Zach Braff’s <I>Prozac Nation</I> Soundtrack: Stylus Magazine’s Guide to the New Pantheon

Aren't DCFC the new Air Supply? I think that contrary to Alf's belief, most of these records are adult lifestyle records - have you heard NPR lately? My wife's middle-aged co-workers are asking her if she's heard of Sufjan or the Decemberists. Keep in mind that parents are listening to their kids music too... I think that dwindling viewership for awards shows indicates that there's more wrong with entertainment than anyone completely understands. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that having an awards show for acts/albums like this is the sort of thing that generates excitement for the "genre" (used v. loosely.) Awards shows, no matter how hip, current, or "unpredictable" they are, still come off canned and stuffy.

A few thoughts: 1) I was never really that impressed by Antony. 2) If nothing else, Bloc Party's drummer is INSANE meaning, if you don't like them, which you should, at least acknowledege that fact.) 3) I've heard Elija Wood mention Dead Meadow in interviews. That makes his picks very cool. 4) I don't see why Dungen is not on this list. It should be. Stupid celebrities. 5) Arcade Fire probably should win, even though it's been out forever. I would like Bloc Party to win, even though I think they're too simple. Sufjan will probably end up winning, the bastard.

Please don't associate Zach Braff with music I like.

Nice write up guys but Justin Cober's frustration at the end of the piece noting that for most part all the editors did was bitch about every album and provide a "yeah its good but not that good" or "I like song "x" but "So-and-So and the Whoevers" do the sound a lot better". The main gripe I have with Stylus is that I will read an overly critical piece of writing about an album (Illinois and Registration) only to see it pop up at the top of the end of year lists and then subsequently read another piece dissing the album a few months later. I have read Stylus' missions statement and am completely supportive of un-bias and unrestricted journalism but, and this is a huge "but", rarely does it seem like Stylus even knows what it likes or what it is trying to convey. I'm not sure what the solution is, or if there even is one for that matter but it becomes frustrating as a reader to see pieces similar to Dom Passantino's work where the intent seems to be nothing more than to distance the editors from all the music they have just spend an entire year turning me on to. I guess it comes down to that Stylus is presented as a unified site yet you encourage and preach individuality of your editors and all the while there is nothing to indicate that this is how Stylus is presenting the writing. Every day I come to Stylus and its the same banner every morning and the same nameless faces writing up the reviews and features; my point is that I have no way of figuring out which editors I do and do not trust because there is no way to distinguish them yet we are told over and over that we are to read the site for the individual writers and not the site itself. If this all sounds long-winded and confusing thats because it is. Your site needs to add some faces to the writers in each piece so that the readers can develop a relationship and taste for who they agree with and who they disagree with. Something as minor as having the editor’s face on their work would solve this problem; I sure as shit can’t remember every name on the site all the while trying to figure out who I should trust and devote my attention to. and as far as who should win off the list I would say Sufjan or the Arcade Fire because those two albums are the best on the list, plain and simple. I did check out the site for the awards and all I can think of is "multiple conflicts of interest" and "bullshit"

Kings of Leon is the most embarrassing album I bought in 2005 and, to me, has the worst lyrics of any album in recent memory. I haven't heard half of these albums, but to see it nominated for any award makes me groan.

"No one under 25 gives a shit about Bowie" Exsqueeze me, baking powder?

Bill Simmons? El Wingador? You guys do know that he's retired, right?

Kings of Leon are the most generic shit band I've ever heard. Over half of the "respected" panelists on here shouldn't have been given the privilige to vote.

