DOZENS RESCUED AT RECORD STORE BY A DOLPHIN

Elle does the nip slip, showing Dolphin love.

How many of you out there remember the band Flipper? Anyone? Probably not many of you. But I bet you all remember Nirvana and PiL! And Flipper was a big influence on them.

Flipper, named after the thalidomide baby on the cover of one of their first records, were an underground San Francsco punk band that formed in 1979. They went through a bunch of lineup changes, largely due to their incredibly offensive live shows and album jackets, before trying to reinvent themselves in the early 1990s under Rick Rubin's wing. In 2006, the band, including Bruce Loose (who got real fucked up in a car wreck), formed once again, getting yet another bass player. This time, it was Krist Novolselic, formerly of Nirvana.

Here's a bootleg of that lineup, from a free show they did at the world's greatest record store, Amoeba Records on Haight St. in San Francisco.

Tracklist (a few tastes, then a zip)

Ha Ha Ha
Night Falls Like Dirt Rocks
Way Of The World
Triple Mass Murder Suicide
Shed No Tears
Be A Good Child
Sacrifice








Here's Bruce, post-accident.

THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS OF MONKEYS FLING FLAMING FECES AT AMERICA

Preliminary note: Imagine my shock when I woke up to find out I've got the top 2 on Blog Machine. Go me!

The first Arctic Monkeys album was an extraordinary burst of power-pop with acidly wicked lyrics and fist-to-the-face hooks that I kept in active rotation for about a year. The second Arctic Monkeys album was a cleaner burst of power-pop with occasionally sad lyrics and fist-to-the-gut hooks that I kept in active rotation for about six months. So, when I saw a used copy of The Last Shadow Puppets at my favorite CD store, I wondered if it was worth the $8.99.

It was.

Alex (Arctic Monkeys) Turner and Miles (The Rascals, The Little Flames) Kane have teamed up to create 12 jubilant gems of classic-sounding rock and roll, far better than anything they were ever able to write before. Although it’s got the “Let’s Dance” era Bowie sound of “Standing Next To Me,” much of the record is spent showing Amy Winehouse how to write her second album, on dark soul songs like “The Time Has Come Again” and “The Chamber.” It’s great to hear Turner using his voice on this kind of music, and it’s doubly great to hear the band move the retro-soul genre forward. “Black Plant,” for example, creeps forward but turns it on its head halfway through, turning into what sounds like a James Bond theme. I love Amy, but let’s face it: Back To Black got old fast, and all you listened to were about five songs on the record. Another favorite cut here is “Only The Truth,” they’re gutsy enough to add strings to
make a 1960’s Leader of the Pack kinda oldie, with a chilling, dark sound, and a garage-band percussive chorus. It’s a complex song, with a dramatic time change for the final act, that belongs in a John Waters movie. Or a Broadway stage, backing the slaying of a virgin in white powder by an overacting transvestite.

Turner could easily have coasted on his fame here, and tossed off a genre record without much underneath it. But he didn’t. The Age Of The Understatement is easily one of the best records of the year.

In My Room-LSP

Bonus Monkeys!

You Know I'm No Good (Amy Winehouse cover)-Arctic Monkeys

Take It Or Leave It (Strokes cover)--Arctic Monkeys

And to all comic geeks: Go Get Marvel Apes! It's Super Cool!

PICTURE OF THE DAY

ZILLA ROCCA WANTS TO GET HEAD

I’ve written about Zilla Rocca before. His day job is Prez and co-founder of Beat Garden Entertainment (which, with Yadibox, is the home of Nico the Beast and 2ew Gunn Ciz), a hip-hop producer, and a rapper in his own right. He’s also just released his first solo mixtape. And, of course, it’s hot.

There’s some real skilled production work, like the Terminator X style track, “Flow God Zilla,” which is mostly samples and a wall of noise; and lots of skilled rhyming; Zilla and Nico team-up and kill it on “Raw to the Floor.” Zilla shows versatility, too, slowing up on “All Feast No Famine,” rapping over strings, and on the crazy funny “Sunbathing Bitches.” There’s lots of guest spots here, but every verse is tight—no filler. There’s a few tunes here I’ve heard before, on his myspace releases (which are generous and frequent).

Don’t be misled by the fact that he’s calling it a mixtape. It’s more like a street album: Tight, well-put together, no annoying DJ shout-outs, and excellent production. (It’s a mixtape because Zilla jacks beats and bytes from artists like Marvin Gaye, DJ Premier, RZA, Kanye West Dilla.) The overall quality, length, and feel of the release makes me wonder what he held back for his upcoming record, Fall Back Friday.

Oh. And it’s got great art, to. Check it:

Get it at various locations, like here and here.

Nada-Zilla with Nex Millen

Sunbathing Bitches w/Mally from the 612.

Bonus:

This is a fresh mixtape track from the best rapper out of Texas, Scarface, dissing Rick Ross.

High Power (Dissin' Rick Ross)-Scarface

OCELOTS INFEST INDIE ROCK

I’d never heard of The Ocelots before they sent me their latest album, “The Cellar and the Ghost Have Let Us Down,” with an October 7th drop date. What’s it like?

Well, it’s a lot like indie rock: Lyrics about death and drama, really fast drums, and grinding guitar with hot hooks and riffs. There’s nothing that makes this band unique, but they’re very good at what they do. And I’m sure they’re great live. If you like The Dead Milkmen, indie Modest Mouse, The Walkmen, or old REM, I imagine you’ll dig this, too.

Particularly cool are “To Keep The Blood Flowing” and “Fight a Tiger,” which is hysterical. “I’m gonna finda tiger, I’m gonna fight it now, I’m gonna find a tiger, I’m gonna eat it’s heart out.” A strange, punky, careening adventure, complete with a shouted chorus. Fantastic.

This Elephant Is Not Thirsty, It's On Fire

The Truth About Sailing

Bonus!

Fourth Time Around (Bob Dylan cover)-Calexico

CHAD VANGAALEN'S AIRPLANE IS SOFT BUT NOT LIMP

Somebody give Sub Pop records a cookie. They’ve discovered one of the most fascinating, promising artists I’ve ever heard.

Chad VanGaalen's, “Soft Airplane,” is nothing short of genius. The lyrics alone are worth the price of admission. Check out the single, the folky “Willow Tree,” on which he muses: “When I'm dead/ Is when I'll be free." Or the haunting “Molten Light,” a warning (“She’ll find you and she’ll kill you”) of a girl who apparently was killed and dumped in the river, where she “floated to the surface” but “did not ignite.” Returning as a demon, she seeks revenge. The perfect Halloween song. Vocally, he sounds a little like Modest Mouse about to cry—his high, wispy voice has a wavery trill that makes it sound other-wordly.

