Sorry Stu, I was just trying to be funny. In fact, I thought I was pretty funny.

Though perhaps I shouldn't have had those two pints at lunch. Or perhaps I should have had more.....

I guess I have to be a bit neater in my writing.....and maybe use spel;lcheck, but I shall restate;
1) I only mention you Brian because I thought I had a discussion with you specifically about the National (not with the cranky Scot).
2) I was never referring to your vocals, I was only referring to the guy who sings for the national...
the "his" being the guy from the national......not the guy from the Egolillys( whos vocals I love by the way)
3)When I refered to "his " vocals ( the National singers) being affected, this is similar to dishonest, so we agree thats what you dont like......
so in short :

I think that Brian ( not cranky Scot) doesnt like the vocals of the guy from the National ( not the guy from the egolillys) because the vocals sound affected (read dishonest) ......and Jans Lekman is crap..

...damn that was fun.....

Now Stuart....please replace "Brian" in your previous blog with "Brian and his more vociferous, cranky, and yes, insightful, friend Derek".

And it's been a long time since you heard my vocals, so how do you know what they sound like???!

And...I'm rolling now.... I would argue (though Derek would probably put it better) that it is the (what seems to me as) dishonesty that I don't like, not the "honesty". I have no real problem with honesty. Bah.

And, Stuart, you liked Jens Lekman?? Wow. Because I've heard (can't remember where) that it's CRAP.

Kyle you have nailed exactly what it is that i love about the National, Boxer is probably my favorite disc of last year and the band is definately my favorite for the year... I know Brian doesnt buy into the honesty of it because of his affected vocals, and I agree there do seem not entirely natural, but like Brian Ferry, I think its that the vocals being a bit removed ( read ironinc) somehow works for me...I know , I know, I am always blasting bands that hide behind Irony, but b3ecause the music here is so heart on sleave the ironiv vocal stance works in a way similar to the vastly underated Beck album Sea Change...as for Jans lekman , its crap, I brought it to the club, but have since given it ( in the words of the late Ray Curtis) "frisby Status" ..
its totally crap, did I mention its crap?

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

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

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

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

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

A quick 2007 footnote on jazz, specific to emusic. First off, the David Murray Black Saint Quartert record "Sacred Ground" is outstanding, peak-period Murray with all of the amazing expressiveness, mood dynamics etc that he offers at his best. Derek, you may already have this (plus a few of the others listed below)....but a heads up for the rest of you.
Other recent favourites of mine, all available on emusic are:

(tenor sax) Grant Stewart's "In the Still of The Night"
(tenor sax) Jerry Bergonzi's "The Tenorist"
(pianist) Enrico Pieranunzi's "Ballads" (gorgeous, quiet player)
(trumpeter) Wallace Roney's "Jazz"

On a non-emusic note, the latest, highly-touted Herbie Hancock record "River - The Joni Letters" is indeed filled with beautiful musical moments, but for my taste suffers from some poor vocal performances (and poor choices) from pop/jazz singers, particularly Nora Jones, Tina Turner. I don't love the Leonard Cohen spoken piece either. The non-vocal tracks are quit sublime though, Wayne Shorter continues to amaze at 74.

I'll be bringing one or two of these to our next gathering, so don't y'all rush out and sample them this week.

(look at me...I posted!)

Consider it downloaded then. Just need to wait until tomorrow when my quota gets replenished on e-music.

Kyle how come when I look at the Dashboard almost every week I see a partial comment from you that shows as draft and then nothing further? Is it something that you mean to post and then just cannot be bothered or is there some sort of technical glitch? Just wondering as I was interested to see you complete your thoughts where Jens Lekman was concerned.

And just in case your looking for some free music to start off 2008 on the right note.

I agree with you re the National. Somebody (perhaps Stuart) needs to help me with them.

Les Savy Fav (nothing like National, at least) are an eighties-indy-punk inspired band with lots of energy and angst, hints of but thankfully not dripping with irony, and although they will sound somewhat familiar if you've been around long enough (sadly, we all have), they are channelling a sound that I lived/loved at the time, and to my ear make it sound very fresh.

All of this to say, that if you're looking for a reason to download them, the answer is clear. Because I told you to.

I'm all for keeping the blog alive. I don't post as often as I should /like to but I check in regularly. Still a better forum than the e-mail route.

Can someone tell me why I should (or should not) download Les Savy Fay. They're not the new National are they? I find the National an incredibly overhyped and underwhelming musical force. They're not musically similar in any way are they. Speaking of overhyped what's up with the drooling over Jens Lekman?

