you may have adressed this but, if we log on in the morning and Kyle is playing that Miley Cyrus crap again and again.... you will have to either change the music and he will have to live without her or put up with his taste in music (unbearable to most) or have a separate account with a different log in... If this works out to be good, then that makes the most sence because the costs of the shared account are so minimal.... marc has set it up but if 4 of us join we can pay him a quarter of the costs (a whopping 30 bucks a year).... S

for some reason blogger is removing all my paragraph breaks, sorry.

Welcome to metaBeats rdio; the experiment has begun. I set up a new e-mail address and rdio account, go to rdio site and participate. If you play or make changes, they will be simultaneously be made on all open metaBeats rdio players. I think Stuart's office will be online this coming week as will i during the day. Join the fun and respect your audience ...but not too much ;} I was talking with Stuart and a really interesting thing came up. They have a computer in the office that acts as the music server and is hooked up to an amp and speakers. This platform means that anyone can change the music from their own workstation simply by having an rdio browser open and making a changes to it. Go to rdio, find the sign-in in the top right corner, enter the e-mail address and password i have sent out or feel free to request it ...add songs or albums to the collection, make play lists, hit play. Once logged in you can close the browser and still stay logged in which is nice) ...it even remembers what you where playing when you closed the window. ( I think it might make sense that if you stop listening close the browser window as a courtesy to others because that way you can tell if anyone is on-line) ...not exactly sure how well this is going to work but it could be interesting.

So, something interesting i noticed about an Rdio account, you can open it up simultaneously on multiple computers or portable devices. If one computer changes a song in play it will mirror the change on the other machines logged onto the one account. I think it might be interesting to open up an account on which we are all able to sign on, add music, playlists, and listen. The thing is it's like being in the same space ....if i walk over to the CD player and change the music (in mid bar) everyone else is forced to listen to the change ...until someone else puts their foot down! I expect that there will on occasions be several people tuned in and at other times it will be like CKLN ...a dj with no audience! Anybody interested in checking out Rdio without signing up (for free) and interested in my little experiment of Rdio metaBeats, e-mail me and i will pass along a log-in and password.

I like the feature that tells you what I've just eaten....correlating consumed foods to musical choices is just another exciting way to explore music. Hope you enjoyed those short ribs.

Kyle, I'm lovin' the Rdio. I particularly love the way that when i go to follow you, Rdio gives me a Google streetview of the current location of your iphone that you have linked your account to ...cool!

Nice to have a week in the office to work on strategy and presentations, which has afforded me some listening/screwing around time with this Rdio site.

Once you get over the fact that nothing you're listening to on the site is ever private....oh wait, you can't get over that? Well, than this site might not be for you. But if you can, well, it's a bit of a blast. Not just because it's fun to watch Marc add music to his account with the speed and intensity of a washed up tv actor from a shitty tv show going through an eight ball of coke. But because this type of social format offers, in a far more visual, intuitive, and user-friendly way, one of the most compelling features of Napster back in the day: the ability to see what's in someone else's music collection.

I'm listening to Ogden's Nut...by the Small Faces. While doing so (though I should be going back to working on a powerpoint slide) I instead click on the profile of others who have recently listened to this or have saved in their collections, and see if they come up with any good suggestions for me as to what to listen to next. Stu alert: both Fairport Convention and Glen Campbell come up, which leaves me to suspect that you have signed up under an alias.

Kind of a more hands-on approach to the 'Recommended if you Like' algorithm. They're edging closer to getting $10 out of me.

Back @ u KP ...though u beat me to the punch line that was going to be about my dirty little Sabbath and Maiden fetish! ...it's all a little creepy if you ask me (...the following, not the fetish)

Watch what you listen to, Marc. I am now following you! Queue Michael Jackson/Rockwell early 80s collaborat...oh wait you have already....very good. Carry on.

I like the Rdio setup although i find myself spending too much time digging around and looking for stuff to play ...it's too much of a distraction for me when i really should be raking in the $$$! ...Checked out the new Wye Oak yesterday on Rdio and I give it my two thumbs up. That is what i find brilliant about a service like this is i gives me an opportunity to listen to stuff that i might not actually going out to purchase in any case ...if i fall in love something i will pick it up. Yesterday i thought i should acquaint myself with PJ Harvey's catalogue because i was really not familiar with it ...boom! done! i'll give some of it another spin or two but at this point i don't think i need to have it in my collection. Like i say, brilliant.

Derek, when ARE we getting our high school prog rock band back together? I know I was only 9 or so when we started belting out April Wine in your parent's garage--can you still do the harmony on 'Just Between You and Me'?

Have to admit, this is the first time I can claim I've heard 'Phasors on Stun' (or at least had it pointed out to me before or while listening to it...doubtless I must have heard it sometime on Q107). Though the synth sound is definitely of its era, the song still stands the test of time. Odd that you can't get it on itunes. Seems they do offer a few FM albums but not the one you mentioned, Mike. Brian, am happy to learn more and receive a disc at an upcoming music event.

Stu, agree that I'll probably want to listen to Elliott Smith in 20 years but would I necessarily want to listen to Pantha du Prince? Or Avi Buffalo? Or a few others that I enjoyed in 2010 but may not in 2030. I ask because, while I'm pretty certain I'm still want to own my music going forward, I'm not certain that I want to own all of it. Or rather, that I don't necessarily need to own all of it.

Last night I installed the Rdio iphone app and started playing around with the free 7-day account that I set up. I discovered I could not only stream to the phone, which was semi-useful, as I can of course connect this to the stereo and play through the house. But I also noticed I could sync/save songs to the device itself to play even when not connected to the internet. I noticed that the new Wye Oak album was a featured new release so I saved it and listened to it on the way into work this morning. First listen: pretty good, similar to what we heard last summer live. I also saved the new R.E.M. and, because Derek played this for me recently, 'Crocodiles' by Echo & the Bunnymen, which I do not currently own.

Perhaps I'll want to buy the Wye Oak album so I can do with it what I please--put songs on mixed cds, hoard digitally as long as my media will hold, put on a smaller ipod shuffle, mp3 player, etc.--but do I need to? Am I better off taking the $9.99 I'd pay for the single disc and use it to listen to as many (within reason and limits of availability, of course) discs as I'd like, knowing that some of these will only appeal to me in the short term anyway? It may be worth it to spend $10 a month to essentially sample what's new, rediscover what's old.

Still testing but it may be an interesting way to discover new music, and Mike, since you have another $12 you're no longer forking over to emusic, you may wish to explore this option. Warning though: they do not have 'Phasors on Stun' by FM either.

Phasors is an absolute classic, and (crazy as it sounds) had already made its way onto the Road Collection, pre-fascination by the blog. Of course the collection has quickly become a box set, numbering 148 songs and 9.8 hours, so basically every song every written is on it. In particular i've gone down the rabbit hole of 70's Canadiana, with songs by Fludd (Cousin Mary), The Stampeders (Ramona), Chilliwack (Fly at Night), April Wine (Bad Side of the Moon), Five Man Electrical Band (Absolutely Right), and the Cooper Brothers (Rock n Roll Cowboy). Among others!

So thanks for your lists, I have borrowed liberally from them in pulling together the tome. Perhaps I will customize a couple for each blogger when we next get together. Which is when?

