Top 25 Songs For July

25. The Postmarks - You Drift Away*
24. Time Spent Driving - Throwing Stones
23. Oxford Collapse - Keep 'Em In A Canyon
22. Rhymefest [featuring Kanye West] - More*
21. Spoon - Don't Make Me A Target*
20. Pearl Jam - Rearviewmirror*
19. Time Spent Driving - Except The Grey
18. Spoon - The Underdog*
17. Time Spent Driving - Brown/Blue
16. Spoon - The Ghost Of You Lingers*
15. The Polyphonic Spree - Section 26 (We Crawl)*
14. Deerhunter - Fluorescent Grey
13. Illinois - Oh Asia*
12. Sage Francis - Water Line
11. Sage Francis - Black Out On White Night
10. Time Spent Driving - Special Thanks
9. Spoon - Black Like Me*
8. I'm From Barcelona - Oversleeping*
7. Jackie Carol - Hi, My Name Is Jackie...
6. Spoon - Finer Feelings*
5. I'm From Barcelona - Ola Kala*
4. Jackie Carol - Hospital
3. LCD Soundsystem - All Of My Friends*
2. Spoon - You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb*
1. LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great*

*Appearing at Lollapalooza 2007.

Top 25 Songs For June

25. Cat Power – Taking People*
24. Illinois – One On One#
23. TV On The Radio – Wear You Out#
22. Illinois – Headphones#
21. Elliott Smith – Angel In The Snow
20. Minus Story – In Line
19. Pearl Jam – Inside Job#
18. Minus Story – Parachute
17. Elliott Smith – New Disaster
16. Pearl Jam – Wasted Reprise#
15. Colour Revolt – Our Homes Are Graves#
14. TV On The Radio – Staring At The Sun#
13. Elliott Smith – See You Later
12. Pearl Jam – Life Wasted#
11. Minus Story – Miles And Miles
10. The Clientele – Bookshop Casanova
9. The Clientele – Winter On Victoria Street
8. Colour Revolt – Mattresses Under Water#
7. Cat Power – Nude As The News*
6. Colour Revolt – Blood In Your Mouth#
5. Elliott Smith – High Times
4. Elliott Smith – All Cleaned Out
3. Illinois – Alone Again#
2. Pearl Jam – Unemployable#
1. Elliott Smith – Going Nowhere

* Performing at the 2007 Pitchfork Music Festival
# Performing at Lollapalooza 2007

Running Diary of The O.C. Season Four

Now that summer has arrived, I will have the chance to start authoring new, legit blog entries. First though, I have some house cleaning to do. What follows is a running diary of the fourth and final season of The OC. I never posted the diary because I planned to write about more than just five episodes. However, at this point it’s clear that won’t happen and the entry is rapidly becoming outdated. Enjoy.

I recently remarked that The OC is in some ways, the most exhilarating show on television. Fans who appreciate the remarkable first season realize that the show has the ability to rival any other program in the history of television. The fact that the second two seasons were frequently frustrating and at times laughably awful have meant that on a given Thursday, fans of the show might glimpse the show’s previous glory, a plotline/theme which has already appeared in multiple episodes, or perhaps one of the most horrific moments in the history of television. Since the Season Three finale was sufficiently atrocious to inspire the first entry in this blog, I felt obligated to keep a running journal of the fourth and sadly final season.

Episode One - F

- Probably the worst episode of a television show I have ever seen. Virtually all the characters have turned into caricatures of their former selves. Shockingly, Ryan is angry, moody, and best of all, cage fighting dudes three times his size. Che, a Brown student who may or may not be Summer’s new boyfriend/fling, is a stereotype of a stereotype of a tree hugging ivy league student. I can say with relative certainty that no person remotely like him exists on this planet. The episode features some decent comedy and a couple of poignant moments that are rendered worthless by the insane plot. I contemplated quitting the show once and for all after this episode but met the girlfriend of one of my classmates for the first time the night the episode aired, and she remarked that it seemed like a waste to watch the show for three full seasons and then quit only a handful of episodes before it will likely be cancelled.

Episode Two – B+

- I can’t remember the last episode of The OC that was this good. There were probably one or two last season and a few more in season two but I can’t recall which exact episodes those would be. Caitlin is really starting to come into her own. Willa Holland’s acting has improved tenfold since last season and for the first time in the show’s history, the writers seem to have discovered the nuance required for a character to consistently behave badly yet remain likable and not necessarily immoral. A killer cover by Band of Horses, a touching conversation between Ryan and Kirsten, and a riveting Sandy-Julie showdown cap off the stunning return to form.

Episode Three – B

- This episode brings back the sort of ridiculous, random plot points (e.g. random homeless people coming to the Cohen’s for Thanksgiving Dinner) that are extremely jarring to the viewer. The episode is otherwise a success with a few moving moments, comedy, and the continued emergence of Caitlin as a surprisingly sympathetic, nuanced character. Half way through the episode I became quite frustrated by the fact that Ryan is an out of control dumbass who would land himself in jail every single week if fate or one of the Cohens didn’t intervene. Thankfully, the writers seemingly took a step back and recognized this pitfall. I kept thinking to myself “I can’t watch this plotline another time, if only they’d let Ryan kill Volcheck and go to prison for eight years...” Instead, the writers did the next best thing by forcing Ryan to determine his own fate.

