June preliminary Pazz & Jop 2004 ballot

"Culo" f. Lil Jon probably belongs; sounded good when I heard the last half played on KS107.5. Other candidates: Tony Touch f. Sean Paul "Ay Ay Ay," J-Kwon "Tipsy," T.I. f. Mack 10, Trick Daddy, and Twista "Rubber Band Man Remix," Jin "Learn Chinese."

ALBUMS:
1. Courtney Love America's Sweetheart
2. Living Things Black Skies in Broad Daylight
3. The Hold Steady Almost Killed Me
4. David Banner MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water
5. Mahjongg Machinegong
6. Icarus Line Penance Soiree
7. Will to Power Spirit Warrior
8. Country Teasers Full Moon Empty Sportsbag
9. Les Baton Rouge My Body - The Pistol

No doubt most of these won't be left standing in December. "Crank It Up" and America's Sweetheart probably would have ranked five or six on my ballot from last year. But this is pretty good for five months, especially singles. Haven't heard the Big and Rich album yet.

albums
Archimides Badkar *Tre*,
Big & Rich *Horse of a Different Color*
Kenny Chesney *When the Sun Goes Down*
Crime in Choir *The Hoop*
Death Comet Crew *This is Riphop,*
DNA *DNA on DNA*
Living Things *Black Skies in Broad Daylight*
Montgomery Gentry *You Do Your Thing*
The Ponys *Laced With Romance*
Red Swan *After the Barn Goes,*
Kim Richey *The Collection*
Arthur Russell *The World of Arthur Russell,*
Warren Brothers, *Well-Deserved Obscurity*
Will to Power, *Spirit Warrior*
Gretchen Wilson *Here For The Party*
15.60.75, *Jimmy Bell's Still in Town*
*Monster Records: The Seventies Sampler*,
*The Third Unheard: Connecticut HipHop 1979-1983,*

singles
Big and Rich "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)"
Big and Rich "Wild West Show,"
Jay-Z "99 Problems"
Toby Keith "Whiskey Girl"
Last Days of May "The First 7 Billion Miles"
Los Lonely Boys, "Heaven"
Courtney Love, "Mono"
Loretta Lynn featuring Jack White "Portland, Oregon"
Martina McBride "This One's for the Girls,"
Measles Mumps Rubella "Fountain of Youth,"
Montgomery Gentry "If You Ever Stop Loving Me"
Yolanda Perez con Don Cheto "Estoy Enamorada"
Red Swan "What Really Happened at Rose Lake"
Britney Spears "Toxic,"
Subterranean Masquerade "Observation Through Metamorphosis"
Gretchen Wilson, "Redneck Woman"
Ying Yang Twins featuring Lil Jon "Salt Shaker,"

Albums that I could vote for since I'm actually bothering to keep them but, ugh, I'll be bummed if I can't find ten albums better than these:
Mission Of Burma, French Kicks, Sonic Youth, The Talk, Les Baton Rouge, Patterson Hood, Stereolab, Les Savy Fav.

Singles:
1) Britney Spears - "Toxic"
2) Usher - "Burn"
3) John Mayer - "Clarity"
4) J-Kwon - "Tipsy"
5) Liz Phair - "Extraordinary"
6) Ying Yang Twins - "Salt Shaker"
7) Modest Mouse - "Float On"
8) Missy Elliott - "I'm Really Hot"
9) Mario Winans feat. P. Diddy - "I Don't Wanna Know"
10) Beyonce feat. Lil' Flip - "Naughty Girl (Remix)"

You know my friend Rob told me about that Big & Rich album about three days before I read your review, Chuck. It's his favorite album of the summer...and he's a big Wilco/Big Star fan of the Jim DeRo school! Needles to say my curiousity is piqued.

1. streets
2. junior boys
3. wiley
4. tv on the radio
5. lil jon mixtape
6. world of arthur russell
7. infinite livez
8. dj/rupture
9. erlend oye
10. air

singles

1. lcd soundsystem
2. britney
3. ying yang
4. mya remix
5. mia
6. memphis bleek
7. snow patrol
8. usher
9. alicia keys
10. elephant man

singles (not ranked)
LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah"
Britney Spears - "Toxic"
Beyonce - "Naughty Girl"
Justus Kohncke - "Timecode"/"The Answer is Yes"
Jay-Z - "99 Problems"
Loretta Lynn - "Portland, Oregon"
Scissor Sisters - "Laura"
Tube & Berger w/Chrissie Hynde - "Straight Ahead"
Motorcycle - "As the Rush Comes In"
Kelis - "Trick Me"
Felix da Housecat - "Rocket Ride"

SINGLES (alphabetical):
Sleepy Brown ft. OutKast: “I Can’t Wait” (Interscope)
Cécile: “Hot Like We” (Greensleeves)
Todd Edwards & Filthy Rich ft. Damon Trueitt: “Stormy Day (Dubstrumental)” (i!)
J-Kwon: “Tipsy (Radio Mix)” (Arista)
Courtney Love: “Mono” (Virgin)
LCD Soundsystem: “Yeah (Stupid Version)” (DFA)
M.I.A.: “Galang” (Showbiz, U.K.)
Mya ft. Chingy: “Fallen (Zone 4 Remix)” (Interscope)
Strictly Kev: “Raiding the 20th Century: A History of the Cutup” (MP3)
The Streets: “Fit But You Know It” (Vice)

ghostface is fighting it out with air for the top 10.

Yay!!! Matos. That might make mine, but It'll be a tight race with the Lansing-Dreiden album.

Heh, same here.

My list so far:
The Walkmen Bows And Arrows
Languis The Four Walls
Lali Puna Faking The Books
P J Harvey Uh Huh Her
The Fiery Furnaces Blueberry Boat
Ghost Hypnotic Underworld

Well, contextually it can. Think of it this way -- when the original Nuggets came out, wasn't it a case where the time had passed but the impact was immense?

Right now I have no exact list but Fennesz rules the album roost. I have no idea what singles are anymore.

Ghost-Hypnotic Underworld
Electrelane-The Power Out
Lansing-Dreiden-The Incomplete Triangle (somewhere in here--haven't even listened to it all the way through yet)
The Fall-The Real New Fall LP (U.S. release due out this month)
Franz Ferdinand

And I don't know if I want to vote for reissues/comps this year. If I do:

Homosexuals-Astral Glamour
The Third Unheard: Connecticut Hip-Hop 1979-1983
Metal Boys and Dr. Mix CDs on Acute

And I'm resolved to vote for singles for the first time even though we don't have cable TV. Year so far (order approximate):

'Roses"-Outkast
"Maps"-Yeah Yeah Yeahs
"I'm Still in Love with You"-Sean Paul
"Disconnect the Dots"-Of Montreal
"Metrosexual Man"-Blag Dahlia (surprising song from this guy, though I'm not sure if I wanna vote for a song with the word "homos" in it)
"Matinee"-Franz Ferdinand
"Sparta F.C."-The Fall
"Extraordinary"-Liz Phair

Also, when not in listening range of a stereo, walkman, or other music-playing device (such as a bassoon), quote Courtney lyrics to anyone willing to listen. E.g., "Oh God you owe me one more song so that I can prove to you I'm so much better than him" and "Run away, head's on fire, can't tell the difference between hate and desire" and "With all of my money, with all of my love, with all of my money, it doesn't feel as good as the drugs."

The way to listen to the Hold Steady album is to program the first three songs into memory and treat it like an EP.

Singles:
1) R. Kelly and Nick Cannon-"Gigalo"
2) Usher-"Yeah"
3) Ying Yang Twins-"Salt Shaker"
4) R. Kelly-"Happy People"
5) Cecile-"New Year New Fuck"
6) Britney Spears-"Toxic"
7) Usher-"Burn"
8) Memphis Bleek-"Just Blaze, Bleek and Free"
9) Lil' Flip-"Game Over"
10) Luta-"Land of My Birth"

Bersuit, La Argentinidad Al Palo
Big & Rich, Horse of a Different Color
Tanya Stephens, Gangsta Blues
Gomez, Split the Difference
Twista, Kamikaze
Cee-Lo, Cee-Lo Green...Is the Soul Machine
Allison Moorer, The Duel
Pepito, Everything Changes
Gretchen Wilson, Here for the Party
Dani Siciliano, Likes...

Paulina Rubio, "Te Quise Tanto"
Usher, "Yeah!"
Gretchen Wilson, "Redneck Woman"
Fefe Dobson, "Everything"
Yung Wun, "Tear It Up"
Big & Rich, "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)"
[some others]

Yikes, Matt! You scare me sometimes! This is lamer than those Peppito and Alison Moerer albums combined! (What are they, like a Brit pop jam band or something? That's like, the worst of two worlds!)

dude, wouldn't you assume Sarah McLachlan and nu-metal combined would be horrible? But it's not! It's Evanescence!

I'd be dying to hear the new Gomez even if Matt wasn't raving about it.

Hey, I'm not alone!

dude, wouldn't you assume Sarah McLachlan and nu-metal combined would be horrible? But it's not! It's Evanescence!

I've HEARD Gomez already, though. And Chuck's horror is well placed. Between that and Muse they are the 'UK bands who really, really, really should give up trying to break America.'

and no offense, ned,
but your tastes and mine just don't
always mesh real tight

Hey, am I allowed to vote for the Collipark remix of "Slow Jamz" on this bitch?

but your tastes and mine just don't
always mesh real tight

*weeps*

Just left off Cee-Lo, Jason Forrest, Holmes Brothers, Big and Rich, Superpitcher - yet to give a full listen to PJ Harvey, Gomez, Animal Collective, Lansing-Dreiden, and of course Pan Sonic

01 Ghostface feat. Jadakiss – Run
02 T.I. – Rubberband Man
03 Usher feat. Ludacris and Lil John – Yeah
04 Twista feat. Kanye West – Slow Jamz
05 Modest Mouse – Float On
06 Big and Rich – Wild West Show
07 Young Gunz – Friday Night
08 Method Man feat. Busta Rhymes – What’s Happenin’
09 Usher – Burn
10 D12 – My Band

(Actually I was indifferent but the video bit with the flaming palm trees amused me.)

Decapitated, The Negation
Atreyu, The Curse
Ghostface, The Pretty Toney Album
Raphe Malik/Joe McPhee/Donald Robinson, Sympathy
Cadaver, Necrosis
Cecil Taylor/Mat Maneri, Algonquin

do you own a radio? or a sound card?

sound card - yes, it's used to play all of the other albums that i have to review each week...

But, of course, haven't heard Ibarra, Frith, Yoshihide, Taylor/Maneri, Bailey, Oneida, Cee-Lo, Sonic Youth, any electronica, any modern classical, Mott, . . .

The only single I care about is "This Love".

to get back on topic, here's my rough list, so far:

ulver
jboys
slipknot
avril
fiery furnaces
sufjan
robag wruhme
lucien n luciano
moodymann
ghostface

Albums:

Franz Ferdinand, Franz Ferdinand
Prince, Musicology
The Rosenbergs, Department Store Girl
Various Artists, Parkinsong Vol. 1: 38 Songs of Hope
House of Freaks, Monkey on a Chain Gang (if the Rhino Handmade reissue counts)
(5 more albums I've yet to hear)

Singles:

Courtney Love, "Fly" (b-side of "Mono")
R. Kelly, "Happy People"
Franz Ferdinand, "Take Me Out"
Franz Ferdinand, "Dark of the Matinee"
Franz Ferdinand, "Come on Home"
Loretta Lynn, "Van Lear Rose"
Modest Mouse, "Float On"
OutKast, "Roses"
Maroon 5, "This Love"
Jet, "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"

P.S. Chuck - no Teena Marie?

