Jens Lekman and the wind.

Over the last few days, it's been beyond cold outside. I can feel myself slipping into a cold, but for some reason, I haven't quite fallen face first into it yet. It's been about a week of waiting for something to happen; it feels an awful lot like this:



You know what's coming, but you just can't wait to jump out of the theater seat, screaming, "OH HELL NO YOU BETTER GET OUT OF THERE."

It's actually been beyond cold; the wind is getting a bit ridiculous. I can usually survive most of the cold weather we get in Los Angeles, but these last few days have just made me want to stay inside. I know that if I go outside and especially if I go to the gym, I'm asking to get sick. It's just going to push me a little too far, however, I don't really feel like doing anything else. I sit in my apartment, essentially doing nothing. Over the last few days, I've been somewhat busy, but every time I'm here, it seems like I'm here alone, making me think that I'm not actually that busy.

The other day, as I was sitting in my room, avoiding the cold, I was looking for something new to listen to and came across something I'd never seen before: An EP for "The Opposite of Hallelujah." I thought of myself as (at least) moderately knowledged when it came to all things Jens Lekman, yet somehow I let this one slip past me. Apparently, the EP came out in 2005, which means that one of the best Jens Lekman songs has been floating around almost as long as he's been on my radar without me knowing about it. The version of the song included on the EP is very similar to the album version, however, a skilled ear will hear that this version is a bit closer to the version Jens plays live. The bassline is a bit more pronounced, the harmony vocals are much more prominent, there's a really great string bit that got cut from the album version and Jens' stumbling vocal meter during the second pre-chorus is just beautiful.

Side note: the attached video isn't for one of the songs on the EP, but for the song that I've recently come to appreciate more off of Night Falls Over Kortedala, "Your Arms Around Me." You can't tell from just watching the video, but if you listen very closely, you'll be able to tell that someone that isn't in Jens' live band is playing the string part in the song; Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy always manages to bring something special to songs that don't even need the help.

Check out the EP; not only is there a great version of one of last year's best songs, but there are three other b-sides that never really made it out of the vault. All of the b-sides have that classic Jens Lekman sheen that seemed a bit more prevalent on the singles collection (Oh, You're So Silent Jens). "I Don't Want To Die Alone" is particularly great; you'd think that I only like it for one reason (the title makes it sound like a Morrissey song), but the song is so much more; it really showcases the transition between Jens' older material and his 2007 masterpiece.

The Opposite of Hallelujah EP

On the "To Ruin" List: the year 2008.

2007. What can I say?

I'm 21 now and my life up to this point has pretty much revolved around school. I think in terms of school years, so the traditional calendar year means very little to me. After a long period of looking over LiveJournal entries for the last year or so (which took longer than I'd like to admit), I'm beginning to remember how it all happened. The beginning of 2007 was the end of "The Spirit of '88," which wasn't as effective as I thought it was going to be. It was supposed to be like this:

but really ended up like this:

It was really difficult seeing everyone around me go places and do things that I just didn't have the motivation or skills for. I can remember days of listening to those albums by Youth of Today or Gorilla Biscuits and thinking, "This should be easy. Why can't I execute?" I was tired and I just couldn't find the passion to really attack every day. I started running on survival mode, hoping that each day would bring me something rewarding, something to look forward to. Friends, believe me when I tell you, this is no way to live. The end of the school year came fast and summer was halfway over before I even knew it.

I saw some great things over the summer and had amazing moments of fun, but it was also where I turned the corner. Chris and I got fired from KXLU and we're not really welcome there ever again. To think, that Christopher Esteban Torres and I, of all people, are not allowed in the most libertarian place on campus, is hilarious. It was also when I decided that I needed to figure out my next move. The station, in all actuality, was holding me back. I was saving my greatness for when I would work there, thinking I was going to save everyone there, as arrogant as that sounds. That was easily one of the dumbest things I could've even thought about. I was planning on salvaging a sinking ship, expecting that something great would come out of my time there, not seeing that I was only setting myself up for drowning.