Episode Five – B+

- Holy shit the OC is fun again! It’s amazing what an incredible difference credibility makes for a television show. During the past couple seasons, over the top characters such as the Dean of Discipline and depressingly melodramatic plot lines shattered my suspension of disbelief while watching the show. Now that the plot lines have been reigned back in to the sort of day to day issues that ordinary people can relate to, not only is the show able to add the nuance necessary to make the interactions between characters more believable, my newfound trust in the show leaves me less likely to second guess something like a Ryan-Taylor relationship, which seemed ridiculous as recently as two episodes ago.

The Christmakkuh Episode – C-

- One of the most intriguing parts of the episode was guessing which character would be Summer’s tool fiancé in the bizarro alternate universe. Let’s just say that I was thoroughly nauseated by the decision to place Che/Chester’s in the role and the contrived explanation (“Well…huh…what if…Ryan took the last spot at Harbor…and Che’s family was going to move from Conneticut but couldn’t…and this would’ve maid him a huge tool…yeah!). Sometimes, writers seem to have a little bit too much fun and this appears to be one of those times. “Hey, what’s the wackiest, zaniest shit we can come up with? Sandy married to Julie? Hah! That’s classic!! Julie having an affair with a rich douche version of Che?! Genius!!” An always welcome reappearance from one of the show’s best characters (at this point Tate can blow everyone but Gallagher and Brody off the screen without even trying) and a good angle (“What if Marrisa is still alive?”) were completely wasted. Overall, this is the first big misstep since the horrific season debut. Nevertheless, the Kaitlin character gets better and better and feels more and more like an old friend with every episode. In some ways she’s almost modeled after Seth with her quick wit and snarky comments. Any time a character is playing the role of a viewer sitting on their couch and making smart alecky comments, the show avoids becoming overly serious.

Top 25 Songs For May

25. Of Montreal - Labyrinthian Pomp
24. Neil Young - Don't Cry No Tears
23. Deerhunter - Heatherwood
22. Pearl Jam - All Or None
21. Cat Power - I Don't Blame You
20. Feist - My Moon My Man
19. Cat Power - Free
18. The Wrens - They'll Need A Crane [They Might Be Giants Cover]
17. Deerhunter - Strange Lights
16. Slint - Washer
15. Of Montreal - Suffer For Fashion
14. Feist - I Feel It All
13. Neil Young - Pardon My Heart
12. Cat Power - He War
11. Of Montreal - Bunny Ain't No Kind Of Rider
10. Slint - Good Morning, Captain
9. Feist - Past In Present
8. Deerhunter - Spring Hall Convert
7. Of Montreal - Cato As Pun
6. Genius/GZA - B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)
5. Cat Power - Speak For Me
4. The Wrens - Our Brightest New Year
3. Of Montreal - She's A Rejector
2. Of Montreal - The Past Is A Grotesque Animal
1. Of Montreal - We Were Born The Mutants Again With Leafling

Top 25 Songs For April

25. Girl Talk - Hold Up
24. Andrew Bird - Fiery Crash
23. The Rosebuds - My Punishment For Fighting
22. The Veronicas - 4Ever
21. Andrew Bird - Plasticities
20. The Rosebuds - Silja Line
19. Lifetime - Somewhere In The Swamps Of New Jersey
18. Oxford Collapse - For The Khakis And The Sweatshirts
17. The Ponys - Turn The Lights Out
16. The Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running
15. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
14. Modest Mouse - We've Got Everything
13. The Arcade Fire - Windowsill
12. Andrew Bird - Yawny At The Apocalypse
11. The Arcade Fire - No Cars Go
10. Modest Mouse - Florida
9. Modest Mouse - Parting Of The Sensory
8. The Arcade Fire - Ocean Of Noise
7. Oxford Collapse - Lady Lawyers
6. The Ponys - Small Talk
5. Sonic Youth - Cross The Breeze
4. Modest Mouse - Little Motel
3. The Arcade Fire - Black Wave / Bad Vibrations
2. Modest Mouse - March Into The Sea
1. Modest Mouse - Spitting Venom

The Lineup!

Today is a big day. At long last, the lineup for Lollapalooza 2007 has been announced. As expected, it’s a doozy. While my inclination is to dive headfirst into the catalogues of some of the more hyped acts I’ve never listened to, the best course of action is to hold off until the schedule is announced; becoming obsessed with a band only to discover they’re playing opposite one of your favorites can be highly traumatic.

I cannot urge people to come to Lollapalooza enough. Tickets will set you back considerably but three long days of ecstasy is worth plenty of money in my opinion. My studio apartment is starting to look a bit crowded but I vow to take whatever means necessary to find room for any out-of-towners interested in attending. If I somehow can’t house you, I’ll find someone who can.

Without further ado, here’s my take on the lineup:

Acts I’ve Previously Seen Live (with the number of times I’ve seen them and the grade I’m assigning to their live set in parentheses):

My Morning Jacket (Once, Incomplete)
- Really, I just grew frustrated waiting for their set to end from half a mile away while waiting for Sleater-Kinney to come on at Lolla last year. Supposedly they’re a great live band.

Pete Yorn (Once, Incomplete)
- I somewhat distractedly listened to Pete Yorn from three quarters of a mile away at a free concert in Grant Park a few years back.