Albums:

01 Fiery Furnaces "Blueberry Boat"
02 Scissor Sisters "Scissor Sisters"
03 Ghostface "The Pretty Toney Album"
04 Phoenix "Alphabetical"
05 United State of Electronica "U.S.E."
06 Sonic Youth "Sonic Nurse"
07 McLusky "The Difference..."
08 Junior Boys "Last Exit"

Single contenders (unranked):

Gene Serere "Electric Dreams"
Scala Choir "I Touch Myself"
Armand Van Helden "Hear My Name"
LCD Soundsystem "Yeah"
Ce'Cile "Hot Like We"
M.I.A. "Galang"
McLusky "She Will Only Bring You Happiness"
Modest Mouse "Ocean Breathes Salty"
Spektrum "Kinda New"
Futon "Gay Boy"
The Streets "You're Fit.."
Courtney Love "But Julian, I'm A Little Bit Older Than You"
Red Astaire "Follow Me"
Cocorosie "Butterscotch"
Wiley "Problems"
Heloise and the Savoir Faire Dancers "Odyle"
Whitey "Just Another Animal"

Man, I really haven't been listening to very much hip hop this year.

Moonbabies, The Orange Billboard
Delays, Faded Seaside Glamour
Felix da Housecat, Devin Dazzle and the Neon Fever
Two Lone Swordsmen, From the Double Gone Chapel
The Shocking Pinks, Dance the Dance Electric
Devendra Banhart, Rejoicing in the Hands
Xela, Tangled Wool
Deerhoof, Milk Man
??
??

Singles

LCD Soundsystem, "Yeah"
Graham Coxon, "Freakin' Out"
Usher, "Yeah"
Nellie McKay, "Won't U Please B Nice"
OutKast, "Roses"
Automato, "The Single"
Weird War, "Grand Fraud"
Loretta Lynn/Jack White, "Portland, Oregon"
Old Crow Medicine Show, "Big Time in the Jungle"
The Walkmen, "The Rat"

In no particular order:

GRAHAM SMITH final battle
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE sung tongs
POREST prude juice for the heritage swinger
ICARUS LINE penance soiree
THE MONOLITH here comes the...
THE WALKMEN bows & arrows
OF MONTREAL satanic panic in the attic
MELISSA AUF DER MAUR auf der maur
STEREOLAB margerine eclipse
KANYE WEST the college dropout

Man, it's too early for this.

If there were an award for albums with an excellent first 1/2, I'd vote for Kylie too.

singles:
toxic
dip it low
you don't know my name
you don't know my name reggae remix
take me out
yeah
tipsy
i don't wanna know

1. "I’m A Cuckoo" Belle and Sebastian
2. "Fuori Dal Tunnel" Caparezza
3. "Mono" Courtney Love
4. "Crickets Sing for Anamaria" Emma Bunton
5. "Jessica" Adam Green
6. "Gangsta Nation" Westside Connection
7. "Somebody To Love" Boogie Pimps
8. "On My Knees" The 411 ft Ghostface Killah
9. "Strange Glue" Mr Complex ft Biz Markie
10. "Ch-Ch-Check It Out" Beastie Boys

Albums: Courtney, Caparezza, Tom Hamilton, Lemar, Ghostface, Phi Life Cypher.

Yeah, I know - it's definitely uneven, but the six or seven amazing songs on the record are heads and shoulders above most everything else. "Sweet Music" in particular owns me forever.

this thread reminded me how pitifully few new LPs I have heard this year. Must. Sort.

Depends on which side of the Atlantic you call home.

1. Fame of Lofty Deeds -- Jon Langford
2. The College Dropout — Kanye West
3. Get Away From Me — Nellie McKay
4. Van Lear Rose — Loretta Lynn
5. A Grand Don't Come For Free -- Streets
6. Almost Killed Me -- The Hold Steady
7. Too Much Guitar! — The Reigning Sound
8. When the Sun Goes Down -- Kenny Chesney
9. Laced With Romance -- The Ponys
10. Good News for People Who Like Bad News -- Modest Mouse

Singles:
dunno, but "Yeah" by Lil Jon and Ludacris (um, I mean Usher) and "This One's For the Girls" by Martina McBride are givens. And "Rubberband Man" by T.I. Actually, I'll probaby have more country stuff on the list this year than anytime ever -- Sara Evans, Alan Jackson, Gretchen Wilson, Big and Rich, whichever ones did "Drinkin' Bone" and "Hot Mama." Maybe Kenny Chesney if some of my faves become singles.

Singles:
Usher - Yeah!
David Banner - Crank It Up
André Kraml - Feel Electric
Hieroglyphic Being - The Strenuous Life
Metro Area - Proton Candy
Brandy - Talk About Our Love
Justus Koehncke - Timecode
Pastor Troy - Ridin Big
Ghostface - Run
Alter Ego - Rocker

Singles:
Mase, "Welcome Back"
Britney Spears, "Toxic"
Beyonce, "Naughty Girl"
Modest Mouse, "Float On"
Outkast, "Roses"

So erm anyway yeah.

1. Madvillain - Madvillainy
2. Ghostface - The Pretty Toney Album
3. Trillville and Lil Scrappy - King of Crunk & BME Recordings Present: Trillville
4. Kanye West - College Dropout
5. Felix Da Housecat - Devin Dazzle and the Neon Fever
6. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free
7. Arthur Russell - Calling out of Context
8. David Banner - Baptized in Dirty Water
9. RJD2 - Since We Last Spoke
10. Junior Boys - Last Exit
11. Wiley - Treadin' on Thin Ice
12. Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters
13. Pete Rock - Soul Survivor II
14. Brother Ali - Champion EP
15. Superpitcher - Here Comes Love
16. Erlend Øye - DJ Kicks
17. Murs - 3:16
18. !!! - Louden Up Now
19. Tanya Stephens - Gangsta Blues
20. Jason Forrest - Unrelenting Songs of the 1979 Post Disco Crash

thats albums, although I just heard this Wruhme album and it's gonna fit somewhere up there too.

singles:

1. Usher feat. Ludacris and Lil Jon - Yeah
2. Nina Sky feat. Jabba - Move Ya Body
3. T.I.-Rubberband Man
4. Jay-Z - Dirt Off Your Shoulder
5. Ying Yang Twins - Salt Shaker
6. Lil Scrappy - Head Bussa
7. David Banner ft. Static – Crank It Up
8. Justus Koehncke - Timecode
9. Madvillain - All Caps
10. Kiley Dean - Keep it Movin'
11. Jay-Z – 99 Problems
12. Cee-Lo - I'll Be Around
13. Ghostface Killah - Tush
14. Junior Boys - High Come Down
15. Jacki-O - Slow Down
16. Chico - Wrapped Up
17. Sage Francis F/ Brother Ali & Slug-Doomage
18. Young Gunz - Friday Night
19. Young Gunz - No Better Love
20. Method Man f. Busta Rhymes - What's Happenin'

I may have to update this singles list...i've heard some other good stuff too that hasn't been added yet.

plus four more to be named (maybe Usher, but that album is pretty uneven...)

singles are impossible to do without much more thought, but toxic, burn, confession, the rat, I don't wanna know, sassy thang and maybe tipsy are all in there.

1/ the streets - a grand dont come for free
2/ the walkmen - bows and arrows
3/ kanye west - college dropout
4/ superpitcher - here comes love
5/ !!! - louden up now
6/ stereolab - margerine eclipse
7/ sonic youth - nurse
8/ wiley - treddin on thin ice

Singles:

1/ lcd soundsystem - yeah
2/ christina milian - dip it low
3/ usher - yeah
4/ Jay- Z - 99 problems
5/ david banner - crank it up
6/ von bondies - cmon cmon
7/ air - cherry blossom girl
8/ franz ferdinand - take me out
9/ ludacris - stand up
10/ jamelia - thank you
11/ frankee - F.U.R.B.

I'm not a big crunk guy, either - most of it just isn't pop enough for me.

Christina Milian - Dip It Low
Avril Lavigne - Don't Tell Me
I kinda don't mind the new Hoobastank song :(
Britney Spears, the new slow one
Blink 182 - I Miss You
HIM - Solitary Man
I think I'll like the new Girls Aloud single
Kanye West - Thru The Wire

Albums:

Lali Puna - Faking the Books
Bonnie Prince Billy sings Greatest Palace Songs
HIM - and Love Said No
Joy Zipper - American Whip (only came out over here this year)
Elf Power - Walking With The Beggar Boys
Auf Der Maur - S/T

best album I've got this year is Alice Coopers "From the Inside".

I hereby criticize whoever does not like "Blue" by Eifel 65 (a very good record.) Ok thanks, bye.

(you are free to like whatever, I'm just saying that I think it's corny, this isn't some sort of "BUT TIPSY ISN'T REAL HIP-HOP!" thing)

anyway, my "blue" review can be found here:

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0010/eddy.php

I can't imagine much of ANYTHING being cornier than "blue."

"real" hip-hop is a co-opted term. Originally, "real" was just a synonym for "dope." "Dope" hip-hop = "real" hip-hop. "Oh that shit is REAL!" so if I liked Tipsy I'd say it was real.

The meaning was changed by a bunch of self-conscious self-proclaimed hip-hop "heads" who needed to differentiate mainstream from underground (a difference that never really existed when I started listening to hip-hop at the age of eight in 1991, at least from my perspective. The radio stations would play Snoop followed by Gang Starr, at least in Chicago).

(actually most
of my picks are place-holders,
you all know the drill)

Albums:

1. Joanna Newsom - "The Milk-Eyed Mender" (Drag City)
2. Mirah - "C'mon Miracle" (K)
3. Superpitcher - "Here Comes Love" (Kompakt)
4. Pantha Du Prince - "Diamond Daze" (Dial)
5. Lucien 'n' Luciano - "Blind Behaviour" (Peacefrog)
6. Various - "Groove On Down: 12 Disco/Boogie Cuts" (Soul Brother)
7. Ivan Smagghe - "Death Disco" (Eskimo)
8. Le Monde Electronique De Francois De Roubaix (Universal)
9. Deathprod - "Morals and Dogma" (Rune Grammofon)
10. Junior Boys - "Last Exit" (Kin)

Songs:

Common ft. Laetitia Sadier - "New Wave (Playgroup Remix)"
Prince - "Cinnamon Girl"
Ada - "And More"
Gene Serene - "Electric Dreams"
Rex the Dog - "Prototype"
Twista - "Slow Jamz"
Wiley - "Pies"
Bark Psychosis - "Shapeshifting"
Ellen Allien - "Astral"
Squarepusher "Iambic 9 poetry"

1. Brian Wilson -- SMiLE
2. Lil' Flip -- You Gotta Feel Me
3. Kanye West -- The College Dropout
4. Air -- Talkie Walkie
5. Magnetic Fields -- i
6. David Banner -- MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water
7. TV on the Radio -- the full-length
8. Wilco -- A Ghost is Born
9. Neko Case -- The Tigers Have Spoken
10. Tegan and Sara -- So Jealous

Obviously, I'm way behind on dance and hip-hop, though I get the feeling I'm not missing much on the latter. But Dizzee, Junior Boys, Ghostface, Nellie McKay et al could seep in there by January.