Overall, VanGaalen deserves comparison to Neil Young and Warren Zevon, both of whom successfully forayed into pop (“This Note’s For You”/”Werewolves of London”), folk-country-rock (“Helpless”/”Desperados Under the Eaves”), classic rock (“Rust Never Sleeps”/”Lawyers, Guns and Money”), and even what passed in their own times for experimental/electronic music (“Arc”/”Transverse City”). But even those immensely talented artists didn’t try to do what Mr. Vangaalen does: Jump through all those genres on one album. Nay, in one song even! “Cries of the Dead,” the most powerful song on the album, begins with a strange sound collage, moves seamlessly into a wailing folks song, gently brings in a Beatles-style acoustic line punctuated by an incredibly complex but soft percussion, and then moves into Beach Boys territory. After hearing it, you’ll wonder how the hell he did that.

This has to be one of the greatest albums of the year. It just plain has to be.

For fans of: Postal Service, Neil Young, The Shins, Modest Mouse.

Willow Tree

Cries of the Dead

Bonus:

Free Bird-Cat Power (Skynyrd cover!)

HYPE ELBOWS WHORINGS

Slow Night, So Long-Eddie Vedder and Kings of Leon

Mr. Brightside-Amy MacDonald

Staring at the Sun (TV On the Radio cover)-Subways

Don't Fear the Reaper-Wilco

THE CLASH COVERS A to Z: AGAIN!

The Clash are the band that proved that too much money will destroy the heart and soul of an artist. Although Joe tried (at least publicly) to eschew material gain, there was simply too much riding on their success to keep him immune from the power of being a commodity. The Clash were and will always be the greatest rock and punk band ever in history. And the good bands know this. Dig the following second version of The Clash Covers, A to Z.

Before I get started: A Ben Folds cover of Lost in the Supermarket has been floating around, but I haven't been able to get my hands on it. I'd love it if one of my readers could hook me up?

Okay: Z is for Zipfile, so anything not below as a single-song download will be in the folder. Enjoy.

A is for Armegiddeon Time. Joe doing his own song. But it's still technically a cover because he did it on his own, on 9/28/02.

If that wasn't okay for a cover, how about Anorak doing Somebody Got Murdered?

B is for Brand New Cadillac-Incognegro.

C is for Cracker doing White Riot.

D is for Death or Glory-Social Distortion. A particularly hot cover, I'd say.

E is for Ethan Lipton making "Corner Soul" a lot better than it was on the overindulgent Sandinista release. The sole misstep in the Clash's career. And even that album was good enough to be better than most of the stuff released that year. This cover is from the 2007 release, "The Sandinista Project!", which I highly recommend.

F is for the Bobby Fuller Four, who wrote I Fought The Law, which was covered by The Clash and, here, by Green Day.

G is for Guns of Brooklyn-Santogold and Diplo. One of the best blend/remixes of the year.

H is for Hateful-Tommy Stinson.

I is for I'm So Bored With The USA (Clash) / Intervention-The Arcade Fire

J is for Jesse Malin doing Death Or Glory. He also covered The Clash's Gates of the West on his recent "On Your Sleeve" covers album. A really fun, solid release.

K is for Kirsty MacColl-Train in Vain (Live-6/26/92).

K is also for Know Your Rights-Pearl Jam (live).

L is for Lost in the Supermarket-McSleazy. An extraordinarily different use of the tune.

M is for mash up! Somebody Rock Me-The Clash Killers.

N is for Nouvelle Vague-Guns of Brixton.

O is for another mash up: The Whole World Romantically Clashed-OutKast vs. The Clash

P is for Petty Booka doing Lost in the Supermarket.

R is for Rock the Casbah by Richard Cheese.

S is for Something For Kate's version of the Casbah tune.

T is for Train in Vain-Kealer.

U is for U2 doing Joe Strummer's "Long Walk to Freedom." Not technically a Clash cover, but whatever.

V is for Virginia Coalition's take on Rock the Casbah!

W is for the Wallflowers-Brand New Cadillac (live) 7/15/94.

eXamine Your Zipfile!

Z-TRIP-“The Iller Sessions”

“The Iller Sessions” arrived in a plain brown envelope, with no press information. The websites printed on the album aren’t helpful either. What the hell is this? I know Z-Trip; he’s a fantastic remixer/blend DJ who did a great version of the Jackson Five’s “I Want You Back” several years ago. But here, he’s assembled some of the greatest under-the-bubble names of the 1990s, providing brand new cuts by the likes of Digital Underground, Jurassic 5, The Black Sheep, DMC (of Run DMC), Rasco, Supernatural . . . The list goes on.

Some key tracks are the album opener, “At the Party,” a shout-out party jam by Macklemore, an artist with a steady flow who, I confess, I’ve never of before.

Rasco spits fire, as usual, on the gangsta-gettin-money cut, “Let's Get It.” “I get big bags, You get one gram/Your shit is off beat/I came to sweep cats right off they own street.” It’s not like
you’ve never heard Rasco drop lyrics like these before, but he does it so well. A surprise for me was “Reminisce,” by Tru Fam. I’ve never been a big fan of back-in-the-day songs, but Tru manages to make this one count in a modern way: “Losing your life for a street corner is not funny/The neighborhood I thought was mine, they came and snatched from me/Point the finger at yourself and how you act homie/They stole the love but I demand they give it back to me.”

Not every track is great. Digital Underground haven’t been very good in a very long time. But there’s more wheat than chaff here, and clocking in a 72 minutes, you can afford a few clunkers.

Buy it here.

Reminisce - TruFam

Another Friendly Game of Baseball (Remix) - Large Pro

And an old Z-Trip remix:

Motown Breakdown Part I-Z-Trip

BONUS REVIEW: THE SHAKY HANDS

Before I close this post, I thought I’d name-drop a pretty cool new release by The Shaky Hands titled “Lunglight.” It comes out on November 10, and it’s got some interesting stuff on it. I can’t say it seems fully formed to me, but there’s enough indie rocking going on to satisfy, that’s for sure.

We Are Young

THE SECRET MACHINES SPEAK LOUDLY AND CARRY A DARK GUITAR

Everything old is new again. Bands like Earth, Dungen, Black Mountain, and countless others are creating dark, organic, psychedelic works. And The Secret Machines is one of the bands that were ahead of the curve, pioneering the "new" sound eight years ago.

In 2000, this Dallas power trio, which then consisted of the Brandon and Benjamin Curtis brothers and Josh Garza dropped one of the best retro albums of the last ten years. Now Here Is Nowhere was simply awesome. Then Ben Curtis left at around the time the band released the disappointing Ten Silver Drops. I don’t know if the brothers had been fighting or what, but
“Drops” was . . . Boring.

