Some Stuff I’ve Been Up To
Hmm, one of the key points of the blogosphere is not that any one particular blog may or may not be good, or that individually one site might wield a lot of influence, it is that collectively blogs wield a lot of influence. This is at its most effective when bloggers cooperate and interact, and I’ve been doing a fair bit of that recently, but committing the cardinal sin of collaborative blogging: failing to cross-link.
Apart from being really rather bad manners, it renders the whole scheme a little pointless if I go to all the effort of writing these posts and stuff like that and then fail to nudge you muppets in their general direction. So here’s a general breakdown of the bits and pieces people kindly invited me to make a contribution to at the tail end of last year.
Slowcoustic Review of 2009 – Basically this is a review of the year where I get a little bit sidetracked and end up ranting about the irrelevance of the major labels and the rise of the DIY movement.
Sweeping the Nation UK Music Bloggers Poll – Simon has been a constant support not just for this blog for for the record label as well, and compiles an annual UK bloggers’ best of the year list, and here is this year’s.
Saam from Faded Glamour has conducted a UK blogger’s album of the decade poll, and has posted the main countdown here, and then the individual top three lists by the participating bloggers are assembled here.
Finally, the Contrast Podcast’s Festive Fifty reaches its finale here, and Neil from Meursault and myself introduce William Henry Miller Pt.1. Sadly, two songs from that Decemberists toss-fest made it on there, as well as one from The Allen Creature, but that’s the problem with democracy: none of us is as stupid as all of us. Still – Withered Hand in the top three means there must be something fundamentally right with the list, so it must be forgiven its aberrations.
As they say; democracy’s a daft idea until you consider the alternatives.
Speaking of the alternatives, are we going to see the results of the Song, By Toad readers poll?
Democracy is the tyranny of half plus one. Some Chinese fellow said that.
Thanks for the links.
Oh fucking hell, I totally forgot about that – should sort that this week really, before everyone forgets about it – in time for the Friday Fives, I reckon.
Matthew – you really should have worn a coat this morning. A hooded top is simply not enough. I worry about you.
Toad you really should have stayed in bed
I was at that bus stop yesterday and noticed the conical stone pillar which Madcow once mentioned, and that in turn reminded me of his stalking antics and got me wondering where his vantage point might be.
I think it’s probably the bridal wear shop across the road.
If you look closely sometimes the “dummy” blinks.
If you look really closely, sometimes the dummy plays the drums.
OUCH
Simon’s list needs a serious XX warning. How did that happen? It’ll be all your hoody friends Matthew
I am on the verge of forming a vigilante group to go around the country stamping on XX CDs. People need to be helped. THERE IS JUST NOTHING THERE, PEOPLE, CLEAN OUT YOUR EARS!
Yes, you’re much better off with a nice pint of Bateman’s XXXB or Wadworth 6X.
This Two-X stuff doesn’t sound very pleasant at all.
Watery is how I would describe it. Thin, watery and flavourless.
There you go again with your gratuitous Decembrism. Sad, really, that you carry such bitterness in your heart.
No bitterness, C&B, I really did give that album every chance, it just never lodged in my affections at all.
And denial as well. Tsk tsk.
I don’t get the XX either. It’s ok. But it’s hardly worth writing about.
I’ve heard two songs the xx. One plagiarises Chris Isaak and the other plagiarises Interpol.
i really like the XX album
i also really like the Decemberistsalbum….
that must mean that my love of great music has gone awol