This year's Lollapalooza got me thinking - what would MY fantasy Lollapalooza line up be. So I decided to come up with a line up that would make me really really excited for an opening to closing weekend of non-stop music. I invite you to come up with your own line-ups and post them in the comments section.

Here are the rules of the game:

10 acts per day for 3 days
Only acts that HAVEN'T performed at previous Lollapaloozas between 2005-2008.
You can have band reunions - no matter how unlikely - in your lineup, as long as the members you wish to reunite are still alive!

You can check out my answers below the break, but try coming up with your own lineups before peeking at mine. Post your responses in the comments!

Continue reading "Lollapalooza Fantasy Lineup"

So Kyle has posted his favorite songs of 2008 so far and he dropped me a line earlier last week asking for my take on the music that has been released so far this year. I haven't listened to as much new stuff as I know Kyle has (because he is bigger, faster and stronger than me) but I can give you my take on what I HAVE heard.

Even though I'm slightly biased (as they are my 2nd favorite band) and my wife always asks me how I can listen to a band that sings in a language that I don't understand, the best release of 2008 has been hands down Sigur Ros' MED SUD I EYRUM VID SPILUM ENDALAUST. Kyle picked a song off of it as one of his favorites of 2008 (GOBBLEDIGOOK...a song with absolutely no time signature which makes it an adventure to hear) and from start to finish it is one of their finest works. It is almost unfair for a band to be so much further above the bar than the rest of music currently. Radiohead gets all of the credit but Sigur Ros really has done a lot more trailblazing recently. I can not recommend this album enough.

I have also enjoyed a number of my old favorites releasing stuff this year. Nada Surf put out a solid album with some very quality songs (I really like SEE THESE BONES). REM has one of their best albums since UP with ACCELERATE (If you like their harder stuff a la MONSTER or OUT OF TIME, this would be right up your alley). I agree with Kyle that DEATH CAB FOR CUTIES new stuff is good (I WILL POSSESS YOUR HEART is easily one of their catchier songs).

You can add all of the featured discs that I have reviewed on MusicBath to this list (ADELE, COLDPLAY, COUNTING CROWS, FLEET FOXES). Some disappointments (at least for me) this year were Jason Mraz and Weezer. They had some good songs on them (PORK AND BEANS is endlessly hooky..if that makes any sense) but as a whole, they were disappointments to me.

The one cd this year that I need someone to explain to me is SHE & HIM. This cd consistently keeps getting positive reviews from the indie community and critics alike but I just can't seem to find what they hearing. If someone can let me know, I would appreciate it.

Thanks for reading and here is to hoping that the rest of the year continues to put some great tunes.

Well, 2008 is half over. How did THAT happen? We've already had some great albums and great songs released this year. The A.V. Club released their list of the best songs so far, and I've hardly heard any of them - although a ton of them are on my list! Alternately, a lot of my favorite songs of the year are absent from their list. Without further ado, here are my favorite songs of the year to this point, after the break.

Continue reading "1/2 of 2008"

Spammers have infiltrated my Music Bath e-mail address, so instead of getting fun submissions for CDs to review, I have to spend all my time deleting crap. P.S. I am NOT going to enlarge my penis, so stop wasting your time!

However, I do have to give the spammers credit for some pretty amusing Subject lines. Here are the best of the bunch:

A hard on now stays on
A true godsend to your little soldier of love
An opportunity to penetrate deeper
Be the man of everyone's dreams
Be the Pied Piper of chicks (ummm...is this encouraging abducting women?)
Become the Wild Thing
Bomb her womb from your huge canon!
Britney digs larger dicks
Coming like a waterfall (body: Wake up and water your man meat, watch it grow everyday.)
Create a furore in the bedroom (body: Are you hung like a little boy?)
Enjoy yourself with your female friends (body: James Bond will need to step aside once he sees how good you are with the ladies)
Enlarge your... machine size, male device size, male organ length (body: Your girl loves huge bell-rope but the problem is that you have small one)
Ficken wie ein Weltmeister (translation: Do you fuck like a world champion?)
Find out about Harry potter's latest novel (body: Yes! The solution to boring sex is here at last)
Find the key to pandora's box (cause who DOESN'T want to stick it in a box that contains every evil of mankind?)
Forget about your partner faking her orgasm or not being able to please her. (done and done. *wipes hands*)
Gain a voluminois male package
Get... a magic wand to satisfy your lady, armed with huge love canon, hung like no one else, nominated for MBA
Gigantic snake between your legs (Dangerous!)
Hypnotise to lay her (body: What is life when you have a small thin pen, you need a huge marker right?)
I don't need no herp to keep my happy. (are there people out there who do?)
If you can't engorge properly, get in here! (kind of a catch 22, huh?)
Improbably things can really happen!
Kinky stuff you can try
Lucille cried out when she saw it (poor Lucille!!!)
Massiveness means power
More dimension and vigor for your love tool
More meat is what you need
Please spare me your anaconda (body: All the whores along the street shiver at the sight of me, I can only bag the new ones these days.)
She likes getting slap on the ass
The thing between your legs can grow!
Time for your second puberty phase
True manhood accepts no compromises
Update your Penis (ugg, Steve Jobs is making penises too now??)
Wanna have a bazooka in your boxers (Daaaaangerous!)
Your male device is super (Just what I like to hear. Well that...that's just super.)

And even some poems:

Be good, think twice.
Look into that blondy's eyes
Catch glance, feel free.
Visit that link recommended by ME

Girls, white girls, black girls, red girls, yellow girls.
I love any of them.
And they love me.
Want to know wy?

1. The Frames - 12/31/07 - Vicar St., Dublin

This show eked its way into the number one spot in the last minutes of 2007 - and in fact a good majority of the concert occurred in 2008. What a way to ring in the New Year though! You could tell that the band was really enjoying the concert and could have played on indefinitely, and since they were playing their home turf, everyone seemed to know every song. They pulled out a lot of rare songs and a good number over covers too (New Partner, Skylarkin, The Dancer, Where Is My Mind, Suspicious Minds, and Fairytale of New York). I'll be honest, I teared up a little during the last song of 2007 - "People All Get Ready." What a great sentiment to enter the New Year on, and a great end to a great year of shows from Glen. I went to see the Once preview here in Chicago where Glen and Marketa performed a couple of songs afterwards. Ever since then, the Swell Season and the Frames have really blown up. The instantly sold out Old School show this year was the first sign that Once was a phenomena that was going to change the lives of some of my favorite musicians, which was proven at the brilliant and quickly sold out Thanksgiving shows at the Vic. The Frames show at the Hideout Block Party proved that the Once buzz wasn't contained to just the Swell Season, as a ton of people around me were heard to say that they had started listening to the Frames after seeing Once was released.

