wcKNY=&f=6[/imgsize]


08 - Sneaks: Highway Hypnosis - 73,5 (76,8 / 11)
Highlights: Suck It Like a Whistle - Holy Cow Never saw a Girl Like Her - The Way It Goes
Experimental Hip Hop
[imgsize 280x280]https://rovimusic.rovicorp.com/image.jp ... AXRBU=&f=5[/imgsize]


07 - Better Oblivion Community Center: Better Oblivion Community Center - 75,8 (77,1 / 17)
Highlights: Dylan Thomas - I Didn't Know What I Was in For - Forest Lawn
Folk Rock
[imgsize 280x280]https://rovimusic.rovicorp.com/image.jp ... AXRBU=&f=5[/imgsize]


06 - Blood Red Shoes: Get Tragic - 77,5 (82,1 / 7)
Highlights: Bangsar - Elijah - Eye To Eye
Indie Rock
[imgsize 280x280]http://dis.resized.images.s3.amazonaws. ... 06018.jpeg[/imgsize]


05 - The Twilight Sad: It Won't Be Like This - 77,8 (78,1 / 20)
Highlights: Auge/Maschine - I/m Not Here (Missing Face) - Shooting Dennis Hopper Shooting
Post-Punk
[imgsize 300x300]https://rovimusic.rovicorp.com/image.jp ... 2-yAg=&f=5[/imgsize]


04 - Pedro The Lion: Phoenix - 78,3 (82 / 10)
Highlights: Yellow Bike - Circle K - Clean Up
Indie Rock
[imgsize 300x300]https://rovimusic.rovicorp.com/image.jp ... oO-nA=&f=5[/imgsize]


03 - James Blake: Assume Form - 78,8 (77,8 / 24)
Highlights: Where's the Catch? - Can’t Believe the Way We Flow - Assume Form
Alternative R&B
[imgsize 300x300]https://rovimusic.rovicorp.com/image.jp ... AXRBU=&f=5[/imgsize]


02 - Deerhunter: Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared? - 80,1 (77,4 / 29)
Highlights: Death in Midsummer - No One's Sleeping - What Happens to People?
Indie Rock
[imgsize 300x300]https://rovimusic.rovicorp.com/image.jp ... x15tU=&f=5[/imgsize]


01 - Sharon Van Etten: Remind Me Tomorrow - 82,2 (79,5 / 29)
Highlights: Seventeen - Comeback Kid - No One’s Easy to Love
Indie Pop
[imgsize 300x300]https://rovimusic.rovicorp.com/image.jp ... xGXts=&f=5[/imgsize]
Last edited by Otisredding on Mon Feb 04, 2019 8:59 am, edited 4 times in total.
User avatar
acroamor
Shake Some Action
Posts: 1490
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 3:16 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by acroamor »

Exciting start to the year! I wanted to say thank you for all your work - the MCCh is one of my primary sources for new music discovery and I'm glad that you've kept it up for so long.

Of these ten, I've only listened to two. I'm likely to skip that James Blake record - I've listened to three of his past albums and none of them ever "clicked" for me. If this is an egregious error, someone let me know!
ArcadeFire
Wannabe
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 4:29 pm

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by ArcadeFire »

Hmm..according to Wikipedia (which we all know is 100% factual) Gallipoli releases 2/1/19. It's not on Spotify yet and the album cover looks different than what's here.

That said, I'm super excited for this post. It's my most anticipated megacritic posting of the year (been hitting refresh all morning). A whole top 10 of new music.
TheLastEnemy
Movin' On Up
Posts: 983
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2017 3:31 pm

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by TheLastEnemy »

I've been really excited too, looking forward to this for weeks! I've heard 5 new albums so far this year, all of which are in the top 10. I'm not surprised Sharon van Etten is at No.1, definitely my favourite so far. Going to give the rest a go when I get chance. Thanks Otisredding for all your work on this, it really is appreciated.
Presenter of 'The New Music Show' on www.welcomberadio.org.uk, Thursdays 6-8pm (UK time)
Listen later: https://www.mixcloud.com/chris-last/
User avatar
Rob
Die Mensch Maschine
Posts: 7349
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 3:53 pm
Location: Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by Rob »

