notes from the 8 hour car trip

Fink's Distance and Time is full of gems. "Blueberry Pancakes" top of my list this week, as is "This is the Thing" (the first single, if I'm not mistaken). This is a great, great album.

The new Mary J. album is quite good.

Songus Interruptus: With shame I confess that I'm totally listening to (and digging) Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall completely randomly as the songs pop up on the iPod, having never listened through the concert in order (the playlist of which is, as I understand it, that of the original Judy concert, of which I am equally ignorant.) For shame, for shame. His sister Martha Wainright's cameo appearance to sing "Stormy Weather" was a gem. (Although events in the car made it this week's Songus Interruptus.)

Now I must go back and listen to the whole concert album again, and in order, damnit.

full disclosure

I am also all over "What Is It?" from Baby Bash featuring Sean Kingston. Probably because SK looks so hot in the video. Getting all flush just thinking about it.

Whoo whoo! Clang clang clang clang.

darling, the Fink train has left the station, and we are on board. I am wallowing now in a tub full of music: the new amazing Distance and Time, rediscovering the excellent previous album Biscuits for Breakfast, and am studying the 2000 down-tempo album Fresh Produce with the look one reserves for the record store, when coming across a dubious ne'er-heard of album by one's fave artist.

I believe historically the internal monologue runs something like this: I've never heard of this! Must have. Is this --INSERT ARTIST HERE-- outtakes LP for real, or am I gonna be real pissed off in about 45 minutes? You can imagine how that usually turned out. Ah, to have a fat wallet again. What a brave little late teen I was, already exploring.

Don't know about that '00 album. (Whaddaya mean he doesn't sing?) Sounds a little Buddha Bar for my tastes. Like maybe they saw that whole late 90's shit winding down and headed for the lifeboats immediately. Will investigate and report back.

for posterity's sake, it's Kasem time

...according to me. Me, me, me! As far back as I've been listening to music, I've been obsessed with ranking my current playlists American Top 40 style. So, if I'm really blogging this crap (gulp), I'd better dump this out for posterity's sake, don't ya think? Without further ado, my top 200 for 2007. Let's start from #200, shall we?

#200 Baby When The Light Guetta, David
#199 Storm in a Teacup Erasure

Great album for Erasure. I'm so glad to have had their music with me all these years.

#198 The Ritz Office
#197 Supergirl Minor Majority
#196 Booty Bangs Jessi Malay feat Yung Joc
#195 Hong Kong Gorillaz
#194 Grown Woman (featuring Ludacris) Blige, Mary J.
#193 Work that Blige, Mary J.
#192 The Wrath Of Marcie The Go! Team
#191 Close Your Eyes, We Are Blind Alaska In Winter
#190 Amazing Seal
#189 Flathead The Fratellis
#188 Vessel Nine Inch Nails
#187 Kite High! Sacket, Sacha

You'll be seeing Mr. Sacket splattered all over this list. Two insanely great albums by Sacha--one new, one old--revealed themselves to me in Fall '07, and I am drinking deep of them still.

#186 Shut Up and Drive Rihanna
#185 Kix The Real Tuesday Weld
#184 The Valley Duran Duran
#183 Cry Me A River The Cliks
#182 If You Were Alien The Brunettes
#181 Believe The Bravery
#180 Girls And Boys In Love The Rumble Strips
#179 Love And Nostalgia Friday Bridge
#178 Just Abuse Me Air Traffic
#177 Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh Rapture, the
#176 Makes Me Wonder Maroon 5
#175 This Is The Industry Harris, Calvin
#174 Golden Heart Erasure
#173 Suspicious Eyes Rakes, the
#172 Sound Of Silver LCD Soundsystem
#171 Someone To Love Fountains of Wayne
#170 Cinderella Aqualung
#169 The Ghost of You Lingers Spoon
#168 Split Needles Shins, the
#167 Get Innocuous LCD Soundsystem

This LCD track first heard on the Nike+ megamix album probably would have ranked higher, but I still associate it with the oh-so-mercifully-brief gym membership at the start of '07. Shudder.

