February 2004
Dear POOPster:
No weapons of mass destruction here either but at least we've got POOP. The Seventeenth Annual POmpous and OPinionated List is here. This year 30 cranky-ass, self-righteous, musically correct blowhards have blessed us with the usual self-important pontificating. We even picked up some new meat to spice up the pot. So let's hoist up the "Mission Accomplished" banner and get down to business.
As usual, I've attempted to tabulate the entries and, as is customary, I've employed the now time-honored What-The-Hell's-He-Talking-About-Anyway System. One more time, I've given 2 points to each pompoid's Top 10 choices and 1 point to each title beyond a Top 10 or in the variously described 'honorable mention' categories (up to 25 total titles). I've pro-rated titles above 25 listed titles, hence the half-points. Basically the more titles you listed, the less each one counted or something like that. No chads were hanged in the compilation process.
Once again, the 2003 lists (as well as those from 2001 and 2002) can also be accessed at www.pooplist.blogspot.com. Your list is already there or will be shortly. Thanks to Mark Zip for building and managing this site with such aplomb.
So without further ado, the correct answers to the Seventeenth Annual POOP List. How'd ya do?
1. THE WHITE STRIPES - Elephant 21 1/2 points (appearing on 13 of 30 lists)
2. NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - Electric Version 13 1/2 (8)
3. BELLE & SEBASTIAN - Dear Catastrophe Waitress 12 1/2 (8)
4. THE SHINS - Chutes Too Narrow 12 (8)
5. THE JAYHAWKS - Rainy Day Music 12 (7)
6. GILLIAN WELCH - Soul Journey 11 1/2 (9)
7. LUCINDA WILLAMS - World Without Tears 11 1/2 (7)
8. RADIOHEAD - Hail To The Thief 10 1/2 (7)
9. CALEXICO - Feast Of Wire 10 (6)
10. JOE STRUMMER & THE MESCALEROS - Streetcore 10 (5)
11. RYAN ADAMS - Love Is Hell, Part 2 8 1/2 (6)
12. RICHARD THOMPSON - The Old Kit Bag 8 1/2 (5)
13. RUFUS WAINRIGHT - Want One 8 (5)
14. MARS VOLTA - De-Loused In The Comatorium 7 1/2 (5)
15. WARREN ZEVON - The Wind 7 (5)
REISSUES
1. JOHNNY CASH - Unearthed (5 mentions)
TELEVISION - various reissues (5)
3. LED ZEPPELIN - How The West Was Won (4)
4. ELVIS COSTELLO - various reissues (3)
BOB DYLAN - various reissues (3)
Now let's get to Mars before al-Qaida does, and on with the POOP. Good bathroom reading, everyone.
Mark
POOPmaster General