I'd like to add my voice to those supporting "Phasers on Stun". Like many, I was introduced to FM because they frequently opened for Rush back in the day. The "Black Noise" album on which the aforementioned song appeared was excellent, although I couldnt' find a copy of it anywhere when I digitized my collection. I also used to own "City of Fear". The front man was particularly talented - generally singing lead while playing 2 different keyboard parts on two different keyboards and playing bass with pedals. This video comes from the early years before Nash the Slash (electric mandolin and violin) turned up the theatrics. When I saw them, he was always dressed in an elaborate costume, the most prominant feature of which was that his face was entirely covered with guaze bandages, mummy-like. It was everything rock and roll should be!

just a note that anyone who happened to see marcs posted video of phasors on stun: Despite evidence to the contrary, the song actually is good and the artists are actually cool... (I always wondered what that song would look like drawn out to prog rock excess and performed by Kyle and Dereks high school rock band )
As for the streaming service...unlike movies , one tends to want multiple repeated listens , much more so then a movie ..... Also, as with emusic the company can lose contracts with a label so that you couldnt listen to a ceratin Eliott Smith album 20 years from now, which is what i image I will still be doing...
s

I enjoy listening to NPR whenever I'm travelling through the US. I prefer it to the CBC, less navel-gazing from hosts and callers, and more focused on current events, cultural and political topics. Something very limiting about carrying around a set number of songs too. I always want to save the 'good' mixed cd or albums for the portion of the drive where I feel I'll need them the most, not wanting to waste them when driving through a heavily populated metropolitan area, with multi station offerings. When you get into those rural areas stateside, though, its either all tiresome religious preaching or even more tiresome Republican talking point ranting from right wing radio.

Perhaps something like this from these guys would be the way to go then. Came across the article in this morning's G&M. Lots of points of discussion here....from 'renting' vs. 'owning' to the apparent finding that young music fans prefer the sound of mp3s to vinyl or cds....

At any rate, I signed up for a free 7-day trial so will let you know what it's like. Of course, if I were in Stuart's magical office, it would always been free. :)

Stu, as you will attest, "Phasers on Stun" can make me drive WAY to fast. (note the date on the video ...1976)

Truth be told, the thing i find wonderful about a road trip is that, for us, it affords a different luxury of time ....time to listen to things you might not otherwise listen to ...sometimes looking for a diversion from a repetitive landscape, sometimes looking for comforts of the recognizable, sometimes at peace with the solitude of your thoughts. I love the time you have in car to listen to music and reflect upon it differently, ...whether it be an epically long tracks that you don't usually spin, or, the silence song of the landscape.

I must also admit to the love of the radio in the car. I love the temporal quality of moving through the reaches of radio station. It's signal grows and fades through a rolling landscape ...christian rock in Nebraska (or anywhere else you are likely to hear it in the US) (ok, i can only take a moment or two of it) or NPR in Vermont or alt college in Alaska.

I love listening to the voices of CBC; tuning in to an interesting program and fretting as all seems lost in static as the miles pass, only to scramble and find it half way up the dial again. I love listening to the Canadian broadcaster when we are coming home from a long trip, driving through the expansive mid west and catching it drifting across the border ...or having packed away a wet tent in the morning because it's be raining for far too many nights and i just want to be home ...I love the fact that i can pick it up in the states, try as they might, the boarder patrols and rein it in!

For me, there was something very surreal about our drive up to northern BC, the Yukon and Alaska. It was very far from home and yet somehow in retrospect i very much felt at home. I think radio does that (at least fm radio as apposed to satellite). By it's very nature it is somehow localizing and uniting at the same time. You become more a part of a place that you are in by listening to the same radio, the same new and whether that the locals are listening to.

I find we often throw on our music when we get bored with the radio (or each other), rather than the other way around.

Interesting and widely divergent list of 'road songs'. I like Mike's set of criteria though it hasn't quite helped me put together a list yet but I'm working on it. Do others have a set of criteria they use or are they just tracks that have really worked for you while behind the wheel?

While I work on this I have to wonder if anywhere here (esp. Bri) picked up Yuck? For those looking for a 90s itch to be scratched, look no further. Sweet harmonies, distortion, etc.

Also, Marc, Braids. Yes, picked it up a month ago or so and it took me a couple of listens but am definitely into it now. Interesting and varied album.

I have a softspot for the eagles soft rock, but I have never really gone much beyond the overly rotated greatest hits plus hotel C. If any of you have a favorite disc please do tell...I did pick up a comp of all tracks from Linda Ronstats first 4 records for a rediculous price and have loved that much...
Re road tunes here is a widely varied selection as I find I need that kind of range from hard driving to slower on a long trip... they also tend to be a bit older as now a long trip in the car involves kids and they like the classics a lot of the time... :

Whichitah Lineman... Glen campbel
Phasors on Stun... FM
If I had a boat Lyle Lovett
Gimmie Shelter
california 1.... Decemberists
Goin Underground .. jam
carey... Joni M.
4 Winds ... Bright eyes
The watchmans Gone Gorden lightfoot.( If you dont know this song you should)
Do you know the way to san Jose... bacherach
This Chraming man

I dont think this works as a playlist, so these would be highlites in a longer playlist better organized...

...but definitely not a friend of this guy! (with all apologies to BD & SW)

I think he's a friend of this guy.

Is he a friend of yours?

Sad to see the passing of the great Joe Morello. Amongst other things, Morello was a driving force behind the brilliance of Brubeck's Time Out sessions, (imho) his drumming crafting a sonic architecture; It was mathematically intriguing, spatially voluminous and artistically soulful despite it's prevalence of Cali cool. (maybe I lay it on a little thick, but i always dug the cat!)

Joseph A. Morello July 17 1928 - March 12 2011

pax

Take a look at this vid of the Beatles performing Hey Jude. Note the absolute boredom evident in the expressions of John, George and Ringo in the first part of the song and you get a feeling for how i feel about it. Perhaps i suffer from the ill effects of exposure to this song in much the same way that Derek suffers the Beatles in general.

I'm way behind here. Let's start with the driving tunes - I do definitely feel that there are some songs that are great to drive with, but I don't think the subject matter is the issue (i.e. songs about cars or driving). To me, they have to be songs with energetic, upbeat vibes. Songs that make you feel like you're going somewhere. Hard to explain exactly what I mean, but I've always thought that Alan Parsons instrumental songs are good to drive to - my list starts with one of those:

Hawkeye, Alan Parsons Project

The Friends of Mr. Cairo, Jon and Vangelis

Don’t Stop Me Now, Queen

London Calling, The Clash

Bitch, The Rolling Stones

Devil’s Haircut, Beck

Rebellion (Lies), Arcade Fire

Girlfriend is Better (live), Talking Heads

Watching the Detectives, Elvis Costello

Right Stuff, Bryan Ferry

Broken, Tears for Fears

When the Rainbow Comes, World Party

As for guilty pleasures - I've got lots of those. John Denver for example: I love his voice and his sense of melody. Neil Diamond was another guilty pleasure for years, but after a couple of cool covers of his tunes were released, he no longer has the same stigma. The aforementioned Alan Parsons Project - I've got 9 of his albums and I still enjoy listening to them. I have a Carpenters album - I really don't like all that many of their songs, but I think Karen Carpenter's voice is lovely.

But the Eagles are not a pleasure for me, guilty or otherwise. I can't explain it - I agree with Brian that their vocal work is beautiful, and their guitar playing is excellent. Their songwriting is reasonably sophisticated and varied. This is a band that I really should like, by all of the criteria that I use to judge music. But I don't. I've done a lot of campfire guitar strumming over the years, and the Eagles is one of the most often requested bands in those environments, but I've never learned one of their tunes. I've strummed and sang along while others play them, but even while I'm doing that, I don't find them engaging for some reason. I really can't explain it.