Once things started to fall together, things also started to fall apart. I realized that I was to be alone after the dream summer was over. What I was too stupid to realize was that I wasn't ever really going to be alone, but it was just going to take a bit more effort. Uncertainty, which lead to more uncertainty paved the way for "The Year of Change."

In short, nothing was the same as it had been before. My friends had evaporated right in front of me and I was terrified that I wasn't going to be happy. I made the conscious choice to really throwdown on school. The time seemed right to get serious. The next thing I know, I'm sprinting at record pace towards one of the best academic semesters I've had since high school. Once things started moving in that regard, everything else started to move that way as well. My life, as I have known it, has not been the same since the year of change started; it's harder and much more terrifying, but I know it's better and I wouldn't have it any other way. Things aren't perfect in any sense of the word. Things aren't even close, but they're pretty damn good.

I've already started a new semester. I would still consider this a part of the year of change, but really, I feel like that's all over. The changes have taken place and now, it's time to see what it all meant and where it's taking me, thus I dub this semester/calendar year "The Year of Change, part 2: the Launch". This is really where things have to take off for me or else I won't make it out of the atmosphere in one piece. There have already been challenges and it's already starting to weigh down on me, but I have this strange feeling that I'm going to be able to handle it better this time, knowing what I know and having amazing friends who are there to support me.

The first great album of the year: Thao Nguyen and The Get Down Stay Down - We Brave Bee Stings And All

Upon first inspection of Thao Nguyen's first full length album, you'd think that she wasn't much more than some lazy Cat Power ripoff, but that's because her first full length was a lazy Cat Power ripoff. Of course, this is a bit of an overstatement, especially considering how much I really liked that album and how much I still like it, but in this moment, I am comparing that album to her new album, We Brave Beestings And All.

The thing that's the most startling about the new album is the huge amount of collaborative songwriting that is apparent throughout. This is made obvious by the change from Thao Nguyen to Thao Nguyen and The Get Down Stay Down, which is her backing band. Of course, the production, helmed by Tucker Martine, shows a great amount of growth, but this only enhances the amazing, lively arrangements laid out by Thao and her band.

This album is difficult to talk about. It's 3am and I'm sitting at the table in my kitchen. I'm supposed to be reading, and yet all I can think about is how great this album is. There isn't a dull moment I can think of. The hooks are all so simple, and yet so well thought out in terms of their placement in the songs. The production is clean and radio friendly, which comes in direct conflict with the music itself; the music isn't intentionally being difficult, but turns out that way due to the nature of Thao's songwriting.

From "Beat (Health, Life, and Fire)" to "Bag of Hammers" and "Big Kid Table", the transitions are nearly flawless without being intentionally strung together. The lead guitar parts on "Beat" are so clean and match so well with the horns that slowly worm their way into your brain without you noticing. The drums on "Bag of Hammers" are reminiscent of "Float On" in the best way possible and the long, fingerpicked drawl of "Big Kid Table" is just too good to pass up. Basically, this is one of the first great album of this year and shouldn't be overlooked.

Thao Nguyen and The Get Down Stay Down - We Brave Beestings And All

One of the three good things Philadelphia has given us: Dr. Dog

If you had come to me three years ago and asked me what good Philadelphia was to me, I wouldn't have given you a very good answer. I probably would've said that Philadelphia's only contributions to society were The Starting Line and Philly Cheesesteaks. Now, I realize there is something more (like the integral role it played in helping to build our democracy).

I thought about the path I've come down the other day, in regards to what I listen to. In middle school, my friend Erin and I were nearly inseparable. We listened to pop-punk and loved our lives. As we entered high school, Erin got into punk and I got into really technical hardcore; a year or two later, Erin was into goth and metal and I was into emo from the mid-90s. Now, Erin listens to a combination of everything she used to listen to and I basically only listen to pop music. I've long been an appreciator of jangly pop songs, but only recently have I admitted to myself that that's what I really love; it's not about whatever avant-single note, 32 minute composition your friend just turned you on to, but it's really about anything that can be said in three minutes.