#166 Lightsonic Groove Armada
#165 Sea Legs Shins, the
#164 Someone Great LCD Soundsystem
#163 Time To Get Away LCD Soundsystem
#162 Halo Sacket, Sacha
#161 When A Lover Leaves You Erasure
#160 The World Was a Mess But His Hair Was Perfect Rakes, the
#159 Us v Them LCD Soundsystem
#158 The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore) Keane
#157 92 Subaru Fountains of Wayne
#156 Writer's Block Just Jack
#155 Something To Believe In Aqualung
#154 All My Heroes Are Weirdos !!!
#153 Lollipop Mika
#152 Rehab Winehouse, Amy
#151 I Talk Too Much Just Jack
#150 Sucker For Love Erasure
#149 Love Sweet Sound Groove Armada
#148 Grace Kelly Mika
#147 New Routine Fountains of Wayne
#146 Saturate Chemical Brothers, the
#145 Integral (Perfect Immaculate Mix) Pet Shop Boys
#144 In This Twilight Nine Inch Nails
#143 Box Full O' Honey Duran Duran
#142 Her Hairagami Set The Brunettes
#141 All Rights Reversed (featuring The Klaxons) Chemical Brothers, the
#140 Acceptable In The 80's Harris, Calvin
#139 Piece Of Me Spears, Britney
#138 Boy, Boy, Boy Underworld
#137 Pop Pop Stone, Angie
#136 Johnny Appleseed Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros

Oh, theme song from my poor cancelled one-season unresolved John from Cincinnati. How you broke my heart. Kiss my ass, HBO! I will remember this and Deadwood's undignified cancellation until the end of my days.

#135 Don't Make Me a Target Spoon
#134 Drop That Thing Groove Armada
#133 Gimme More Spears, Britney

I have no idea how so much Britney made it on this year's list. Oh yeah, now I remember: it's a slickly produced piece of pop perfection through and through, and the train wreck real-life drama of '07 only sharpens the edge. Save Britney! But keep your feet away from her moving car. Jeez.

#132 Do I Disappoint You Wainwright, Rufus
#131 The Girls Harris, Calvin
#130 No Submission (featuring Alabama 3) Matt Darey Vs. Tall Paul

Well, this had to do while I wait on a full A3 album. Darn it.

#129 We All Want the Same Thing (featuring Akil Dasan) Kevin Michael
#128 The Sound Rapture, the
#127 Tears from a Gun The Black Ghosts
#126 Strapped For Cash Fountains of Wayne
#125 Kinda New Spektrum
#124 Love Today Mika
#123 Release The Stars Wainwright, Rufus
#122 Herculean The Good, The Bad & The Queen
#121 I-95 Fountains of Wayne
#120 God Given Nine Inch Nails
#119 Love Me Or Hate Me (Fuck You!!) (featuring Missy Elliott) Lady Sovereign
#118 Disco Friends Just Jack
#117 Outta Sight Chromeo
#116 Yolanda Hayes Fountains of Wayne
#115 The Sons Of Cain Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
#114 Waiting 4 U Chromeo
#113 I am somebody (featuring Chromeo) DJ Mehdi
#112 Nite Runner Duran Duran
#111 Hate On Me Scott, Jill
#110 Little Superstitions Rakes, the
#109 Trouble Voxtrot
#108 Pieces Of The People We Love Rapture, the
#107 Crown Royal Scott, Jill
#106 Don Gon Do It Rapture, the
#105 Take My Time Junior Senior
#104 Shim Sham Imperial Teen
#103 Tulsa Wainwright, Rufus
#102 Best Mamgu Ever Underworld
#101 Golden Skans Klaxons
#100 Me & Mr. Jones Winehouse, Amy
#99 Tony the Beat (Rex the Dog Radio Mix) Sounds, the
#98 How Low? Sacket, Sacha
#97 Whine & Dine The Lovemakers
#96 Vegas Harris, Calvin
#95 Little Stereo (featuring Daddy Boastin') Teddybears
#94 What Am I Fighting For? Unklejam

No group gave me greater fits trying to locate their music online than Unklejam in '07. Was it worth it? Meh. I guess, if you count this awesome crazy ass song.

