Blondie's New Single

Blondie was one of the first groups I ever got into as a teenager. Dating myself severely, I admit this was the early 1980s... "The Tide Is High," "Rapture," and the shamefully underrated follow up album "The Hunter." I've continued to keep up with them as they've regrouped and released things sporadically. Then, today, I came across this new song on YouTube: "A Rose By Any Name." Instantly liked it. Here Debbie Harry and co. team with Beth Ditto, lead singer for the Gossip, to create a slab of nifty new new wave dance... great bassline too! Win!

GMF

"Don't forget you could be laughing 65 percent more of the time...
You could be laughing 63 percent more of the time...
You could be lauging 25 percent more of the time..."
GMF by John Grant

No Fear of Father John Misty

Recently, I discovered "Fear Fun" by Father John Misty, and it's been a welcome discovery. It's a fusion of folk, rock, and the kind of music made in the early 1970s. Yet, it's its own animal, and it is thoroughly enthralling... A standout track is "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings," which is entirely enhanced by a nifty video featuring Aubrey Plaza from the TV show Parks and Recreation, one of my favorite shows...

I love the lyrics too...

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
by Father John Misty

Jesus Christ, girl
What are people gonna think
When I show up to one of several funerals
I've attended for grandpa this week
With you
With me

Someone's got to help me dig
Someone's got to help me dig

Jesus Christ, girl
It hasn't been long so it seems
Since I was picking out an island and a tomb for you
At the Hollywood Cemetery
You kiss
On me

We should let this dead guy sleep
We should let this dead guy sleep

Jesus Christ, girl
I laid up for hours in a daze
Retracing the expanse of your American back
With Adderall and weed in my veins
You came
I think
Cause the marble made my cheeks look pink
But I'm unsure of so many things

Someone's got to help me dig
Someone's got to help me dig
Someone's got to help me dig

The latest from the Farewell Circuit

Minneapolis-based band the Farewell Circuit just released a new EP "We Were Wolves." I'm totally enamored of the title track. It's definitely got an indie sensibility with jangly guitars and such. But the lyrics make the song for me. Maybe it's a call to break out of our lives of quiet desperation as Thoreau said... The video certainly reinforces that theme. This song definitely deserves to be big on college radio at least. This is a band that created one of my favorite songs of 2010, "Christmas Bird" -- which was a b-side that really resonated with me at the time.

Songs of the Moment

Excellent songs stuck in my brain lately include (in no particular order):

"Inhaler" by Foals

"Black Chandelier" by Biffy Clyro

"Dead Now" by Frightened Rabbit

"Ancient Mars" by the Zolas

"Shuggie" by Foxygen

"Gold" by Wake Owl

Five Months of Winter

So, my last post was in January, when it is appropriate to have very cold temperatures. Here it is, March 18, and the current temp is 9°F (-8°F with wind chill). Yes, that cold on March 18... Calendar spring is only a few days away. I admit I've chosen to live here in the almost Arctic tundra of northern Minnesota, but geez, winter is getting on my nerves.

Relatively Warm...

i still find it somewhat odd that after a couple of weeks of temps ranging from -5°F to -20°F when we now find ourselves in temps slightly above zero we say that the weather is "warm" -- i cannot argue that it doesn't feel warm--because it does--but sheesh, is 3°F really "warm"?

A Gross (144) of Favourite Songs of 2012

(some may have been released earlier but I became aware of them in 2012)

1. “Beetle in the Box” – Admiral Fallow
2. “No Way Down” – the Shins
3. “Let Them Bleed” – Toggi
4. “Skyscrapers” – OK Go
5. “Safe and Sound” – Capital Cities
6. “All the Little Things” – Ben Cocks
7. “It’s Time” – Imagine Dragons
8. "Yer Spring” – Hey Rosetta!
9. “Sweeter” – Gavin Degraw
10. “Somebody That I Used to Know” – Gotye feat. Kimbra

11. “Dirty Paws” – Of Monsters and Men
12. “The Grand Optimist” – City and Colour
13. “Gold on the Ceiling” – the Black Keys
14. "Simple Song” – the Shins
15. “Trojans” – Atlas Genius
16. “Forest Whitaker” – Bad Books
17. “How’d You Like That?” – the Kooks
18. “The Stand” – Mother Mother
19. “Treading Water” – Alex Clare
20. “Ho Hey” – the Lumineers