Thanks Otisredding! Looking forward to using this list to take a deep dive in 2019's music. The Taste of MegaCritic playlist will be available once the highlights are up.
ArcadeFire wrote:Hmm..according to Wikipedia (which we all know is 100% factual) Gallipoli releases 2/1/19. It's not on Spotify yet and the album cover looks different than what's here.
That's not as unusual as you might think. Reviews tend to come in a few days before the actual release. It's happened a couple of times that an album appeared here before it was widely available.
Sketch
Strange Fruit
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 9:18 am

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by Sketch »

Thanks, as always, to OtisRedding and Rob for your efforts.
acroamor wrote:I'm likely to skip that James Blake record - I've listened to three of his past albums and none of them ever "clicked" for me. If this is an egregious error, someone let me know!
"Limit to Your Love" aside, I've not really cared for his prior work. What little I've heard of the new one , though, leads me to give it a chance. I nominated "Mile High" for this week's AMF Chart; it's essentially what I wish 2019 Kanye would sound like. Also, "Lullaby for My Insomniac" is a cleverly-produced a capella.
User avatar
JohnnyBGoode
Rust Never Sleeps
Posts: 706
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 10:11 am

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by JohnnyBGoode »

Thanks as always. Not sure if anyone's ever asked this before, but any others above 70 ...? :whistle:
User avatar
Otisredding
Keep On Movin'
Posts: 1875
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:00 am
Location: Banyoles, Catalonia (Spain)

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by Otisredding »

ArcadeFire wrote:Hmm..according to Wikipedia (which we all know is 100% factual) Gallipoli releases 2/1/19. It's not on Spotify yet and the album cover looks different than what's here.

That said, I'm super excited for this post. It's my most anticipated megacritic posting of the year (been hitting refresh all morning). A whole top 10 of new music.
Ok
User avatar
Otisredding
Keep On Movin'
Posts: 1875
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:00 am
Location: Banyoles, Catalonia (Spain)

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by Otisredding »

JohnnyBGoode wrote:Not sure if anyone's ever asked this before, but any others above 70 ...? :whistle:
11 - Steve Mason: About The Light - 72,2 (76,2 / 9)
12 - Steve Gunn: The Unseen Inbetween - 72,0 (74,4 / 14)
13 - You Tell Me: You Tell Me - 71,1 (75,7 / 7)
14 - Lost Under Heaven: Love Hates What You Become - 70,6 (74,3 / 10)
15 - Bring Me The Horizon: Amo - 70,5 (73,8 / 11)
PB.82
Superunknown
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:54 pm

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by PB.82 »

From the Dutch newspaper: ‘De Volkskrant’ (translation: The People’s Paper)
Date: january 3th, 2019
Author: Peter Buwalda (1), dutch author / journalist / columnist / music lover
https://www.volkskrant.nl/columns-opini ... ~bcdaeca6/


...... HENRIK FRANZON IS MY GURU ....

For a better understanding I’ve added some numbered notes (*) at the end

“Without the Top 2000 there would have raged a civil war in the Netherlands for years, especially shortly after Sinterklaas-day (3) - so I am a supporter.

I am also Queen-fan, by the way. No bad word about Queen (4). (Queen is a strange band, don’t be mistaken, I would almost say the global “Bløf “ (5).)

Actually I never meet Queen fans, mostly Queen haters. Paradoxical, because the only thing the average Dutchman wholeheartedly agrees with is ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, the last piece of tape that keeps our people together.

My opinion about the Top 2000 in one word ?: ‘Top’. But it’s also ‘cunt’.

The latter because you have to vote. My democratic mood is moderate, I admit it immediately; choosing leaders is getting worse, let alone something as important as songs.

(I don’t give a f*** about paintings. It would be fun, an annual Top 2000 of paintings. On #1 Rembrandt’s ‘Nightwatch’, I think, the ‘Mona Lisa’, on #3 and on the number 2 position a tough Poortvliet-gnome (6). Haha, fine.)

For people like me, who latently make a point of the Top 2000 - who if they forget to swallow their medicines can also just walk into the Top 2000-pub (7) with the same name - , there is the website acclaimedmusic.net.

