Strict Joy The Swell Season (2009)

After the success of their debut album and, later, the film Once, I wondered if Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová would be able to build on that success or if this album would fall short and disappoint. I had no need to fear, for they very well may have surpassed their previous work together with Strict Joy. Their debut was full of love, but this is more of ...]]> Here’s a look at some of my new music for the year so far. First are a group of albums (mostly from last year) that I didn’t get around to downloading until December or after the new year.
 

Strict Joy
The Swell Season
(2009)

After the success of their debut album and, later, the film Once, I wondered if Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová would be able to build on that success or if this album would fall short and disappoint. I had no need to fear, for they very well may have surpassed their previous work together with Strict Joy. Their debut was full of love, but this is more of a “break-up album”. And yet it’s beautiful.

Check out “Fantasy Man”.

Swoon
Silversun Pickups
(2009)

I checked out Swoon a few months back, but only recently got it while on sale at amazonmp3. Now that I have it, I wish I hadn’t waited so long. Their big sound and fuzzed-up guitars really works for me, and they seem to draw a lot of comparisons to The Smashing Pumpkins (who I admit I’ve never listened to, though I evidently should.) A definite winner, and I’ve officially become a big fan.

Check out “Panic Switch”.

Horehound
The Dead Weather
(2009)

I’m way late to this party, but I’m also becoming a huge fan of just about anything in which Jack White is involved. Of what I’ve heard from him to date, this collection of bluesy, garage rock is probably my favorite since The White Stripes’ Elephant. It’s not Led Zeppelin, but the comparisons are valid. If you love great rock and roll, you need this album.

Check out “I Cut Like A Buffalo”.

Broken Boy Soldiers
The Raconteurs
(2006)

Did I mention I’m really digging Jack White of late? Like The Dead Weather, this is another “supergroup” of sorts consisting of Jack White and a few musicians from other bands. While in some ways this is more of the same classic sound from White, it does (for me, at least) fall a bit short of the excellence of Horehound or Elephant. Nevertheless, it’s still a very enjoyable listen.

Check out “Steady, As She Goes”.

The Mountain
Heartless Bastards
(2009)

This one didn’t blow me away immediately, but one day it just clicked and I realized this is just an outstanding piece of work. They’ve apparently expanded their rock and roll sound since their previous works (which I haven’t heard) to include instruments most common in artists coming out of Nashville (steel guitar, banjo, violin/fiddle, etc.), but do so to great effect. You must hear this.

Check out “Out at Sea”.

 
A few others, in brief:

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – Phoenix (2009) – The latest from Phoenix was on a lot of year end lists. It’s definitely an enjoyable pop/rock set, but I have to say that I wasn’t as crazy about it as a lot of other people apparently were.

Get Lucky – Mark Knopfler (2009) – Haven’t listened to anything from Knopfler since Dire Straits in the 80’s (and I was a big fan at the time.) Well, it’s been too long. Good stuff on his newest, and also check out his album with Emmylou Harris from 2006. It’s even better.

Armistice – MUTEMATH (2009) – MUTEMATH’s latest is a very good album, though it took me a few listens to really get into it. I hear their first album was even better, so I intend to check it out as well.

Love Remains – Alice Peacock (2009) – Last year I fell in love with Neko, Dar and Brandi; this year, Alice Peacock. An outstanding folk/rock album (with a little bit of country flavor to it.) A h/t to Freeman for recommending this via his year end list.

Collective Soul (Rabbit) – Collective Soul (2009) – More of the same from CS, but I’ve been a fan since the beginning and continue to love their work.
 

That’s it. That’s the list.

And, a hat tip to RM for the recommendations of Heartless Bastards and all things Jack White.

In my next post I will take a look at a few new albums released since the new year.

 
Band name trivia: This struck me as funny. According to Erika Wennerstrom, a trivia quiz game at a bar included a multiple choice question asking the name of Tom Petty’s band. One of the incorrect answers was “Tom Petty and the Heartless Bastards.” She thought it was funny, too, and remembered it when she started her band.

The word came this week that former Duke player Christian Laettner will be enshrined in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame this year.

While the haters probably will try to explain this away with some irrational conspiracy theory about Duke favoritism (since that’s the way they explain all Duke basketball success), there is simply no arguing ...]]> I haven’t written about basketball this season, though I hope to post my yearly Duke-Carolina post next week prior to the season finale next weekend and the obligatory March Madness post(s). However, there was one thing this week that I was compelled to mention, and to no one’s surprise, it does involve Duke basketball.

The word came this week that former Duke player Christian Laettner will be enshrined in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame this year.

While the haters probably will try to explain this away with some irrational conspiracy theory about Duke favoritism (since that’s the way they explain all Duke basketball success), there is simply no arguing that this guy is one of the best and most accomplished college basketball players in history.

And this honor is well-deserved.

Laettner had an outstanding career at Duke, which included ACC and national championships as well as multiple individual awards. He even got the better of Shaquille O’Neal in two regular season meetings with LSU. But it was easy to see that he seemed most at home on the stage that is March Madness. His freshman year, Duke faced Georgetown in the elite eight with a Final Four trip on the line. Laettner thoroughly outplayed the Hoyas’ super-freshman Alonzo Mourning as Duke eliminated top-seed Georgetown and earned a trip to the Final Four, something Laettner would do in all four of his seasons at Duke.