The Hold Steady (Four times, A)
- If you’ve never seen the Craig Finn and company live, it truly is something to behold.

Elvis Perkins in Dearland (Twice, C+)
- Kevin and I saw Elvis and his band open for Okkervil River at Schubas on consecutive nights in October. Kevin came away somewhat impressed; I didn’t.

Bound Stems (Three times, A)
- Chitown's own Bound Stems play a tight set and more importantly, with the possible exception of the aforementioned Hold Steady, they seem to have more fun on stage than any other act I’ve ever seen.

Ten Most Anticipated Acts (In order):

10. Peter Bjorn & John and Yo La Tengo (tie)
9. Bound Stems
8. The Hold Steady
7. Tapes ‘N Tapes
- Twin Cities represent!
6. TV On The Radio
5. Annuals
4. Lupe Fiasco
3. Pearl Jam
- The most prolific band of my generation?
2. Silversun Pickups
1. Modest Mouse
- I’m extremely grateful to have a reprieve after passing up the opportunity to finally see them later this month.

Five Most Underwhelming Acts (In order):

5. Elvis Perkins in Dearland
4. The Rapture
3. Julliette & The Licks
2. Satellite Party
1. Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals

Ten Bands I’ve Been Looking For An Excuse To Start Listening To (In no particular order):

Regina Spektor, LCD Soundsystem, Sean Lennon, Rhymefest, Spoon, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Polyphonic Spree, Heartless Bastards, Sparklehorse, !!!

Mixology: Part Three

So a while back, my friend Long told me that mix CDs are only for teenagers with a crush. In an effort to refute this bullshit claim, I’ve spend the last few months fine tuning the third “official Jeremy Barr mix.” Somebody Better Put Me Back Down is now available in IPod (acc/mp4) quality, CD (wav) quality, and on an actual CD-R if I’ll be seeing you in person. Let me know if you’d like a copy and I’ll hook you up.

Top 25 Songs For March

This month's Top 25 would be the 2007 NBA draft with plenty of depth and two superstars (Greg Oden and Kevin Durant), either of which you'd be afraid to pass on in the number one spot.

25. Pearl Jam - In Hiding
24. Neil Young - Ambulance Blues
23. Pearl Jam - No Way
22. Pop Unknown - As God And Everest
21. Say Hi To Your Mom - They Write Books About This Sort Of Thing
20. Pop Unknown - The Next Big Thing
19. Youth Group - Lilian Lies
18. Pop Unknown - Contact
17. Aimee Mann - Nothing Is Good Enough
16. Aimee Mann - It Takes All Kinds
15. Wilco - Hotel Arizona
14. Youth Group - Someone Else's Dream
13. Pearl Jam - Smile
12. Pop Unknown - The Invisible Complex
11. Youth Group - See-Saw
10. Aimee Mann - Calling It Quits
9. Lifetime - Northbound Breakdown
8. Pearl Jam - Low Light
7. Wilco - Outta Sight (Outta Mind)
6. Pop Unknown - Another Holliday
5. Lifetime - Records At Night
4. Aimee Mann - How Am I Different?
3. Youth Group - Skeleton Jar
2. The Long Winters - The Commander Thinks Aloud
1. Lifetime - Just A Quiet Evening

A New Creative Endeavor

Kevin and I have started a video/music project. For the full scoop and our first piece of work, check out Kevin’s latest blog entry.

Top 25 Songs For February

If this month's Top 25 were an NBA draft it would be one of the deepest in history but without any true superstars.

25. Youth Group - Sorry
24. Youth Group - On A String
23. Lifter Puller - Nice, Nice
22. Sleater-Kinney - Call The Doctor
21. The Long Winters - Unsalted Butter
20. Silversun Pickups - Common Reactor
19. The Rolling Stones - Sway
18. Rogue Wave - Eyes
17. Sleater-Kinney - Heart Attack
16. Sleater-Kinney - Good Things
15. Air - Highschool Lover
14. Pop Unknown - Your Own Personal Wedding
13. Menomena - The Pelican
12. Youth Group - Dead Zoo
11. Youth Group - Start Today Tomorrow
10. Lifter Puller - Space Humping $19.99
9. Youth Group - Catching & Killing
8. The Long Winters - Carparts
7. Cat Power - Metal Heart
6. Say Hi To Your Mom - The Twenty-Second Century
5. Silversun Pickups - Future Foe Scenarios
4. Neil Young - Tonight's The Night - Part II
3. Pop Unknown - Tipping The Scale
2. Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles
1. Say Hi To Your Mom - The Death Of Girl Number Two

Top 25 Songs For January

Song comments will return someday, I'm just not sure when.