As a final note here - I've come to the point where I'm going to cancel my emusic membership. I don't find enough music on their site that I really want to download any more. I'm currently paying $11.99 a month for which I receive a total of $24.50 in credits. It seems a shame to let that deal go. It occurred to me that one of you could take it over (if you wish). You'd have to log in with my email address, but you could change the password and the credit card info, and keep the account live. If anybody is interested, let me know.

Not sure if the lot of you have given a listen up to the Braids album but i thought it might be up some of your alleys ...quite enjoying it myself.

Lots of catching up to do so here goes.

The classical / jazz floor in Sunrise has been there since at least last summer. I've been in there several times and have been inclined to head upstairs and it has been lights out / doors closed. Yes it wont be around very long. In the rare occasion when I am in Sunrise I no longer make the effort to even check it out.

Brian, no I don't love the Beatles yet. I can say with all honesty I never have the slightest inclination to put on their music, but I totally understand why they are revered. As for "Hey Jude" it is a brilliant song. Sorry Marc but to say that it is the worst Beatles song ever is just ridiculous.

Kyle if nobody else has put a claim in yet I wouldn't mind getting my hands on the following discs: Beck - Midnite Vultures, both Built to Spill discs, Digable Planets, Grandaddy's - Sophtware Slump, The Complete Stone Roses, and XTC - Apple Venus.

As for artists we like who we find too embarrassing to mention to the cool kids I can think of a couple. Enya & Abba being the two most prominent. I don't come to Abba as part of the revival from about 5 years ago. I was a full fledged Abba lover in their heyday buying each record as it hit the stores. Cheese perhaps but songs like "Knowing Me, Knowing You", "Take a Chance on Me" and "The Name of the Game" were pretty great. Loved the two pronged female attack and totally had the 13 year old hots for Agnetha Faltskog.

And yes Marc that is definitely the Duckman on track #13. It actually sounds like Mickey is singing lead on that one especially late in the track.

Because I'm sure most of you can't get enough of graphs and raw data, some interesting ones showing the state of the music industry today. Turns out album sales are down and that's how the music industry made most of its $.

Derek, i was giving your Palenque Palenque another listen and was surprised to hear that Donald Duck makes an appearance on backing vocals on "La Negra Kulende"

Audio porn, courtesy M. VanGinkel.

Also...you win some, you lose some.

Trust me Kyle, those puppies fill the corner with plenty o' base. I find the asymmetry of the space makes the acoustic particularly sweet. The sound swirls, resonates, lingers and fills the head. I creates a luscious soundstage ....makes working very tolerable! (on occasions;-}

Marc, I'm disappointed that your audio set up does not dwarf your revenue generating equipment. Or perhaps you're hiding a subwoofer behind one of those monitors.

Bri, wasn't shitting on you but on the Eagles. Get that they are accomplished musicians but why put all that effort into sounding half assed? I say this as someone not completely immune to the charms of the genre, loving, as I do, the beautiful harmonic strains of America and Fleetwood Mac. But we'll agree to disagree for now. Or settle by knife fight.

It's hard to credibly pivot from a dissing of one band to an admission of a guilty pleasure ("So you don't like the Eagles but you like X?! Are you kidding me?!?") so I'll wait until Derek chimes in. I'll also work on a few less smart ass, god-themed driving songs. Did enjoy Deeman's choice of both 'Motor Away' by GBV and 'Faron Young' by Prefab.

Is it wrong that the audio equipment on my desk takes up as much space as the revenue generating equipment? ...but there's nothing like having a good party wall and a pair of monitors 25" from your ears ;} sweeeeeet! huh, what's that you said, i can't hear you! J tree sounds so crisp ...you can feel the soul of the music; One Tree Hill, I'm actually there!

Guilty pleasures;} ...Lilly Allen, and i have a crush-on for epic retro disco these days. I did not get around to playing Music Go Music at the last sampler party. Bri, i'm all over the Eagles although i must admit to only being able to handle it in very small doses these days. Hotel Cali certainly manages to capture a juncture of California life.

And I can't understand why Hey Jude polarizes the listening public!

I love the song to death - perhaps it's my romantic inner self coming out, but HJ really works for me. In terms of (mixed) critical acclaim, I think for no other reason then being perhaps the first (and I still put it up with the best) modern power ballad (MPB), it deserves to be at the top. The MPB template hasn't changed since - the earnest solo-accompanied singer building over several minutes to the big all-band crescendo with multi-layered vocals. Myriad examples of this style, from Dream On, or Lightning Crashes, even Stairway, though Plant and Page couldn't resist pounding it out at the end. And HJ was the first (as an aside, Derek, do you love the Beatles yet?) I also admire the way Macca sings the number (come on, it's amazing), the melody is gorgeous, and the production is unbelievable. 10 out of 10*.

Re the Eagles, hey, don't shit all over me, I admitted up front they were uncool and embarrassing. But, I do take exception to some of Kyle's points (and so begins my effort to convice you of SOME merit of this music, KP). First off, there's nothing half assed about the Eagles. If anything, it's all craftmanship and no heart. They were a rare band that could both play really well (great guitar players) and sing beauitfully, with multiple lead vocalists. So in that way they were actually outstanding. And as a relic of the coke-addled California scene from the seventies, they are historically (almost) important. The sixties ended, and with it seemed to go much of the "seriousness" of music. Certainly in Cali - where great bands like the Byrds and Buffalo Springfiled engendered The Eagles, and Poco (though also briefly CSNY, thank God). Anyway, whether it's them, Fleetwood Mac, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, America, yadda yadda they were part of a major movement. There were a gazillion bands below the surface making that rocking country music, but The Eagles were the exemplar. Their song have great melody, awesome (though a tad polished) singing, interesting-enough lyrics, and perhaps most importantly, great variety. And nostalgia has a strong pull - you could't grow up in the seventies without hearing the Eagles ad nauseum. Their songs are well constructed and beautifully played, and when you're a kid, good pop stylings are highly effective! So while it's true that I can no longer separate my longing for simple years of early teenagedom from my adult ability to filter out vacuous music, I will say that I genuinely enjoy when a bunch of their songs come on. I tend to prefer the more country influenced ones (I'm a bit more into that genre that KP it would seem) - so I would suggest Lyin' Eyes, Take it to the Limit, and Peaceful Easy Feeling (I would have suggested Take it Easy but....). True Confessions - I actually really like Best of My Love, which was a huge cross-over hit on easy listening radio. Ouch. But hey a great song is a great song. Stuart, Mike, I feel a need for some defense here!! Help!

Thanks for the driving-tune ideas, I am beginning to compile and will post up my final list. Would still love to hear from Mike G and Stu, and a less God-like Kyle. And is anyone else planning to throw out a guilty pleasure? Duran Duran is too simple (and almost retro cool), so doesn't count. Something truly questionable.








*from "Brian Doyle's Record Rater", 2010 edition.

i believe 'the ballad of john and yoko' is offically the worst beatles song of all time, but i take your point. 'hey jude' is a little overrated, i think mostly because it's easy to sing. same reason why merlot became such a popular wine in n. america - people could easily pronounce it. cab-err-nay sow-ving-yawn? fuggheddaboutit.

na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na ...i cannot comprehend why that song landed on the best tunes of all time for so many years on radio countdowns, it's "like the worst Beatles song ever!" ...but nice post Kyle

Enough Gowan. Onto the Beatles....Hey Jude lyrics in a handy diagram.

@ Kyle:) it's my criminal mind.

Marc, You're a strange animal. That's what I know.

I see that Gowan is playing up at Rama, "playing his greatest hits"...should i pick up a ticket for anyone? ...any takers?

