YHF Makes NPR "50 Most Important Records of the Decade" List

[choo-choo-charlie]

Sometimes a band gets lucky and captures exactly what it intended on a record. And sometimes, as happened here with Wilco, the process of recording triggers profound creative change, dislodging old patterns and opening up new ways of thinking. Wilco starts with terrifically trenchant, earnest songs about the redemptive powers of love and music (and love of music), and then builds wildly idiosyncratic layered accompaniments to suit them. Since the release of 2002's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco's guitar-based instrumental backdrops have become bolder and at times thrillingly ambitious, even as its songs have grown both more straightforward and more cryptic. This album contains the seeds for all that stuff, and then some. -- Tom Moon

 

Full story here: http://www.npr.org/2009/11/16/120326033/the-decades-50-most-important-recordings.

[Magnetized]

The list is not ranked in order of importance. There are some interesting selections, though I've not had time to check all of them out.

[Guest Jules]

Wasn't the decade done last year?

[Wendy]

Wasn't the decade done last year?

 

Yes. This all sounds vaguely familiar because it is an old news article at NPR. Note the date.

 

http://www.npr.org/2009/11/16/120326033/the-decades-50-most-important-recordings.

November 16, 2009

 

It seemed like an impossible task, but that didn't stop us from trying. With the first decade of the new millennium coming to a close, we decided to compile a list of the 50 most important recordings of the past 10 years — a list that covers a wide range of styles and genres, with indelible songs and albums that challenge, inspire and captivate. These are the game-changers: records that signaled some sort of shift in the way music is made or sounds, or ones that were especially influential or historically significant. ... ...

[tugmoose]

Wasn't the decade done last year?

Akshuly, since there was no year 0, decades technically run from 1 through 10. And yes, the new millennium started Jan. 1, 2001, not Jan. 1, 2000.

[choo-choo-charlie]

Ha, I totally overlooked the date of the article. I had assumed it was a new story because it was on the homepage...

[jff]

Yes. This all sounds vaguely familiar because it is an old news article at NPR. Note the date.

 

http://www.npr.org/2009/11/16/120326033/the-decades-50-most-important-recordings.

 

I guess they ran it last year and this year to appease those who know that you start counting with the number one and not zero, and those who do not know that.

[Guest Jules]

So, is the year 2000 in the 90's?

[Guest Speed Racer]

Since the release of 2002's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco's guitar-based instrumental backdrops have become bolder and at times thrillingly ambitious -- Tom Moon

 

So he hasn't listened to anything past the Wilco Book, is what he's saying?

[jff]

So, is the year 2000 in the 90's?

 

The year 2000 is in the decade which began in 1991. Just as the year 10 is in the decade that began in 1. There was no year zero.

 

Decades are not measured by names such as "the '90s" or "the '40s", they are measured by actual numbers, beginning in the number one and ending in the number ten.

 

To say that new decades begin with a zero, that means that the first decade AD was only nine years long (1-9). Obviously, that's wrong. So, since NPR said "50 Most...of the Decade" and not "50 most...of the (whatever you call the 00s)", NPR is correct in running that article in 2011.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Decades are not measured by names such as "the '90s" or "the '40s", they are measured by actual numbers, beginning in the number one and ending in the number ten.

 

Decades are not measured by whom that way? Do you really say of your childhood, "Growing up in that decade which took place between 'X1 and '00," or do you say, "Growing up in the 'XX's"?

 

Most people choose to define their decades in XX's. Others measure time along the lines of significant events, e.g. "my first marriage," "my second marriage," "the time after my second marriage when I was still sleeping with my secretary," and so on. Or, if you rather, "Before I discovered Wilco," "When Wilco released AGIB and I was snorting painkillers," and "once Wilco sucked and I wished I still had those painkillers around to deal with my overarching disappointment."

 

Sorry, but in a universe this large there's not too much significance in terms of being "right" about how one measures something like time. Unless you miss something important like a wedding.

[jff]

Decades are not measured by whom that way? Do you really say of your childhood, "Growing up in that decade which took place between 'X1 and '00," or do you say, "Growing up in the 'XX's"?

