Hey Mike (and the rest of you), I saw the Lennie show a couple of weeks ago as well.   I thought it was absolutely remarkable how he sustained hismelf throughout - it's no joke at 78.   He was a very professional performer which I didn't expect for some reason - at times to the detriment of the connection with the audience, as some of the between-song banter sounded pretty canned (and corny).  

My overall reaction (and rating if you will) was very positive but not completely glowing, because I have a strong preference for LC's earlier work (first four records in particular), and he's apparently not really able (or willing) to pull that material off, as it's mostly sung in quite a different (higher, not surprisingly) register  He did play three or four songs from that era (notably Suzanne and So Long Maryanne) but with the strength of the material from that period, I would have liked to hear more.   I find his work since about 1980 to be somewhat monotonous musically, though always enhanced by such depth of lyric that one often doesn't notice.  However when you play six or seven of that era (the second half of his carer, say) in a row, they all sound much the same, and so in a way expose the formulaic side of his songwriting.

I'm embarrassed to say that Leonard Cohen was the only concert I saw in 2012!!   I did see a few bands in bars here and there, but even those were few and far between.  I've got to get out to see live music more often!

Would you say that Cohen was in your top 5 best concerts of the year, Mike?

I ask because: 1) no one has commented or responded to your thoughtful post/mini review of the show in Ottawa and; 2) it's a lazy segue into this article, an argument against the Year End List.

While I agree that many of them can be uninspired and lazy (mine included), I do enjoy the roundup/summary, if only to confirm my own likes or to feel outraged that someone would actually praise a book, film, album I loathed.

Last night I saw Leonard Cohen play the Ottawa stop of his latest world tour.  It was a really great show - he played from 8 until 11:45 with a half hour break in the middle.  The guy's 78 years old!  He looks somewhat gaunt, but he is quite spry.  And his voice sounded great - well, great in a Leonard Cohen context.  He was backed by a 9 piece band full of excellent musicians, and the arrangements of his songs took full advantage of them.  The tour is supporting his latest release, "Old Ideas", which isn't as strong as his older material, despite the very positive reviews that it has received.  He played 3 or 4 songs from that album,  but he focused more on his back catalogue.  The staging was very simple, relying mostly on simple lighting techniques for visual effect, but it was very tastefully done.  But the visuals were understated, drawing attention primarily to the music, which was wonderful.  Cohen's words, sung in his deep and distinctive voice and accompanied by exquisitely played acoustic guitar, electric guitar, violin and organ solos - I enjoyed every minute of it, and the rest of the crowd was equally appreciative.  He's got to be approaching the end of his performing days, and I'm glad I had a chance to see him before he gives it up.

I saw Brubeck just a few years back in Markham ...a pretty good show I'd say.  I also saw him in Paris in '85 ...pretty wicked.  I've always had a strong attachment to his music.   My father was a huge fan, born in the same year.  Time Out came out in the year my sister was born, '59, and i still remember my dad blasting the album on warm spring days in Montreal, the doors and windows open.  I think that the mathematical complexity of the album and its infectious swing were what appealed most to me...it was fresh and complex and to my ear i have always thought it was structure like a good piece of modern architecture.  I'm not saying i understand it ...I just love it.

I'm not a list maker and would not be willing to select a cut off of Time Out as my favourite, suffice to say that it is one of my favorite albums.  Interestingly though, from my perspective, with great jazz musicians you don't often see one particular album or session rise so unequivocally above the rest of the body of their work. ...???

Final Take

Oh, he finally kicked it.  Too bad.   And Derek and I didn't even see his (unintended) farewell tour.   

Favourite DB numbers?  

It's an obvious choice but I love love love Blue Rondo a La Turk.

Quote du jour: " it always take me by surprise how dark it gets this time of year"; First Aid Kit, "The Poet".

Hey gents, anyone giving some thought to a "Best of 2012" list?  

apologies to Derek who invited us all a few weeks ago.... I am a bit clueless perhaps....I will attempt to get a ticket but not likely as it is the hot show now soldout... Let me know where you are going in the event I manage to scrap one up...
s

Do any of you have tickets to Monday nights tame Impala / the Amazing show. Interested if not?
I am thinking I may drop by for . I know you lot like tame Impala , but "the Amazing" has one of my favorite discs this year . I was meaning to throw it out to you... i am surprised they are teamed with tame impala as they have a very different sound... Do you think it likely This show will sell out ? 

Me (That guy who hates lists) is going on record for saying that "dynamite walls" by Hayden is the 2nd best Canadiana song of all time.... If you have ever peered through a half defrosted car window with the defroster mnot working well, driven by yourself through the blasted canadian shield on your way up north, whilst  trying to figure out just what the point of life is......you can relate to these vivid lyrical snapshots..... ( apologies if I am starting to sound like a pitchfork reviewer)

damn I love that song...


PS   in answer to your question "  a case of you " by J.M.


s

Not sure if any of you have discovered Songza. I stumbled on it last week, downloaded their iphone/ipad app to my phone and started using it to stream to my stereo. Very much like Pandora for Canada, with more specialized playlists and 'stations'. I've enjoyed it and some of the categories, subcategories and moods are fun. Suggest you give it a try as it's completely free and kind of fun.

Also, you wrote with poor grammar Brian...you ment say  "to " what I wrote...pls be sure to use spell chek

Actually, Bri, it completely negated everything you've ever written here. At least, that was my take.

Um hello, it also confirms what I was saying?

An interesting article about vinyl which kind of confirms a bit of what both you and Stu are saying, Mike.

Also, it seems Toronto is getting an indie music station very soon.

I don't think that this is a trend back to a previous format per se.  I think this is a trend away from mainstream record stores toward speciality record stores targetting serious listeners and collectors.  The mainstream music business is, I believe, firmly shifting to the downloading/streaming digital formats with a continuing struggle to control and monetize the consumption of music.  Physical record stores have to provide something that appeals to the more serious consumers, and vinyl is a great fit.  They'll probably also focus on  offering services to chase down rare and obscure music for their customers.  But they'll have to build their businesses around a much smaller customer base. 

Interesting post, Stu.  If I am any bellwether for the current trend, things are definitely changing, or more accurately, changing back.  I buy more vinyl (say 30-40 records a year) than I do CDs by far these days.   Any digitized music I get comes via download.   And vinyl has re-assumed its place in my heart as the most (or only) exciting media for listening to music.

Death to the CD, long live the groove!

Over the last year i am noticing an interesting subtle shift when on my music purchasing rounds in used disc stores...... About 6 months ago pandemonium a good west end junction used disc shop moved location down the block and when they reopened, their used CDs had gone to the back of the store in reduced numbers, whereas the vinyl had moved to the front and had increased in volume.... Since they I have noticed this trend at a few other places.... Also, i have noticed the extreme volume of customers at the few record only places such as sonic boom in kensington (their bathurst street location still has cds out front but the vinyl is no longer in the basement and it is also a larger part of the ground floor space then in the old bloor location).... On top of this there has been a significant increase ion volume of new 180g reisuues and bew releases ibn pretty much all stores selling new product like Soundscapes, HMV etc....
Upon reflection, this trend makes sence since, why buy cds when you have shit album art in these stupid plastic cases , when you can buy (or steal) mp3 files much more cheaperly or buy the real deal being records and get the physical art component, arguably better warmer sound (and you can still relatively easily burn it at home onto mp3).... Perhaps the cd really is ending sooner rather than latter, but as one who has a passion for vinyl, I am heartily glad and a bit surtprised to see cds being replaced by.........vinyl....
perhaps onl;y record nuts will buy them and perhaps the colume will only be a fraction of what it was 20 years ago, but it will be interesting to see how far they come back into mainstream circulation...