Mike: Done. Happy that some of these will be embraced by a younger generation. Will get them to Bri this weekend. Bri: Still working on the list of embarassing bands. Trying to come up with some goodies. Derek: the first four songs on the PJ Harvey disc are terrific. She then reverts to form for the middle of the album, with the signature moaning and wailing that I've come to know and hate. The final third or so gets better, as though some of the other vocalists and musicians brought on board for the effort have convinced her to step back a bit. Overall, I'm liking it, though happy for technology that lets me skip ahead from some tracks. Marc: love how you seamlessly weaved Garbage and the Propellerheads into the class rock road mix! Well done. Arcade Fire track is very Springsteen-like too. Stu: Finally found and played your mixed country cd. I will say the closest I've ever come to enjoying country music. Perfect accompaniment to reading the paper and folding laundry while the young one napped yesterday afternoon. Much appreciated. Can you point me to the track listing, if it's still available? Did you post it here on metabeats? If so, then I may be able to find it through search.

Kyle:

Thanks for your offer of CDs - if you haven't already found homes for them, I'd like to claim the Wilco disc and the Ron Sexsmith discs. And I mentioned this to my daughter, who is living in Toronto at Ryerson these days. Her reply was, "If they're still available, I'd love The Dandy Warhols album, The Shins album, both Bright Eyes albums, the Amelie soundtrack, the Moby CD, the Strokes album, the Wolf Parade album, and either Gomez album."

If any of these discs are still available, the easiest thing to do is probably to get them to Brian, and Jenn will pick them up from him at some point.

Many thanks!

In no particular order, songs that are cliché songs about the car and the open road, the south, finding a home, escaping that which we once called home, ...or life ...or whatever, i lost the thread.

Springsteen, Open all night
Deep Purple, Highway Star
Mike Ness, I’m in Love with My Car
Golden Earring, Radar Love
Doors, Roadhouse Blues
Ramones, I’m Affected
Stooges, Search and Destroy
Lou Reed, Dirty Boulevard
Garbage, Only Happy when it Rains
The Grass Roots, Midnight Confession
Traffic, Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
Dire Straits, Southbound Again
Neil Yong, Southern Man
Dylan, Tangled Up In Blue
Joni Mitchell, California
Neil Youn, Cowgirl in the Sand
Lynard Skynard, Freebird or Sweet Home Alabama
Allman Brothers Band, Ramblin Man
Dylan, Desolation Row
Propellerheads, Spybreak
Arcade Fire, Anarchist Television Blues
U2, In God’s Country
Charlie Daniels Band, The Devil Went down to Georgia
Ram Jam, Black Betty
CCR, Who Will Stop the Rain
Who, Going Mobile

Have to say I'm completely on board with Kyle when it comes to the Eagles. Maybe somebody can explain why they were so huge.

As for road songs here's my suggested mix.

Mr Mirainga - 57 South
Screaming Blue Messiahs - Jesus Chrysler drives a dodge
Superchunk - Precision Auto
Guided by Voices - Motor Away
Plugz (Repo Man s/t) - Hombre Secreto
Jazz Butcher - Groovin in the Bus Lane
The Fall - Hit the North (wrong direction but still a great driving song)
It's Immaterial - Driving Away from Home
Hunters & Collectors - Breakneck Road
Prefab Sprout - Faron Young
Go Betweens - Here comes a city
The Woodentops - Travelling Man
Buzzcocks - Fast Cars
The Jam - Precious
Teardrop Explodes - Reward

Btw...have we had a discussion about songs that tell a story and how we feel about them? Mike and Stu's posts prompt this question but we can shelve this discussion for the near future.

Given the backstory, I assume you’re looking for a playlist like this:

1) Personal Jesus – Depeche Mode (sorry Johnny but the driving beat of the original is better suited to the road)
2) Jesus Built My Hotrod - Ministry
3) Touched by the Hand of God - New Order
4) Godless – Dandy Warhols
5) Jesus Walks – Kanye West
6) Jesus Don’t Want Me for a Sunbeam – The Vaselines
7) Jesus, Etc. - Wilco
8) In God’s Country – U2
9) God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
10) Dear God – XTC (in case the buddy would like to a second opinion)

There are, of course, more and possibly better ‘devil’ songs, which goes some way to buttressing Bart Simpson’s contention that all the really cool musicians are affiliated with Satan.

As for the Eagles, my only reaction is: shudder.

A few bars of a song like "One of These Nights", admittedly one of their better efforts, with the comfort of a second pint and a belly full of greasy pub fare, is not the same as having to endure an entire album of the stuff. It's dreary, it's half-assed. No, it's not quite dreadful as aging frat-boy slapdash fare like Jimmy Buffet but it's on the same end of that continuum.

Sometimes an artist is unfairly assigned to the uncool camp and I believe your spirited defense of Paul McCartney a few months back was both thoughtful and convincing. He is unfairly derided as being the shallow while Lennon was deep. But the Eagles are no Macca and in fact swim solely in those shallow waters. A throwaway line here, underlined by a guitar lick and voila, 'Life in the Fast Lane'. 'Take it Easy', is easily one of the most boring songs of the 70s or any decade, which I attribute to the fact that the musicians playing it seem bored in so doing. 'Desperado' and 'Hotel C'? Very profound, in the same sense that smoking a joint and making a casual observation that sometimes life isn't what it seems is profound.

But perhaps I'm missing something. Though obviously highly opinionated on this band, I do have an open mind and am willing to be persuaded. Point me to something that will change my mind.

Stuart, if you like "Road to Moscow", and I agree that it is a fine piece of work, you may also appreciate "Red Army Blues" on A Pagan Place by the Waterboys. Have you heard that one? The subject matter is the same, but done with Mike Scott's passionately dramatic style rather than Al Stewart's cool moodiness. I'm very fond of both songs, and have listened to them both this evening in honour of this MetaBeats thread. I don't believe I've ever listened to these two back-to-back before, but I can't imagine why not.

Plus "Song on the Radio" charted for Big Al I believe. May sound familiar to you Kylie (does to me but I am woefully older).

__________________________________________________________________________

I'd like to pose a couple of questions to Metabeats Nation (sorry, but with the playoff run, I'm seeing everything through Leaf-coloured glasses), reflecting a conversation I had with my friend Glenn at lunch.

(1) "Road Songs" Glenn is going on a road trip with a buddy - who is a reformed alcoholic who has found Jesus, but still (or, to be fairer...."and") likes music and is a good lad - to the Masters in Augusta Georgia in April. They are doing the drive as one long event - day and night - and so Glenn, also a music lover, has decided he needs to put together a few CDs of good road music. I, of course, with oodles of time to spare in my personal life (ha!), offered to help.

So, Gentlemen of the Blog (plus Adam, 'cause I know you're reading this), my ask of you is to suggest your top 10 road songs, entirely without genre or timeframe (ie 40's, 60's 90's etc) limitations. If possible in the next few days, at which point I will begin compiling. Waiver: Thinly-veiled suggestions meant subtly to torture Glenn and his buddy may be eliminated.

(2) I don't like it (yes I do) - I found myself at lunch extolling the virtues (in an odd other-worldly voice that came from somewhere deep inside me) of The Eagles, and realized how fond I am of their big hits. Disaster was averted when Glenn, arms madly waving, broke me out of a trance in which I had worked up to the second chorus - in my own thin nasal like-way doing a mean Glenn Frey - of "One of These Nights", unaware of the incresingly brooding crowd of lunchers around me. Close call there.

