Lists, Schmists

OK, so the end of year best-of lists are pretty much all in now. I love lists, and I'm a real sucker for the best of ones. Is it just me, or they seem to get earlier each year? Uncut published its one in the December issue - which came out at the beginning of November! Still, it's probably the one I like the most, or maybe that should be the Rough Trade one?. Uncut's top two are mine in reverse, notably Arcade Fire's 'Funeral' and Sufjan Stevens' 'Illinoise'. But as usual, a few surprises - what are the Rolling Stones doing in there? And who is Black Mountain?

Mojo's is out now too, with Antony at numero uno. There's a certain consistency across the lists, with Arcade Fire well up there in most, but so far only #1 in Uncut. Nice to see Sufjan so high up in NME's poll - I'd have thought that a mag that's such a slave to the music of 14-year old boys wouldn't have had the slightly non-mainstream folk of 'Illinoise' so high, but who am I to guage what the kids are into these days?


Mind you, that NME poll's been marked by controversy, and the lawyers have been involved. If you're interested in the article that so enraged the nation's wannabe tastmakers (for 14-year old boys), someone has preserved a copy here.

The one I usually pay most attention to is the Rough Trade list. There's always something surprising there, and this year is no exception. Two years ago they put a total unknown called Sufjan Stevens at number 3, and look where is is now. This year Brakes come from nowhere (in other people's charts) straight into No.1! And there's Black Mountain again! And The Boy Least Likely To? Maybe there's something in that name, or who knows, they could be the next Sufjan.

Mine? Well, I'm still working on the list. I think I've got time. I remember in the old days when I used to read NME, their list came out the week before Christmas. What's wrong with that? It's closer to the end of the year, after all.

However, I have had a couple of drafts for competitions I've entered recently. So it definitely has Sufjan at the top, followed by Arcade Fire. Then it includes: Jamie Lidell: Multiply, Antony & The Johnsons: I am a Bird Now, Devendra Banhart: Cripple Crow, Magic Numbers, MIA: Aurular, Low: The Great Destroyer, King Creosote: KC Rules OK (not necessarily in that order)and one more. I can't decide - LCD Soundsystem? Saint Etienne? Richard Hawley? Super Furry Animals? The Shortwave Set? All will be revealed...