Don't know how long it will last but I'm loving the soundz of Angus & Julia Stone.  Highly derivative folkpop, but nontheless, very pleasant to listen to.  If you listen to only one track, the go-to is Big Jet Plane.

I know that you lot keep an eye out for who's touring and if you happen to see that Godspeed You! Black Emperor is playing in or around TO, let me know cause i'd love to see them.  I'm diggin' the new album ...as much as one can dig something so epic, dark and moodful.

Gents, any interest in seeing Aimee Mann November 6th at the Danforth Music Hall?   I'm going with a neighbour friend (named Derek, but don't let that confuse you).  Her new record sounds good.

Couple of pre-weekend nuggets for you:

1-An interview with Klaus Heymann, Naxos label founder. 

2-If you're still using Grooveshark, the non-paying version of Rdio, they now have a mobile version for your phone.

Enjoy!

Living in Ottawa, I didn't get all that many chances to shop at Sam's.  To me, that sign with it's huge albums was the most exciting symbol of downtown Toronto.  It was the best part about being in the big city.  We had some good record shops in Ottawa, but we had nothing like that!

So many memmories...truly it was my favorite place in toronto while it was around... i mean, more imnportant then any other real estate in the city, restaurant, girlfriends homes , bars, etc....
I recall arriving late one night after too many drinks that were in celebration of a new job i just landed and was to start the next day...I never made it to the job that next day and i dont remember what i bought that particular time....but it was a part of the celebration....
...I spent every boxing day at that store from 1975 to closing.....I can still feel that anticipation waiting in thet god forasaken line up that snagged up past A and M ....
....scoring a old Phil ochs lp that had obviousl;y been in that rack for a decade or more... deciding I couldnt afford it......leaving the store and returning an hour later after I had come to my sences and seeing it gone...never to repeat that mistake...
...on and on....
hears to Sam!

Any memories of Sam's to share? I certainly loved seeing the iconic spinning signs whenever I'd take the subway downtown with my parents. God knows how many hours I spent flipping through albums for different artists. Ah, youth.

Also, most depressing pop music facts.

Glad you're enjoying. Bri. It's certainly one that continues to get more enjoyable for me with each listen. Sorry I wasn't able to join you all for last night's festivities at Lees. Wondering, though, if any of you were interested in either:

-Dinosaur Jr. on the 25th or 26th
-Latitia Sadier on the 20th

Realize both are signs that I'm wallowing in the 90s but decided tonight that I really want to see both of these and, more importantly, both fit in my sched. Who's in?

Spooky

Hey Kyle just gave the Spooky Action album a listen, and thoroughly enjoyed the retro-esque jangle.  Good variety and lots of skill in the arranging and song-writing.    Merci for the heads up.

Rodriguez has arisen from obscurity and is playing the MOD club Oct 25...thanks to the recent documentary on him... I( am going to this show w John my neighbour.... anyone else interested let me know if you need a ticket...

Great band , but only for a short potent time....from inception (1969ish) until, Duane Allmans death from a motor cycle accident ( I think) around 1972ish...Mike check Wiki if you need the precise details....
Duane did the lead guitar dualing on Derek and the Dominos (Eric Clapton) Layla, on top of all his sterling work on the first 2 albums and half of third album eat a peach.... All 3 albums favorites of mine..... After thatv they had a few good singles under brother Greg Allman's (the singer) guidance..... Dicky Betts was the other lead guitar player , and he can write a good siong or 2 as well.... I prefer them to LYnurd Skynyd , whom some may claim to be the better souther rock act...  Bith bands had great songs along with guitar work...For me , the guitar licks woulf not have been so powerfull , had they not ben wrapped around beautiful songs like Midnight Rider and Sweet mellissa, Blue sky ....etc....   Also a warning...sometimes the jamming can be great and some times it can be noodlin boring, but the first 2 albums in partticular are well worth getting...

On another note Hal David died over the weekend... He wrote the lyrics to Burt bacharacks greates hits..... Walk On by, This girls In love, Raindrops keep fasllin on my head, Alfie, All never fall in love again, Do you know the way to San Jose....etc......etc.... (in short , he owned the charts for a decade)...and if none of that matters to you, listen to I say a little prayer for you and you will hear a great anti war song frong the point of view of the wife left behind......I can only think of Bernie Taupin (Elton john)n as a lyric writer who had the same kind of impact on music from the last half of the sixties through 70's.... Caral king and other tin pan alley teams had scores of hits collectively , but hard to top this guy...Current Commercial radio suffers heavily from artists who think they can right interesting lyrics but sadly cant....maybe the art of a lryracist is gone but I would argue we are worse off for it....heres to you Hal!
s

Allman Brothers Band

I just finished Gregory Allman's autobiography (which I received as a gift), and I'm curious if any of you are fans of the band.  The author comes across as extremely superficial and self indulgent, so I'm taking everything he says with plenty of skepticism.  But based on the musicians who have played with them, and also on third party sources such as AMG, they do appear to have been a highly respected band.  People generally cite their blending of blues, soul, gospel and jazz stylings into a distinctively southern sound as a significant influence on many ensuing bands.  And their line up, which included 2 drummers and 2 lead guitars that played a lot of harmonized lines was somewhat innovative I think.  Their style of 20-30 minute jam songs isn't my cup of tea, so I've only listened to them a bit, but I thought I'd throw this out to the group.  Great band, or self-important claptrap?

Music of TIFF

Speaking of TIFF, the good folks at Exclaim! just linked me to this fest-related playlist at Rdio. You may have received it as well (if you follow them/they you, etc) but thought I'd share anyway.

Know this is movie, not music related but...

Just saw this promo pic for the adaptation of David Mitchell's 'Cloud Atlas', a book club selection that I completely loved. Perhaps it will be good, and I hope that's the case. But judging from this image, my gut reaction is it's going to be a hot pile of crap.

Followup to last week's link to the Pitchfork People's List.

Even more fun than the predictable compilation of votes from people who read Pitchfork--Radiohead is popular!?--are the stats and charts with breakdown by city, country, as well as a map of the US where you can see the 20 most popular albums from each city. Most cities have OK Computer at the top of the list. Notice one that doesn't is Houston, TX, which has Arcade Fire as their top. Hometown rooting for Win Butler?

Also, the deadliest lists of all.

Spiritualized is definitely not a 10/10 and at times the lyrics veering into a mawkish, whiny territory and the repeated requests for help from Jesus are slightly irritating. As a whole, though, this one gets stronger with each listen. Stick with it for a bit. Will check out Sountrack... as I've seen a few of you listening to it recently and may have already done so myself but don't recall it.

For something completely different, certainly more mainstream, Adele-like, though quite good, is Lianne La Havas. Probably too many songs on the album but some really great soul/pop and a good summer listen. Believe this is one Derek spotted/saved.

Kyle, though I love Spiritualied, and even some of jason piercves earlier group spacemen 3...I have not gotten into the new one after a number of listens on rdio...I find it lacking in good tunes...he is a master of burying melody so it unfolds after repeat listens , but maybe i have not spun it enough...I will try again...
that said another band I have gotten into over the last 3 or 4 years is soundtrack of our lives...whom i recently discovered were Swedish...somehow i thought they were brits... at any rate behind the music is a fave of mine....for me this is a "song band" ...the sound is very straight ahead but lyrically and melodically they add a strokes like twist to stones based music, but damn do they ever stick around in your head...
Uncut recently gushed about the last album throw it to the universe being a 10/10...however the album is invisible on other sources, such as allmusic   ....no pr for it...... Though not 10/10 for me it is still very consistent....this album is more acoustic then rcent ones...
s

Also, 'Django Django' is pretty damn great. Thanks to whomever brought that to Stu's. (Stu, Derek?)

