why do so many of the critically acclaimed (and DiS loved) albums of this year end on a slow/quiet track? Is it part of what makes the album so good (the last track being such an important piece of album craft) or is it "just what good bands do"? Or does everyone do it?

You could argue that it's happened everywhere since the album was created, but doesn't it seem like a bit of a trend this year? And does it strike anyone else as being a bit predictable, a bit unimaginative? A bit.. easy?