Laettner has played in more NCAA tournament games than any player in history (23 of a possible 24), and managed to lead the Blue Devils to back to back national championships in 1991 and 1992. He was particularly remarkable in regional final games. When a trip to the Final Four was on the line, Laettner came up big. No, not big. HUGE. Check out the stat lines for Laettner’s four regional finals:
 

I should also mention at this point that in two of those games – Connecticut in 1990 and Kentucky in 1992 – with Duke down by one in overtime, Laettner hit a buzzer-beater to keep the season alive and send the Devils to the Final Four.

The totals from those four games:

• Wins 4, Losses 0
• Field goals 31-34 (91%)!!!
• Free throws 34-37 (92%)!
• Rebounds 26
• Points 97

That, my friends, is domination. Those are the stats of a winner. And despite Laettner’s difficult personality (even some of his teammates weren’t crazy about him), he got things done on the court. He was one of the best.

Congratulations, Christian. You earned a place among the best, and now it will be officially recognized.

And so I take this opportunity to watch for what seems like the millionth time what I still believe to be the greatest play in college basketball history to end the greatest game in college basketball history.

 

 
Go Duke!

Besides playing with the Wii, I have also been making a point to carve out a little more time for reading than I have the last couple of years, where my efforts were rather pitiful. I’m ...]]> I figure it’s about time I post something this year, since my last was in December. Posting hasn’t exactly been a priority this year, as I’ve been spending more of my spare time than I should, no doubt, playing on the Wii we got the kids for Christmas, particularly Wii Sports Resort Golf (my best is now at 12 under). I hope to change that and post more often, but we’ll see.

Besides playing with the Wii, I have also been making a point to carve out a little more time for reading than I have the last couple of years, where my efforts were rather pitiful. I’m glad to report that I have had some success in 2010 and thus I’ve already managed to finish five books this year, and nearing my sixth. (You can see the short list here.) This is pretty good for me, as I tend to read far slower than I would like. I’m shooting for a minimum of two books per month, so I’m already a little bit ahead of the game.

I said in November that Kevin Roose’s The Unlikely Disciple was the best book I’d read in years. In the first two months of the year, I’ve managed to follow it up with two more books that enjoyed as much or more.

First was Dave Cullen’s Columbine (h/t Freeman), a very detailed and well-researched account of the events surrounding the tragedy at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, in April 1999. Cullen takes you through the past of those involved, especially Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, on through the events of that day and the aftermath of the years that followed. Harris’ and Klebold’s intentions were to top the body count of Oklahoma City through the use of homemade bombs, but the bombs failed to go off. The basics of the story are known – two kids arrive at school and take to shooting their classmates – but there is much more. And some of the well-known accounts about what happened that day are either inaccurate or fictitious. Cullen does an outstanding job of sorting through this complex story.

Second was Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America’s Soul by Edward Humes, which chronicles the battle between parents, science teachers and the school board in Dover, Pennsylvania in 2004-2005. You may recall news stories regarding this battle over the board’s introduction of creationism into the biology curriculum by way of “intelligent design”. Humes’ book is likewise very well researched and detailed, and I believe is pretty fair and balanced (unlike some news networks…) He introduces all of the personalities involved, gives you a seat at the board meetings to listen to the board’s ill-conceived plan, and guides you through the eventual trial (after a group of parents sued). He also provides a significant amount of detail regarding the evidence and arguments for Darwin’s theory on the origin of species, as well as the arguments the ID proponents make as well. Overall, just a terrific book, definitely worth the time.

So, there you go. Those are my early recommendations from what I’ve finished this year. I found it difficult to put either book down (just like Roose’s book last year) and found myself staying up later than I would have liked on many nights because I just didn’t want to stop. I highly recommend both books.

March is upon us, and so I’m looking forward to two basketball-related books I plan to knock out in between watching the madness: When The Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Forty Minutes of Hell: The Extraordinary Life of Nolan Richardson by Rus Bradburd. Perhaps I will write about those at the end of the month as I expect to enjoy both immensely.

I hope soon to follow up with a post (or posts) about what I’ve been listening to during these early months of 2010 as well. I’ve already grabbed some great stuff to get the year off to a fantastic start, so I hope to get that done by next week.

Here are my favorites of the year.

The Unlikely ...]]> As has been the case for the last several years, I’ve read far less than I wanted to read. In fact, this year got off to the worst start ever when I didn’t even finish my first book until late March. I went through several periods of not reading – lacking either time, desire or both. In the end, I averaged only about one book per month, while I would have liked to have read a minimum of two. I did begin several books and abandon them at different times, but as for finished books, the list is short.

Here are my favorites of the year.

The Unlikely Disciple : A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University – Kevin Roose

After meeting some students from ultra-conservative Liberty University, Roose – an agnostic student at notoriously liberal Brown University – decides to “study abroad” for a semester at the Virginia school founded by preacher/activist Jerry Falwell. He chronicles his semester in this book and it’s a great story, and probably not what you might expect. I posted about it last month, so you can read my full thoughts on it here. This was my favorite book of the year.