One album which I quasi-dissed at Stu's, labelling much too stylistically close to other gauzy, dreamy, slightly jangly guitar bands I'd be listening to this year (Porcelain Raft, Lower Dens) is Lotus Plaza's Spooky Action From a Distance. On subsequent listens, I think this is a gem. Reminiscent of Deerhunter at times, Stone Roses (vocally, some of the arrangements) at others. Definitely worth a listen and one I wish I'd played that evening.

Other big summer releases for me have been the latest from The Walkmen, which is great through and through. Listening right now to "The Witch" on Rdio confirms this. Another is the latest Spiritualized. Check these out if you haven't already done so.

Also, the most recent Arcade Fire disc, 2010's The Suburbs, has somehow really grown on me this summer. Seems to get better with each listen, which is somewhat rare. Not sure if any of you concur/differ.

WARNING: List-wary, avert your eyes!

With a handful of exceptions, this 100 list of best from 96-11 could easily be either mine or Derek's. Hot Snakes, Liars, Jay Reatard, D'angelo, and Baskinski are the only ones I don't own. You can make your own list here but I'm not gonna bother. Will make it seem like I'm riffing on Ryan's.

More prog rock discussion. Love the 'Yes' summary from the Rolling Stone excerpt.

In honour of Stu's post, your morning cup of insincere, though in no way prog rock, music:

Kyle, i find prog rock to be hard to nail down as a category because except for a few bands like yes and king crimson, many of the bands accused of this tend to be more complex then that one label purports...
I tend to use it as an adjective that means the music jumped the shark in terms of ; musical virtuosity , far reaching lyrical oddessys; and keyboards being usually a  (if not the ) primary musical statement....in short all these elements pushed to a point of pretension that it overwelms the music..... That said I love early, genesis, , Yes, King Crimson, Moody Blues, Pink Floyd.....all bands that at one time or another get roped into that category, and yes have aspects of this, but alsso have great melodic songwritting.....
It was an contrast to the 90's use of irony as the overwelming musical statement....until Arcade fire brought back that it was ok to be sincere in your music.....   but.... you know....... Arcade fire are a unimportant and overrated band...
s

And of course, this.

Thanks for posting the list, Stu. Sorry for bringing down the swirly psych pop mood with my post punk pick that evening. Back in the office for a few weeks and will look into ways to make some improvements to our blog. In the meantime, there's a series on Slate this week on prog rock that I think you'll enjoy reading, possibly provocative. Enjoy

well if ever there was a day to this to this ....today is it...
Olafer Arnalds-eulogy
Gold leaves-Ornament
The weekend-house balloons
Kathleen edwards-voyager
Damien jurado-magupqua
Naked and famous-all of this
Jonathon wilson-gentle spirit
Breton-other peoples problems
Phoenix foundation-buffalo
bart davenport-searching for bart simpson
soft swells-??
wilco-the whole love
grimes-visions
djaneo-djaneo- self titled
bridget st john-ask me no questions
oshin-Diiv
disappears-pre language
rae spoon-i cant keep all of our secrets
noah preminger-before the rain

Derek there is a new doc out on Rodriquez....called search for sugarman or something like that....Im still loving his music thanks for the intro and any of you who missed this guy check him out...late 60's early 70's latin influenced pop

Better late, than never.  Quite the task to pick out the best of the past 16 years.  I used several criteria. 

1) the album had to have been released within the last 16 years
2) The album needed to still be in regular rotation to this day.
3) Most importantly, the album needed to be significant to me for one reason or another.
I have listed my top 16 as well as the short list that followed. 16 great years!

Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra	Talkatif
Arcade Fire	The Suburbs
SOIL&"PIMP" SESSIONS	PIMP OF THE YEAR
Bran Van 3000	Glee [US version]
DJ Krush & Toshinori Kondo	Ki-Oku
Kruder & Dorfmeister	The K&D Sessions
Mike Ness	Cheating at Solitaire
Brad Mehldau	Live at the Village Vanguard
Interpol	Antics
Garbage	Version 2.0
M. Ward	Post-War
Lucinda Williams	Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Talvin Singh	OK
Moby	Play
Macy Gray	On How Life Is
Femi Kuti	Shoki Shoki
Various Artists	Run Lola Run
Bon Iver	For Emma, Forever Ago
LCD Soundsystem	Sound Of Silver
Buena Vista Social Club	Buena Vista Social Club
Amon Tobin	Bricolage
Nightmares on Wax	Carboot Soul
Bugge Wessteltoft	New Conceptions in Jazz, FilM ing
Propellerheads	Decksanddrumsandrockandroll
Clinic	Walking with Thee
Interpol	Antics
Jack Johnson	On and On
Suba	Sao Paulo Confessions
Koop	Waltz For Koop
Jolie Holland	Escondida
Wilco	A Ghost is Born
Outkast	Stankonia
The White Stipes	Elephant
The Strokes	Room On Fire
South	From Here On In
Avalanche	Since I Left You
Slick Sixty	Nibs And Nabs

Interesting thoughts and comments boys.    Overall I have to say I agree with a bunch of Stu's points: I'd lke to re-invigorate the blog, and have always wished we did more with it than we do (like, more reflections and reviews on music we love and don't love).   And like Mike I would have to say that I'm having trouble finding music I adore, and have for a number of years, which I attribute in equal parts to stage of life, and yes the inundation of digital music.  So I would love to find a way to crack that nut.

On the other hand, I'm not right there with you Stu, in that I think the music competition nights have been a blast by and large, so I'm not so much interested in eviscerating ourselves for those night.   I would say that they were in fact a response to a music vacuum that extended to well before 2010 when we had our first one.   But I do get that we've had a lot of them so lets give it a break for now.   Wouldn't want to rule them out for the future though.   Fun will always part of the agenda for me.  And on another point, can't side with you on eschewing lists - list-making is just so part and parcel to being a guy and loving music that you will have a hard time eliminating it from this or any other music-obsessed cabal.    I've always loved making lists.    And re "oldies", there's no way I'm going to stop commenting on and loving music from the past - hell I probably buy more music from the 50's (jazz) than I do any other decade.  

So what I would like to try, and be happy if some or all of you joined in (I'm not hearing a rah rah from Kylie based on his post) is a once-a-month post of a record I really tried, i.e., had some initial interest in,   played a bunch of times, and have spent time thinking about.   Once a month seems doable.  More often than that risks being ignored (risking that already).   I will also throw out more tangible posts / discussions of music in the hopes of stimulating something from the group (although I do that fairly regularly now and not much comes of it).   No need for too much structure but I'm interesting in and willing to try a minor change in direction.   And I'll embrace the idea of bringing fewer and well-listened selections to the CD club.    Not sure about this week's get together but we'll see.

And DM, great point re the Packers.

I'd love to find time to comment more fully on the debate currently making the rounds here on the blog but for now let me just say the following:

the Packers don't play football in the summer (please try and keep up)

I don't go to concerts so that I can tell people who don't give a shit that I was the first person in Toronto to see "..xxx" when they played the Horseshoe.  I go to concerts to see bands whose music has struck a chord and because I love live music.

the reason Kyle that you found it odd that the source of the endless competitive music nights were the same one's decrying the preponderance of such, is that Brian and I were just nodding our heads and saying as little as possible in the faint hope that Stuart at some point would run out of steam or require a washroom break (no such luck)

I do think that playing a couple of well-worn records that we've lived with for a good while, whether they are likely to appeal to the rest of the group or not, is a much better way to conduct this dinosaur than bringing in the latest greatest release from the flavour of the month.  I have been guilty of this too often in the last few years and I plan to make amends.

