I know what you mean, but I'd argue that much that stuff is still pretty spacey and experimental… My Mathematical Mind and The Beast & The Dragon Adored and whatnot. Basically just piano and drums and somehow still heavy as shit. Quite a feat.

Yeah. That album is pretty untouchable, right? I really can't believe what they can do with all that space.

Powerpop Pop-Pop.

Sure, but if we're lucky that means that the new Spoon stuff will be that much better. Or way different. Seems like Britt brought out the rockier stuff for Divine Fits, which hopefully means that the Spoon stuff will be more experimental/spacier, which I think they do very well.

I loved NYPD Blur's album Central Parklife.

A few years ago, Eef Barzelay wrote a song for a contest on a music blog (submit your story and Eef will write a song about it!), and I honestly consider it one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. NSFW, though: http://www.youaintnopicasso…

After the preview for this before some movie this summer, I said "I'D BUY THAT FOR A DOLLAR" really loudly and nobody in the theater laughed. :(

Snow Angels is my favorite, and much more artful about its poverty-fetishizing.

Based on your assessment of Elvis Costello, you're hardly qualified to judge.

I hope you feel dumb for saying that. It was a pretty dumb thing to say.

I love Editors, they remind me of Interpol.

No, only people from cities can know about art and culture and creativity, like the Real Housewives of wherever the fuck.

You didn't even mention the dude on bass. His name is Tim Mortensen.

Agreed. It's probably too soon to tell, but Jagbags is up there with Pig Lib and Real Emotional Trash. It's a good time to be a SM fan.

It's worth pointing out that Malkmus has always had really dumb lyrics as well as really good ones - the dude is a goofball, which is part of the charm. "Focus on the quasar in the mist, the Kaiser has a cyst", etc.

Sorry, referring to this statement: "Malkmus hasn’t put out an album that ranks with that band’s output on his own"

Still lots of CGDGBE, at least up through Real Emotional Trash.

Seriously… I think that RET is probably my favorite fucking Malkmus song, if it's possible to have one.

I've never heard nor seen that word used as a gay slur. I tried searching the internet, too. Maybe you made it up?

Jesus, as if you didn't already have enough opinions that are totally indefensible.