2. Mika - 06/11/07 - Metro, Chicago

This show was my favorite show of the year throughout 2007. I really thought it would end up being my #1, and it would have had I not seen one of my favorite bands, playing in their home city of Dublin on New Years Eve. I am actually not the biggest fan of the Mika CD. It is a lot of fun - and I had heard and fallen in love with the track "Billy Brown" long before the CD release. However, as great as it is, it is super sugary and for me can just be taken in small doses. However, when experienced live, the CD was transformed. The whole show was a high energy dance fest of happiness and joy. Shirtless Mika writhed on stage, banging drums, jumping, and basically creating a furvor in the mixed audience of future fag hags that didn't realize that Mika is 99% assuredly gay and the current fags denying the 1% chance that he might be straight (since he hasn't yet confirmed his sexual orientation). The whole concert progressed to it's near orgiastic climax that included constumed dancers, bubble machines and confetti cannons. This is what I was hoping the Scissor Sisters concert at the Riv would have been.


3. Travis - 07/21/07 - The Vic, Chicago

I have been a fan of Travis for a long time and have never been able to see them live throughout the years for various reasons. They were probably my number one band to see on my list, and their show didn't let me down. I went into the concert with 5 full length CDs that I thoroughly loved under my belt and was thrilled to finally get to hear them live. If I wasn't excited enough, the band burst into the venue, weaving through the crowd in boxing outfits to the Rocky Theme. They were on spot through the whole show, sounding great, and I even had one of those moments where I feel like I connected with the band, as Fran stared up in my direction and smiled as I sang along to the opening track "Selfish Jean" from the new album. The set list was wonderful - they really couldn't go wrong considering I love nearly all of their tracks. The only bad thing was the fact that they had only a very limited time and too many songs! I would have liked to hear more from 12 memories, a darker and more moody album which I really dig and only had one song represented from (Love Will Come Through) but I can't begrudge them for being in a happy, upbeat place. That's just where they put me by the end of this show.

4. Lollapalooza - 08/03/07-08/05/07

I wouldn't say that Lollapalooza 07 was the best Lollapalooza, but it had some of the best individual performances of any Lolla I've been to. High at the top of the list is Swedish band "I'm From Barcelona" whose music I was vaguely aware of...I loved the track "We're from Barcelona." Their Lolla showing totally blew my mind though. The stage was packed by their 29 band members, who danced, clapped and sang their way through a glorious set. They got the crowd more involved than any one else the whole week and at the end even jumped off the stage and ran through the crowd taking pictures with peoples cameras. They would be the result if you could take the Polyphonic Spree, The Flaming Lips and Anathallo, mush them all together, and squeeze out any of the things you might not like about those bands.

The festival also had mind blowing performances and light shows from Muse and Daft Punk, as well as great showings from Spoon and LCD Soundsystem, which I took the opportunity to watch from backstage. Doing this I got a taste of what it must be like looking out and playing for tens of thousands of people.

5. Jeremy Messersmith - 07/26/07 - The Loft

Jeremy Messersmith played the second annual Loft Concert at my apartment, with Billy Gill opening, and was a beautiful follow up to last year's Ryan Auffenberg/Keith Varon show. I'd been in love with Jeremy's music for awhile, and was my first choice for the next performer at the Loft, so I was really pleased that he agreed to play. He converted a room full of people into instant fans with his jokes about my underwear clad neighbor who could be seen out the window and spot on performances of some of my favorites, such as "Great Times" and "Beautiful Children."

6. SXSW - 03/14/07-03/18/07 - Austin Texas

This was my first ever South By Southwest and I have to say, it was perhaps the most high stress, anxiety filled week ever. I went into it not really fully appreciating how overwhelming of an experience it is - nothing at all like Lollapalooza. Whereas at Lollapalooza you might have one or two conflicting shows that you want to see, at SXSW it is 20 or 30. Juggling all of the information - who you want to see, where they are playing in relation to when someone else you want to see is playing, and are these people playing like 30 free day concerts where you could see them - I went a little short circuit at first. It turned out to be a great experience, and I got to see some wonderful performances from bands I had never seen before. At the top of this list were two bands I've been fans of for awhile but haven't visited the US since I have been a fan (at least anywhere near me.) The first of these was Cork Ireland's Simple Kid, who was the first performance of the week I saw, at a little bar with a modest crowd. He played songs from his albums One and Two, and had some great fun little computer projections that went along perfectly with the music. The second was a very pregnant Bic Runga, in from Newzeland, who performed the last big day of the festival, in a hotel lounge on a top floor overlooking Austin with the sun setting below. These two performances would have been worth the price of admission for me alone, even without great showings from some other groups I had never seen before (The Faint, Peter, Bjorn and John, Chris Garneau) and some old favorites (Tilly and the Wall, the Headlights, Aqualung) and many more.

7. Tomorrow Never Knows - 01/10/07 -01/14/07

Schuba's inaugural Tomorrow Never Knows festival included a great lineup. Of course, I was thrilled to see my #1 band of 2006, Margot & the Nuclear So & Sos, headlining one of the nights. In the end, though, a couple of other bands surprised me and even outshone them. Headlights, formed from members of the Champaign-Urbana band Absinthe Blind (who I didn't care for) blew me away opening for the French Kicks. It is worth mentioning, this is the first outing I had with my friend Kevin, who would later accompany me to Dublin and treat me to the #1 concert on my list for New Years Eve! Dr. Dog, a band that I was supposed to see play with the Spinto Band and the Lovely Feathers but had to cancel, was worth the wait and then some... they had a raw energy that fit in well with those two bands (which are two of my favorite.) Finally, the 30 member Chicago circus punk marching band, Mucca Pazza, was probably my favorite show of the festival - it was kind of like if you put a marching band in a dance club. I don't know if I felt part of a musical community any more than at this show.

