God Bless The Hold Steady

Postponement

Because I'm moving this week, the Top 25 For July will be delayed and possibly even
skipped (as it was when I last moved in August of '06).

Top 25 Songs For May

25. The National - Friend Of Mine#
24. Sebadoh - Happily Divided*
23. Titus Andronicus - No Future Part One*
22. Cut Copy - Out There On The Ice*
21. Bon Iver - Creature Fear*
20. Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart
19. Death Cab For Cutie - Long Division
18. Cut Copy - Midnight Runner*
17. Cut Copy - Feel The Love*
16. The Breeders - Off You
15. Cut Copy - So Haunted*
14. Bon Iver - Blindsided*
13. The Replacements - Alex Chilton
12. Death Cab For Cutie - The Ice Is Getting Thinner
11. Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires
10. Bon Iver - Flume*
9. Spoon - Everything Hits At Once*
8. Death Cab For Cutie - Bixby Cannon Bridge
7. Bon Iver - Skinny Love*
6. Death Cab For Cutie - Cath...
5. Bon Iver - Re: Stacks*
4. Spoon - Me And The Bean*
3. The National - Mr. November#
2. Bon Iver - The Wolves (Act I And II)*
1. The National - City Middle#

* Appearing at The 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival
# Appearing at Lollapalooza 2008

Top 25 Songs For April

25. Tapes 'N Tapes - Lines
24. The Breeders - No Way
23. Colour Revolt - A Siren
22. Clout Cult - Journey Of The Featherless
21. The Breeders - Night Of Joy
20. Radiohead - Prove Yourself
19. Cloud Cult - The Ghost Inside Our House
18. R.E.M. - Hollow Man
17. Mission Of Burma - Dead Pool
16. The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site
15. The Breeders - Overglazed
14. The Replacements - Buck Hill
13. Wilco - Wishful Thinking
12. Mission Of Burma - Mica
11. The Weakerthans - One Great City!
10. Cloud Cult - No One Said It Would Be Easy
9. Wilco - Handshake Drugs
8. The Breeders - Spark
7. Cloud Cult - Hurricane And Survival Guide
6. Mission Of Burma - Forget
5. Cloud Cult - Everyone Here Is A Cloud
4. The Replacements - Within Your Reach
3. Cloud Cult - Love You
2. The Weakerthans - Plea From A Cat Name Virtute
1. Radiohead - Thinking About You

Top 20 Death Cab For Cutie Songs

In anticipation of their newest LP, The Narrow Stairs, which drops on May 13th:

20. Bend To Squares
19. Champagne From A Paper Cup
18. We Laugh Indoors
17. State Street Residential
16. A Lack Of Color
15. Company Calls Epilogue
14. We Looked Like Giants
13. Marching Bands Of Manhattan
12. Styrofoam Plates
11. No Joy In Mudville
10. Different Names For The Same Thing
9. Two Cars
8. Sleep Spent
7. Title Track
6. What Sarah Said
5. Transatlanticism
4. Steadier Footing
3. Fake Frowns
2. Debate Exposes Doubt
1. 20th Century Towers

The 2008 Lollapalooza Lineup

This is the annual entry I started writing last year to preview the Lollapalooza lineup. This year's preview is dedicated to my friend Tom Fuller whose taste in current music could use some improvement.

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):

Kanye West (Once, B+)
- Sound problems hampered Kanye's headlining set at Lollapalooza '06 but his flair for extravagance still made for a highly enjoyable time. Thinking about the sight of thousands of people raising their "diamonds" in the sky still gives me chills.

Wilco (Once, B)
- I'm still furious that I had to leave as Wilco played "I'm the Man Who Loves You" in order to catch Broken Social Scene back in '06.

Broken Social Scene (Once, A)
- They're responsible for probably the most famous Lolla performance since it ceased to be a traveling festival and definitely one of the most awe inspiring sets I've ever seen. My concern is that without Feist and Stars involved in this years festivities, we won't be able to see that full, star studded BSS lineup again.

Cat Power (Once, C)
- I'm still bitter that I listened to Chan Marshall's four most recent albums in preparation for her performance at the Pitchfork Music Festival last year to then recognize only two or three songs when Cat Power played.

Lupe Fiasco (Once, B-)
- I hope Matthew Santos doesn't appear with Lupe but I know that he will.

Okkervil River (Four times, A+)
- I'm on record as calling them one of the two best live bands in the world.

Mates of State (Once, B+)
- A good time was had by all during their performance in '06, even as Kori Gardner was mercilessly scorched by the sun right in front of our eyes.

Rogue Wave (Three times, A-)
- They played one of the best shows I've seen in recent memory when they came through town about a year and a half ago. This is a relief since in a week I will have missed their last three shows in Chicago.