I still greatly value the knowledge and input that you gents bring to the table and as such think that the club serves a useful purpose.

On another note I was walking around this afternoon on a perfect July day and listening to The Youngblood's "Elephant Mountain" album which I bought a while back as it's not on Rdio and man is the last track "Ride the Wind" an absolutely perfect accompaniment to a warm summers day.

all good points....im still digesting what you are all sayng....One thing though....
I overstated the oldies point... I think we were more to Kyles point....for me anyways its more of a reaction to lists ...I agree with you all that an old piece of music is more then worthy of discussion, in fact I love that stuff....Its just that competition and list thang that I think could be throttled back ...
Id love to hear derek and Brian as I was more the grouch that night we had the discussion and perhaps I have roped them in with my comments unfairly...apologies if I have done so..
s

I agree that we don't need to do any more oldies nights/competitions for awhile. Not necessary and the focus should be on the new, whether it be actual newly released music or music that may have been around awhile but that you've only recently discovered yourself.  I do find it a tad odd, however, that a consensus emerged about the group becoming too 'oldies' centric from the same quarter that devised and advocated for the oldies competitions.

Also, not entirely convinced that we were ever as cutting edge as we perhaps like to credit ourselves. Yes, Arcade Fire and Band of Horses were concerts attended before they broke big, but I'm struggling to find other examples. I think that Derek has probably done the best job of keeping up with new groups by reading exclaim!, visiting soundscapes, and checking out online sources over the years. The rest of us have then checked in with periodic bursts of discovery and sharing. Certainly not an indictment of our musical prowess--we're still likely ahead of 95% of the population--but I don't think it's fair to indict our current performance based on a false sense of past glory.

Having said that....I don't know that I have the time or inclination to keep my ear to the ground for innovative, non-released music/bands these days. There are so many sources of potentially great music and so little time to devote to them. However, bringing 3 pieces that we've listened to at least a handful of times still sounds completely do-able to me. Happy to make that a rule/strong suggestion/legally binding requirement for subsequent meetings.

In terms of this metabeats space, I suggested last year that we maybe think of shutting it down or rethinkng the format. I love reading longer form pieces and prefer these to lists. I'm also happy to ban lists completely even though I think these have really served as jumping off points for discussion when it comes to meeting up in person ("Really, you included 'x' but not 'y'?"). But when it comes to submitting longer form pieces about music that I like, probably not going to happen for me. Very little time for this during office hours, even less time in the evenings. If others feel differently or have more time, great. Please post here as frequently as you would like.

In terms of needing that filter, or relying on the kindness of friends to curate some good stuff, definitely some ways that we could do so more effectively via other social media. Twitter would be the easiest, most obvious.

Stuart, there are so many fish in the sea.  I for one, am not feeling the need to fall in love this summer; to find something that "sticks".  I'm happy dating and occasionally getting laid.  I'll try and find some suitable matches for you (and the others) to bring to the "CD" club.

I certainly agree that the amount of music that is readily available now presents a challenge.  But I think that a group of trusted guides has immense value in these circumstances.  I can understand the thinking about looking backwards - as enjoyable as I've found those evenings to be, you can only get together to play old favourites for each other so many times.  But I don't think that means that our focus needs to be firmly and exclusively on very new material.  Whether playing songs for each other at a gathering or typing a blog entry late at night, if you have found a piece of music that you think is appealing that at least some of your fellow metabeaters are likely to be unfamiliar with, then no other criteria is needed.  It could be brand new or 10 years old - the original purpose and real value of this group is the potential to help each other find good music.  I'd give an example, but personally, I'm in a bit of a rut...

Well Marc that is a perspective I had not considered.... Unlike you I have been struggling to find new music I like... I find all the access points you mention like rdio to be too much information so nothing really sticks.....If you are saying that you are finding tons of new music that you love so much you listen to it regularly, bring it along to the cdclub in a few weeks and let us hear it....maybe you have a system wherein your new found music doesnt get lost in the avalanche of new daily listings of new music.........

Stuart, to a great extent I agree with you that we should get back to basics and listen and talk about new finds, but, I might question how relevant the forum has become.  Don't get me wrong, i'm all for the get togethers that are now largely anachronistically called "cd club", but I wonder how relevant they are as a source for new music these days.  The group started back in the day before file sharing, blogs, the resurgence of vinyl, and well before streaming audio services, when the only way to hear something new was to spin a CD.

With instantaneous access to SO MUCH good music, is it now really necessary to get together with friends to share one's latest find except for to say ...look how clever i am that i found this before you did!

Now really, don't get me wrong, i'm all for the beer, chat and music, but really, if i want to really listen to something you recommend i listen to, the best way for me to do it is on my own without a bunch of guys talking over the music about how the Green Bay Packers are going to do on the weekend!

But really, don't get me wrong, but are we not all just a bunch of old farts hanging around listening to music together, and is that not in and of itself a little bit behind the times?  Should we heed the words of Marshall McLuwan? is the medium really the message?

A week or 2 ago Brian, Derek and I were kicking around some issues with the "cdclub"....( or more like I was bitchin and they were patiently lisnin...)  Remarkably there was a consensus around the following although i may be putting it in slightly stronger words then strickly necessary;

• We are now becoming an oldies club who obsess only about the past with our too many to name battle of the decades, bands, favorite whatever bullshit
• As an entity we used to be on top of most of the new up and coming bands prior to them breaking commercially as evidenced by Arcade Fire, band of Horses etc... etc...
• With rdio and other streaminf services none of us has a chance to listen to new music more then once before we forget everything about them
• When we come to the rare cd club where we are actually playing current music , no one really knows if the selections they are bringing are any good as they have only given it cursury listens due to the previous point about streaming combined with our busy family lives....
• In short , the whole exercise has become pretty pointless in a lot of ways

In hopes of rectifying this we came up with a few suggestions

• Do less oldies greatest hits cd club nights and more new music nights
• on metabeats less lists of songs, albums, girls, porn, that you like and more talk about either new music worth hearing or a serious written piece on why some past artist from the previous decades deserves being listened to now perhaps w recommended album purchases and why
• have a new rule that everyone must bring at least 2 or 3 NEW pices of music that you ahve actually listened to more then three times... You dont have to pretend its the best cd  you have ever listened to, but the hope is that if we focus on less rather then more thoses cds that require multiple listens to appreciate may start filtering bacik into our cd club nights

I had another thought which is that at the cd night one can state that this is one of the seriously listened to cds and then rate in on a scale of 1 to 10.... Even if there is only one cd that you listened to a lot , that would be great... for the cds you dont know as well perhaps you can say you think it has potebntial or not and for those you dont rate yh=them at all...they are works in progress....

I realise this all sound dictatorial and I encorage you all to challenge any of this... I may be way out in left field and you all like the format the way it currently is... If so i promise to shut the f.. up


s

97-01 Summer Songs

Okay, so Mike came up with a great list of albums. Brian came up with a set of a-sides and b-sides. I've opted to go in a slightly different direction, limiting my year selection to within 97-01 and focusing on music from that period that both brings back fond memories and also reminds me of summer. Came up with 50 tracks. No order in terms of year, preference, or artist. Many aren't even the best or even my favourite songs from the albums. But (I think) they're not too played out and still may be approachable today.