8. Arcade Fire - 05/18/07 - 05/20/07 - Chicago Theater

I went to the 18th and the 20th, but missed out on the 19th. The Chicago Theater was quite a change from the Riviera Theater or Lollapalooza. Despite the cushy seats and fancy surroundings, the Arcade Fire controlled the crowd and dominated the stage. The organ, the video screens, and a perfect combination of old and new songs made these shows epic. My money was on the 18th for favorite performance.

9. Stars -11/02/07 - The Vic

So, Magnet was supposed to open for this show and didn't show up. I was really looking forward to seeing him, as I have been a fan for years and haven't had the opportunity. (Same with Martha Wainwright not showing for the Swell Season gigs). On top of that, there was a weird energy on stage, with band members kicking around monitors and mics, and arguing about what songs they were going to play/refusing to play songs that each other wanted. Despite all of this, the music was pitch perfect, the new songs sounded amazing and the old favorites were all great too. Even the songs I didn't love on their new album were enjoyable live.

10. Nada Surf 10/19/07 & 10/20/07 - Schubas

It had been over a year since I had seen my Nada Surf boys, and it was perfect to see them on Schubas small stage with it's new sound system. They played a couple of great sets (although sadly missed some of my favorites - Neither Heaven nor Space, Your Legs Grow). Regardless, they did test out some of the new songs, which quickly raised their CD to one of my most anticipated albums of 2008.

Honorable Mention:

Chris Garneau - 08/24/07 - Feast of Fools Podcast
Sadly, every time that I saw Chris this year was in unfavorable circumstances: His SXSW concert was drowned out by a loud band next door, his Old Town show was fantastic, but very short, his show at the Iron Post was totally out of place and the Queerfest venue had awful acoustics. I still loved every second of every show. But nothing beats getting to hear his songs up close and personal as I co-hosted an interview of Chris on the Feast of Fools Podcast.

The Decemberists 07/18/07 - Millennium Park

Maybe not the best Decemberists show of the year. Maybe it was ridiculously overcrowded and from our vantage point we couldn't see the band. It doesn't get much better than lying on the grass with friends, listening to the Decemberists sea chanties as dark clouds billow in and the sky crackles with thunder and lightning overhead.

Pitchfork 07/13/07 - 07/15/07

I didn't get a chance to enjoy the Pitchfork performances as much as I'd have liked, but I did make sure to take time for the Menomena/Junior Boys back to back shows which alone get Pitchfork an honorable mention.

Josh Ritter/Stephen Kellogg - 02/11/07 - Park West

Josh Ritter had a couple of great performances this year, but this one wins, for me, because of the amazing duet cover of Dean Martin's "Little Ole Wine Drinker Me" from Ritter and Kellogg. This gets my award for favorite song performance of 2007 and the whole show can be heard here. (the October Park West show is a close second and can be found here.)

Avett Brothers - 06/30/07 - HOB
This was one of the most fun shows of the year, mainly because it was packed with 16 of my friends - many of whom were there independent of one another. I wasn't extremely familiar with the Avett Brothers going in, but there were many songs that I couldn't get out of my head afterwards, especially the great "When I Drink"

Last year, I was really confident in my top 10 list. They were CDs that I knew backwards and forwards and could sing in my sleep. I mean, look at the top 5 - it is a thing of beauty.

This year I am much less confident in my selections. I am pretty sure that the top 4 or so are safe contenders for the top 10, but most could be bumped back to the later spots. The rest, I feel, are just holding tenuously to their titles. While I've given each of the albums thorough listens, there are many songs on each CD that either actively don't thrill me or I can't even remember hearing once the CD has ended! The list truly doesn't inspire me like last year's list does, and I just know that there are a ton of other CDs out there that should be on this list, that I just haven't gotten a chance to listen to. 2007, for me, was really all about individual tracks as opposed to full CDs. But with that said, I did my best to compile my top 10 list - while I think it pales in comparison to last year, it's still pretty darn good.

1. Chris Garneau - Music For Tourists/C-Sides EP.

One reason that I may not be giving 2007 enough credit is because I spent a majority of my time listening to Music For Tourists. I purchased this CD at Virgin Megastore at inflated prices, feeling guilty at the time and hoping it wouldn't suck - it doesn't. Instead, I've listened to this CD more than all of the other CD releases of the year combined. Chris' lyrics and voice are heartbreaking and beautiful. I'll admit it, when I listened to it for the first time, I teared up a bit. And I just can't seem to wear it out - even after so many spins I just want to hear it again. His C-Sides album, just released this month, is a nice bonus, with 5 great new songs. This CD both saved and ruined 2007 for me.

2. Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War

I purchased this album via iTunes before the physical CD was released - that's how excited I was. Usually, I'll just wait and get the CD when I can (I still like having the liner notes, etc.) But this was probably my most anticipated album of the year and I snapped it up as quickly as I could. I'll admit, at first I was skeptical. Stars had a whole lot to live up to following "Set Yourself On Fire." On the first few listens I heard maybe one or two songs that I thought had potential. Otherwise I was underwhelmed. This definitely wasn't as good as "Set Yourself on Fire." Then slowly, slowly track after track began winning me over. The lyrics, the instrumentation, the harmonies... wonderful. And the songs take on new life when performed live. Maybe not as amazing as "Set Yourself on Fire" but very close.

3. Travis - The Boy With No Name

It had been 4 years since Travis released "12 Memories" and I had been craving a new record from them. Unlike many people, I loved "12 Memories." It was dark, a little political and a bit more mature than some of Travis' other stuff. That said, I was happy that The Boy With No Name returned to the style of The Invisible Band/The Man Who. The album is fun, poppy, and has a song for all different moods. First single "Closer" and "Under the Moonlight" are beautiful love songs and "My Eyes" is a song to Fran's son which rivals, if not beats former song about his son "Flowers In the Window." The stand out track, though, is Selfish Jean, which may be Travis' most fun song yet, despite its lyrical content.

4. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Speaking of having a lot to live up to - the Arcade Fire had to follow up its epic Funeral. Once again, at first I was a bit underwhelmed just in comparison to Funeral, but after repeat listens, this CD reveals itself to be an epic in it's own right. The songs work great as a whole, the mood of the album is pretty spectacular, and I have to say that I think the Neon Bible songs work even better live than the Funeral songs do.

5. Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position

Patrick Wolf is a great follower to The Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible." Both have that slightly dark overtones. "The Magic Position highlights Wolf's eerie and mesmerizing voice and multi-instrumentation. I don't understand how title track "The Magic Position" wasn't a break out pop hit of the year.

6. Page France - ... and the Family Telephone

BONUS: Once Sountrack

While the Once Soundtrack is comprised of many songs that are featured on other albums, including the Swell Season album, it is worth mentioning. The new songs are great, and this release finally brought Glen, Marketa, the Swell Season, and in a way even the Frames, into the public consciousness where they deserve to be.

I've spent over last year blogging intermittently on Shan's (www.blurbology.com) beautifully designed website (way to nicely done for my too infrequent use)! Woohoo! All three readers and the legions of spam commenters REJOICE. And to the guy who wrote me asking my opinions on the music scene in Bath, England... COWER IN SHAME!

In fun news, I can track people's search engine terms that lead them to my site. Here are some of my friends.

James Blunt To Put It Bluntly - 7 searchers (Sorry bitches, I was first. Not Really)

ohmibod - 37 (very happy searchers. ohbaby)

empty bowl of macaroni and cheese (this is just a ridiculous search)

That pancake searches:

pancake flight (mmm, they were searching for info on Orange's yummy pancake flight)
fancy pancakes (mmmmm, ok, I like fancy pancakes. Oh la la)
bats pancakes (ummm... what is that?)
gross pancake (why? why would you want to search for gross pancakes?)
douche pancake - (Ewww! WTF?!?! WTF is wrong with you!!!)

andrew bird (bob schneider) girlfriend/wife (this at least makes sense. As opposed to...)
alexi murdoch's mom (???)

is mark feehily and kevin mcdaid still on (also, some searches about their penises)

christian music comparison panic at the disco (Well...I guess they have "I Write Sins Not Tradgedies)

all i hear in my mind is all of this music ba-da bum (Hah, they actually included ba-da bum in their search)

the song when stifler is leaving

Which is the better band name:

Kiss the Anus of a Black Cat

or

Steaming Wolf Penis

My friend Melissa had a dream about me recently. In the dream I told her I had gotten a copy of the new Jay Clifford album (I sadly haven't) and that "It's good stuff. It's good stuff. It's top shelf."

It's top shelf is now my favorite phrase. And I can't wait to hear Jay's top shelf album.

Clap your hands and believe...

Did anyone else know that CTU's Nina was in one of the coolest commercials ever - the Jetta commercial "Synchronicity) from back in '99. In honor of tonights premiere of Season 6 of 24, I'm posting that here. You can read more about the commercial in this 1999 Dear Yahoo question response.

I also just finally downloaded the music from one of my favorite commercial's ever. The song: Alana Davis' cover of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's "Carry On." The Commercial was "The Trip" which first aired on Super Bowl XXXVII, but I remember seeing it before a movie at the theater and being blown away by it. It is one of those rare commercials not for adult diapers or fiber that targets the older markets. In it an old guy trains and prepared and eventually goes to space and looks out on the Earth...something that is becoming a reality (for bajillionaires). It was an inspiration to little geeky nerdy young Kyle. If the video was on youtube it'd be an inspiration to bigger older geeky nerdy Kyle.

These are my choices for the 2006 Best of Awards. Please feel free to list your own choices in the comments section!

Best Opening Song: Guster - Lightning Rod (Runners Up: The Damnwells - Assholes, Guillemots - Sake)
Best Closing Song: Islands - Renaud
Best Country Song: Amy Millan - Baby I
Best Rap Song: P.O.S. - P.O.S. Is Ruining My Life
Best Song Under a Minute: Guillemots - Sake
Best Debut Album: Margot and the Nuclear So & Sos - The Dust of Retreat
Best Sad Song: Amy Millan - Baby I
Best Love Song: Regina Spektor - Samson
Best Angry Song: Damien Rice - Rootless Tree
Best Sexy Song: Bob Schneider - The Tiger and the Lamb
Best Instrumental Song: The Album Leaf - The Light
Best Dance Song: Dangerous Muse - The Rejection
Best Live CD: Jump Little Children - Live at Dock Street
Best Song For Clapping Along: Tilly And The Wall - Bad Education
Best Single: Margot and the Nuclear So & Sos - Quiet As A Mouse
Best Video: Ok Go - Here It Goes Again
Best CD artwork: Anathallo - Floating World
Best Song Title: Moneen - Don't ever tell Locke what he can't do

A top 10 albums list doesn't allow the opportunity to really showcase the music that rocked my world in 2006. With that said, I decided to compile a list of 100 songs that were at the top of my list this year, in no particular order.

The Weepies - World Spins Madly On
Tilly And The Wall- Bad Education
Tilly And The Wall - Coughing Up Colors
Thom Yorke - Black Swan
Thom Yorke - Atoms For Peace
Teitur - Don't Want You To Wake Up
Sondre Lerche - Dead End Mystery
Small Sins - Stay
Hot Chop - Over and Over
Simple Kid - Serotonin

Simple Kid - Lil King Kong
Simple Kid - The TwentySomthing
Sandres Bohlke - Lovesick Misery
Ryan Auffenberg - Missouri in the Morning
Ryan Auffenberg - Under All The Bright Lights
Ryan Auffenberg - Waiting For You
Regina Spektor - Fidelity
Regina Spekto - On the Radio
Regina Spektor - Samson
Ray LaMontagne - Can I Stay

Phoenix - Long Distance Call
Phoenix - Consolation Prizes
Office - Wound Up
Michael Stipe - In The Sun (With Chris Martin)
Mat Kearney - Nothing Left to Lose
Margot and the Nuclear So & Sos - Quiet As a Mouse
Margot and the Nuclear So & Sos - Vampire In A Blue Dress
The Lovely Feathers - Rod Stewart
The Lovely Feathers - The Only Appalachian Cornfield
Landon Pigg - Sailed On