25. The Shins - Australia
24. Samiam - The Bridge
23. Annuals - Fair
22. Joanna Newsom - Bridges And Balloons
21. The Shins - Sleeping Lessons
20. The Good, The Bad, And The Queen - Herculean
19. The Good, The Bad, And The Queen - The Good, The Bad, And The Queen
18. Joanna Newsom - Sadie
17. Pop Unknown - Half Of Ninety
16. The Shins - Phantom Limb
15. Pop Unknown - Tattoo Your Image (On The World)
14. Jebediah - La Di Da Da
13. Say Hi To Your Mom - Let's Talk About Spaceships
12. The Shins - Split Needles
11. Say Hi To Your Mom - Pop Music Of The Future
10. Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945
9. Sally Shapiro - I'll Be By Your Side
8. Joe Cocker - With A Little Help From My Friends [Beatles Cover]
7. Neutral Milk Hotel - King Of Carrot Flowers Part 1
6. Neutral Milk Hotel - Two-Headed Boy Part 2
5. Pop Unknown - Oh Kay
4. Joanna Newsom - Peach, Plumb, Pair
3. The Shins - Girl Sailor
2. T.I. - What You Know?
1. Pop Unknown - Perfect In Venice

Top 10 Albums of 2006

10. Bound Stems - Appreciation Night
9. Say Hi To Your Mom - Impeccable Blahs
8. The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed
7. Mates Of State - Bring It Back
6. Blackpool Lights - This Town's Disaster
5. We Are Scientists - With Love And Squalor
4. The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America
3. Joanna Newsome - Ys
2. Maritime - We, The Vehicles
1. Forget Cassettes - Salt

Honorable Mention: The Killers - Sam's Town, Adem - Love & Other Planets, Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time, Asobi Seksu - Citrus, Cursive - Happy Hollow, Danielson - Ships, Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped, Amusement Parks On Fire - Out Of The Angeles, Moneen - The Red Tree, Saves The Day - Sound The Alarm, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - Fear Is On Our Side

Top 25 Songs For December

25. Hot Chip - Look After Me
24. Swan Lake - All Fires
23. Neil Young - The Restless Consumer
22. Lupe Fiasco - Kick, Push
21. Peter Bjorn & John - Paris 2004
20. Neko Case - Star Witness
19. Yo La Tengo - Black Flowers
18. Peter Bjorn & John - Up Against The Wall
17. Neko Case - Maybe Sparrow
16. TV On The Radio - I Was A Lover
15. Annuals - Dry Clothes
14. Belle & Sebastian - To Be Myself Completely
13. TV On The Radio - Wolf Like Me
12. Neko Case - The Needle Has Landed
11. Hot Chip - The Warning
10. Annuals - Complete Or Completing
9. Rock Plaza Central - When We Go, How We Go (Part II)
8. Rock Plaza Central - We've Got A Lot To Be Glad For
7. Lupe Fiasco featuring Gemini & Sarah Green - He Say She Say
6. Yo La Tengo - The Race Is On Again
5. Rock Plaza Central - When We Go, How We Go (Part I)
4. Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks
3. Jurassic 5 featuring Nelly Furtado - Thin Line
2. Yo La Tengo - Beanbag Chair
1. Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On

Survivor: California Running Diary

My failure to write a single legit blog entry over the past couple months can be explained by law school’s unrepentant theft of my free time. However, tonight I realized that if I can write an entire entry while watching a TV show I had already planned to view, I will not have sacrificed any of my non-existent leisure time. I now bring you my first (and likely only) Survivor: California diary:

- The strain of finals became evident when, for the first time ever, I became somewhat emotional when the Survivors were reunited with their family members.

- Most people probably missed it but the second funniest moment of the season occurred when Becky’s sister Sarah came out and Jonathan shouted out her full name, “Sarah Lee!”

- Adam calls his father “George” because his dad is his best friend.

- Yul is such an incredibly nice guy that it is in absolutely scintillating when his mean streak surfaces. For the second week in a row I found myself joyfully giggling when he advocated denying food to his adversaries.

- It must’ve damn near knocked the wind out of Yul, Becky, and Ozzy when immediately after they devised a plan to withhold food from Parvati and Adam, the pair thoughtfully returned from the reward with a large amount of corn for their less fortunate tribe mates.

- Ozzy is easily one of the five best challenge competitors to ever appear on the show. The best part is the fact that he succeeds as a result of natural athleticism as opposed to long hours in the gym.

- Becky and Sundra either really hate Jonathan or are terrible liars.

- Ozzy and Yul are extremely naïve to believe that Jonathan is a greater threat than Parvati. Is it just because she’s a girl? She’s just as athletic as Jonathan and more importantly, unlike Jonathan she will have numerous allies on the jury and would receive an enormous amount of undeserved credit for flying under the radar if she somehow reached the final two.

- Adam and Parvati don’t recognize the contradiction in hating Jonathan because he went back on his word to them and then asking Yul, Becky, and Ozzy to go back on their word to Jonathan, right?

- The outcome of tribal council was based on emotion more than any other that I can remember. Clearly you’re not thinking with your head when you convince yourself that the hated, unathletic fortysomething is just as dangerous as the built twentysomething with multiple allies and his lover sitting on the jury. I tend to prioritize strategy over ethics when watching Survivor, but if you pass up an opportunity to keep your word without decreasing your odds of winning, you’re both an idiot and an asshole.

Top 25 Songs For November

As predicted, I’m in the midst of the most hellish period of my life and lack the time to write comments for the Top 25 for a second consecutive month. Hopefully, I will have time during winter break to revisit the list and add comments in addition to a full fledged Top 25 for December and an entry discussing The OC’s shocking return to greatness.

I do have two quick notes about the list. First, all five lengthy tracks from Joanna Newsome’s breathtaking Ys made the list, pushing the length over two hours. Second, any surprising inclusions on the list from this point forward are likely the result of the “CD of the Month” club my family has started. Each month everyone chooses a CD from their collection that they think the person they are paired with will enjoy. So far it’s been a blast.