The three things that came from Philadelphia that I now appreciate are: democracy (close enough, right?), Man Man and Dr. Dog. Today, we're here to talk about Dr. Dog.

When Dr. Dog and Cold War Kids were touring together, I didn't know what to think. I hadn't heard much and I basically wrote them off as being some sort of trendy, hipster, atonal nonsense. Little did I know that Dr. Dog was one of the most fun, melody loving bands out there today. Take, for instance, the first video attached. It's a live performance of "Ain't it Strange," a song that was originally released on the 2006 Takers and Leavers EP. This song is pure genius as far as I'm concerned. The subtle organ parts, the very obvious, but not heavy-handed solo/outro, the perfectly recorded harmony vocals and that reggae bassline that you can't seem to ignore are all reasons for you to listen to at least the one song, if not everything else they've ever recorded.

It's raining again and something tells me that this album will bring a little sunshine into your day.

Dr. Dog - We All Belong

Destroyer and dark days.

Destroyer - "Dark Leaves From a Thread"
Destroyer - "Foam Hands"

There's something so charming about Dan Bejar's songwriting; there's something I can't quite describe about it. I've been doing a lot of sitting at my desk, thinking about things I should be doing. Because it's so damn cold outside, I don't feel like doing anything, which is a problem, considering the fact that school is actually starting to pick up. Anyways, the new Destroyer album leaked a few weeks ago and I haven't had a chance to listen to it until just now. Listening to the rain on the roof and "Dark Leaves From a Thread" makes me feel like I've been here before, but it's just because Bejar's songwriting is charming in that familiar, comfortable way.

I will admit that for a very long time, I did not understand Destroyer. It seemed like a task to get through the nine minutes of Bejar's rambling lyrics, but somewhere along the way I began to appreciate the little moments of pop genius, such as "Dark Leaves," or "Your Blood." The only reason I gave any of these songs a second chance was listening to Bejar's genius songs on the New Pornographers records. I figured there had to be something there. From then on, my appreciation only grew.

Listening to the organ track and the shaky synthetic strings on "Foam Hands" makes me realize why this all seems so familiar. It was on a rainy day, much like today, that I began to appreciate Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in all of its glory. I listened to songs like "Heavy Metal Drummer" and "Pot Kettle Black" over and over, but never understood "Reservations" until I listened to it in the driving rain, focusing on nothing but the clouds and the cars passing by.

By no means am I comparing Destroyer's Trouble in Dreams to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, because god knows that Jeff Tweedy just about blows any other songwriter away in my book, however, I realize that much of what's going on in the album is treading a similar emotional path to the depths of what it is we've come to know in our more reflective moments. The watery, wavering guitar lines, the piano parts and those amazing synthetic string arrangements draw back to moments like Slowdive's "Machine Gun" or even "Five Years" by Bowie; they draw back to the idea that there is beauty in stillness. I get so caught up on a day to day basis, just thinking about what I'm supposed to be doing. Even though I think to myself, "God, I ended up being so unproductive," just because I sat and had a chance to catch up, I am beginning to realize that I must put myself in these situations for a reason. I must know, deep down inside, that I need to stop for a moment and just be where I am.

Neko Case and the WGA Strike

No, I haven't been on strike, however I've been having just as much trouble filling a page as Conan and Colbert.

As often as I check Pitchfork, I really don't like admitting it. Every once in a while, they post something interesting, be it an interview, a controversial review that gets all you hipsters chatting around the hip equivalent of the water cooler or even a news item. Today, there was an interesting item in the latter. It was mentioned earlier that Neko Case would be doing a guest spot on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Now, don't get me wrong. I understand there are serious problems with Aqua Teen, but even though I'm not stoned, some of the jokes are funny from time to time and any show that has Zakk Wylde voicing himself riding into the scene on a chariot pulled by white stallions is genius. An update to this was posted late today, saying the creator of Aqua Teen was writing a new pilot with Neko Case slated to be the main voice actor.

