This is the third in a four part series in which via//chicago looks back on the year in music. This time, I'll reveal my favorite one hundred singles of the year. Next time, we wrap up with the final part and reveal the top 50 albums of 2005

Part III: The Singles

100. "Girl" - Beck
99. "Sittin' Sidewayz" - Paul Wall f. Big Pokey
98. "Ain't No Easy Way" - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
97. "Sky Starts Falling" - Doves
96. "Little Sister" - Queens of the Stone Age
95. "Mercy Me" - Alkaline Trio
94. "Reunion" - Stars
93. "Side Streets" - Saint Etienne
92. "Lyla" - Oasis
91. "Mic Check" - Juelz Santana
90. "Ohio is For Lovers" - Hawthorne Heights
89. "Only" - Nine Inch Nails
88. "Wake Up" - Hilary Duff
87. "It's For You" - Out Hud
86. "Grass" - Animal Collective
85. "Tito's Way" - The Juan Maclean
84. "Oh My God" - Kaiser Chiefs
83. "I Feel Space" - Lindstrom
82. "Mandarine Girl" - Booka Shade
81. "DARE" - Gorillaz
80. "Off the Record" - My Morning Jacket
79. "I Feel Like A Child" - Devendra Banhart
78. "Black History Month (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Remix)" - Death From Above 1979
77. "Breathe" - Erasure
76. "Juicebox" - The Strokes
75. "Ashes" - Embrace
74. "Ageless Beauty" - Stars
73. "The First Day of My Life" - Bright Eyes
72. "A.S.A.P." - T.I.
71. "Disco Infiltrator" - LCD Soundsystem
70. "Blue Orchid" - The White Stripes
69. "Destroy Everything You Touch" - Ladytron
68. "Lovefood" - Michael Mayer
67. "Four Kicks" - Kings of Leon
66. "Shine A Light" - Wolf Parade
65. "Hung Up" - Madonna
64. "Elan" - Justus Kohncke
63. "Neighborhood #2 (Laika)" - Arcade Fire
62. "In A Funny Way" - Mercury Rev
61. "Wires" - Athlete
60. "I Built This City (Michael Mayer Remix)" - Baxendale
59. "All These Things That I've Done" - The Killers
58. "Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)" - Broken Social Scene
57. "Jetstream (JLC Remix)" - New Order
56. "Cool (Richard X Remix)" - Gwen Stefani
55. "America's Boy" - Broadcast
54. "Push The Button" - Sugababes
53. "Fuck Forever" - Babyshambles
52. "Do the Whirlwind" - Architecture in Helsinki
51. "Behind These Hazel Eyes" - Kelly Clarkson
50. "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" - Arcade Fire
49. "Pon De Replay" - Rihanna
48. "Tribulations" - LCD Soundsystem
47. "Dear Summer" - Memphis Bleek f. Jay-Z
46. "Inside & Out" - Feist
45. "Hideyaface" - Prefuse 73 f. Ghostface & El-P
44. "Albion" - Babyshambles
43. "We Belong Together (Remix)" - Mariah Carey f. Jadakiss & Styles P
42. "Helena" - My Chemical Romance
41. "Portions for Foxes" - Rilo Kiley
40. "Soul Meets Body" - Death Cab for Cutie
39. "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" - Arctic Monkeys
38. "Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)" - Kanye West f. Jay-Z
37. "Blood On Our Hands" - Death From Above 1979
36. "Your Little Hoodrat Friend" - The Hold Steady
35. "These Words" - Natasha Bedingfield
34. "Lose Control" - Missy Elliott f. Fatman Scoop & Ciara
33. "Hate It or Love It" - The Game f. 50 Cent
32. "Finding Out True Love is Blind" - Louis XIV
31. "Oh" - Ciara f. Ludacris
30. "Pass This On" - The Knife
29. "Apply Some Pressure" - Maximo Park
28. "Sister Jack" - Spoon
27. "Don't Save Us from the Flames (Superpitcher Remix)" - M83
26. "Turn Off Da Lights" - Tweet f. Missy Elliott
25. "Do You Want To" - Franz Ferdinand
24. "1 Thing" - Amerie
23. "Biology" - Girls Aloud
22. "Let's Get High" - Benjamin Diamond
21. "So Here We Are" - Bloc Party

















20. "Still Tippin' (Diplo Remix)" - Mike Jones f. Slim Thug & Paul Wall
One trick pony hits big with the perfect distillation of the Houston sound. Mike Jones never rises above mediocrity himself, but this track is saved thanks to a fantastic beat and some great guest verses from the other H-Town breakouts of '05.

















19. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
The most joyful-sounding anthem on a single full of joyful-sounding anthems. In a just world, this would have been a Top 10 hit worldwide.

















18. "So Good" - Rachel Stevens
Yes it is Rachel, yes it is. The pulsating beat and Rachel's charm are just the start - the glorious chorus is when this one really gets started.

















17. "I Said Never Again (But Here We Are)" - Rachel Stevens
Another gem from Rachel, this was truly her year to shine. Great production sends this one into the stratosphere. But Rachel herself makes the track work, it would have been just a blip if a lesser pop star had sung it.

















16. "Hounds of Love" - The Futureheads
Man, if you would have told me that one of the best singles of 2005 would be a cover of an old Kate Bush song - I would have laughed in your face. The Futureheads get the last laugh in a version that trumps the original in every way.

















15. "Black and White Town" - The Doves
Doves float towards a more "organic" sound on the lead single from their third album and strike gold. Once again these guys prove that attention to detail is key when working their magic.

















14. "Love Me Like You" - The Magic Numbers
A little too sunshiney? Perhaps. Twee as hell? Probably. A classic summertime pop song? Definitely.

















13. "Stay Fly" - Three-6-Mafia f. Eightball, MJG, & Young Buck
These Southern rap vets set out to show the youngsters just how things are done and manage to knock out their best single ever in the process. Also features the only remaining member of G-Unit that matters.

















12. "I Turn My Camera On" - Spoon
These indie-poppers get their white-boy funk on and release a better Beck single than even Beck could manage in the 0-5.

















11. "Long Hot Summer" - Girls Aloud
The girls never stay gone long, thank God. It would have been a long, hot one if we'd have had to suffer throughout the season without another gem.

















10. "Dakota" - Stereophonics
The 'Phonics finally break it big in America, thanks to the strongest single of their career. Too bad there wasn't much to back that up.

















09. "Feel Good Inc." - Gorillaz
What does it mean when the side project starts releasing better singles than the main band? Damon, with a little help from De La Soul, works animated magic all over again.

















08. "Two More Years" - Bloc Party
The best single yet - and it wasn't even a part of the debut album. These guys just keep getting better and better.

















07. "Gold Digger" - Kanye West f. Jamie Foxx
Controvery aside, Kanye still managed to make a huge impact on the radio waves this summer. This Ray Charles sampling gem proves that 'Ye still manages to have a little fun in between pissing off world leaders and bitching about the Grammys.

















06. "Abel" - The National
Yeah, surprised the hell out of me too. It's nearly criminal that this band remains as underexposed as they've been.

















05. "Negotiate With Love" - Rachel Stevens
We couldn't finish off without another one from Rachel, now could we? This was the best of the bunch and the track that made me fall for her. Why are we Americans stuck with Gwen while the Brits get this great stuff?

















04. "Daft Punk is Playing at My House" - LCD Soundsystem
After that last album it may not be something worth bragging about, but James Murphy throws the hipster party of the year with this track. The Soulwax remix is just as hot.

















03. "Krafty" - New Order
Cheesetastic optimistic lyrics, a killer hook, and some glorious strings combine to make the best New Order single in over a decade.

