Name	Artist	Album	Year
Hunted By A Freak	Mogwai	Happy Songs For Happy People	1999
Find My Baby	Moby	Play	1999
Kiss Me Like You Mean It	The Magnetic Fields	69 Love Songs Volume 2	1999
At The River	Groove Armada	Vertigo	1999
Stone Wobble	Gomez	Bring It On	1998
Chained To The Moon	The Folk Implosion	One Part Lullaby	1999
What Is The Light?	The Flaming Lips	The Soft Bulletin	1999
Tender (Radio Edit)	Blur	Blur	1997
Golden Age Of Life	4Hero	Two Pages	1998
Be Thankful For What You Got	Yo La Tengo	Little Honda [EP]	1998
Lonely Soul	Unkle	Psyence Fiction	1998
Hey, Joe	Sparklehorse	Good Morning Spider	1998
Tonite It Shows	Mercury Rev	Deserter's Songs	1998
The Best Thing	Ivy	ApartmentLife	1997
Thru The Haze	Jaz Klash	Thru The Haze	1997
Old To Begin	Pavement	Brighten The Corners	1997
You Know Where to Find Me	Portastatic	The Nature of Sap	1997
I Think I'm In Love	Spiritualized	Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space	1997
Parsec	Stereolab	Dots And Loops	1997
Martinis on the Roof	Superchunk		1997
Lucky Man	The Verve	Urban Hymns	1997
Damage	Yo La Tengo	I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One	1997
Talisman	Air	Moon Safari	1998
Nightlife	Amon Tobin	Permutation	1998
Bottle Of Blues	Beck	Mutations	1998
Chickfactor	Belle and Sebastian	The Boy With The Arab Strap	1998
Turquoise Hexagon Sun	Boards Of Canada	Music Has The Right To Children	1998
Bug Powder Dust	Bomb The Bass	The K&D Sessions [Disc 1]	1998
North Country Boy	Charlatans	Melting Pot	1998
Maniac	Cinerama	Va Va Voom	1998
Everything Is Everything	Lauryn Hill	The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill	1998
Teardrop	Massive Attack	Mezzanine	1998
So Nice (Summer Samba)	Bebel Gilberto	Tanto Tempo	2000
Distortions	Clinic	Internal Wrangler	2000
Accused Of Stealing	The Delgados	The Great Eastern	2000
Streets Of Istanbul	dZihan & Kamien	Freaks & Icons	2000
In The Lost And Found (Honky Bach)	Elliott Smith	Figure 8	2000
Flavors	Gomez	Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline [Disc 1]	2000
Hewlett's Daughter	Grandaddy	The Sophtware Slump	2000
On The Flipside	Looper	The Geometrid	2000
So Flute	St. Germain	Tourist	2000
Felicidade	Suba	Sao Paulo Confessions	2000
Puzzle	Tahiti 80	Puzzle	2000
Suzuki	Tosca	Suzuki	2000
The Host	Built To Spill	Ancient Melodies Of The Future	2001
Marrakesh	Greyboy	Mastered The Art	2001
Soul For Sahib	Koop	Waltz For Koop	2001
Lalo Caught Me Dancin'	Llorca	New Comer	2001
You And Whose Army?	Radiohead	Amnesiac	2001
Remind Me	Röyksopp	Melody A.M.	2001

Great lists, Mike and Bri. I vow to get off my ass and contribute my list v. soon.

Mike, holy wow, look at you just blogging out of the blue like that.  Impressive!  I had decided that the 16 for 16 concept was another BD exercise in musical masturbation.  Glad to see you joining me (so to speak).   Good list, and yes a few surprises and eyebrows up at my end.    There's a fairly equal balance of rock and more rootsy singer songwriter.  Remember when you used to like Rush? Ted Nugent?  John Denver?

I'm finally getting around to posting my list, having decided to focus only on songs, whether they be rock, pop, folk, or jazz.   Nothing longer than 11:00-ish here.   Once you get into choosing songs, it is of course much different than albums.   Less of an intellectual exercise, and more about little packets of joy.    It still seemed to start with favourite albums for me, but in many cases I decided against choosing a track - too bloody predictable be half,  and we besides don't you think we over-listen to our favourite records?  We just end up choosing them by rote - and moved onto to songs I hadn't heard in a while, but remembered with fondness.    So in the end I probably have an equal mix of the uber-familiar and the somewhat less so.    Lots of quieter music here, reflecting my advancing years and years in early fatherhood in this period (I'll rock out more in the next 16 years).

Also, given the time I spent on it, I have decided that I am justified in posting up two lists of 16.   Think of it as "32 for 16", or "16 more for the next 16".

The A Sides (in no order)


(1) Barbara H. - Fountains Of Wayne (first record)
(2) Time Stops  - Teenage Fanclub (Man-Made)
(3) Scythian Empires - Andrew Bird (Armchair Apocrypha)
(4) Dusk - Andrew Hill (Dusk....best jazz record of the last 16 years, imo)
(5) Kissing The Lipless- The Shins  (Chutes Too Narrow)
(6 ) Someday - The Strokes (Is This It....too bloody predictable damn it)
(7) John Wayne Gacy, Jr - Sufjan Stevens (Illinoise...yes I think the whole album is utterly brilliant)
(8) We Gathered In Spring - Midlake (Trials Of Van Occupanther)
(9) Banished - David Murray Black Saint Quartet (Sacred Ground)
(10) Angeles - Elliott Smith - (Either/Or....best songwriter of the past 16 years)
(11) Motor Away - Guided by Voices (Alien Lanes)
(12) Out Of Gas - Modest Mouse (The Lonesome Crowded West...how did this sneak on?)
(13) What Were The Chances - Damien Jurado (And Now That I'm In Your Shadow)
(14) Don't Ask - Grizzly Bear (Horn of Plenty)
(15) Young Sensualists - Throw Me The Statue (Moonbeams....unexpected favourite show of the past ten years; and yes, Throw Me the Statue is the band name)
(16) New Hampshire - Matt Pond PA (Emblems....best overly sentimental ballad about going back to your small-town home after you've lived in the big city for a few years, in the past 16 years)

The B Sides 

(1) Jessica - Avi Buffalo (self titled)

(2) Between The Bars - Elliott Smith (Either/Or....still the best songwriter ten minutes after I wrote it up above) 

(3) Sim Sala Bim - Fleet Foxes (Helplessness Blues)

(4) The Crystal Lake - Grandaddy (The Sophtware Slump)

(5) Market Girl - Headlights (Some Racing, Some Stopping)

(6) July Flame - Laura Veirs (July Flame)

(7) My Roots Are Strong And Deep - The Microphones (The Glow Part 2)

(8) Denial - Pure (Generation Six-Pack)

(9) My Gap Feels Weird - Superchunk (Majesty Shredding)

(10) The Funeral - Band Of Horses  (Everything All The Time)

(11) For Science Fiction - Maritime (Heresy and the Hotel Choir)  

(12) The Chalet Lines - Belle and Sebastian (Fold Your Hands Child...always loved this sad and slightly horrible number) 

(13) Hear Me Out- Ben Kweller (On My Way)

(14) Choose Drugs - Juliana Hatfield (Beautiful Creature) 

(15) Downtime - Gandharvas (Sold for a Smile)

(16) Winona Ryder - Egolillys (from their epochal first record, Pithy)

Derek, given that the exalted concept of a 16 x 6 playlist hasn't materialized for Saturday night,  I do expect to hear a smattering of these songs at the very least pal.