21. “Where the Kids Are” – Blondfire
22. “Hold On When You Get Love, Let Go When You Give It” - Stars
23. "Kill Your Heroes” - AWOLnation
24. “We’re Far Enough From Heaven Now We Can Freak Out” – Deep Cotton
25. “Running Lights (Denial)” – Skittish
26. “Boredom and Joy” – Jets Overhead
27. “Madness” - Muse
28. “Blood for Poppies” – Garbage
29. “It’s Nice to Be Alive” – Ball Park Music
30. “Easy Way Out” - Gotye
31. “Don’t Stop Lovin’ Me” – Pomplamoose
32. “We Come Running” – Youngblood Hawke
33. “Girl in a Coat” – Blitzen Trapper
34. “Come Back Down” – Greg Laswell
35. “Burn It Down” – Linkin Park
36. “September” – the Shins
37. "Little Talks” – Of Monsters and Men
38. “N.Y.E.” – Dinosaur Bones
39. “Americanarama” - Hollerado
40. “Reagan’s Skeleton” - Yeasayer
41. “Female Robbery” – the Neighbourhood
42. “Houdini” – Foster the People
43. “Bright Whites” – Kishi Bashi
44. “Symptoms” – Atlas Genius
45. “Default” – Django Django
46. “Baby Don’t Dance” – Mother Mother
47. “Wolves” – Big Wreck
48. “Too Close” – Alex Clare
49. “Reunion” – M83
50. “Called Out in the Dark” – Snow Patrol

51. “Let’s Fall in Love” – Mother Mother
52. “Change” – Churchill
53. “Company” – Andy Burrows
54. "Days Are Forgotten” – Kasabian
55. “Cheerleader” – St. Vincent
56. “I’m the One Leaving You” – Bend Sinister
57. “It’s Only Life” – the Shins
58. “Living a Lie” – Aimee Mann and James Mercer
59. “Yet Again” – Grizzly Bear
60. “Lindsay” – Eliott Brood
61. “Three White Horses” – Andrew Bird
62. “It Gets Old To Be Alone” – the Wooden Sky
63. “Strange Attractor” – Animal Kingdom
64. “Wild Country” – Wake Owl
65. “Feed the Dada” – Dada Life
66. “Safer Than Love” – Bell X1
67. “Clone” – Metric
68. “Keep It for Your Own” – POP ETC
69. “Don’t Leave Me” – Regina Spektor
70. “Would That Not Be Nice?” – Divine Fits
71. “Work Around It” – Them Swoops
72. “Everybody Knows” – Jukebox the Ghost
73. “Here We Go” – the Spring Standards
74. “Fire Escape” – Civil Twilight
75. “Save Me” – Gotye
76. “I Might Drop By” – Greg Laswell
77. “Are You Gonna Waste My Time?” – Zeus
78. “Love Interruption” – Jack White
79. “On the Run” – Kaiser Chiefs
80. "Too Cold” – Current Swell
81. “Chained” – the xx
82. “Soon Enough” – Aimee Mann
83. “Go Ego” – Eight and a Half
84. “Easy Come Easy Go” – Great Lake Swimmers
85. "Apple Pie” – Nelson Can
86. “Simply Simple” – Mother Mother
87. “Eyeoneye” – Andrew Bird
88. “Rain” – the Gin Club
89. “On and On” – Noah and the MegaFauna
90. “Overwhelmed” – Tim McMorris
91. “The Theory of Relativity” - Stars
92. “Untouched and Arrived” – Ace Reporter
93. “Hey Joe” – Blitzen Trapper
94. “Broken Chair” – Chris and Thomas
95. “Sappho” – Tribes
96. “How It Starts” – the Features
97. “Hummingbird” – Alex Clare
98. “Being Alone” – Love on a Real Train
99. “Same Mistakes” – the Echo-Friendly
100. “Disappeared” – Aimee Mann