02. "Sugar, We're Goin' Down" - Fall Out Boy
There may have been a point around the 403rd viewing of the video where we got sick of this song, but any ill will was gone the next time we got to shout-along in the car. If only pop-punk could always be this much fun.

















01. "Since U Been Gone" - Kelly Clarkson
Was there really any doubt? The song that brought the masses - soccer moms and indie rockers alike - together in joyous pop harmony.

This is the second in a four part series in which via//chicago looks back on the year in music. This time around I'll reveal my Top 20 compilations/reissued albums of the year and my Top 10 live shows of the year.

Part II: Compilations/Reissues & Live Albums

The Top 20 Compilations and Reissued Albums of the Year
20. Motley Crue - Red, White, and Crue (Hip-O)
19. The Stooges - Fun House (Remastered) (Elektra)
18. Super Furry Animals - MWNG (Expanded Reissue) (XL)
17. Fountains of Wayne - Out-of-State Plates (Virgin)
16. Blink 182 - Greatest Hits (Geffen)
15. The Cure - Seventeen Seconds (Deluxe Edition) (Elektra)
14. Super Furry Animals - Outspaced (XL)
13. The Cure - Faith (Deluxe Edition) (Elektra)
12. Super Furry Animals - Radiator (Expanded Reissue) (XL)
11. Super Furry Animals - Guerilla (Expanded Reissue) (XL)
10. At the Drive-In - This Station is Non-Operational: Anthology (Fearless)
09. The Cure - Pornography (Deluxe Edition) (Elektra)
08. The Ramones - Weird Tales of the Ramones (Rhino)
07. Mogwai - Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003 (Matador)
06. The Stooges - The Stooges (Remastered) (Elektra)
05. Johnny Cash - The Legend (Sony)
04. Stereolab - Oscillions from the Anti-Sun (Too Pure)
03. Belle & Sebastian - Push Barman to Open Old Wounds (Matador)
02. The Fall - The Complete Peel Sessions: 1978-2004 (Castle Us)
01. Yo La Tengo - Prisoners of Love (Matador)

The Top 10 Live Shows of 2005
10. Drive-By Truckers @ Lollapalooza (07/24)
It may not have been the best setting to see this band in the middle of the afternoon on a scorchingly hot Chicago summer day, but it was great nonetheless. The compelling story-songs translated surprisingly well to the large outdoor stage. One of the most consistently strong acts around today.
09. Foo Fighters / Weezer / Kaiser Chiefs @ Allstate Arena (10/03)
Weezer played a great set, but it was the unexpectedly strong set from Dave Grohl and company that made this show memorable. The Foos are a criminally underrated band in some quarters.
08. Death Cab for Cutie @ Lollapalooza (07/24)
A great way to cap off the weekend, Ben Gibbard and company played a wonderful set with the moonlit Chicago skyline as a backdrop and brought the crowd back down gently with their lush pop tunes.
07. Magnolia Electric Co. @ Intonation (07/16)
Between Intonation and Lollapalooza, it was an embarrassment of riches for Chicago this summer. One of the highlights of this Pitchfork-curated weekend was watching Jason Molina lead his band through a blistering set.
06. The Hold Steady @ Intonation (07/17)
This is definitely a band not to be missed in a live setting, as the twisted tales from their two albums take on a whole new life on the stage. Can't wait to catch these guys again.
05. The National / Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ Schuba's (09/23)
It was very exciting to catch buzz band CYHSY in such an intimate setting, but it was The National who stole the show with an intense and cathartic set.
04. Les Savy Fav @ Intonation (07/16)
Tim Harrington is one of the craziest dudes I've ever seen on a rock stage and made sure to take full advantage of the Intonation crowd. Whether he was stripping to his skivvies or pouring beer down said underwear, he was a ball on energy that ignited the fans for the best set of the weekend.
03. Sufjan Stevens / Liz Janes @ Metro (09/17)
This could have gone wrong for so many reasons, but this show ended up being one of the most enjoyable rock shows of the year. The crowd was way into it and the cheerleader schtick brought a much appreciated level of humor to the night.
02. The Arcade Fire @ Lollapalooza (07/23)
Donning the full funeral gear despite the intense heat, these Canadians became the breakout stars of the weekend with one of the most energetic sets of live music I've seen. Less than an hour of music that justified all the hype.
01. The Arcade Fire / Wolf Parade / Bell Orchestre @ The Riviera (09/28)
Oh yeah, they definitely deserve the top two spaces on this list. Quite simply the most exciting live band in the world right now. The set exceeded the huge expectations set by the awesome Lolla performance, and getting to catch Wolf Parade was a wonderful bonus.

This is the first in a four part series in which via//chicago looks back on the year in music. We start off with a quick summary of 2005 and a quick glimpse at what is to come in 2006. Part two will reveal my Top 10 live shows and Top 20 compilation/reissued albums of the year, part three will reveal my favorite 100 singles of the past year, and part four will finish things off with a look at the 50 best albums of 2005.

Part 1: The Overview

What will we remember most about the music of 2005 when we look back on it in fifteen years? Will we remember it as the first significant year of the Arcade Fire's global domination? Or will we look back and fondly recall the humble beginnings of superstars like M.I.A. or Bloc Party? Maybe we'll remember it as the year Eminem announced the first of his many "retirements". Probably none of the above, instead we'll be kicking ourselves for ever allowing "Hollaback Girl" and "My Humps" to become Top 10 hit singles. If not, we should be. In fact, why don't we just go ahead and chalk those two up in the "horrid atrocities of 2005" column right now and get it over with. Put them just below the continued presence of the Bush administration and that whole bird flu thing, but just above the continued presence of Paris Hilton. At least she's good for a laugh or two.

In all seriousness, 2005 will most likely be a very interesting year to look back on. While there was no easy to pinpoint defining moment, sound, or artist this year (ala "Hey Ya" in 2003 or Eminem in 2001); there was still plenty of great music to be heard. For the first time in what seemed to be too many years, rock music snuck back up onto the pop charts and slightly loosened the stranglehold that hip-hop and R&B has had on them. Thanks to both Green Day and The Killers holdover success stories from last year, the kids who like guitars instead of turntables actually had reason to tune in the weekly countdowns. American Idiot and "Mr. Brightside" may have led the charge, but it was a duo of spunky new bands that kept the rock flame burning. You could hardly flip on MTV this summer without stumbling across a dorky kid with antlers or a funeral with enough choreography to put Star Search to shame. Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance proved that girls still love the guys that sing from the teenaged heart, but it helps even more to have a quirky video on your side. Not to mention that the arguable biggest single of the year, courtesy of the best American Idol factory product yet, owed more to the Strokes than Beyonce. Some might even say that "Since U Been Gone" owes even more to Nick Zinner and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but that's a different story.

2005 was also a huge year for disappointments, of both the massively crushing and slightly annoying variety. Billy Corgan pretty much wrapped up the former all by his lonesome, unleashig upon the world a horrifically weak album that made the whole Zwan thing look downright genius by comparison. Look Billy, we all know that you want to forge a separate identity from a certain former band - but flopping a reheated pile of '80s synth farts isn't the way to do it. And squandering every fan's dream of a duet with Robert Smith on that near trainwreck of a Bee Gee's cover? Unforgiveable. I'm not going to hate just yet because I know you still have it in you, but you let us down big time with this one. Although it just may have been part of the mid-90's alt-rocker curse as albums from Nine Inch Nails, Beck, Audioslave, and Garbage all fell far short of expectations. Beck's being the biggest shocker of the bunch, let's just hope it was an off year for the guy. In the "slightly annoying" category of disappointments we find the latest releases from Super Furry Animals, Boards of Canada, and Missy Elliott failing to live up to the standards set by previous releases. None of these three were exactly terrible albums (in fact the Boards of Canada album turned out to age fairly well), but everyone involved is capable of so much more.