Keith Varon - Safe Escape
Jump, Little Children - Forget My Loss (Live)
Jolie Holland - Crush in the Ghetto
John Mayer - Slow Dancing In a Burning Room
John Mayer - Waiting On the World to Change
Joe Purdy - The City
Joe Purdy - Meteor City
Joe Purdy - Suitcase
Joe Purdy - Can't Get it Right Today
Alexi Murdoch - All My Days

Jeremy Messersmith - Beautiful Children
Jeremy Messersmith - Novocain
Islands - Swans
Islands - Volcanoes
Islands - Renaud
Islands - Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby
Imaad Wasif - Whisper
The Hidden Cameras - Builds the Bone
Guster - Lightning Rod
P.O.S. - P.O.S. Is Ruining My Life

The Guillemots - Sake
The Guillemots - Trains to Brazil
The Swell Season - Drown Out
The Swell Season - This Low
The Frames - People All Get Ready
The Frames - Falling Slowly
The Format - Time Bomb
The Format - Dog Problems
The Format - Matches
Ray LaMontagne - Within You

David Mead - Fighting For Your Life
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife 3
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife 1 & 2
The Decemberists - O Valencia!
Damien Rice - Dogs
Damien Rice - 9 Crimes
Cat Power - The Greatest
Camera Obscura - Country Mile
Camera Obscure - Llyod, I'm Ready To Be Heart Broken

Band Of Horses - The Funeral
The Arctic Monkeys - Mardy Bum
The Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor
Sia - Breathe Me
Anathallo - Dokkoise House (with face covered)
Amy Millan - Baby I
The 1900s - Bring the Good Boys Home
Rose Melberg - Cast Away the Clouds
What Made Milwaukee Famouse - Hellodrama
Tapes N' Tapes - Insistor

Tapes N' Tapes - Omaha
The Racounters - Steady as she goes
Submarines - Vote
The Flaming Lips - The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
Josh Rouse - Summertime
KT Tunstall - Silent Sea
The Elected - Fireflies in a Steel Mill
Jenny Lewis - Handle With Care
Asobi Seksu - Thursday
Annuals - Brother

The Album Leaf - The Light
Laura Viers - Tiger Tattoos
The Knife - Silent Shout
Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
Snow Patrol - Hands Open
Beach House - Apple Orchard
Frida Hyvonen - I Drive My Friend
Junior Boys - In The Morning
Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancing
The Shins - Phantom Limb

The one thing that I hate most about making a top 10 best albums list is that in the back of my mind I know there are tons of CDs that have come out that I haven't had the chance to hear (or listen to at any length) that would probably take the place of CDs on the list. Here are 25ish CDs (if one artist had multiple releases in 2006 I count them as one) that I haven't listened to that are at the top of the list of 2006 CDs that I still want to hear.

Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther/Milkmaid Grand Army EP
Sound Team - Movie Monster
The Guillemots - Through The Windowpane
The Magic Numbers - Those The Brokes
The Hidden Cameras - Awoo
Joe Purdy - Only Four Seasons, Paris in the Morning, You Can Tell Georgia
Emily Heines & The Soft Skeletons - Knives Don't Have Your Back
Mojave 3 - Puzzles Like You
The Rapture - Pieces of People We Love
The Kooks - Inside In/Inside Out
M Ward - Post-War
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
Josh Ritter - The Animal Years
The Killers - Sam's Town
Voxtrot - Mother's, Sisters, Daughters & Wives/Your Biggest Fan EP
Sunset Rubdown - Snake's Got a Leg
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
Calexico - Garden Ruin
Mates of State - Bring It Back
Cameron McGill - Street Ballads and Murderesques, The Company of Great Thieves EP
Beach House - Apple Orchard
The Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah
Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

I was anticipating a lot of CDs coming into the new year - many of these CDs, however, didn't make it into my top 10. Here are 10 of those CDs:

Guster - While it had my favorite opening of a Guster CD yet, as well as a fantastic closing song, "Ganging Up On the Sun" just didn't grab me like "Keep It Together" did. The first have of the CD has grown on me, but it just didn't make it to the top 10.

Josh Rouse - "Subtitilo" was a good album and it even had a couple of songs that would make it onto a personal "Best of Josh Rouse" compilation if I decided to make one (Quiet Town, Summertime). But that is a far leap from how obsessed I was with Nashville and 1972.

Ray LaMontagne - I loved loved loved "Trouble," and the first Ray show I saw still ranks as one of my favorite concerts ever. Until the Sun Turns Black just didn't do it for me though. It has a couple of songs I liked, and I was glad to finally have a studio version of "Can I Stay" but otherwise it is a background listen for me.

Keane - "Hopes and Fears" was one of my top CDs the year it came out, but I just didn't love "Under the Iron Sea." I really didn't like the single "Is It Any Wonder?" and the songs seemed flat live. Maybe I just was tired of the guitarless format of their music? The lead singer made me uncomfortable to look at, sweaty and with an air of pompousness that infected the music. I was not surprised when he went into rehab. But I think the real problem was that even the best of the songs on the CD (Hamburg song comes to mind) doesn't come close to my favorite songs from H&F or even many of their b-sides (including my alltime favorite Keane song, "The Way You Want It" which I still have yet to see live.

The Killers - Like with Keane, The Killer's "Hot Fuss" was one of my favorite albums of the year. It transcend the hype and was track for track one of the most fun CDs in my collection. I'm not sure how I feel about "Sam's Town" as I haven't even listened to it yet. I look forward to trying it out though.

Top 10 CDs of 2006:

1. Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - The Dust Of Retreat

Ok, so this is a bit of cheating - this CD was actually released in 2005, and then rereleased in 2006. I debated whether I should include it on the list, but then decided to say screw it - it was my favorite CD of the year so it stays. It was also the first CD I wrote about in the New Tuesday's section of my blog, so it has a special place in my heart. And from the sounds of the new Margot material they have been playing at concerts, their next CD will top the list in 2007!