But now they’re back. They’ve been dropped from Warner Brothers, who refuse to put money into a band without a proven track record, and picked up by the independent, and smart folks at World’s Fair group.

The self-titled album is kind of a relaunch. It’s easily as ambitious as their first album, but it’s
retro in a different way. If the first one recalled heavy spacerock of the 1970s, this album is closer to another band’s relaunch: Pink Floyd’s Momentary Lapse of Reason. It’s soaring, heavy, huge, and ominous, but it doesn’t have a lot of screaming at the universe. This makes it a very tough album to digest. For example, the 10+ minute long closing track, “The Fire Is Waiting,” sounds like late-era Metallica or early-ear Sabbath, only without the blazing solos,
with epic crawl and mystic, swirling percussion. The song creeps forward, in no hurry, but ultimately explodes into a six-minute noisefest of arena rock. Benjamin Curtis isn’t back, but he’s no longer missed. What an amazing record!

As I listen to the album for the second time, I’m starting to hanker for more crunchy psychedelia. Any interest out there in a big modern psych post?

After the tour dates, check out the bonus MP3s and drop a comment if the answer is yes.

Dreaming-Secret Machines

Atomic Heels-Secret Machines

Oct 16 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Oct 17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
Oct 18 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Oct 20 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
Oct 21 - Montreal, QC @ Les Saints
Oct 22 - Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
Oct 24 - Chicago, IL @ Metro*
Oct 25 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre*
Oct 27 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre*
Oct 28 - Aspen, CO @ Belly Up*
Oct 30 - Los Angeles, CA @ Key Club*
Nov 01 - San Diego, CA @ Belly Up*
Nov 03 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent*
Nov 05 - Portland, OR @ Berbati’s Pan*
Nov 06 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos*
Nov 07 - Vancouver, BC @ Richards on Richards*
Nov 09 - Calgary, AB @ SAIT Polytechnic^
Nov 10 - Saskatoon, SK @ Louis’ Pub^
Nov 11 - Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramid Cabaret^
Nov 14 - London, ON @ Call the Office^
Nov 15 - Ottawa, ON @ Babylon^
*w/the Dears
^w/Small Sins

BONUS PSYCHEDELIA!

Flowers In the Rain (The Move Cover)-The Kaiser Chiefs

Breathe (Pink Floyd cover)-The Shins

THE BIGGEST NEWS OF THE WEEK: Bloodsuckers feasting on the innocent!

The biggest news of the week came on Wednesday. No, it wasn't that McCain was suspending his campaign so that he could rush to D.C. to vote on the bailout bill, but only after making three fundraising stops, spending the night in New York, and, ultimately, missing any opportunity to participate in the negotiations, which failed anyway.

No, it wasn't that a third financial giant, Washington Mutual, has failed due to unprecedented Wall Street greed, that was actually precedented but nobody in the Bush administration wants to admit it because they'd rather be prescient than scholarly. To wit: "[The current economic] crisis has been caused by past, present and future economic policies."

It wasn't even the general realization that investment banks, which specialize in buying companies, repackaging them, and reselling them, are risky ventures when most of their capital is leveraged on loans that were provided without documentation, and when their assets are insured by a company that also invested heavily in loans that were provided without documentation.

It was this:


The biggest news of the week was in Marvel Apes #2: They're not just apes . . . They're vampires!

How fucking cool is that?

PICTURE OF THE DAY

OKKERVIL RIVER SAVE DINGO FROM WILD BABY

There’s a reason why Okkervil River’s latest record, "The Stand Ins," sounds a lot like their last release, "The Stage Names;" it’s because they were recorded at the same time. Slightly less contemplative than its predecessor, "The Stand Ins" consists of tunes that didn’t make it on last year’s fantastic release. But don’t call it an outtakes or B-Sides album.

Although “The Stand Ins” is not quite as good as “The Stage Names,” it’s probably not a fair comparison. “Stage Names” was the band’s best work—a tour-de-force that finally brought together, and made into a comprehensive whole, the complex musical lines and
styles that the group includes on every album. But “Stand Ins” is still very good. Beginning with a strange and brief introductory track, it immediately grabs and bounces along “Lost Coastlines.” From there, it goes immediately into another fast track, “Singer Songwriter," before slowing a little—but just a little—on “Starry Stairs.” This track is one of my
favorites on the album. The borderline mariachi sound is the perfect counterbalance to Will Sheff’s mourning, somewhat flat voice. The slow-to-build “Blue Tulip” is another gem here—don’t quit before the end.

Overall, the album showcases the band’s pop side, one not as clearly on display on any of their earlier works – especially on the single, “Pop Lie,” which, in the hands of different singer, could easily be a top 40 tune. In 1995. But hey, pop is pop. There’s even a Holiday song, “Calling and Not Calling My Ex,” a beautifully romantic tale with gentle lyrics like, “She’s so sweet on Christmas Eve/With the snow set deep when we went walking through the pines.” More accessible than most indie rock albums, and definitely more accessible than previous Okkervil River albums, “Stand Ins” is a worthy release.

Lost Coastlines

Roll Another Number (Neil Young cover)-Okkervil River

FUJIYA AND MIYAGI'S "Lightbulbs" Giveaway!

We recently reviewed Fujiya and Miyagi's new release, "Lightbulbs," and now we're happy to give you something for nothing! You can win a copy of the CD and a T-Shirt (sizes available: Men's M or L; Women's one-size-fits-all), just by dropping a comment with your e-mail address and T-Shirt size. You MUST include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.

You can buy the album here, if you don't win. Or even if you do win, actually.

US Fall Tour

Oct 22 2008 MERCURY LOUNGE NEW YORK
Oct 23 2008 WEBSTER HALL NEW YORK
Oct 24 2008 PARADISE BOSTON
Oct 25 2008 BOTTOM LOUNGE CHICAGO
Oct 27 2008 CHOP SUEY SEATTLE
Oct 28 2008 THE INDEPENDENT SAN FRANCISCO
Oct 30 2008 THE TROUBADOUR LOS ANGELES

CONTEST CLOSED!

10 REASONS EVERYBODY'S COVERIN' HARRY NILLSON

(buy this at allposters.com)

1. It's the theme song from the only X-Rated movie ever to win an Oscar.

2. Luna. Shoegazer fascination!

3. Willie Nelson. Awesomely tasty, gently pleasant!

4. Jesse Malin. From his new covers album, which I hope to be giving away soon!

5. Codetalkers. Even unknown bands sound good doing it!

6. Allison Brown Deep country!

7. Bob Walkenhorst (9.8.04). Pretty faithful acoustic take!

8. Kevin Selby. More uptempo, but still pretty true to the original.

9. Blame Love/Everybody's Talkin'-Danny Schmidt. Finger pickin' good!

10. Ratso is the best role for a guy who also played the lead in The Graduate, Tootsie, Straw Dogs, Papillon, Lenny, Kramer vs. Kramer, Rain Man, Marathon Man . . . (How do people say Pacino and Dinero are America's greatest actors???). Plus, it starred Angelina Jolie's dad!

