Tom, I don't know if I've even heard *of* Alvvays, a fact that I find hilarious. It's also indicative of something, though nothing that hasn't been going on for at least 45 years. But actually I have a description of the "something" that is somewhat uncommon (the description, that is, not the something): As the world overall gets more cosmopolitan it overall gets more similar, but we experience this locally as in increase in diversity, disparateness, fragmentation, and a decrease in similarity, "consensus" (scare quotes around the word "consensus" because I don't think the word should be used for "a low-level plurality"), unity. So I have way more in common with a kid from a favela or a student in Korea than I would have 52 years ago when I was sixteen, but the fact that I have more access to the worlds of the favela and of the Korean student, and that those worlds start to penetrate mine, makes me feel (even) less typical and on homeground than I did back then.
One of my favorite songs of the year is "Os Ratos Da Favela," credited to several performers (Zoi De Gato, Marlinho RDC, Laryssa Real). Laryssa Real may be my favorite vocalist in the world; she's appeared on at least 150 tracks in the last several years but afaik has made no albums, and she may never have appeared with the *exact* same set of people twice, though I'm sure there's a lot of overlap. None of this comes close to explaining why I've *heard* fewer albums than you've listed on your best-of, but it's indicative of... something. Anyway, will give Joshua Headley a shot; see if he makes me feel less or more outside of everything.
Miranda Lambert's "Actin' Up" is one of my favorite album tracks of the year, but the album overall hasn't hit me - but that may only be because there's overwhelmingly so much else to listen to that I haven't given it much attention.
Xgau lifted "Subjects For Further Research" from Andrew Sarris; for all I know, Sarris lifted it from Lady Godiva's horse.
Tom, I don't know if I've even heard *of* Alvvays, a fact that I find hilarious. It's also indicative of something, though nothing that hasn't been going on for at least 45 years. But actually I have a description of the "something" that is somewhat uncommon (the description, that is, not the something): As the world overall gets more cosmopolitan it overall gets more similar, but we experience this locally as in increase in diversity, disparateness, fragmentation, and a decrease in similarity, "consensus" (scare quotes around the word "consensus" because I don't think the word should be used for "a low-level plurality"), unity. So I have way more in common with a kid from a favela or a student in Korea than I would have 52 years ago when I was sixteen, but the fact that I have more access to the worlds of the favela and of the Korean student, and that those worlds start to penetrate mine, makes me feel (even) less typical and on homeground than I did back then.
One of my favorite songs of the year is "Os Ratos Da Favela," credited to several performers (Zoi De Gato, Marlinho RDC, Laryssa Real). Laryssa Real may be my favorite vocalist in the world; she's appeared on at least 150 tracks in the last several years but afaik has made no albums, and she may never have appeared with the *exact* same set of people twice, though I'm sure there's a lot of overlap. None of this comes close to explaining why I've *heard* fewer albums than you've listed on your best-of, but it's indicative of... something. Anyway, will give Joshua Headley a shot; see if he makes me feel less or more outside of everything.
Miranda Lambert's "Actin' Up" is one of my favorite album tracks of the year, but the album overall hasn't hit me - but that may only be because there's overwhelmingly so much else to listen to that I haven't given it much attention.
Xgau lifted "Subjects For Further Research" from Andrew Sarris; for all I know, Sarris lifted it from Lady Godiva's horse.
Good luck, and keep keepin' on.
Frank Kogan