As always, if you would like a copy of the songs, hit me up on AIM. Laura has first dibs this month.

25. Destroyer – 3000 Flowers

24. Lily Allen – Everything’s Just Wonderful

23. Angels & Airwaves – Do It For Me Now

22. Destroyer – European Oils

21. Kevin Devine – Brooklyn Boy

20. Straylight Run – Tool Sheds And Hot Tubs

19. Blackpool Lights – Blue Skies

18. Blackpool Lights – Empty Tank

17. Angels & Airwaves – It Hurts

16. Grizzly Bear – Colorado

15. Joanna Newsom – Monkey & Bear

14. Blackpool Lights – It’s Never About What It’s About

13. Grizzly Bear – On A Neck, On A Split

12. Joanna Newsom – Emily

11. Matt Pond PA – Halloween

10. Kevin Devine – Me & My Friends

9. Blackpool Lights – This Town’s Disaster

8. Joanna Newsom – Sawdust & Diamonds

7. Sparta – Erase It Again

6. Kevin Devine – Just Stay

5. Matt Pond PA – City Song

4. Blackpool Lights – Unlucky

3. Blackpool Lights – Crash Sounds

2. Joanna Newsom – Only Skin

1. Joanna Newsom – Cosmia

A Few Notes On The Top 25 Songs For October

So, I lacked the time to write comments about 25 songs and still meet my first of the month deadline but there are still a few things I’d like to say about the Top 25 Song For October.

• This was the first time that I truly struggled to pick the top song. I’m still not sure that I made the right decision.
• “Cotton Crush” was the hot riser on the list. There no telling how high that song might have ranked if the list had been written a week later. I found myself grinning in pure ecstasy today when, for the first time, I discovered the lyrics “When a girl walks along. / She's humming your song, / with your t-shirt on. / That's when you're done, / Oh, that's when you're done.” Kevin Devine’s lyrics constantly amaze me. He would otherwise be an average lyricist but he has a fearlessness that allows him to address topics (such as being desperately lonely and then watching a girl walk by humming your song and wearing your t-shirt without even recognizing you) that others would never touch due to the risk of being clichéd, controversial, or awkward.
  

• Sam’s Town is the most enjoyably flawed album I’ve ever heard. The music is generally incredible but at times Brandon Flower’s Springsteen impression and lyrics are just laughably awful. I have never heard lyrics this stupid in my entire life: “When everybody else refrained / my Uncle Johnny did cocaine. / He convinced himself right in his brain / that it helps to take away the pain”; “I see London. / I see Sam’s Town”; and best of all “Now Adam’s taking bombs / and he’s stuck on his mom / because that bitch keeps trying to make him pray. / He’s with the hippy in the park / combing over the dark / just trying to get some of that little girl play.”
• I agree with Kevin that Out Of The Angeles is somewhat disappointing but that’s how sophomore releases often go. Everything I love about Amusement Parks On Fire was more or less displayed on their first album and it’s hard to imagine that band putting out an album that is drastically different from their debut and yet equally great. I still think Out Of The Angeles is a very good album and there’s a chance it will land on my Top Ten Albums Of The 2006 list in a couple months time.

Top 25 Songs For October

So, a couple things about the top songs of the month: first of all, it’s clearer than ever that we’re dealing with the Top 25 (not The Top 15) Songs of the Month. I’ve attempted this three times and ended up with 25 songs each time. There’s simply no reason to fight it anymore, that’s just how many great songs I get into each month and I don’t have the time required to whittle the list down to a top 15.

On that note, there are no comments for the songs this month. Presumably, I’m more disappointed about this than anyone since it was one of the goals I set out when I started this entry and my way of differentiating the list from Tom’s. I just did not have the time this month to attempt an insightful comment for twenty five songs and still meet my deadline. I spent every minute of last weekend visiting with Matt and writing my open memo, then went out to the bar to celebrate finishing the memo on Monday, went out to a bar to watch the Bulls last night, and will be attending a wine tasting at the school tonight. Unfortunately I’ve also been forced to fit my reading in there somewhere.

Without further ado, I give you the top 25 songs for October. As always, hit me up on AIM if you would like to receive the songs.

25. Ben Kweller – Nothing Happening

24. Amusement Parks On Fire – A Star Is Born

23. Now It’s Overhead – Daylight Daybreak

22. The Killers – Uncle Johnny

21. Amusement Parks On Fire – To The Shade

20. Ben Kweller – Until I Die

19. The Killers – Bling (Confessions Of A King)

18. Okkervil River – Your Other Man [Jandek Cover]

17. Amusement Parks On Fire – In Flight

16. Amusement Parks On Fire – Out Of The Angeles

15. The Hold Steady – Party Pit

14. Bound Stems – Wake Up, Ma And Pa Are Gone

13. The Killers – When You Were Young

12. Thom Yourke – The Eraser

11. The Killers – Read My Mind

10. Kevin Devine – No Time Flat

9. Kevin Devin – Cotton Crush

8. Amusement Parks On Fire – Blackout

7. The Killers – Exitlude

6. Sleater-Kinney – Far Away

5. The Hold Steady – You Can Make Him Like You

4. Now It’s Overhead – Estranged

3. Bound Stems – Excellent News, Colonel

2. Okkervil River – Love To A Monster

1. The Hold Steady – Chill Out Tent

Top 25 Songs For September

Plenty has changed since I listed my top 25 song for the month of July as an homage to my good friend Tom Fuller who lists his top 15 songs each month over at Bad Moon Rising. My original list featured 25 songs instead of 15 due to the intense volume of music I had been listening to in preparation for Lollapalooza 2006 while this list features 25 tunes to compensate for the absence of a top 15 for August.