When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed Basketball – Seth Davis

This was a fun read about the 1979 NCAA championship game, the events leading up to it, the people involved (most notably Larry Bird and Magic Johnson) and how it impacted the game of basketball both at the college and NBA levels. The game itself was one of the catalysts in creating the “March Madness” we all know and love today, and certainly the professional success of Bird & Magic and their role in reviving the faltering NBA is well-documented. It all started here, in a pre-ESPN time when most of the nation was first introduced to Bird & Magic either in the tournament or this very game. Great read, especially if you love college basketball (and if you don’t, you should.)

Saving Darwin: How to Be a Christian and Believe in Evolution – Karl Giberson

Giberson, a Christian scientist who subscribes to evolution as the story of our origins, attempts to explain why, and how he reconciles that with his faith. The historical nature of the book is what I found most interesting – Giberson’s own story, Darwin’s story, the advances of science since Darwin’s time, and the history of the debate between creationists and evolutionists (as well as the more recent “intelligent design” crowd.) He didn’t seem to spend much time directly addressing what you would expect from the subtitle (“How to Be a Christian and Believe in Evolution”), but he did, in my opinion, lay out a foundation one can use to consider that question on their own. A fascinating read.

The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World – A. J. Jacobs

This was as enjoyable as Jacobs’ more recent book The Year of Living Biblically, which I read last year. Jacobs sets out to read the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica from A to Z, and this is the story of his adventure. Like Biblically, it probably was a little longer than it had to be, but still a lot of fun. Jacobs makes me laugh out loud regularly, and there are a lot of interesting EB facts in there as well. His attempts to interject his new-found knowledge into everyday conversations and his frustration with a know-it-all relative were always hilarious.

And here’s the rest of what I read.

• A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life – Donald Miller
  When a couple of directors contacted Miller about making a movie featuring his life, he was concerned he didn’t have much of a life that would interest anyone else. In this book he recounts his search for the story of his life. Didn’t grab me the way his previous books have, but still quite good.
• The Gold Standard: Building a World-Class Team – Mike Krzyzewski
  This book about the 2008 Olympic basketball team was not quite what I’d hoped. A lot more about team-building than I expected. Would have preferred if it had been entirely focused on the basketball part of the story, but still a good read.
• The Myth of a Christian Religion: Losing Your Religion for the Beauty of a Revolution – Gregory A. Boyd
  Good stuff, but nothing really new. Mostly stuff I’ve read/heard from Boyd or others already.
• Meeting Jesus Again For The First Time: The Historical Jesus and the Heart of Contemporary Faith – Marcus Borg
  I honestly have little recollection of this book. I must not have been paying attention. I’ll have to try it again.
• The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life As an Experiment – A. J. Jacobs
  Jacobs’ newest, which I did not find to be as good as Biblically or Know-it-all, but it still has plenty of good (and humorous) moments.
• Genesis – Bernard Beckett
  A nice little sci-fi novel (or novelette) set in a post-apocalyptic world with a not-too-surprising twist at the end.
• Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why – Bart D. Ehrman
  Very interesting book about how the Bible came to be and questioning if we actually have what the original authors wrote or copies manipulated by scribes and church officials over time.
• Crazy Love : Overwhelmed by a Relentless God – Francis Chan
  Just labored to finish this one. Maybe I missed something or I’ve just heard it all before, but really didn’t care for it at all.

That’s it. That’s the list.

I picked up six books from the library this week, and I’m halfway through my first. Hopefully, 2010 will get off to a good start and I’ll find time to read more this year. We’ll see…

I left out several albums completely that I wanted to include, but there just wasn’t room. I liked new stuff from Andrew Bird, Conor Oberst, White Rabbits, Gomez, Elvis Costello, Echo & the Bunnymen, Thrice, The Mountain Goats, and yes, even KISS, and all were considered but didn’t make the ...]]> The Top Ten edition

It’s been a fantastic year for music. I actually ended up with more new music this year than any other year of my life, I believe, and it was probably the best collection (as a whole) that I’ve ever acquired in the same year as well. That’s what made this list so difficult this year.

I left out several albums completely that I wanted to include, but there just wasn’t room. I liked new stuff from Andrew Bird, Conor Oberst, White Rabbits, Gomez, Elvis Costello, Echo & the Bunnymen, Thrice, The Mountain Goats, and yes, even KISS, and all were considered but didn’t make the cut.

I’ve spent the last five weeks or so listening to all of these albums again, most of them multiple times, trying to decide where exactly they should fall in the list. I’m sure a month from now I’ll look back and think several of them are misplaced. I always do. Nevertheless, I’ve come to the end of the list and, for the most part, this is pretty accurate.

Before the final list, if you haven’t seen the first three, you can find them here:

• Part 1: 8 from ‘08
• Part 2: Honorable mention
• Part 3: The second ten

 
And now, here are my top ten favorites for the year.
 