Personally I say keep the blog running. I still check in often, though like you, Kyle, am aware of the drop-off with more kids in the picture and Marc working 7 days a week. Not sure of Stuart's excuse :) Nevertheless I enjoy having it around, and am always thinking of (though typically not acting on, mea culpa) posts. I have also mentioned it to a few people (my music-obsessed nephew for one) to see if they'd like to join in.

Having said all that, it is really your blog, and your inspiration that keeps it going...so your call.

Two questions:

1) Who the hell is Taylor Swift and why does she keep appearing at the top of the emusic charts. Granted, she's kind of hot, if perhaps in a little bit of a creepy, lovechild of Brook Shields-Christopher Atkins circa Blue Lagoon kind of way, but is she talented? I realize I could listen to a sample but I have a hard time willing any part of my body to attempt to listen to music labelled Country.

2) Is it time to shut down this here bloggy thing for good and share our (very) occassional thoughts the old-fashioned way (group email)? I know I've had less time to devote to updating with any insightful comments or thoughts in a long time (okay, ever but...) and I suspect that all your pro-creatin', workaholics out there have little time as well. We could just scrap it, come up with a rotating weekly, bimonthly post/question from each person, or we can just keep it as is.

Let me know what you think...or remain silent.

Also, still not loving Les Savy Fav....sorry Bri.

i'll be brief for now...
albums on the top 10
national - boxer
Julie Doiron- woke myself up
feist- my moon my man
Soundtrack- I'm Not There (bob Dylan covers)
Peter Bjorn & John -Writers block
Patty Griffin- Children running through
Robert plant / Alison krauss- Raising sand

also not bad.....

Shins - Wincing the night away (deserves better recognition)
Andre Either - on blue fog

there is other stuff I have forgotten about Im sure.....I will

Sorry Kyle. You don't get Les Savy Fav? That shows unacceptably bad taste on your part. You're white and born between 1960 and 1980...this music should speak to your thinly veiled fear of death, or worse, poverty. Or something. Besides, Pitchfork (infinitely wise as we all agree) had it at No 44 for the year. Yeah!

Hadn't had a chance to read any of the pitchfork lists yet but loved the worst album covers link. Knew the Eagles had a new album out but didn't realize it had such a fitting cover: bland, boring, predictable, inconsequential.

Even better was the Pop Matters link. I've been looking for a few tracks to fill out the christmas discs and the Youtube videos of each featured song are fantastic. Gracias.

I'd be hard pressed to come up with a top 10 album list for 2007 never mind top 20 so for this year at least I'll restrict it to my favourite tracks of the year. In no particular order:

Feist - My Moon, My Man
Julie Doiron - I Woke Myself Up
Radiohead - All I Need
Arcade Fire - Intervention
The Stars - Take Me to the Riot
Caribou - Melody Day
Luna - You Turned My Head Around
Rihanna - Umbrella
Dr Dog - My Old Ways
Band of Horses - The General Specific
Miracle Fortress - Have You Seen in Your Dreams
Battles - Atlas
brakesbrakesbrakes - Mobile Communication
St. Vincent - Now, Now
Au Revoir Simone - Fallen Snow

Have to agree with Kyle that the Wilco CD was a disappointment and am surprised to see it on several year end best lists. The Okkervill River, Dino Jr and The Sadies all had records this year that despite the hype never made much of an impact on my listening time.

Don't know if you guys are checking out Pitchfork's year-end lists but I did enjoy their worst album covers of the year.

Other sites with some interesting year-end lists include Pop Matters and Dusted Magazine

Thanks for the contrib, Mr. Doyle. Everyone else, bah humbug!

I like the Broken West disc as well and might have put it in my top 20. The Les Savvy Fav has yet to do it for me, though. Haven't heard of The Teeth and I didn't know that Imperial Teen had a new disc out so I'll have to check these out.

[Note: was going to put links to all these discs/tracks but this would have made the page awful to look at and you gents are all tech savvy enough (yes, even stuart) to know how to find these on your own so i'll spare you a screen of bright blue hyperlinks].