2. Tilly and the Wall - Bottoms of Barrells

I didn't think that Tilly and the Wall would be able to follow up Wild Like Children, but they did. The CD is wonderful - a perfect follow up to their debut. Bad Education of course stands out, but the whole CD is amazing. Other stand outs are Sing Songs Along and Coughing Colors. Along with that, Jamie and Derek got married and cutie Mason joined the group. A good year for Tilly!

3. Islands - Return to the Sea

From the ashes of the Unicorns comes Canada's Islands. Founded by the Unicorns Nick and J'aime (who has since left the band) Islands delivers a diverse indie pop album without a bad song. The opening track, Swans, is one of the best openers of the year. The CD ends with the depressingly beautiful hidden track Renaud. And all of the songs in between are close to perfect. Highlights are the hilariously titled "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby" the hip hop flavored "Where There's A Will There's a Whalebone" and my personal favorite "Volcanoes" a prophetic apocolyptic song introduced by Oscar - a man who was killed in 1936 by his brother and is now a demon who predicts the world will end in 2007.

4. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

The Decemberists CD is less sea-worthy than their previous endeavours, but just as good. This time around they base their CD on the Japanese tale of the Crane Wife. The tale is basically of a poor man who fines an injured crane and nurses it to health and releases it. Then a woman appears at his door and they fall in love. She offers to make beautiful clothes to sell for money, as long as he promises never to enter the room she is sewing in. The clothes make a lot of money and the richer the man gets the more he demands of his wife - her health begins deteriorating. Eventually the man look into the room and weaving the clothes is the crane, plucking out her own feathers to make the fabric. She flies away. The CD is filled with this type of stories - from the star-crossed lovers modern Romeo and Juliet of O Valencia! to the creepy lullaby of The Shankhill Butchers, based on the actual Northern Ireland serial killers. These factors all lead The Crane Wife to be the most intelligent CD of the year, and the best complete package. The CD flows from song to song perfectly and get stuck in your head.

5. Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope

Most of the year I was so enthralled with the first single, "Fidelity" that I didn't give any consideration to the rest of the CD. Only in the last few months of 2007 (ahem...2006. Thanks Kramer, ya douche) did I delve into the rest of the CD, and since then it has been the only thing I've wanted to listen to. "On the Radio" has possibly my favorite line in any song of the year:

"This is how it works - you're young until you're not, you love until you don't, you try until you can't, you laugh until you cry, you cry until you laugh, and everyone must breath until their dying breath. This is how it works - you peer into yourself, you take the things you like, then try to love the things you took, and then you take that love you made and stick it into someone else's heart, pumping someone else's blood. Then walking arm in arm, you hope it don't get harmed, but even if it does you'll just do it all again."

I love the line so much I can even overlook the glaring pronoun agreement error! Samson might be the most wonderfully bittersweet love ballad of the year and just try to listen to "That Time" without wanting a box of tangerines. It has been a great winter CD, but I feel like it would be an equally great, if not better, summer CD.

6. We Are Scientists - With Love and Squalor

How can you not love an album which features the band members holding adorable kitties? This CD is just good fun, in the vain of the Killer's "Hot Fuss." In the words of the band, they play "rock music of the thoughtful, sometimes epic, often loud, vaguely danceable, implicitly humanist variety." And the lead singer's not too shabby looking.

7. Amy Millan - Honey From the Tombs

2006 was the year for some of my favorite women to release solo albums - and Amy's was my favorite (I prefered her CD to Jenny Lewis' although I have yet to hear Emily Haines' CD). Amy sounds like a young Loretta Lynn in this beautiful album. Baby I is the clear stand out of the CD, a heart-wrenching lament to lost love and moving on, but it is far from the only good song on the album. "Come Home Loaded Roadie" makes me want to tear my soul out and I can relate to "He Brings Out the Whiskey In Me" so much it makes me want to drown my sorrows at the bottom of a glass - which is saying a lot since I don't drink. The whole CD has a great sad bastard, get drunk and mope vibe to it.

8.Damien Rice - 9

This CD has been many years in the making, and while I don't like it as much as "O" it still is a relief to finally have it! The CD starts out perfectly with 9 Crimes - and I have to give a lot of credit to Damien for starting the CD with Lisa's beautiful singing. Many of the people who found their way to my blog this year got there by googling "Rootless Tree" and that track ended up on the album as one of its most passionate and stirring - with an intense chanting of "fuck you" that really hits home. But it is my favorite track on the album, "Dogs" which was also the biggest suprise - a radio ready pop song that I wasn't expecting. Lovely!

9.The Lovely Feathers - Hind Hind Legs

It took seeing this band live to make their CD click for me, but it clicked. Quirky and weird, like the band members, and just as energetic. Now this was the perfect summer CD. This CD narrowly beat out the Arctic Monkey's CD for this slot, but they are a good pair.

10. The Frames - The Cost/The Swell Season

Glen's main act, The Frames and his other project, the Swell Season, both released CDs this year - they even shared some songs. In both cases these are songs that are best suited to be heard live - as always with Glen. That said, it is great to have them on CD finally (after having heard many of them live). And as always with Glen's music, these songs will, without a doubt, grow on me through repeated listens.

Ok, so I didn't REALLY get you an ohmibod. But I got you something even better! An actual post! And more to follow!

Expect to have a whole series of holiday updates in the next couple of days. And if you are really lucky, they might just vibrate between your legs in time with the music!

So today I finally watched the series final of Six Feet Under. Thanks to Best Week Ever's penchant for spoiling everything, I already new some of the big twists and turns of the last season. I also knew that Sia's song "Breathe Me" was used in the closing scene. That didn't stop it from rocking my world. I would go so far as to say that it was the most powerful closing to a television series I've ever seen and the most poignant and perfect use of a song in a television show. It brought home to me how much a written character can grow to mean to someone. It also reminded me of other songs on othertv shows that overtook my life and my mind in the past. I made a huge list, but then decided to boil it down to the top four that really moved me the most. I cannot hear these songs without instantly remembeing the scenes they were attached to and the emotions I felt during them.

Sia - Breathe Me (Six Feet Under)
Kim Richey - A Place Called Home (Angel)
Sarah McLachlan - Full Of Grace (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer)
The Drifters - Save the Last Dance For Me (Queer as Folk)

Rumors of my new macbook have been greatly underexaggerated.