#93 Relax, Take It Easy Mika
#92 Northern Whale The Good, The Bad & The Queen
#91 Watch The Tapes LCD Soundsystem
#90 Going To A Town Wainwright, Rufus
#89 Pressure Suit Aqualung
#88 Kitty In The Middle Presets, the
#87 Videotape Radiohead
#86 Release (featuring Justin Timberlake) Timbaland
#85 The Good Soldier Nine Inch Nails
#84 A Comet Appears Shins, the
#83 Michael And Heather At The Baggage Claim Fountains of Wayne
#82 Faust Arp Radiohead
#81 Feel the Same (featuring Angie Stone) Groove Armada
#80 Rockers To Swallow Yeah Yeah Yeahs
#79 Red Rabbits Shins, the
#78 See What You Get Groove Armada
#77 Beautiful Burnout Underworld
#76 Are You The One? Presets, the
#75 The Beginning Of The End Nine Inch Nails
#74 House Of Cards Radiohead
#73 1973 Blunt, James
#72 Myth Takes !!!
#71 Lovestoned / I Think She Knows Justin Timberlake
#70 We Are The Night Chemical Brothers, the
#69 North American Scum LCD Soundsystem
#68 Read My Mind Killers, the
#67 Heart Of Hearts !!!
#66 Jigsaw Falling Into Place Radiohead
#65 All I Need Radiohead
#64 The Underdog Spoon
#63 Weird Fishes/Arpeggi Radiohead
#62 Yours To Keep (featuring Neneh Cherry) Teddybears

Dude, this song totally dominated 2006. You have no idea.

#61 Judy (for Shame) Sacket, Sacha

And he's really damn cute too. Go buy this album immediately.

#60 Get Myself Into It Rapture, the
#59 Soul Spaceship Ndegéocello, Me'shell
#58 All My Friends LCD Soundsystem
#57 Turn On Me Shins, the
#56 You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb Spoon
#55 Bend Over Beethoven !!!

!!! delivered the goods this year. A great rock event.

#54 Bonafied Lovin Chromeo
#53 Give It To Me (featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake) Timbaland
#52 Phantom Limb Shins, the
#51 Scar Stephen Fretwell

A dark horse. Still playing this a year later. Now I'm set to devour his '03 and '05 albums.

#50 Tiergarten Wainwright, Rufus
#49 Anniversary Vega, Suzanne
#48 Call Me Up Chromeo
#47 Just Fine Blige, Mary J.
#46 We Danced Together Rakes, the
#45 Starz In Their Eyes Just Jack
#44 Sanssouci Wainwright, Rufus
#43 One U Wanna C, the (featuring Wendy & Lisa) Prince

A Prince album from this century with two! (debatedly, three!) solid tracks! Alert the media. Oh yeah, he gave copies away in the UK newspapers, come to think of it. Then sued his biggest fan sites for using his image. Meh, never mind.

And furthermore, this much-vaunted "reunion" with Wendy & Lisa? Sure it sounds swell, but I defy you to find traces of either gal in this mix. Leave it to Prince to bury the hatchet and bury their vocals in one fell swoop. Clever midget, Trix are for rabbits.

#42 Bodysnatchers Radiohead
#41 Maybe You Can Save Me (from You) Sacket, Sacha
#40 Coloured Bedspread Lennox, Annie
#39 Closer Travis
#38 Sunday Girl Erasure
#37 By The Time I Get Home There Won't Be Much Of A Place For Me Grand National
#36 Must Be The Moon !!!
#35 Paris and September Sacket, Sacha
#34 15 Step Radiohead
#33 The Prodigal Sacket, Sacha
#32 Don't Stop The Music Rihanna
#31 I Could Fall In Love With You Erasure
#30 Do It Again (featuring Ali Love) Chemical Brothers, the
#29 Play With It Stone, Angie
#28 Momma's Boy Chromeo
#27 Reckoner Radiohead
#26 Way I Are (featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E.) Timbaland
#25 Brandon Boyd Sacket, Sacha
#24 Playing In The Distance Grand National
#23 Nude Radiohead

I paid four bucks and change for their Grand Experiment. You?

#22 Guitar Prince
#21 Crocodile Underworld
#20 Get Down Groove Armada

Not to mention the best video of the year.

#19 Bounce (featuring Dr. Dre, Missy Elliott & Justin Timberlake) Timbaland
#18 Burn It All Down VHS Or Beta
#17 Australia (Remix) The Shins

Sure wish they'd swing back through Champaign again...

#16 I Go Hard, I Go Home Presets, the

All hail the Presets! My NIN, my Fischerspooner, my Depeche. You have joined their lofty ranks, o Aussie lads.

#15 Skin Divers (featuring Timbaland) Duran Duran

Best track on the Duran album by far.

#14 On The Sky Metric

Obligatory Metric appearance.

#13 Umbrella (featuring Jay-Z) Rihanna
#12 Traffic And Weather Fountains of Wayne

So the album is a bit of a let down from their last career high. With tracks this good, how could I not love 'em anyway?