This might be the worst feature I've ever tried to finish for any music magazine. What is the piont of this piece? No one wants to listen to you motherfuckers sound out the same message over and over again: and though you all purport to disagree and say different things, the bottom line surfaces every time: you don't like yourselves. If you did you'd attempt humor or something, but my God, how many times can you say that you don't like a band because it already has too much attention. The secret to liking bands before anyone else is not to dislike bands after everybody else. The most hilarious aspect of the piece is that everyone actually agreed to like Bloc Party? And that's because they are the most shallow band on the list; they evoke anger without depth; they are indie-Limp Bizkit. And immature people like them. And what's with this Pitchforkmedia-inferiority complex; that's not your magazine; you write for Stylus so stop (for your own sake as "journalists") committing to a policy of truth where you let your Pitchfork-envy shine. It is soo pathetic, my God. I mean to hear you all talk like that, it is soo pathetic. It is so obvious that this column took place via email/blog and not in person, hence the carefully meticulated, bloated and redundant entries. Shut up-shut up-shut up! The piece sucked.

Well, I think Animal Collective is pretty good.

OK wait, I just read through this, and I think maybe some of you should take a break from music for a while. You all sound really burnt out, like maybe you should take a few months to rediscover your Devo records while you work at a Jiffy Lube or something. Then you can come back to new music and being a journalist or whatever, because right now, it just seems like many of you hate music. And how could you hate music? Music is good!

Klaus, you seem to be forgetting: NOTHING IS ANY GOOD IF OTHER PEOPLE LIKE IT

Why did I read this?

Until recently, Fakejazz was doing this round table type discussion of artists every year. It's nice to see the writers here mixing it up with each other a bit, instead of the readers. However, in the end it's just another Stylus rip off from a better ezine. I truly believe the readers' blog will be gone within a year. Hope I'm wrong.

It's gotta be tough working for Stylus when everything that this site does is referred to as a "rip off from a better ezine" and they are told that the have a "Pitchforkmedia-inferiority complex". What do the people on this site actually like about Stylus? (The quotes were not an attack on either people that made them, just a quick reference.)

I like the diversity of writers, the fact that pretty much any album and artist can and is covered here, the connection between the writers and readers, and a lot of the interesting features (we need more "On First Listen"). As I said earlier though, I think they need to do a better job of attaching faces to the writers so that the readers can have an easier time of figuring out who they like reading and who they do not. With Pitchfork everything seems to be writen by the Pitchfork writers and most of the time all the features and reviews line up with each other; this is good and bad for different reasons. Currently Stylus is trying to convey that every writer has their opinion and that it is OK to kind of argue back and forth within the site; here again this is both good and bad for a few reasons. The problem is that we have no idea who these writers are from article to article and that is the number one thing I wish they would work on changing and improving. I am all for lineing up behind a writer and their individuality, but I need to remember who the hell they are before I can do that.

It should also be noted that more often than not its the people who have something to bitch about who are going to use the "Comments" and not the readers who are satisfied with the piece.

Yeah, any article that doesn't get me bitching about it was probably a good read.

Dom Passatino made the same lame joke about Colin Meloy's name in his much (and deservedly) criticized "Top Ten Worst Albums Of the Week" feature. Just thought I'd point that out.

KlausFraktal: I already spent much of 2005 on a massive Devo kick, but it still didn't help me understand why some of these albums made the list.

"but it still didn't help me understand why some of these albums made the list."

*any of these albums*

Google Bloc Party interviews, and see how many time that douche complains about people not getting his lyrics. Hey, we get it, they suck. Antony has one amazing song (Hope There's Someone) and then total filth. Animal Collective is great, but the rest... artistic? KINGS OF LEON?! Those asshats were in Rolling Stone like a couple years back acting all cool & w/ chicks and how they were the shit. Hey, newsflash: they fucking suck. If you like them, so do you. Period.

Just put Jazz For Haters & Groovin' w/ the MMs as the main theme, bring back Album of the Week, keep the Album Art Challenge, and scrap most of the rest.

PS. Was this an e-circle jerk? Strangely curious. Paul

The thing I find most amusing was the relentless focus on "hype" for a list of albums that haven't gone gold. Sense of perspective here, kiddies.

haha, great comments box! Stylus Writers Teach Stylus Commenters How To Comment On The Music Rather Than Childish Bitching! Stylus Writers Take The Piss Out Of Stylus Commenters With Mimicry! Stylus Commenters Don`t Get It And Continuing With Their Bitching About The `Article"! Stylus Writers Have A Good Ole Laugh At Our Expense! nice...

