Critical Backlash: 2007: The Year Everybody Liked The Same Stuff

Go look at Heart on a Stick, who’s got the Hype Machine Zeitgeist list lined up next to the Village Voice’s Pazz and Jop poll and Idolator’s P&J knock-off. The results? Critics, bloggers and Pitchfork readers all pretty much liked the same stuff. I suppose this has always been the case; if anything, the Internet has allowed all of us to listen to more of the same albums than ever before — and aggregate the resulting lists. I guess those (myself included) worried about a culture shock once the big labels finally croak and leave the huddled, iPod-clutching masses to be proactive have less to worry about than we thought.

Far be it from me to weigh in again against the collective might of several hundred apparently influential people who actually liked Sound of Silver (I kinda liked it too, to be honest) and that sorry excuse for an Arcade Fire album (which I also kind of liked), but while you’re here I will point you to my top albums and songs of 2007 and take the opportunity to namedrop the Acorn; Loney, Dear; Ravens & Chimes (who I interviewed in two parts); and Elliott fucking Smith, who everyone managed to completely miss the boat on.

Oh, and while we’re here – raise your hand if you’re still listening to the consensus favorite of 2006, TV on the Radio’s Return to Cookie Mountain. Destroyer’s Rubies (my #1) still gets plenty of airtime around here.

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