Singles is a much easier venture than albums. Awesome year for singles, rock especially:

"Take Me Out" -- Franz Ferdinand
"Jesus Walks" -- Kanye West
"Vertigo" -- U2
"Surfing on a Rocket" -- Air
"Crank it Up" -- David Banner
"American Idiot" -- Green Day
"Float On" -- Modest Mouse
"Game Over" -- Lil' Flip
"Heaven," -- Los Lonely Boys
"Go DJ" -- Lil' Wayne

albums
Big & Rich *Horse of a Different Color*
Kenny Chesney *When the Sun Goes Down*
Federation *The Album*
Lil Wayne *Tha Carter*
M.I.A. *Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1*
Yolanda Perez *Aqui Me Tienes*
Red Swan *After the Barn Goes,*
Rick Springfield *Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance*
Skye Sweetnam *Noise from the Basement*
Trick Daddy *Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets*
Witchcraft *Witchcraft*
Wolf Eyes *Burned Mind*
Gretchen Wilson *Here For The Party*
*Monster Records: The Seventies Sampler*,
*Rio Baile Funk: Favela Boot Beats*
*The Third Unheard: Connecticut HipHop 1979-1983,*

singles

Big and Rich "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)"
Big and Rich "Wild West Show,"
David Boyle "George W. Pussy"
Terri Clark "Girls Lie Too"
Crystal Gayle "Midnight in the Desert"
Toby Keith "Whiskey Girl"
Toby Keith "Stays in Mexico"
R. Kelly "Happy People"
Last Days of May "The First Billion Miles"
Lil Scrappy "No Problem"
Kevin Lytle, "Turn Me On"
Martina McBride "This One's for the Girls,"
Measles Mumps Rubella "Fountain of Youth,"
MIA "Galang"
Yolanda Perez con Don Cheto "Estoy Enamorada"
Phat Sk8trax "Boogie Back Rap"
Chris Ryan “East Coast Liner”
Red Swan "What Really Happened at Rose Lake"
Ric-A-Che featuring Darija "Coo Coo Chee"
Britney Spears "Toxic,"
Skye Sweetnam "Tangled Up in Me"
Gretchen Wilson, "Redneck Woman"

Music under consideration for my Pazz & Jop and Country Music Critics ballots (order is very tentative; I'm predicting that anything from "Let's Go" has a real shot at #1 on the singles, anything lower less of a shot; anything from Notekillers up could be #1, anything lower could fall off the list):

P&J SINGLES 2004:
Don Yute f. Ying Yang Twins - "Row Da Boat"
Kardinall Offishall - "Bang Bang"
David Banner - "Crank It Up"
Westside Connection - "Gangsta Nation"
Ying Yang Twins f. Trick Daddy - "What's Happnin!"
Method Man f. Busta Rhymes - "What's Happenin'"
Crime Mob - "Knuck if You Buck"
M.I.A. - "Galang"
Jay-Z - "Dirt Off Your Shoulder"
Toby Keith - "Whiskey Girl"
Miss B. - "Bottle Action"
Federation - "Go Dumb"
Jacki-O - "Slow Down"
Beatnuts f. Akon - "Find Us"
N.O.R.E. f. Daddy Yankee, Nina Skyy, Gem Star & Big Mato "Oye Mi Canto"
Mannie Fresh - "Real Big"
Skinny Pimp - "We Came to Party"
L.L. Kool J - "Headsprung"
Yung Wun - "I Tried to Tell Ya"
K-OS - "B-Boy Stance"
Jo-Jo - "Leave"
Tony Touch f. Sean Paul - "Ay Ay Ay"
Courtney Love - "Mono"
Jin - "Senorita"
Britney Spears - "Toxic"
Usher f. Lil Jon & Ludacris - "Yeah"
Big & Rich - "Wild West Show"
Trick Daddy f. Lil Jon and Twista - "Let's Go"
Juelz Santana f. Jim Jones & Cameron - "Get Crunk Music"
Nas - "The Thief's Theme"
Janet Jackson f. Elephant Man - "All Night (Don't Stop) So So Def Remix"
Defari - "Club Etiquette"
J-Kwon - "Tipsy"
Jin - "Learn Chinese"
Jin - "So Afraid"
Jacki-O - "Sugar Walls"
Petey Pablo & Rasheeda - "Vibrate"
Shyne f. Foxy Brown - "More or Less"
Ying Yang Twins f. Bonecrusher - "Take Ya Clothes Off"
Bubba Sparxxx f. Sean Paul of the YoungBloodZ, Pastor Troy, & Rich Boy "Back
in the Mudd Zone 4 Rmx"
Pitbull f. Lil Jon - "Culo"
T.I. f. Mack 10, Trick Daddy, and Twista - "Rubber Band Man Remix"
Jay-Z - "99 Problems"
Big & Rich - "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)"
Guerilla Black f. Jazzy Pha & Brooke Valentine - "Guerilla Nasty"
Jay-Z - "P.S.A."
Lil Jon - "What You Goin Do"
De La Soul - "Shopping Bags (She Got From You)"
Brand Nubian - "Who Wanna Be a Star?"

P&J ALBUMS 2004:
Big & Rich - Horse of a Different Color
Various Artists - Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats
M.I.A. - Piracy Funds Terrorism
Various Artists - Crunk Classics
Notekillers - Notekillers
Yolanda Perez - Aqui Me Tienes
Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart
Gene Watson - .Sings
The Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me
David Banner - MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water
Country Teasers - Full Moon Empty Sportsbag
The Donnas - Gold Medal
Mahjongg - Machinegong
Icarus Line - Penance Soiree
Les Baton Rouge - My Body - The Pistol
Montgomery Gentry - You Do Your Thing
T. Graham Brown - The Next Right Thing
Will to Power - Spirit Warrior
Gogol Bordello vs. Tamir Muskat - J.U.F.
[Living Things - Black Skies in Broad Daylight]
[DNA - DNA on DNA]
[John Conlee - Classics]
[15.60.75 - Jimmy Bell's Still in Town]

[I'll probably disqualify the stuff in brackets, the Living Things LP for not - for never? - being released, and the others for containing too little previously unreleased material (or, in the case of DNA, too little previously unreleased material that I'd vote for in its own right).]

COUNTRY SINGLES
Toby Keith - "Whiskey Girl"
Big & Rich - "Wild West Show"
Big & Rich - "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)"
Gretchen Wilson - "Here for the Party"
Montgomery Gentry - "You Do Your Thing"
Montgomery Gentry - "If You Ever Stop Lovin' Me"
[Rodney Atkins - "Honesty (Write Me a List)"]
[Kenny Chesney - "There Goes My Life"]

[I think the last two were really 2003]

COUNTRY ALBUMS
Big & Rich - Horse of a Different Color
[Yolanda Perez - Aqui Me Tienes]
Gene Watson - .Sings
Country Teasers - Full Moon Empty Sportsbag
Montgomery Gentry - You Do Your Thing
T. Graham Brown - The Next Right Thing
Gretchen Wilson - Here for the Party
[Grupo Exterminador - De Parranda con el Diablo]
Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
Th' Legendary Shack Shakers - Believe

[OK, since I hear so few country albums, do I include banda and Mexican pop in general in my def'n of country, so as to round out my list, and then have fun trying to rationalize it? It has polka and two-step in common with country, and an off-hand adventurousness and range that country lacks.]

COUNTRY REISSUE
John Conlee - Classics
David Allen Coe

1. Graham Smith - Final Battle - March/What Are (15 points)
2. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs - Fatcat (14 points)
3. Stereolab - Margerine Eclipse - Elektra (13 points)
4. Walkmen - Bows & Arrows - Record Collection (12 points)
5. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Roc-A-Fella (11 points)
6. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Rough Trade (9 points)
7. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - The Doldrums - Paw Tracks (8 points)
8. Sightings - Arrived In Gold - Load (7 points)
9. Green Day - American Idiot - Reprise (6 points)
10. Yellow Swans - Bring The Neon War Home - Narnack (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Fiery Furnaces - "Sing For Me" - Rough Trade
2. Snoop Dogg - "Drop It Like It's Hot"
3. Eminem - "Rain Man"
4. Modest Mouse - "Float On"
5. Fabolous - "Breathe"
6. Destiny's Child - "Lose My Breath"
7. Ashlee Simpson - "Pieces Of Me"
8. Wolf Eyes - "Stabbed In The Face" - Sub Pop
9. Interpol - "Slow Hands" - Matador
10. The Fall - "Sparta #2" - Narnack

Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. RJD2 - Since We Last Spoke - Definitive Jux (18 points)
2. Devin the Dude - To tha X-Treme - Rap-A-Lot (16 points)
3. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL (12 points)
4. MF Doom - MM... Food - Rhymesayers (10 points)
5. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse - Geffen (8 points)
6. Ghostface - The Pretty Toney Album - Def Jam (8 points)
7. M.I.A. & Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 - Hollertronix (7 points)
8. Dungen - Ta Det Lugnt - Subliminal Sounds (7 points)
9. Jason Forrest - The Unrelenting Sounds of the 1979 Post-Disco Crash - Sonig (7 points)
10. The Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me - Frenchkiss (7 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Annie - "Heartbeat" - 679
2. Franz Ferdinand - "Take Me Out (Daft Punk Remix)" - Cargo
3. The Killers - "Somebody Told Me" - Island
4. Felix da Housecat - "Nina" - Rykodisc
5. LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah (Stupid Version)" - DFA
6. Wiley - "Pies" - XL
7. David Banner - "Crank It Up (ft. Static)" - Universal
8. Prodigy - "Girls" - Maverick/XL
9. Nas - "Thief's Theme" - Sony
10. Evil 9 - "Crooked (ft. Aesop Rock)" - Marine Parade

Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Rough Trade (15 points)
2. Maxi Geil & Playcolt - A Message To My Audience (14 points)
3. Annie - Anniemal - 679 (13 points)
4. Phoenix - Alphabetical - Astralwerks (12 points)
5. Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters - Polydor (11 points)
6. M.I.A. / Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1 - Hollertronix (9 points)
7. United State Of Electronica - U.S.E. - Mannheim (8 points)
8. U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - Interscope (7 points)
9. X-Wife - Feeding The Machine - Nortesul (6 points)
10. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Annie - "Chewing Gum" - 679
2. Ce'cile - "Hot Like We" - Greensleeves
3. David Wrench - "World War IV" - Storm
4. Rachel Stevens - "Some Girls" - Polydor
5. Johnny Boy - "You Are The Generation That Bought More Shoes And You Get What You Deserve" - Mercury
6. LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah" - DFA
7. Mousse T featuring Emma Lanford - "Is It Cos I'm Cool" - Free2air
8. Freeform Five - "Electromagnetic" - Ultimate Dilemma
9. Revl9n - "Walking Machine" - C.B.H.
10. Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For" - Interscope

I already feel bad about not putting Ghostface on my albums list (he got edged out by U2 because I really like that record and felt dishonest not putting it on the list and by X-Wife cos I favored underdogs), and there's about 100+ songs that I wish I could've put on my singles list.