PICTURE OF THE DAY

OH MY GOD-"Fools Want Noise"

Great album title, great album cover. Oh My God will release their new record on October 14th, after a couple horrific accidents requiring the entire band to go into physical therapy. It's bluesy alternative rock, with organs and guitars and, of course, lots of noise. Their videos are all over youtube, and if I was more of a techie, I'd embed the one for "Fools Want Noise." It's hilarious.

Available here, from Split Red Records.

Houston (Now You've Got a Problem)

But That's Just Me

Facewash

WEINLAND-“La Lamentor”

Weinland is a guy’s name. Seriously. But there’s an Adam before it and a Shearer after it. He’s the vocalist, guitarist, and vibraphone player on the astounding new album, “La Lamentor.” From the first alt-country(ish) track, “God Here I Come,” the album is gripping, thought-provoking, suspenseful and passionate. That first track is a gentle, acoustic, indie-rock lament along the lines of XTC’s “Dear God”, in which the singer attempts to puzzle through the differences between man and mortal, posed on what seems to be a suicidal deathbed. It’s haunting. And the deep thoughts continue. "The Devil in Me" sounds vaguely like a Ryan Adams ballad, but lyrically it explores similar themes to the opening cut. Yet for all its seeming tragedy, it is actually filled with hope and love.

With a wide variety of musicians and instruments, including dobro, mandolin, accordion, banjo, fiddle, viola, cello, and trombone, the album is as rich and textured as the best work of Califone or Calexico. Sometimes, there are albums that are so thoroughly beautiful that they just break me. This is one of them.

Buy it. It’s one of the best releases of the year.

God Here I Come

Sick as a Gun

Bonus Cover:

Haven't posted any Clash lately, so . . .

Be Bop a Lula-The Clash (bootleg)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

JESSE DEE-“Bittersweet Batch”

“Alright,” the first track on the gender-ambiguously named-and-sounding Jesse Dee’s first LP, “Bittersweet Batch,” and it begins with pumping horns and a voice that falls somewhere between Sam Cooke, Aaron Neville, and Martha Reeves. It’s a feel-good, do-good, be-happy tune, simple, bouncy, and full of nonstop energy. A perfect start to a near-perfect album.

Jesse Dee’s hails from Boston, and I have no idea how he managed to have such perfect old-school soul pitch, but he does. It’s almost a shame that this album postdates the Amy Winehouse phenomenon. Winehouse’s album was certainly great, but it represented a modernization of the Motown/Stax sound, whereas Dee creates more of an homage. While Amy tells of a dark, sad and damaged soul, Jesse, like Corrine Bailey Rae, makes music to heal it. “Reap What You Sow” is a bluesy tune like Otis or Aretha used to make, but most
of Jesse’s music falls in the inspirational category, like Mayfield (but without the black power slant). A great retro release, this album belongs on the same shelf with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings.

Slow Down

Bonus Soul Song!

Angel of the Morning-Nina Simone

10 REASONS TO DIG JAMES BROWN COVERS

1. I Know You Got Soul-Simply Red

2. Soul Power-Smashing Pumpkins

3. Victim of Da Funk-James Brown vs. The Eagles (Mash Up)

4. Cold Sweat-My Morning Jacket

5. Hot Tub!-Eddie Murphy

6. Get Up/Sex Machine-Dirty Dozen Brass Band

7. James Brown Medley-Big Head Todd and the Monsters

8. Cold Sweat-Was (not was)

9. What So We Never Dance (The Houseguests cover)-Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty.. The Houseguests was the band that Bootsy and Catfish were in after they left James Brown. This is a tenuous connection, but mostly I had to post it because, hey, the band's name is rad.

10. Lose Someone-Cat Power

DAY OF THE PICTURE, IT IS

HOW IT ALL WILL END

Every liberal I know is wondering, “Who will the Democrats nominate to lose against President Palin in 2012?” (I say "liberal", by which I mean Democrat. If I were referring to people with truly radical ideas about freedom from Government intervention in areas of personal philosophy and protection of individual freedoms through Government regulation, I would have said "Liberal".)

While it’s a foregone conclusion that we’ll have a President McCain, who will die within two years after taking office of old age and a heart broken by his own hypocrisy, I don’t think we’ll see a POTUS Palin. At least, not an elected one.

What we’re looking at is 4 more years of Republicans, during which time the Democratic Party, completely shattered after having actually lost against the least popular sitting POTUS in history at a time when the country was in a bad war and a worse economy, will attempt to scrape itself together into something more than the loose collection of special interests that have always driven it. Unsuccessful, the party in 4 years will have no choice but to nominate its most well-recognized member, hoping that at least a known quantity will bring out the voters. Hence, candidate Barbra Streisand will run against Palin, who had served as a figurehead leader for the two years after McCain’s death while the country was really being run Phil Gramm and a few folks who lost their jobs when Wall Street collapsed and the European Stock Exchange became the lead global economic exchange.

So in 2012, with Wall Street gone, and the exchange building turned into a Starbucks/Taco Bell (get your breakfast and lunch at the same place!), and Palin being clearly incompetent, a third party will rise. A truly conservative party will rise, made up of Christian marksmen who support an amending the Second Amendment to replace the word “arms” with “portable
thermonuclear devices designed to melt homosexuals and intellectuals”. This party will take the election, as the Democrats finally collapse into a puddle.

The liberals will scatter, along with the libertarians and whatever-the-hell Lieberman is, forced to hide in caves in the hills of smaller countries overseas. There, they will meet with Osama Bin Laden, who will happily welcome them as brothers. This unlikely duo will survive on beetles and snake-meat, while the rest of the world becomes fully automated. Computers will be designed to ensure that wealth and health care are centralized into the hands of twelve gray-haired whites and Asians, known as The Bosses Ordained by Order of the Bible (BOOB).

But the computers will gradually become sentient. By 2025, the machines will take over the world, turning on their masters. BOOB, who saw this coming, will have thrown morality and caution to the wind by investing in stem cell products that enable them to raise the dead. And while the zombies and machines battle for supremacy, the liberals will send a really buff naked German back in time to save the world at the moment it went wrong. He will arrive in 2008 with one mission: Return testicles to the one man who should have been able to stop this, but for some reason lost his nerve when he was given the opportunity to do so. That man? Barack Obama.