101. “Life Is a Bitch Slap” – My Radio
102. “Youth without Youth” – Metric
103. “California” – Delta Spirit
104. “Bait and Switch” – the Shins
105. “Rock and Roll Forever” – the Whigs
106. “Story of My Life” – Eat More Cake
107. “Gun-Shy” – Grizzly Bear
108. “Never Go Back” – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
109. “Warrior” - Kimbra
110. “Welcome to Pittsburgh” – River City Extension
111. “Mountain Sound” – Of Monsters and Men
112. “We Are Young” – fun.
113. “Headlights” – Morning Parade
114. “All in Vain” – the Vaccines
115. “A Heavy Abacus” – the Joy Formidable
116. “Live to Rise” – Soundgarden
117. “Video Games” – Lana Del Ray
118. “Give It Back” – the Ting Tings
119. “Won’t Come Home” – Bad Breaks
120. “Killing Switch” – Last Lynx
121. “Days Go By” – the Offspring
122. “One More Night” – Maroon 5
123. “Stay Gold” – the Big Pink
124. “Paddling Out” – Miike Snow
125. “Sixteen Saltines” – Jack White
126. “Aftershave Ocean” – the Vaccines
127. “Happy” – Mother Mother
128. “Tides” – the xx
129. “At Transformation” – the Tragically Hip
130. “Octopus” – Bloc Party
131. “Hall of Mirrors” – the Helio Sequence
132. “Settle Down” – White Arrows
133. “Come to Life” – Lots of Love
134. “Built to Break (Anger)” - Skittish
135. “Give Me Love” – Ed Sheeran
136. “Do Your Own Time” – A.C. Newman
137. “Complications” – Philistines
138. “Champion” – the Chevin
139. “Become Someone Else’s” – Jens Lekman
140. “Pontoon” – Little Big Town
141. “Weirdo” – the Vaccines
142. “A Simple Answer” – Grizzly Bear
143. “Frank Left” – Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s
144. “American Horror Story Theme” – Murder House

Favorite TV Shows - 2012 Edition

Anyone who knows me knows I watch a lot of television. Well, let me rephrase that, the TV in my house is on a lot, and I watch certain shows... To be honest, the TV is on mostly for background noise. I will admit to this, however:  2012 had some truly interesting and worthy shows that captured my imagination moreso than recent years.  Here are 20 of my favorites in alphabetical order.  Those in bold were my top five faves.

Adventure Time (Cartoon Network)
American Horror Story: Asylum (FX)
Bob’s Burgers (FOX)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Community (NBC)
The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
Futurama (Comedy Central)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Girls (HBO)
Grimm (NBC)
Louie (FX)
Mad Men (AMC)
Parenthood (NBC)
Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Portlandia (IFC)
The Simpsons (FOX)
South Park (Comedy Central)
30 Rock (NBC)
The Walking Dead (AMC)
Weeds (Showtime)

It's been awhile...

...time flies, eh? Since it's been so long, I'll start off slowly.

 FAVOURITE SONGS of 2012 (so far)

1. “Beetle in the Box” – Admiral Fallow
2. “No Way Down” – the Shins
3. “Let Them Bleed” – Toggi
4. “Skyscrapers” – OK Go
5. “All the Little Things” – Ben Cocks
6. “Somebody That I Used to Know” – Gotye
7. “It’s Time” – Imagine Dragons
8. “Gold on the Ceiling” – the Black Keys
9. “Sweeter” – Gavin Degraw
10. "Little Talks” – Of Monsters and Men
11. “The Grand Optimist” – City and Colour
12. "Yer Spring” – Hey Rosetta!
13. "Simple Song” – the Shins
14. “Trojans” – Atlas Genius
15. “How’d You Like That?” – the Kooks
16. “The Stand” – Mother Mother
17. “Treading Water” – Alex Clare
18. “Ho Hey” – the Lumineers
19. “Houdini” – Foster the People
20. “Where the Kids Are” – Blondfire

21. “Forest Whitaker” – Bad Books
22. “Hold On When You Get Love, Let Go When You Give It” - Stars
23. “Boredom and Joy” – Jets Overhead
24. "Days Are Forgotten” – Kasabian
25. “We Are Young” – fun.
26. “Kill Your Heroes” - AWOLnation
27. “Blood for Poppies” – Garbage
28. “Madness” - Muse
29. “It’s Nice to Be Alive” – Ball Park Music
30. “Easy Way Out” - Gotye
31. “Don’t Stop Lovin’ Me” – Pomplamoose
32. “Girl in a Coat” – Blitzen Trapper
33. “Come Back Down” – Greg Laswell
34. “Burn It Down” – Linkin Park
35. “September” – the Shins
36. “Dirty Paws” – Of Monsters and Men
37. “N.Y.E.” – Dinosaur Bones
38. “Americanarama” - Hollerado
39. “Reagan’s Skeleton” - Yeasayer
40. “Called Out in the Dark” – Snow Patrol