#10 : Together Through Life – Bob Dylan

Dylan’s voice seems more gruff and strained with each new release, but he’s still getting it done. I don’t think this album is as strong as it’s predecessor, Modern Times, but it’s great in it’s own right. It’s one of those that has continued to get better for me with each listen. And you can’t help but love a song with the chorus line “hell’s my wife’s hometown.” Tracks were hard to come by online, so listen to album opener “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’” and you can also check out this album preview.

#9 : No Line On The Horizon – U2

That U2 can continue to remain at the top of their game after such a long and stellar career is remarkable. Their previous two albums this decade I enjoyed a lot, so for them to finish the decade with this one is amazing. When I first heard the single “Get On Your Boots”, I worried that I might be disappointed. Yet it turns out that this is their best album since Achtung Baby (in my opinion) and I admit it seems wrong to place it anywhere but in the top five. Listen to: “Magnificent“, “Stand Up Comedy“, “Breathe“, “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight”

#8 : I And Love And You – The Avett Brothers

The “Beatles of Bluegrass” have not abandoned their bluegrass roots, but there’s a definite shift towards a more pop sound on this new album. It’s always been there to some degree, but it’s a bit more pronounced here. There’s a heavy dose of piano and strings added to the expected guitar, banjo and bass, and the results are outstanding. I suspect their fan base has grown significantly with this release, and it should have. Listen to: “I And Love And You“, “Slight Figure Of Speech“, “Head Full Of Doubt, Road Full Of Promise“, “Laundry Room“

#7 : Working On A Dream – Bruce Springsteen

The Boss follows up Magic with a more hopeful and positive album, looking towards a brighter future. He opens this album with the epic western-themed “Outlaw Pete”, perhaps the best song on the album. That’s dangerous, but throughout the rest of the album there is no letdown at all. There have been a lot of mixed reviews and feelings about this album, but I loved it from day one. Like U2, he’s still adding high quality work to his impressive catalog after all of these years. Listen to: “Lucky Day“, “Working On A Dream“, “Kingdom Of Days“, “Outlaw Pete”

#6 : Middle Cyclone – Neko Case

I’ve not really been big on alt-country stuff (though that seems to be changing) but I’m pretty sure I could listen to Neko Case sing the phone book, if you don’t mind that cliche. Her voice is beautiful, powerful and possesses a clarity found in few others. For whatever reason, this album did not immediately click with me, but over the course of the year, the beauty of it was increasingly obvious as I was drawn to it again and again. A very impressive collection. Listen to: “This Tornado Loves You“, “People Got A Lotta Nerve“, “Fever“, “Middle Cyclone”

#5 : Give Up The Ghost – Brandi Carlile

This is the most recent purchase of any album in my list, having only downloaded it a few weeks ago. It shot up my list like a rocket, though, because she has it. Whatever it is, she has it. Singer-songwriter, folk, pop, country, rock, whatever you want to call her music, it’s simply phenomenal. She has an amazing voice – wow, does she have a voice – and it’s equally powerful when she’s singing a ballad like “Pride and Joy” as it is when she’s belting out a rocker like “Dreams”. She is a new favorite of mine and a hat tip to RM for recommending her. Listen to: “Looking Out“, “Pride and Joy“, “Dreams“, “Touching The Ground”

#4 : Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King – Dave Matthews Band

I never listened to Dave Matthews Band in the 90’s. I probably couldn’t even have named a song of theirs earlier this year. But after hearing a few tracks of their latest I decided to download it. It was a wise decision. The mixture of rock, funk, jazz, and even some eastern flavor and bluegrass, has kept me listening to this album regularly. I wouldn’t have expected a DMB album anywhere in my list at the beginning of the year, but here it is near the top, and it’s well deserved. Listen to: “Shake Me Like A Monkey“, “Alligator Pie“, “Why I Am“, “Time Bomb“

#3 : Backspacer – Pearl Jam

Likewise, I’ve passed on most of Pearl Jam’s offerings over the years and would have never expected they would show up here, either. But due to Matt’s enthusiastic recommendation, I decided to check out their newest. I was stunned at how much I loved it. Totally unexpected. This is simply a great rock and roll album. It’s short, at only 37 minutes, but perhaps that was intentional, because it simply leaves you wanting more. Listen to: “The Fixer“, “Just Breathe“, “Unthought Known“, “Supersonic“

#2 : Daisy – Brand New

Like others on this list, Brand New was following up an excellent album of their own, 2006’s The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me (#10 on my list two years ago.) I had high hopes for this album, but it really has exceeded my expectations by quite a bit. They live up to their name from a musical standpoint, creating a “brand new” sound with each album, writing high quality songs both musically and lyrically. This has just blown me away. It’s absolutely incredible. Listen to: “At The Bottom“, “Sink“, “Bought A Bride“, “In A Jar“, “Daisy“

#1 : 21st Century Breakdown – Green Day

I didn’t think Green Day could possibly approach the awesomeness (for me, at least) that was American Idiot. I suppose it can be debated, but while I don’t they surpassed it, they may well have produced it’s equal. I knew this would be my album of the year just a few listens in, and nothing has really been in contention since. While some other old fans have not been as happy with the band’s direction this decade, I for one have loved it. This is rock and roll at it’s finest. It’s also pretty cool that a guy touring with them right now (guitar and backing vocals) was sitting in a cube on the other side of my building this time last year. Now he’s touring the world with Green Day, and I’m still sitting in a cube every day. Oh well, at least I have 21st Century Breakdown to make the days a little better… Listen to: “21st Century Breakdown“, “Viva La Gloria!“, “East Jesus Nowhere“, “American Eulogy“, “See The Light”

That’s it. That’s the list.