That site is ok, because at acclaimedmusic.net they use the exact opposite method. For a start, people have to keep their mouths shut, which is of course (the job) half done.

Furthermore Henrik Franzon, the Swedish nerd behind the 'acclaimed', is checking the facts for us all.

What Henrik Franzon does should involve more people: first as a Leo Blokhuis (8) he collects music lists - not from suckers, but from real pop professors and music journalists from all over the world - and analyses their content, like an Ionica Smeets (9).

Intelligent, well weighted, aiming for something objective. (I also imagine Henrik Franzon as a bald Ionica Smeets with Blokhuis' stubbly beard.)

That site is God. (No, not "good." God, Allah - if you like.) There is omniscience and transcendent truth. Everything is phenomenal, you can check the 10,000 songs of all time, the 3,000 albums of all time, but also the ‘best music’ per decade and per year, per genre, per country. And you can check his sources ...

(Drooling smiley.)

Best song: ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ by Bob Dylan. Praised Over the centuries and here mentioned in 103 critics' lists, which is very high. #2: ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’.

Best album: ‘Pet Sounds’ by The Beach Boys. According to 174 consulted lists, including those of authorities like Rolling Stone, NME, Mojo, but also the dutch ‘Muziekkrant Oor’. Runner up: ‘Revolver’ , Beatles.

Total enjoyment is the 1,000 best artists. (The Beatles stiff at the top, Elvis was 8, but recently he dropped to the 14th position - for a moment, I think.)

The strange thing about Henrik Franzon and his working method is that emotionally it’s water-tight. Which of course is a shame for Toto and dutch folk singer Boudewijn de Groot.

What about Queen? Good question! Queen rests at #80, between Elton John and Black Sabbath, that’s very nice. Well done!

‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is the #39 in the singles charts. Trailing songs like ‘Paper Planes’, ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ and ‘London Calling’, for which you have to search for with a tortch in the Top 2000. This is what the connoisseurs say - there is actually nothing to say further, whether you should hate Queen, or science.”

Notes:

1. About Peter Buwalda - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Buwalda
2. Top 2000 - Most popular & best listened radioshow in the Netherlands (https://www.nporadio2.nl/top2000), broadcasted each year (since 1999) from december 26th (6:00 am) till december 31st (11:59 pm). The Top 2000 is based on the votes of the listeners.
3.Sinterklaas a traditional dutch children’s feast. In recent years there’s been a fierce national discussion about the racist character of the feast ... because of ‘Black Peter’, Sinterklaas’ helper
4. Since the start in 1999 Queen’s ‘Bohémien Rapsody’ ends undisputedly this radiomarathon. More than 150,000 votes are casted for this Rhapsody
5. Bløf, most popular dutch TOP 40-band, who sing mainly in Dutch or in Zeeuws, the regional dialect of the dutch provence of Zeeland: https://youtu.be/N0OLEgc-Glk
6. Rien Poortvliet, popular dutch painter & storyteller: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rien_Poortvliet
7. During broadcast hours the studio is transformed into a pub. For which there’s a long waiting list.
8. Leo Blokhuis, dutch designer, rtv host & music journalist, who finds most of his facts on sites like Wikipedia etc. - http://leoblokhuis.nl/wordpress/
9. Ionica Smeets, a dutch Science Communication professor

Translated with the assistance of mr. Louis van Gaal, dutch soccer coach:
https://youtu.be/pnHsEiPu12w
User avatar
Rob
Die Mensch Maschine
Posts: 7349
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 3:53 pm
Location: Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by Rob »

So here it is, the first version of the A Taste of MegaCritic 2019 playlist! All ten albums are there. For those who don't yet know, this playlist collects all 3 highlights from each album that Otisredding mentions in the list above. Consider it a nice sampler of the most acclaimed album. I myself use it to try albums out and it has pointed me towards giving some albums a chance that I otherwise would have skipped.



Enjoy!

Thanks again, Otisredding, for compiling this list in this new year!
User avatar
Otisredding
Keep On Movin'
Posts: 1875
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:00 am
Location: Banyoles, Catalonia (Spain)

Re: MCCh 2019 (01) January 31

Post by Otisredding »

Post Reply

Return to “Music, Music, Music...”