While I initially envisioned the entry as a one time deal, I enjoyed compiling the list and appreciated having it available on my IPod as a playlist afterwards. Going forward, I now expect to write this entry each month. The wrinkle here is that I previously wrote that I no longer have the time to blog more than once a month which begs the question will this blog now consist of nothing more than a top 15 songs entry each month? My answer at this point is that I don’t know. I’m sure that if people bitch enough I will figure something out.

Finally, I’m trying to devise a good method to distribute the songs on this list to my readers. For now I will simply offer to send the tracks to any interested parties via an AIM file transfer. If anyone has a suggestion for different ways to distribute the songs, please let me know.

25. Juana Molina - Hay Que Ver Si Voy

- Apparently Juana Molina owes a debt to Iceland considering that she is frequently compared to Bjork while personally, I hear similarities to Sigur Ros.

24. Okkervil River – Unravel [Bjork cover]

- My brother Nick astutely points out that he has yet to hear a Bjork cover that is anything short of tremendous.

23. Rogue Wave – Medicine Ball

- Whether it was my increased appreciation of the song over the last few months or Zach Rogue’s Bush-bashing intro at Logan Square Auditorium, Rogue Wave’s live performance of “Medicine Ball” went from bizarre and mediocre to one of the highlights of their set between March and September.

22. Adem – Launch Yourself

- Considering that as of a month ago, I had heard a total of one song by Adem and Juana Molina, I am quite psyched to see the two perform at the Lakeshore Theater on the 14^th.

21. Asobi Seksu – Strings

- Damn straight I am using this list to punish Asobi Seksu for selling out Schubas prior to my arrival last Friday.

20. Sleater-Kinney – Get Up

- It’s all about the 1:54 mark where Carrie Brownstein begins to repeat the line “Fall Down On Your Own”.

19. The Hold Steady – First Night

- The Hold Steady have written ballads before (“Killer Parties”, “Don’t Let Me Explode), but nothing like this five minute long track updating us on Charlemagne, Holly, and Gideon and employing violin, female backing vocals, and a fierce crescendo.

18. Say Hi To Your Mom – Prefers Unhappy Endings

- This track brilliantly plays off “She Just Happens To Date The Prince Of Darkness,” the track immediately preceding it, in a manner similar to the way Maritime’s “Tearing Up The Oxygen” plays off “Calm”.

17. Adem – Something’s Going To Come

- While the phrase “always love” was more powerful the first time I heard it in Nada Surf’s “Always Love,” the lyrics “Don’t look so forlorn / something’s going to come / I don’t know where from / I just know” epitomize the somber, cautious optimism which elevates Love & Other Planets.

16. Forget Cassettes – Lonely Does It

- After performing “Lonely Does It,” Forget Cassettes Bassist Jay Leo Phillips told the audience at the Note that we snapped better than the crowds in New York, leading me to shout out “Fuck New York!” This may have been the highlight of what was an excellent show.

15. Adem – These Are Your Friends

- I am forever indebted to Mark Wheat for turning me on to Adem via this wistful epic.

14. Nirvana – Talk To Me [Live]

- While doing some preliminary work on a Nirvana rarities and b-sides mix, I found myself asking for the umpteenth time how it is possible that one of the band’s best rarities lacks a studio recording.

13. Forget Cassettes – Venison

- My life changed for the better from the moment Forget Cassettes opened their set with “Venison” at the Annex in Madison, Wisconsin on October 29^th, 2004.

12. Rogue Wave – Endless Shovel

- A standout track off of Out Of The Shadow, due to the album’s lo-fi production, I failed to realize that the fierce instrumental outro existed prior to witnessing a blissful performance of the song a few weeks back.

11. Built To Spill – Untrustable, Part 2

- I nearly had a heart attack after discovering “Untrustable, Part 2” listed as the closer in Built To Spill’s Lollapalooza set list. I backed away from the ledge after being assured by some of my fellow concertgoers that it was not possible for the band to have played any additional songs, yet still would have preferred to remain ignorant about the missed opportunity to see such a powerful epic performed live. Finally beholding the song in a concert setting more than justified my expectations.

10. The Long Winters – Rich Wife

- While The Long Winters ultimately landed just two tracks on this list, the three final cuts were all songs from Putting The Days To Bed.

9. Adem – Love & Other Planets

- Adem sometimes employs a brilliant lyrical device where he unexpectedly attaches a second meaning to a phrase invoked elsewhere in a song. Example #1 comes from this breathtaking dirge: “But on a clear night, / If you look close enough / you can just make out love /and other planets / we are not alone.”

8. The Long Winters – Pushover

- I am going to put the over/under for the number of times Kevin has listened to Putting The Days To Bed at 0.5.