This year has been a remarkable year for music and in another year, most of my top twenty albums could have been in the top ten. Yet, eventually I had to stop and let the list be what it is, and so I’ve settled on what begins below. ...]]> The second ten edition

I’ve had an exceedingly difficult time in ordering my top twenty this time around. Six of these albums were, at one time or another, in the top ten list over the last few weeks. I’ve been re-listening to albums and re-ordering them almost daily, and I know next week I’ll wish I could do it again.

This year has been a remarkable year for music and in another year, most of my top twenty albums could have been in the top ten. Yet, eventually I had to stop and let the list be what it is, and so I’ve settled on what begins below. These are (at least today) my second ten, as difficult as it was to leave some of them out of the top ten.
 

#20 : Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk

A “monster” collaboration like this one – M. Ward, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), and Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) – is bound to generate high expectations. I’m not sure they met them, but for me they came pretty close. I like all of the artists and their distinctive styles on their own, and while the sum of the parts may still be greater than the whole, it’s a wonderful album nonetheless. Listen to: Say Please, The Right Place, Whole Lotta Losin’

#19 : Hello Hurricane – Switchfoot

Three albums later, Switchfoot has finally approached the greatness of their 2004 release The Beautiful Letdown, their best album to date. Hello Hurricane presents a “facing the storms of life” theme throughout the lyrics (evidenced in the album title) and there is a conspicuous U2 influence in the music. It’s not quite Letdown, but it’s as close as they’ve been since. Listen to: “Needle and Haystack Life“, “Mess Of Me“, “Bullet Soul“

#18 : Picket Fence Cartel – Project 86

I’ve been a fan of Project 86 for about eight years now, and their last release Rival Factions was a bit experimental. But they’ve returned to their roots with this seventh release, and it’s their best work in years. Their hard driving rock and Andrew Schwab’s singing/screaming borders on metal, and the lyrics are a bit heavier on spiritual themes than their past work. It might give you a headache, but in a good way. The Butcher, Cement Shoes, The Spectacle of Fearsome Acts

#17 : Church Music – David Crowder Band

David Crowder Band, unlike most “worship genre” artists, continues to remain fresh and innovative. Their newest release is no exception, and demonstrates one of the reasons they’re one of the few in that genre worth listening to at this point. Church Music’s electronica sound is certainly a different animal than the bluegrass/rock of A Collision a few years ago, but it rivals it as the best of what these guys have done. Listen to: “The Nearness“, “SMS (Shine)“, “Eastern Hymn“

#16 : Hey La Hey – Michael McDermott

Singer-songwriter McDermott is a favorite of mine, and is a master at painting a picture with his lyrics. On his newest release he has shown that he was up to the task of following up Noise From Words (my #1 album in 2007). This is yet another strong album both musically and lyrically, full of compelling characters and stories. And, like Noise…, the best track is the album closer. If you haven’t been listening to McDermott, you need to start right now. Listen to: “The Great American Novel“, “I Wanna Know Why“, “Carry Your Cross“

#15 : Stockholm Syndrome – Derek Webb

The title hints that the church is too at home in the world in which we live. And far be it from Webb to be quiet about it. Lyrically, the familiar themes you expect are present, including calling the church to be more than what he finds in American Christianity. Musically, it’s electronic, programmed sound is unlike his previous work, but for me, it works. And also expected from Webb is the obligatory controversy. Listen to: I Love/Hate You, Cobra Con, What Matters Most

#14 : Curse Your Branches – David Bazan

David Bazan’s (Pedro The Lion) solo debut is an album that seems to have been born from the questions and doubts about God and faith with which he’s wrestled for many years. Lyrically, it’s pretty heavy and at times pointed, as his frustration with God and things spiritual pours out. Maybe an agnostic, maybe not, but he is not afraid to ask tough questions and challenge the standard answers. Listen to: Hard To Be, When We Fell, Curse Your Branches

#13 : Elvis Perkins in Dearland – Elvis Perkins in Dearland

I was completely unfamiliar with Perkins until about a month ago when I encountered this album on eMusic. He is the son of Anthony Perkins, and the tragedy in his life (his father’s death by AIDS, his mothers death on one of the planes on 9/11/01) has shaped his music and lyrics. There’s both darkness and hope here, at times haunting and other times celebratory. An array of instruments and styles are employed with tremendous results. Listen to: “Shampoo“, “Send My Fond Regards To Lonelyville“, “Doomsday“