I've been wading through my music, and I've compiled my "16 in 16" list.   Brian's concept was broader than "albums" - "pieces of music" was his phrase, I believe.  But I started thinking about songs and backed off because the volume was too daunting.  So I've chosen 16 albums, and I've introduced a somewhat arbitrary restriction of one album per artist on my list.  I'm not suggesting that the rest of you apply that rule - it just helped me narrow things down faster.  I also started with the intention of ranking my 16 choices, but after a few minutes I abandoned that too!  Clearly I lack the decisiveness and discipline required of a music critic.  So in no particular order, my 16 are:

OK Computer – Radiohead

Funeral – Arcade Fire

Music Inspired by the Film “Dead Man Walking” – Various Artists

The Trumpet Child – Over the Rhine

Picaresque – The Decemerists

We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions – Bruce Springsteen

Birds Make Good Neighbors – The Rosebuds

Jerusalem – Steve Earle

Fisherman’s Blues Part II – The Waterboys

Mermaid Avenue – Billy Bragg and Wilco

East Nashville Skyline – Todd Snider

Mule Variation – Tom Waits

By Baby Don’t Tolerate – Lyle Lovett

Either/Or – Eliot Smith

Garbage 2.0 – Garbage

A New Day at Midnight – David Gray

I've been in this group long enough to know that there are some choices on this list that won't be on any other Metabeats lists, and I would guess that a few eyebrows were raised questioningly at a few of these choices.  Nonetheless, I recommend them all highly - they're great albums!

As an accountant/auditor/forensic investigator by trade I for one find accuracy rather useful so in regards to Brian's 18 for 18 project it might need to be whittled down to 16 for 16 as the very first CD club took place at 214 Brunswick Avenue on the momentous evening of Wednesday September 25, 1996 when Brian was still a young pup of 32 and Kyle I believe was 19 and in his 2nd year at uni.

Cusp of mid 30s, if we're going for accuracy, but why bother. Was fully ready to dismiss Beachwood, given how much it was being talked up and my predilection for negative/harsh blog comments but...really liking the 2002 6 song disc currently streaming on Rdio. Hoping they sold more copies a decade ago than are streaming now. With 52 listens at present, they'll likely well on their way to earning a nickel sometime in the next week.

Oh indeed, it is quite a burden being so prescient and influential. 

Re 18 in 18, the more I think about it, the more I'm inspired to simply choose my favourite 18 pieces of music over the period 1994 - 2012.    By which I mean, songs and/or short pieces, rather than albums.   It'll be less about the obviously great (like, by the way I like Pavement's Crooked Rain?) and influential, and more a wide open selection (heck, a celebration) of songs I loved then and still love now, across all genres....which means mostly indy pop/rock.    That way it'll be fun coming up with the list through heavy late-night sampling.   And yes I will hearken back to MetaBeats on occassion, since y'all have had a big influence on my listening sicne way back when I was in my twenties (or was it early 30's).   

Saw the Beachwood Sparks were even reviewed in the G&M this weekend. Clearly, you and others here played an integral war in heating up demand for their music in the blogosphere. Clearly.

As for 18 years, plenty of good stuff. Are you asking for a review of music brought to meetings (which will take a hell of a long time to try to recreate) or just fave music since 1996 (which will still require some time)?

18 for 18?

Gents, my goodness all is somnambule on the Beats of Meta. So,I've been flipping through the "allmusic 20's" in recent days, in some cases admiring, in others, questioning and criticizing the best 20 picks from some of their writers. Given that we have been a Meta group for (roughly?) 18 years, which is a stunning fact in its own right, I thought it might be worthwhile for each of us to list our favourite 18 albums, or just pieces of music, from the last 18 years. I'll give mine some thought, particularly with an eye to avoiding the old familiar choices. As a P.S., I was amused and then (post-listening)very pleased to see and hear that Beachwood Sparks have released a new record this week after a 10-year haiatus!? Their ears must have been burning.

Incidentally have any of you lads listened to the new Charlotte Gainsbourg record?  I "spun" it quite obsessively on the fiight to HK and really love some o fit. Not to show my hand for the upcoming CD nght, but (what the hell) check ot White Telephone, a brilliant mood piece and my new favourite song.  A number if similarly appealing tracks - All the Rain, for one.

Reporting from Hong Kong Park
Brian

thanks Kyle, far and away the most succinct and all encompassing article I have ever read on this much debated topic....Very spock like in its unarguable logic....I plan to email this to all my neices and nephews who are decidedly of Emilys point of view...I suggest you all do the same.....but the real question is........we all take a number of discs from free places and burn them, but I think most of you are like me and still spend a lot of money on music (for me 97% of my music)....do any of you now not buy much and if so will this article change your habits?
s

A frank admission of file-sharing by a young twenty-something at NPR and a thoughtful response by D. Lowery.

Free Wilco ipad book. Content doesn't seem all that riveting but certainly priced right for some leisurely reading and scrolling.

@ Brian re First Aid Kit; apologies, i was not aware that they had come out with a new album; if you like it you should check out The Big Black and the Blue, the first album (track of note I Met Up With a King), the one i brought to cd night, and @ Stuart, The Lion's Roar is a might fine follow up .

yes Brian just the 1 album Spirit Stereo frequency

I just came across an album by R Stevie Moore released in 1976, fascinating crap that some of you might want to take a listen to.. I had originally clicked on it on as i opened a new Rdio session not knowing what it was and thought i would give it a spin.  Not having read the liner notes, at first i thought it was a current work.  I don't love it, i just think it's worth a once over spin if you can stomach it. (damning praise if i ever gave some)  "

One of the most unique albums of the 1970s, R. Stevie Moore's debut long-player is an uncategorizable mess that somehow keeps from falling apart completely, kind of like a one-man band version of the Beatles' White Album cross-pollinated with late-1960s Frank Zappa at his most antic. Yet just as the album seems hopelessly self-indulgent and bizarre, Moore suddenly veers into some of the sweetest and catchiest pop songs of the pre-punk '70s. That dichotomy is what makes Phonography special. Recorded in bits and pieces over the course of two years of living room sessions, with Moore playing and singing every part, barring the tambourine on the Soft Machine-like opening instrumental "Melbourne," the album shares much with such one-man band predecessors as McCartney, Todd Rundgren's Something/Anything?, and Roy Wood's Boulders. However, having been made on a cheap four-track with one microphone, a borrowed guitar, and no mixing deck, Phonography also has a funky lo-fi charm that anticipates post-grunge D.I.Y. savants like Guided By Voices and Pavement."

Hey Stu, thanks  for the post, I've checked out a couple of the bands you mention, still lots to look at though.  I'm not sure how I missed out on All Night Radio, given that they're apparently a follow-on from Beechwood Sparks, one of my very favourite retro bands from around the year 2000.  Looks like ANR made only one record - is that right?  Are you listening to the '04 release?

forgot to add one comment... I came across this song a week ago from a reviewer I like and I cant get it out of my head....it is a very comercial tune in fact its a cover of a huge pop hit from 5 years ago, but something in it rings passionate and true to me, in an Adele kind of way....if only all comercial pop music was this good....perhaps none of you will be able to get past the trappings but give it a shot..

I must admit to onlt knowing a few off that list.... Grimes is a record I just previewed last night and thiought would be a good summer disc, I am loving the Julia Holter disc, which Uncut put me onto a few weeks back, and i love the new Beach House , and am surprised to nsee mixed reviews on it........
anti beatles songs....??? inevitable I guess, ....I must say for a band I often critically deride, they still get a lot of airplay at my house, but thats a discussion we ahve all beenm down before

coincidentally her Kyle loaned me his LA nuggets box a few weeks ago and I have been immersed in it as of late... i tracked down the history onlt recently and was amused to see you lot on about it... we really do see too much of each other....

in addition to those mentioned above, new stuff I am listening too  ( as opposed to new releases);
memmoryhouse   the years ep...lovely laid back vibe like beach house on qualudes

all night radio...fantastic modernish but not really take on the 60's L.A. late 60's scene...really great this

destroyer kaputt....didnt like previewing it at all, but picked it up on Dereks advice anyways and didnt    really love it untill the warm weather hit...damn it makes a fine hot weather wine sipping disc of the summer

cant stop listening to EMA song california, not sure bout the rest of the disc

trent rezners ssoundtrack to the girl w the dragon tatoo makes for interesting early or late hours music to work to

rae spoon...fuckin fantastic electro pop from a person who sounds like a girl but aint... has that androgenous vocal over xx like minimalist electro beat...yum///!!!

finally a note to lamb lovers.... had a rachk of lamb bbq'ed w a oregon pino nopir and yes folks that combo can work...was always a sceptic , but after hearing various mentions that it was great have dabbled and if its a heavyer pino its a great combo...highly recommended...

Basking in the glow of your compliment, Bri, I was able to find a link to the Nuggets: album you mentioned on Rdio.And yes, bonus points for referencing The Clash.

If you happen to play this at an outside event, though, watch out! The Copyright Board of Canada apparently wants a cut of that cut you're spinning. My response was a two-worded directive but perhaps you feel differently.

Funny and interesting link Kyle. Can I say, for the record, that you have a remarkable ability to source entertaining stuff for the blog? Well done amigo.

Re the anti-Beatles, a couple of thoughts. (a) I liked the reference to the somewhat obscure (meaning-wise I mean) Peter Paul and Mary song, which in fact lays waste to many hallowed artists and their bandwagon-esquing around the Peace and Love movement, all under the quite funny banner of "I Dig Rock and Roll Music".  (b)  I love the Barbarians song, and am likely the only Metabeat with an album of theirs (don't rush to purchase it though....that early garage sound has I would imagine a limited appeal among the M/Beats'ers.). Having said that, (c) those of you who don't have the Nuggets collection of Psychedelic / Garage classics from the 1965-68 period (compiled by Lenny Kaye in 1972) truly are missing out on something. Go get that one.  Having trouble with my linking so I'll just list the URL

http://www.allmusic.com/album/nuggets-original-artyfacts-from-the-first-psychedelic-era-1965-1968-mw0000599845

Althought they've bolstered the release with 3 new disks of music, the original album was just the first Disk, which was pretty formative for me when I came upon it in the late seventies.
Finally I'm surprised not to see London Calling on the list, given its famous reference to "phoney Beatlemania".  Anytime you can link the Clash into a music discussion you score points, don't you?

Thanks Stu. Also, did you know there was a whole genre of anti-Beatles songs?

thursday aug 2 at my place then for the cd club...apologies, a bit swamped here...
s

Meh on The Books but see that you're listening to Perfect From Now On by Built to Spill...excellent choice for a sunny humid afternoon sir! Also, I'm fine with Thursday August 2nd, and will happily consume Marc's share of whatever booze will be on offer that evening.

Hey I like the Books.  Unlike, I may say, many of the quickly-previwed Stereogum top 25ers.

I'm cool with any date so will leave it to the rest of you to battle it out.

And in the category of least essential upcoming release I give you this.

Hey boys, the Thursday night is probably a safer bet for me too, given that my plans aren't fully formed for that weekend yet.

Marc I'm inTrigued by Tronic.  I'll give 'er a listen today.

@marc, Ceremony, Spiritualized, Chromatics, Frankie Rose, Tanlines, Lotus Plaza, Julia Holter, Beach House, The Walkmen, and Cloud Nothing's have crossed my path but I've yet to hear any of the others. Probably some favorites missing but I'll need to go through my iTunes and Rdio collection to try to recall. Don't think the Cate Lebon album I'm digging a lot is 2012 and The Roots is late 2911 but they are two recent standouts for me.

Also, thought thiswas kinda cool.

hah @ Kyle, i'm only familiar with three bands and only one album!

I'm planning on going on a cycling trip all weekend and as such, would really prefer the Thursday.  If Friday is the only day that works for others i can change my plans to accommodate. (and might not drink and leave early)

Tronic. Saved to my collection. Will check it out. Stu, August 3rd works for me. Lock it down. Would have commented on your original post but the fucking 'enter this word' bullshit makes me want to fucking punch someone. Further to our discussion about dwelling in the past and not focusing on new stuff, a list of Stereogum's Top 25 Albums of 2012 thus far. I confess to only being familiar with a dozen at best.

ok...how is Friday aug 3 for the cd club...the friday of the long weekend....

I recently came across an album on Rdio by Tronic that, Brian, made me think of you and thought it might be right up your alley.  So much so that i suspect you already know it.  Love Backed by Force was originally released in 1981 but "lingered in obscurity".  Of particular note on the album is a cut called "My Baby's In a Coma" ...hummmmmm, sounds a little familiar ... I can't quite my finger on it Mr Morrissey!

ok...calm down all of you...I can only take so many requests... im glad you all want to do this but please just give me holiday dates you cant make.......

I was bemoaning to derek the other night about the theme cd club battles like the 80's night seem to have been dominating our time and we are losing our edge in terms of the primary purpose of our get togethers...that being namely to drink...er.....I mean that being to find new music .... That said i am offering to host the summer event in late July or early August  perhaps w a casual BBQ before....and the topic will be...new stuff that you are loving from 2012.....are any of you away on holdays for that period?
s

Well, fuck.. Very sad. Here's the No Sleep Till Brooklyn video I mentioned a few weekends back.

Full confession: I have never watched 'The Song Remains the Same'. I will now do so, if only so I can come back here and mock Mike for his positive assessment or endorse it full-heartedly. I foresee no middle ground. Also, came across this, which I think is pretty amusing.

I've got a quick post - backward looking, rather than forward, I'm afraid.  On CBC radio this morning, the DJ referred to "the late Robert Plant", and I started thinking maybe I'd missed his passing.  I came into the office and looked it up, and he appears to still be alive.  It was a bit of a coincidence because although I don't listen to much Led Zeppelin anymore, my son gave me, "The Song Remains the Same" on DVD for Christmas, and I got around to watching it on Friday night.  It was actually much better than I remembered it - at least the live music part.  I had remembered Jimmy Page as being particularly sloppy, but upon re-watching it, it was a good performance.  Not without mistakes here and there, but very listenable.  What struck me about the band as I listened to it was how good they were at putting together cool musical riffs and interludes based on very simple instrumentation - 1 guitar with bass and drums, or 1 guitar with keyboard and drums.  Sure, there were lots of self-indulgent jams (guitar with violin bow, the extended drum solo, etc), but the songs are very well written and arranged.  I've significantly upgraded my opinion of that film.  Except the goofy vignettes.  They're pretty terrible. 

There's a noticeable lack of posts on the blog gents.  No musical thoughts to share?  No new listens upon which to expound?  I'm skeptical.   What's everyone's favourite 2012 release?

