The Top Tens

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Grant's Top Ten

2007 Top 10:

1) Radiohead - In Rainbows
2) Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
3) Amon Tobin - Foley Room
4) Art Brut - It's a Bit Complicated
5) LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
6) Spoon - GaGa...
7) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
8) Black Lips - Good Bad not Evil
9) Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis
10) Dizzee Rascal -Maths + English

Honorable Mention:
Elliott Smith - New Moon

Top 3 albums that Timbaland made so much worse in 2007:
1) Bjork - Volta
2) M.I.A. - Kala
3) Timbaland - Shock Value

Monday, January 7, 2008

Kyle's Top Ten one Worst

Tops

10. Band of Horses
9. Animal Collective
8. New Pornos
7. Menomena
6. The Good, the Bad, and the Queen
5. Battles
4. Patrick Wolf
3. Okervil River
2. Spoon
1. The National

Worst of All Categories (topping My Humps of a previous year)

Soulja Boy

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Bryan's top picks

Because of my underexposure to new music and overexposure to pure science, I will have to try something different this year. I’m going to let the statistics speak for themselves without dolling them up with artificial subjectivity purely for street cred. Here is what iTunes tells me I listened to the most this year:

Bryan’s Tops circa 2007

The Shins – Wincing the Night Away
Radiohead – In Rainbows
Damon Albarn and Co. – The Good, The Bad, The Queen
The Chemical Brothers – We Are the Night
Underworld – Oblivion with Bells
Jarvis Cocker – The Jarvis Cocker Album
The Smashing Pumpkins – Zeitgeist
Beck – Timebomb (single)
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Some Loud Thunder
Deerhoof – Friend Opportunity

Honorable mentions:

Fiest – The Reminder

Studio – Yearbook 1

Wilco – Sky Blue Sky

You might observe that I need a special weighting feature to rearrange the albums in an order that prioritizes fast movers which came onto to the 2007 scene late (Underworld) above those which have been out for awhile (The Shins). I will let you know when I have developed such a weighting feature. Additionally, I will tell you that every album beyond Sky Blue Sky falls under the category 4 listens or less (noise level). The most listens (maximum signal) goes to The Shins with only 18 plays. As my signal/noise ratio is quite low this tells you that I didn’t listen to music nearly as much as I should have. Lastly, I will also comment that I didn’t like “We Are the Night” that much but I obviously kept listening to it desperately wanting to enjoy it...

Thanks for sharing everyone,

B

Rob's Tippy Top Tens/ 2007

Due to the release of several boss albums between December 15-31 2006, I decided to hold off on listing my 2007 Tops until the end of the calendar year. Apologies to the new Lupe Fiasco (released Dec. 18, 2007), here are my Top 10:

10. Wincing The Night Away/ The Shins
9. Transparent Things/ Fujiya & Miyagi
8. A Weekend in The City/ Bloc Party
7. In Rainbows/ Radiohead
6. Alive 2007/ Daft Punk
5. Cease to Begin/ Band of Horses
4. Our Earthly Pleasures/ Maximo Park
3. Ga x5/ Spoon
2. Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?/ Of Montreal
1. Sound of Silver/ LCD Soundsystem//

Others of Note I Really Liked:

Eponymous/ The Good, The Bad, & The Queen
Let's Stay Friends/ Les Savy Fav
The Magic Position/ Patrick Wolf
We Were Dead Before We Even Released This Record/ Modest Mouse (feat. Sean Primley)

Looking Forward to in '08:

New Franz
New Sufjan
New Vampire Weekend
Bonin' my new Wife
Reading more of Wade's novel submissions
Time with E-Dog
Time with my dog
More Adam
Stickin' it to the man, my new Wife

Mickey, thanks for hosting this; Micah, fun seeing you at Trivia, Last but not least, I'd like to thank the Lord for my music taste. Without Him, well, I'd rather not think about that. Think about that, haters.

-Rob

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Adam Says!

Adam Says!

Top Seven Albums 2007

1. Jens Lekman - This is the only album of the year that I can play
over and over and not be bored. This was also the only concert I saw
in 2007. He's so awesome.
2.The Tough Alliance -awesome
3. Band of Horses - awesome
4. Rilo Kiley - awesome
5. Okerville River - awsome
6. Iron & Wine - almost awesome
7. Ryan Adams - Just for fun!
8. ?????? The soundtrack to Dewy Cox is pretty funny.
9. ?????? Panda Bear Sucks!
10. ?????? It has not been my favorite year for music.

Top Three Skoro Sightings of 2007

1. March @ 331 Club - It was the last Sunday living in NE before
Nicole and I moved to Stillwater, so we decided to take advantage of
the discounted Bloody Marys. I had two of them and then decided to
break the hard news to Skoro. He seemed to understand the significance
and was sorry that I had to go.

2. March @ 331 Club - Later that evening, Robert Williams and I
decided to beat the crap out of everyone at 331 bar trivia. We won a
bar tab which allowed us the extra confidence to bullshit with Skoro.
He asked for my ID claiming to have forgotten me from 4 hours
previous. Rob asked if we could trade the bar tab for a copy of
'Proof'. That didn't fly, so he made us his favorite drink, the
Sidecar.

