Pick Of The ‘Fork: Your Wordsmiths Revealed

Brian Raftery | March 23, 2007 5:03 am
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We hate to brag, but this was our third victorious Pick Of The ‘Fork in a row! Keeping with today’s “Let’s mention the Arcade Fire whenever possible” theme, we phonied things up with that LCD Soundsystem reference in entry No. 1. We’re hot–not quite “Best New Music” hot, but definitely “Recommended” hot. The rest of the entries shook out as follows:

“The Shins and the Arcade Fire…had relatively short histories before raising their profile beyond college campuses, while more seasoned groups with major-label money-sacks like Built to Spill and Mercury Rev never cracked the Billboard top 50.” Modest Mouse, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (7.8 from Rob Mitchum, and 11.6% of the vote)

“Not like it’s a bad time for it, since a relatively sparse stretch of the year like this– Arcade Fire notwithstanding– feels like a good occasion to revisit a moderately slept-on album that, if anything, at least transcends its gimmickry.” Beck, The Information: Deluxe Edition (a 7.4 from Nate Patrin, and 30.7% of the vote)

“Swollen piano waltz “Playing Cards With Gingerbread” takes a similar misstep, capping the album with a pompous reflection on touring life that builds into Neon Bible-reading sound and fury.” WinterKids, Memoirs (a 6.4 from Marc Hogan, and 42.7% of the vote)

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