Yeah, I'm bad about starting posts, then abandonning them after I get busy or have to return to one of the other 20 windows I have open on my computer at any given time.

I'll go on record as defending The National, enjoying their past two records quite a bit. I'm a little surprised that you both (Derek and Brian) aren't into this band. I dig the clever, tongue-in-cheek lyrics ('I'm the great white hope...I used to be/carried in the arms of cheerleaders', Mr. November and 'Karen sit in a chair/fuck me and make me a drink', Karen, both from Alligator), the slow build of percussion that anchors many of their livelier tracks, and the quieter moments that have an understated grace. Is it the lead vocals that grate? His almost bored delivery may come across as contrived in an aching for hip kind of way but I like the contrast between the urgency of the lyric or the music and his delivery.

Perhaps a Les Savy vs. The National segment at the upcoming Feb. 1st meeting would be fun, where we advocate/defend each band with a few choice tracks. I'm certainly willing to be persuaded but am as yet unmoved by 'Let's Stay Friends' by the former, which has too many tracks that remind me of Reel Big Fish's 'Never Had to Knock on Wood' (and in so referencing, apologize profusely for putting this in your head).

As for Jens Lekman, didn't somebody bring his first disc to a cd club? Was it Marc? Just want to know who I'm pissing off with this one. Other than 'Black Cab' off that disc, which managed to sound more like Stephen Merrit than the man himself, I haven't really enjoyed any of Lekman's stuff. I like Belle and Sebastian, Magnetic Fields, and Beirut and these are obvious influences, at least when it comes to the 'sound'. But there's so much earnest romanticism in every second of every one of his songs that I find it a little difficult to take. Every moment is, to quote the slimy Golum from Lord of the Rings, 'Precious'. And if everything is beautiful then nothing is beautiful, to quote somebody else, I think.

Just downloaded Sia, which, 9 days into 2008, is the early frontrunner for worst album cover of the year. Will let you know whether it's trash or treasure in the coming weeks.