3. July @ Afton - After swimming at Afton State Park, Nicole and I
were driving home and stopped at a roadside garage sale. Skoro and
friends pulled up and looked around too. A friend of his purchased an
ice cream sandwich at a nearby gas station. He looked as though he
recognized me. I made no such look.

Top Six Lines from the Great American Novel

1. Justin tossed the bit of Internet in Mickey's cage.
2. His strokes were wild and free. His golf cart was fast and
careless. He was laughsterbating into a Nepali ornamental headdress.
3. "So they sent the message, a $10,000 bill upon which Rob had
supposedly written "Let's Party," then drawn some breasts upon
one-time Secretary of the Treasury Salomon P. Chase, before signing it
simply "Rob!"
4. "Mr. President," said Private Boline, "if he isn't ready, I didn't
graduate from college."
5. The man had flashed the gorgeous ocular magnets again, thrown the
frisbee out of bounds to lose the game, and sashayed away.
6. Kyle's scrotum had returned to human size, but Billington was
running up and down the shoreline, playing with Kyle's pants.

Top Four Ways to Get the Final Point in Settlers

1. Build the longest road by stealing it from someone else
2. Play a victory point card after just having bought it
3. Build a City for the first time and still win
4. Lay down the third soldier card to get the Largest Army

Friday, December 7, 2007

Mickey's Short and Sweet (relatively) Lists!

Mickey's Top Ten Albums of 2007

1 - Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
2 - Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
3 - Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
4 - The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
5 - The New Pornographers - Challengers
6 - Feist - The Reminder
7 - Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
8 - Okkervil River - The Stage Names
9 - Fog - Ditherer
10 - Menomena - Friend and Foe

Honorable Mentions
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Radiohead - In Rainbows
St. Vincent - Marry Me
Laura Veirs - Saltbreakers
Dr. Dog - We All Belong
Handsome Furs - Plague Park
Liars - Liars
The National - Boxer

Top Sparhawk/Parker Sightings
1 - Starfire Sceen Printing, Random October afternoon -
2 - Duluth Zoo, Boo at the Zoo -
3 - TrailFitters/Fitger's Complex, multiple occasons -
4 - Chester Creek Park, early July -

The best of 2007 starts now!

Let's do it again! The same rules still apply as last year, so go nuts!

Monday, January 29, 2007

Grant's Top Ten

Grant's Top Ten

Here are the albums that I listened to and enjoyed the most in '06.

1) Sonic Youth – Rather Ripped

2) Neko Case – Fox Confessor…

3) Cat Power – The Greatest

4) The Strokes – First Impressions…

5) The Decembrists – The Crane Wife

6) Pearl Jam – Pearl Jam

7) Thom Yorke – The Eraser

8) Built to Spill – You In Reverse

9) Graham Coxon – Love Travels…

10) Morrissey – Ringleader…

Honorable Mention (good, but I didn't listen to them all that much for some reason):

Joanna Newsome – Ys

Yo La Tengo – I Am Not Afraid…

Hot Chip – The Warning

Over-Hyped:

The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls… (hasn't The Boss already done this?)

Biggest Disappointments:

The Electric Six – Switzerland

Basement Jaxx – Crazy Itch Radio

Favorite Songs:

The Strokes – 'Red Light'

Pearl Jam – 'World Wide Suicide'

Sonic Youth – 'Pink Steam'

Thom Yorke – 'Cymbal Rush'

Favorite Live Shows:

1) Art Brut at the Entry

2) Electric Six at First Ave

3) Neko Case at First Ave

Most Disappointing Live Show:

The Strokes – not only did I feel like an old man amongst all the high schoolers, but the band seemed a little small on the Orpheum's big stage (both in sound and concept).

Dust Offs/Reissues/Compilations:

Sam Cooke – Portrait of a Legend

Talking Heads – Speaking In Tongues

REM – And I Feel Fine…

Other Thoughts for The Top Tens (since I am too lazy to post comments):

1) The Current – the only DJ I like is Bill DeVille (Mark Wheat is literally worse than Hitler) but I think we are lucky to have a high quality FM radio station broadcasting so much variety in Minneapolis.

2) Justin Timberlake – he's not Michael Jackson for sure and 'Losing My Way' is pretty painful, but I liked a lot of the songs on FutureSex. Plus, I think it is great that some of the 4.6 million people who have bought the album may really get into 'What Goes Around' or 'Damn Girl' after they forget to put 'My Love' on repeat.

