The Top Ten Lists
‘Tis the season for music nerds to start compiling their end of the year lists. Here’s one of the first I’ve seen: the 100 Best Albums of the Year from Paste magazine, courtesy of Stereogum. (I’ve got 18 of the top 23 in my iTunes, so I just impressed myself.)
Portland represents with Lifesavas at #42 and Menomena (whose name I still have to concentrate to spell/pronounce correctly) at #85.
Three bands that also call Portland home, but are recent transplants (I’d like to brand them now as “Sorta-Porta™ bands”) also make the cut: Modest Mouse at #8, the Shins at #26, and Spoon at #29.
For all I know there are 5 other bands on that list living here now, too.
Menomena also shows up on the “the 12 music VIDEOS of the year (according to Plug)”, courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan, with their timeless paean to the food fight oeuvre (or something like that). I’m also a big fan of the Bat For Lashes video.
Any other Portland albums that should have made the list? The Thermals, Shaky Hands, Blitzen Trappen? The Elliott Smith rarities disc?
Simply beautiful.
Shaky Hands, yes.
Blitzen Trapper, certainly. Their record will be in my Top 5 for 2007.