Grizzly Bear (Once, B-)
- Grizzly Bear's live show, like their records, can be a little bit too tranquil for my tastes.

Mason Jennings (Once, C)
- I think Mason Jennings played at Springfest 2002. I don't remember being terribly impressed.

Louis XIV (Once, F)
- The most unintentionally funny band of all time.

Ten Most Anticipated Acts (In order):

10. Mates Of State
9. Cat Power
8. Wilco
7. Rogue Wave
6. Okkervil River
5. The National
4. The Weakerthans
3. Kanye West
2. Broken Social Scene
1. Radiohead

Five Most Underwhelming Acts (In order):

5. The Raconteurs
4. Does It Offend You, Yeah?
3. Blues Traveler
2. Flogging Molly
1. Louis XIV

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

Bloc Party, Explosions In The Sky, Brand New, The Go Team, Black Kids, Office

Top 25 Songs For March

25. The Replacements - Hold My Life
24. Mates Of State - Ha Ha
23. Atlas Sound - River Card
22. Rivers Cuomo - The World We Love So Much
21. Rivers Cuomo - Little Diane
20. The Replacements - Swingin' Party
19. The Breeders - Doe
18. The Replacements - Left Of The Dial
17. The Breeders - Glorious
16. Rivers Cuomo - Superfriend
15. Cloud Cult - You Got Your Bones To Make A Beat
14. Xiu Xiu - Gayle Lynn
13. We Are Scientists - Ghouls
12. Hot Chip - Wrestlers
11. Cloud Cult - Happy Hippo
10. Neil Young - Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)
9. Hot Chip - We're Looking For A Lot Of Love
8. Cloud Cult - Moving To Canada
7. The Replacements - A Little Mascara
6. The Replacements - Bastards Of Young
5. Cloud Cult - Living On The Outside Of Your Skin
4. Rivers Cuomo - Lover In The Snow
3. The Breeders - Happiness Is A Warm Gun [Beatles Cover]
2. We Are Scientists - Let's See It
1. The Replacements - Here Comes A Regular

Top 25 Songs For February

25. The Wrens - From The Rack
24. Nada Surf - Are You Lightening?
23. Spoon - Don't Let It Get You Down
22. Nada Surf - From Now On
21. Spoon - Stay Don't Go
20. Nada Surf - Weightless
19. The Wrens - Shakers
18. Nada Surf - Beautiful Beat
17. The Wrens - Blind
16. Modest Mouse - Life Of Arctic Sounds
15. Nada Surf - I Like What You Say
14. The Wrens - Don't Be Shy
13. Modest Mouse - Never Ending Math Equation
12. The Turtles - It Ain't Me Babe [Bob Dylan Cover]
11. Modest Mouse - Other People's Lives
10. Amusement Parks On Fire - City Of Light
9. Bruce Springsteen - July 4th, Asbury Park (Sandy)
8. Spoon - The Two Sides Of Monsieur Valentine
7. Boy Dylan - Motopsycho Nightmare
6. David Bowie - Five Years
5. Modest Mouse - Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe In (Positive Negative)
4. Nada Surf - See These Bones
3. Bob Dylan - Ballad In Plain D
2. Modest Mouse - Baby Blue Sedan
1. Modest Mouse - Broke

Top 25 Songs For January

25. Cloud Cult - Chemicals Collide
24. Lifter Puller - Half Dead And Dynamite
23. Lupe Fiasco - Go Go Gadget Flow
22. Modest Mouse - So Much Beauty In Dirt
21. Jon Brion - I Believe She's Lying
20. Lupe Fiasco - Gotta Eat
19. Cloud Cult - Chain Reaction
18. Lupe Fiasco - Intruder Alert
17. Say Hi - Zero To Love
16. Lupe Fiasco - Superstar
15. Lupe Fiasco - Hip-Hop Saved My Life
14. Modest Mouse - You're The Good Things
13. Say Hi - Spiders
12. Lifter Puller - I Like The Lights
11. Modest Mouse - Here It Comes
10. Cloud Cult - Dance For The Dead
9. Cat Power - Don't Explain [Billie Holiday Cover]
8. Cloud Cult - Purpose
7. Jon Brion - Gotta Start Somewhere
6. Cloud Cult - Take Your Medicine
5. Metric - Empty
4. Modest Mouse - Night On The Sun
3. Say Hi - Northwestern Girls
2. Cloud Cult - Your 8th Birthday
1. Lifter Puller - Nassau Colosseum

Top Ten Albums Of 2007

10. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
9. Pinback - Autumn Of The Seraphs
8. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
7. The Good Life - Help Wanted Nights
6. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
5. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
4. Kanye West - Graduation
3. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
1. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Distroyer?