#11 Heavyweight Champion of the World Reverend and the Makers

Number eleven?!? They was robbed, robbed I say! This track so owned my December.

...which brings us to the oh-so-controversial top ten of 2007*

#10 Timebomb Beck

Out of nowhere, a single. Perchance, an album? No album. A single. Just a single, to whet our Beck appetite. A joyous, ass-chomping, radio-gobbling, monster track single. That's all. I love you, you crazy Scientologist.

#9 Fancy Footwork Chromeo

Oh, how I feared my Favorite Recent Discovery would tank on album #2. One listen to this and all fears were allayed. Thank heaven for Chromeo!

#8 As You Are Now Vega, Suzanne

Vega's brief little album entered my iPod and has never left since. What an amazing songwriter and performer.

#7 Ali In The Jungle Hours, the

Check back this time next year...this and others from the Hours should pepper the list if memory hasn't faded by then. This track was, is, amazing. Rock & freaking roll. Only now in '08 am I finding out the album Narcissus Road is kickass through & through. Hallelujah!

#6 100% Chromeo

I'm gonna let you know, I wanna let you know, I'll never let you go, until you say please.

#5 Wish Upon A Dog Star Perry Farrell's Satellite Party

I understand this album from Farrell has been yawned at in some quarters. Maybe deserved, but anyone who isn't infected by this specific catchy track should be checked for alien antenna immediately.

#4 Rules And Regulations Wainwright, Rufus

Yes, I know this much Rufus can make a boy start liking the fellas. So be it!

#3 Baby (featuring Betty Wright) Stone, Angie

And bear in mind I love Angie Stone to begin with: this is her best track ever.

#2 Between My Legs Wainwright, Rufus

Favorite. Rufus. Ever.

#1 Capital G Nine Inch Nails

The most repeated most played song of the year. And a career peak for Mr. Reznor with this track.

In closing: I have never had a year like this. There were five hundred more great songs I had to pitch overboard to make this list. And so many of those were totally monster jams too. 2007 you wonderful year, we miss ya already. Now get the hell out.

*all according to me. Me, me, me! You will now be returned to your regularly scheduled programming.

in which we again sing the praises...

of one Lupe Fiasco. "Gold Watch" is every bit as much the keeper as the dreamy "Little Weapon." "Go Go Gadget Flow" and "Hip Hop Saved My Life" are quite good too. Yum.

And still reeling from "Shake a Fist" from Hot Chip. They are the most bizarre.

Fink, we love thee! "Trouble's What You're In" indeed.

out of the gate

So. The idea here is a little old music lover's log. "Blog" if it gets a reader other than me; humbler ambitions for now. I thought I might appreciate later having kept a running recap throughout '08 of what tunes owned the precious real estate betwixt my temples.

Amazing music always lands in my lap every January more than any other month, arriving with full force and volume, courtesy of year-end best-of list suggestions, all the big holiday releases, and free time 'round the holidays to bit torrent my fanny off. Add to all that my propensity to do year-end rankings of my favorite tunes (then purge the whole lot from my main iPod playlist) and the result? Yours truly awash in a flood of unfamiliar music. Scary, and sheer bliss.

Lupe Fiasco, for example. New to me, as is the new album The Cool. "Little Weapon" kills. I've been listening to that damn catchy Public Enemy-esque bit of brilliance repeatedly. It's like Terminator X channeling Enigma and "The Max"-era Prince, and that's before the lyrics start sinking in. Wicked.

Some artists seep in through osmosis: songs ranked high on my year-end list yet I never got around to investigating the album from which they originated. Prepping the year-end list prompts my butt into motion. Por ejemplo: I loved the Hours' "Ali in the Jungle" in '07 (#7 on the list...they was robbed!) but never sought out the full album until now. Now I am enjoying most of Narcissus Road, especially "Murder or Suicide." I love it when a one-hit wonder blossoms into a fave (hello, Chromeo).

What else is cooking? The Presets' new single "My People." Drool, drool. I can only presume a full album is imminent.

Fink is back! Distance and Time is solid across the board, in particular "Make it Good" and "Trouble Is What You're In." I love Fink; with this album he fills some of the void left by my dear departed Morphine. Sigh.

Hot Chip's "Ready for the Floor" from Made in the Dark is quite charming and addictive. As is Funkerman's "Speed Up"...that hook, "I want you behind my bedroom doors..." is classic and catchy.

Up next? New Belle & Sebastian to devour. Stay tuned to find out if it's a meh! or a meh.