Taking On 2016 - Top Films (Q2 Quaterly Review)

Ah, here we are again. Late to the party, but not too late. Though later than it should have been since my last post. In that time though I have watched a lot (but listened to a lot less, which would explain the halfway point of the year missing a music countdown), and this has been quite the year. After a few spotty years, finding a list that felt good to me was incredibly challenging. Regardless of genre 2016 has been simply superb for all types of films. And, as usual, there are plenty of busts as well. If you are interested, you can take a look at everything from 2016 I have watched over on Letterboxd. Either way, no reason to further delay, how about we get to it?

Taking On 2014 - Top Albums (Q1 Quarterly Review)

I knew we would be back here eventually! Can't stop those quarterly reviews, especially not since there was an 11th hour change to the top of this very list you are about to read/glance over because it's numbered and the titles are bold so why am I even typing this up to begin with? I don't have the answers, I'm just glad you made it this far. We have gotten through the best songs of the year so far, now on to the albums, I won't delay it any longer.

Taking On 2013: Top Films (Q3 Quarterly Review)

So here we are once again, back to taking a look at motion pictures and the best ones of the year so far and how things have all changed since the summer onslaught of superheros and shit came a knockin' and right on the cusp of prestige Oscar picks and some things that might trickle out of Cannes before the end of the year. These ain't albums, these ain't songs, these are films and that's what we're all here for any way, right? Right. So let's get this road on the show, so to speak.

Taking On 2013 - Top Tracks (Q3 Quarterly Review)

Man, sometimes time gets away from you. Or me, I guess as this case may be. The days keep passing and I keep listening but I don't keep writing and then now I do start writing and it's like I'm just about to write. And I keep listening, still. And listening. And listening some more. But to what am I listening? Well, a few months ago it was these songs. But these past three months, I mean it's kind of all a Yeezus sort of thing. With summer coming to an end perhaps Kanye's vice grip on music is starting to fade. Or perhaps not. I guess let's look at the list.

Taking On 2013: Top Films (Q2 Quarterly Review)

With the holiday weekend over here in the states it took a little longer than I would have liked to follow up my look at the best albums and tracks of the year so far, but I am back in the saddle so to speak and ready to start getting all filmy up in here. Even though I haven't seen all the movies I would have liked to before constructing this list, I look at the upper portion of my master list and feel like 2013 has been pretty good so far. But what has changed since the last time? Let's find out!

Taking On 2013: Top Albums (Q2 Quarterly Review)

With the year in singles setting the bar fairly high for music, it's really up to albums to match it. Earlier in the year there were plenty of releases that had not dropped which I was anticipating. Some of them arrived. Some didn't. With Danny Brown, ScHoolboy Q, Willis Earl Beal, and many others still to drop their 2013 releases there are heavy hitters waiting in the wings. But there are some heaters already out there. It's weird that we look for heaters in the summer. Which bring the most heat? Let's take a look!

Taking On 2013 - Top Tracks (Q2 Quarterly Review)

With last year being so huge for music, it's kind of easy to look at the present as a kind of disappointment. I know only a few seconds ago I was thinking the same thing. But that's why I make these lists throughout the year, to kind of monitor the pulse of different forms of culture and get an idea of how the landscape has shifted. And comparing this list to April's it most certainly has, because even though I'm still not sure that 2013 has reached 2012 levels of greatness the number of certified bangers to be pumped out of the music industry across genres in only half of a year is astounding. As I continue to use a master Spotify playlist to help track tracks, feel free to also click on titles for Youtube links of all the songs where available. And, really, let's get on with the list!

Taking On 2013: Top Films (Q1 Quarterly Review)

I'm not sure if it's been a slower year for film, generally by this point in time a lot of the foreign films I wanted to see at the end of last year have finally gotten theatrical release, or if I just saw more foreign films than I had anticipated in 2012, but in the first quarter the world of cinema has been a bit lean. Still, despite that when compiling my five favorite films of the year so far, the most accomplished works in their field, some tough decisions had to be made. So, with summer nearly upon us, perhaps it has been a pretty good year so far.