But let us not dwell too long on the negative because there were even more reasons to be completely thrilled with the music 2005 gave us. One of the biggest reasons I'm excited about what I heard this year is that we had so many amazing debut albums in the last twelve months. It's very exciting to hear tons of great new music, but doubly so when all this great music is from a bunch of new artists who still have entire careers in front of them. Sure many will fizzle out or never again reach the full potential hinted at upon these debuts, but I think that many of the great first albums from this year are just the tip of the iceberg. Specifically I'm thinking about people like Bloc Party, Engineers, Wolf Parade, M.I.A., Akron Family, and The Game. Each of these artists' debut albums were sprinkled with flashes of genius and inspiration that offer a tantalizing peek of the huge things we can expect in the future. Bloc Party has already shown more talent with the non-album single "Two More Years", as has the Akron Family with their recent split LP with the Angels of Light. And if some of the mixtape material floating around is any indication, The Game isn't going to let his beef with G-Unit squash his career. The Documentary may have been uneven, but the kid has a very unique style and a delivery that will only get better with time. Not wanting to let the newcomers hog all the fun and spotlight, quite a few well established artists stepped up to the plate and delivered the goods in 2005 as well. Sufjan Stevens, Bright Eyes, Spoon, Animal Collective, Ryan Adams, and Broken Social Scene all released albums that greatly enhanced their already stellar reputations.

In the end, I think 2005 was mostly a year of transition. No huge new trends were broken, unless you count reggaeton's inevitable breach of mainstream urban radio, and there were no huge generational shifts in mood or taste. But I think enough subtle variations and nudges occurred to lay down some solid foundations for things to come - more rock music in the mainstream pop charts, young bands into careers and not just hit singles, and the continued acceptance of pop music as a serious form of music by even the most headstrong indie fans. This popism is certainly nothing new, but 2005 seemed to prove that it wasn't just a buzzword escape clause for pop fans to use while breaking out of the closet. Take it from Ted Leo, whose acoustic cover of "Since U Been Gone" went a long way towards showing the indie world just how wonderful the song actually was. And now we turn our ears towards 2006 and wait to see what rises above these solid foundations. With albums expected from heavy hitters and solid performers such as The Strokes, Radiohead, Belle and Sebastian, The Flaming Lips, Pearl Jam, and the aforementioned Yeah Yeah Yeahs (just to name a few) - the coming year promises to be as eventful and exciting as any.

Thanks for reading via//chicago these past twelve months and please continue to do so in the coming year. Don't be afraid to leave me a comment anytime, or feel free to drop me a line at jon830@yahoo.com to let me know what you think.

np: "Heart In A Cage" - The Strokes

Apparently the whole album has leaked now, so chances are that if you're a huge fan and technologically inclined - you've probably already heard First Impressions of Earth by now. I've yet to hear the whole thing, I'm really trying to hold out until the official release date (January 3, 2006) since I like to keep some suspense now and then for my mostly highly anticipated albums. But I do have to admit that I've already heard about four of the new tracks and I'm pretty stoked by what I've heard. Definitely a change of pace for the band, no one is going to be calling this one Is This It Part 3. We'll just have to see if this level of quality can be held up for fourteen tracks. While on the topic of these guys, have you seen the "Juicebox" video yet? It's really nothing special, but David Cross managed to pull a chuckle from me during his brief cameo introducing the band. Although I have to admit that he needs to lay out of the indie/rock video appearances so far, he'll never be able to top the hilarious "rock school" Yo La Tengo "Sugarcube" video. And, hate to say it, but that cover art pretty much sucks.

Progress is still being made on the via//Chicago 2005 year-end extravaganza - look for it to kick off within the next week or two. In addition to featuring my favorite albums and singles of the year, I'll also be listing my favorite compilations and live shows of the year. Not to mention a wrap-up of the music year that was 2005.

np: "It Fit When I Was A Kid (Don't Techno For An Answer Remix)" - Liars

There are so many reasons why I love the Liars, let's see how many I can think of right now.

- While The Strokes, Interpol, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs were busy eating up most of the "new rock" hype back in 2002 - "Mr. Your On Fire Mr." bashed them all on the head and stuck a monument on top that read "suck it New York". Ok, maybe not... but it was and still is one of the best singles to come out that year.

- The 20 minute loop jam thing that ended the debut album. Classic.

- Pissing off nearly half their fans with the second album. It was even more out there than the debut and twenty times better than any critics seemed to want to give it credit for. I think Spin even gave it an 'F' if I remember correctly. Screw that. It was awesome.

- That fucked up video for "We Fenced Other Gardens With The Bones of Our Own".

- The song titles like the above and "We Got Cold, Coughed, And Forgot Things".

- Awesome covers, such as Oneida's "Rose and Licorice" and Germs' "Sex Boy".

- Them starting out prolific as hell, even though they've slowed down a bit. But between '02 and '05 they released two full lengths, two EPs, one split EP, at least three singles, and a split 7-inch that I know of.

Ok, so that's only like seven reasons - but seven awesome reasons! And now the boys are due back with their third full-length in early 2006. But to whet our appetites they've snuck out the fantastic It Fit When I Was A Kid single/EP, complete with disturbingly NSFW cover art, three all new tracks, and a remix of the title tune. Up above, below the picture, is a link to "It Fit When I Was A Kid (Don't Techno For An Answer Remix)" - listen and enjoy, then get your ass out and pick up the entire EP - it'll be money well spent. And keep an eye out for Drum's Not Dead when it hits stores.

np: "So What" - The Cure

Let me kick this one off by wishing each and every one of you a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Get your fill of food and naps on the couch now, before the hectic shopping season kicks off in earnest. Can you tell I'm not excited to do my Christmas shopping yet? I'm just not excited about buying gifts when I have no idea what to get everyone. Anyway, safe travels and enjoy the much needed time off - I know I will.

One of the many reasons I've been slacking on updates over the past couple weeks is the massive amounts of time being spent preparing for year-end list making. I've been spending every spare moment re-listening and re-examining much of the music I've come across since January, be they albums or singles or what have you. I'm aiming to compile a list of my 100 favorite singles and 50 favorite albums of the year, results to be posted here within the next couple of weeks. So start thinking about your faves of the year because I'm really hoping the lists will kickstart those comments from you readers. Don't be afraid to leave one, seriously. It's easy.

At any rate, here's a quick rundown of some of the stuff that's really grown on me as I've done my listening over the past couple weeks. Stuff I either underestimated at first or just plain missed out on the first time.

Broken Social Scene - S/T:
This was most definitely a "grower" for me this year, an album that didn't reveal its full impact until somewhere around the 9th or 10th full listen. It's not as striking as You Forgot It In People, nor as solid, but don't let the legions of naysayers keep you from giving this gem a chance. It may be a tad bit overproduced, but just pop this one on with headphones and let the layers and intricacies overwhelm you.

The Magic Numbers - S/T:
The first couple of spins did absolutely nothing for me, but looking back I'm not sure why. This album features some of the most gorgeous melodies of the year and a ridiculously good single in "Love Me Like You". If you like your pop sunny, pretty, and completely endearing in a dorky kind of twee way - give this one a shot.