Top 25 Songs For January

25. Pinback - From Nothing To Nowhere
24. Okkervil River - I Came Here To Say I'm Going Away [Serge Gainsbourg Cover]
23. Saves The Day - When I'm Not There
22. Beirut - St. Apollonia
21. Able Baker Fox - October
20. Wu-Tang Clan - Weak Spot
19. Pinback - Torch
18. The National - Racing Like A Pro
17. Neil Young - Ordinary People
16. The National - Slow Show
15. St. Vincent - Now Now
14. Neil Young - The Way
13. The Twilight Sad - Walking For Two Hours
12. Saves The Day - Can't Stay The Same
11. Okkervil River - Listening To Otis Redding During Christmas [Live]
10. Pinback - Barnes
9. Minus The Bear - When We Escape
8. Beirut - A Sunday Smile
7. The Apples In Stereo - The Sun Is Out
6. Beirut - Nantes
5. Able Baker Fox - Brand New Moses
4. Able Baker Fox - Whispering
3. The National - Mistaken For Strangers
2. Pinback - Walters
1. Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead

Top 25 Songs Released In 2007

25. Maritime - Guns Of Navarone
24. Jackie Carol - Hospital
23. Illinois - Alone Again
22. Of Montreal - She's A Rejector
21. Spoon - Finer Feelings
20. The Shins - Girl Sailor
19. The New Pornographers - My Rights Versus Yours
18. Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight
17. Radiohead - All I Need
16. Modest Mouse - March Into The Sea
15. Radiohead - Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
14. Jimmy Eat World - Let It Happen
13. Spoon - You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
12. Of Montreal - We Were Born The Mutants Again With Leafling
11. The Good Life - So Let Go
10. The Arcade Fire - Black Wave / Bad Vibrations
9. The Good Life - Rest Your Head
8. Deerhunter - Spring Hall Convert
7. Spoon - Black Like Me
6. Of Montreal - The Past Is A Grotesque Animal
5. Okkvervil River - Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
4. LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great
3. LCD Soundsystem - All Of My Friends
2. Lifetime - Just A Quiet Evening
1. Modest Mouse - Spitting Venom

Top Five Concert Experiences Of 2007

The only ground rule was that only proper shows, as opposed to festival performances, were eligible. I would be remiss if I failed to mention two bands who failed to make the list: live performances by the Wrens (ineligible because I saw them at the BAM festival in Roscoe Village) and Okkervil River (who suffered from an atypically large venue and somewhat predictable set list) continue to be among the most thrilling experiences of my life.

5. The Long Winters & The Bound Stems @ The Double Door - 3/24/07
4. Superdrag @ The Metro 10/13/07
3. Kevin Devine & The Goddamn Band @ The Beat Kitchen - 2/2/07
2. The New Pornographers @ The Metro - 10/19/07
1. Lifetime @ Subterranean - 4/22/07

Honorable Mention: Okkervil River @ Logan Square Auditorium - 9/18/07, Modest Mouse @ The Orpheum Theater (Madison) - 11/10/07, Kevin Drew @ The Metro - 11/3/07, The Hold Steady & Art Brut @ The Metro - 10/29/07.

Top 25 Songs for November

25. Maritime - With Holes For Thumbsized Birds
24. Stars - Take Me To The Riot
23. Common - Driving Me Wild
22. Maritime - Love Has Given Up
21. Common - Start The Show
20. The Replacements - Androgynous
19. Stars - Window Bird
18. Maritime - Hours That You Keep
17. Matt Pond PA - Basement Parties
16. Stars - The Night Starts Here
15. Stars - Midnight Coward
14. Stars - Life 2: Unhappy Ending
13. Maritime - Pearl
12. Stars - Personal
11. The Weakerthans - Virtue The Cat Explains Her Departure
10. Common - Forever Begins
9. The Replacements - We're Coming Out
8. Sunset Rubdown - The Mending Of The Gown
7. Matt Pond PA - Giving It All Away
6. The Replacements - I Will Dare
5. The Weakerthans - Sun In An Empty Room
4. Maritime - Guns Of Navarone
3. The Replacements - Seen Your Video
2. The Replacements - Unsatisfied
1. The Replacements - Answering Machine

Top 25 Songs For October

25. Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan
24. Band Of Horses - Ode To LRC
23. Kevin Drew - Backed Out On The...
22. Band Of Horses - Detlef Shrempf
21. Band Of Horses - Cigarettes, Wedding Bands
20. Jens Lekman - I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You
19. Rogue Wave - Chicago X 12
18. Bob Dylan - Nettie Moore
17. Kevin Drew - Safety Bricks
16. Superdrag - Six-Eight
15. Radiohead - Reckoner
14. Superdrag - Liquor
13. Kevin Drew - TBTF
12. Superdrag - Really Thru
11. Jimmy Eat World - Firefight
10. Rogue Wave - Cheaper Than Therapy
9. Radiohead - Nude
8. Kevin Drew - Lucky Ones
7. Band Of Horses - Is There A Ghost
6. Radiohead - 15 Steps
5. Radiohead - Videotape
4. Band Of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You
3. Radiohead - All I Need
2. Radiohead - Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
1. Jimmy Eat World - Let It Happen