Despite my buried passion for the seventies So Cal scene, it's probably fair to say that the Eagles are considered one of the least cool bands of all time. And yet, and yet. So I'd like to hear from you on which bands (and why) you are embarassed about loving?

Note: I also love (truly) much of the Monkees's oeuvre and the (early) Bee Gees so obviously don't embarrass easily.

hey stu, it's not a question of cheapness if i'm offering you something to take! will put those aside for you my friend. and will sample al stewart on grooveshark today if time permits. my only familiarity is whatever i heard in the car radio as a child so yotc and tpassages are really my sole points of references for the man's oeuvre.

.....and yes I confess to being an ardent al stewart fan...saw him at hughs room 2 years ago in fact.

year of the cat ...the perfect 70's pop song, lyrics..10/10 music 10/10 still raises a tingle when blasted on the hi-fi

Mike I too have past present future which i think has possibly a song that tops Cat ...that being the road to moscow which tells the story of the Russian check to the german advance on moscow from the perspective of a soldier who then falls under stalins scrutiny...again a perfect match of lyrics to music that tells like a cant put down novel...

well worth downloading that song if you can find it.....specially for the history buffs out there

ok cheap bastard i am this will get me blogging.......

I will take a few off your hands Kyle

Duran duran decade (please withhold your comments)

Fountains of wayne interstate...

luna romantica

lush lovelife

strokes first impressions

wayfaring strangers ...ladies..

thanks Kyle.......

Here's the list. Let me know if there are any you would like and I'll set them aside and bring to our next outing. This goes for you as well, Mike, as I'm sure Brian will put them aside for the next time you're in town. If it's easier to email me, please do so.

Ash - 1977

4 Hero – 2 Pages

Amelie Soundtrack

Antipop vs. Matthew Ship – Antipop Consortium

Armand Van Helden – 2Future4U

Back to Love Chillout Compilation

Badly Drawn Boy – Have You Fed the Fish

Badly Drawn Boy – Live @ Glastonbury

Badly Drawn Boy – One Plus One is One

Baxter Dury – Len Parrot's Memorial Lift

Beck – Midnight Vultures

Bluiett, Jackson, ElZabar – The Calling

Boogie Nights Soundtrack

Book of Love – Book of Love

Boy – Boy

Bright Eyes – Digital Ash

Bright Eyes – I'm Wide Awake

Broken Social Scene – Broken Social Scene

Built to Spill – Ancient Melodies of the Future

Built to Spill – You in Reverse

Cafe Del Mar – Volumen Siete

Catherine Howe – What a Beautiful Place

Clap Your Hand Say Yeah – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

De La Soul – The Grind Date

Digable Planets – Reachin'

Do Make Say Think - & Yet & Yet

Do Make Say Think – Winter Hymn Country...

Duran Duran – Decade

Erik Truffaz – Bending New Corners

Erik Truffaz – Revisite

Fembots – The City

Fiery Furnaces – Blueberry Boat

Fountains of Wayne – Welcome Interstate Managers

Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand

Go Soundtrack

Gomez – Abandonned Shopping Cart Trolley Hotline

Gomez – Bring It On

Good Will Hunting Soundtrack

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci – Spanish Dance Troupe

Grandaddy – Sumday

Grandaddy – The Sophtware Slump

Hayden – Everything I Long For

Hayden – Skyscraper National Park

High Fidelity Soundtrack

Hotel Costes 5

Ivy – Apartment Life

Jacqueline du Pre – Haydn Cello Concertos

Jaz Klash – Thru the Haze

Jazz Masters Verve Sampler

Joss Stone – The Soul Sessions

Kos – Joyful Rebellion

Leaves – Breathe

Llorca – New Comer

Looper – The Geometrid

Lost in Translation Soundtrack

Luna – Romantica

Luna – The Days of Our Nights

Lush – Lovelife

Magnolia Soundtrack

Marc Moulin – Top Secret

Medeski Martin & Wood – Combustication Remix EP

Metalwood – The Recline

Moby – Everything I Do Is Wrong

New Order – Get Ready

Nifty – A Sparrow!

Outside – The Rough and the Smooth

Pernice Brothers – The World Won't End

Pernice Brothers – Yours Mine & Ours

Raising the Fawn – The Maginot Line

Ride – Tarantula

Rinocerose – installation sonore

Ron Sexsmith – Cobblestone Runway

Ron Sexsmith – Retriever

Saint Etienne – Good Humor

Saint Germain des Pres Cafe II

Sloan – Navy Blues

Snow Patrol – Final Straw

Soulive – Doin Something

South – From Here On In

Spiritualized – Songs in A & E

Tahiti 80 – Puzzle

Teenage Fanclub – Thirteen

The Best of Bob Dylan

The Best of Cookin' 2 Disc Compilation

The Complete Stone Roses

The Dandy Warhols – Welcome to the Monkey House

The Deadly Snakes – Porcella

The Essex Green – The Long Goodbye

The Flaming Lips – Fight Test

The In Sound from the Way Out – Beastie Boys

The Ladies and Gentlemen – Small Sins

The Last Days of Disco Soundtrack

The Rebirth of Cool Acid Jazz Compilation Volume Seven

The Sea and Cake – Glass

The Sea and Cake – Glass

The Shins – Wincing the Night Away

The Strokes – First Impressions of Earth

The Tragically Hip – Phantom Power

Thievery Corporation – The Richest Man in Babylon

Thievery Corporation DJ Kicks

Tokyo String Quartet – Mozart Clarinet Concerto

Tosca – Suzu

Vlach Quartet Prague - Dvorak – Works for String Quartet Cypresses

Wayfaring Strangers – Ladies from the Canyon Compilation

West Indian Girl – West Indian Girl

What's Up Matador Compilation 1997

Wilco – A Ghost is Born

Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary

XTC – Apple Venus

Zero 7 – Simple Things

Speaking of catalogs, I'm in the process of pre-spring cleaning and am ridding myself of cds that I don't want to hang onto anymore, having already created digital copies and backups. These will be offered to you all first at the cost of free. If you don't want 'em, I'll likely donate them. List to come....

I'll cop to being an Al Stewart fan. I don't have his whole catalog, but the 3 albums that I do have (Past, Present and Future, Year of the Cat and Time Passages) are all very well done. And I do agree that this was one of the few apt comparisons on the long list of supposed Decemberists influences.

You're saying you like it more than 'Time Passages'? Certainly not my favourite 'Cat' song. And yes, I could probably make at least a top five, but will spare you.

Actually, I think the Al stewart comparison is pretty bang on. Not for every song certainly but I hear it. And I'd go as far to say that Year of the Cat is a great song. Oh yes, I would. Stuart, care to comment?

I'm not sure about all those influences listed there--definitely a kitchen sink approach to musical referencing--but I definitely hear REM in a few of their songs, both the one you mentioned and others like, "We Both Go Down Together" from Picaresque which is similar, at least the musical arrangements, to "Losing My Religion". But I agree, they have a pretty distinct sound and not just because of Colin Meloy's unique voice. What other song does The Infanta immediately call to mind? Or The Rake's Song, either musically, vocally, lyrically? Please correct me if I'm missing an obvious reference point.

While the All Music Guide's list of all those artists may or may not adequately describe the Decemberists to newcomers, one sad consequence of reading it was having 'Year of the Cat' stuck in my head all damn day.

I love the concept of the NPR first listen but unless it's portable, I'm rarely in the position to listen to an entire streamed album. But I'll do you one better, Deeman, and buy the PJ disc b/c you and others are giving it much praise.

