Album Rating: 2.5

well, I don't think of them as 'strange'... I mean, they're definitely not for a mass audience, but I wouldn't pin them as an exigent listen, either. They are very smooth for that.

Album Rating: 5.0

I think Lambchop are another band that have almost their own language for me now, you listen to them and you enter 'Lambchop World' and straight away there are a lot of associations and memories tied in there. I guess as I get older I'm most interested in a certain depth and subtlety to things, music that conjures.



That's the number one thing that impresses me - above edge, above innovation, above attitude, above immediacy. Music that becomes a world in and of itself.



I think I've just reached maximum pretentiousness for the week

Album Rating: 4.5

Doof I feel much the same way, and I don't think that's terribly pretentious, just a different attitude than many have. And it's not necessarily an age thing either, as I myself prove.

Album Rating: 2.5

Yea, didnt mean to make it an age thing, just my case in particular.

Got to agree that they sure are consistent on what qualifies as the 'lambchop' sound.

Album Rating: 3.5

The Hustle is really, really good

Album Rating: 5.0

It's definitely one of the best things they've ever done, instant classic - it made no. 3 on the list I put up earlier:



http://www.sputnikmusic.com/list.php?memberid=1060512



There's a lot of other quality stuff on the album but you have to embrace the autotune style vocals.

Album Rating: 3.5

I have the full album d/ling right now

Album Rating: 5.0

This is growing on me more and more - dare I say it...5 potential



Love the unified feel and just how unique it is - nothing else being released right now has this vibe

Album Rating: 5.0

I like to try and have at least one 5 a year if possible so it's between this and the Cass McCombs at the moment...unless something else comes out of nowhere.



Still a few years I haven't found a 5 from - 2012 and 1996 are the two that spring straight to mind

Album Rating: 4.5

Why limit yourself - if an album's a 5 it's a 5. I have tons of years with no 5s and several with multiple. 2013 had 3 and I've had none since.

Album Rating: 5.0

4.5s and 5s are about the same level quality wise in my ratings - the bonus .5 that makes an album a 5 is the more personal stuff. Often they're effectively an AOTY award.



I think '94 has about four or five 5s but for me that's a freak year of loads of incredible albums I can't not 5

Album Rating: 5.0

I guess if I'm being honest I'm not sure I should technically 5 any album until I've lived with it for at least a year or so - so an early 5 is more just trying not to bore everyone else to death.



There's loads of users here who will have the same 1% of their ratings 5'd for years and years - and I find that a bit dull.

Album Rating: 4.5

I have two categories of 4.5s, some are really really strong albums that are clearly too good to be 4s but aren't really close to being 5s, the rest are those that are pretty much the same quality as 5s but don't quite have that extra unifying magic.

Album Rating: 4.5

I agree on the waiting to 5 thing - since I've started rating here I've added about 7 5s I think, 3 have been insta 5s (most recently The Mekons' Fear and Whiskey just a few weeks ago) but of course I still don't know how long they're really going to last - alas, life's too short. The insta-5s are a sort of bet, I'm not quite sure at first they'll stay 5s but I hope they will stay such and also I feel like putting the label on it can be a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, if I tell myself it's a 5 then I'll probably actually enjoy it a bit more. For those who are more worried about their ratings being "objective" that may sound silly but I just want to enjoy the music so I'll do whatever it takes to have a more enjoyable experience!

Album Rating: 5.0

Yeah I get that, if i'm really excited about an album and I know it's definitely 4+ quality why not give it a boost even if in the long run it proves to be a temporary thing?



I've only had one 2016 album sitting on a 5 this year which is impressive restraint - last year I think I had Sufjan Stevens, Everything Everything and Destroyer all sitting on 5s at one time or another.



What I did notice is if you took all my 2015 ratings on Jan 1st 2016 and then checked again now I would think they'd have dropped 0.2-0.4 on average - so I guess I'm more conscious of that this year. Even so I'd predict some scores will drop - I have ten 2016 albums at 4.5+ so some of those I'd expect to fall to a 4.

Album Rating: 4.5

I think the only album since 2013 that I've temporarily 5d was Father John Misty, nothing this year has been there for me.

Album Rating: 4.5

An example for me of what we're talking about here is The Beatles. I have 3 of their albums at 4.5, obviously they're all certified classics and probably even slightly better than a few of my 5s (for example, Summerteeth is heavily Beatles-influenced in a lot of ways and probably equally good but that album is a hard 5 for me) but none of them strike me in the same way as most of my 5s do.

Album Rating: 4.5

Gave this a listen tonight, definitely very good stuff, but it'll definitely take several listens to really sink in. "The Hustle" is amazing.

Album Rating: 4.5

The National are my 2nd favorite artist of all time so I'm not sure I can quite yet say these guys are consistent in a similar way but I know what you mean ;-P

Album Rating: 5.0

Lambchop are up to 6 with the National sitting in 3rd of my official list :D



Really all three of the National, Tindersticks (5th) and Lambchop are crazily consistent and essential. If you like one you'll probably like the other two too.