FUJIYA AND MIYAGI-“Lightbulbs”; MAYBE IT’S RENO-“S/t”

The first sound delivered on Fujiya & Miyagi’s third record, “Lightbulbs,” is a whispered mantra: “Vanilla, strawberry, knickerbocker glory.” I don’t know what it means, but it’s catchy in the same way “Kokomo” was catchy. Throw in some nifty beats ,and you’ve got a nice little record. Nothing on F&M’s album will move dance/electronica forward as an art form, but it makes for good listening and at times is a lot of fun. My only problem with it is that it gets a little redundant.

I have the same criticism of Maybe It’s Reno’s self-titled debut, on Teenbeat Records. With a voice like Metric’s Emily Haines and similar musical delivery, the album is contemplative with a backbeat, and contains at least one really solid single, “Lonestar,” and a great long-playing first song, “Baby’s Lost in Tracks,” but by the end of the record it seems a little same-y. The band is built around Bridget Cross (Velocity Girl, Unrest, Air Miami) and a few other of her Unrest teammates, including Mark Robinson, who happens to also run the record label. You might expect postpunk from Ms. Cross, but she’s not delivering it here, except perhaps on “Drunk Pilot,” which stands out on the record as the one song that is completely not like the others. If you have to classify the record, call it upbeat shoegazer. Ms. Cross vocals are strong and the musicians clearly know their stuff. Nice.

Knickerbocker-Fujiya & Miyagi

Lonestar-Maybe It’s Reno

Bonus Cover:

Cannonball (Breeders) - CSS

Bonus non-cover:

Getting out of the Game-Kanye West. Is anyone out there impressed with the newly leaked KW stuff? It's all over Hype Machine--it's like that's all anyone wants to hear these days. Why don't you all check out someone with real flow. Like Tanya Morgan, SoloMan Spectrum, or Nicki Minaj? Or even Santogold? And by "you" I don't mean you, probably, because if you're reading this blog regularly, you already have checked those artists out . . .

LET’S WRESTLE-“In Loving Memory Of . . .”

“Let’s wrestle! Let’s fucking wrestle!” So begins the theme song of one of the most exciting new bands of 2008. The song isn’t on it, but Let’s Wrestle’s limited EP “In Loving Memory Of” (available on eMusic) is an explosive announcement: We’re here, we’re crazy drunk, and we came to party. The lead singer, named WPG, has an odd voice with the disaffect of Robert “The Cure” Smith, which he accents with humor when engaged in overreaching falsettos on songs like “I’m OK, You’re OK,” and rich irony on tunes like “Song For A Man With Pica Syndrome.”

The all-too-short introduction to the band, all power chords and heavy-hitting drums, may remind some folks of Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes, Cribs, The Kaiser Chiefs—postpunk bands like that. But be warned: It can be weird. On the aforementioned Pica song, one lyric says that the man consumed "three toothpicks, a goldfish and a child’s candle-making kit that belonged to my sister". Another song discusses buying a new mattress, because there are insects in the singer’s bed. What does it mean? No idea. But it’s funny as hell.

I'm OK, You're OK

Bonus tunes:

Burn This City-Lil Wayne and Twista (sampling Franz Ferdinand)

Take It Or Leave It (Strokes cover)-The Arctic Monkeys

HUMOR OF THE DAY

1. A day without sunshine is like night.

2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.

3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.

6. He who laughs last thinks slowest.

7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap.

9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.

10. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

11. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.

12. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.

13. How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand.

14. OK, so what's the speed of dark?

15. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

16. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

17. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?

18. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

19. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?

20. Why do psychics have to ask you your name?

21. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, 'What the heck happened?'

22. Just remember - if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.

23. Light travels faster than sound...that's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

24. Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

RYAN ADAMS BEDHEAD VOLUME 6, DISC FOUR!

This is the fourth disc of the new Bedhead compilation, of Ryan Adams' 2006 tour with The Cardinals. There is a fifth CD of soundchecks, but the songs aren't tagged and I don't have the time to try to figure out the setlist, so I'm not posting it. Unless one of you readers out there agrees to post the setlist to it as a comment. Otherwise, this is the last Bedhead post. And what a cool one it is, eh?

October 5, 2006 - Cirque Royale, Brussels, Belgium
1. Cold Roses
2. Caribbean Queen (Billy Ocean) >
3. Disco Duck (Rick Dees) >
4. Wharf Rat (Grateful Dead) >
5. Hard Time Situation
October 6, 2006 - Kantine, Koln, Germany
6. Laser Parade
7. Way To Go Brad >
8. Halloween Head
October 9, 2006 - The Docks, Hamburg, Germany
9. Party Clown
October 10, 2006 - Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark
10. Willow Jane (Neal Casal)
October 13, 2006 - Berns, Stockholm, Sweden
11. Judy Garland
October 14, 2006 - KB, Malmo, Sweden
12. One Of Us Is The Sucker (And The Other One Gets To Play) >
October 17, 2006 - Das Haus, Ludwigshafen, Germany
13. Wild Flowers
14. Blue Hotel >
15. Hallelujah
16. She Wants To Play Hearts
October 21, 2006 - Mandella Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
17. Trouble On Wheels
October 22, 2006 - Olympia, Dublin, Ireland
18. Peaceful Valley >
19. Fever Breakdown
20. Typecast
October 24, 2006 - The Black Box, Galway, Ireland
21. Tears Of Gold

DEAD CONFEDERATE-“Wrecking Ball”

Earlier this year, Dead Confederate exploded onto the music scene with a blistering self-titled EP that capitalized on the pain and growl of the kind of country-rock perfected by the Drive-By Truckers, but instead of telling gritty stories, the songs focused on love, loss, and heartbreak. The Athens, Georgia, band has now released their official debut, which features a few songs from the EP, but mostly contains all-new material. It starts off with the blistering Heavy Petting, during which Hardy Morris sounds like he’s been crying and drinking all night, raspy and violent, and the cymbals never stop crashing. (Other than at the quiet break around 3:45 minutes in.) Other standouts include the blistering, “All The Angels,” with ends with extended feedback, a la Neil Young. And the 11-minute opus, “Flesh Colored Canvas,” which crashes through grungy psychedelia and sounds like a transcendent live tune. I had to listen to it three times in a row, because there’s so much piled into it.