Also, anyone unhappy about the absence of reading material here is welcome to post at any time, even if it's just to simply answer a direct question from another poster. :)

My band has just started playing, "Down by the Water", the latest single by The Decemberists. Although I am a big Decemberists fan, I haven't bought that album yet, and it was my friend Tom that brought the song in. I think it's a great song - I like the lyrics, the melody, the harmonies and the arrangement. It has been duly noted that the song sounds a lot like REM's "The One I Love", but the similarity is not jarring or offensive to me. And the fact that Peter Buck plays guitar on the track adequately justifies the similarity as far as I'm concerned. But I started reading the reviews of the Decemberist's albums on All Music Guide, and I was astonished to see the number of artists that they are compared to. This is a band with a very distinctive sound and style. A band that cannot be justly accused of pandering to the masses or following the latest styles. And yet the critics seem to try desperately to show that their creative energies are reflective at best. On the AMG site, "Castaways and Cutouts" is described without reference to any other artists. So far so good. But the remaining 5 releases draw comparisons to Belle & Sebastian, Neutral Milk Hotel, Al Stewart, REM, Kurt Weill, Morrissey, The Who, Queens of the Stone Age, Fairport Convention, The Waterboys, Deep Purple, Emmerson Lake and Palmer, Edie Brickell, Donovan, Pentangle, Horslips, Steeleye Span, The Incredible String Band, Iron Maiden, Rush, Jethro Tull, Robyn Hitchcock, Shirley Collins, Tom Petty, Paul Simon, Camper Van Beethoven, Key Lime Pie and Led Zeppelin. Really? They sound like those guys? I don't know how they left out Tiny Tim, Lawrence Welk and John Tesh.

Was that a tumbleweed that just rolled past? Jesus this place is quiet. It's February, what is going on in this godforsaken month that's keeping everyone away from here? Just curious. Skiing in Tahoe perhaps?

Anyway just a few musings. Radiohead's new album. Pretty great. Only a few spins and it doesn't exactly bludgeon you into submission but its unmistakeably them and we'll miss them terribly when they're gone. Not too many bands over the last 15 years we can say that about.

Not sure if any of you have followed up on my raving over PJ Harvey's latest but I do dearly love NPRs first listen feature where I was able to listen to the album several times before I purchased the cd (someone explain the concept to Kyle) so may I recommend that you head over there pronto and listen to this album.

You can also listen to this stunning English miss on this mix I posted several weeks ago on 8tracks website.

What's a CD?

I read an article in the weekend star about this new jazz and classical store above sunrise records on yonge st.
Sounds like a second Gregorian. Derek did you discover this place yet as it is close to you?....my guess is that it will be gone by summer unfortunately...
s

Or perhaps the Grammys will begin a trend towards some semblance of relevancy and reward it to this. Not that I have any sense of whether it would deserve it or not, at this point.

Pre-ordered it on Tuesday and was happy to read online today that I could download it today. No listens yet and haven't read any reviews. Any one else have this one on their to buy list for the weekend?

Place your bets now. Paul Simon has a new album out this year and based on the list that you linked to Kyle the Grammy darlings appear to be Paul (with or without Garfunkel), Paul (the Beatles guy), Sting, Billy Joel and Donald Fagen (with or without Dan). Yeesh. So all I'm saying is the diminutive one is a pretty safe bet to be on next year's best album list.

Steely Dan had an album out in 2000? I must have missed that one.

Two minds about the upset Grammy win for the Arcade Fire. Always glad when an award for 'best' goes to an artist and/or work actually deserving of the award. But I don't have tons of respect for the Grammys. Case in point: What was the Best Album a decade ago? Can't remember it. Just think back to all the albums that you listened to back in 2000 and pick the one that comes to mind.


Got it. Now.......

Wait, wait, wait. You're thinking, "I get your point Kyle. It was obviously a popular one that you and I didn't like." Actually, guess again. Or start throwing some names out there....ready to guess........



Did you come up with.........













...............



Steely Dan?

No? Clearly, you're not into music, then.

Now, I do gotta give the Grammy crowd their props that year. They did nominate Kid A and Beck (though for Midnight's Vultures, which isn't an album of the year in any year, really).

In fact, most year's nominations look like an 11 year old's music collection--4 or 5 albums which include a smattering of something a releative bought, the crap you and your friends listen to on the radio, and maybe one disc from a parent or cooler older sibling who has some taste.

So kudos to the Arcade Fire. Hope it opens their music to a wider audience (though they barely rated a single mention in the free USA today I picked up in my hotel lobby this morning). But since the Grammy's are to relevancy what bicycles are to fish, my enthusiasm is very much tempered.

Silly video but a nice song from gents who were part of two of my favourite bands of the mid-90s (Gorkys and Teenage Fanclub). They have a CD coming out in the spring and it's already available digitally.

Jonny - Candyfloss from Merge Records on Vimeo.

And just in case you needed a reason why you really you shouldn't give a shit who wins anything at the Grammys see the list below: (apparently its still 1991)

Although this is a pretty great record nominated in the country album category.

And They Might be Giants are nominated in the Best Musical Album for Children category. Hasn't every record of theirs fallen into this category?

17. Best Hard Rock Performance

A Looking In View

Alice In Chains

[Virgin Records]

Let Me Hear You Scream

Ozzy Osbourne

Track from: Scream

[Epic]

Black Rain

Soundgarden

Track from: Telephantasm

[A&M/UMe]

Between The Lines

Stone Temple Pilots

Track from: Stone Temple Pilots

[Atlantic]

New Fang

Them Crooked Vultures

Track from: Them Crooked Vultures

[DGC/Interscope]

With the Grammys tomorrow night it seems the right time to revisit Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" which has a best album nod alongside the exalted Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Eminem and somebody called Lady Antebellum (anyone know who or what this is).

Is it just me or is there an odd man out in that list? It's kinda like putting the best of the Stones or the Beatles alongside Herman's Hermits, Cliff Richard and the Shadows, the Archies etc. It just seems completely wrong.

There are few bands, and they should be praised to the heavens, that straddle the line between commercial success and intelligent, yet emotive and engaging musicianship the way these guys do. I wasn't sure that "The Suburbs" would live up to "Funeral" or "Neon Bible" but with each listen I find myself latching on to a new favourite song. Initially it was Rococo (#4) and City with No Children (#6) and then tracks 7 & 8 and now its probably tracks 11 & 12. Who knows where it will be by the 20th spin.

This is completely unlike my experience with last years National album where despite repeated listens I still am only drawn to Bloodbuzz Ohio which is a brilliant song and to a lesser extent the first track Terrible Love. The remainder is morose in the extreme.

One year on from the Vancouver Olympics here's hoping for another Canadian triumph tomorrow night.

It's a stellar tune, there's no debating that, but this version leaves me unmoved. I'm not sure that the world really needs a ballad like version of I Wanna Be Adored.

The great thing about the original is the swagger and sheer cock of the walk attitude that infuses it. Ian Brown and the lads are on their debut album for christssake and they lead off with this song. How could you help but be pulled right in.

In hindsight, given their subsequent output, it's nothing if not hubristic but at the time you couldn't help smiling especially since they probably beat the Gallagher brothers to the punch who, if you need reminding, led off their debut album with a song called, with similar conceit, Rock n Roll Star.

Now here we get Damon Gough, not demanding adoration exactly, more like pleading for it. It doesn't really work. And I love the man.

Are there any other debut records you can think of that start off with a statement of intent like these two.

stellar badly drawn boy tune will be familiar to you...

Also Bri, Friedlander is on my to d/l list as soon as my account refreshes. Samples were interesting as were some of the reviews.