Mariah Carey - "Shake It Off", "We Belong Together (remix)":
I really fell of Mariah back in the late '90s, when she became what I liked to call the "hip-hop ho". Didn't really have anything to do with the look she was going for back then (ok, sorta), but more with the constant pimping of her vocal talents to rappers who wanted a quick and easy hook without really letting Mariah's voice shine. The hype on the new album started building early, but I refused to be sucked in. But sure enough those two songs sunk in and I fell for them - hard. The girl still has an amazing voice, let's just be thankful she decided to put it to full use again.

Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger:
While my love for the awesome single "Apply Some Pressure" never has wavered, this album originally struck me as nothing special. I think the problem was hearing this so late in the post-punk revivial craze and being somewhat sick of that sound by the time this came around. Luckily putting the album away for a few months before digging it out again was the best thing I could have done. Songs like "I Want You to Stay", "The Coast is Always Changing", and "Graffiti" have revealed themselves to be the treats they really are.

np: "Hotline Operator" - The Constantines

It seems I have to once again apologize for the slacking in updating this site lately, but things have gotten really hectic around here these past few weeks. Between work and just trying to keep up with life in general the blog kinda took a backseat there for a bit. But I promise to be back into the swing of things soon, especially with the end of year review stuff starting to kick into gear. I've been spending the last couple weeks reviewing all of the albums I've heard this year and organizing all my favorite singles of the year in iTunes, all to prepare for my annual list-making. A couple months ago I was thinking that 2005 was a really weak year for singles compared to 2004, but the more I review and dig around I'm finding some really fantastic shit that I originally missed out on or passed over. The problem is that there hasn't been a killer single that has completely knocked my socks off, although there have been several to come pretty close (Fall Out Boy, I'm looking at you). Reviewing all of the albums I've heard from this year is turning into quite the monumental task. I didn't realize just how many albums I've bought and/or reviewed this year, let alone how many of them are actually quite good. Trust me, you'll get a full rundown once my final lists are decided. It's actually been a pretty damn good year for music, you just had to know where to look for it.

np: "Publish My Love" - Rogue Wave

Wow. I love it when a band completely surprises me with a tune that knocks me right off my feet. When a great tune virtually pops up out of nowhere, smacks you on the face, and instantly makes you fall in love with it. The type of tune that works its way into your head from the start and you find yourself randomly humming it during trips to the copier.
I first heard Rogue Wave when WOXY (great online station that I highly recommend) played "Kicking the Heart Out", off of last year's Out of the Shadow. I liked the song quite a bit, but for some reason the rest of the debut never really clicked with me. It certainly is pleasant enough, and I could see how some might love it, but I never got fully excited about the album or the band. So I really wasn't paying much attention to these guys this year, although I was vaguely aware that they were going to be releasing something new. But then I started reading some major chatter regarding this tune courtesy of several different message boards I frequent from time to time. I figured with so many accolades being thrown around, it would be a song worth checking out. I'm glad I did, it's quickly turning into one of my favorite songs of the last couple months - and surprisingly, it's not even the album's lead single (that would be the also good, but not as beautiful, "10:1"). This song was enough to spark a new interest in the band for me, and I've since spent a lot of quality time with the excellent Descended Like Vultures. But enough about me, let's get you excited about this song. As usual, click on the link below the picture and give it a spin for yourself. Then head on over to Sub Pop and buy the album. Or the single. Or their debut. Support your favorite (mega) indie labels.

(A quick note about the songs I provide: These are meant for evaluation purposes only, so I can spread the word about music that deserves to be heard. They will only be available for a limited time and will not be reposted once expired. I will also provide links to where you can purchase work from these artists, so that we can all continue to support them. If you are or represent one of the artists for any of the songs I've posted and you do not want it shared, please let me know and it will be removed. Thanks. Enjoy. And please, please support these bands and artists.)

np: "Biology" - Girls Aloud

Nothing like a great pop song to brighten up the dark and rainy days of late October, when an extra spring in the step is a much desired thing. UK pop queens Girls Aloud have been providing us with hits to launch that extra spring for a couple of years now, tossing off excellent singles such as "Sound of the Underground", "Love Machine", and my personal favorite "The Show". These girls might be unfamiliar to most of you readers in the States, which is unfortunate because these girls deserve just as much praise as the Spice Girls got on this side of the pond back in the day. You may have caught an earful of them in the movie Love Actually though, as it was these very girls that provided the superb cover of the Pointer Sisters' "Jump (For My Love)" for the soundtrack (unfortunately not included on the US version). Anyway, exciting news trickled out this week about the girls preparing a new album for release before 2006 is upon us. Also spreading around the internet like peanut butter on bread is their latest single, "Biology", the perfect genre-mashing antidote for a crappy day. Click on the link below the picture to hear it for yourself though. It's not as spectacular as "Long Hot Summer", from earlier this year, but its still a great pop tune in a long line of great Girls Aloud pop tunes. Hopefully someday soon the success of these ladies will translate to their albums being available here in the States, but until then we'll just have to savor what little tastes we can grab or pay the crazy import prices.

np: "life during wartime" - talking heads

I've been listening to the new Talking Heads boxset, Brick, the last couple of days and I've been simply astounded by how great this band's first four albums are. The run from 77 to More Songs About Buildings & Food to Fear of Music to Remain in Light is pretty much unstoppable, each full of great songs from start to finish and nary a dud in the bunch. I've been trying to think of bands that have been able to match that same great consistency over their first four albums, but its not as easy as it may sound. As much as I love the Beatles and Stones, they didn't put out solid albums until later in their careers - they were far more singles oriented at the beginning. After much thought, I was only able to come up with two bands that matched that criteria - the Velvet Undergound and Pavement. Sure there have been lots of great four album runs, but not starting with the debut. Anybody you think I might have overlooked? Leave a comment below and educate me.

Also, my reviews of the Dead 60s debut and the latest from Robert Plant are now up at Static.

np: "solid gold animal collection" - guided by voices

Yeah, it's been far too long... things have been a little hectic around here. Been working on a couple of different projects, including a big mix set for a friend's wedding rehearsal dinner, so blogging kind of dropped to a low spot on the priority list. After all the mushy love songs and calm dinner music I've been exposed to for most of the week due to the aforementioned project, I decided that I needed to spend some time with some slack-ass rock and roll. Luckily, Bob Pollard and Guided by Voices just released 100 songs of just that - Suitcase 2. Following the form of the original Suitcase, this collects 100 more rarities, demos, and what have you from the late '70s right up to 2005. Like most of Pollard's output this stuff is very hit or miss - but that's to be expected. And since GBV is no more, I'll take what I can get. You can read more about this over at Pitchfork, along with exciting news about Bob's new solo joint and signing to Merge. I'm glad he's got a new label, but I'm a little disappointed because Matador and GBV were always linked in my mind. They, along with Pavement, were some of the earliest indie bands that I really grew to love and follow - so it just seems natural to see the little Matador flag flying on the majority of Pollard's stuff. I'll get used to it, and best of luck to him in his solo career.