My brand new 13.3 inch black beauty is taking up all my time and love at the moment, but I promise you soon we will be blogging it up from cafes, librarys, and if the whole city goes wi-fi maybe even from RIGHT BEHIND YOU!

Tons of interesting things have been going on, lots of great music, and a lot more coming up...and I might just be arsed to write about a little bit of it.

For now, though, check out Jef Sarver, the Chicago musician who is currently downtown at a Potbelly's sub shop trying to break the world record for longest guitar marathon. He's been going for just about 9 hours now... only 35 to go!

Let the whoring of my blog begin.

So a couple of weeks ago roomie was invited to see a concert at Uncommon Ground and asked if I'd like to go along. Uncommon Ground is my favorite restaraunt in Chicago, so it didn't take much convincing.

Upon getting to the restaraunt we were quickly approached by one of the artists who introduced himself as Keith. Keith was adorable, kind of with an American Idol Elliott vibe, but way better looking. Not only did he tell us our meal was covered, but he also let me touch his shirt. Twice.

Keith played a great acoustic set, which was not the norm for him... apparently he puts on more of a rockin' show, but I thought he pulled off the mellow acoustic thing really well. Roomie says he reminds her a bit of having a Ryan Cabrera vibe, which I can absolutely see, although I like Keith more. And while Keith hasn't had as much exposure on MTV as Cabrera has, he did have a song on Laguna Beach, which is really impressive. I think my favorite song from his as yet unreleased CD (which he was kind enough to give us copies of) is "In My Head."

The next act was Ryan Auffenberg (also adorable). Ryan's music is usually mellow acoustic stuff, so Uncommon Ground was the perfect setting for him.

My favorite song was the first track on his (as of yet unreleased) CD which he also was nice enough to give us copies of. The song, "Under All The Bright Lights" reminds me a bit of Irish singer/songwriter David Hopkins, but maybe the connection is just because Hopkins album is titled "Here Comes the Bright Light." Or maybe Ryan is a fan...he does have the BEST MUSIC TASTE EVER (Loves the Frames AND Nada Surf.) Check out his myspace site.

So, seriously though, their music was very good, and that's not just the Mac and Cheese talking. And they are the nicest, coolest, funniest guys ever. Roomie and I loved them so much we went home and stayed up half of the night making them mix CDs for their journey back to California, posted below.

And just so everyone knows, I didn't sell myself and my opinion for a bowl of mac and cheese and some CDs...even though it was 8 year aged Irish Cheddar with tomato chutney. I really do like these guys. The next day we took Keith and Ryan, as well as their friend and bandmate Dave to Orange, on us (see, would a whore do that?) Keith had what he called salisbury french toast (ie. Chai Tea Latte French Toast) which he said was the best thing he had ever eaten (it is my favorite dish too.) I, instead, had the cereal themed pancake flight:

Dave said it was the Fab Four of pancakes. He was right... they tasted half dead (but looked great).

Anyway, you all must check out their music and see them. I can't wait for them to swing back through Chicago and do a couple more shows ;-)

So, back in the day I did a lil somethin somethin. And that somethin somethin was writing a some articles for freshtracksmusic.com. Recently, however, fresh tracks had a major facelift and they had their archives lifted. Oh well, apparently my 2+ year old articles just aren't "fresh" enough for fresh tracks anymore. Luckily for you, I don't mind posting a little bit of stale content. So, click for more to read one of my favorite articles I wrote for Fresh Tracks.

P.S. I did a quick google looking for the article and I found that someone had posted it on his or her (from this point her) livejournal because she liked it! She liked it...she really really liked it. Well, actually, she didn't have either of the reallies in there. Just the one "I liked this." Possibly as much as the Kenney Chesney CD she stole from her dad. My favorite part is her friend's comment down at the bottom: "dies. that was so long." It's official. My longevity killed someone.

Continue reading "Dear Person,"

So, my iPod has been crapped out for quite some time now. If I am lucky it will play through a couple of songs. If I am not it won't make it through one. A few days ago I finally got around to sending it off to Circuit City under the wire before my Protection Plan expired. Fingers crossed that they get it and don't try and find a loophole to not help my poor baby.

So, this goes out to my beloved iPod, Larry Fred. We had some good times you and I. Remember when I played you for the of the owner of that hostel in Northern Ireland? I played him Nada Surf and then he introduced me to Snow Patrol. Or when we moved up to Chicago... it was just you and me against the world. I remember listening to the Future Soundtrack for America on you in the weeks leading up to the 2004 elections (This Will Be Our Year. Move On). I'm sad you won't be with me to celebrate the end of Bush's reign. Sure, I might of been a little rough on you at times, but I tried to always remember to put on your protective case when I went out and I very rarely touched you inappropriately...

...

I'm sorry I ever put Hoobastank on you. There, I said it. I'm so sorry, I don't know why I did it. Oh god, that's why you stopped working isn't it? Please forgive me.

I don't deserve you Larry Fred. Maybe I never did.

But I kind of feel like I deserve a 60 gig iPod video. So please be beyond repair.

So, a lot has been going on in this blogger's life lately and I've been all mixed up and not knowing what to do! I've got a new pimp job (pimp being an adjective describing my job and, you know, not a noun) and a sweet ass new apartment with my good friend Shayna (and there I actually mean exposed posterior... we're in apartment 311which is the police code for indecent exposure! And everyone just went ahhhh....not clever! about my earlier 311 reference...or any of it really.) I've just not had time for much posting on here. Fear not...this site was too much of an invenstment to slack off on for too long, and I can't let Shan's super wonderful design go to waste now can I?

So, hopefully you will understand if I don't update as consistently as I would like (especially in the next couple of weeks during the big move! Who knows when I'll get my internet back up and running). But hear you me, I have not forgotten about you.

Anyway, I'm not the only one getting ready for a big move. My good dear friend Mel is making the move to Seattle. Mel is good at picking out cool clothes for me to wear and going on road trips to NY to see Damien Rice! I'm sad she is leaving, but that's fine because when she lives far away she sends me stuff in the mail and it makes me feel special. I know she will be very happy there with her boyfriend and her fattest cat in the world.