I just want to say that I think giving any kind of award to any sort of album is just a dumb idea. Plus, it's dumb that the nominees have to sell at least 500,000 records (or was it 50,000)........

Whoever commented here saying that every album on this list sucks anyway is a pretentious shit-eater. Go back home and listen to your Finnish prog-pop, no one wants to hear you bitch about why you think this band or this band sucks without backing it up. (I see you pabanks...) So my challenge to you arrogant elitists is, if EVERY single one of these albums is shit, what DOES deserve to win?

I see you too bassman, & you're hard. WAY hard. No, actually, I said Animal Collective was great, and I said Antony had an amazing song. So learn to read so I don't feel like you'd be confused by how I would insult you and thus be wasting my time in doing so. k

PS. In the album of the year thread, I posted what I liked. And there is plenty more not on that list. Late finds that I didn't have on there are also not there, so Okkyung Lee, Talkdemonic, Coil, Sunn 0))), ES, etc. go on there. And yes, Finnish underground is way better than Bloc Party. Wait until you realize they are just another band hyped by NME that is embarassing 2 years down the road.

fuck im SO angry over this supershit pantheon award ive gotta comment twice. they quoted the purpose at the start of the article & picking up four phrases "most creative", "most artistic", "what`s next" & "what`s best" plus the title of it - "NEW" pantheon_________ only 2 of the picks even come close to this set of criteria, Feels & Arular. why oh why is stylus embracing this industry pack of lies, man, its like dylan never sang a word. sure some of those other albums are good but they serve no purpose for this award, as does the award serve no purpose for anyfuckingthing, and a week-long stylus feature about it serves only for me to vent my spleen, & my spleen-venting on here serves only to make my colleague`s day easier. "thanks Pantheon" they all chorus.

hey MEKsLP, really interesting comment, could you write it again once more because i couldnt follow you the first 3 times

pabanks: "Antony, total filth"??? Oh my goodness. His was my favorite album of the year. A bit uncomfortable for some, but "total filth"? My, my. Is I Am a Bird Now the Brokeback Mountain of alternative rock!? My goodness. And ieatseeds, pay attention. The albums can't have sold more than 500,000.

"Total filth." My goodness.

Oh. I just read Mike Powell`s last comment. He said everything I just said, only better. Doncha hate it when you add a comment after only reading the introduction to an article? But we obviously think alike. He even used the word `fuck` like me. I like Mike Powell. Forthwith I shall make really nice comments on all Mike Powell`s articles and pass him my email address. After we switch a few emails I`ll make arrangements to hook up in the same city & then...as though you were mere text on a screen & I a backspace button, I will delete you Mike Powell. King Missile`s "Martin Scorcese". Laurie Anderson`s "Bright Red".

Brad Shoup finishes one of his sentences re Sufjan, by italicising the word `song`. Weird. Try and say it... "It`s as if every track was a concept *song*" So you`re saying these songs are what...songs? Should I stress the `so` or the `ng`? Surely the word `concept` was what you meant to italicise? I dunno. Sounds dumb to me.

"Justin Cober-Lake: Maybe I'm just half-asleep still or missing something, but is anyone else bothered by the nearly 100% inclusion of disdain in our comments? Surely there's someone who actually likes the albums that have been nominated, especially given that they've shown up on our year-end lists and have been praised in the Stylus pages or forum before. But now that it's time to talk about some vaguely relevant, indie-lookin' award, we all clam up and bring the snark?" I'm glad one of you guys noticed, at least. Some interesting discussion here, but overall this article was infuriatingly smug, and only slightly less so than Dom Passatino's nonsense however many weeks back.

And Mike Powell's comment at the end is succinct and well-stated, and renders a lot of the bickering in the previous sections of the post redundant.