Nate: What happened to Cut Copy? Too late?

other than that: man,
so much great stuff snuck right in
in the last two months

still deciding on
my #10 spot and my
singles list's a MESS

1. Anata, Under A Stone With No Inscription (Earache)
2. Björk, Medulla (Atlantic)
3. Decapitated, The Negation (Earache)
4. Electric Wizard, We Live (Rise Above)
5. Ghostface, The Pretty Toney Album (Def Jam)
6. Lamb Of God, Ashes Of The Wake (Epic)
7. Mastodon, Leviathan (Relapse)
8. Necrophagist, Epitaph (Relapse)
9. Pig Destroyer, Terrifyer (Relapse)
10. Matthew Shipp, Harmony And Abyss (Thirsty Ear)

Now, here are fifteen more that didn't make the cut. Some were very close calls (Isis and Björk were in head-to-head contention for a slot, but I went with Björk because the Isis disc was a refinement of their existing style, while her album was a sharp left turn, and thus the greater achievement). Others I cut because I felt like nominating all new efforts, rather than worthy reissues, for the final year-end tally. Anyway, here are the also-rans.

Anaal Nathrakh, Domine Non Es Dignus (Season Of Mist)
Albert Ayler, Holy Ghost (Revenant)
Chaosbreed, Brutal (Olympic)
Alice Coltrane, World Galaxy [reissue] (Universal Japan)
Isis, Panopticon (Ipecac)
Kataklysm, Serenity In Fire (Nuclear Blast)
Megadeth, The System Has Failed (Sanctuary)
Motörhead, Inferno (Sanctuary)
Sunny Murray, Homage To Africa [reissue] (Sunspots)
Pharoah Sanders, Live At The East [reissue] (Universal Japan)
Pharoah Sanders, Izipho Zam [reissue](Sunspots)
Spring Heel Jack, The Sweetness Of The Water (Thirsty Ear)
Cecil Taylor, Live In The Black Forest [reissue] (Universal Japan)
Cecil Taylor, One Too Many Salty Swift And Not Goodbye [reissue] (Hatology)
Unleashed, Sworn Allegiance (Century Media)

I also tried submitting a last-minute change from "Yeah" to "Casual Friday". I blame Matos.

I don't think "Come Together" is a real single (yet), but it should be. Also, the stateside release of "Good Boys" was in February 2004, so I'm counting it.

Gawd, chartpop sucked this year.

Albums
1. Various Artists - Princess Nicotine: Folk and Pop Music of Myanmar (Sublime Frequencies)
2. Morgan Geist - Unclassics: Obscure Electronic Funk & Disco 1978-1985 (Environ)
3. Various Artists - Cambodian Cassette Archives: Khmer Folk & Pop Music Vol. 1 (Sublime Frequencies)
4. Walkmen - Bows and Arrows (Record Collection)
5. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat (Sanctuary/Rough Trade)
6. Various Artists - I Remember Syria (Sublime Frequencies)
7. Volga Select - So Young But So Cold: Underground French Music 1977-1983 (Tigersushi)
8. Various Artists - Radio India: The Eternal Dream of Sound (Sublime Frequencies)
9. Tom Dissevelt, Kid Baltan, Henk Badings and Dick Raaijmakers - Popular Electronics: Early Dutch Electronic Music From Philips Research Laboratories 1956-1963 (Basta Music)
10. French Kicks - The Trial of the Century (StarTime International)

Singles
1. Blondie - "Good Boys" (Sony Int’l)
2. Alcazar - "This is the World We Live In" (BMG Int’l)
3. Courtney Love - "Mono" (EMI)
4. Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For? (Jacques Lu Cont’s TWD Dub)" (Interscope)
5. Fiery Furnaces - "Sing For Me" (Rough Trade)
6. Hold Steady - "The Swish" (Frenchkiss)
7. Annie - "Come Together" (679)
8. X-1 - "New York is So Cool"
9. Brandy feat. Kanye West - "Talk About Our Love" (Atlantic)
10. Kelis - "Trick Me" (EMI)

I just set my list,
glad I didn't send it in;
the game is afoot!

1. Homosexuals - Astral Glamour - Hyped to Death/Messthetics (15 points)
2. M.I.A. - Piracy Funds Terrorism Volume 1 - Hollertronix (14 points)
3. Necks - Drive By - ReR (13 points)
4. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans - Sounds Familyre (12 points)
5. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Roc-A-Fella (11 points)
6. - I Remember Syria - Sublime Frequencies (9 points)
7. Oren Ambarchi - Grapes from the Estate - Touch (8 points)
8. Trick Daddy - Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets - Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic (7 points)
9. Erlend Øye - DJ-KiCKS - !K7 (6 points)
10. Dead C - The Damned - Starlight Furniture Co. (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Portobella - "Covered In Punk" - Island
2. Kenny Chesney - "There Goes My Life" - BNA
3. T.I. - "Rubber Band Man" - Grand Hustle/Atlantic
4. Black Dice - "Miles of Smiles" - DFA
5. Janet Jackson - "Love Me for a Little While" - Virgin
6. Cecile - "Hot Like We" - Greensleeves
7. Gary Allan - "Songs About Rain" - MCA
8. Blaque - "I'm Good" - Elektra
9. Archigram - "Padre" - Kitsuné
10. Gabry Ponte featuring Little Tony - "Figli di Pitagora" - Bliss Co./Universal

1. Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed - 4AD (15 points)
2. Hem - Eveningland - Rounder (15 points)
3. Interpol - Antics - Matador (15 points)
4. Nina Sky - Nina Sky - Universal (10 points)
5. Mission of Burma - ONoffON - Matador (10 points)
6. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse - DGC (10 points)
7. Thermals - Fucking A - Sub Pop (10 points)
8. Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters - Universal (5 points)
9. Beauty Pill - The Unsustainable Lifestyle - Dischord (5 points)
10. Destiny's Child - Destiny Fulfilled - Sony (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Snoop Dogg (f/ Pharell) - "Drop It Like It's Hot" - Universal
2. Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For" - Universal
3. Lionel Vinyl - "Are You Gonna Be My Love Machine?" - no label
4. Britney Spears - "Toxic" - Jive
5. Nina Sky - "Move Ya Body" - Universal
6. Scissor Sisters - "Mary" - Universal
7. Christina Milian (f/ Fabolous) - "Dip It Low" - Universal
8. Mr. Vegas - "Pull Up" - Soh Records
9. M.I.A. - "Galang" - XL
10. Annie - "Heartbeat" - 679

1. Junior Boys - Last Exit - Kin (10 points)
2. Moodymann - Black Mahogani - Peacefrog (10 points)
3. Darren Hayes - The Tension and the Spark (10 points)
4. Villalobos - Thé au Harem d'Archimède - Perlon (10 points)
5. Helios - Unomia (10 points)
6. Pantha Du Prince - Diamond Daze - Dial (10 points)
7. Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin (10 points)
8. S - Puking and Crying (10 points)
9. Eluvium - An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death - Temporary Residence (10 points)
10. Slipknot - Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses (10 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Undo and Vicknoise - "Happy Monday"
2. Jim Jones - "Crunk Muzik"
3. Fox and Wolf - "Youth Alcoholic"
4. Ada - "Lovelace"
5. Wonder and Kano - "What Have You Done?"
6. Caparezza - "Fuori dal Tunnel"
7. Girls Aloud - "The Show"
8. Gwen Stefani - "What Are You Waiting For?"
9. Basement Jaxx - "Good Luck"
10. Magnet / Wighnomy Brothers - "Speicher 19" - Kompakt Extra

Oh fuck. I forgot the apostrophe, didn't I?

Albums:
1. M.I.A./Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. I - no label (15 points)
2. Keren Ann - Not Going Anywhere - Blue Note (14 points)
3. DNA - DNA On DNA - No More Records (14 points)
4. - Compilation #2 - DFA (12 points)
5. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL (10 points)
6. Wiley - Treddin' On Thin Ice - XL (10 points)
7. Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill - Anti (8 points)
8. RJD2 - Since We Last Spoke - Definitive Jux (6 points)
9. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Roc-A-Fella (6 points)
10. Bebel Gilberto - Bebel Gilberto - Six Degrees (5 points)

Singles:

1. Lady Sovereign - "A Little Bit of Shh"
2. Jay-Z - "99 Problems" - Roc-A-Fella
3. M.I.A. - "Galang" - XL
4. Lil Flip - "Game Over" - Sony
5. N.O.R.E. feat. Nina Sky and Tego Calderon - "Oye Mi Canto" - Def Jam
6. Steve Earle - "F the CC" - Artemis
7. Streets - "Fit But You Know It" - Vice/Atlantic
8. Rachel Stevens - "Some Girls" - Polydor
9. Akon feat. Styles P - "Locked Up" - Universal
10. Usher feat. Lil Jon and Ludacris - "Yeah" - La Face

1. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Sanctuary (15 points)
2. Ghostface - The Pretty Toney Album - Def Jam (14 points)
3. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL (13 points)
4. Gretchen Wilson - Here for the Party - Sony (13 points)
5. Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose - Interscope (10 points)
6. Madvillain - Madvillainy - Stones Throw (10 points)
7. M.I.A./Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 - Hollertronix (10 points)
8. Arcade Fire - Funeral - Merge (5 points)
9. Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles - 5 Rue Christine (5 points)
10. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Roc-a-Fella (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Ghostface f/ Jadakiss - "Run" - Def Jam
2. Usher f/ Ludacris and Lil' Jon - "Yeah!" - La Face
3. Annie - "Chewing Gum" - 679
4. The Knife - "Heartbeats" - Rabid
5. Twista f/ Kanye West and Jamie Foxx - "Slow Jamz" - Atlantic
6. T.I. - "Rubber Band Man" - Atlantic
7. M.I.A. - "Galang" - XL
8. Kevin Lyttle - "Turn Me On" - Atlantic
9. Avril Lavigne - "My Happy Ending" - Arista
10. Nelly f/ Tim McGraw - "Over and Over" – Universal

1. Brian Wilson - Brian Wilson Presents "SMiLE" - Nonesuch (20 points)
2. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Roc-a-Fella (15 points)
3. Wilco - A Ghost is Born - Nonesuch (15 points)
4. David Banner - MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water - Universal (10 points)
5. Magnetic Fields - i - Nonesuch (10 points)
6. Lil' Flip - U Gotta Feel Me - Columbia (10 points)
7. Air - Talkie Walkie - Astralwerks (5 points)
8. Bjork - Medulla - Atlantic (5 points)
9. Thrills - Let's Bottle Boehemia - Virgin (5 points)
10. Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill - Anti- (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Franz Ferdinand - ""Take Me Out"" - Epic
2. Kanye West - ""Jesus Walks"" - Roc-a-fella
3. Modest Mouse - ""Float On"" - Epic
4. Lil' Flip - ""Game Over"" - Columbia
5. Fiery Furnaces - ""Paw Paw Tree"" - Sanctuary
6. Velvet Revolver - ""Slither"" - RCA
7. U2 - ""Vertigo"" - Interscope
8. Green Day - ""American Idiot"" - Geffen
9. Lloyd Banks - ""I'm So Fly"" - G-Unit/Shady
10. Snow Patrol - ""Spitting Games"" - A&M

1. Britney Spears - "Toxic" - Jive
2. Federation - "Hyphy" - Virgin
3. Kanye West - "All Falls Down" - Roc-A-Fella
4. Slim Thug, feat. Bun B. and T.I. - "Three Kings" - TVT
5. N.O.R.E. feat. Nina Sky and Tego Calderon - "Oye Mi Canto" - Def Jam
6. R. Kelly - "Happy People" - Jive
7. Christina Milian - "Dip It Low" - Island
8. Ciara - "Goodies" - La Face
9. Elephant Man - "Yuh Nuh Badmind" - Vendetta
10. Juvenile feat. Soulja Slim - "Slow Motion" - Universal

Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free - Vice/Atlantic (30 points)
2. Junior Boys - Last Exit - Kin/Domino (10 points)
3. Concretes - Concretes - Astralwerks (10 points)
4. - DFA Compilation #2 - DFA (10 points)
5. Annie - Anniemal - 679 (10 points)
6. The Go! Team - Thunder Lightning Strike - Memphis Industries (10 points)
7. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL Recordings (5 points)
8. Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender - Drag City (5 points)
9. - Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats - Essay (5 points)
10. Girls Aloud - What Will the Neighbors Say? - Universal (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Annie - "Heartbeat" - 679
2. Rachel Stevens - "Some Girls" - Universal
3. T.I. - "Rubber Band Man" - Atlantic
4. M.I.A. - "Galang" - Showbiz/XL
5. Belle and Sebastian - "I'm a Cuckoo [by the Avalanches]" - Rough Trade
6. Justus Kohncke feat. Meloboy - "Hot Love/Frei" - Kompakt
7. Alicia Keys - "You Don't Know My Name/Will You Ever Know It? (Reggae Mix)" - VP
8. Concretes - "Chico (Avalanches 'Wernhem Hogg' Remix)" - EMI
9. Lady Sovereign - "Ch-Ching (Cheque 1, 2)" - Casual
10. Love Is All - "Make Out Fall Out Make Up" - What's Your Rupture

Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. Brian Wilson - Smile - Nonesuch (22 points)
2. Ghost - Hypnotic Underworld - Drag City (16 points)
3. R.E.M. - Around the Sun - Warner Brothers (11 points)
4. Homosexuals - Astral Glamour - hyped2death (9 points)
5. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Rough Trade (8 points)
6. Camper Van Beethoven - New Roman Times - Vanguard (8 points)
7. Homestead and Wolfe - Our Times - Anopheles (8 points)
8. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand - Domino (6 points)
9. Electrelane - The Power Out - Too Pure (6 points)
10. Lansing-Dreiden - The Incomplete Triangle - Kemado (6 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. R.E.M. - "Leaving New York" - Warner Brothers
2. OutKast - "Roses" - La Face
3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Y Control" - Interscope
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Maps" - Interscope
5. Franz Ferdinand - "Take Me Out" - Domino
6. Sean Paul - "I'm Still in Love With You" - Atlantic
7. Killers - "Mr. Bright Side" - Island
8. Killers - "Somebody Told Me" - Island
9. Postal Service - "Such Great Heights" - Sub Pop
10. Modest Mouse - "Float on" - Epic

1. United State of Electronica - United State of Electronica - Mannheim (21 points)
2. Gretchen Wilson - Here for the Party - Epic (13 points)
3. - DFA Compilation #2 - DFA (12 points)
4. The Hold Steady - The Hold Steady Almost Killed Me - Frenchkiss (11 points)
5. Devin the Dude - To Tha X-Treme - Rap-a-Lot (11 points)
6. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free - Vice (7 points)
7. - Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats - Essay import (7 points)
8. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse - DGC (7 points)
9. Big & Rich - Horse of a Different Color - Warner Bros. Nashville (6 points)
10. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Roc-a-Fella (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Black Leotard Front - "Casual Friday" - DFA
2. Gretchen Wilson - "Redneck Woman" - Epic
3. Jay-Z - "99 Problems" - Roc-a-Fella
4. Portobella - "Covered in Punk" - Island import
5. M.I.A. - "Galang" - XL
6. Usher ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris - "Yeah!" - LaFace
7. Brandy ft. Kanye West - "Talk About Our Love" - Atlantic
8. Britney Spears - "Toxic" - Jive
9. The Walkmen - "The Rat" - Record Collection
10. Big & Rich - "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" - Warner Bros. Nashville

1. Nellie McKay - Get Away From Me - Columbia (18 points)
2. Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives - Interscope (14 points)
3. Bumblebeez 81 - Printz - Modular (13 points)
4. Trouble Everyday - Days Vs. Nights - Turnstile (10 points)
5. Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free - Vice (10 points)
6. Tegan And Sara - So Jealous - Vapor (9 points)
7. I Am The World Trade Center - The Cover-Up - Gammon (7 points)
8. Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed - 4AD (7 points)
9. Travis Morrison - Travistan - Barsuk (6 points)
10. Kimya Dawson - Hidden Vagenda - K (6 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Usher - "Burn" - Arista
2. John Mayer - "Clarity" - Aware
3. Britney Spears - "Toxic" - Jive
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Y Control" - Interscope
5. Pitbull Feat. Lil Jon - "Culo" - TVT
6. J-Kwon - "Tipsy" - So So Def
7. Missy Elliott - "I'm Really Hot" - Elektra
8. Liz Phair - "Extraordinary" - Capitol
9. Bowling For Soup - "1985" - Jive
10. Big & Rich - "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)" - Warner Brothers

Big & Rich, Horse Of A Different Color
Devin The Dude, To The X-Treme
Franz Ferdinand, Franz Ferdinand
Ghostface, The Pretty Toney Album
Hot Snakes, Audit In Progress
Interpol, Antics
Junior Boys, Last Exit
The Talk, It's Like Magic In Reverse
Trick Daddy, Thug Matrimony
Wiley, Treddin' On Thin Ice

Beyonce feat. Lil Flip - "Naughty Girl (Remix)"
Vanessa Carlton - "White Houses"
Counting Crows - "Accidentally In Love"
D-12 "My Band"
Fall - "Theme From Sparta F.C."
Franz Ferdinand - "Take Me Out"
Maroon 5 - "She Will Be Loved"
Modest Mouse - "Float On"
Travis Tritt & John Mellencamp - "What Say You"
Ying Yang Twins - "Salt Shaker"

1. Erlend Øye - DJ-Kicks - !K7 (16 points)
2. United State of Electronica - United State of Electronica - Mannheim (14 points)
3. Gretchen Wilson - Here For The Party - Epic (13 points)
4. R. Kelly - Happy People/U Saved Me - Jive (13 points)
5. M.I.A./Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism, Volume 1 - Hollertronix (12 points)
6. Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose - Interscope (9 points)
7. Dykehouse - Midrange - Ghostly International (8 points)
8. Junior Boys - Last Exit - KIN/Domino (5 points)
9. Trick Daddy - Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets - Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic (5 points)
10. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse - Geffen (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell - "Drop It Like It's Hot" - Doggystyle/Geffen
2. Alicia Keys - "If I Ain't Got You" - J
3. Alan Braxe & Fred Falke - "Rubicon" - Virgin (UK)
4. Big & Rich - "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)" - Warner Bros.
5. Destiny's Child - "Lose My Breath" - Columbia
6. Mya featuring Chingy - "Fallen (Zone 4 Remix)" - Interscope
7. Jay-Z - "99 Problems" - Roc-A-Fella
8. Usher - "Confessions Part II" - LaFace
9. Gretchen Wilson - "Here For The Party" - Epic
10. Kanye West - "Through The Wire" - Roc-A-Fella

1. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Rough Trade (15 points)
2. Madvillain - Madvillainy - Stones Throw (15 points)
3. Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free - Vice (15 points)
4. RJD2 - Since We Last Spoke - Definitive Jux (10 points)
5. Ghostface - The Pretty Toney Album - Def Jam (10 points)
6. TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes - Touch & Go (10 points)
7. Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News - Sony (10 points)
8. Death From Above 1979 - You're A Woman, I'm A Machine - Vice (5 points)
9. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL Recordings (5 points)
10. M.I.A - Piracy Funds Terrorism - no label (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah (Crass Version)" - DFA
2. Bloc Party - "Banquet" - Dim Mak
3. TV on the Radio - "Ambulance" - Touch & Go
4. Walkmen - "The Rat" - Record Collection
5. Liars - "There's Always Room On The Broom" - Mute
6. Fox & Wolf - "Youth Alcoholic"
7. Mclusky - "She Will Only Bring You Happiness" - Too Pure
8. Blood Brothers - "Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck" - V2
9. Ghostface - "Run" - Def Jam
10. M.I.A - "Galang" - XL

josh love and i need to go for drinks somehow

1. Bersuit Vergabarat - La Argentinidad al Palo - Universal Latino (10 points)
2. Yolanda Perez - Aqui Me Tienes - Fonovisa (10 points)
3. Tanya Stephens - Gangsta Blues - VP (10 points)
4. Allison Moorer - The Duel - Sugar Hill (10 points)
5. Chingo Bling - The Tamale Kingpin - Big Chile Enterprises (10 points)
6. Daniela Mercury - Carnaval Eletronico - BMG Brasil (10 points)
7. Paulina Rubio - Pau-Latina - Universal Latino (10 points)
8. T.I. - Urban Legend - Grand Hustle/Atlantic (10 points)
9. The Ike Reilly Assassination - Sparkle in the Finish - Rock Ridge (10 points)
10. Traband - Hyje! - Indies (10 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Grupo Climax - "El Za Za Za (Mesa Que Mas Aplauda)" - Balboa
2. Anthony Hamilton - "Charlene" - Arista
3. Ciara f/ Missy Elliott - "1, 2 Step" - LaFace
4. Los Tigres del Norte - "Jose Perez Leon" - Fonovisa
5. Dani Siciliano - "Walk the Line" - K7!
6. Big & Rich - "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" - Warner Bros.
7. Inspector - "Ska Voovee Boobie Baby" - Universal Latino
8. Usher - "Burn" - Arista
9. Avril Lavigne - "My Happy Ending" - Arista
10. Jadakiss f/ Anthony Hamilton - "Why" - Ruff Ryders/Interscope

Ain't no one inviting me out for any drinks!

Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. Junior Boys - Last Exit - Kin (16 points)
2. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse - Geffen (13 points)
3. Phoenix - Alphabetical - Source/Astralwerks (13 points)
4. Bark Psychosis - Codename: Dustsucker - Fire (13 points)
5. Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender - Drag City (10 points)
6. Luomo - The Present Lover - Kinetic (10 points)
7. Erlend Oye - DJ Kicks - !K7 (8 points)
8. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Roc-A-Fella (7 points)
9. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs - Fat Cat (5 points)
10. United State of Electronica - United State of Electronica - Sonic Boom (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Britney Spears - "Toxic" - Jive
2. Annie - "Heartbeat" - 679
3. Kings of Convenience - "I'd Rather Dance With You" - Astralwerks
4. Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For" - Interscope
5. Jon Brion - "Phone Call" - Hollywood
6. Phoenix - "Everything is Everything" - Source/Astralwerks
7. Animal Collective - "Who Could Win a Rabbit" - Fat Cat
8. M.I.A. - "Galang" - XL
9. Trick Daddy ft. Lil Jon and Twista - "Let's Go" - Atlantic
10. Nina Sky - "Move Ya Body" - Universal

Albums:
V/A: Mei Lwun - Uno Records
Teedra Moses - Complex Simplicity
Dizzee Rascal - Showtime
Junior Boys - Last Exit
M.I.A. & Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism
Stina Nordenstam - The World Is Saved
Trick Daddy - Thug Matrimony: Married To The Streets
Lhasa - The Living Road
V/A: M.A.N.D.Y. - Get Physical 2nd Anniversary Compilation
The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free

Singles:
Vybz Kartel - Picture This
Ada - Lovelace
T.I. - Rubberband Man
T.O.K. - Sex On My Mind
Britney Spears - Toxic
Freeform Five - Strangest Things
Rachel Stevens - Some Girls
Memphis Bleek - Yes
Annie - My Heartbeat
Noreaga ft. Nina Sky etc. - Oye Mi Canto

And I'm definitely buying Matt a beer if I'm ever in his area code, just for letting me scribble in his basketbrawl blog, surely we'd shed a few tears for the fact that both our hometown teams (Hawks and Bucks) suck hard.

man I think we need
some kind of mega-fappage:
CHICAGO IN JUNE!

Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. Fennesz - Venice - Touch (20 points)
2. Cure - The Cure - Geffen (10 points)
3. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Downside Up - Polydor/Universal (10 points)
4. Morrissey - You Are the Quarry - Attack (10 points)
5. Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands - Young God (10 points)
6. Annie - Anniemal - 679 Recordings (10 points)
7. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL/Matador (10 points)
8. Stereolab - Margarine Eclipse - Elektra (10 points)
9. Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed - 4AD (5 points)
10. Pig Destroyer - Terrifyer - Relapse (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Petey Pablo - "Get On Dis Motorcycle" - Jive
2. Destiny's Child - "Lose My Breath" - Sony
3. Annie - "Heartbeat" - 679 Recordings
4. Annie - "Chewing Gum" - 679 Recordings
5. Naum Gabo - "Red Cones"
6. Streets - "Fit But You Know It" - 679/Vice/Atlantic
7. M. Mayer - "Happiness (remixes)" - Kompakt
8. Morrissey - "First of the Gang to Die" - Attack
9. Alcazar - "This is the World We Live In" - BMG
10. Anla Courtis - ""...Y El Resplandor De La Luz No Conoce Limites"" - 267 Lattajiaa

(Though I suppose it is "My Heartbeat" not "Heartbeat")

1. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Roc-A-Fella (21 points)
2. R. Kelly - Happy People/U Saved Me - Jive (18 points)
3. Big & Rich - Horse of a Different Color - Warner Bros. (18 points)
4. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse - DGC (10 points)
5. - Resident Evil: Apocalypse - Roadrunner (7 points)
6. Kronos Quartet - Alban Berg: Lyric Suite - Nonesuch (6 points)
7. Julie Roberts - Julie Roberts - Mercury (5 points)
8. Gretchen Wilson - Here For the Party - Epic (5 points)
9. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - A School of Bluegrass - Crossroads (5 points)
10. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Jay-Z - "99 Problems" - Roc-A-Fella
2. Martina McBride - "This One's For the Girls" - RCA Nashville
3. Vanessa Carlton - "White Houses" - A&M
4. Keane - "Someplace Only We Know" - Interscope
5. J-Kwon - "Tipsy" - So So Def
6. Kanye West - "Through the Wire" - Roc-A-Fella
7. Big & Rich - "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" - Warner Bros.
8. R. Kelly - "3-Way Phone Call (featuring Kelly Price, Kim Burrell, and Maurice Mahon)" - Jive
9. Kenny Chesney - "There Goes My Life" - BNA
10. Killswitch Engage - "The End of Heartache" - Roadrunner

So, Ned...who is this Anla Courtis person?

Anla Courtis = one of the characters behind the now-disbanded Reynols.

1. M.I.A. vs. Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1 - no label (15 points)
2. Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles - 5 Rue Christine (15 points)
3. Ada - Blondie - Areal (10 points)
4. Fall - The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click) - Narnack (10 points)
5. Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour - Rough Trade (10 points)
6. Lucien-N-Luciano - Blind Behaviour - Peacefrog (10 points)
7. Destroyer - Your Blues - Merge (10 points)
8. cLOUDDEAD - Ten - Mush (5 points)
9. Junior Boys - Last Exit - Kin/Domino (10 points)
10. Danger Mouse - The Grey Album - no label (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Morrissey - "First of the Gang to Die" - Attack
2. Ciara f/Ludacris - "Oh" - LaFace
3. Junior Boys - "High Come Down" - Kin/Domino
4. Ada - "Cool My Fire (I'm Burning)" - Areal
5. Ce'Cile - "Rude Bwoy Thug Life" - Germaican
6. Of Montreal - "Rapture Rapes the Muses" - Polyvinyl
7. Gold Chains and Sue Cie - "California Nites" - Kill Rock Stars
8. M.I.A. - "Galang" - XL
9. Har Mar Superstar - "DUI" - Record Collection
10. Soft Pink Truth - "Do They Owe Us A Living?" - Tigerbeat6

1. Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour - Rough Trade (10 points)
2. Devendra Banhart - Nino Rojo - Young God (10 points)
3. Felix Da Housecat - Devin Dazzle and the Neon Fever - Rykodisc (10 points)
4. Earlies - These Were the Earlies - WEA (10 points)
5. Quarks - Quarksland - Home (10 points)
6. S - Puking and Crying - Suicide Squeeze (10 points)
7. Guild League - Inner North - Matinee (10 points)
8. Moonbabies - The Orange Billboard - Hidden Agenda (10 points)
9. Brunettes - Mars Loves Venus - Lil' Chief (10 points)
10. Hidden Cameras - Mississauga Goddam - Rough Trade (10 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Bloc Party - "Banquet" - Moshi Moshi
2. LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah" - DFA
3. Delays - "Long Time Coming" - Rough Trade
4. Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris - "Yeah" - La Face
5. Snoop Dogg feat. Pharell - "Drop It Like It's Hot" - Geffen
6. Tears For Fears - "Call Me Mellow" - New Door
7. Annie - "Heartbeat" - 679
8. Lo-Fi-FNK - "Unighted"
9. Supergrass - "Kiss Of Life" - Capitol
10. Kylie - "I Believe In You" - Parlophone

nah, the album's got just as much good stuff near the end as toward the start, and "there goes" (which is indeed a beaut) may well be only the third or fourth best single on the thing - i lost count. album got 6 points on my ballot; the only other country album i voted for, big & rich, got the first 30 i've ever given. (voted for five country singles out of ten, though.)

Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. Big & Rich - Horse Of A Different Color - Warner Bros. (30 points)
2. The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Rough Trade (10 points)
3. Keren Ann - Not Going Anywhere - Metro Blue (10 points)
4. The Homosexuals - Astral Glamour - Messthetics (10 points)
5. 15.60.75 - Jimmy Bell's Still In Town - Hearthan (10 points)
6. David Thomas & Two Pale Boys - 18 Monkeys On A Dead Man's Chest - Smog Veil/Hearthan (10 points)
7. Orphaned Land - Mabool - Century Media (5 points)
8. Tarentel - We Move Through Weather - Temporary Residence (5 points)
9. The Gris Gris - The Gris Gris - Birdman (5 points)
10. Das Oath - Das Oath - Dim Mak (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Destiny's Child featuring T.I. & Lil Wayne - "Soldier"
2. Gretchen Wilson - "Redneck Woman"
3. George Strait - "I Hate Everything"
4. Gretchen Wilson - "Here For The Party"
5. Destiny's Child - "Lose My Breath"
6. Jay-Z - "99 Problems"
7. Britney Spears - "Toxic"
8. Big & Rich - "Rollin'(The Ballad Of Big & Rich)"
9. Big & Rich - "Save A Horse(Ride A Cowboy)"
10. M.I.A. - "Galang"

1. Big & Rich - Horse of a Different Color - Warner Bros. (30 points)
2. - Monster Records: The Seventies Sampler - Monster (15 points)
3. M.I.A. / Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism Volume 1 - no label (11 points)
4. Yolanda Perez - Aqui Me Tienes - Univision/Fonovisa (10 points)
5. - Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats - Essay import (8 points)
6. Kenny Chesney - When the Sun Goes Down - BNA (6 points)
7. Red Swan - After the Barn Goes - Isoxys (5 points)
8. Skye Sweetnam - Noise From the Basement - Capitol (5 points)
9. Trick Daddy - Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets - Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic (5 points)
10. Rick Springfield - Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance - Gomer (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Big & Rich - "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" - Warner Bros.
2. M.I.A. - "Galang" - XL
3. Yolanda Perez con Don Cheto - "Estoy Enamorada" - Univision/Fonovisa
4. Martina McBride - "This One's for the Girls" - RCA
5. Chris Ryan - "East Coast Liner" - Premium Issue Recordings
6. Toby Keith - "Whiskey Girl" - Dreamworks
7. Terri Clark - "Girls Lie Too" - Mercury
8. Myxcha - "Still Not Free" - Phenom
9. Gretchen Wilson - "Redneck Woman" - Epic
10. Phat Sk8trax - "Boogie Back Rap" - skate101.com

I didn't vote for Masta Ace or the Booty Beats comp. Those were thisclose to making my list.

Mark P, your votes have been recorded.
Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free - Vice/Atlantic (14 points)
2. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL (12 points)
3. Junior Boys - Last Exit - Domino (12 points)
4. Air - Talkie Walkie - Virgin (12 points)
5. Max Richter - The Blue Notebooks - Fatcat (10 points)
6. M.I.A. & Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism - no label (10 points)
7. Fennesz - Venice - Touch (8 points)
8. Wiley - Treddin' On Thin Ice - XL (8 points)
9. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans - Sounds Familyre (8 points)
10. Superpitcher - Here Comes Love - Kompakt (6 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Usher - "Yeah" - Arista
2. Jay-Z - "99 Problems" - Rockafella
3. Snoop Dogg - "Drop It Like It's Hot" - Startrak
4. Girls Aloud - "The Show"
5. Dizzee Rascal - "Stand Up Tall" - XL
6. Justus Kohncke - "Timecode" - Kompakt
7. Crime Mob - "Knuck If You Buck" - Reprise
8. Alan Braxe & Fred Falke - "Rubicon" - Virgin
9. Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For (Jacques Lu Cont remix)"
10. J-Kwon - "Tipsy" - So So Def

Even *I* know this is true and I'm awfully rap/hip-hop challenged. ;) I think 99 Problems is the most "rock" rap/hip-hop single of the year.

Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. Stars - Set Yourself on Fire - Arts & Crafts (30 points)
2. Arcade Fire - Funeral - Merge (15 points)
3. Tom Waits - Real Gone - Anti- (10 points)
4. Hidden Cameras - Mississauga Goddam - Rough Trade (9 points)
5. Raising the Fawn - The North Sea - Sonic Unyon (8 points)
6. Madvillain - Madvillainy - Stones Throw (7 points)
7. Lhasa - The Living Road - Audiogram (6 points)
8. Magnetic Fields - I - Nonesuch (5 points)
9. Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed - 4AD (5 points)
10. Rheostatics - 2067 - Perimeter (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Stars - "Ageless Beauty" - Arts & Crafts
2. William Shatner - "Common People" - Shout! Factory
3. Gwen Stefani - "What Are You Waiting For?" - Interscope
4. Courtney Love - "Mono" - Virgin
5. U2 - "Vertigo" - Interscope
6. k-Os - "B-Boy Stance" - Astralwerks
7. Steve Earle - "F the CC" - E-Squared
8. Dead Prez - "Hell Yeah (Pimp the System)" - Sony
9. Eminem - "Mosh" - Aftermath
10. Wyclef Jean - "Fortunate Son" - Varese Sarabande

1. Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender - Drag City (14 points)
2. Luciano Cilio - Dell’Universo Assente - dieSchachtel (10 points)
3. Arthur Russell - World of Echo - Audika (10 points)
4. - Princess Nicotine - Sublime Frequencies (10 points)
5. M.I.A./Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1 - no label (10 points)
6. Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands/Niño Rojo - Young God (10 points)
7. Junior Boys - Last Exit - KIN/Domino (10 points)
8. Streets - A Grand Don’t Come for Free - Vice/Atlantic (10 points)
9. Ghostface - The Pretty Toney Album - Def Jam (8 points)
10. Brian Wilson - SMiLE - Nonesuch (8 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Usher featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris - "Yeah" - LaFace
2. LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah (Crass Version)" - DFA
3. M.I.A. - "Galang" - XL
4. Jay-Z - "99 Problems" - Roc-A-Fella
5. Britney Spears - "Toxic" - Jive
6. Annie - "Heartbeat" - 679
7. Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For?" - Interscope
8. Ce'Cile - "Hot Like We" - Greensleeves
9. Petey Pablo feat. Bubba Sparxxx - "Get on dis Motorcycle" - Jive
10. Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell - "Drop It Like It’s Hot" - Startrak

1. M.I.A. - Piracy Funds Terrorism Volume 1 - no label (16 points)
2. Homosexuals - Astral Glamour - Messthetics/Morphius (15 points)
3. Thermals - Fuckin A - Sub Pop (13 points)
4. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Rough Trade (12 points)
5. Arthur Russell - Calling Out of Context - Audika (11 points)
6. Madvillain - Madvillainy - Stones Throw (9 points)
7. IQU - Sun Q - Sonic Boom (8 points)
8. Deerhoof - Milk Man - Kill Rock Stars (6 points)
9. Danger Mouse - The Grey Album - no label (5 points)
10. Sagor & Swing - Orgelplaneten - HÀpna (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Belle & Sebastian - "I'm a Cuckoo (by the Avalanches)" - Rough Trade
2. Black Leotard Front - "Casual Friday" - DFA
3. Boredoms - "Seadrum" - WEA Japan
4. Destiny's Child - "Lose My Breath" - Sony
5. Fiery Furnaces - "Chris Michaels" - Rough Trade
6. Sharon Jones with the Dap-Kings - "Genuine" - Dap-Tone
7. Mountain Goats - "Dance Music" - no label
8. Pipettes - "It Hurts 2 C U Dance So Well" - no label
9. Soulwax - "NY Excuse" - PIAS
10. Thermals - "End to Begin" - Sub Pop

OMG. Is this some sort of joke?!? This is the single most cringe-worthy, avert your ears, slink out of the room while its playing track ever recorded in the history of man!

If I had no shame I'd sing this at karoake and possibly gesture towards my crotch on the chorus.

Has this already been released as a double set, Andy?

I love you, sir.

Animal Collective were...all right. But I'd rather listen to stuff on Time-Lag.

Dizzee would make a cool number one! But people will still be voting for his first album this year, no? And that would cut the number of his votes. His first one is still making people's year-end lists.

Well, gosh, thanks! I do appreciate it -- just something that came to mind and had to be said. :-)

Well, I voted for him because I think he actually created a really good album this time around, instead of a way way WAY overhyped one last time through. This is, however, just me. ;-)

Tolkien, the original rockist music critic

1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues / The Lyre Of Orpheus - Anti (23 points)
2. Paybacks - Harder and Harder - Get Hip (17 points)
3. Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me - Frenchkiss (14 points)
4. Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart - Virgin (10 points)
5. 50 Foot Wave - 50 Foot Wave - Throwing Music (8 points)
6. Donnas - Gold Medal - Atlantic (7 points)
7. Moments in Grace - Moonlight Survived - Atlantic (6 points)
8. Pitty Sing - you are the stars in cars ‘til I die - Or. Music (5 points)
9. Turing Machine - Zwei - Frenchkiss (5 points)
10. Fever - Red Bedroom - Kemado (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - "There She Goes, My Beautiful World" - Anti
2. Courtney Love - "Mono" - Virgin
3. Gretchen Wilson - "Redneck Woman" - Epic
4. Usher f. Ludacris and Lil Jon - "Yeah" - Arista
5. Britney Spears - "Toxic" - Jive
6. Jay-Z - "99 Problems" - Roc-A-Fella
7. Pitty Sing - "Radio" - Or. Music
8. Moments In Grace - "Stratus" - Atlantic
9. Bad Religion - "Los Angeles is Burning" - Epitaph
10. Incubus - "Megalomaniac" - Sony

jorge ben's new one
(released in december) and
new rachid taha!

PJ Harvey's To Bring You My Love was released Valentine's Day 1995 and won P&J that year.

Ned the Tolkein post was awesome.

And like I said, what it's become is 'the great lost album' and actually even more besides, the thing rumored about, obsessed over, reconstructed but impossible to specifically pin down -- a continuum *rather than* a fixed point. To resurrect the Tolkien comparison again, The Silmarillion existed as an already highly reduced manuscript drawn on a slew of prose and poetry dating back to 1917 when Tolkien first sought a publisher for it in the early 1930s. By the time that there was sufficient demand for it, many decades later, Tolkien had, at his own pace and as he felt like it, had revised, rewritten, and towards the end of his life completely demolished and began to reconstruct the entire legendarium from ground zero or near to it. There is no Silmarillion as a fixed point and never can be and never will be -- it became something that flowed beyond specific bounds, and its 'digressions' now have as much in the way of possibility and contemplation as 'the real thing.'

Similarly, but not exactly, with Smile. Unlike The Silmarillion, publicly presented first as a sole, core text, Smile first appeared in fragments, fits, starts -- but also, crucially and very much unlike The Silmarillion, did so in an atmosphere *not* pinned down to it being 'the great lost album,' or rather not one with a groaningly oppressive decades-long pile of rhetoric dumped on it. It was highly anticipated, of course, but it wasn't mythic. If Sgt. Pepper's was the artifact of the summer of 1967 that's been overdetermined by its presence, Smile is the one overdetermined by its absence, but that has come with time in both cases. At the time, there was flow and fragmentation, the albums demanded by Capitol to fulfill contracts rather than to try and present some sort of formal explanation/exculpation of the failure of Smile to appear. (You think Capitol as an entity gave a flying fuck for the possibility of later box sets or definitive overviews or any of that? Of course not! How could they? They just wanted more albums delivered on time as demanded from what up until then seemed to be a bottomless source of regular revenue.) And so things keep stumbling out and mostly the albums that showcase either bits of Smile or random sessions thereafter go for the most part unbought and thoroughly ignored while the band keeps straining to find its place until Endless Summer locks them down as a functioning entity into an oldies act, forever. And only in retrospect, as the books get written and the interviews are made and more bootlegs surface and albums get reissued and reissued again, does the whole combination of the Brian Wilson/Smile myth -- the breakdown or beginning of it, the lost sessions, the scraps and bits -- all start to coalesce as this experience, this weird shimmering glow just beyond perception, but that everyone focuses on as the thing which will explain it all, somehow.

That's what Smile has become. There is no 'finished' Smile.

Which makes me still not really want to hear the record.

(I liked The Silmarillion, though.)

same here (maybe top 25-30). i'm supposed to hate shit like that but it's really irresistible. SO much hipper than that futureheads album, which i don't feel guilty about saying i don't particularly love.

Along with the thai beat a go-go album that dandy don allred taped me.

the great songs on this were great, and the others were expendable. they probably could have mined a little further and come up with something extraordinary.

Of course, the new SMiLE IS greater than the old, though! The new version was a fantastic project filled with great spirit. Part of the difference between the perception of the old, mythical SMiLE and the new version is that the old SMiLE is inaccessible, not only because it wasn't finished, but also because it belongs to the past. The new version, on the other hand, is real and not a myth. You can go see them play the thing live. Forty years from now, the new version will be inaccessible, too, and then it will seem all the more fantastic and precious.

YF: For me...the first Trux LP, or the second for that matter, is just one of those great, undefinable albums like Half Gentlemen, Not Beasts or the Cro-Magnon album or Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica...One thing that enters your mind as you listen is the "fly on the wall" thing. What happened? What were they trying to do? What was the creative process like, etc.

NH: "What happened? What were they talking about? What were the inspirations?"...which is just something like "What is going on in their brains?" That is what makes us and that is the thing that you can never touch.

Er...and the original didn't have 'great spirit'? Hell, anyone can entire a studio and feel all jazzed up and think, "Hey, we're going to record a great album here!" and the end result is a steamy shitball.

Jody, if you haven't heard it and you ever see it or can download it, pick up the cambodian comp that came out 5 or 6 years ago. i think it's called cambodia rocks. i think it's even better than the thai one. same era of stuff. similar styles. more out and out rock/psych.

3. Various Artists - Cambodian Cassette Archives: Khmer Folk & Pop Music Vol. 1 (Sublime Frequencies)

Cool! That's a great one, isn't it? If you need a mind-blowing early-60's French recording of Vietnamese hill people that is more psychedelic than the state of California in 1967, lemme know. It's trance in the raw at its finest. I could make you a tape. (when ned reads this he'll ask where his music is that i still haven't sent him, but we will ignore him. my new year's resolution is to be more prompt.)

"Er...and the original didn't have 'great spirit'?"

I wasn't saying that in the least.

Haha, JBR, I feel the same way! But I had slim pickins this year as far as stuff that I really really loved and was impressed by.

Mainstream rock has gone further down the crapper (I don't get the Switchfoot appeal, I just don't) and even independent stuff is very "meh." Punk did okay -- albums by The Fight and Lars' Bastards and Hot Snakes and Social Distortion narrowly missed my Top 10. I really liked half the Gretchen Wilson album and half the Gram Rabbit album. If we could vote on half albums that kicked ass, I'd have had a *much* easier time making up a list.

ALBUMS

1. Xiu Xiu -- Fabulous Muscles (18 pts)
2. Felix da Housecat -- Devin Dazzle and the Neon Fever (15 pts)
3. Beef Terminal -- The Isolationist (13 pts)
4. Oren Ambarchi -- Grapes from the Estates (11 pts)
5. The Arcade Fire -- Funeral (10 pts)
6. Death in Vegas -- Satan's Circus (9 pts)
7. Orbital -- Blue Album (7 pts)
8. Jake Fairley -- Touch Not the Cat (7 pts)
9. Tim Hecker -- Mirages (5 pts)
10. März -- Wir Sind Hier (5 pts)

I haven't made up a singles list -- the list I sent in for the ILX poll had some non-singles on it -- but hey, it's a fake ballot anyway.