"And that CGI pilot? Brace yourselves: it's called "Cheyenne Cinnamon and the Fantabulous Unicorn of Sugar Town Candy Fudge", and it features what Willis describes as "a Strawberry Shortcake pop princess that lives in a candy wonderland just outside of Detroit. She comes into Detroit and helps solve problems of racism and teen pregnancy with the power of love and teen pop songs."

Unlike her "Aqua Teen" appearance, Neko is lined up to provide the speaking voice of Cheyenne Cinnamon, but won't be doing any singing-- "which is consistent with every other pop princess," Willis notes. "But her character will lip-synch it, and then a decidedly different-sounding voice sings all the songs." He isn't certain who will provide the singing voice just yet.

The songs in question were penned by pop-rocker and producer Butch Walker, and Willis is pretty psyched about them. "Butch turned all the music around in less than a week, and it sounds exactly like something that you would hear all over the radio, like something that would sell 20 million records."

"Cheyenne Cinnamon" is only in the pilot stages right now, but with any luck it will be confounding late-night television viewers soon enough."

UH WHAT?





I think I'm going to explode. If this doesn't make it onto Adult Swim, I will die. Seriously.

Anyway, Neko Case is one of those musicians that I can go for months without thinking about, but when I come back, I have to listen to like six hours straight. Listen to Fox Confessor Brings the Flood and meditate on how awesome this show would be and send positive vibes towards Adult Swim in hopes that this actually comes to fruition and doesn't turn into Freak Show or Lil' Bush.

The Best of 2007: #1-10

10. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup

Zach Condon is one of those people that you feel a little worthless while you're enjoying his amazing music. He's probably the same age as I am and has recorded two of the most interesting albums in three years. At first, I wrote Beirut off as trendy hipster, world music that wasn't going to mean anything in a year or so. Of course, that was before I listened to it. There are moments on both albums that are "different for the sake of being different" and are geniune attempts at becoming "important," but the really great moments come when Condon abandons those impulses in favor of just playing memorable music. This album is a real change of pace; Gulag Orkestar was a shout-out to the Balkans, collaborating with A Hawk and a Hacksaw. The Flying Club Cup is a shout out to Jacques Brel and chanson, with amazing string arrangements by Owen Pallett. The attached video is for the real centerpiece of the album, "Forks and Knives (La Fete)." The song exemplifies why I love Beirut; it's sweeping, dramatic and beautiful.

9. Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings

I don't admit this readily, but before seeing Dan Deacon live, I didn't love him. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who feels this way, but I'm probably the first to admit it. I listened to the album before I went to go see him on the recommendation of friends, but it didn't click. Sure, it's enjoyable, but with your everyday life, it seems a bit out of context. When I finally got to see him, I realized that it actually wasn't out of context. On a day-to-day basis, you don't have the time for a riotous dance party whenever you feel like it, but no one does. You have to make the time to have fun in life. Besides that, the sense of humor that flies just under "obvious" also makes the album memorable.

8. Lifetime - Lifetime

When Lifetime got back together last year for a few shows, I knew I had to be at one. I was surprised in the best way possible. I had figured, "These guys basically are the reason New Brunswick is on the map," and, "Damn, they must be old." I knew Dr. Dan was looking good, considering the fact that he recovered from a stroke and came back to playing reunion shows with Kid Dynamite and a new hardcore band that he fronts, Paint it Black. When Lifetime announced that they would be reuniting for an album, the high school me came back to life. This album is so full of life and so current without losing the soul of a Lifetime record.