And, for those of you that care to read such things, my review of the recent Cursive collection is up at Static. Read it here.

np: "everlong" - foo fighters

So thanks to the birthday present from my wonderful girlfriend, I hit up Allstate Arena on Monday night to check out the Foo Fighters / Weezer tour. It was a pretty fun night of reliving the mid-90s alt-rock years with two bands that still know how to put on one hell of an arena rock experience.
Kaiser Chiefs opened up the show and did a pretty decent job considering 85-90% of the crowd either didn't know them or didn't give a rat's ass about them. But after a little goading by the lead singer, the crowd was actually into it by the time they hit a peak on "Oh My God". I think I wouldn't mind seeing them again at a cheap club show. Better than expected.
Then we waited through your average arena-rock show setbreak for the mighty Weez. They kicked off with "My Name Is Jonas" before launching into a rather long string of songs off the last couple albums. Yawn. Ok, so it wasn't THAT bad - but I'd love a set of all Blue Album/Pinkerton material. They did break out "El Scorcho" though, so I was happy as was I with the cover of the Foo's "Big Me" - which was pretty good and better than 80% of the tracks Rivers has written recently. I hope he was paying attention. The last half of the set was more evenly balanced with older songs - "Surf Wax America", "Buddy Holly", "Say It Ain't So" (still love hearing a huge crowd singing along with that one). Then the drummer was brought up front to sing "Photograph" which morphed into the first half of Blur's "Song 2". For the first part of the encore, Rivers disappeared for a bit and popped up at the rear of the floor area for a solo acoustic "Island in the Sun" - it was decent enough and all the kiddies on the floor ran back to see him so we were able to move a lot closer to the stage. For the rest of the encore they did the "pull a random kid from the audience" to play the acoustic guitar part on "The Sweater Song" and followed it up with "Hash Pipe", which ended with tons of 'W' stamped confetti shooting into the crowd. Cool rock star show ending, but I'd rather have heard them end with "The Good Life".
Another set-break and the Foos were out. They had a pretty cool stage setup with tons and tons of amps/speakers piled haphazardly behind them and all sorts of funky-shaped screens. It started off with this circular screen obscuring the stage that rose up to reveal the band as they tore into "In Your Honor". Most of the set was taken from the last three albums and definitely focused on the band's rockier side. Dave was screaming his head off the whole time. I'll admit that the dude is one hell of a showman and loves to make sure the kids get their forty bucks worth. Particular highlights for me were an awesome version of "Stacked Actors" which saw Dave pull the same pop up on the other side of the floor trick that Rivers used, and a mostly solo "Everlong" that the rest of the band joined in on later. Dave told a cool story about being in Chicago when he was a kid and seeing his first punk show at the Cubby Bear, Naked Raygun and said that show was what motivated him to play punk rock. I'll admit that we were lame and left before the encore since the main-set ending "Everlong" was what we all wanted to hear anyway, plus we were hungry as hell and wanted to beat the post-show rush.
Overall, fun night at the rock show. Lots of loud music, lasers, smoke, and decent tunes. But I remember why I don't hit up those type of arena shows very often.
And for those interested in such things, here's the setlists for the main two bands:

My Name is Jonas
The Other Way
Don't Let Go
Dope Nose
This is Such a Pity
Big Me (Foo Fighters cover)
Perfect Situation
Why Bother?
El Scorcho
Say It Ain't So
We Are All on Drugs
Surf Wax America
Beverly Hills
Buddy Holly
Photograph/Song 2 (Blur cover)
------
Island in the Sun
Undone
Hash Pipe

In Your Honor
All My Life
My Hero
Best Of You
Learn To Fly
Up In Arms
Times Like These
Stacked Actors
DOA
This Is A Call
End Over End
Breakout
Everlong
-----
Cold Day In The Sun
Monkeywrench

np: "five years (live)" - arcade fire

So here it is almost twenty hours since last night's Arcade Fire show at the Riv ended, and I've still not recovered. Simply put, last night's show was the best night of live music I've experienced this year. Probably in the last three or four years as well, if I were really forced to make that call. I've long suspected it, but seeing them last night cemented it, this is the best live band operating right now. Energy, passion, excitement - this band has each of them in spades. The night kicked off with a sort-of side project, Bell Orchestre, lulling the audience with some beautiful instrumental post-rock that was very reminiscent of another Canadian collective, Do Make Say Think. It was the second opening band, however, that kicked the show into high gear and got the audience fired up. Wolf Parade, with a highly praised debut album fresh out, yelped and tore their way through an exciting set that easily demonstrated what Issac Brock saw in these guys. Particular highlights were "This Heart's On Fire", "You Are A Runner and I Am My Father's Son", and a very lively "Shine A Light". But the high point of the night was yet to come. Well, I should say "highlights" since it would be damn near impossible to narrow it down to just one.

After a reasonable set-break, the Arcade Fire took to the stage accompanied by a wild roar from the sold out crowd. Everyone got settled in and Win strapped on the acoustic for a short section of Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" that segued into an awesome "Wake Up". And from that point on the band didn't let up one bit. They tore through the majority of Funeral, picking up a pair from the self-titled EP and a fantastic rendition of Bowie's "Five Years" along the way. The crowd was way into it the whole way through - singing, dancing, and shouting along with the band as they worked up to and through a wild version of "Rebellion (Lies)" before taking a very short encore break. Barely two minutes passed before the band was back out on stage and dipping into "No Cars Go" and letting Regine lead us through a beautiful "In the Backseat" to end the set. After the encore, the band climbed off the stage and walked through the audience to set up in the lobby for a rendition of "Queen Bitch" sans mics and amps as the audience filed out. I'd like to tell you some more about that, but we were stuck in the throng and didn't get to hear much of it at all.

Like I said, it would be impossible to pick one particular highlight of the evening so I'm not even going to try. Hopefully its enough for me to just say that it was the most thrilling night of live music I can remember and that the Fire lives up to every single ounce of praise. If you haven't been captured by the magic yet, go see them live and you will be.

For those keeping score, here's the setlist:

Wake Up (with Dylan's "A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall" acoustic intro)
Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
Headlights Looked Like Diamonds
Haiti
I'm Sleeping in a Submarine
5 Years (Bowie cover)
Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)
Crown of Love
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Rebellion (Lies)
--------
No Cars Go
In the Backseat

Also, be sure to click on the "Five Years" link above so you can check out a live version from Austin earlier in the week.

np: "mine's not a high horse" - the shins (live courtesy of NPR)

Somewhat of a grab bag sort of entry today, as I don't really have anything of particular importance to talk about. You may remember me mentioning a couple weeks about something about a poll I was running on a message board I frequent to determine the Top 1990's Britpop songs. Well, the official results are complete and I thought I would share the top 20 (of 125) for those interested. So, according to members of the Sound Opinions Message Board, here are the top 20 Britpop songs of the 1990s:

20. "To The End" - Blur
19. "Caught By the Fuzz" - Supergrass
18. "Acquiesce" - Oasis
17. "Ladykillers" - Lush
16. "The Drowners" - Suede
15. "Champagne Supernova" - Oasis
14. "Animal Nitrate" - Suede
13. "Girl From Mars" - Ash
12. "Setting Sun" - Chemical Brothers f. Noel Gallagher
11. "The Universal" - Blur
10. "Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve
9. "Wonderwall" - Oasis
8. "Country House" - Blur
7. "Born Slippy (NUXX)" - Underworld
6. "Disco 2000" - Pulp
5. "Connection" - Elastica
4. "Live Forever" - Oasis
3. "Girls and Boys" - Blur
2. "Alright" - Supergrass
1. "Common People" - Pulp

Very cool to see "Alright" finish ahead of the two kings of Britpop and I'm really happy to see Pulp take the number one spot with a song that really encapsulates the era very well. I'm kinda wishing I would have voted that to the top myself, oh well.

In other news, I'm very excited to be heading to the Riv tonight to catch Wolf Parade and Arcade Fire in what is shaping up to be one hell of a concert judging by the reports I've read on other tour stops. I'll let you know how awesome it was tomorrow, maybe even with pictures if I can keep my digital camera from sucking.

Related to the show tonight, I picked up the Wolf Parade debut full-length on Sub Pop, Apologies to the Queen Mary, yesterday and it is absolutely fantastic. Grab yourself a copy.