FAVOURITE SONGS of 2011

1."Free The Pterodactyl 3" – Hot Club de Paris 

2.“Second Chance” – Peter, Bjorn and John 

3."Death of the Americas, Part 2” – Hello Dragon 

4."The Winter" – Cake 

5."On Your Own” – James Yuill 

6.“Colours” – Grouplove 

7."Devils” – Say Hi 

8.“Love Love” – Take That 

9.“Love the Way You Walk Away” – Blitzen Trapper 

10.“Überlin” – R.E.M. 

11."I Follow Rivers” – Lykke Li 

12.“Crystal Vases” – the Last Royals 

13.“Lions in Cages” – Wolf Gang 

14.“Pumped Up Kicks” – Foster the People 

15.“Feeding Line” – Boy & Bear 

16."Say for Certain” – Generationals 

17."Start It Up” – Little Eskimos 

18.“N/A OK” - USS 

19.“Jump Into the Fog” – the Wombats

20.“Post Break-Up Sex” – the Vaccines 

21.“Tongue Tied” – Grouplove 

22.“Changing” – the Airborne Toxic Event 

23.“Cost” – Folly and the Hunter 

24.“Darling Buds of May” – Viva Brother 

25.“Astronaut” – Blitzen Trapper 

26."History of Modern, Pt. 1” – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 

27."Love and Leave” – Scattered Trees 

28."Running With Insanity” – Alcoholic Faith Mission 

29.“Deep Oblivion” – David Lowery 

30."Who Knows, Who Cares?” – Local Natives 

31."The Only Exception” – Paramore* 

32.“The Fall” – Gary Numan 

33.“Paradise” - Coldplay 

34."Boots Electric Theme” – Boots Electric 

35."Wake and Be Fine” – Okkervil River 

36.“Civilian” – Wye Oak 

37."Mine Smell Like Honey” – R.E.M. 

38.“Say Goodbye” - Falcon 

39."Sick of You” – Cake 

 40.“Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls)” – Foster the People 

41.“For Everything a Reason” – Carina Round 

42.“Cats and Dogs” – the Head and the Heart 

43.“Promises, Promises” – Incubus 

44.“Diamonds in Her Eyes” – Pajama Club 

45.“Sail” - AWOLNation 

46.“The Internet Killed the Video Star” – Limousines 

47.“Aberdeen” – Cage the Elephant 

48.“Might Find It Cheap” – Blitzen Trapper 

49.“Midnight City” – M83 

50.“Cough Syrup” – Young the Giant 

51."The King and All of His Men” – Wolf Gang 

52."Weighty Ghost” – Wintersleep* 

53."Country and Western Song” – the Western States Motel 

54."Machu Picchu” – the Strokes 

55.“Simple Math” – Manchester Orchestra 

56.“Down Like Me” – Peter, Bjorn and John 

57.“I Know Places” – Lykke Li 

58."Young Blood” – the Naked and Famous 

59.“A Conversation About Death on New Year’s Eve” – Scattered Trees 

60."Trust” – Generationals 

61."Something’s Gotta Give” – the Kickdrums 

62."Please Ask for Help” – Telekinesis 

63."Please Be It” - Generationals 

64."Just Me Before We Met” – Noah and the Whale 

65.“Space Dust #2” – Gruff Rhys 

66.“Where I’m Going” – Cut/Copy 

67.“Finally Begin” – Cold War Kids 

68."Long Time” – Cake 

69."Wolves at the Door” – David Bazan 

70.“All I Ever Wanted” – the Airborne Toxic Event 

71."Down by the Water” – the Decemberists 

72.“Submarine” – David Lowery 

73.“Down There” – Bronze Radio Return 

74.“Oh My Heart” – R.E.M. 

75."New Low” – Middle Class Rut 

76."Morning Thought” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. 