3) Dylan – I believe Dylan said he didn't think anyone had made an interesting sounding record in 20 years (referring more to the recording process and not the musicianship or songwriting). I'd have to agree with him that most new pop music is way overcompressed ( i.e. Strokes) and sounds terrible when compared to Dylan's best recordings from the '60s and '70s. I also agree with Mickey though, Dylan talked shit and then didn't really deliver with his own album. I though Modern Times was good, but Joanna Newsome's albums sound waaaaay more interesting than Modern Times, both from a recording standpoint and the quality of the music. David Byrne has posted here about how recording techniques have changed music and whether or not we should even care if studio compression and mp3s are degrading the sonic quality of the music that is consumed.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Bryan's top ten

Bryan's tops of 2006

I have one lame caveat to my top 10. There was one album in particular that I really wanted to get, Destroyer's Rubies. I put it on my Christmas wish list, dropped hints to family members and ta-da, it never came. I also looked for it repeatedly at the downtown B&N so that I could purchase with a gift card I had. Clearly, I expect too much from B&N because it was never stocked. I am certain that this album would have made my top 10 based upon the one song that received radio play. However, since I never heard the album in its entirety it holds a question mark spot on my list.

1. The Strokes – First Impression of Earth

Song of the year easily goes to “you only live once”

2. Built to Spill - You in Reverse

3. French Kicks - Two Thousand

4. Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam

5. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped

6. Joanna Newsom - Ys

The first song alone is enough to place it on the list

7. Basement Jaxx - Crazy Itch Radio

8. Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country

9. The Rapture – Pieces of the People We Love

?. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies

Most Embarrasing moment in music 06.

Grant might remember me complaining about how, “so many bands sound like Blink 182 these days.” Well, two of those bands, +44 and Angels and Airwaves, turned out to be members of Blink 182 who formed new bands separately after Blink broke up. Boy is my face red!

Other albums I should have listened to but never got around to it.

Sufjan Stevens – the Avalanche

The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America

Badly Drawn Boy – Born in the UK

TV on the Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain

Cat Power – The greatest

Overrated

Tapes n Tapes – The Loon. If I put this on my top ten I would only be doing so because its local and I thought I would be more relevant by doing so. Don’t get me wrong, I like this album, but I do think that it is overrated.

89.3 the Current – I stopped listening to this station very early in the year. Maybe its different now, but it just seemed to lengthen my workday and give me headaches at the same time. I’m pretty sure it made me less productive too.

Dave Dahl – Does this guy ever get the weather correct? I think we’re cutting him WAY too much slack. And he does it all with such a smirk on his face.

Dust-off

Somewhere in the middle of 2006 I got really, really sick of contemplative, paranoid, crybaby, wallow in my misery music (see Thom York’s “Eraser”). Green Day seemed to be an excellent solution to my ailments. I especially found their easily accessible, almost adult-contemporary albums (Warning and Insomniac esp.) to be the most fun to listen to. I think this phenomenon might be defined in the music dictionary as “losing one’s edge” but I don’t really care.

Skoro Sighting

After Mason Jenning’s concert at the Orpheum I bumped into Skoro who was swimming upstream the crowd going out the door. He was wearing camouflage and blaze orange at the same time. Is he doing alright?

Most disappointing

Beck’s “the information”. It held so much promise--white boy rapper is my favorite type of Beck. Sadly this album ended up being unfocused and uninspired. Overall it is just plain forgettable. Also disappointing was the double album by the red hot chili peppers. With so much material you might think there would be at least a FEW gems…okay, well, more than just a FEW gems…

That’s it! Thank you to everyone for sharing their tops!

Monday, January 8, 2007

Keely's Lists

Keely's Top 10 of 2006
01 - Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood - I knew this album was going to be #1 from the first time I heard it.
02 - Band of Horses - Everything All the Time - These guys remind me of Guster in that they're nice and fun to listen to. Hopefully they won't start sucking like Guster.
03 - Old Crow Medicine Show - Big Iron World - Yes, Kyle, it does sound like their last album, but since I loved their last one, I love this one too. Plus, there's no equivalent to "James River Blues" on the last one.
04 - Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit - While at work before Finn was born I used to alternate listening to Neko and Belle & Sebastian all day long. I haven't listened to this album a lot lately, but I still love it.
05 - Peter Bjorn & John - Writer's Block - I love these guys. If you haven't taken Kyle's advice and watched the video for "Young Folks" - do it.
06 - Calexico - Garden Ruin - Not much to say here. I just think it's a fun album.
07 - Amy Millan - Honey From the Tombs - Amy's great, but I don't think the cover "art" on the cd matches the music style.
08 - M. Ward - Post-War - I went back and forth about including this because I listen it to it a lot and really, really love the faster paced songs. I could take or leave some of the slower songs, but still think it's worthy of the #8 spot.
09 - The Hold Steady - Boys & Girls in America - I really like this album, which I guess makes me a frat boy.
10 - Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies - This may be deserving of a higher place, but for now it's at #10.

Honorable Mentions
TV On the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
My Brightest Diamond - Bring Me the Workhorse
Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche
Wooden Wand & The Sky High Band - Second Attention
Micah P. Hinson - Micah P. Hinson & The Opera Circuit

Overrated
Beirut - Gulag Orkester - I like the song "Postcards from Italy," but not the rest. Maybe I just don't get it.
Joanna Newsom - Ys - Am I the only one who doesn't find it pleasurable to listen to a pre-teen sounding elf "sing" while randomly plucking strings on her harp? Joanna, I have one word for you: chorus. Try it.
Regina Spektor - It's ok.