#12 : Hold Time – M. Ward

You know by now that I’ve grown to love M. Ward this year (this being his third appearance in my lists) and this album is the reason why. It prompted me to get more from his catalog, thanks to eMusic, and I’ve yet to be disappointed. Ward’s influences appear to be all over the map – folk, rock, blues, country, Americana, and more. I love his distinctive vocals and he’s a phenomenal musician. Listen to: “Never Had Nobody Like You“, “Rave On“, “To Save Me“

#11 : The Hazards of Love – The Decemberists

The Decemberists can tell a good story, and they do so again on their newest – a love story in the form of a rock opera. The occasional dark and disturbing lyrics are there as expected, and the music is aptly described as 70’s prog folk opera. The songs aren’t as instantly memorable like some from previous albums, but of course it’s meant to be listened to as a whole. It is an exceptional piece of work, and in my opinion, their best work to date. Listen to: “The Hazards of Love 1“, “The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid“, “The Rake’s Song“

That’s it. That’s the list.

Up next: the top ten.

With some notables from last year out of the way (as seen in my previous post), today begins the countdown of my favorite albums released this year. Like the albums from 2008, these are albums that still warranted a mention despite the fact that they did not make my top twenty list. Several of these migrated back and forth between being on and off the list while I was trying to narrow it down. In the end, these six didn’t make the cut, but were strong contenders.

So, here’s the list of honorable mentions (in no particular order):

Black Gives Way To Blue – Alice in ...]]> Honorable Mention edition

With some notables from last year out of the way (as seen in my previous post), today begins the countdown of my favorite albums released this year. Like the albums from 2008, these are albums that still warranted a mention despite the fact that they did not make my top twenty list. Several of these migrated back and forth between being on and off the list while I was trying to narrow it down. In the end, these six didn’t make the cut, but were strong contenders.

So, here’s the list of honorable mentions (in no particular order):

Black Gives Way To Blue – Alice in Chains
It’s been 14 years since their last album, a period of time that included the tragic death of lead singer Layne Staley. Thus I feared that a post-Staley AIC would only be a pale imitation of what once was, but they have returned in fine form. Jerry Cantrell shares vocals with new member William Duvall and the results are very gratifying. Listen to: “Check My Brain“, “A Looking In View“, “Black Gives Way To Blue”

 
Sci-Fi Crimes – Chevelle
Chevelle has never really deviated too far from their formula, and perhaps that’s a bad thing. But their style of hard driving rock continues to be a favorite of mine. This album is comparable to their previous work, although I believe it is stronger from beginning to end than anything they’ve done since Wonder What’s Next and it was hard to leave it off the list. Listen to: “Jars“, “Sleep Apnea“, “Roswell’s Spell”

 
Lost Channels – Great Lake Swimmers
I discovered this Toronto folk band last year. On their fourth release, Tony Dekker’s vocals drive the album, and their largely acoustic instrumentation coupled with wonderful vocal harmonies create a very pleasant sound. It’s a great album, and while there are some upbeat songs, it’s still perfect for listening to when you’re in a mellow kind of mood. Listen to: “Palmistry“, “Still“, “Pulling on a Line”

 
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
I first heard Isbell on a Drive-By Truckers album a couple of years ago, and enjoyed his solo debut last year. But this newest release is my favorite of his to date. It is a great rock album with a little southern flavor to it. Everything I’ve heard from him I’ve liked more than what came before it, so I’m looking forward to what comes next. Listen to: “Seven-Mile Island“, “Good“, “Soldiers get strange”

 
Innocence & Instinct – Red
I stumbled upon Red’s excellent debut a few years ago, and there was no sophomore slump here. They’re back with another dose of their melodic hard rock and lyrics that are a bit darker than on their debut (inspired in part by Dante’s Inferno). I just assumed this would easily be a top twenty album, but it fell only because there was so much to include this year. Listen to: Death of Me, Start Again, Shadows

 
Townes – Steve Earle
This was actually my first Steve Earle album, though I’ve become a big fan and since downloaded two others from eMusic. This one is a tribute album Earle recorded featuring songs of his mentor, the late Townes Van Zandt and is very well done. It also makes me want to now get some TVZ music (though I’ve yet to do so.) Listen to: “Pancho & Lefty“, “Colorado Girl“, “To Live Is To Fly”

That’s it. That’s the list.

Up next: the bottom half of the top twenty.

Having acquired so much new music since last year (now at 135 albums), I decided that I would limit my 2009 list to albums released in this calendar year. This is the first time I’ve done that, since I usually include all of my new music since the ...]]> 8 from ‘08 edition

Today begins a series of four posts over the next week or so in which I reveal my favorite music of the year. The rules have changed only slightly from last year, as I will explain, but the basic rule is the same – these are the albums I enjoyed and/or listened to the most this past year.

Having acquired so much new music since last year (now at 135 albums), I decided that I would limit my 2009 list to albums released in this calendar year. This is the first time I’ve done that, since I usually include all of my new music since the previous year’s list, regardless of release date. I usually have several albums that were released the previous year but I did not get until late in the year or after the new year.

Despite the fact that I’m eliminating those from my list this year, I still wanted to mention a few that I didn’t get to put on last year’s list, either, but deserve to be on a list somewhere. They were all released in 2008 and were also favorites throughout 2009. Therefore, I couldn’t let them fall through the cracks without a mention.