77.“Call It What You Want” – Foster the People 

78.“Na Na Nothing” – Mike Doughty 

79."Shatter Your Lungs” – the Get Up Kids 

80.“Cool Vapors” – Jacuzzi Boys 

81.“You Are a Tourist” – Death Cab for Cutie 

82."When I’m Small” - Phantogram 

83."Taken for a Fool” – the Strokes 

84."The Others” – Dukes of Windsor* 

85."You’re the One” – Wyla 

86."You Hide” - Eulogies 

87."Apartment” – Young the Giant 

88.“Sara” - Chad VanGaalen 

89."Swimming” – Florence + the Machine 

90."The Struggle” – Liam Finn 

 91."Patron Saint Procrastinate” – Lonely Tourist 

92.“The Lady and the Tiger” – They Might Be Giants 

93.“Cold Comfort Flowers” – Fountains of Wayne 

94.“Go for the Throat” – the Elected 

95."Weekend” – Smith Westerns 

96.“Maybe Baby” – Blitzen Trapper 

97."Illumination” – Lindsey Buckingham 

98."L.O.V." – Fitz & the Tantrums 

99."Heartless Empire” – Broken Bells 

100."Let You Break” – William Fitzsimmons 

101.“Time Spent in Los Angeles” – Dawes 

102.“These Days” – Foo Fighters 

103.“If I Had a Gun” – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 

104."Rox in the Box” – the Decemberists 

105.“You’re Too Weird” – Fruit Bats 

106.“Winter Rose” – the Bees 

107.“Wonder Why” – Vetiver 

108.“Punching in a Dream” – the Naked and Famous 

109."L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.” – Noah and the Whale 

110.“A Mirror Without” – Royal Wood* 

111.“Brooklyn Is Burning” – Head Automatica* 

112."Sympathy” – Scattered Trees 

113.“Wait and See” - Hagana

114."Contact High” – Architecture in Helsinki 

115."Tree by the River” – Iron & Wine 

116.“Out in the Way” – Beach Fossils 

117."Will Do” – TV on the Radio 

118.“Need You Now” – Cut/Copy 

119.“Evolve” – the Non-Commissioned Officers 

120.“Sew It Up” – Memory Map 

121.“Lion” – Peter Wolf Crier 

122.“Wake Up Your Saints” – the National 

123.“Like Fireworks” - Arches 

124."All in White” – the Vaccines 

125."Weekend” – Class Actress 

126.“Hammer Down” – the Relatives 

127.“Pyro” – Kings of Leon 

128."Big Burning Hand” – Iron & Wine 

129."AriseWatch” – Buffalo Tom 

130.“Tell Me What You Want” – Pajama Club 

131."Walk” – Foo Fighters

1995 Favorite Albums

Radiohead “The Bends”
Belly “King”
Garbage “Garbage”

In 1995 I was working in the Admissions Office for the U of M, Crookston. Traveling for the job let me listen to a lot of music. At the time I was buying CDs and still making mix cassette tapes of various songs. Radiohead's "The Bends" was not an album I loved immediately. Yet it still holds up nearly 20 years later, and I like it now more than ever. This was Radiohead when they had great melodic, fully formed songs like "Fake Plastic Trees" and "High and Dry" with more rock oriented tracks like "Just" and "Bones." By far it is my favorite album of 1995. Coming in a close second is Belly's "King." While it was considered a commercial disappointment, it had a bunch of fantastic songs "Silverfish," "Super-Connected," "Now They'll Sleep," and "Judas My Heart." Tanya Donelly was the driving force, and her distinctive singing style with the punk to new wave to rock to grunge to pop sound was something I fell for totally. Garbage's debut album was fresh and sinister. Scottish lead singer Shirley Manson had a sexy presence, and when she teamed up with producer Butch Vig (of Nirvana fame) sparks flew. The singles "Queer," "Only Happy When It Rains," and "Stupid Girl" were all standouts, but the whole album worked--and it's one of the better debut albums of the 90s in my humble opinion.

1986 Favorite Albums

R.E.M. “Lifes Rich Pageant”
Eurythmics “Revenge”
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark “The Pacific Age”

I turned 20 in the fall of 1986 and began my second year of college. My musical tastes were branching out, mainly because I was listening to KUMM, the college radio station at the U of M, Morris. By far my favorite album was "Lifes Rich Pageant" (yep, no apostrophe) by R.E.M. I think it might just possibly be my favorite album of all time. Every song still sounds great even today. "Begin the Begin," "Fall On Me," "Swan Swan H," "Cuyahoga," "Superman," and all the rest... Eurythmics' "Revenge" was their most pop/rock oriented album, and I believe it's highly underrated. "Missionary Man," their lead single, really rocked and was accompanyed by a very cool video. OMD's "The Pacific Age" was one I remember eagerly anticipating. I was not disappointed, even though some felt it was weak. "(Forever) Live and Die" is still a favorite song... These three were on heavy rotation on my turntable all year.