Taking On 2013: Top Albums (Q1 Quarterly Review)

Well, it was a futile attempt to try and squeeze in a few more albums before creating this post. Despite some I've been meaning to check out, I haven't carved out the Spotify time for them as I thrust myself in to a bit more relistens since taking a look at the year's best songs so far last week. Regardless, it's still been a kind of strong year for music at the top. Assuming some of the spots I want to fill in turn out to be as good as I hope. Or not. Who knows. There are some good albums, there are also bad ones. I'll probably write about five of them because it's still so early in the year and (hopefully) this list will radically change by the time we get to the end of June. Music.

Taking On 2013: Top Tracks (Q1 Quarterly Review)

Sure it has only been a few months, but we are presently DEEP into the year marked on calendars with the number 2013, which also means that I have been listening to some stuff (not enough though), watching some other things (not enough though), playing some games (more than this time last year, still not enough), and even reading some books (or book, and even that up and down). Still! Time moves like the bare branches on the trees as mother nature refuses to take winter back, and since we are through the first three months that means it's time to begin Quarterly Reviews once more. And, as usual, we start off with the best tracks of 2013. I've linked to Youtube, and I'm continuing to update my longlist of considerations on this Spotify playlist, so subscribe to that to track everything. But that's enough set up, let us get to the damned list!

Taking On 2012: Top Films (Q3 Quarterly Review)

With Oscar season nearly in full effect this is kind of the last gasp of air for the early year darlings, and as such I'm glad to have the chance to do this list because some of the films that topped the first and second lists earlier this year are sure to fall as more foreign film and prestige pictures start releasing. Or that's the assumption. It's been a great year for songs and albums so far, but what about film? Let us take a quick look before Mr. Oscar starts shaking things up.

Taking On 2012: Top Albums (Q3 Quarterly Review)

Albums, albums, albums! While the year is not yet over, it has truly been a fantastic year for full fledged musical works of artistry. So much so that when composing my list for this Quarterly Review, even compared to the first and second, selecting just ten albums was damned difficult. Unlike with songs, there are so many factors to consider when deciding what constitutes a great album. And while there are a number of entries that continue to linger, the new additions may very well move up as the year starts to close.

Taking On 2012: Top Tracks (Q3 Quarterly Review)

With the winds of autumn blowing in, with them also comes the final portion of the year. And as the end draws closer that means that it's about time to start recapping the year so far. Following up the previous list of top tracks from the beginning of summer, some changes have already occurred as even more exciting albums on the horizon promise other changes in the future. Be sure to click on the track names to listen to all these great songs and check in with the first two Quarterly Reviews of tracks to see the changes.

Taking On 2012: Top Films (Q2 Quarterly Review)

It's fairly easy to be critical of 2012 as a year in film thus far, I was earlier this year, mostly because many of the more exciting releases are so insanely back loaded that it seems like nothing has come out. And you know what? That's partially correct, but not entirely true. Sure in order to round out a complete list (mostly because so many foreign films I want to see haven't gotten releases in my neck of the woods yet) I needed to stretch some dates, but the end result I find to be fairly strong. Equally worthy of standing alongside the great year for songs and albums, at the very least.

Perhaps the most surprising development for 2012 in relation to the last few years is the presence of engaging comedies. There have been bad ones that were supposedly great while others that had every right to be terrible were surprisingly funny. It's been a long time since Superbad or Scott Pilgrim, and even if I've seen all the great comedy movies of the year (unlikely since Judd Apatow is holding off his latest for Christmas day) 2012 has been stronger than most years in recent memory. Yeah that's at the expense of drama, but the greats are yet to come.

So what did make the cut? Let us find out.

Taking On 2012: Top Albums (Q2 Quarterly Review)

We've gone through the songs, and that means it's time to start tackling the larger constructs that hold them all together. During my last quarterly review I was hesitant to call 2012 a great year for music at the time because, at that point, the releases were stretched fairly thin. Sure there were some gems, but even albums I thought would have staying power have faded away with what seems like an onslaught of top notch releases since the end of March.