Missed the boat in 2005
Jens Lekman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - You're So Silent, Jens
Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
Iron & Wine/Calexico - In the Reins
Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah - S/T

Other Media
Lost
Inconvenient Truth
Little Miss Sunshine

Books
What is the What - Dave Eggers - For those of you I haven't told, this is the best book I have read in a long, long time. Buy it and read it now.
The Keep - Jennifer Egan

Stay tuned for more books - I'm on a lot of waiting lists at the library.

Friday, January 5, 2007

Sam's list of 10 entertainment related items

10. best tv show is the office. but my favorite new one is Studio
60. keely and mickey don't like it. but me and nicole do.
9. Movie-wise, I liked Wedding Crashers the best (i think that was in
2006). If it was, then sorry, but i cant think of that many great
movies i've recently watched
8. few disappointments were XMEN 3, the TV show heroes, theisman on
monday night football
7. Best concert: I only went to one real one, (I went to one with
my parents at the Rendevous II in Grand Rapids), but Me First and the
gimme gimmes with dead to me and off with their heads at the triple
rock was alot of fun. after, i took out $100 cash and went to play
in a poker game with fat mike of nofx, joey cape of foo fighters, and
a bunch of minneapolis punks, but the band never showed.
6. natalie portman gangsta rap and the box song were both very funny
5. best youtube video was denny green's press conference after the
cardinals lost to the bears, or one of a 13 yr old hockey phenom from
canada doing breakaway moves.
4. best sing-along is a tie, both at adam and nicoles wedding...like
a prayer and don't cry by guns and roses.
3. best hockey move was ovechkin's behind the back goal.
2. Second best album: Me first and the gimme gimmes love their
country. Goodbye Earl is the best song, closely followed by Sunday
Morning Sidewalk. They don't play their own songs, but it doesn't
matter to me.
1. Best album: Wolves in wolves clothing by NOFX. Good punk rock
sung hard and fast and mean to people who aren't like them, because
everyone knows that they should be.

not a very good top ten.
sam

Micah's Lists

Micah's Drippingly Sentimental Top Ten

01. Yellow House - Grizzly Bear (9.5.6) On a Neck On a Spit, Easier, Knife
02. Hand On String - Michael Andrews (2.14.6) Hand On String, Tracings, Orange Meet Lemon
03. Destroyer's Rubies - Destroyer (2.21.6) - Rubies, European Oils, Painter In Your Pocket
04. Fox Confessor Brings The Flood - Neko Case (3.7.6) - John Saw That Number, Star Witness, The Needle Has Landed
05. Everything All The Time - Band Of Horses (3.21.6) - Funeral, St. Augustine, Wicked Gil
06. Return To Cookie Mountain - TV On The Radio (9.12.6) - Wolf Like Me, Hours, Things You Can Do
07. Son - Juana Molina (5.23.6) Rio Seco, Micael, Malherido
08. Passover - The Black Angels (4.11.6) Better Off Alone, Bloodhounds On My Trail, Black Grease
09. Bring Me The Workhorse - My Brightest Diamond (8.22.6) Something of an End, Dragonfly, Workhorse
10. eponymous [EP] / Shut Up I Am Dreaming - Sunset Rubdown (1.16.6/5.2.6) A Day In The Graveyard, Three Colours, Stadiums & Shrines II
Key: rank. album - band (release date) 3 tracks to check out to see if it's up yer alley