To complete that thought, the "match-up" view:

Stuart 2 vs Marc 10
Stuart 6 vs Derek 6
Jeff 6 vs Kyle 6
Marc 4 vs Brian 8
Jeff 5 vs Marc 7
Stuart 8 vs Brian 4
Derek 6 vs Kyle 6
Kyle 7 vs Brian 5
Derek 7 vs Marc 5
Stuart 6 vs Kyle 6
Jeff 6 vs Derek 7 (odd, that)
Jeff 4 vs Brian 7 (that too)
Brian 8 vs Derek 4
Stuart 7 vs Jeff 5
Marc 5 vs Kyle 7

ouch...Marc beat me 10 points to 2 on our combined matches.....
otherwise remarkably close battles by all

Final 80s Night Results

Round 1


Stuart - Steve Earle - Copperhead Road - 2

Derek - The Jam - That's Entertainment - 4


Jeff - The Clash - Somebody Got Murdered - 3

Kyle - New Order - Age of Consent - 3


Marc - Michelle Shocked - Fogtown - 1

Brian - Steve Kilbey - Pretty Ugly, Pretty Sad - 5


Round 2

Jeff - The Housemartins - Flag Day - 2

Marc - The Waterboys - Don't Bang the Drum - 4


Stuart - Roxy Music - Same Old Scene - 3

Brian - Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way - 3


Derek - The Smiths - Death of a Disco Dancer - 3

Kyle - The Pixies - Where is My Mind - 3


Round 3

Derek - The Cure - A Night Like This - 2

Stuart - Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy - 4


Kyle - Echo and the Bunnymen - Killing Moon - 4

Brian - Sonic Youth - Expressway to Yr. Skull - 2


Marc - REM - I Believe - 3

Jeff - REM - South Central Rain - 3


Round 4

Kyle - Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again - 3

Jeff - Beastie Boys - No Sleep Til Brooklyn - 3


Brian - The Rain Parade - Prisoners - 1

Stuart - Billy Bragg - Milkman of Human Kindness - 5


Marc - U2 - In God's Country - 2

Derek - House of Love - Christine - 4


Round 5

Stuart - The Replacements - Unsatisfied - 3

Kyle - Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun - 3


Jeff - Pop Will Eat Itself - Wise Up Sucker - 4

Derek - Lloyd Cole - Perfect Skin - 3


Brian - Hoodoo Gurus - Bittersweet - 3

Marc - Lou Reed - Romeo had Juliette - 3


Round 6

Stuart - The Pogues - Fairytale of New York - 1

Marc - Sinnead O'Connor - Jackie - 5


Jeff - Stone Roses - I am the Resurrection - 2

Brian - Mike Oldfield - To France - 3


Kyle - The Smiths - Panic - 3

Derek - Elvis Costello - Beyond Belief - 3


Round 7

Brian - Dumptruck - Going Nowhere - 3

Derek - Tears for Fears - Head over Heels - 3


Kyle - The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary - 3

Marc - Daniel Lanois - Where the Hawkwind Kills - 3


Stuart - Simple Minds - Someone, Somewhere in Summertime - 4

Jeff - Rolling Stones - Waiting on a Friend - 2


Round 8

Marc - Pete Townshend - Give Blood - 2

Kyle - Love and Rockets - Haunted When the Minutes Drag - 4


Jeff - XTC - Grass - 3

Stuart - Bob Marley - Redemption Song - 3


Derek - Kate Bush - Suspended in Gaffa - 1

Brian - The Feelies - It's Only Life - 5


Round 9

Derek - Orange Juice - Blue Boy - 4

Jeff - Tom Waits - Downtown Train - 2


Brian - Fleshtones - The Dreg - 3

Kyle - Split Enz - I Got You - 3


Marc - Nirvana - About a Girl - 5

Stuart Neil Young - No More - 1


Round 10

Kyle - Prince - Kiss - 3

Stuart – Robbie Robertson - Showdown at Big Sky - 3


Brian - That Petrol Emotion - Cellophane - 4

Jeff - The Chameleons - Swamp Thing - 2


Derek - New Order - Temptation - 3

Marc - Violent Femmes - Add it Up – 3





Final Points Tally:

Brian, Kyle – 32

Marc – 31

Derek – 30

Stuart – 29

Jeff – 26



Not quite sure how Jeff ended up with 4 points in Round 5 with him and I sharing 7 votes for the round and then he and Brian sharing only 5 votes in Round 6. I did a recount of ballots cast yesterday afternoon and this was the case. Still worked out to 180 votes in total.

metaBeats

Verboten songs for this evening

Sad to see this. RIP Levon.

Pshaw Mercer you have an 80's song in your head right now.  Don't deny it.    Everything Counts?  Wrapped Around Your Finger?  Shout?

Re your comfort, good strategy.   Two thoughts: one is you're probably still chuffed from your win at the last smackdown, and/or have realized how unimportant winning actually is, given thet it confers, um. nothing, or two, you've forgotten the cautionary tale of the man who knew a decade cold (let's say, the 90's) and believed he could show up with a list of 200 great songs and dominate by choosing as he went. 

5pm works for me. How does it suit the rest of you?

Can't say I've put in nearly as many hours poring over the music this time as I did for the 90s or the 1979/2004 combo. Don't know if it is complacency or I figure I should know this period in music inside/out (good 80s song by the way) so suffice to say my head is actually not stuck on a perpetual 80s groove and it's a good thing. (another great 80s number). Perhaps I'm fooling myself.

OK gents it's a week and a day until the big 80's showdown.   I have too many songs (surprise!).  

The question for Friday morning is, which 80's song is playing in your head today, likely from too much "research"?  And of course, by disclosing this song it pretty much rules out playing it.   Prepared to anty up?   Mine is "The Unguarded Moment".  

Derek - How about 5 o'clock?  I'll be at Oliver's ball hockey until 4:00 or so.

The posting of the 1980s tracks played by Brian on that fateful evening can be found on the blog in a post by myself dated January 11, 2012. Not that it needs repeating but for those who don't listen the first time around none of the tracks played in previous contests can be played again on the 21st.

Stuart if you feel the need to play Bach, Bix Beiderbecke, Bieber, Blur or anything else not released in the 1980s feel free to amuse yourself as you usually do with your selections anyway and rule yourself out of the "competition" before it begins. At least you'll have a stress free evening.

Speaking of which when would you gents like to kick this thing off next weekend? I'm very flexible on the start time.

It's heartening to note that you recall that decisive ass-kicking as well as I do M. Watson.  

I can probably piece together my track list, but I thought Derek had already posted them sometime in the last couple of months.  Looked and didn't find them, mind you.  If I'm right and they are posted, someone please take over......otherwise I'll figure it out.

Brian what 80's picks did you use to bludgeon Dereks head to a bloody pulpy mess?
I plan to either use them all if allowed....


also......

How many non 80's songs can we use?

As we build our lists for the pending smackdown on the 21st, some more amusing lists to contemplate, including:

• Death Metal Act or Hardy Boys Novel
  
• Hip Hop Act or Entry on US Government Watch List
  
• Rapper or Toiletry

Just so we're all clear on this:

Timeframe - January 1, 1980-December 31, 1989

ie no London Calling by the Clash and no Nevermind by Nirvana

15 songs by the Smiths, New Order and Depeche Mode should see you through Stu. That and some good bottles of wine.

sorry Brian, do you mean we are only playing music from the 80's?

Stu, there are three key rules as I understand it:

(1) Just 80's
(2) Only 80's
(3) Exclusively 80's

I would prefer to not read through all the emails re the upcoming cd club......I am not expecting to fare well in this 80's event , (so i shall bring good wine)....in short, if i bring 15 or so bad 80's tracks...is that all i need to get through this....Or do i need a smattering of songs from other eras...(please I donrt need all the rules , here)
thanks
s

It's unfortunate when people publish irresponsible and inaccurate information like that. To return MetaBeats to the firm ground of established fact and sound analysis, I offer this take on copyright law, SOPA and the economic cost of piracy.

....i guess i should be more careful.....unless perhaps this isn't Derek....but someone hacking onto metabeats.... at any rate I hope "Derek" is correct as I would miss the boxing day ritual...

More room and selection for me at Soundscapes for me I guess. Don't believe all the crap that's on the internet.

its official cds toast later this year...the major labels will no longer make them...so long soundscapes it was good to know you....

I like the new Rdio lay out quite a it. Navigating and building playlists much more straightforward.

Thought of our recent competition and in particular Marc's challenge that night when I read this allmusic post.