There's quite a bit of ground to cover, so let us commence the counting down!

Taking On 2012: Top Tracks (Q2 Quarterly Review)

With June now completely passed we have reached the halfway point of the year, and as has become one of my favorite traditions it is time once again to track how all forms of culture have been this year. When March drew to a close it was already shaping up to be a great year for music (both individual tracks and albums), but it wasn't until I sat down to compose this list that I realized just how loaded 2012 has been...and it's only half finished!

Obviously this means there have been a number of tracks that have completely fallen off the list in favor of new entries, and when we meet again in October I reckon there may even be an entirely new batch of songs that have overtaken these based on some upcoming releases and past albums I haven't had a chance to get to yet. Part of that has to do with my stipulation that only one track from an artist is eligible, but even without that there's plenty of great music to discover.

So what's say we cut the chit chat and get in to the heft of the list? As usual, click the song titles to listen to them.

Taking On 2012: Top Films (Q1 Quarterly Review)

The month, it has been tough, but slowly the lights at the tunnel's end are starting to appear. Hot (or rather cold, as this case may be) off the heels of the Top Tracks and Albums of 2012 so far, come the best films I have seen. As I compiled me list, which is a bit paltry, to state things lightly, I discovered that I barely had enough for a Top list. This should not imply, my friends, that 2012 has been a bad year for cinema, just that the heavy hitters are still to come. I mean Cannes hasn't even happened yet.

If you really think about it, it's impressive that we escaped the doldrums with as many competent releases as we did. Even if, you know, some of them are cheats.

Taking On 2012: Top Albums (Q1 Quarterly Review)

Despite 2012 being a pretty great year for songs thus far, I'm going to come right out and say that, based on the limited number of albums I have listened to, it has been a pretty bad year for music. But, much like with other cultural forms of entertainment, I look toward the future and see that brighter pastures are ahead. With Japandroids, Beach House, Kanye West, Fiona Apple, and countless other artists set to release records in the coming year I can't help but feel hopeful.

And really the reason I do my Quarterly Reviews, aside from using them as an aid to keep track of what exactly I have listened to in the year, is to track how my feelings have changed. Unlike the past few years, I am not sure if my favorite album from the year has been already released, or is even on my radar. And that unknown excites me like a a kid who just won a timed shopping spree in Kay-Bee Toys.

But this isn't a most anticipated list. This is the present, and the present is a gift. So how about we get to unwrapping?

Taking On 2012: Top Tracks (Q1 Quarterly Review)

Where has the time gone? Down the critical drain, no doubt. And now that the time is no more it is time to begin the listing. Start the counting down. Organizing strategies. As it was written last year, it shall be written again. And again after that, until the future shuts us down and the electricity flows no more through these wires.

There has certainly been music this year, and some of it has even been pretty good. Of course some of it has been pretty bad too, but that's kind of the trade off, I imagine. But what's so great about music is, like a killer sammy from the local sub shop, you can pick and choose all the meats that make it in to the final product. And, naturally, kick the bad ones to the curb. I'm talking to you, mayonnaise!

So don't expect to find any mayo here, just straight up heaters. And you can even click on the links where possible to jam out on your own. I'm in your head.

Taking On 2011: Top Tracks (Final Review)

It's that time of the year again. Mostly everything has been released, certainly this is the case with music, and it's time to start putting the year into perspective. I found 2011 to be a fantastic year for music, perhaps without the highs or 'Important Albums' of years past, but still fantastic nonetheless. We saw dubstep rise (and fall?) in about the course of twelve months, Katy Perry reached insurmountable levels of annoying, and that Lulu atrocity even released. What more could you want? It's definitely been a year, and moving on from my previous three Quarterly Reviews, the final list of best tracks has risen. Moves have been made, shakes have been shook, and as usual all titles link to Youtube versions of the songs whenever possible, and for some that are not on Youtube, I put all the songs on Spotify into a playlist!