James Blake... AOTY 2011? Because Kanye West and Beach House are soooooo 2k10
Since we here at the Phoenix only take our social cues from Jay-Z, we would
like to make it known that we on to the next one. So long to 2010 and
the mounds of year end lists showering praise on Kanye West (as if he
needed his ego stroked any further). In fact, we're so over 2010 that
we've already turned to our crystal ball and our go-to illegal file
sharing sites, and are prepared to go out on an asinine limb to declare Album of the Year for 2011. That's right, an entire 374 days before
the end of next year and with no attention paid to what's actually being
released, we're ready hand the crown over to James Blake's full length
debut, dropping February 7 on A&M/Atlas. If you thought that music
publications finalizing year end lists in November was ignorant, we're
taking ignorance to a whole ‘nother level.
If
there's one thing music criticism has taught us, it's that the finished
product isn't worth nearly as much as the buzz, and this kid is riding a
massive wave right now. Let's look at the tale of the tape: He released
three massively acclaimed EPs over the past year. He's only 21. And
he's British. AKA the Holy Trinity of Hype.
JKJK.
We've gave it a couple spins so far and are not quite sure what to make
of it. We're much more concerned with the pent-up critical exaltation that's fina blow the fuck up over the next couple weeks.
Publications that wouldn't touch dubstep with a ten foot poll are ready
to prematurely bust in their knickers. Stay tuned for our (4 star??) take on the album sometime early in the next year. For a
taste, you can view the first single, a cover of Feist's "Limit To Your
Love", below and take our word for it that the rest of the album is just
as beautiful.