This magazine sucks, this feature's a bad joke, and all of these bands discussed here(with the exception of Animal Collective) are terrible and a waste of time and money. What's next, a breathless analysis of the Academy Awards? Oh, and Bassman08--when's the next party at your place? I can't wait to hang out and kick out the jams with your phony bands like the Strokes and Bloc Party....

here are some drummers that are really insanely good, as opposed to hacks in British bar bands: Tony Williams Elvin Jones Chad Taylor John McEntire Tomi Leppanen (Circle's skinman) Dave Lombardo Keith Moon Topper Headon Josh Blair Brian Chippendale and rock's greatest drummer ever--Dale Crover. yeah, this list is for you, Bassman08. learn it and love it.

Jesus Christ. pabanks, you said that Antony was "total filth." You never mentioned Animal Collective being "great." Don't claim to say stuff that you didn't say. And raskolnikov, you're just an idiot. I think we already established that in other comment sections, but you still keep coming back for more. If the only band on here that you think is worth anything is Animal Collective (who I enjoy very much), then I think you need to take some antidepressants and learn to have some "fun" for a change. Try it, you may like it.

Pabanks, I just re read the album of the year thread, and you are indeed a pretentious jackass. I almost forgot about that. So why don't you just go home and listen to that Finnish prog you love so much while whining about the good ol' days when indie was about "Liking bands that no one ever heard of EXCEPT ME" then doing some smack and crying yourself to sleep. Because no one likes hearing your stupid comments about why you are indier than all of us.

Bassman 08--the only thing you've proven is that you have no idea what good music is. Fun? Your use of the word in the context of your taste indicates to me that you are desperately trying to convince yourself of the worth of mass culture. Being mentally engaged is fun. Being challenged is fun. Buying stuff because the payola/hype machine suggests you should is not fun; it's shallow and stupid, and is indicative of a feeble will and mind. If the Strokes are fun, or Bloc Party is fun, then I am proud to say that I am not fun.

oh by the way bassman08--do you even KNOW who any of the drummers on my list are? without consulting WikiPedia or Encyclopedia Brittanica? what a fucking tool you are.

more drummers for the ignorant people who think that Bloc Party's drummer is insane: Jaki Liebzeit, Kevin Shea, Doug Scharin, Jeff Mooridian, Michael Hoffman, Blake Fleming, Steve Shelley, and Charles Hayward. All of these stickmen throw beatdowns at popstars in 11/4 time, or in free improvisation.

I'm proud to say that the only drummers on your list I have heard of are Keith Moon, Topper Headon, and Dale Crover.

Besides, can't fun have DIFFERENT definitions in different situations? I can have just as much fun listening to the Stokes as I can listening to Sonic Youth (Steve Shelley is an alright drummer I guess, but he isn't why I listen to SOnic Youth...) Animal Collective or Sunburned Hand of the Man or other shit like that. It all depends on how I feel. I still think yopu need to lighten up and calm down.

Besides, who are you to say that you know anything about my musical tastes? Does the fact that I like Bloc Party and the Strokes (not to mention bands like Frand Ferdinand, the Futureheads, Maximo Park, et all...I'm a sucker for it, so screw you) automatically negate the fact that I can listen to other music? Gee, I sure hope not, because then I would have to choose between throwing away my Sonic Youth and Lightning Bolt records and those aforementioned ones. I think I'd rather choose to keep them all and listen to whatever the hell I want without some pretentious jackass telling me what's cool. So fuck off.

fear not, the strokes will save you.

since when was music about talent? If I want to hear the greatest drummer (which I don't) I'll go down to the corner of any-city USA where Jerry the hobo has been hammering on tin cans for 40 years. As much as I love listening to 20 minute drum solo's; I think I'll pass.

Nice to see props for Doug Scharin and Jaki Leibezit. Steve Shelley is certainly one of the reasons I listen to SY.

I would say that I like him, but I never really paid attention to how good he was. I'm gonna have to listen to some more SY today now.