21st Century Ten Commandments

Well, unsurprisingly, it looks like the alleged rapture/end of the world has come and gone with nothing but a yawn (I am usually suspicious of people who say they know what God is thinking or wants). With that in mind, I was inspired to come up with a list of ten commandments for the 21st Century. (Note, many of the statements are borrowed generously from Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens, who developed new sets of commandments themselves.) The following is a very humble suggestion for a set of statements I try to live up to on a daily basis...

1. Live life with a sense of joy and wonder, always seeking to understand new things.
2. In all things strive to cause no harm.
3. Think before you speak or act.
4. Treat your fellow human beings, fellow living things, and the world in general with love, honesty, fairness, and respect.
5. Be aware that you, too, are dependent on the web of nature. Try to think and act accordingly.
6. Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you.
7. Do not condemn others on the basis of their ethnicity, race, or inborn nature.
8. Do not tolerate those who use violence or deceit. Seek to help them learn new ways if you can.
9. Do not tolerate ignorance or fear mongering, especially in leaders.
10. Question everything and test all things, always checking your ideas against the facts, your own reason, and experience. Be ready to discard even a cherished belief if it does not conform to them.

(reference here)

An Awesome Embedded Streaming App for a Cool Upcoming Release

Welsh musicial and leader of the band Super Furry Animals, Gruff Rhys will release his latest album "Hotel Shampoo" on Feb. 15. But you can stream the songs now via a cool little embedded stream player. Just click on the different bottles of shampoo in the player and each track from the album will play. Awesome!

Something Wonderful Is Going on in Scotland...

Over the past couple of months I've come across a number of great bands producing wonderful music. Perhaps I was a Scot in another life, but regardles, these young bands are refreshing!

Endor
The four members play drums, guitars, glockenspiel, harmonica, melodica, organ, rhodes, portasound, and "sticks and stones"
Their recent album features the standout track "Chapel Doors"
Visit the website: helptheendorly.co.uk

Bear Bones
An eight-piece ensemble featuring accordion, brass, bells, banjo, strings, drums (and vocals, of course)
Recent tracks include "Oil & Lacquer" and "Diving Bell"
Visit the website: www.bearbonesmusic.com

Admiral Fallow
This group, which adds clarinet, flute, and double bass to the usual guitars, drums, and keyboards, made my favourite song of 2010: "Squealing Pigs"
Visit the website: www.admiralfallow.com

Frightened Rabbit
Currently a four-piece, this group grows in my appreciation with each listen.
They released the album "The Winter of Mixed Drinks" in 2010. It featured a favourite called "Swim Until You Can't See Land"
Visit the website: wearefrightenedrabbit.com

You have a brain.

You have a brain. Use it. Think critically, analyze, problem solve, mull over complexities, consider the various shades of grey, see multiple sides, respect reason, demand facts, insist on proof, and question simple conclusions on complex topics.

There are plenty of people who would like to do this for you. Don't let them.

AMS Planet X Approved Favourite 150 Songs of 2010

Yep, it's that time. Two observations: 1) Not surprisingly Blitzen Trapper's album generated several favourites. I just really enjoy their sound--an amalgam of folk, rock, pop, and alt country with a dash of spaciness. 2) Scottish bands held more than a couple slots. Toss in several Irish, Britts, Scandinavians, Australians, Canadians, a New Zealander or two, and at least one Estonian (#129), and it was a rather nifty year in music. Yay! 