7. Radiohead - In Rainbows

Who saw this one coming? I swear to God, "LP7" talk was nearly non-existent towards the end; people had almost forgotten that Radiohead hadn't put out anything in a few years, then all of a sudden, they had already completed recording and was looking to put out their own album. This was completely sneaky, but in all reality, that's the nature of Radiohead, or at least that's the way I see them. I sort of never see it coming with them. You hear "Creep" on the radio every once in a while and that's fine. Sometimes, you might even hear "Karma Police," but somehow I never expect for them to make an album that I'm going to go crazy over. Hail to the thief was a little too much for me and that's really where Radiohead lost me, but they truly brought it back in with this album. New Year's Day brings the physical release of the album in the US as well as another brilliant webcast. Before, it's been Thom spinning some creepy records or the band playing great covers, but this time, they're playing the album in its entirety. That is pretty damn cool on a level that Trent Reznor wishes he could play on.

6. No Age - Weirdo Rippers

This is easily one of the albums that got the most play from me this year. I've been getting asked why, if this is true, it didn't place higher on the list. This is because of a few things. For one, it's too short. When you take out the incidentals (which are brilliant), there isn't much music there. The live show up to this point sort of reflects this. No Age was never a headlining band, unless it was at the Smell and there were seven other bands playing, in which case everyone's set wasn't really longer than half an hour anyways. The second reason this isn't higher on my list is sort of related to this idea. The album isn't so much an album as it is 11 tracks pulled together from five EPs. The patchwork thing only takes you so far. I really like the cohesive album and this kind of didn't do it for me in that department. What I will say is that the good songs are amazing and I'm looking forward to their real full length debut.

5. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

Jeff Tweedy was in a very tenuous position a few months before this album came out. After the success of the relatively difficult Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and the intentionally more difficult A ghost is born, Tweedy and company played a new song on national television; it was "The Thanks I Get" and it wasn't at all challenging. It was even confusing. There was a singalong part that he encouraged the crowd to partake in. I was truly afraid for the new Wilco album after hearing that. Nels Cline just sort of stood there, grinning, while utilizing exactly none of his God-given gifts. Of course, this song really grew on me eventually, but that was much later. I should learn to have more faith in those who have never let me down. Jeff Tweedy and Wilco made one of the most mature records this year. A lot of people wrote it off as "Dad Rock," which is ridiculous. Tweedy has like three kids; of course it's going to sound like dad rock at least a little bit. What those naysayers always neglect to mention is that underneath every layer of distortion or studio magic that Wilco used in the past, there was always an amazing, sweet folk-pop song. If you don't believe this, check out Tweedy's solo tour DVD, where he plays "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" without the 13 minute bass riff. Anyways, Wilco stripped away what they had built up over the last two albums and just put out a beautiful album. The solo in "Either Way" stops me every time I hear it.

4. Nellie McKay - Obligatory Villagers

If Morrissey built an empire on cleverness, it's definitely a burgeoning industry that everyone else seems to be rushing to get a piece of. Of course, not everyone can pull it off. There are writers out there like Eddie Argos or Craig Finn, whose prose obsessions far outweigh their allegiances to keys and harmonies, but then there's Nellie McKay. Last year, her album Pretty Little Head made the top of my list and I figured I wouldn't see another album from her for another few years, considering the fact that she loved the double album so much. When it was announced that not only would she be releasing a new album in 2007, but that it was almost done, I couldn't believe it. When I finally started to believe it, I worried about what it would be like. It was obviously a shift from the past albums (only one disc with nine songs and a steady backing band instead of hired studio musicians). The only thing I knew was that it was going to be very clever, and of course it was. I happened to see Nellie at Largo a few months before the album came out and she played most of the new songs there solo. If you get a chance, just listen to the first song, "Mother of Pearl." It is the single funniest song this year. I have never seen someone so convinced of their own wit other than the great one himself, the Mozfather. McKay will inevitably slow down the pace of album releases and whatnot; what I'm really looking forward to is all the musicals I know she's going to write.

3. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala



Oh, You're So Silent Jens was a great introduction to Sweden's finest, but like I said with the No Age album before, compilations only can take you so far. Jens far bested all the expectations of fans like me with this album. Each of the songs is great in a very different way, without straying too far; there are even common musical themes threaded throughout the album. I kind of feel like this one is self explanatory and if I say anything else, it would be too much.