Others that would have definitely been in spots 20-11 on my list include:

• Panda Bear - Person Pitch (great disc, perhaps a little one note and only 7 tracks)
• The National - Boxer (first three tracks are great, but it kind of wanes at times, still pretty great)
• Blonde Redhead - 23 (great shoegazer homage, remiscent of Lush and Curve at times)
• MIA - Kala (the mash of sounds and samples can be a bit much at times but at other times, the result is exciting, magical, etc)
• The Comas - Spells (fantastic hooks and rock out moments make this the most well-rounded pop record of the year)
• New Ruins - The Sound They Make (another emusic discovery that panned out well)
• Amon Tobin - The Foley Room (a return to form after a couple of mixed-bag releases)
• Apparat - Walls (for downtempo, atmospheric electronica, I'm digging this one more than the much-balleyhooed 'Untrue' by Burial)
• Brightback Morning Light (after awhile, every one of the Spirtualized-meets-Zero 7-sounding tracks sound the same but I tend to like that sort of thing)
• Beirut - The Flying Club Cup (quite beautiful music, reminiscent vocally of Stephen Merrit, but compositionally more like some of Rufus Wainwright's stuff, but more eclectic instrumentation)

Disappointments: Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (soporific), Bjork - Volta (Timbaland-produced tracks are the only ones that stand out, the other collaborations seem to drizzle away into the ether), Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (this is supposed to be their most accessible disc? je ne pense ca), The Sea and Cake - Everybody (the followup to the fantastic 'One Bedroom' fizzles out from track one on. think this is a band where you buy every other album).

My favourite songs of 2007:

-Atlas - Battles (hattip to Derek, for forwarding the video link for this most original song of the year and one that at first seems jarring but quickly becomes what pop writers like to call 'infectious'. probably the best song for running, as well)
You Know I'm No Good - Amy Winehouse (sorry, Guardian, we North American scum didn't get this disc until early 2007, and if you're going to be sticklers, "Young Folks" is definitely 2006)
-Icky Thump - The White Stripes (best lyrics of the year: "White American, what/Nothing better to do?/Why don't you kick yourself out?/You're an immigrant too")
-Double Vision - The Ponys (dreamy 60s-inspired jangly, swirly rock in a year of mostly 60s inspired jangly, swirly pop)
-She's a Rejector - Of Montreal (though it's a minute or so too long, still delivers)
-Our Life is Not a Movie Maybe - Okkervil River
-I Am Taking the Train Home - The Twilight Sad
-Have You Seen in Your Dreams - Miracle Fortress
-Mistaken for Strangers - The National
-Don't You Evah - Spoon
-Window Bird - Stars
-I've Seen it All - Feist (can't wait for that Bell Lightbox to be built! -filmfest goer inside joke)
-Paper Planes - M.I.A. (didn't really hear this track until i had my ipod on shuffle a month ago and it popped into the mix. will figure on several of your christmas discs, which will be handed out on friday at bettys lunch or mailed if you can't make it)

All for now. Looking forward to reading your posts. Don't be like Eye Magazine and come out with your list in late January, after reading hundreds of other publications who have already put out their lists and then just adding one or two obscure bands/artists that don't appear on any of the lists in order to seem really with it. I'll be linking to some of these sites over the next few days so do keep checking back here for updates.

While you busy yourselves assembling your year-end lists, some lighter reading, from my favourite link source, the onion av club. This time, a collection of Worst Band Names of 2007.

Kyle, interesting list. Derek and Stuart, cool lists too. Thanks. Marc, wow, I didn't know you were into that type of music. Neat.

My pop/rock faves for 2007, tempered by the fact that I haven't heard many of the albums being pegged as best of the year, which in itself is moderated by the fact that I probably won't like a bunch of them anyway, are:

Broken West - I Can't Go On I'll Go On
The Earlies - Enemy Chorus
His Name is Alive - Sweet Earth Flower (tribute to Marion Brown) - this is really a jazz record by a pop band.
Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
The Besnard Lakes - Dark Horse
Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends (just started listening to it, but me likey)
The Teeth - You're My Lover
Imperial Teen - The TV, the Baby, etc etc

As a sidebar, I tend to find that pop music is filling the "lighter" space in my musical spectrum (unlike say anytime prior to about 2000 or so) and I look to jazz and classical for deeper heavier stuff.

Good timing, Bri. This was going to be my next post.

Here's my top 10 of 2007, along with 5-year probability of staying power.

10. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black 40%
9. Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone 70%
8. Lewis & Clarke - Blasts of Holy Birth 80%
7. Caribou - Andora 80%
6. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse 60%
5. Feist - The Reminder 60%
4. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga 70%
3. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible 70%
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows 80%
1. Miracle Fortress - Five Roses 70%

Albums I have not listened to yet but I've heard good things about so don't give me crap cause they aren't on my list:

New Pornographers-Challengers, The Most Serene Republic-Population, Stars of the Lid-And their Refinement of the Decline

No time for commentary right now but will expand a bit on these later and will add the top songs of the year as well.

Best albums of 2007?

Or, how about this one, albums you are most likely to be listening to in five-ten years.