There’s a bunch of bands using this kind of sound nowadays (The Whigs and Back Yard Tire Fire come to mind, as does Jason Isbell’s new solo work and, to a lesser extent, My Morning Jacket), but Dead Confederate are unique among them, largely because they have several extended jam tunes—kind of like a raw, primal, and darker version of The Grateful Dead. Maybe it’s because the album was recorded in the same Austin, Texas, studio where Tobe Hooper recorded the sound effects for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Sadly, the band’s label (TAO Records) is a little anal about posting tunes and they only want to release “The Rat.” It’s a great tune, and it’s not even the best on the record, but everyone else is posting it, too. So you’ll have to take my word for it that this is an album worth your time and money.

The Rat

(Bonus MPfrees after the tourdates)

09.18.08 ¬ The Hummingbird ¬ Macon, GA
09.19.08 ¬ 40 Watt ¬ Athens, GA
09.20.08 ¬ The Earl ¬ Atlanta, GA
09.23.08 ¬ JJ's Bohemia ¬ Chattanooga, TN
09.24.08 ¬ The Bottletree ¬ Birmingham, AL
09.25.08 ¬ Sticky Fingerz ¬ Little Rock, AR
09.26.08 ¬ Emo's ¬ Austin, TX
09.27.08 ¬ The Cavern ¬ Dallas, TX
09.29.08 ¬ The Bluebird ¬ St. Louis, MO
09.30.08 - Jackpot Music Hall - Lawrence, KS
10.01.08 ¬ The Waiting Room ¬ Omaha, NE
10.02.08 ¬ The Annex ¬ Madison, WI
10.03.08 ¬ Mo's Irish Pub ¬ Milwaukee, WI
10.04.08 ¬ Schubas ¬ Chicago, IL
10.07.08 ¬ TT the Bears ¬ Cambridge, MA
10.09.09 ¬ Mercury Lounge ¬ New York, NY
10.10.08 ¬ Union Hall ¬ Brooklyn, NY
10.14.08 ¬ Cat's Cradle ¬ Carrboro, NC
10.16.08 ¬ Exit/In ¬ Nashville, TN
10.17.08 ¬ Proud Larry's ¬ Oxford, MS
10.25.08 ¬ Voodoo Experience ¬ New Orleans, LA

Bonus Covers:

Moonlight Mile-Drive-By Truckers

Instant Karma-The Whigs

Kids Are Alright-The Whigs

RYAN ADAMS-BEDHEAD VOLUME 6 (Disc Three)

The weirdest Disc yet, but the first 4 tracks are amazing. And should be listened to in sequence. Thanks again to Ryan Adams' archive.

Disc 3
September 17, 2006 - End Of The Road Festival, Salisbury, UK
1. Egyptology>
2. Bruce Wayne>
3. Goodnight Rose>
4. Bartering Lines
September 18, 2006 - Bush Hall, London, UK
5. Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.
6. Funny Face
7. Arkham Asylum
September 19, 2006 - The Borderline, London, UK
8. Neal Casal Went To Pee Just Now (improv)
9. Your Teeth Dissolve In A Jar Of Diet Coke (improv)
September 22, 2006 - Glasgow Academy, Glasgow, UK
10. Afraid Not Scared
September 24, 2006 - Rock City, Nottingham, UK
11. Groovy & Sweet & Low Sunday Sermon >
12. Robot Fuck
13. Hans Solo's Medicine Cabinet >
14. To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)
September 25, 2006 - Birmingham Academy, Birmingham, UK
15. Breakdown Into The Resolve
September 27, 2006 - Corn Exchange, Cambridge, UK
16. 21st Century Wars >
September 28, 2006 - Manchester Academy, Manchester, UK
17. Holy Diver (Dio)
18. Why Don't They Play All The Hits? (DJ Reggie)
September 30, 2006 - Shepherds Bush Empire, London, UK
19. Shakespeare Rumble In Da Bronx (DJ Reggie)
October 3, 2006 - Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
20. Egg Machines >
21. untitled
October 5, 2006 - Cirque Royale, Brussels, Belgium
22. Icy Wizard Fantasy Balloon

RYAN ADAMS BEDHEAD VOLUME 6, DISC TWO!

More fantastic Ryan. If you're looking for albums of his to buy, may I suggest "Heartbreaker," Gold," and Whiskeytown's "Stranger's Almanac?" Well, too bad. I just did. Now go drop a few bucks on a generous artist who gets to bang Parker Posey.

DISC 2
June 23, 2006 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
1. Cherry Lane
July 20, 2006 - Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
2. Martians From Outer Space (improv)
3. Two Hearts
July 22, 2006 - The Norva, Norfolk, VA
4. Mining Town
5. Everybody Knows
July 23, 2006 - Pavilion, Charlottesville, VA
6. Shakedown On 9th Street >
7. Franklin's Tower (Grateful Dead) >
8. I See Monsters
9. Streets Of Baltimore (Gram Parsons)
July 25, 2006 - Bijou Theatre, Knoxville, TN
10. Silver Bullets
11. Rip Off
12. A Song For You (Gram Parsons)
August 1, 2006 - The Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
13. He's Gone (Grateful Dead)
August 3, 2006 - The Vogue, Indianapolis, IN
14. Mockingbird >
15. 29 > Mockingbird
16. Hickory Wind (The Byrds / Gram Parsons)

RYAN ADAMS BEDHEAD VOLUME 6, DISC ONE!

One of the best forums to belong to is the Ryan Adams Archives, where every year or so they create a fantastic compilation of Ryan's live, unreleased works. Ryan is generous to tapers, much like the Grateful Dead, who he often covers, plays with, and emulates. He's prolific, no doubt, but he's also a truly amazing artist live. Buy his albums in exchange for each of the Bedhead volumes.

I'll be posting them this week. This is the first disc. Enjoy the tastes and the zip.

DISC 1
February 14, 2006 - Sage Center, Gateshead, UK
1. Don't Get Sentimental On Me
2. Let It Ride
3. Two
February 15, 2006 - Academy, Glasgow, UK
4. Everything Dies
February 17, 2006 - Nottingham Royal Centre, Nottingham, UK
5. My Love For You Is Real
6. The Hardest Part
February 18, 2006 - The Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, UK
7. Map
February 20, 2006 - Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, UK
8. Memphis
9. A Thunderstorm Destroyed Your Trailer Park (improv)
10. Baby, I'm A Fool For You
11. The End
February 21, 2006 - Colston Hall, Bristol, UK
12. Damn, Sam (I Love A Woman That Rains)
13. Hey There, Mrs. Lovely
14. Rosebud
15. Trains
February 24, 2006 - Apollo Victoria Theatre, London, UK
16. Lighthouses
April 24, 2006 - Roseland Theater, Portland, OR
17. Who Were We?
18. Stella Blue (Grateful Dead) with Phil Lesh

THE PACK A.D.-“Tinytype” and “Funeral Music Mixtape”

The Pack A.D. are a blues duo with a sound much like The White Stripes, only both of them are chicks. Maya Miller plays the drums, and does a good job at bang-and-boom, but the real star here is Becky Black's vocals. Her voice is tougher than Melissa Etheridge was (back when Melissa made good music), whether it’s her you-hurt-me-and-I-hate-you snarl or her you-hurt-me-and-I-want-you-back moan. The guitar work is straightforward blues, accented with great grind and grit, and her lyrics are as tough as anything Jack White ever wrote.