2. Okkervil River - The Stage Names



Ever since this album came out, I've been saying that Will Sheff is the next great American songwriter. What's changed since then? Not much, except now I know that Okkervil River is set to be the next great American band. My chief complaint against the album was the fact that it was so short. When something is good, I always want more. The good people over at Okkervil River must've heard my cries, because a few months later,m they released the companion EP for the album, containing Will's solo demos for the whole album. This really could've gone one of two ways. It was either bound to showcase the fact that the band wanted to add something to the album so they could sell more copies later (which didn't hold up, because they shipped the EP with the first thousand pre-ordered copies, rather than releasing it as a "Deluxe Edition") or it was going to showcase each of the songs in a different light, which is exactly what it did. After having my mind blown twice, Okkervil River decided to do me one better and release a Christmas EP for free download on their website. These amazing, stark four-track covers are beautiful and not to be missed.

1. Jason Anderson - Tonight



Far and away, Jason Anderson has made my favorite album of this year. I have a very hard time articulating my deep feelings for this album in this format. I emailed the man himself and he put it best: "All I want to do is connect with people and share my joy and passion for life." If you really want to know, take the time for it and your life will be better.

The Best of 2007: Other Honorable Mentions in Two Sentences

A Place to Bury Strangers - A Place to Bury Strangers

I swear to God, when I first heard this album, I thought, "WHERE'S THE DAMN VOLUME AND WHY IS THIS SO LOUD." Upon further listening, I realized it wasn't a volume issue, but the fact that the feedback the Death by Audio crew uses is on the most eardrum piercing frequency ever.

Art Brut - It's a Bit Complicated

Eddie Argos is just one of the most clever gits out there. The first Art Brut album seems a bit dull in comparison to this one; the addition of hookwriting mastermind Jasper Future added a lot to what Art Brut already had going for them.

Au - Au

This was one of the coolest live performances I saw this year. Jarring, multi-instrumental and dramatic; the album doesn't quite hit the same notes as the show, but deserves a mention anyway.

Au Revoir Simone - The Bird of Music

I like girl twee. So sue me.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Ask Forgiveness EP
no video available for songs on this EP, but you should check out the video for "Can't Tell Me Nothing" featuring Will Oldham.
Will Oldham is one of the most consistent songwriters out there; a covers record seemed out of order, considering the talent he is. Not only did he choose songs impeccably from all corners of the realm (a Danzig cover AND an R. Kelly cover?), but he paid them respect and covered them well.

Dean & Britta - Back Numbers

I never really got into Luna, even though they paved the way for like half the bands I like. When I found out the Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips were putting out a slow, folk album, all I could think was, "Thank God for Nancy Sinatra," and boy was I right; the best part is that the album is super solid.

Descartes a Kant - Paper Dolls

Discovery of 2007. Spazzy, schizophrenic songs written by young, cute girls from Guadalajara.

Grinderman - Grinderman

Nick Cave going back to the Birthday Party days? Well, while that's sort of true, really, this album is about being a dirty old man and LOVING IT.

Lavender Diamond - Imagine Our Love

If you live in Los Angeles, you've just been dying to hear what Becky Stark was going to release. This was a bit disappointing, considering all the promises of operatic pieces about the most beautiful diamond, eternal sonic frequency and the era of true love, but once you watch the video for "Open Your Heart," you'll pretty much forget everything and fall in love.

Scout Niblett - This Fool Can Die Now

In the past, I always thought of Scout Niblett's albums as a bit uneven. This album contains major collaboration with Will Oldham and amazing production by Steve Albini as well as the most consistent set of songs Scout's ever released (the live show for this album was really good too).

Soulsavers - It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land

Any album featuring Mark Lanegan is good. Next. (Extra sentence merited here: This album would have smashed its way into my top 20 if it reflected just a bit more of what I saw during their live set, though I think most of that was just being in Lanegan's presence.)