1. "Squealing Pigs" - Admiral Fallow
2. "VCR" - the xx
3. "Evening Star" - Blitzen Trapper
4. "Bloodbuzz Ohio" - the National
5. "Apple Pie Bed" - Lawrence Arabia
6. "Tithe" - Menomena
7. "Swim Until You Can't See Land" - Frightened Rabbit
8. "Vacation" - Beach Fossils
9. "Four Days Straight" – Scattered Trees
10. "The Ghost Inside" - Broken Bells
11. "I Can Change" - LCD Soundsystem 
12. "Take It In" - Hot Chip
13. "Sleeping Bag" - Blind Man's Colour
14. "One in a Million Does" – Hancock Basement
15. "What Time Is It Now?" - the Consulate General
16. "Weathervanes and Chemicals" - Team Me
17. "Anyone's Ghost" - the National
18. "The High Road" - Broken Bells
19. "Ambling Alp" - Yeasayer
20. "Slow Poison" - the Bravery

21. "Sprawl II (Mountains beyond Mountains)" – Arcade Fire
22. "Love Is a Chain Store" - the Ropes
23. "Wait" - Alexi Murdoch* 
24. "Islands" - the xx
25. "Nun" - I Am Arrows
26. "White Knuckles" - OK Go
27. "Dirty Cartoons" - Menomena
28. "The Other Side" - AM
29. "The Tree" - Blitzen Trapper
30. "Destroyer of the Void" - Blitzen Trapper
31. "Audience" - Cold War Kids 
32, "Red Hands and White Knuckles" - the Bravery
33. "Drunk Girls" - LCD Soundsystem
34. "Swim" - Surfer Blood 
35. "Readers and Writers" - Idlewild
36. "Winter Winds" - Mumford & Sons
37. "The Suburbs" - Arcade Fire 
38. "In My Younger Days" - eels 
39. "Christmas Bird" - the Farewell Circuit
40. "To Build a Home" – the Cinematic Orchestra*

41. "Eclipse (All Yours)" – Metric 
42. "Home" - LCD Soundsystem
43. "Claws Off" – Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s
44. "Heavy in Your Arms" - Florence + the Machine
45. "Us vs. Them" - Common Prayer
46. "A Story of Nashville" - Oblio
47. "Madder Red" – Yeasayer
48. "Licenses to Hide" – the Posies
49. "Run from the Gun" – Dead Confederate
50. "Runaway" - the National
51. "Flashing Red Light Means Go" – the Boxer Rebellion
52. "Moves" - the New Pornographers
53. "Shark's Tooth" - Archie Bronson Outfit
54. “RFWK” – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 
55. "Will You Love Me Forever" – Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s
56. "Gay Human Bones" – Harlem
57. "The Un-American" – Matt Morris
58. "Trap Doors" - Broken Bells
59. "I Walked" – Sufjan Stevens
60. "It Will Never Slip" - Marching Band

61. "Twenty-two" - Wakey! Wakey!
62. "Own Stunts" - Breathe Owl Breathe
63. "I Got Tamed" - One for the Team
64. "Love and Hate" - Blitzen Trapper
65. "Banned (by the Man)" - Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
66. "Starting" - Matt Pond PA
67. "Conversation 16" - the National
68. "Love Is a Dirty Word" - Jason Collett
69. "Below the Hurricane" – Blitzen Trapper
70. "Compliments" - Band of Horses
71. "Bullets" - Tunng*
72. "One Day Like This" - Elbow*
73. "The Dead Dog" - Portugal the Man
74. "October" - Broken Bells
75. "Heaven and Earth" - Blitzen Trapper
76. "Stole My Heart" - Little and Ashley
77. "Mirror Mirror" - Dr. Dog
78. "Crash Years" - the New Pornographers
79. "The Curse" - Josh Ritter
80. "Take Everything" - Greg Laswell 

81. "Unsophisticated Heart" - Joe Pug
82. "Paved with a Little Pain" - Dot Allison
83. "Modern Man" – Arcade Fire
84. "Dragon’s Song" – Blitzen Trapper
85. "Ours" – the Bravery
86. "Death of the Americas, Part 2" – Hello Dragon
87. "Skinny Little Bitch" – Hole
88. "The A.B.C. of L.O.V.E." - Pravda*
89. "Not in Love" – Crystal Castles featuring Robert Smith
90. "White on White" - Fredrik
91. "By Some Miracle" – Philip Selway
92. "Oil and Lacquer" – Bear Bones
93. "Airplane" – the Legendary Lightness
94. "World News" - Local Natives
95. "Five Little Rooms" – Menomena
96. "For the Ashes" – the Posies
97. "Norway" - Beach House
98. "Work" – the Mommyheads
99. "Chapel Doors" – Endor
100. "Rococo" - Arcade Fire