Also, an article that tidy sums up my feelings about 'oversouling'.

I'm guessing, Stu, that your connection had more to do with a muted youtube clip than the song itself. Regardless, I'm stopping to pick up Brian as we 'move along'.

Didn't realize that you were so taken with the PJ disc, Deeman, when I dismissed it out of hand in our recent email exchange. While I'm more than happy to disagree with you about any given piece of music, the fact that a fellow PJ despiser is enjoying her new disc has admittedly piqued my curiosity. Will give it a listen, if only to wash the damn K*$(whateverthefuck)sha out of my ears.

And at the opposite end of the spectrum how about this ditty that it took me about 2 listens to really connect with. Apparently I'm a whore for trashy Euro-disco. Brian you might just want to move along as there's nothing to see here.

Thanks Brian for the recommendations. I downloaded the Matt Bauder disc as it was 7 tracks and that was my remaining allotment.

Next week sees the release of PJ Harvey's 8th album. Owning 3 of the previous 7 I find Polly Jean to be the most frustrating artist of my entire music listening experience. I know I should love what she does or at least feel moved by it in some small way but too often her albums have found me tuning out mid-record.

Well hallelujah for perseverance because after 3 (a new record) listens to the new record on NPR's First Listen site PJ and I have come to a wonderful mutual understanding. It is probably more polished than some of her earlier albums and she's certainly toned down some of the spazzed out shrieks of prior years. Let's call it her mature album. Simply put, I love it. Give it a listen.

Anyone else have an artist experience that it took 8 fuckin' records to connect with.

Couple of quick pieces of music to check out: I've been enjoying saxophonist Matt Bauder's oeuvres in the past few months. He's been around for a while but I only discovered him in 2010. He released two records in '10, the more approachable of which is "Day in Pictures". Start with the track "Parks After Dark"and then "January Melody" to see if you dig it.

As far as classical goes, I'm fond of the "Music for Double Bass and Piano: Eccles, Haydn, Bottesini, Goens, Shostakovich, Serventi, Karadimchev" from Entcho Radoukanov and Ingrid Lindgren released last year. The unusual combo of instruments attracted me, and indeed there is a lot to be learned about the diversity of sounds from a double bass - it produces some beautiful sorrowful bits very much like a cello, for example on the Shosto piece near the end of the disk. Worth a listen, very nice Sunday morning music.

The last one is the Erik Friedlander 2010 disk Alchemy. I love it. It's different from his previous best, 2003's Maldoror, but just as good, with his trademark hypnotic cello (often played pizzicato), combined with occasional electronica backdrop.
.

No controversy coming from this direction. That was my thought exactly on first listen.

Yeah that's an awesome song. Better I would say than the last album (he said, attmepting to create controversy). Derek I'll try to get you a couple of recommendations tonight.

Nice track. Looking forward to hearing the whole album.

Any suggestions for the 7 tracks I have left on e-music that I need to use by Thursday. I'm thinking of a recommendation in the jazz or classical vein.

For those who give a crap about such things, new Fleet Foxes single streaming here.

Either that or Stu's servers are now in the US as well, where lastfm is apparently free as well. Gagdangit!

OK, let's see.....reading between the lines here, it looks like Stuart's being a dufus?

I had the same result as you Kyle. 30 song free trial and then pony up the cash.

We have been using it fulltime for 3 or 4 days...way more then 30 tracks and so far so good...

Stu, when I entered in bands it gave me a 30-track 'free' radio station, whereafter I can pay $3.00 per month going forward. Seems the window for free is fairly short. How long have you guys been using it?

I recall some of you complaining about not getting pandors in canada. AT our office we listen to a similar site called lastfm . IT is terrific and free, (for now). Highly recommended. [link fixed-kp]

That particular Cher ditty was released in late '98 apparently. Now off to try to get the damn thing out of my head.

Looks like love-30 thus far on the Tennis disc....appreciate the feedback.

As for autotune, Stu, you have it right on the Cher track (ah, ze google). Those of you w/ iphones and ipod touches can of course make your very own autotuned hunk o crap for a mere 99 cents.

I'd take Ron Sexsmith any day over the drek (Jully Black, shudder) that CBC One plays on either Metro Morning or Here and Now.

Hate to be a yaysayer but I think it's worth a listen. Basically it's a Camera Obscura-school record with an awful cover. The songs are well done if you like the style.

Auto tune is annoying but is hardly the studio villian it's been made out to be. You could argue that ever since you could do multiple takes of the same track and pick the best of them (basically the fifties), that studio work has always been about trickery...or doing stuff that can't be done live. I'm not sure I care....although I definitely could.should have used the technology myself over the years!

I had a thought today whilst listening to the Strawberry Alarm Clock - a late 60's psych pop band that you've all likely heard of. The thought was that this music, which has never been given much critical shrift, but which stands time's test pretty darn well in today's world of neo-psych, begs the question of how stagnant pop has become. SAC has jazzy melodies, cool dynamic shifts, interesting arrangement layers (and yes, to their detriment, some really stupid lyrics), really not that far away from the work being done by some of our favourite bands 42 years later - say, Tame Impala or Deerhunter. And it was popular in its day but quickly considered irrelevant....though it sounds pretty bang on to me.

I'd say nyet on the Tennis. I downloaded the track Marathon a few months backs and while it is a cute little ditty, it sounds too close to Teenager in Love for comfort. I think you are spot on that it will quickly wear out its welcome and that cover is bloody awful.

I previewed it Kyle and nehhhed it for the reasons you suggested....
On a second note...... I was listening to Ron Sexsmith Radio this am, (otherwise known as CBC) ,
and they played a new track of his new album (which sounds like every song he has ever wrote) and I could have sworn it had autotune on it... which is a topic not yet discussed herein.... I am sure I have misconceptions about it and wonder if any of you are more up on this new trend:
1) IS it autotune when you are listening to a track (Ala Sexsmith) and you hear a kind of synthesised affect sometimes very subtle , sporadically throughoput the song? Kind of like that CHER video of 5 years ago (or longer) but much more subtle or.....
2) Is autotune used only on purpose by pop artists for that dramatically distorted vocal (Ala Cher)
I realise it can correct bad vocals , (you here it on the Egolillies first disc frequently) , but I think it can be used for supossed artistic affect too??? Correct?
s

Tennis, anyone? No, not what's happening Down Under but an album I'm contemplating downloading but am having trouble getting past:

1) the hideous album cover
2) the comparisons to belinda carlisle in the mini review

They've been getting some decent write-ups and some of the samples sound right up my alley, but I'm thinking this is going to get old and bland very quickly.

One of those should-I shouldn't I emusic moments that I have from time to time that I thought I'd get your opinions on. Simple yay or nay will suffice for those pressed for time.

A NY Times writer's attempt to select the top 10 classical music composers in history.

You were unconscious for most of the night, Derek, only waking when Stuart smashed a decanter over your head, then carefully collected the well-aired Brunello and strained through cheesecloth and a sieve so we wouldn't ingest glass. I was as surprised as anyone by Brian's selections, as I was by his decision to pierce his eyebrow. Live and let live though, eh.

Do they still sell music at an HMV? I thought they just sold box set tv shows and crappy 1 star blue ray movies. Hope you enjoyed that non-fat half-caff triple grande quarter sweet sugar free vanilla non-fat lactaid extra hot extra foamy caramel macchiato more than the G&M's Robert Everett-Green enjoyed the Decemberists disc.

Two questions. Was I unconscious when Brian pulled out the Black Eyed Peas and Miley Cyrus? Why is the new Decemberists disc $14.99 at my favourite neighbourhood Starbucks and yet $19.99 at HMV?