To mr./ms. terrorist, I italicized 'song' to provide opposition to the idea of concept albums. The overarching musical structure of the record - baroque arrangements, constant build-up, group singing - is reflected in nearly every track, and that's what I was trying to express. "Let alone the concept album... It's as if every (ambitious yet stylistically repetitive) track was a concept song." Feel free to stress both 'so' and 'ng,' preferably in rapid sequence. Ta, Brad

Was S-K's "The Woods" ineligible because it sold more than 500,000 copies? If yes, woohoo! If not, I'll make a mental note to never pay attention to the New Pantheon award again.

"It should also be noted that more often than not its the people who have something to bitch about who are going to use the "Comments" and not the readers who are satisfied with the piece."

Yeah, as much as I love the comments this does tend to distort things. Unless you really adore an article you're going to tend to just read it, enjoy and move on, so the standard comment thread is about as representative of our readers as this conversation is of our staff (after all, if you thought we talked like this all the time, you'd have to assume we're all bitter and full of snark, which we're not; it just comes out when talking about the most risible new award most of us have ever seen).

bassman08: if you do ever plan on throwing a party where you'll play Bloc Party, the Strokes, and M.I.A. please invite me. That would probably be a really fun party. Also, please invite raskolnikov. Of course, he probably wouldn't come, but if he did we could give him a few good blows over the head with an axe.

"Pure filth"? Dude, who invited Ezra Pound, dude?

Raskolnikov does not get hit with axes or hatchets...if you check the noble FDos' Crime and Punishment, it is Raskolnikov who wields the hatchet. And later becomes redeemed...

Pffft, he just pretends to convert so he can get some 'tang. Raskolnikov is a coward driven by fear and repressed desire for power, ultimately submitting himself to the 'redemption' offered by a sexualized mother figure as he's too weak-minded and frail to maintain an identity of his own creation. What a wuss!

I think our reviewer hit the nail on the head when he was describing his collegues and the Pantheon award: No one is that much of a misanthrope......it's just that talking about music brings out the passion in people. Whether it's Bassman or Raskolnikov or Ian Mathers, we should all appreciate that there are people out there who still care enough about music to defend the jewels and denounce the imposters. For my part, I don't take offense if someone likes or hates...just be articulate about why you feel that way and I will listen. Rigorous public discourse benefits all.

"All of these stickmen throw beatdowns at popstars in 11/4 time, or in free improvisation." jesus flapjacking christ, SHUT UP

also, all of this discussion of the merits of Bloc Party seems to be missing the most important point here, which is the fact that "This Modern Love" is probably the worst thing ever and I don't understand anyone can even prefer it to fellow sad-sack ballad "The Bluest Light", let alone any of the actually _good_ songs on the album.

Hey, bassman08, go to comment "Posted 02/13/2006 - 05:31:46 PM" and see if I don't know what I have posted before. You suck. Enjoy your NME.

pabanks bashing Bloc Party for a stupid reason? same as it ever was... same as it ever was... same as it ever was... same as it ever was... same as it ever was... same as it ever was... same as it ever was... same as it ever was...

Compunction: I'm going to have a party soon. The entire playlist will consist of British dance rock and American garage rock, with some !!!, MIA, and Kings Of Leon thrown in there for good measure. You're all invited. It will actually be "fun." At least it will be a better party than one that consists entirely of Animal Collective and Finnish prog-pop.

ah, brad-san, "as opposed to concept *albums*". gotcha, although it did take you 4 lines to explain it. anyway ive just bought myself a finer toothed comb. i`ll be back with another gripe later.

see for example when you say "70 minutes of 4/4 steadiness with the same brass, string, and choral toppings by the end of every song gets to be much." i get really confused because i don`t what it get to be much of. Every song gets to be much annoying? Gets to be much of a muchness? C`mon man, finish your damn sentence. I note you`d already used your quota of `too`s in the next comment after that so don`t tell me there`s a missing too there. Incidentally I just didn`t like that last comment of yours. What are you, the sheep-herder? "C`mon everybody, we`ve mucked around here long enough, back in the pen." Other than that pal, you give good word.