Here’s my “8 from 08″ (in no particular order):

Balance – Ty Tabor
Long-time King’s X fan, and I continue to love Ty’s solo work. There’s not really anything groundbreaking here; the expected harmonies and outstanding guitar work are present as usual, and it is comparable to his last release, Rock Garden. But I love what he does, and both he and King’s X deserve far more recognition than they’ve ever received. Listen to: “Cause We Believed“, “I’m OK With You”

 
Death Magnetic – Metallica
Metallica rose to prominence in the world of metal during the 80’s, but went off track during the 90’s. Each of their albums released in the last 15 years sucked more than the one it followed. But the good news is that this newest is a fast-paced heavy metal album that has them finally sounding like they’re supposed to again, and it’s about time. Listen to: “All Nightmare Long“, “The Day That Never Comes”

 
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today – David Byrne & Brian Eno
I listened to a little Talking Heads back in the 80’s, but not much. Byrne’s collaboration with Eno, however, is more than worth a listen. It is an excellent album with influences from multiple styles of music (Byrne actually describes it as “folk electronic gospel”.) Check it out – you won’t be disappointed. Listen to: “Life is Long“, “Everything That Happens”

 
Gossip In The Grain – Ray Lamontagne
Folk singer-songwriter Ray Lamontagne has a unique voice. It’s raspy and rough, but also can be very pleasant at times. His emotion and passion shine through on every song. Nearly a year after first hearing it, I still like it a little bit more each time I listen. It’s outstanding and I’ve still not yet grown tired of it. Listen to “You Are The Best Thing“, “Let It Be Me”

 
Promised Land – Dar Williams
I’ve discovered a few female singer-songwriter’s this year that I’ve fallen in love with, and Dar Williams is one of them (see subsequent posts for the others.) She’s a superb storyteller as evidenced by the songs on this album, which I highly recommend. This would have been high on my 2009 list had I kept it in the mix. Listen to: “It’s Alright“, “The Easy Way”

 
Seeing Things – Jakob Dylan
This debut by The Wallflowers front man has been heard on my iPod countless times this year. It’s an acoustic folk/rock album that has been a joy to listen to repeatedly. He’s the son of a legend, but he’s charting his own course as a singer-songwriter and I look forward to things to come. Listen to: “Evil Is Alive And Well“, “Something Good This Way Comes”

 
Songs For You, Truths For Me – James Morrison
I came across this album on an amazonmp3 daily deal one day and took a chance. I think it paid off as I’ve really enjoyed it a lot. He uses his somewhat gruff voice to the fullest and incorporates pop, jazz and blues into his music, with very nice results. I admit that I am still a little surprised by how much I like it. Listen to “The Only Night“, “Please Don’t Stop The Rain”

 
Volume I – She & Him
As I will likely restate in the coming days, I’ve become a huge fan of M. Ward this year, though this collaboration with singer/actress Zooey Deschanel was, for me, more about “she” than “him”. Deschanel wrote most of the songs , which are reminiscent of another era. From the opening bars, I found myself mesmerized by her vocals and I was hooked. Listen to: “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?“, “You Really Got A Hold On Me”

That’s it. That’s the list.

Up next: my honorable mentions of 2009.

But since I haven’t complained about the BCS yet this year, I figure I need to get that out of the way.

“Alabama will crush Texas.”

That’s what I heard on the radio this morning. Of course, this was from a guy who picked Pitt to easily beat Cincinnati this past weekend. He was wrong.

However, this seems to be the prevailing sentiment out there over the last 36 hours or so: Alabama will ...]]> I’ve not posted anything recently as I’ve been spending what little free time I’ve had attempting to narrow down my favorite music of the year for a series of posts I’m going to begin (hopefully) later this week.

But since I haven’t complained about the BCS yet this year, I figure I need to get that out of the way.

“Alabama will crush Texas.”

That’s what I heard on the radio this morning. Of course, this was from a guy who picked Pitt to easily beat Cincinnati this past weekend. He was wrong.

However, this seems to be the prevailing sentiment out there over the last 36 hours or so: Alabama will run Texas off the field. I heard of one poll this morning that had 80% picking Alabama. It seems largely to be influenced by what happened Saturday night. Alabama essentially ran Florida off the field, and Texas was extremely fortunate to pull out a win over Nebraska.

If you base your feelings on this past weekend’s games, it seems obvious. I’ve only seen Texas play two games this year, and they struggled somewhat against both Texas A&M and Nebraska. Based on those games, Texas doesn’t look like one of the two best teams in the country. Of course, if I’d only seen Alabama squeak by Tennessee and Auburn, I might not be as impressed with them, either.

Here’s the problem with the BCS (and this is not news, of course): a group of people decide which two teams will be allowed to play in a single game to decide the national champion. (I don’t even have time to go into the fact that losing early in the season is usually far less damaging to your ranking than losing late, which makes no sense.) Meanwhile, as the pollsters and computers are deciding which two teams are the most worthy, there are always at least a couple of others that seem like they might belong, too. This year, losing a game is not even a factor at all as there are five – FIVE! – undefeated teams. And at least one of them might be better than Texas. They’ve all done what they’re supposed to do to be considered the best. They’ve won all of their games including beating some quality opponents. But at season end, two are deemed most deserving and get a chance to compete for the (mythical, I still say) national championship. The others are left to play in meaningless bowl games.