In depth analysis:
YELLOW HOUSE - Grizzly Bear
Released on Benjamin's birthday! Probably his top pick also ...unless music boxes count. So mesmerizingly produced (as if Pet Sounds has crashed into Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes) that as it starts on both of our eyes grow wide & ears prick up. The memories of waltzing around the kitchen floor in my socked feet with my baby boy in my arms will be unforgettable.
HAND ON STRING - Michael Andrews
A very close second & perhaps another sentimental favorite. I listened to this almost exclusively as I painted the nursery. So charmingly unobtrusive I had it on repeat even - something I never do. Heard it for the first time on headphones yesterday & heard an entirely differently album.
DESTROYER'S RUBIES - Destroyer
Erika said it beautifully: "If this album consisted of the title track alone, it still would have made #1" Though I'd adjust it slightly it to say: "If this album consisted of any single one of it's tracks, it still would have made #3" A triumph.
FOX CONFESSOR BRINGS THE FLOOD - Neko Case
Garth Hudson - 'nuff said. I thought this was a sure thing at number one for a long time. Neko didn't know what hit her - I didn't even see 1, 2 or 3 coming.. Strangely nearly all of my picks are dripping with a thick atmospheric ambiance & FCBTF is up to it's pretty neck in it.
EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME - Band Of Horses
Was in quite a fist fight for the 4th spot. Whereas FCBTF seems to drag a bit (I think it'd be just a little better if she'd whittled it down maybe about 2 songs & made em b-sides) this is simply a sharp, excellent, classic pop album. I'm still stunned by the amount of affection folks from all walks & tastes are giving this record.
RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN - TV On The Radio
The most impressive band operating today. The first time I remember being in a car without an adult somebody's big sister was driving me to see Dave Sitek's high school band play - it was my first ever "rock concert". The excitement I was feeling was unparalleled at the time & the show absolutely blew my mind wide open to music... all these years later he still continues to do so. The exuberance I felt as a prepubescent teen in that nearly empty auditorium I felt again at First Ave's packed show this summer. To quote the cliché: must be played at maximum volume.
SON - Juana Molina
If I said the title had nothing to do with it's appearance in my top ten I'd be lying. Initially wrote off this album pretty quickly (if it's not in English it can't be that great, right?) but returned to it for a closer listen just a couple of weeks ago - a welcome new arrival. I dig the steel drum drum'n'bassey breakdown in Micael. My highschool had a steel drum band... man those kids thought they were the shiznit in their sunglasses, shorts, & caribbean shirts... Meanwhile the rest of those orchestra nerds were stuck in their white buttonup shirts & black slacks... suckers.
PASSOVER - The Black Angels
When I first heard "Better Off Alone" on the car radio at 3am I nearly went right off the road. "A drugged-up Sean Ryder (Happy Mondays) fronts a drugged-out John Cale led Velvet Underground -- just what I've always wanted!!!" Since hearing the rest of the album that's obviously not what's going on (but add that to my "wants for 2007" list, Mickey) Instead this is just really nice to play loud. What I'd put on in the garage this summer when I wasn't blasting Cookie Mountain & how I think I'll be listening to Entrance next summer. Great stuff for swinging a hammer over your head.
BRING ME THE WORKHORSE - My Brightest Diamond
Beth Gibbons (Portishead) replaces Antony & leads The Johnsons in selections from Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness. Along with FCBTF I could use this album a little shorter too but fairly alluring stuff.
SUNSET RUBDOWN / SHUT UP I AM DREAMING - Sunset Rubdown
Cull tracks from both of these albums & you've got yourself a genuine masterpiece. I'm partial to the EP but SUIAD is here because hearing the Casio SK1 beat beginning "I'm Sorry..." nearly brought me to tears (am i the only feller old enough to instantly recognize that?) Another sentimental choice I guess.
...SO Now, all that said I still haven't heard a lick of Bob Dylan's Modern Times, The Root's Game Theory & Thom Yorke's Eraser (among hundreds of other albums) but it's been rare that any releases by any of these folks didn't land somewhere in my tops. So, I suppose the fact that I was passive & unenthusiastic for all three albums says something - but the truth is that I can't imagine these three not knocking out some of the above (No matter how much Dylan shoots his mouth off)

Honorable Mention/Album That Makes Me Wish I'm Something I'm Not
I'm completely with Mickey on the Hold Steady-alternate-universe-thing. Therefore Boys & Girls in America gets an honorable mention in the Album That Makes Me Wish.../Honorable Mention section cos if I were a burgeoning fratboy at the U I'd be all over this album. I'm quite sure of it. I'm not though. Instead it just seems kinda like the The Replacements were re-Born In The USA to this dad. Nice record but if it weren't for the local flares which tickle me to no end I could probably leave it... so anyway, onto Album that Makes Me Wish I'm Something I'm Not (aka Honorable Mention) ...my heavens we have a TIE!
Begin To Hope - Regina Spektor
Ahh, to be a 13 year old girl. I'm sure this album would have me absolutely levitating. I picture myself laying stomach down on a sunken bed & listening to "On The Radio" over and over again in a wood-paneled basement bedroom. My hot pink socked-feet up in the air behind me and wiggling about, flipping the pages of Sassy magazine & staring at the dust caught in a hazy sunny beam of light streaming in through a small window at the top of the room. Oh, the buoyant joy.
eponymous - Brightblack Morning Light
I'd have no idea BUT I would imagine this the greatest stoned album of the year. I've never been one much for strictly trip albums - however I can be quite lazy so this release does have some real appeal.

Missed the Boat in 2005
Perspectives - Mt. Egypt
Openers for BOH this summer in the Entry. Less Bright Eyes-y than "Battening The Hatches" & now Lambchoppy enough to keep me satisfied.
All Rise - Inara George
When it's at it's best it's sounds like Astrud Gilberto has moved to Laurel Canyon; still delicious bubblegum when it's at it's worst.

Biggest Disappointments
I don't think there any big disappointments this year - I was a pretty pleased top to bottom. Well, cept for the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs' album, Show Your Bones - I spit on that lameass follow-up shit. Oh, & I was fairly down on that mess Beck released I guess. Okay some but I wouldn't say this was another year of discontent... As for rockshow disappointments it'd be seeing Islands/Frog Eyes/Sunset Rubdown at First Ave. I'm not putting this on FE or SR though - this is entirely on those bastards, Islands. SR ; FE were simply out of their element - they needed an "intimate" setting to shine. Instead they were stuck playing to a small, uninterested crowd who were there to see Islands in a big cavernous venue. I've been On Carey Mercer's tip for what seems like forever & was quite down about the lackluster showing. I nearly drove down to Carlton to the Cavern the very next night (where SR & FE were playing without Islands) because I'm sure they'd tear the place apart (& sounds like from Erika that they did) Islands ARE the steel drum kids I mentioned above all grown up. Still just as obnoxious & smug too.

Diamond in the Rough
Lambchop - Damaged
Yup, I'm picking the whole album. It's exquisitely produced, brilliantly played but still somehow seems to totally miss the mark. Throughout the album however there are tiny little sonic flourishes that I think are just wonderful (A Day Without Glasses 1:34-3:06, Beers Before the Barbican 3:47-4:20, are two of my favorites) the rest doesn't seem to be engaging in it's entirety though. Or maybe it's just that first song rubs me the wrong way & soils the rest of the album ...then ends on a sour note too... I dunno. Perhaps I just need to invest a lot more time into Damaged. It took ages for me to fall for Is A Woman. Now its' collection of sparse-blue-midnight piano tunes have since made it one of my greatest loves of all time.
'07 Wishlist
Charlie Wadhams.
Charlie Wadhams, Born 1978, Los Angeles, California

Best Live Shows
Dirty On Purpose, 7.22.6, 7th St. Entry (which would get my Venue of the Year award. Nearly EVERY SINGLE ONE of the folks in my top ten played there this year - that's not a bad turnaround from being shut down last year) After learning Ericka Foster (singer/keys) quit the band I nearly turned around before it started. Boy did they make a believer out of me - turned my frown right around & then absolutely blew the fucking roof off the joint. I was so impressed that I even chatted them up after the show (something else I never do) The friendliest bunch of fellas too. That George is a guitarist to watch - The reincarnation of Kevin Shields (if he were dead) Unfortunately, pathetically, their debut LP doesn'tcapture an ounce of thrash, excitement, mayhem from their live act & is so ill mixed that it doesn't even come anywhere near my top ten. (hmm, add Hallelujah Sirens to my few disappointments) Shameful

Dusted-offs
I wasn't sure how to approach this category considering I primarily listen to the oldies but goodies... so instead I've picked my top 6s from past 6s.
1956
Midnight At Mable Mercer's - Mable Mercer
eponymous - The Art Tatum/Ben Webster Quartet
Three Ragas - Ravi Shankar
Ella & Louis - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Sings the Cole Porter Song Book - Ella Fitzgerald
eponymous - Elvis Presley
1966
Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys
Revolver - The Beatles
Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan
...Dictionary Of Soul - Otis Redding
eponymous - Love
Boom - The Sonics
1976
eponymous - Ramones
A New World Record - Electric Light Orchestra
Musical Massage - Leon Ware
Coney Island Baby - Lou Reed
eponymous - Blondie
On The Track - Leon Redbone
1986
Tinderbox - Siouxsie & the Banshees
License To Ill - The Beastie Boys
London 0 Hull 4 - The Housemartins
The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths
Graceland - Paul Simon
Deep Breakfast - Ray Lynch
1996
The Sound Of - McAlmont & Butler
Being There - Wilco
Black Love - The Afghan Whigs
Traveling Without Moving - Jamiroquai
Illadelph Halflife - The Roots
Drop The Roof - Out Of My Hair

Genre Sucker
I've always listened to a healthy amount of Classical music but this year it really was on full force - even prior to baby's arrival - unstoppable afterwards.

Over-hyped?
Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
Another triumph for Peter Gabriel's Real World label... but wait! the tricks on you - It's not! No seriously, it's an amazing story - really. It's a technical feat. An amazing debut. I'd even say a very delightful, enjoyable listen. HOWEVER I strongly question if this this isn't an album essential to know the backstory to really appreciate & love. Only because that question perpetually lingers in my mind does this end up here.

Other Media Does Exist
My favorite film of the year had to be Pride & Prejudice.
But again I primarily watch old movies...
1926 - Faust
1936 - Fury
1946 - It's A Wonderful Life
1956 - The Killing
1966 - Alfie
1976 - All The President's Men
1986 - Hannah And Her Sisters
1996 - Waiting For Guffman

Monday, January 1, 2007

Addendum

Addendum:

As I am listening more and more to this Peter, Bjorn, and John album, it is rapidly becoming my favorite of last year.

Just say no to Tub Girl.

Sunday, December 31, 2006

Wade's [Dick in a Box] Top Ten

I apologize for the late posting. It's just that I am constantly listening to new indie artists and haven't had time to set my new Zune down for a minute to post my list, but here is my long-awaited listing of the top lists this year. Bloggers worldwide, start your debating! (and ignore the fact that no one cares what you think)

Meta-Top Ten

1. Rob's Top Ten - Former bracefaced Honda driver morphs into smoldering, litagating, verb-inducing Jetta-setter but retains second-grade humor mores. Introduces motion to dismiss local panties. Entire female legal teams sweep away precedent just to get the two hairy analyses and one long piece of evidence under his briefs.

2. Kyle's Top Ten - Kyle presented a top ten which consisted of what could have been bands and albums, or possibly countries and failed dictatorships, or parts of the ear, nose or throat. Yet the number one single was radio hit "Crazy." I respects them shits. KY takes the hideous boil of obscure music and puts it right on the anus of the beautiful, if slightly retarded, girl of popular music.

3. Erika's Top Ten - I put you next to Kyle because if I remember correctly, that's where you'd want to be. It also seemed that you have become musically "enlightened" as of late. It is not too late for you. Let me send you your brother's Weezer T-shirt and concert footage. Olaf sux.

4. Adam's Top Ten - "Trust thyself," writes Emerson in The Da Vinci Code. Yes, Adam knows that when his friends come over to drink Scotch, play Wii, and spin on stools, he needs to have the 50 Cent playlist, because CJ doesn't listen to Iron and Wine while reppin' his set. Adam also alluded to the fact that there is one person in the world who puts less effort into their music than Ryan Adams: http://www.myspace.com/humpingmanagement http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuU7SbmJiOk

5. Mickey's Top Ten - Mickey, look deep inside yourself. Isn't there a Weezer shirt there somewhere? Won't we always have the Nine Inch Nails concert? I worry that soon you'll start watching only HBO and we will never talk about TV again!

Top Reasons to Hate Pitchfork

1. Mastadon - "Hey, we listen to all types of music! Really! I mean, heavy metal, too, of course! Just...I mean...we like, umm...shi---oh, yea, Leviathan! Rocks, man! Reminds me of early...sorta..." Seriously, these guys are good. They've got tight rhythms, freight-train guitars, dynamic range--oh, wait, I thought we were talking about System of a Down. No, Mastadon sucks.

2. Pitchfork

Top Albums that I Will Probably Not Listen To

01 - Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood - Gritty vocals, percussive too-loud bass technical drumming--the Tool influence is very heavy on this album, but it somehow retains its own flavor.
02 - Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies - I have always been a Christopher Cross fan, which makes it sort of obvious why this is my #2.
03 - Beirut - Gulag Orkester - This is the album that Toto should have released in the early ninties, or that Alex Lifeson's solo project should have been. Good bowling music.
04 - Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit - Sure, Belle was criticized for leaving The Beast Project and hooking up with longtime New Pornographers producer Sebastian Bach. But this neo-Skid Row leaves the listener satified.
05 - My Brightest Diamond - Bring Me the Workhorse - It's like a taste of heaven--all-beef, with onions, relish and mustard. Fantastic.
06 - Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche - Nutty, with a warm finish and a vague taste of bitters.
07 - The Hold Steady - Boys & Girls in America - "Let's just talk at the audience. They'll fuckin' love it."
08 - The Decemberists - The Crane Wife - When the air turns warm and the sun melts into the lake, I think of our wedding day, and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be with everyone we love and enjoy it for one bright, full day. Listening to The Decemberists is the exact opposite of that.

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Adam's Top Ten of Death

Is it possible that I finally like female artists? I put three in my top ten and I could have slid Jenny Lewis and Neko Case in there too. It will probably just be a temporary thing.

The Ten

Decemberists – Crane Wife - This is a sweet album and it doesn't matter that some of the songs are not great, because others make up the difference. Sorry Metallica, but this is America's Best Band…..period.
Cat Power – The Greatest - She started taking depression meds and look what happened.
Regina Spektor – Begin to Hope – I resisted this album at first when Nicole thought it was great. She was right. It might be something that fades, but it's awesome right now.
Ray LaMontagne – Til the Sun Turns Black – I don't care if people think this is a boring album, it relaxes me.
Badly Drawn Boy – Born in the U.K. – See above.
Band of Horses – Everything All the Time – It seems like I only listen to all the same kind of crap.
Bob Dylan – Modern Times – Eat shit everyone. There are some great songs on this one. Mickey stopped listening as soon as Bob dropped an Alicia Keyes reference—I say start listening!!!! Workingman's Blues #2 is my favorite.
Johnny Cash – American V – Really sad music. Each song more depressing than the next. I love it!!
Joanna Newsome - Ys – Weird and not as good as her previous, but very complex.
Destroyer – Rubies – I like Painter in My Pocket the best.

Other Great Artists of the Year

Midlake – They put out a damn fine record that almost hit the top ten.

Jenny Lewis – She is old school!

Neko Case- She sings a pretty song.

Islands – I love them, but I can only take them in small doses.

Rock Plaza Central – I swear you are Neutral Milk Hotel wannabes and I love you for that.

Artists that Suck

Justin Timberlake – Your new album is horrible. Just horrible.

Guster – Why do you choose to be so crappy still? Drop your bass guy and ditch the kit. People may start to respect you again.

Mason Jennings – I pulled out your old stuff again and it is still great, then I listened to Boneclouds again. C'mon dude, either lighten up or stop trying so hard.

Alan Sparhawk – Solo Guitar was the most ridiculous thing I heard all year. It was dumb.

Top Four Skoro Sightings of 2006

4. I saw him at the 311 club a couple weeks ago as he was starting his 6 PM Sunday shift. I finished my bloody mary and left.

3. I saw him at the Jens Lekman concert after we got there late and missed his set. He got some beer at the bar and then went backstage.

2. After seeing him for the first time after he moved back from Pittsburg, I proceeded to get drunk and then unintentionally insult him and then leave the 331 Club.

1. I nearly hit him with my car as he weaved through traffic on his bike.

Artist of the Year

Surprise, it's Ryan Adams – He released 14 new albums of material on his website that Wade Laughlin should appreciate or possibly could have made himself. You have to listen to the album Christmas Apocalypse 2 by his alter ego The Shit. He has songs called ABCDACDCXMAS and Cokey Christmas. Everything there is completely worthless and very funny.

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Erika's Top Tens

Top 10 of 2006
1. Destroyer- Rubies. If this album consisted of the title track alone, it
still would have made #1.
2. Sunset Rubdown- Shut Up I Am Dreaming
3. Neko Case- Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
4. Beirut- Gulag Orkestar
5. Swan Lake- Beast Moans. Mickey thinks this album is a big
disappointment. HE'S CRAZY! It's a lovely mosaic of sound! Both diverse
and cohesive.
6. Islands- Return to the Sea
7. Grizzly Bear- Yellow House
8. TV on the Radio- Return to Cookie Mountain
9. My Brightest Diamond- Bring Me the Workhorse
10. Califone- Roots and Crowns

Missed the Boat in 2005/Dust Offs:
I combined these two categories because I became truly musically
enlightened only in the past year or so. This is a list (in no order) of
tunes that are essential to my existence:
Pavement- Terror Twilight (duh!)
Neutral Milk Hotel- In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (duh twice!)
Wolf Parade- Apologies To the Queen Mary
Okkervil River- Black Sheep Boy
Joanna Newsom- The Milk-Eyed Mender
Destroyer's entire anthology…or at least the parts I own.
Broken Social Scene- 2005's s/t and You Forgot It In the People
New Pornographers- Electric Version
Sufjan- again, the whole collection
The Arcade Fire- Funeral (duh thrice!)
Sleater-Kinney- The Woods
Animal Collective- Sung Tongs

So, both Wilco and Ted Leo/Rx are kind of conspicuously absent. I just
don't love them like the rest of the world does. They're good, but not
"OHMYGODTHISISTOOAMAYYYYYZING!"

Best Shows in '06:
Sunset Rubdown- in mid-May at Carleton. This show made me a Spencer Krug fan.
Frog Eyes/Wolf Parade- in August at First Ave. CRAZY times!
Ghislain Poirier- in the Biz3 tent at Pitchfork. The whole crowd had a blast.
Junior Boys- 400 Bar in October. The album is thirty times better when
heard live. It was a super fun dance party.

'07 Wishlist:
New Pornographers
The Arcade Fire
Hello, Blue Roses- Dan Bejar and his girlfriend or something.

Other Media:
We don't have TV at St. Olaf. So it's YouTube-
Charlie the Unicorn: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFP0q4qzGw4)
Shoes: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYnn51C3X_w)
Colbert at the Correspondents' dinner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOprXKpuVRc

Slate.com's Political Gabfest (weekly podcast)

Also, Good magazine. http://www.goodmagazine.com/

Oh yeah, and this one site is okay…Pitchfork something? Maybe you've heard
of it.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Rob's Top Teens

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Monday, December 18, 2006

Kyle's top ten and others

Kyle's top ten

I felt that since the 'fork was going to reveal their top ten tomorrow, I'd throw mine in first. Just to rub it in their face. Take that Screiber! I also have not checked out MIckey's nerd site, but I look forward to checking out all of your lists and listening to albums I have not yet heard (CSS, My Brightest Diamond among others). I hated that Bob Dylan CD, so Rolling Stone can eat it.

To highlight my lameness I will add what is becoming a perennial caveat. I have not given a lot of records a really good listen, I did, however, watch every episode of Rockstar Supernova. Priorities. I hated that kid that won, look for them on next year's top ten, I'm sure.

Top Ten in no particular order

Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
Tap Tap - Lanzafame
Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit (especially because of Dress Up In You)
Band of Horses - Everything all the Time
Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I am Dreaming (much in the same vein that Wolf Parade was on my top ten last year)
Hypatia Lake - ...And We Shall Call Him Joseph
Islands - Return to the Sea
Neko Case - Fox something or rather
Destroyer - Destoyer's Rubies (because I like my songs ambling. I will add that I am bitter that when I saw this guy some 4 years ago he wouldn't play Queen of Languages when I was one of about 9 audience members)
TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

Other albums I am digging

Danielson - Wailing at Jake
Old Crow Medicine Show (despite some glaring similarities to their last album)
Phoenix - Freedom Fries
Starlight Mints - Drowaton
Calexico - The Border's Just a Line

Top Single

Crazy - Gnarls

Song I love from last year that I discovered this year

Handle Me - Robyn

Hope to see y'all at the New Year's Eve party this year at the villa in Dallas. There's a pool, and we can evade the leaf blowers in the night.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Pitchfork Guest Lists

Pitchfork has posted their Guest List: Best of 2006 list, featuring the favorites of a bunch of bands Wade hates.

Check it out, as well as their ongoing recap lists of 2006.

EDIT 12/19:Here's their Top 50 albums of the year. I'm not shocked (but more appalled) that the Clipse album is on the top ten, but it's Pitchfork, so we can just be thankful it didn't make #1.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

More Cowbell - Top Local Albums

Music blog More Cowbell has posted their top 25 local albums of the year.

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