 

Most people choose to define their decades in XX's. Others measure time along the lines of significant events, e.g. "my first marriage," "my second marriage," "the time after my second marriage when I was still sleeping with my secretary," and so on. Or, if you rather, "Before I discovered Wilco," "When Wilco released AGIB and I was snorting painkillers," and "once Wilco sucked and I wished I still had those painkillers around to deal with my overarching disappointment."

 

Sorry, but in a universe this large there's not too much significance in terms of being "right" about how one measures something like time. Unless you miss something important like a wedding.

 

There is no length you won't go to for an opportunity to spew horse shit.

 

Decades, in the sense of measurement of years based on the calendar we currently use, is well defined and is not arbitrary.

 

I don't know when people started saying things like "the 90s" or "the 50s" to BRAND decades, but I think we can all agree it was some time after the concept of grouping numbers into units of ten, beginning with the number one, was invented.

[choo-choo-charlie]

Man, I just wanted to share a bit of [old] news about [most] everyone's favorite [Wilco] album.

[Guest Speed Racer]

There is no length you won't go to for an opportunity to spew horse shit.

 

I'm sorry? Horseshit? I was talking about how people define time in their day-to-day lives, which to me is much more important than the exact calendar of measurement when referring to my own life. Apparently Jules feels the same way; as far as I can tell, you're the only person who cares about going by the book here.

 

You need to loosen up, big time.

[br2497]

It must be quite an honor to be on the same list as Brittany Spears and kelly Clarkson.

[Guest Speed Racer]

I don't know when people started saying things like "the 90s" or "the 50s" to BRAND decades, but I think we can all agree it was some time after the concept of grouping numbers into units of ten, beginning with the number one, was invented.

 

Zero wasn't around for a while, but man has always been able to have zero burritos.

[jff]

I'm sorry? Horseshit? I was talking about how people define time in their day-to-day lives, which to me is much more important than the exact calendar of measurement when referring to my own life. Apparently Jules feels the same way; as far as I can tell, you're the only person who cares about going by the book here.

 

You need to loosen up, big time.

 

This thread is about an end of decade list of albums.

 

Who is in context here? Me, or you?

[Guest Speed Racer]

This thread is about an end of decade list of albums.

 

Who is in context here? Me, or you?

 

A decade is a measurement of 10 years. So long as they covered 10 years and not any other number, then it was an accurate measurement - no?

[jff]

Zero wasn't around for a while, but man has always been able to have zero burritos.

 

True. I have had zero burritos. Trying to keep it that way.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Who is in context here? Me, or you?

 

How about this year we just make a spreadsheet in Google docs so you can keep an active tally about which threads you "win"? Frankly I don't care, but it's really important to you. Do you want to make a 2011 trophy for it, too?

[jff]

A decade is a measurement of 10 years. So long as they covered 10 years and not any other number, then it was an accurate measurement - no?

 

More lawyer talk.

[Guest Speed Racer]

You didn't answer the question, because what I said is true.

 

TALLY FOR ME!

[jff]

How about this year we just make a spreadsheet in Google docs so you can keep an active tally about which threads you "win"? Frankly I don't care, but it's really important to you. Do you want to make a 2011 trophy for it, too?

 

I don't know how to make a spreadsheet or use google docs.

 

I already have a trophy. Third fastest in the county pinewood derby finals. That's enough trophies for me. Anyway, I'm hoping to move this year, so why would I want more junk?

 

You didn't answer the question, because what I said is true.

 

TALLY FOR ME!

 

I forgot about all those best albums released between 1994 and 2003 lists.

[Guest Speed Racer]

I don't know how to make a spreadsheet or use google docs.

 

I already have a trophy. Third fastest in the county pinewood derby finals. That's enough trophies for me. Anyway, I'm hoping to move this year, so why would I want more junk?

 

You're right. An end of decade list that covers a 10-year span is nothing but flying horseshit.

[jff]

You're right. An end of decade list that covers a 10-year span is nothing but flying horseshit.

 

I never said anything like that.