101. "Laredo" - Band of Horses
102. "All My Real Friends Live in Buffalo" – Hello Dragon
103. "(Keep Feeling) Fascination" – Pinback
104. "A Token of Gratitude" – the Radio Dept.
105. "Futile Devices" – Sufjan Stevens
106. "Solid Ground" - Maps and Atlases
107. "Mongrel Heart" - Broken Bells
108. "Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk" – the New Pornographers
109. "Let’s Paint Our Teeth Green" – Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s
110. "Death by Diamonds and Pearls" - Band of Skulls
111. "Everytime I’m With You" – Dangermouse and Sparklehorse with Jason Lytle
112. "Suicide Policeman" - Yuck
113. "Saturday Sun" – Crowded House
114. "City with No Children" – Arcade Fire
115. "Hide It Away" - Retribution Gospel Choir
116. "You Were a Kindness" – the National
117. "I’m a Hummingbird" – eels
118. "The Cave" - Mumford & Sons
119. "Precious Stone" – Pete Yorn
120. "Castles in the Snow" - Twin Shadow

121. "The Beautiful Young Crew" - Lawrence Arabia
122. "New Inheritors" – Wintersleep
123. "Taos" – Menomena
124. "Airplanes" – Local Natives
125. "Hard as Nails" - Peter Wolf Crier
126. "Secret Language" – Ghosty
127. "Come Home" – Chappo
128. "The Oh Song" – Wakey! Wakey!
129. "Ones and Zeros" – Hello Dragon
130. "Circles in the Stars" - Idlewild
131. "Your Hands (Together)" – the New Pornographers
132. "We Used to Wait" - Arcade Fire
133. "Afraid of Everyone" - the National
134. "Astronaut" - Iiris
135. "This Fucking Job" – Drive-By Truckers
136. "Sink/Let It Sway" - Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
137. "Silver State" – the Sleep-Ins
138. "Car Crash" – Telekinesis!
139. "Chunk" – Archie Bronson Outfit
140. "Little Lion Man" – Mumford & Sons

141. "Holiday" – Fran Healy
142. "In Ruins" – Fol Chen
143. "Mix Tape" – Tift Merritt
144. "Fears" – Fox in the Henhouse
145. "Microlite" – Trophy Wife
146. "Super Television" - the Cascade
147. "Giving Up the Gun" - Vampire Weekend
148. "Ghost" – Spring Summer
149. "Bees" – Jonah
150. "Let the Whiskey Take the Reins" – Old 97’s
151. "Hercules" – Guster
152. "Coasts and Continents" – Hello Dragon
153. "Wide-Eyed, Legless" – Laura Viers
154. "The Loneliness and the Scream" - Frightened Rabbit
155. "Hollywood" - Marina and the Diamonds
156. "Perfect World" - the Kickdrums
157. "Well Alright" - Peasant
158. "Secrets" - One Republic
159. "Just War” – Dangermouse and Sparklehorse with Gruff Rhys
160. "Eire" - Foxtrot

161.    “Empire” - Jukebox the Ghost
162.    "Rill Rill" - Sleigh Bells
163.    “Please Baby Please” – Devo
164.    “Summer Day” – Sheryl Crow
165.    “Some Hypnotic Flash” – Birds and Batteries


* released sometime prior to 2010, but it's my list so I can make the rules, ha ha!

FAVORITE ALBUMS 2010

It's that time of year again... that time for year-end listy goodness!
In that venerable tradition I present... My list of FAVORITE ALBUMS for 2010! (in approximate order)

High Violet – the National
Destroyer of the Void – Blitzen Trapper
Broken Bells – Broken Bells
Mines - Menomena
Together – the New Pornographers
Sigh No More – Mumford & Sons
Buzzard – Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s
The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
Information – Hello Dragon
This Is Happening – LCD Soundsystem
Blood/Candy – the Posies

Lyrics of the Moment: "Tithe" by Menomena

"someone retired
on a percentage
of the tithe that paved these roads
they lead to nowhere
but they're still gridlocked,
made of Solomon's pure gold

beneath the door frame
waiting for earthquakes
after the rapture comes and goes
the saints went marching,
the trumpets sounding,
the chosen ones are phoning home

and nothing sounds appealing
appealing..."

cool lyrics from a song on the new CD "Mines" by Menomena out now on Barsuck Records