My response to Marc will take the form of hand gestures that I'm presently recording and will post soon. In the meantime, just picture a lot of crotch-grabbing.

Also, here's a list of what was played at Stuart's on Friday, as well as who brung it:

Marc

Jerome Miniere – Le Vrai le Faux
The Kopecky Family Band – The Disaster
Cowboy Bebop – No Disk
Suuns – Zero QC
First Aid Kit – The Big Black and Blue

Kyle

Twin Shadow -Forget
Flying Lotus-Cosmogramma
Soundway Records Presents Nigerian Psychedelic Rock from the 1970s

Stuart

Faces box set
Robert Wyatt- Rock Bottom
Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Derek

High Places – High Places v Mankind
Get the Blessing – Get the Blessing
Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest

Brian

Black Eyed Peas - The Beginning
Miley Cyrus - Can't Be Tamed
Charles Lloyd - Quartet Mirror

Stuart, apropos of you posting i thought you might enjoy this sign of the times.

For those still looking at 2010, a Hypemem collection of 900+ blog submissions for best albums, artists, songs of the year here.

Just heard a cut from the new Mogwai album, due in Feb, hilariously titled this.

Happy New Year all!

Stu and Mike, thanks for your lists. I had forgotten to give a shout out to the Josh Ritter disc, which is quite good. I'm still working my way through the Sufjan disc; there are bright moments to be sure but also man that are irritating, dare I say self-indulgent, by which I mean excessive use of vocoder and laser sounds which resemble those available on the casio organ i got for christmas in 1983, and 25 minute tracks that contain 2 minutes of interesting composition and 23 minutes of what could politely be called filler.

But 2010 was so 13 days ago...any favourites so far in 2011? Any music resolutions for the year?

I've already deal with my first resolution, which was to deal with the fact that my digital music collection had grown in size to eclipse that of my computer hard drive. I'm now running all of my music from an external 1T firewire drive, which should hold me for a few years. Am also backing up weekly to another usb drive, just in case. While music is generally cheaper these days, making sure that it doesn't suddenly vanish represents an ongoing cost and concern.

Beyond that, I'm planning on listening to more classical music this year, in part because there are still some great classical labels on emusic and in part because I'm finding more and more that that's what I'm gravitating towards. A function of age perhaps?

Looking forward to hearing music at Stuart's on Friday. For those who can't make it, perhaps you can post what you would play if you could.

In No particular order are my top 10 albums

Arcade Fire -Suburbs
Kanye West -My Beautiful....(ok maybe not worth 10 on pitchfork , but bloody good)
Areil Pinks haunted Graffiti-Before today
The national- High Violet (A masterwork by a band at peak form, if you dont like this band by now you are being bloody difficult)
Broken Bells- Broken Bells
Beach House-Tean dream...( this is a band that is about sound atmosphere for the first 5 listens and then on the 6th listen you realise its a band that writes great songs)
Dean and Britta-13 Songs
Deerhunter-Halcyon Digest
Midlake-The courage of others
Stornoway-Beachcomber's...(my summer soundtrack)

The following are a group of albums that are all simple ()and acoustic primarily) and that are all extrordinarily beautiful and but subtly squewed or distictive to make them not tiresome at all after much repeated listens) all worth a peak....:

Anais Mitchel (w Bon Ivor, Rob Burger & many others)-Hadestown.. (this is the best of the lot- a folk opera with different singers, a real find, loved much)
Joanna newsome- Have One On me...(OK maybe still too over indulgent , but i see this being a great single disc condensed at some point)
Bombay Bicycle Club-Flaws
Deer Tick-Black dirt sessions
Horsefeathers-Thistled Spring
The wooden Sky-the wooden sky
Leif Vollebeck - Inland
The weather Station-The Line
Lissie-Catching a Tiger
Sharon Van Etten-Epic

The best single of the year by far for me and if you dont like it, well...fuck you...
Cee Lo Green ... Fuck You

A long gone record I never heard of from 71, avaailable on emusic...jazzy folk rock ...wonderful find:
Jimmy Spheeris - Isle Of View

Also anyone who has a soft spot for cowboy junkies, the single Renmin park off new disc (emusic)
is a real jawdropper......I didnt think they still had it in them , whod a thunk?

I want to weigh in on the "best of 2010" topic, but I fear that I my absorption rate for new music is lower than the rest of yours. Looking at my collection, I only own 11 albums from 2010, so a top 10 list is a bit silly. I've not yet formed complete opinions on all of them yet (which, as I've said before, takes quite a few listens for me), but I'll comment as best I can:

- The Suburbs by Arcade Fire: I still like the way this band is going. None of the tracks on this album have grabbed me the way some of their earlier recordings did, but the sound of this album is still very appealing, and it is growing on me.

- Write About Love by Belle and Sebastian: Another album that's growing on me. This is the 3rd B&S recording that I've bought, and I like them all, but they all blend together for me a bit. There's something about this band that washes over me so that when I play their music, I like it, but I don't really hear the lyrics, which renders it all somewhat unfocused.

- Intriguer by Crowded House: Unsure yet. Again, no one song has smacked me in the forehead with its brilliance, but overall it seems a strong release to me.

- The Big To-Do by Drive-By Truckers: I don't know this band very well yet, but I like the heavy country-rock sound. I don't remember why I downloaded this - whether it was a recommendation from this group or from some other source. Most of my downloads over the last year were prompted by MetaBeats, so that's a good bet. But this album is disadvantaged because it's heavier than my wife likes, so it can only get played when I'm on my own.

- No Better Than This by John Mellencamp: I was actually hopeful about this album because it was touted as a return to the basics - less focus on production values. I had assumed that the implication was more focus on songwriting, but sadly that wasn't the case. The writing disappointed me - it sounds like he's trying to become another John Prine, but he doesn't pull it off.

- So Runs the World Away by Josh Ritter: This is my favorite of the bunch. I think Ritter is becoming stronger as a songwriter, and his arrangements are getting richer and more creative as well.

- Harlem River Blues by Justin Townes Earl: I've only had this one a short time, and I really don't have an impression about it yet.

- The Five Ghosts by the Stars: Brian told me that he was disappointed in this release, but I disagree. There is no track on here as good as "Your Ex-Lover is Dead", but there was no other track on the previous album as good as that one either. That is such a great song that it is perhaps unfair to judge the rest of their music against it. I think the new album shows promise - I like that they've woven a theme through it, although I haven't really absorbed all of the lyrics enough to comment meaningfully on them.

- The Age of Adz by Sufjan Stevens: Just got this one too, and I've only listened to it once. I'm not as enthusiastic about Mr. Stevens as everybody else seems to be. I've liked some of his previous stuff, but I would not number him among my favorites. Based on my previous experiences with his music, I expect it'll be even more listens than usual before I can form any kind of solid opinion.

- Majesty Shredding by Superchunk: Too early to say. I've always liked the name Superchunk, but I've never had any of their recordings before. Not sure why that is.

- Shadows by Teenage Fanclub: Another recent download, recommended by Brian. My first reaction was positive, but other than that I can't say much.

My favourite recent listen is a group called the Seatbelts out of Japan headed by composed Yoko Kanno. The band did a whole series of albums for the Cowboy Bebop that is a Japanese anime series set in the year 2071 about a bunch of bounty hunters (cowboys) touring around in their ship the "Bebop". The music varies wildly from a 60's style horn jazz to modern acid jazz to straight on blues and what have you.

Give a listen to this Seatbelts mix