I got reviewed on Pitchfork!

[Owen]

At first I almost had an anxiety attack. So bizarre to have some stranger write something so personal about you/your music!

And to have it taken so out of context! And such a pretense of subjectivity! And to be "rated"! And I didn't even send them a copy!

Then Jamie pointed out that I got the same "score" as the following rad albums:

U.S. Maple's new one
The Organ
Bogdan Raczinski
Nervous Cop
That cool Kid 606 album that broke every copyright law imaginable

So that's not so bad. Hooray for judgement!

[Owen]

There's been an outpouring of support (and a few less supportive, bless 'em) on the 20hz message board.

For those of you who ain't from around here, (Toronto), 20hz is the place where a body goes to dis a body's band.

I personally like the review. I disagree with prescribing numbers to albums, so I kind of ignore that aspect.

I mean, The Sick Lipstick got a 7.9 with the comment "Don't buy this album". What does that mean?

Don't you think that numerically evaluating albums is bizarre? As well as compiling "ultimate" best-of- lists?

I don't like the idea of elevating anything to the level of "classic" in the first place. A "classic"ist form of music evaluation rules out all manner of dirty, naive recordings... and also unfairly takes records out of the context they were meant to exist.

I mean, I don't know for sure, but I think Win Butler would be just as happy with his record if he had got a lower review. Perhaps more so. Getting prematurely deified has been stressful on that band, I think.

Hopefully this doesn't mean my knight in shining armour, "AMERICAN LABLE", doesn't get dissuaded. "Come here, Amehcan soldier! You want sucky? I be second-best whore in Toronto!"

Just kidding.

[Tyler]

congrats on getting words. i read it yesterday, i thought they did a pretty good job. i thought, 'hey, thats the guy from the message board'. it really made it personal for me too.

[onlyaroughdraft]

congrats on the album, i bought it at the D.C show in January... and WOW Also congrats on getting noticed by pitchfork...

that is some considerable press... regardless of what they say... i guess to each his own

keep on doing what you are doing and thanks for the music

[FortyforFaure]

Finally read this thing. Colour me biased, but it speaks to every reason I despise (though, admittedly, sometimes love to despise) Pitchfork. In a write-up that's not even 500 words, our oh-so-cultured reveiwer manages to name-drop:

The Hidden Cameras
The Arcade Fire
The Gilmore Girls
Andrew Bird
Kings of Convenience
Joanna Newsom

And someone needs to send him/her a bloody Canadiana brochure if he/she is so truly concerned about 'getting the references'. Jesus.

I WILL admit that the review IS amusing insofar as it shows how quickly they're turning on the Arcade Fire - just two months after tossing the big award their way.

P.S. I also just read the Globe & Mail review, Owen... and those tight-asses actually gave the album 3.5 out of 4!? That's good -- for what little it's worth, I guess.