I made her about 5 mix CDs for the drive. Most of them are happy, party, lets-drive-and-feel- the-sun-and-eat-hawaiian-shaved-(heh)-ice and be glad that life is so wonderful kind of music. But, of course, I had to make one album that is at least a little tiny bit sad/depressing/guilt inducing on the off chance she decides to stay and help me shop for more cool clothes! But I couldn't even make that as stupid sad bastards as I usually do, because I really am so happy for her. And also, some of the songs are about romantic relationships. Please take them out of context like I did! So, in honor of moving, here is that playlist full of songs about moving (or just moving songs):

Continue reading "New... You're So New"

iTunes shuffles through my MP3 library and gives you ten of its favorites. Happy Birthday Jónsi and Roy Orbison!

1. Damien Rice - The Blower's Daughter
2. Jason Mraz - Wordplay
3. The Mamas and the Papa's - My Girl
4. Sufjan Stevens - Oh Holy Night
5. Fiona Apple - Never is a Promise
6. The Fruit Bats - Legs of Bees
7. Dispatch - Carry You (Live)
8. Glen Phillips - Thankful
9. The Delgados - Coming In From the Cold
10. Calexico - Guero Canelo

7/7 = my birthday
7/13 = Fiona Apple and Damien Rice in Chicago.

Coincidence?

Music Bath is off to somewhere warm and sunny for the next couple of days. I'm not sure where I'm going, but I know a plane will be involved!

Until I get back enjoy the song Bruised by Jack's Mannequin and think of me flying off to somewhere beautiful.

Once again I put my iTunes on Shuffle and see what 10 random songs fate deliveries.

1. Bright Eyes - The Big Picture
2. Sufjan Stevens - Angels We Have Heard On High
3. M. Ward - Paul's Song
4. Denison Witmer - Finding Your Feet Again
5. Damien Rice - Rootless Tree (Live)
6. Metric - On A Slow Night
7. The Bravery - Fearless
8. Gustavo Santaolalla - Do We Lose 21Grams?
9. David Mead - A Gift For You All
10. Paul Winter - Farewell to Govan

Awhile ago I went to see Nada Surf (with Rogue Wave and Inara George) at the Metro. Afterwards, I headed down to the merch store to get a poster of the gig. Unfortunately they had sold out before I could get one (they were talking about the posters during the show.) Dejected, I decided to try and find the poster artist online. I turned to the wonderful Gigposters.com and found that the artist was Diana Sudyka and there it was. That site is a great place to go if you just want to look at some awesome concert poster art.

Anyway, I e-mailed her and she said that I could stop by her office and buy one of the posters. Score. So a couple of days later I headed out on an expedition to find the office. On the train I decided to call my friend Shannon and have a chat about how life was going. She was great, helping me keep my mind off of how I didn't have a clue where I was going while getting lost in the back alleys of Chicago. We chatted about the recent Glen Hansard gig in New York and she dropped the bomb that the reason they were in NY in the first place was to mix their new album!!! *Framesgasm* Sadly, I was informed, it wouldn't be out until after Lollapalooza.

Moving on, I finally found the office I was looking for, but I couldn't remember the company name. So I started by pressing the buzzer for ATS Design:

Me: Hello?
ATS: Hello?
Me: I'm supposed to pick up a poster. Do you know if this is where I am supposed to pick up the poster?
ATS: WE DON'T HAVE POSTERS!!!
Me: Um... do you know if there is a company in the building that does have posters?
*silence*
Me: Hello?
Me: Hello?
Me: Sigh.

So then I tried buzzing a company called The Bird Machine because it sounded familiar.

Me: Hi, I'm supposed to be picking up a poster. Am I in the right place?
TBM: You're here now?
Me: Um...yes.
TBM: You're fired.
Me: Excuse me?
TBM: Come on up. 2nd floor at the end of the hall. *Buzzz*

So up I went to a freakin' awesome office filled with cool looking people making cool looking art. They hooked me up with my poster and were extremely friendly. Jay Ryan, who has been designing bad ass stuff for over a decade (including the cover of a Michael Chabon novel and a different art print for every song off of Andrew Bird's most recent album) was particullarly kind and allowed me to look through the office drawers at a lot of their old posters. There were a lot of great posters in there, like the Decemberists and Death Cab for Cutie. In one drawer I found a poster of the cover of Andrew Bird's album, "The Mysterious Production of Eggs."

Me: Wow. Did you design the cover of Andrew Bird's album.
JR: Yeah.
Me: I love that album.
JR: If you like that one you are going to love his new album...it's even better.
Me: He's got a new album coming out? That's great. Will it be out before Lollapalooza.
JR: No, they're still finishing it up.
Me: That's so funny, I was just talking to a friend on the way over here about the Frames who are also playing Lollapalooza and she said they have a new album being mixed too, and it also won't be out before Lollapalooza.
JR: You like the Frames?
Me: Oh yeah, they are great.
JR: I'm friends with the guitarist.
Me: Rob?
JR: Yeah, just a second.
Me: *Waits*
JR: Here's a shirt I designed for their last tour.

So I ended up leaving with a poster as well as a shirt from a tour that I went to! Which is great because I had been kicking myself for not getting a Frames shirt. So thanks to Shannon for keeping me company and to the people at The Bird Machine for being so wonderful and life for being so crazy sometimes. You can check out their stuff and buy stuff here.

Here is the graphic from the Frames shirt

Here I am pretending that I didn't just wear the shirt for a day, sleep in it, get up, shower, and put it right back on all wrinkled and gross because I love it that much.

I'm not even going to try and hide it, readers. It has been a long time, huh? This is quite the step up in the world from yahoo groups and Xanga, don't you think?

So now I'm back from outerspace and I'm ready to shake my word thang all over this place. Considering all I ever talk about is music anyway, this site will pretty much free me up from requiring any kind of real world interaction at all!

Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. I don't want to take up any more of your precious time that could be better spent setting this page as your homepage or forwarding the link on to all of your friends!

Feel free to say hi and test out my Comments feature. Or if you want to offer encouragement of the monetary type, you can use the nifty donation button in the sidebar. Finally, don't forget to do all of your amazon.com shopping through the link in my links page. Or don't, that's fine too. I'll just think much less of you then.