Arular all-the-way, baby. And as for Illinois, what are some of you thinking?! Seven Swans was soooooooooo much better. Not to mention deeper.

Hone Heke wakes up (like a 10yr old holding a can of spraypaint surrounded by blank walls) "woooooh, this is trippy, can I just write anything here??" & sprays territorial like a male feline. Ecstatically, joyfully he writes a page-long expose on why Animal Collective could win the Pantheon. Mercury Rev DID pave the way for this album on Yerself & Boces. Pity they gave in to their own gothic fantasies. The only thing, there`s an awful lot of lyrics on this album, of which I can only understand a few snippets here & there. The Bees the bees the bees the bees the bees wrerr wrerr wrerroolrr. Now THATS the filth!!

bassman, your party sounds like a Rockin' Good Time, even though I disagree about the fun-ness of Animal Collective and the listening thereto (is that even a word)

Of course I know it is raskolnikov that wields the hatchet, you butthead. I just thought it would be a good idea to hit you over the head with a hatchet so you have no chance to redeem yourself. Though it's unlikely you would find a way to do so even if you were given the opportunity.

I love the word butthead.

I'm astounded when people say that Arcade Fire is not interesting, or that they're boring, or that they contribute nothing new. I know that if I'd heard them called "emo" before hearing their music, I'd likely have written them off myself. One of many things about Arcade Fire that I like so much is that they embody optimism (and, importantly, they do it without being cloying or fey) in a time when so much sentiment in popular music is negative, willfully obstruse, or contrary.

. . . and I'm also amazed that the whole world is enraptured by Sufjan's dopey rhymes and music box nattering.

Goddamn raskolnikov is such a cunt....

Let's see more publicists comment on this site, defending worthless bands from discerning listeners who aren't moved by hype. Let's see press releases by labels and management companies instead of thoughtful reviews. Let's see more discussions of feeble industry awards. That's what music is really all about, right? Impressing other people by possessing music as a commodity? Oh, and by the way--I forgot to mention that Elizabeth Wurtzel sucks ass as well, and the term Prozac Nation is a bad, boring cliche. Get fucked, all of you, and have a nice day while you're at it! Love, Cunty Raskolnikov....

Do you even talk about anything anymore? I think this discussion originally started with music. I don't understand why "discussion of feeble industry awards" is a bad thing. I don't see how this site's reviews are "press releases by labels and management companies instead of thoughtful reviews," when there are obviously some huge bands that have been (either rightfully or undeservedly) crappy reviews here. I don't see how the comments on here could possibly made by "publicists" when obviously the people on here don't always agree on everything. Your rhetoric is laughably unpersuasive and makes no logical sense. I honestly have no idea how you come to these conclusions, because your evidence is nonexistent. If you hate this website so much, just stop fucking reading it.

Railing against "hype" bands and only listening to music that is accessible to a very select crowd is really pretty pathetic. raskolnikov is the kind of guy that, if he was growing up in the 1980's, would hate all bands on major labels and only listen to bands like Swans, Sonic Youth, and Pussy Galore until they sold out and signed to major labels or happened to mention that when some of them were 8 years old they liked KISS. You're the future of elitism raskolnikov and I commend you on only listening to music recommended by Foxydigitalis, FakeJazz, or Dustedmagazine. Very impressive. Hopefully one day we will all fully understand your musical preferences and then we can have a great big conversation over which Khanate record is the least oppressive while listening to the latest Prurient record at unimaginable decibel levels. It'll be great fun I'm sure.

Some people just don't want to accept the possibility that other people can be just as cool as they are. Dammnit! FOILED AGAIN!

Fuckin' yeah! Cunt cunt cuntass! Bloc Party.

who gives a fuck who wins this award when the strokes are making the best music at the moment

and for the past 5 years

I would actually have to disagree with you on that. The newest Strokes album really isn't all that great. I do thoroughly enjoy the first two though.