The Best of 2007: #11-20

I've decided to jump the gun a little bit and post the first part of my top 20 album list.

20. Handsome Furs - Plague Park

Dan Boeckner is easily one of the biggest badasses in a pansy-filled genre. As one of the two songwriters in Wolf Parade, he's so often overlooked by the elitists who think that just because Spencer was involved in Frog Eyes, he's the one you should care about. Boeckner has created a bizarre, desolate album; the sets are only dressed by his swaggering guitar lines and a lonely sounding keyboard, played by Boeckner's wife. Unfortunately, like so many albums this year, the album is very short in length and leaves you wanting so much more. As seen above, "What We Had" has one of the coolest sounding guitar parts ever.

19. Bonde Do Role - With Lasers

18. A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Scribble Mural Comic Journal

This album was a huge surprise for me this year. I listened to it a few times through and liked it well enough, but I never thought it would make it through the year. As time went on, I fell in love with the bizarre echoed vocals (no, this isn't a studio trick; the lead singers are twins) and the vastly varied instrumentation. There are fuzzy moments of shoegaze-y goodness contrasted with moments of plain darkwave, post-goth dungeon gloom. The 4AD references here are almost too obvious. Anything played decently with tons of reverb can sound good, but this album really blows "good" out of the water.

17. POLYSICS - Karate House

Japan's premiere power-pop act never seemed to take off in the states; Mike Park put out two of their records, while they play to 100000 people at summer festivals in Japan and put out records on Sony. The first few records were very Devo, while still retaining the "Japanese" part of the POLYSICS identity. Karate House is a completely different affair. POLYSICS has abandoned the noisy post-punk affectations for a more straightforward, hook-laden sound. "Electric Surfin' Go-Go" is probably my favorite song of the year; not only does it sound like power pop forgot to take its Ritalin before class, but there's a damn surf bass solo. Who does that? It seriously sounds like Peter Hook if he were born into the Wilson family. If you don't believe me, see this post.

16. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

James Murphy has done something wonderful with the latest LCD Soundsystem album. The disco-punk thing has really blown up in the last year; not only has it hit alternative radio, but it's on television, just like everything else I seem to like. "North American Scum" is the hit off the album, but it seemed too out of context when LCD played it on Letterman. This album is a communal experience. The stage looked so empty with Murphy freaking out in the center precisely because the songs were meant for the dancefloor. "All My Friends" may have been Pitchfork's #1 song of the year, but the real winner off the album (for me) was "Time To Get Away," the biggest, best Prince ripoff I've heard in quite some time.

15. Feist - The Reminder

I tried to resist putting this album on my list. I just couldn't. This album was damn near everywhere this year. I'd imagine it was licensed almost as many times as the Wilco album was and that wasn't even the surprising part. The really surprising part is how long it took everyone else to catch on. Watch this and tell me that you didn't see it coming. Does something seem familiar about this video and this song? IT'S A DAMN GAP AD. DO YOU REMEMBER THOSE KHAKIS YOU HAVE IN YOUR CLOSET? CAN YOU REMEMBER FINDING THEM A FEW YEARS AGO, THINKING, "WHY DID I EVER BUY THESE? I GUESS IT WAS THE 90s." HOW ELSE DO YOU THINK THEY'RE SELLING IPODS?

14. Dirty Projectors - Rise Above

13. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour

John K. Samson and his brigade of Mounties have once again trapped me in a snowy, nostalgic hell that I can't get away from. Jonah Ray said it best:
"One of my favorite bands. They've made the same album three times now and i dont mind it. Each song has such a sweetness to it, and it doesnt hurt that the singer sounds a lot like Big Bird. Maybe thats why i like it? because it brings in these thoughts of a large, friendly bird bringing me in for a hug...then singing sweet political poetry into my earhole."
The Weakerthans' music is much more subdued than it was when they first started, but they're getting old. What hasn't changed, however, is John K's penchant for writing some of the most relevant, beautiful poetry in music today. It's one thing to make music good enough to listen to over and over. John K's lyrics take this to a whole different level and make me want to write. The way he can turn a phrase is just unreal.