7. Adem – Everything You Need

- Example #2: after using the phrase “everything you need” throughout the song to refer to someone leaving behind the people and place that matter most, Adem croons “You got your stuff you packed your bags / you checked your things made sure you had / everything you need.”

6. Sufjan Stevens – Springfield, Or Bobby Got A Shadfly Caught In His Hair

- I’m sure there are Sufjan lines better than “And if my wife took a bicycle ride / with a knife in her hand / I saw it coming,” but I can’t think of any right now.

5. Say Hi To Your Mom – She Just Happens To Date The Prince Of Darkness

- There is no better way to appeal to my music sensibilities than to write a seven minute song which begins with a reference to the Wisconsin Dells and ends with a three minute long instrumental build.

4. Forget Cassettes – My Maraschino

- If anyone can help me figure out what “On a ete tacher” means, it would be greatly appreciated.

3. Rogue Wave – Sewn Up

- A searing live number and one of most perfect pop songs ever written, this ditty would have easily snared the number one slot had this list existed six months ago.

2. Sleater-Kinney – Hot Rock

- Words can’t explain how exciting it is to know that there are still four Sleater-Kinney albums which I’ve never heard.

1. Forget Cassettes – Salt And Syncope

- …and Salt joins We, The Vehicles on the short list for my favorite album of the year.

New Beginnings

• First and foremost I must thank the folks responsible for my successful move from Saint Paul to Chicago (in chronological order): 1) my mother for discovering my apartment 2) Kevin for providing me with transportation to my bullshit U-Haul pick-up location in Coon Rapids and helping to load my new couch from my grandparents’ apartment into the truck 3) Josh, Erin, and Emily for helping with the massive task of loading the truck 4) Dad, Nick, and Andrew for unloading my possessions from the truck into my apartment. One area in which I need to improve is my willingness to ask others for help. I asked the aforementioned people for help once if at all, and they rushed to my aid. I am not exaggerating when I write that without them I would not have arrived in Chicago in one piece. Thanks guys.

• I am reasonable well settled in to my new apartment. Below are some snapshots of my living space. The apartment is not huge by any means but provides plenty of space for a one person. I discovered that – much to my relief – there is enough room to utilize the pullout bed, meaning that I have enough room to house three guests comfortably. I hope those of you who live outside the city will find a time to visit in the near future.

• Orientation was surprisingly overwhelming. I have not been in a position where I have needed to make new friends since my first year of college five years ago. Furthermore, eight to nine hour days and the confirmation that law school is in fact an unforgiving and time consuming experience seems enough to give most people an ulcer.

• As promised (you can stop pestering me now Jaaker) below are the concerts I am considering attending in the next few months. I became considerably depressed last week when I discovered that the city offers far more shows than I will be able to attend considering my disposable income and free time. I am currently attempting to devise a point system of some sort to determine which shows I will attend. The only shows I have already purchased tickets for are the Okkervil River dates at Schubas. Kevin will be driving down with my car to attend and we are quite excited. Shows with a low price that take place during the weekend (i.e. Forget Cassettes and Pretty Girls Make Graves) are more or less a slam dunk at this point.

09/05 - Band Of Horses - Metro - $16 - Tuesday

09/07 - Rogue Wave - Logan Square Auditorium - $12/15 - Thursday

09/07 - The Dears - Schubas - $14 - Thursday

09/09 - Forget Cassettes - The Note - $? - Saturday

09/10 - The Smoking Popes - Empty Bottle - $15 - Sunday

09/10 - Shearwater - Subterranean - $8 - Sunday

09/13 - Cat Power - The Vic - $25.50 - Wednesday

09/15 - Built to Spill - Metro - $19/21 - Friday

09/16 - Built to Spill - Metro - $19/21 - Saturday

09/22 - The Mars Volta - The Aragon - $35 - Friday

09/22 - The Bound Stems (Record Release) - Schubas - $10 - Friday - 7 PM w/ Metal Hearts, 10 PM opening for Asobi Seksu

09/25 - Cursive - The Metro - $17/19 - Monday

09/26 - Sufjan Stevens - The Riviera - $24 - Tuesday - Sold Out

10/06 - The Long Winters - Subterranean - $10/12 - Friday

10/06 - Sunset Rubdown - Logan Square Auditorium - $12/14 - Friday

10/07 - Okkervil River - Schubas - $12/14 - Saturday

10/08 - Okkervil River - Schubas - $12/14 - Sunday

10/09 - Secret Machines - Park West - $20 - Monday

10/12 - Art Brut w/ We Are Scientists - The Metro - $18 - Thursday

10/13 - Say Hi To Your Mom - Schubas - $10 - Friday

10/14 - Juana Molina w/ Adem - Lakeshore Theater (3175 N. Broadway) - $15/18 - Saturday

10/17 - Cold War Kids - Schubas - $10 - Tuesday

10/19 - Maritime w/ Bound Stems - Subterranean - $10 - Thursday

10/26 - The Hold Steady - The Metro - $16 - Thursday

10/27 - Xiu Xiu - Logan Square Auditorium - Friday

10/31 - ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - House of Blues - $17.50 - Tuesday

11/10 - Geoff Farina (Karate) - Schubas - $10 - Friday

11/03 - Pretty Girls Make Graves - The Empty Bottle - $10 - Friday

11/14 - Thursday w/ Rise Against - Congress Theatre - $18.50 - Tuesday

11/16 - Say Anything w/ Piebald - Metro - $13/15 - Thursday

The first person who can identify the joke from Kingpin referenced in the title to this entry wins a prize.