Top 25 Songs For September

25. Kanye West - Drunk And Hot Girls
24. Kanye West - Homecoming
23. The Good Life - A Little Bit More
22. Kanye West - Everything I Am
21. Superdrag - Senorita
20. The Cure - The Perfect Girl
19. Of Montreal - Requiem For O.M.M.2
18. Rilo Kiley - Close Call
17. Rilo Kiley - Does He Love You
16. The New Pornographers - Go Places
15. The New Pornographers - Challengers
14. Kanye West - Stronger
13. Superdrag - Sleeping Beauty
12. The Good Life - Playing Dumb
11. The New Pornographers - Unguided
10. The New Pornographers - Adventures In Solitude
9. Rilo Kiley - Love And War (11/11/46)
8. Kanye West - Big Brother
7. Kanye West - Flashing Lights
6. The Good Life - Keely Aimee
5. The New Pornographers - My Rights Versus Yours
4. Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight
3. The Good Life - So Let Go
2. Kanye West - Good Morning
1. The Good Life - Rest Your Head

Survivor Running Diary: Season 15, Episode 2

7:11 – Poker pro Jean-Robert furrows brows across America as he explains his curious plan to avoid chipping in at camp in the early going and infuriate his tribe mates in the process, so that they will be that much more impressed later on, when he actually puts forth a legitimate effort (assuming he hasn’t been voted off yet). Words can’t explain how ashamed I am that my good friend Tom Fuller neglected his dream to be the first professional poker player to appear on Survivor.

7:19 – Throughout the muddy, physical reward challenge, a delighted Jeff does play by play which mostly centers around his descriptions of the women’s tops being torn off. He concludes the challenge by triumphantly shouting “And Amanda scores even though she is not wearing her top!”

7:22 – Immediately after winning the challenge, the Fei Long tribe earns the right to “kidnap” a member of the Zhan Hu. In a shocking development, their deliberations result in the selection of Jamie, the most spry and attractive Zhan Hu member to romp around topless in the mud within the last hour.

7:32 – Leslie’s teary confession about how lost she is without the strength she derives from her bible and my subsequent giggling has me wondering why it took the Survivor producers this long to put a religious fanatic on the show.

7:34 – Jamie decides to give Leslie the clue to the hidden immunity idol that she must give a member of Fei Long because she considers Leslie the tribe’s weakest member. Without a trace of irony, Leslie deems the clue “a gift from God.”

7:37 – Leslie concludes she’s too unintelligent to decipher the clue by herself so she must enlist someone to assist her, in return for a share the immunity idol. Her assessment of her intelligence proves accurate when she chooses to join forces with Todd, the most conniving member of the Fei Long tribe.

7:40 – My fears that I’m a racist are confirmed as, for the fifth or sixth time, it takes me a couple seconds to realize that Zhan Ho is the name of one of the tribes and not its Asian American member who was born in Michigan and happens to be named Michael.

7:48 – It must be far easier to be forward looking when you’re watching the show on television than when you’re actually playing the game. Erik is laidback, attractive, likable, reasonably athletic, and seems to get along well with everyone, yet he somehow seems destined to make it through about nine more episodes before being pegged as a threat.

7:54 – The Zhan Ho tribe cements its status as a complete train wreck when - in just the second episode - it finds itself forced to vote off one of two relatively useful tribe members in order to alleviate some of the dysfunction that is consuming their tribe.

Top 25 Songs For August

25. Art Brut - Pump Up The Volume
24. Earlimart - Fakey Fake
23. Okkervil River - John Allyn Smith Sails
22. Wilco - Walken
21. Art Brut - People In Love
20. Brother Ali - Ear To Ear
19. Superdrag - She Says
18. Earlimart - Happy Alone
17. Earlimart - Gonna Break Into Your Heart
16. Okkervil River - Plus Ones
15. Superdrag - The Rest Of The World
14. Brother Ali - Faheem
13. Art Brut - Post Soothing Out
12. Wilco - Impossible Germany
11. Okkervil River - Savannah Smiles
10. Art Brut - Late Sunday Evening
9. Earlimart - Someday You're Gonna Love Me
8. Earlimart - Don't (You) Think About Me
7. Okkervil River - Unless It Kicks
6. Neil Young - Like A Hurricane
5. Art Brut - Direct Hit
4. Wilco - On And On And On
3. Okkervil River - (Shannon Wilsey On The) Starry Stairs
2. Okkervil River - A Girl In Port
1. Okkervil River - Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe

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