12. Lucky Soul - The Great Unwanted

British girl-group revivalists are probably always going to get me off musically. Last year, the Pipettes album was somewhere in my top 5, and this year, it's Lucky Soul. These Brits have found a way to make an intrinsically American album, moreso than their countrywomen in the Pipettes. Where the Pipettes banked everything they had on "spunk" and familiar hooks, Lucky Soul made it all about the music, abandoning the appearance of modernity for a very organic sound that isn't afraid of slowing down."Add Your Light To Mine, Baby" not only has one of the most memorable hooks this year, but has a great three-part harmony that's irresistable.

11. Ted Leo/Pharmacists - Living With the Living (or in my case, Just Living)

I won't lie; I was a little disappointed the first time I heard this album. There are so many powerful moments on this album and they were almost all negated by the really weird, out of place moments. Ted really won me back with the "deluxe" edition of the album, though. Generally, I'm interested in the second disc of all "deluxe" versions, but more often than not, they're plain disappointing. A few b-sides that shouldn't have come out from the other side of the vinyl and outcast demo versions, supplemented by suprisingly poor quality live cuts does not merit me spending an extra $5 on an album that I've already bought, but Ted's second disc, the Mo' Living EP, was genius. Each one of the songs on the EP had a place on the album, replacing the parts I saw to be unnecessary. I've created my own version of the album, cutting the fat and turning it into one of the best pop albums this year, calling it Just Living. I haven't upped this album just yet, but I'll let you know when I do.

"Only in Dreams" and a break from our regularly scheduled program for a public service announcement.

It's 1:30am and all I can think about is how much of a tool Mark Consuelos is, though I can't imagine being married to Kelly Ripa is all that much fun. How cool was he when he was on Connect With English? Damn, that was some of the best educational programming I've ever seen.

I'm sitting with my books open, trying to figure out whether studying at this hour is effective or not, even though I haven't actually read anything at all. After writing for two and a half hours during a final (that I studied a total of 14 hours in two days for), I was just burnt out. I still am burnt out and am generally incapable of doing anything.

Yesterday, my former life came back to haunt me a little bit. In the middle of the night, Rivers Cuomo's home demo album leaked, taking me back to a time I would rather not relive. If you think I'm awkward now, you should have seen me in middle school when I was really into Weezer. I'd like to think that Rivers is not the only one to have changed in that time, though I'd like to think that I've changed for the better (I know Rivers hasn't). After listening to everything that album had to offer, I thought about how much I enjoyed Weezer. Today, while studying for my final, I listened to the Blue Album as well as parts of Pinkerton. My god, was it all brilliant. Even "Surf Wax America," which is the song that most grates on my nerves, is still so wonderful to me.

The one song that still stops me today the way it did then is "Only in Dreams." You think about songs like "Buddy Holly" or "In the Garage" and then take "Only in Dreams" into consideration, in all of its eight minute glory, and it's hard to fathom this being the same band. Even "Say It Ain't So" seems a little far off; in my mind, nothing in the Weezer catalog can come close to this. The experience I can most closely relate "Only In Dreams" to is "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out." There are a lot of people who would have me murdered for even thinking of that comparison, much less saying it out loud and even less typing it for the world to read over and over, but they're both very moving experiences for me.

I was forced into a harsh realization earlier. Over the last few months, I've really come to realize how important the people in my life are and how deeply I feel for them, but I realized that I don't always say it enough. I'm on a mission, a crusade even. I'm trying to tell all the people I love how much I appreciate their presence in my life. I am truly blessed by those who surround me. In light of all that, here's my PSA:

To the few of you who actually stumble across this and have stuck with me thus far, I love you. You will never know what you mean to me, and though sometimes we get so caught up in our own lives that we can't physically make the time for one another and we may even drift apart from time to time, I want you to know that you'll always have a special place in my life.