Intonation 2005
Yeah, I know. These pictures shoud have been up about three months ago, but better late than never - right? These are just a couple of the better shots I got at Intonation, not that any of them are amazing or anything - just some I felt like sharing with those who weren't there or those who'd like to relive the experience. Coming soon will be some pictures from that other summer music festival, Lollapalooza.




























Hold Steady lead singer Craig Finn preaches to the congregation in the Saturday afternoon heat.
















Dungen fires the crowd up early on Sunday afternoon, work that tambourine!

















Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu lays down another Top 40 pop ballad for the crowd.





















The Wrens prove to the youngsters that grey hair is no obstacle to the powers of indie rock.


















A still clothed Tim Harrington of Les Savy Fav rocks the party that rocks your body.

np: "gimme some salt" - clap your hands say yeah

Maybe the key to having great concert experiences is to head into them with low or no expectations at all, those times seem to be when a band will really surprise you and blow you off your feet. This was definitely the case with both of the bands I caught at Schuba's this past Friday night, the much hyped Pitchfork darlings Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and a horribly underrated band that is quickly becoming one of my favorites, The National.
Apparently this was one of the weekend's hotter tickets if the number of ticketless scavengers outside the venue was any indication, with some of the hopeful offering well over face value for a shot to get inside to see Clap Your Hands. As the 10:30 start time came and went, the back area of Schuba's steadily filled up and the anticipation grew. Finally, about 10 minutes before 11, Clap Your Hands took the stage and launched into the first song of a great set. Most of the show was dominated by songs from the self-released debut album, but there were a couple of new tunes in the first part of the set. Translated to the stage, the songs took on more of an immediate edge as the admittedly sometimes grating vocals were pushed lower in the mix and the rest of the band more than ably stepped it up. All five guys on stage, especially the hyped up keyboard/tambourine/extra guitar player, were really feeding off the crowd's energy and put it back into the music. The whole room bounced along to everything, with the biggest crowd reactions coming from "The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth" and "Gimme Some Salt". I wasn't sure what to expect going in to this show, but I admit to being pleasantly surprised. The album versions of the songs really don't do these guys justice, hearing them live reveals a lot more energy than one would expect. Overall it was a very solid set and I'm positive in saying that the band left Chicago with a few more fans on the bandwagon.
After the set I had a chance to talk to lead singer Alec Ounsworth and guitarist Lee Sargent, both of whom were really down to earth guys who didn't seem to be letting all the hype go to thier heads. Alec also mentioned that the band was hoping to hit the studio in January to get some new material recorded, so keep an eye out for that sometime next year.
As good as Clap Your Hands Say Yeah were the night belonged to The National without a doubt, and everyone who left before they took the stage missed one of the best hours of live music I've seen all year. From the moment the band took the stage they owned it and every single member of the audience. The set ranged from subdued and hypnotizing to raging and cathartic as they tore through a set made up mostly of songs from this year's excellent Alligator. Frontman Matt Berninger nervously prowled the stage, drawing every ounce of emotion out of the songs and pouring them out into the night. The rest of the band met, and sometimes exceeded, Matt's energy output - most notably the violinist who shredded his instrument like Eddie Van Halen in the early years. Highpoints like "Abel" and "Mr. November" brought the crowd to a fever pitch that was brought down expertly with a subdued encore that showcased this band's dynamic range. Between Alligator and this live show, The National is rapidly becoming one of my favorite bands of 2005.

np: "worldbeater" - hair police

I could just say that I've been listening to "Juicebox" on repeat since yesterday and it wouldn't be entirely inaccurate, but it would be pretty damn boring for you loyal readers. Actually, I did take a break from the Strokes tonight to wallow in some head-pounding noise action. Mostly I've been checking out the always awesome Lightning Bolt, especially their killer new album Hypermagic Mountain which is due out soon on Load Records. I think it just may be their most ferocious and all-around solid album yet, so make sure you check that one out. But I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to another great noise band that hasn't really gotten the exposure of a Lightning Bolt or a Wolf Eyes, Hair Police. Besides having an awesome name, these guys create dangerous squalls of noise using everything from battered instruments to tape manipulations. If you've ever wanted to feel like you're being pulled into the seventh ring of hell by your tonsils, through your eardrums, check these guys out. They've been fortunate enough to open for Sonic Youth in the past so you know they're doing something right to get the Thurston endorsement. Check out the link below, and the one just underneath the picture, for a taste of the madness. These both come from 2002's Blow Out Your Blood, enjoy. But please - if you like what you hear, run down to your local indie store or follow one of the links provided and support the band.

"that's not blood" - hair police

np: "juicebox" - the strokes

Wow. This was completely not what I was expecting from a new Strokes song, but it is completely wonderful. Julian's vocals are way different from the last album, more up front and a far cry from his standard "couldn't give a shit" delivery. My favorite parts after about 10 listens are the Peter Gunn inspired(?) bassline and the awesome guitar effects that kick in for the mini solo at about the 1:20 mark. Once the chorus kicks in you can definitely tell its a Strokes song, but the rest of it is different enough to showcase some interesting new directions the band could be taking with First Impressions of Earth when it drops early next year. After this tasty preview, color me stoked. Click the song title above to sample it for yourself.

For those of you who enjoy this sort of thing, direct your browser over to Static and check out my review of the new Sufjan Stevens album that just went up.

np: "busted in baylor county" - shooter jennings

When I was growing up, my dad used to play a lot of the classic "outlaw" country albums. The booming voice of Johnny Cash frequently blasted out of our old Quasar speakers, or other times Waylon and Willie would be beggin' the mamas not to let their babies grow up to be cowboys. These were the days when I used to walk around in cowboy boots with a huge belt buckle dangling off of my six year old frame. The "cowboy" phase was much the same as any kid goes through, but my Saturday morning fantasies were usually soundtracked by the legends of country music.
By the time I got to high school names like Waylon and Hank and Johnny were replaced by guys with names like Alan and Garth and Randy. It just wasn't the same to me, not even close. So for the longest time I pretty much ignored country music. Every now and then I'd try to give it another chance, but the bland pop-lite ballads quickly reminded me why I never really flipped my dial in that direction.
So now its a rare thing indeed when I purchase a new "country" album, anything that is even embraced by CMT in the slightest is enough to put me off. But after hearing "Fourth of July" by Shooter Jennings, I realized that I may just be wrong about all modern country being unlistenable crap. I went out couple weeks later and picked up Put the 'O' Back in Country, Shooter's debut album. I figured anybody with Waylon for a father had to be somewhat talented, but I didn't realize that I would fall hard and fast for the entire fucking album. In fact, as it turns out, "Fourth of July" is just about my least favorite song on the whole thing - it being the most blatant stab at commercial airplay. From mournful ballads ("Sweet Savannah") to kiss off blasts ("Manifesto No. 1") to rockin' reminders of country's youth ("Southern Comfort"), the album reminded me of the power of country music to hit you straight in the gut. It may be some time before we put ol' Shooter up there in the outlaw hall of fame, but if this record is any indication - he's got a long, ass-kickin' career ahead of him. Click on the link below the picture and take a listen for yourself.

np: "size too small" - sufjan stevens

How do I sum up Saturday night's Sufjan Stevens show at the Metro? If I were to sum it up in one simple word - "fun". It's been far too long since I've smiled and laughed that much at an indie rock show, it made me realize that some performers just know how to put on a great show and Sufjan is definitely one of those. I was a little worried that the cheerleading schtick would grow old by the end of the night, but the band was obviously having fun with it and this in turn kept it interesting. Maybe more bands should look into the onstage human pyramid thing. I was slightly disappointed not to hear "John Wayne Gacy Jr.", but the rest of the set was so great that I can't really complain. The set opening "Fifty States Song" was wonderful, that really needs to get an official release soon. The Illinois songs translated very well to a live setting, managing to capture all the various moods quite well. The setlist stuck to the new album for the most part, except for a brief detour to "All The Trees of the Field Will Clap Thier Hands" from Seven Swans. If you haven't had the chance to catch Sufjan live yet I suggest you do so, especially on the current tour - you won't regret it.