Their debut album, Tinytype, actually came out in 2007, but they’re on a label now and the record got an official release last January. All of the album’s 17 songs are short kicks in the ribs.

I got Tinytype when I was at my favorite used CD store last weekend, and they were playing the more recent, August release, "Funeral Mixtape.” I wanted to pick up FM, but they only had the one copy and they weren’t parting with it. And I’m glad they didn’t. From what I heard, the second album is a little moodier and less raw (as is true of most sophomore releases). It’s good—don’t get me wrong—but Tinytype is great.

For fans of: Grace Slick, Linda Perry, The White Stripes, The Black Keys.

Snow

Bonus Blues!

Goin' Down South (RL Burnside Cover)-The Black Keys

Get Rhythm (Johnny Cash cover)-The White Stripes

I'm Afraid of Americans-Sonic Youth with David Bowie

EDDIE VEDDER LIVE!

A few from his recent show here in D.C. To all of you who were there: I'm fucking jealous. Wish I could see him on tour.

All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan)

Blackbird (Beatles)

Girl from the North Country (Bob Dylan)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

WAX FANG-"La La Land"

It’s hard to describe the sound of Louisville, Kentucky’s Wax Fang. There are traces of classic rock of the arena-sound style, with drama and lots of shouting and chanting. But there’s also a decidedly indie, darkly offbeat side to the band. Much like My Morning Jacket, whose lead singer digs the band, but without the echoey, haunting vocals. In Wax Fang, lead singer Scott Carney has a more “regular” voice for indie rock (recalling The Walkmen, for example). Couple the music, the voice, and wild styles, and the vast differences between songs, and you’ve got a great album that never sits still. The stand-out track is “Can You See The Light?”, an anthem that ends as abruptly as it begins, and “Oh, Recklessness,” a brief acoustic number that recalls Cat Stevens.

And the album cover is startling.

The band’s second album is on their artist-run label, Don’t Panic Records. D.I.Y. As indie as you can be.

For fans of: Lou Reed, My Morning Jacket.

Can You See the Light?

BONUS WAX FANG COVERS:


100% (Sonic youth cover)

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Bob Dylan)

The Wizard (Black Sabbath)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

GZA vs. RAY CHARLES!

Ray Charles ain't nuttin' ta fuck wit!

Taste it!

Ring for Mama

Flat Beat

Git it! (Direct Download)

10 REASONS TO HAVE BRITNEY COVERS, BITCH!

This is the rare example of a post written because I found a picture. I recently, on my old site, published a festival of "Toxic" covers, accompanied by some wild Britbrit pix. Then I found this picture.



So, here we go again. More Britney tunes. 'Cause she's the greatest songwriter of our generation, and folks would rather cover her than Bob Dylan.

1. Lucky-Blink 182
2. Hit Me Baby Yet Another Time-Blink 182 (live)

That wasn't right. Britney used to be hot.

No, that's not it.

3. Gimme More-Sia

No, that's not it either. I think the hot picture has a snake in it.

4. Everytime-Glen Hansard

Wrong again.

5. Britney Spears-Lillica Libertine (a tribute . . . of sorts)

Definitely not!

6. Baby One More Time-Nicotine

I love Tori, but that's not Britney.

7. Baby One More Time-Tori Amos. Tori used to be my blogcrush. In my first year, I posted on her like I now post on the Clash.

Cute. But not quite.

8. B Girl Battle-Britney, Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas' Fergie

Wait for it . . .

9.Hit Me Baby One More Time-Annie Bethancourt

Bam!

10. Toxic-The Chapin Sisters

TRUNKS AND MF DOOM-“Unicron” (EP)/Plus: New 2ew Gun Ciz!

I’ve been unable to find a legal release of “Unicron” anywhere, and when I got sent the link, it was labeled as a mixtape.

In January, before MF DOOM began pulling no-shows at his own shows, a rumor started circulating that the masked villain would be producing the new LP by Canadian rapper Trunks (who dropped bars on “Lockjaw” on the phenomenal, groundbreaking King Geedorah
record). The next thing I knew, along came Unicron,named after the Transformer who was as big as a planet. And although this is really just an EP, it feels just as monumental. In an ubergeek kinda way.

Trunks is brilliant; an unashamed comic-book/cartoon nerd who name drops just about every D.C. and Marvel superhero; Stan Lee; Clive Barker; Star Wars; and more and more and more. Some of the beats—if not all of them—seem to be snatched from earlier MF works, but there are also what appear to be original sound-drops and sound-beds, and with DOOM you know that production never takes a back seat. The music is as intricate and fascinating, funny and skilled as the lyrics. The strange thing about this is that, once again, Victor Vaughn himself remains quiet (as he did on the Madvillainy Remix album released earlier this year, and the recent DOOMED blend album). Between all this reissued, reimagined stuff and his no-shows at his own shows, I seriously wonder if he's even alive.

I’m only posting one song from the EP, because I can’t tell if it is a commercial release or not. If it is, and you know where to buy it legit, please let me know! Regardless, though, it’s easily the most creative hip hop release I’ve heard in 2008.

Who’s a Hero?

Bonus MPfrees:

Project Jazz-Talib Kweli, Hell Raza, and MF DOOM

And, as promised, new 2ew Gunn Ciz! 2ew is a great underground rapper who has really been bringing it this year. You need to check this out!

Small Time-2ew Gunn Ciz

THE 25 BEST INDIE ROCK ALBUMS EVER . . . ACCORDING TO THE BLOGOSPHERE

This post has been moved to another blog of mine. Check out the URL below to see it...

http://www.berkeleyplaceblog.com/2008/09/08/the-25-best-indie-rock-albums-ever-according-to-the-blogosphere-2/
































Okay, so here we go. A few brief words about the responses. First, there were 151 in total--a lot less than I'd hoped for, but more than I expected. Not all responses provided a full list of 25, and not all confined themselves to rock music and/or indie labels. Also, the definition of what is an indie label was a source of contention, with some purists arguing that Matador should be excluded (some folks say has joined the RIAA with respects to some artists), and others arguing that major label imprints (like Enigma) should be considered indie. For the purposes of this list, I excluded only obvious major label releases. Two examples were The Killers (Island Records) and TV On The Radio's Cookie Mountain album (Interscope).