Tell me more about März

1. Sun City Girls - Carnival Folklore Resurrection Radio 11/12 -
Abduction (10 points)
2. The Gris Gris - The Gris Gris - Birdman (10 points)
3. Monoshock - Runnin' Ape-Like From the Backwards Superman - S-S (10
points)
4. Isaiah Owens - You Without Sin Cast the First Stone - Case Quarter (10
points)
5. Jay Munly - Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots - Alternative Tentacles (10
points)
6. Konono No. 1 - Lubuaku - Terp (10 points)
7. The Homosexuals - Astral Glamour - Hyped 2 Death (10 points)
8. Witchcraft - Witchcraft - TMC (10 points)
9. Hearts of Darknesses - Music For Drunk Driving - Schematic (10 points)
10. Comets On Fire - Blue Cathedral - Sub Pop (10 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Ari Up - "True Warrior" - For Us
2. Lady Sovereign - "A Little Bit of Shush" - White Label
3. psi - "Golden Showers" - Evolving Ear
4. Drop the Lime - "1 For the Team" - Broklyn Beats
5. Nurse With Wound - "Having Fun With the Prince of Darkness" - United
Durtro/Jnana
6. Circle - "Circle/Elcric" - Fonal
7. Connoisseurs - "UV" - Dis-Joint
8. Pedestrian - "The Toss and Turn" - Anticon
9. Diamatregon - "Charognard" - Paragon Int'l/Agonia
10. Stromba - "Giddy Up" - Fatcat

Joseph McCombs, your votes have been recorded.
Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand - Domino (27 points)
2. Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters - Universal (15 points)
3. Prince - Musicology - NPG/Columbia (10 points)
4. - Parkinsong Volume One: 38 Songs of Hope - Ryko (10 points)
5. Morrissey - You Are the Quarry - Attack (7 points)
6. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News - Epic (7 points)
7. Tears for Fears - Everybody Loves a Happy Ending - New Door (7 points)
8. Thrills - Let's Bottle Bohemia - Virgin (7 points)
9. Jamie Cullum - Twentysomething - Verve (5 points)
10. Van Hunt - Van Hunt - Capitol (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Franz Ferdinand - "Come on Home" - Domino
2. Modest Mouse - "Float On" - Epic
3. R. Kelly - "Happy People" - Jive
4. Starsailor - "Four to the Floor" - EMI
5. Killers - "Somebody Told Me" - Island
6. Von Bondies - "C'Mon C'Mon" - Sire
7. Alicia Keys - "If I Ain't Got You" - J
8. Blondie - "Good Boys" - Sanctuary
9. Scissor Sisters - "Mary" - Universal
10. R.E.M. - "Leaving New York" - Warner Bros.

No joke, Josh in Chicago! He's just SO fucked up, it makes me cry every time I hear it. And you don't think the chorus is pretty? And his whole conversational singing style is put to excellent use here. I like it lots better than all those "God gave me a new car and cured my cancer" songs later on the CD.

1. Blood Brothers - Crimes - V2 (20 points)
2. M.I.A./Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 - Hollertronix (20 points)
3. Morgan Geist - Unclassics - Environ (20 points)
4. - DFA Compilation #2 - DFA (8 points)
5. Alicia Keys - Diary of Alicia Keys - J-Records (6 points)
6. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge - Reprise (6 points)
7. The Intelligence - Boredom and Terror - Omnibus (5 points)
8. Michael Mayer - Touch - Kompakt (5 points)
9. Atreyu - The Curse - Victory (5 points)
10. Big & Rich - Horse of a Different Color - Warner Brothers (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Britney Spears - "Toxic"
2. Gretchen Wilson - "Redneck Woman"
3. Franz Ferdinand - "Take Me Out"
4. Zack de la Rocha - "We Want It All"
5. Liquid Liquid - "Bellhead"
6. Teedra Moses - "You Better Tell Her"
7. Bloc Party - "Banquet"
8. Nina Sky - "Move Your Body"
9. Annie - "Heartbeat"
10. Atreyu - "Right Side of the Bed"

1. Junior Boys - Last Exit - Kin (15 points)
2. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs - Fat Cat (14 points)
3. Mylo - Destroy Rock'n'Roll - Breast Fed (13 points)
4. M.I.A./Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 (12 points)
5. Lucien'n'Luciano - Blind Behaviour - Peacefrog (11 points)
6. - DFA Compilation #2 - DFA (9 points)
7. Madvillain - Madvillainy - Stone's Throw (8 points)
8. Arthur Russell - Calling Out of Context - Audika (7 points)
9. Erlend Oye - DJ Kicks - !K7 (6 points)
10. Electrelane - The Power Out - Too Pure (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Art Brut - "Formed a Band" - Rough Trade
2. Justus Kohncke / Meloboy / Frei - "Hot Love" - Kompakt
3. Heloise and the Savoir Faire Dancers - "Odyle"
4. Knife - "Heartbeats (Rex the Dog Mix)" - Rabid
5. Annie - "Chewing Gum" - 679
6. Dungen - "Panda" - Subliminal Sounds
7. Scissor Sisters - "Tits on the Radio" - Polydor
8. Ghostface - "Tush" - Def Jam
9. Soft Pink Truth - "Do They Owe Us a Living?" - Tigerbeat6
10. Morrissey - "The First of the Gang to Die" - Attack

1. Clouddead - Ten - Mush (15 points)
2. Tatsuya Nakatani - Green Report 12 - H+H (14 points)
3. Arcade Fire - Funeral - Merge (13 points)
4. Baghdassarians/Baltschun/Bosetti/Doneda - Strom - Potlatch (12 points)
5. Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles - 5RC (11 points)
6. Dälek - Absence - Ipecac (9 points)
7. Jim Fox - The City the Wind Swept Away - Cold Blue (8 points)
8. Tracy & the Plastics - Culture For Pigeon - Troubleman (7 points)
9. Keith Berry - Buddha's Mile - Authorised Version (6 points)
10. Subtle - A New White - Lex (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. M.I.A./Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 - Hollertronix (166) (14)
2. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Rough Trade (94) (8)
3. Big & Rich - Horse of a Different Color - Warner Bros. (89) (5)
4. Junior Boys - Last Exit - Kin/Domino (88) (8)
5. Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free - Vice/Atlantic (86) (6)
6. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Roc-A-Fella (81) (8)
7. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL (77) (9)
8. Ghostface - The Pretty Toney Album - Def Jam (63) (6)
9. Brian Wilson - SMiLE - Nonesuch (60) (4)
10. Homosexuals - Astral Glamour - Messthetics/Morphius (59) (5)
11. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse - Geffen (53) (6)
12. Various Artists - DFA Compilation #2 - DFA (51) (5)
13. Madvillain - Madvillainy - Stones Throw (49) (5)
14. United State of Electronica - United State of Electronica - Mannheim (48) (4)
15. Gretchen Wilson - Here For the Party (44) (4)
16. Erlend Øye - DJ-Kicks - !K7 (36) (4)
17. RJD2 - Since We Last Spoke - Definitive Jux (34) (3)
18. Annie - Anniemal - 679 (33) (3)
18. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand - Domino (33) (2)
20. Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed - 4AD (32) (4)
20. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs - Fat Cat (32) (3)
20. Arcade Fire - Funeral - Merge (32) (3)
20. Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me - Frenchkiss (32) (3)

Argh, I made a similar remark in my P&J comments -- don't hate me, Scott, if Chuck prints it!

1 Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender (Drag City)
2 Stina Nordenstam - The World is Saved (A Walk In the Park/V2)
3 Annie - Anniemal (679)
4 Mirah - C'mon Miracle (K)
5 Lucien-N-Luciano - Blind Behaviour (Peacefrog)
6 M.I.A. - Schwarzweiss (Substatic)
7 Triola - Im Fünftonraum (Kompakt)
8 Moodymann - Black Mahogani (Peacefrog)
9 Charalambides - Joy Shapes (Kranky)
10 Junior Boys - Last Exit (Kin/Domino)

1 Francois De Roubaix - Le Monde Electronique (Universal)
2 Michael Mayer - Speicher 2 (Kompakt Extra)
3 V/A - Groove On Down: Disco/Boogie Cuts (Soul Brother)
4 M.A.N.D.Y. - Get Physical 2nd Anniversary Compilation (Get Physical)
5 Mansun - Kleptomania (Parlophone)
6 Ellen Allien - My Parade (Bpitch Control)
7 Arthur Russell - Calling Out of Context (Audika)
8 Ivan Smagghe - Suck My Deck (React)
9 Akufen - Fabric 17 (Fabric)
10 V/A - Trax 20th Anniversary Collection (Trax)

talking to nick from pfm/vv, I realized I forgot M.I.A. on my pazz and jop and he swapped it in for me last week - so that's another five points for that LP from ballots in this thread. 171 total.

In any case, incorporating ballots by Pete Scholtes, James Blount and Jess Harvell that were posted elsewhere, we get...

1. M.I.A./Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 - Hollertronix (172) (15)
2. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL (117) (11)
3. Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free - Vice/Atlantic (111) (8)
4. Junior Boys - Last Exit - Kin/Domino (103) (9)
5. Big & Rich - Horse of a Different Color - Warner Bros. (101) (7)
6. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Rough Trade (94) (8)
7. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Roc-A-Fella (81) (8)
8. Madvillain - Madvillainy - Stones Throw (74) (6)
9. Various Artists - DFA Compilation #2 - DFA (69) (5)
10. Ghostface - The Pretty Toney Album - Def Jam (63) (6)
11. Brian Wilson - SMiLE - Nonesuch (60) (4)
12. Homosexuals - Astral Glamour - Messthetics/Morphius (59) (5)
12. Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me - Frenchkiss (59) (5)
14. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse - Geffen (53) (6)
15. United State of Electronica - United State of Electronica - Mannheim (48) (4)
16. Various Artists - Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats - Essay (45) (4)
17. Gretchen Wilson - Here For the Party (44) (4)
18. Devin the Dude - To Tha X-Treme - Rap-a-Lot (42) (5)
19. Erlend Øye - DJ-Kicks - !K7 (36) (4)
20. RJD2 - Since We Last Spoke - Definitive Jux (34) (3)

Nick Sylvester, your votes have been recorded.

Your Pazz & Jop albums ballot was submitted as follows:

1. Madvillain - Madvillainy - Stones Throw (17 points)
2. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs - Fat Cat (16 points)
3. M.I.A. / Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism Volume 1 - Hollertronix (16 points)
4. Annie - Anniemal - 679 (10 points)
5. DFA Compilation #2 - DFA (10 points)
6. Shugo Tokumaru - Night Piece - Music Related (5 points)
7. Erlend Øye - DJ Kicks - !K7 (8 points)
8. Dizzee Rascal - Showtime - XL (8 points)
9. Death From Above 1979 - You're A Woman, I'm A Machine - Vice (5 points)
10. Wolf Eyes - Burned Mind - Sub Pop (5 points)

Your Pazz & Jop singles ballot has been recorded as follows:

1. Annie - "Heartbeat" - 679
2. LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah" - DFA
3. M.I.A. - "Galang" - XL
4. Excepter - "Vacation" - Fusetron
5. Liars - "There's Always Room On The Broom" - Mute
6. Annie - "Chewing Gum" - 679
7. Britney Spears - "Toxic" - Jive
8. Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For?" - Interscope
9. Lady Sovereign - "Cha Ching (Cheque 1, 2) (Main Mix)" - 679
10. Prince Po - "Hold Dat Remix (Produced By Richard X)" - Lex

Showtime - which I think I had listed at No. 7 but was in a group of four w/five points each.

-- Michael F Gill (rain19...)"

Well, except Pipi Skid is rap.

1. M.I.A. - "Galang" - XL (14 Votes)
2. Britney Spears - "Toxic" - Jive (12 Votes)
3. Annie - "Heartbeat" - 679 (9 Votes)
3. LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah" - DFA (9 Votes)
3. Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For?" - Interscope (9 Votes)
6. Big & Rich - "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" - Warner Bros. (8 Votes)
6. Jay-Z - "99 Problems" - Roc-A-Fella (8 Votes)
8. Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris - "Yeah" - La Face (7 Votes)
9. Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell - "Drop It Like It’s Hot" - Startrak (6 Votes)
9. Gretchen Wilson - "Redneck Woman" - Epic (6 Votes)

Again, for scale reference, a single with 14 votes would've placed #48 in last year's poll.