np: "the chiselers" - the fall

Not only am I dealing with playing catch-up from my four days away from the office, but I'm also dealing with a killer cold that is determined to destroy my sinuses. So not much of an update for now, hopefully something better coming along later this week. If you are really that bored and need something of mine to read, my review of the new Longwave album is up at Static. Peace.

np: "st. petersburg" - supergrass

There aren't very many bands that exploded during the mid-nineties Britpop craze that are still around making albums, let alone making great albums. Blur is probably the first that comes to mind, but beyond that there aren't many choices. Pulp? Too missing. Oasis? Too spotty. Manic Street Preachers? Maybe. Supergrass, however, have managed to survive the decade just fine - cranking out solid albums like 1997's In It For The Money and 2002's Life On Other Planets. They were probably the least likely band of the bunch to progress as they have, seeing as how they were just snotty little punks when they burst onto the scene with "Caught By The Fuzz". But as Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day knows quite well, even the snottiest of punks has to grow up sometimes. Unfortunately most punks don't have the talent to write wonderful pop songs like "Sun Hits The Sky" and "Alright" (most Americans know the band from this song's inclusion on the Clueless soundtrack).
"St. Petersburg" is the first single from Supergrass' latest album, Road To Rouen. The album was just released in the UK, but unfortunately those of us in the States have to wait awhile before it hits our shelves. In the meantime, click on the link above and listen for yourself. Better yet, run out and pick yourself up a copy of Supergrass is 10: 1994-2004 and find out why this is one of the best singles bands of the past decade.

np: "birthday" - the junior boys

In case the song isn't enough of a hint for you - today is indeed my birthday, the 29th one in fact. Last year before I should start acting like a real grown-up... nah. That's the reason you see Tug's picture up there, the best celebrity I share my birthday with. Sure, Cameron Diaz and Andy Roddick also blow out the candles today - but who wouldn't be excited to share a birthday with a man who not only went by "Tug" in his professional career, but also gave birth to the man who grew up to marry Faith Hill and duet with Nelly? Rock.
I went shopping today to pick up a present to myself, two of my most anticipated albums of the summer - Death Cab for Cutie's Plans and Kanye West's Late Registration. I've managed to avoid downloading or streaming any of these tracks, sticking with only catching the respective singles on the radio or MTV in order to keep the anticipation high. Plus there's just something about holding out until I can get actual object in my hands, flipping through the liner notes while I give the album its first spin. That, and the fact that Kanye's going to sound a hell of a lot better blasting out of my car stereo on the way home than it will on my shitty computer speakers. I'll be sure to let you know what I think of both albums once I've spent ample time with them.
In the meantime, just want to send out some hopeful thoughts to any of you down on the Gulf Coast spending the day cleaning and recovering - I hope you and yours are all safe and sound today, if a little wet and waterlogged. For those of you that aren't, maybe you can lend a hand.

np: "bull's eye" - the barry harris sextet

Thanks to my wonderful girlfriend, I was lucky enough to check out Barry Harris and his trio at the Jazz Showcase on Saturday night - it was a wonderful time. I'll admit that I am far from an expert when it comes to jazz, but its something that I've always appreciated and wanted to learn more about. This was a great chance to catch a legend in the flesh and it left me in awe of both his work and the power of live jazz. The passion that flowed through his fingers could be felt throughout the room, it was simply amazing to watch a 75 year old with more energy and excitement than half the rock bands i've seen in my life. One particular highlight for me was the jam he put together by asking for random numbers from the audience, "4-3-7-5" was bouncing around my head for hours after the set.

np: "major label debut (live at intonation)" - broken social scene

So awesome - I think I've finally fallen head over heels in love with Broken Social Scene. Yes, You Forget It In People was always awesome, but it's only been the past week where my BSS obsession has gotten kicked up a notch or twelve. I suppose you could say it has more than a little to do with the leak of the forthcoming album or with the Intonation set i found online, but I like to think it goes beyond that. Since watching them at Intonation, I'd been finding myself pulling out YFiiP more and more often - digging into songs that hadn't been among my favorites initially. "Shampoo Suicide" and "Pitter Patter Goes My Heart" were two in particular that have recently grown in my favor after many repeated listenings. The whole album is just such a treat, one of those rare albums worthy of every ounce of hype thrown at it in the years since its release - and one that, rather than losing interest in over time, one that has continually grown on me.
Although I do have to admit that having the chance to listen to both the forthcoming self-titled disc and the Intonation set repeatedly over the past couple days have helped me appreciate the band even more. The new album is awesome, that's about all I can say at this point. I've made it through about five full listens so far and I'm very impressed. It's much too early to make proclamations like "album of the year" or anything of that sort, but let's just say I will be very surprised if it doesn't end up making my top twenty at the end of the year. Early favorite tracks include "Fire Eye'd Boy", "Superconnected", and the lush, whispery "Hotel" - but there's really not a single weak track to be found. I'll still be picking this one up the first day of release, however, because I want to hear the fast version of "Major Label Debut" included on the bonus EP that hopefully matches the awesomeness of the live version they've been playing.
Anyway, if you have yet to be exposed to the joy and excitement that this Canadian collective provides - by all means go pick up You Forget It In People at your favorite record store and enjoy. Or if you are already a charter member of the BSS fan club, get ready for October 4th.

* - For a limited time, you can click on the link at the beginning of this post to download the Intonation version of "Major Label Debut". Enjoy, and leave a comment to tell me what you think about the track or Broken Social Scene in general.

(BSS live photo courtest of Pitchfork)

np: "where cedar nouns and adverbs walk" - the most serene republic

alright, i know i've let you all down by not posting in several weeks - but i promise that its not all my fault. my internet connection at home went down for about a week, so that's partially to blame for the lack of updates. other than that though, i really don't have much of an excuse - i've just been out enjoying the summer and keeping busy with work.

i'm sure you've all been waiting for the report on the Ben & Rufus show at Ravinia earlier this month, so here's a brief rundown. opener Ben Lee sounded pretty good, i enjoyed his set much more than i expected to. Rufus was wonderful but i was a little disappointed that he didn't play "Oh What A World", i can't really complain beyond that. he sounded like he was having a good time and it came through in the songs, "Hallelujah" was a high point. Ben Folds also seemed to be having a good time playing with a band again, but the portion of his set i heard suffered from too many songs off the new album. it would have been great to have heard more Ben Folds Five classics, but i suppose he's still trying to distance himself from that a little. we ended up leaving about halfway through Ben's set, but we at least got to hear "Philosophy" before we hit the gates. overall i'd have to say i really enjoyed the night, the weather was fabulous but the overcrowded lawn definitely was not. i didn't realize Mr. Folds was pulling in such a huge teen following, but they were in full force at that night's show much to my dismay - as they were obviously there so see Folds and Folds only and used Rufus' set as an excuse for lots of loud talking on cell phones. it would be awesome if places like Ravinia would put up those cell phone scrambling devices that some stores use, because some of us go so we can actually hear the music. enough of the ranting though, it was a fun night and i'll probably be back to Ravinia again soon - maybe on a less crowded one.