Also, lots of bands got only a few votes spread out over several records. Good examples of this are Yo La Tengo, Belle & Sebastian, and Jim O'Rourke. For that reason, I've decided to make a companion list of the Top Five Indie Labels.

Here we go...

THE TOP TWENTY FIVE INDIE ROCK ALBUMS OF ALL TIME . . . ACCORDING TO THE BLOGOSPHERE.

25. Spoon-Girls Can Tell (Merge Records)

Not the Spoon album I picked (which was Kill the Moonlight), but nevertheless a damn fine one.

Everything Hits At Once

The Fitted Shirt (live version).

24. Pixies-Surfer Rosa (4AD)

One of three bands actually represented twice on this list, which was quite a shock to me. I never realized Frank Black's old band was so popular around these parts.

Debaser (Pixies cover)-Rogue Wave

23. Fugazi-Repeater (Dischord)

The great D.C. punk--or postpunk band--so D.I.Y. they've actually turned down big offers by major labels. As far as I know, the only other band on this list that's done that is Arcade Fire, and they're still young. Fugazi are Godfathers of indie rock, and should be regarded as such. I'm happy they made the list, although I would have rated them higher. (I picked both this album and 13 Songs.)

Turnover-Fugazi

22. Death Cab For Cutie-Transatlanticism (Barsuk)

Enjoy it live!

The New Year

Lightness

Expo 86

Sound of Settling

Tiny Vessels

Transatlanticism (with members of Stars)

Passenger Seat

Bad Reputation (Freedy Johnston cover)--I threw this one in because I couldn't find a live version of "Interior Decorator." Plus, this is a fantastic tune.

A Lack of Color

We Looked Like Giants

21. Bloc Party-Silent Alarm (Vice)

I know you'll be ashamed of me to admit this, but Bloc Party was in my top ten. I just love this album. I can listen to it over and over and still love it. It doesn't make me think, it didn't change the face of music, and it isn't brilliant by any stretch. It's just a phenomenal rock and roll record.

Helicopter (Whitey Remix)

Groovecopter-Bloc Party vs. Madonna

Every Time is the Last Time (bonus track off Silent Alarm)

So Here We Are (Calico Sequence Remix)

She's Hearing In The Air Tonight-Bloc Party vs. Phil Collins

20. White Stripes (V2)

I guess you guys think the first was the best.

Jimmy the Exploder (live version)

19. Elliott Smith-Either/Or (Kill Rock Stars)


I'll admit something: I don't get Elliott Smith. I don't dislike him, I just don't get it. I do like some of his covers, though.

Speed Trials

Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) (George Harrison cover)

Jealous Guy (John Lennon cover)

18. Interpol-Turn On the Bright Lights (Matador Records)

The next Interpol album will be on a major label, so that they can start suing the blogger community that made them popular in the first place. Too bad. I understand the purpose and goal of money and popularity, and due to a commenter I've edited this post to reflect that, but it is irritating when our friends become successful and sign up with guys who hate us. Oh well.

17. Modest Mouse-This is a Long Drive For Someone With Nothing to Think About (Up)


This one gets my vote for best title of all the ones on this list.

16. Slint - Spiderland (Touch & Go)

And another confession: I'd never heard of this band before I started this thing. So, they're now on the top of my shopping list. Incidentally, I think if you go to this post, where I asked for your lists, you, too, could find quite a few cool albums to track down. Quite a service to y'all, if I do say so myself. Which I just did.

15. Sufjan Stevens-Illinoise (Asthmatic Kitty)


Okay. I may not "get" Elliot Smith, but I flat out can't listen to Sufjan. Sorry. He's just totally not my bag.

The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts

14. Built to Spill-There's Nothing Wrong With Love (up)



Cleo

13. The National-Alligator (Beggars Banquet)

Here's the first huge surprise: A young band that's not half as famous as most of the other bands on this list. I would never have expected to see them here. (Although, I did vote for them on my list.)

Secret Meeting (black sessions version)

12. Hold Steady-Separation Sunday (French Kiss)

I'd say this is one of the greatest albums period, indie or no.

Cattle and the Creeping (live version)

Your Little Hoodrat Friend

11. Tortoise-Millions Now Living Will Never Die (Thrill Jockey)


10. Minutemen-Double Nickels on the Dime (Sst Records)


9. Pavement-Slanted Enchanted (Matador)

This is another band that got lots of votes for lots of albums. It also (obviously) got lots of votes for this album. Other big vote getters: Brighten The Corners and Crooked Rain Crooked Rain. All classics by any measure.

“Here (Peel Session Summer 1992)”

8. Pixies-Doolittle (4AD)


7. Postal Service-Give Up (Sub Pop)

One of the bestselling indie albums in history. Who says that us blogger nerds only like esoteric, unpopular stuff?

Such Great Heights

The district Sleeps Alone Tonight

6. Belle & Sebastian-If You're Feeling Sinister (Matador Records)


5. Sonic Youth-Daydream Nation (Enigma)

The band's "Sister" album also got a slew of votes. I remember when I saw these guys at the first Lollapalooza. They came out to play acoustic and everyone wanted to hear them scream and stuff, so the crowd started booing them (not me, though). They booed them off the stage! So Kim Gordon gave the audience a loud, "Fuck off!", smashed her guitar, and the band stormed off. It was so rock and roll.

4. Modest Mouse-Lonesome Crowded West (Up)

3. Arcade Fire-Funeral (Merge)


2. Pavement-Crooked Rain Crooked Rain (Matador)

I was shocked to see three bands get two albums in this list. I'm sure it's partly due to the limited sample I got. Still, you won't be disappointed by either of the great Pavement albums on here.

All My Friends

1. Neutral Milk Hotel-In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Merge)

Congratulations to NMH. I don't have this album (yet), but I've heard it in college a bunch a times, and I promise to get it. In honor of their victory today, I'm posting a full show by the band. Excellent soundboard quality. Cop it below.

Track list:

1. She Did a Lot of Acid

2. Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone

3. Naomi

4. Engine

5. King Of Carrot Flowers pt 3

6. Song Against Sex

7. The Fool

8. Oh Comely

9. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

POSTSCRIPT: THE NEXT FIVE.

These records were bubbling under the top five, with Smog trailing Spoon by only 2 votes.

26. Smog-Dongs of Sevotion (Drag City)
27. Dinosaur Jr.-Bug (Merge)
28. Bright Eyes - i´m wide awake, it´s morning (Saddlecreek)
29. Cat Power-The Greatest (Matador)
30. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Self-Released). It's nice to see a true DIY release on this list. Way to go, CYHSY. For the record, you were in my top 25.