What other sport has a one-game playoff? The NCAA basketball tournament invites 65 teams. Granted, basketball is a different kind of sport and there are far fewer schools with football, so 65 is clearly overkill for a football playoff. But surely we could do better than two. All other sports that I can think of have a multi-round tournament that decides who is the champion. Even other divisions of college football have a playoff. But not Division I college football. They continue to refuse to join the rest of the sporting world and crown an undisputed champion.

Mike Lupica, who I almost always find irritating, said last week that the reason Utah beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl last year was because they got to play in the game. Utah finished 13-0 and beat one of the top 3 teams in the country in a bowl game. Florida finished with 1 loss and a national championship. Could Utah have beaten Florida or Oklahoma? Perhaps, considering they beat a comparable team in Alabama, but we’ll never know. Just like we won’t know how TCU, Cincinnati or Boise State would have done against Alabama or Texas.

Another BCS injustice – as I noticed last night and have already seen pointed out by several people today – is that they placed TCU and Boise State in the same bowl game. They don’t even get to play the so-called big boys from a BCS conference and prove they belong. They instead play each other where a win will be impressive (beating another undefeated team) but might not carry the weight of wins in previous years over BCS teams by Boise (over Oklahoma) and Utah.

And could someone tell me what other sport in the world takes a month off between the regular season and the playoff?? That is one of the reasons I contend that you can’t really know what is going to happen between Alabama and Texas. It’s a month away. A lot can happen in that time. Players could be injured in practice. Players, as seems more and more common, could be arrested and/or suspended for the game. Texas might get better in the areas of their game that have failed them recently. Alabama might grow overconfident with everyone picking them to win. Last year there were people who expected Oklahoma to handle Florida. It didn’t happen. Texas remembers being left of the title game last year due to a bad tiebreaking system in the Big 12 conference. They want to do what they didn’t have the opportunity to do last year: win the championship.

However, with all of that said, I do believe that Alabama will beat Texas. Saban is the better coach. Alabama is the better team. And Alabama, too, had a disappointing end to their season last year. They remember what happened in the Sugar Bowl and I suspect they’re determined to end on a better note this year. Even if there was a playoff system right now, I’d bet on Alabama. I think over the course of the year they’ve looked like the best team most of the time. And while I probably shouldn’t be, I think I’ll be a bit surprised if Texas walks away with the trophy.

The question I heard several times today was this: did the BCS get it right? It’s impossible to say, really, but the consensus seemed to be that yes, they probably did. And that may be true. I feel confident that Alabama belongs. But I still believe there are at least three other teams that deserve a shot, too. Hopefully, some day, such teams will get that chance. They may come up short when they do, but they deserve the opportunity.

The BCS is a stupid system which I abhor. I hate it with the white hot intensity of 1,000 suns. Some have argued it’s better than the past because sometimes #1 and #2 didn’t even play in the same bowl game. That’s a valid point, but being better doesn’t equate to being a good system. A playoff is the only way to produce a true, incontrovertible champion. Every other sport on every level seems to realize this fact. It’s long overdue that D-I college football does the same.

Alabama 27, Texas 13.

It was the band’s fourth album, 2003’s The Beautiful Letdown, that allowed them to break through to the mainstream and also solidified them as a favorite of mine. It was an outstanding album that remains one of my favorites of the decade, ...]]> I liked the music of Switchfoot in the early days, back when they appeared to be just another “Christian” band. While they always intended just to be a rock band (who happened to be made up of Christians), they ended up with a record deal that primarily placed their first three albums in the Christian music market after their label was bought out by another.

It was the band’s fourth album, 2003’s The Beautiful Letdown, that allowed them to break through to the mainstream and also solidified them as a favorite of mine. It was an outstanding album that remains one of my favorites of the decade, and an album I’ve never expected to see them surpass. Their efforts since have continued to be good, but each one failing to quite live up to the last (an admittedly hard task after the excellence of Letdown.)

Enter their new release Hello Hurricane.

The band had over 80 songs that they eventually whittled down to the 12 that made the album. I don’t know how the others stacked up to the final track list, but I’m pleased with the ones that made the cut.

The album title hints at its “facing the storms of life” thread and Foreman’s lyrics are also sprinkled with love and hope, backed by Switchfoot’s signature sound. The anthemic “Needle and Haystack Life” kicks off the album, which then tears into rockers like “Mess of Me”, “The Sound” and “Bullet Soul”, and tones it down for ballads like “Your Love Is A Song” and “Sing It Out”.

Just as was the case with Letdown, I was unable to find a disappointing song on this album. And this one is also among my favorites of the year. Certainly Switchfoot is not for everyone, and I wouldn’t call them a great band, but I’ve always loved their sound. And though Letdown has always been my favorite, this one may very well be just as good. But I’m not willing to say that. Yet.

Check out “Mess of Me” and “Bullet Soul”: