I just read a huge article on Rolling Stone this morning about some quality releases coming out in 2008. Those that I am really jacked up about:

-Coldplay
-Death Cab
-Weezer
-Ben Folds
-Ray Lamontagne
-Jason Mraz ( I have complete faith that he can put out another good album even though he is batting .500 right now)
-This new band that I have enjoyed on the Internet called Tokyo Police Club

Check it out. (Unfortunately you have to click through each page of the 65 pages) How can you not be excited about a Tom Petty side project?!?!

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/19830818

Kyle's Notes:

I thought I would chime in with some of my most anticipated upcoming releases. Also, I actually laughed out loud at your "This new band that I have enjoyed on the Internet" comment. Their first album came out almost 2 years ago!

Islands
Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos
The Spinto Band
Rachael Yamagata
The Lovely Feathers
No Doubt
Tilly And the Wall
Phoenix
Simple Kid
Anathallo
Submarines

So last night I had the distinct pleasure to see Athlete headline a show at Schubas's Tavern with my lovely wife. They have been touring as the opening band for Switchfoot for a US tour and this was one of their few headline shows on the tour. I was very lucky to see this as my friend that saw them on Friday night in Peoria told me that they performed in between the 1st and 2nd period of a hockey game. That is NO WAY to see a band of such quality as Athlete (at least that is my opinion and I might be a bit biased but come on...Peoria Rivermen hockey or a quality band from the UK, take your pick....there is a reason why the NHL never recovered from the player strike).

Unfortunately Steve, the drummer of Athlete, was not on this tour (Joel, the lead singer stated it was due to money but I believe it was personal reasons) so we witnessed a stripped down show consisting of Joel on guitar, Carey on bass and guitar and Tim on keyboards and laptop (which also filled in for the absent Steve).

Athlete has a wonderful stage presence that encompasses all things warm and bubbly about the British. Joel's banter between songs is both witty and boyishly smarmy (if that is possible). As the frontman of any band would confirm, it is essential to have a quality person taking point when it comes to playing small and large venues alike.

The group played an hour long set consisting of a number of songs off their most recent album BEYOND THE NEIGHBORHOODS and their 2nd album, TOURIST (and of course "You've Got the Style" off of their first album, which is a live staple). Many of these songs (Twenty Four Hours and Wires come to mind) were very stripped down. These songs were already very intimate and you added in the fact that this is a small venue and there was no drummer and that exponentially made them that much more distinctive. I loved the set list as it took great highlights from both albums to give those people in the audience a wide plethora of what the band has to offer. From some soaring ballads that you raise your cell phone up for everyone to listen to some harder electric guitar riffs that are catchy yet not overpowering.

Athlete is probably not a band that is ever going to fill stadiums in the USA a la Coldplay or Oasis but they deserve to do just that. Give them a listen. I promise you that you won't be disappointed.

http://www.athlete.mu

Putting my iTunes on Shuffle for 10 random songs.

1. A Skeleton of Something More - Sleeping At Last
2. Tear You Apart - She Wants Revenge
3. Amazing Grace - Sufjan Stevens
4. Love's Not a Competition (But I'm Winning) - Kaiser Chiefs
5. Mayor of Your Town - Leona Naess
6. Fancy Footwork - Chromeo
7. It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad - Sufjan Stevens
8. The Drinks We Drank Last Night - Azure Ray
9. Homesick - Kings of Convenience
10. I Feel Good - James Brown

Kyle touched on a number of new releases a couple of days ago but he didn’t touch on the new releases of some of my favorite artists. Moby, R.E.M. and Counting Crows all recently put out new albums and I have to say that all three of them are a nice reminder of how great these artists are when they put out the music they are famous for making.

I was able to hear Moby’s new album via streaming audio a few weeks ago and it was a nice return to his EVERYTHING IS WRONG and PLAY sound of solid, danceable tunes. I haven’t heard R.E.M’s ACCELERATE yet but all of the reviews and feedback has been very positive. I hope to be reviewing both of those in upcoming entries…but not this one.

This entry is focused on my long list friend. That friend that you thought you would never re-connect with but somehow, your paths crossed again. This is that artist that you fell in love way back when your musical tastes were being developed and they opened your eyes to what a great live act and what a great songwriter might look like. This band, for me, was Counting Crows, and they have released SATURDAY NIGHTS AND SUNDAY MORNINGS (SNASM). I can say without any hesitation that it is their best album since RECOVERING THE SATELLITES.

It is difficult to be objective when you review or listen to an album by one of your oldest and favorite artists. You already have so many expectations and they are typically quite lofty. The Counting Crows always have had a distinctive sound that bordered between a fusion of folk rock ( Bob Dylan plugged in) and pop rock (see SHREK soundtrack). My dad always felt that Adam Duritz, the lead singer and songwriter, sounded like Travis Tritt (one of his favorite country singers). I never could figure out this comparison but it allowed me to listen to Counting Crows at obscenely loud levels when I was growing up. You have to take what you can get sometimes.

Now let me get into the actual new album’s songs. SNASM is a concept album that is to have two parts. The first part is hard-driving, gritty rock to insinuate a Saturday Night out amongst the parties and craziness. There are some definite songs of merit in the first 6 songs on this portion of the album. They have a very similar rough sound to them that the Crows had on their hard rock songs on the first two albums. The highlights of the first part would be “Hanging Tree,” “Los Angeles” and “Cowboys.” Most of Adam Duritz’s songs are about how he has a difficult time connecting with the general public. “Tree” is definitely about this concept and “Cowboys” is about his fascination with the two different types of people in the world (Cowboys and Clowns). "Los Angeles" is just a fun, hard rock song about going out and living life. These are some of the best hard rock songs that Duritz has written in a LONG time.

The other side of the disc, Sunday Mornings, is the type of Counting Crows that I fell in love with and still hold close to my heart. These are much slower, piano driven ballads about self-discovery, love, love lost and everything in between. They are the songs that are meant to have you reflect on what you did the night before (Sunday Mornings). As the disc has 14 songs, the majority of the focus is on Duritz’s forte. The songs that I fell in love right away were “Washington Square” (a song about how you need to keep psyching yourself up to keep on living your life no matter how bad things get), “On Almost Sunday Morning” (the best song on the disc about finding the right woman/person to spend your life with) and “Le Ballet D’Or (A song about getting over yourself and to just go out and live your life). The final song on the album, “Come Around,” reminded me of the final song on Counting Crows’ debut “Murder of One” as it is a very hopeful song that finishes everything on a positive note.

All in all, Counting Crows really made a fine album that is a vast improvement on their past two efforts. They are worth a reconnection or if you have never given them a try, a listen.

As you probably have realized by now, I’m not anywhere near as cool as Kyle when it comes to musical excursions and his ability to be in touch with the “musical pulse” of the moment. I really wanted to post about my best concerts of 2007 as well but then I realized that I only attended 11 total concerts last year (hence why this wasn't posted until now...embarassment factor). This might be a sign of 1) my frugal nature as a married individual that can not spend all of my money on crazy things like live music or 2) I’m a homebody.

If you were a betting person, you should bet the house on #2. Nevertheless, I did experience some outstanding concerts last year which I will rank accordingly:

The Coldest Night of My Entire Life AwardThis was the 2/3 concert for Camera Obscura that Kyle and I attended at the Logan Square Auditorium. Why we took public transportation to this show will forever be a mystery to me as I couldn’t feel any of my appendages by the time we finally got to the show. Despite this fact, this show was unreal in regards to set-list and the atmosphere in the venue. It was obvious that only the truly die-hards (or extremely idiotic) were out this night and the typical “only came out to drink and talk the entire show while trying to piss off everyone else” crowd were in the minority for once. I give props to this show for that fact alone.

The Best Ravinia Performance Award
I have seen numerous shows at Ravinia over the years, symphonic and popular alike. My wife and I were treated to the best show I have ever witnessed when we grabbed tickets for the 8/10 Fiona Apple and Nickel Creek show. I have been a huge Fiona’s for a LONG time and I honestly just recently got into Nickel Creek. Despite the fact that the concert confirmed all of friends statements about how crazy Fiona Apple is (I prefer to call her an “eclectic artist”), the show was TIGHT. Nickel Creek were the band for Fiona Apple’s set and they added a whole new feel to her piano centered songs with guitar, violin, upright bass and mandolin. This was a delightful surprise and I would recommend for ANYONE to see Nickel Creek. They incorporate pretty much every genre of music into their live shows with ease and seamlessly make it their own. I am sad to know that they are going on an “indefinite hiatus” for the future.

The Show That Can Piss Off Even the Casual Music Fan Award
This award goes to the 9/7 Bloc Party show for the Hideout’s Block Party. For a better idea of what I am talking about I would like for you to see my good friend, Kevin Sperry’s blog entry about said show. He sums it up better than I could. http://architectureandfootball.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html

The Passing of the Torch Award
I have to say that going to shows with Kyle usually leave me with at least a few lasting memories of it. The 5/13 Regina Spektor show did not disappoint in this regard either. The wife and I met up with Kyle at the show and proceeded to get into an ideal position very close to the stage and Regina’s piano. I also am happy to say that I believe that Regina has decided to take a large portion of the lesbian crowd over to her camp from Tori Amos’ and The Indigo Girls. Good for her. Everyone needs a devoted fan base.

The UK Band that Deserves a Bigger Following AwardMy final show of merit was the 11/10 Athlete show at the Empty Bottle. I LOVE the Empty Bottle primarily because of intimate nature of the bar and how the sound fills you up and you kind of resonate for a few hours after the show. Athlete are quite a large band in the UK (my friend from Scotland that saw them with me said that he could NEVER see them in a venue that small in the UK) but they haven’t really taken off over in the states yet. The band writes catchy pop tunes with clever lyrics and the bouncy rhythms that bands like Snow Patrol and Oasis are known for creating. If you get a chance to hear them live, do like the Sugarhill Gang and JUMP ON IT!