other than that i'm just gearing up for a new batch of reviews over at Static, i'll be sure to link you once they are up on the site. things are kinda slow on the show circuit right now, but September looks to be exiciting as i've already got tickets to see Sufjan Stevens, Wolf Parade, Arcade Fire, The National, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.

np: "gay messiah" - rufus wainwright

everytime i listen to Rufus, i start to wonder why i don't do it more often. he's one of those artists that i rarely find myself "in the mood" for, but whenever i do - i kick myself for not getting in that mood more often. i could seriously listen to Rufus sing a telephone book and i would enjoy the hell out of it, there aren't many singers who i could say the same for. i used to think that i could listen to any song that Chris Cornell provided the vocals for (hell, i even bought that solo album) but it seems Audioslave has managed to wean me of that particular habit.
i can't say i've been a long-time fan of Rufus, though i'd always enjoyed what i'd heard of his work. last year a friend hooked me up with a great mix of his stuff and i realized how much i had been missing. many dismiss the overblown theatrics of his work, but i think he's one of the few artists out there that can pull those kinds of things off. from his more intimate moments to the full-blown orchestral showstoppers, Rufus can own any song he takes on. except maybe "Hallelujah", but really - who can touch Jeff?
anyway, i'm listening tonight to prepare for the Wainwright and Ben Folds show at Ravinia later this week. i'd much rather have caught Ben back in the "Five" days, but i hear he can still put on one hell of a show. totally not feeling that last album though dude, the Scissor Sisters can do Elton far better than you ever will - so don't even try. i haven't been to Ravinia for years, so i'm very excited to be hitting this wonderful venue up again. let's just hope for great weather.

np: "the day we caught the train" - ocean colour scene

i've been drowning myself in '90s Britpop over the past week or so, due to a poll i tried to initiate at a message board i frequent from time to time. unfortunately, the poll seems to be mired down in arguments of what is (and, more importantly it seems) what isn't considered "Britpop". so while that poll may never fully take off as i intended, i'll share the results of my hard work with you dear reader.

via//chicago's top 95 Britpop songs
95. Elastica - Waking Up
94. Kula Shaker - Hey Dude
93. Morrissey - Alma Matters
92. Black Grape - In the Name of the Father
91. Chemical Brothers - Life is Sweet
90. Super Furry Animals - The Man Don't Give a Fuck
89. Manic Street Preachers - Theme From M.A.S.H. (Suicide is Painless)
88. Rialto - Monday Morning 5:19
87. Ride - Twisterella
86. Cast - Finetime
85. Placebo - Nancy Boy
84. Sleeper - Inbetweener
83. The Verve - Lucky Man
82. Pulp - This is Hardcore
81. Charlatans - Can't Get Out of Bed
80. Seahorses - Blinded by the Sun
79. Catatonia - Mulder and Scully
78. Boo Radleys - Wake Up Boo
77. Cornershop - Sleep on the Left Side
76. Elastica - 2:1
75. Pulp - Do You Remember the First Time?
74. Supergrass - Caught by the Fuzz
73. Cranberries - Zombie
72. Travis - Driftwood
71. Lush - 500 (Shake Baby Shake)
70. Suede - Trash
69. Ocean Colour Scene - The Circle
68. Elastica - Line Up
67. Cast - Alright
66. Supergrass - Sun Hits the Sky
65. Dodgy - Staying Out for the Summer
64. Gene - For the Dead
63. Radiohead - Street Spirit (Fade Out)
62. The Bluetones - Slight Return
61. Tricky - Christiansands
60. Inspiral Carpets - This is How It Feels
59. Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go
58. The Verve - This is Music
57. Suede - Animal Nitrate
56. Kula Shaker - Hush
55. Oasis - Some Might Say
54. Dodgy - Good Enough
53. Charlatans - The Only One I Know
52. Reef - Place Your Hands
51. Travis - Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
50. Ocean Colour Scene - You've Got It Bad
49. Pulp - Sorted for E's & Wizz
48. Chemical Brothers - Let Forever Be
47. Blur - End of the Century
46. Super Furry Animals - Hermann Loves Pauline
45. Longpigs - On and On
44. Morrissey - The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get
43. The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
42. Blur - Country House
41. Sleeper - Statuesque
40. Cranberries - Dreams
39. Blur - For Tomorrow
38. Boo Radleys - C'mon Kids
37. Space - Female of the Species
36. Seahorses - Love is the Law
35. Supergrass - Late in the Day
34. Manic Street Preachers - A Design For Life
33. Underworld - Born Slippy (NUXX)
32. Ash - Girl From Mars
31. Radiohead - Just
30. Kula Shaker - Tattva
29. Placebo - Every You Every Me
28. My Bloody Valentine - To Here Knows When
27. Lush - Ladykillers
26. Super Furry Animals - Something 4 The Weekend
25. Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
24. Oasis - Acquiesce
23. Radiohead - High and Dry
22. Cornershop - Brimful of Asha
21. Ride - Leave Them All Behind
20. Stone Roses - Love Spreads
19. Chemical Brothers - Setting Sun
18. Oasis - Don't Look Back in Anger
17. Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
16. Pulp - Disco 2000
15. Primal Scream - Come Together
14. Elastica - Connection
13. Suede - So Young
12. Oasis - Wonderwall
11. Blur - To The End
10. Supergrass - Alright
9. Babybird - You're Gorgeous
8. Suede - The Drowners
7. Radiohead - Creep
6. The La's - There She Goes
5. Blur - Girls and Boys
4. Pulp - Common People
3. The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
2. Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored
1. Oasis - Live Forever

as you can see, i decided to widen my definition of Britpop past the holy trinity of Oasis, Blur, and Pulp. i looked at bands that helped to launch and inspire the mid-90's scene - hence the inclusion of My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Inspiral Carpets, and Stone Roses. timeframe or no, i find that "I Wanna Be Adored" has come to define everything i look for in that era more than any other song, with the exception of Oasis' all-time classic. i also looked at bands that fit in with the overall spirit of Britpop, even if the sound was quite removed - see Chumbawamba, Cornershop, and Underworld for example. anyway, feel free to leave some thoughts below in the comments section.

np: "on the edge of" - low

after a couple of slow months in the new releases department, things are starting to heat up again as release dates are announced for some of 2005's more anticipated albums. here's a quick list of ones i am most excited for, with expected street dates:

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl (08.23.05)
stellastarr* - Harmonies for the Haunted (08.23.05)
Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (08.30.05)
Kanye West - Late Registration (08.30.05)
The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang (09.06.05)
Sonic Youth - Goo (reissue - 2xCD) (09.13.05)
Sigur Ros - Takk (09.13.05)
Wolf Parade - Apologies to Queen Mary (09.27.05)
Metric - Live It Out (10.04.05)
My Morning Jacket - Z (10.04.05)
Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have Had It So Much Better With... (10.04.05)
Broken Social Scene - Windsurfing Nation (10.04.05)
The Constantines - Tournament of Hearts (10.11.05)
DangerDoom - The Mouse and the Mask (10.11.05)
Boards of Canada - Title TBA (10.18.05)

its shaping up to be a great fall for new music, i'm imagining (and hoping) that many of these will place highly on my year-end lists.

np: "sjutton" - dungen

picked up the domestic reissue of last year's fantastic Ta Det Lugnt by this Swedish psych-rock group. the track i'm currently listening to comes from the bonus disc of five previously unreleased tunes, mostly instrumental. the original album itself is amazing, so the bonus stuff is like adding even more icing to the tasty cake. they surprised me at Intonation and continue to surprise me with every song i hear, i'm looking forward to a long career from Dungen. get your butt out to your favorite indie shop and pick this one up, or get it direct from the cool cats over at Kemado.