...what albums are on the bubble?

What I mean is, you most likely have 10 to 15 albums that are shoe ins for your Top 20 list...but which albums are still uncertains.

For me....

The Faint - Wet From Birth
Radio 4 - Stealing Of A Nation
Keane - Hopes And Fears
Razorlight - Up All Night
Clinic - Winchester Cathedral
Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters

So it's a top 20 list? Oy Vey - I thought it was top 10 for some reason. This is gonna get a bit tougher..

you don't have to submit a full 20 if you don't want to

Edit: Chris, I thought you loved the Scissor Sisters. I thought the Clinic was pretty much exactly the same thing. Their sound is so unique that it makes all their stuff sound the same.

Scissor Sisters are a bit of a dilemma for me. They are definitely a guilty pleasure and probably the most enjoyable album of the year. But, is it Top 20 material? We'll see.

scissor sisters are this year's darkness, at least for me. yeah, it's a really fun album, but i'm not sure how much it'll hold in the long-run and i'm more likely to push it back for something i might still listen to in a few years. i conceded early on that i wouldn't be listening to permission to land in a year and i don't think i have since the summer. so, yeah, a small dilemma.

Z, it's your list, but, for me, the goal is to choose what 2004 albums I got the most enjoyment out of. Not to try and determine what will hold up 10 years from now.

Steve

I still listen to the Darkness from time to time...

Scissor Sisters may still even end up as my No. 1 of the year. It's how I construct this list that I have to determine.

So my question to people would be: Are you going by best albums, most enjoyable ones, etc.? For example, the Scissor Sisters album may more enjoyable than the Animal Collective album, yet the latter is a much much better album. Now I'm confused.

Scissor Sisters is going to be the first band to play a new venue near me. I really want to check them out (both the band and venue) but don't want to spend $18 to see them since I have no idea if I like them.

I think I've purchased a total of 20 albums this year. I'll definitely be sticking to 10, maybe fewer. To me, 2004 was a disappointing year for music but I'm sure I can pull together 10 CDs I like.

OPA, for me it's all about personal enjoyment. In the years where I've made a list I've always made it clear that I don't have a freakin' clue as to what the best albums of a given year are. What I do know is what albums gave me the most satisfaction-what albums I found myself going back to again and again. etc.

Steve

yeah, i know. and that's why it was in my top 20 last year, because i really like it, even though i knew it wouldn't stand up. but i use these lists as a point of reference years later too. and i know that when i look at 2003 in a few years, i'm going to be like, "are you kidding?" about a few selections. oh well. i guess that's just a personal thing.

i always debate with myself over what is best and what's my favorite. like, i know pet sounds is one of the best records i own and i'm constantly floored by it, but i just don't break it out as much as some favorites that may mean more personally. i don't know, quite a conundrum either way. my shmoo-poll lists usually end up leaning more toward what's my favorite.

Yup.

What steve said.

I know my list is going to be small and different from normal. I haven't heard much and I'm going to try to before the deadline if I can. There are a few I need to still hear.

Franz Ferdinand
Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (I like it, but it just doesn't have that extra something that would push it over the edge - a.k.a. I miss Eno).

Does anyone know what the deadline is?

From past experience, I believe Shmoo gives us until January 15th.

Sorry everyone, shmoo poll is canceled.

I kid.

Or do I?

don't know. i guess earlier-year stuff i haven't heard in a while... gomez, dj danger mouse, maybe a.c. newman.

just updated my 231 album ranking list last nite for stuff acquired thru oct. don't remember who was bubbly.

EDIT: and i'm almost burnt out on new releases. might close the year with some oldie-goodies, like scary monsters or something similarly-wacky.

I'm too organised this year, I pretty much know what my Top 20 is, although Madvillain might sneak in at the last minute (I only got it a couple of weeks ago).