Top 25 Songs Of The Month

Three weeks without an update? Let's be honest here, this blog is on life support. I thought it might be a good idea to start a blog detailing my relocation from Saint Paul to Chicago but the obvious problem is that moving takes up a lot of fucking time. Furthermore, it seems unreasonable to expect that I will have substantial free time with which to write in this space once I become a full time law school student in a few weeks. In retrospect I wish I had created this blog last summer, since from that period up until I few weeks ago, I actually had the time to sit down for three hours at a time and author epic blog entries. As it stands, it seems doubtful that I will find the time to write a blow by blow account of Lollapalooza 2006 or my take the season two finale of Hell's Kitchen. This disappoints me greatly, but I promise to soldier on and create some sort of material to fill this space from time to time. As long as a handful of my readers are willing to stay aboard despite increasingly infrequent updates, I will uphold my end of the bargain and author a new entry every month or so.

It suddenly dawned on me at one point last evening that I could painlessly write an entry about the fifteen songs I have enjoyed the most this month as an homage to my good friend Tom who has been battling his ass off in the World Series of Poker. When push came to shove I ran into massive problems whittling the list down to fifteen songs. In preparation for Lollapalooza, I have listened to far more albums during the past month than during any other period in my life and found myself unable to go any further once the list was narrowed down to twenty two songs. I ultimately copped out and just expanded the list to twenty five songs. I could go on for some time throwing out caveats, explaining my methodology, and describing biases which came into play but it's far easier and more enjoyable to just hit you with the list:

25. Common - Testify

- One of the better hooks I've heard in a rap song in recent memory.

24. The Hold Steady - Killer Parties

- I am still attempting to decide which Hold Steady lyric(s) to put on a t-shirt that I will wear during the final day of Lollapalooza.

23. Jens Lekman - Julie Rmx

- Previously one of my least favorite songs on "Oh You're So Silent Jens", the song provided an incredible feel good moment at the end of the Jens show at Triple Rock on Friday.

22. Sonic Youth - Jams Run Free

- Attempting to get into a band with over fifteen studio albums sure is intimidating.

21. Jens Lekman - Jens Lekman's Farewell Song To Rocky Dennis

- "All those things you're supposed to do /I could have done them if I had you." A disappointing omission from the Triple Rock set, I decided this is the best song on "Oh You're So Silent Jens" in the days leading up to the show.

20. Wilco - Radio Cure

- I cannot even begin to offer an explanation for how I slept on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot for so long.

19. Wilco - Reservations

- The end of this song more successfully accomplishes what the conclusion of Radiohead's "Motion Picture Soundtrack" (one of my favorite songs of all time) strives to do.

18. Wilco - I'm The Man Who Loves You

- The horns get me every single time.

17. Ben Kweller - I Need You Back

- I heard the "I'm so lost without you" backing vocals for the first time last night while out on a run and my mind was completely blown.

16. Kanye West - Spaceship

- There's something really cathartic about the line "If my manager insults me again / I will be assaulting him".

15. The Shins - Gone For Good

- I imagine there is a case to be made that this is the most underrated Shins song.

14. The Subways - With You

- In many ways, Young For Eternity is the most hit or miss album I have ever heard.

13. Ben Kweller - Wasted & Ready

- It is impossible to hear this song more than a few times without singing along.

12. Mates Of State - Running Out

- I find melodically shouted back up vocals (see "Leave (Get Out)" by JoJo) to be completely irresistible.

11. Sonic Youth - Reena

- I suppose that selecting this song as the opener to Rather Ripped is the type of masterstroke that becomes commonplace once a band has been together for nearly twenty years.

10. The Shins - Saint Simon

- Oh my god the xylophone.

9. Cursive - Bad Sects

- No song about a homosexual affair between a young seminary student and a sexually repressed priest has ever been this good.

8. Ben Kweller - Hear Me Out

- Surprisingly, this turned out be the ultimate accompaniment to a Sunday afternoon trip to Target marred by a hangover resulting more from time spent in the presence of a girl the night before than from all the drinks I consumed.

7. The Shins - Kissing The Lipless

- I cannot even begin to offer an explanation for how I slept on the Shins for so long.

6. Cursive - Into The Fold

- I am still trying to process the fact that the two best songs on the new Cursive album are both ballads.

5. The Subways - No Goodbyes

- The best Noel Gallagher song I've heard in years.

4. Sleater-Kinney - Modern Girl

- Quite possibly the most gorgeous song on the list.

3. Ben Kweller - In Other Words

- There is an 83 post debate over the merit of the lyric "The butterfly are passive aggressive and put their problems on the shelf / but they're beautiful" over at SongMeanings.net. I promise I am not making this up.

2. Ben Kweller - Harriet's Got A Song

- Rivers Cuomo would trade the entirety of the last three Weezer albums (how sad is it that I needed to check AllMusic to see how many Weezer albums have been released since Pinkerton?) just for the "Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Dooooooooooooo" part of this song.

1. Wilco - I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

- "I'd always thought that if I held you tightly / You'd always love me like you did back then / Then I fell asleep and the city kept blinking / What was I thinking when I let you back in?"