Hey there friendly listener. Like the podcast? Comment on Yahoo Podcasts, will ya?

The saga continues. Sony Music tracks your hardware configuration??? All because you wanted to play one of their music CDs on your computer? Big brother comes in many forms. Incredible.

I’ve been trying to consistently write a single sentence on 10 New records every week, typically either late Sunday or sometime on Monday. It’s a challenge to find and listen to that many records a week though the sheer quantity of music available these days suggests otherwise. I find time to listen on airplanes and while working when I’m not on the road.

So, if you’re remotely interested — here’s my blog feed:

And here’s the podcast feed where I’m droppin’ some off the chain beats. Use “off the chain” in a sentence today. You’ll turn some heads. As in:

“This sandwich is off the chain, maing.”
“Google’s stock price is off the chain, yo.”

An alternate version is of course “off the hook.” Be sure to fluidly use the two some with some serious hand motions.

Cat Power - The Greatest
:: Cat Power fans are borderline insane and OCD —- that’s what makes them sincere in my opinion, but “The Greatest” is sure to drive them closer to their Chan as this a record that they’ll eat up from start to finish.

Volcano! - Beautiful Seizure
:: If the first track puts you to sleep the second track will wake you right up and have you wondering who the hell you are listening to, but keep it going since there are some very creative and complex arrangements on this one.

Wesafari - Alaska
:: I like listening to records like this in the background for the moments when you happen to focus back in and discover something so great that your eyes widen momentarily — long enough to restart, focus, repeat.

No Neck Blues Band - Qvaris
:: Artistic exploration is a wonderful thing, but I can’t seem to find the right handle to hold on to with Qvaris that allows me to get past some of the art slash noise slash whatevs because I can do that at home with a mic and a squeaky desk chair.

Spoon - Sister Jack (Single)
:: I hate buying singles or EPs that have duplicate songs as the full-length, but the Sister Jack single is worth buying for the remix of I Turn My Camera On.

Hella - Homeboy
:: This record sounds like someone has been hittin’ the nose sauce whilst confined to a basement with a multitude of instruments when they’d rather be at the variety of Jack Shacks on Piedmont Rd.

M.I.A - Bucky Done Gone Remixes
:: Some of the remixes, particularly the DJ Marlboro Funk Carioca mix, are better than the original, but Bucky Done Gone was never one of my favorites from Arular.

The Diskettes - Weeknights At Island View Beach
:: While it might be easy to mistake The Diskettes sound for their Australian brethren, Architecture In Helsinki, it doesn’t mean that these Canadians can’t do math-wop with the best of them. (I just made up math-wop)

The Like - Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking
:: Not to discount what amounts to a truly good listen, but this is something that would have been all the rage in 1995 a la The Breeders and Reality Bites.

The Triangles - Magic Johnson
:: Do you remember that feeling you had and the look on your face when you first heard the 10,000 Maniacs without Natalie Merchant?

As if installing a rootkit wasn’t bad enough, Sony tracks your usage of music CDs and send this information back to their website. Unbelievable!

Test Icicles - For Screening Purposes Only
:: I like the “Circle Square Triangle” single better than I do the FSPO full-length.

Arctic Monkeys - Beneath The Boardwalk
:: I can see how these demos got them signed to Domino, but I hear more Mersey Beat than I do Buzzcocks which is not what I’ve read elsewhere.

Vermicious Knid - Smalltown Devotion/Hometown Compulsion
:: I hope that the indie kids aren’t too punk rock to let the emo moniker keep them from listening to Vermicious Knid, though there’s nothing earth shattering here it’s not a bad listen.

Stairsailor - On The Outside
:: I think that Stairsalor is warning us to stay away from the misgivings of being on a major label or your record may end up sounding like total shite, or would they sound like total shite even on an indie? Hmmm.

David Gray - Life In Slow Motion
:: There should be an international organization, chaired by myself of course, with members from the other countries participating to prevent music like this from making it over the border.

Madonna - Hung Up
:: In terms of personnas that Madonna embraces for each release, I prefer “Strip Club Music Madonna” rather than “Dancehall Madonna” since there’s a lot more ass shaking than shoulder moving.

Tortoise And Bonnie “Prince” Billy
:: Coming off his last release, I was expecting more but the Tortoise variable may have contributed to what amounts to a 4.2 on the Pitchfork scale.

Propagandhi - Potemkin City Limits
:: I applaud their principles, but can do without the music.

Holy Fuck - Holy Fuck
:: No matter how good, I can appreciate but never return to an all instrumental record.

Alexisonfire and Moneen - Alexisonfire/Moneen Split
:: The only thing I hate more than people screaming on records is child-like songwriting and these two bands manage to fill both of those characteristics to qualify for most hated release of the year —- congrats!

Bloc Party - Two More Years
:: While not a drastic departure from Silent Alarm, this is only required for fans that otherwise cannot stand another day without owning the complete Bloc Party collection.

Edith Frost - It’s A Game
:: I’ve been in love with Edith Frost ever since I heard “Cars And Parties” (like a month ago) from her record entitled “Wonder Wonder” released in 2001 on Drag City and I have the feeling that “It’s A Game” is a grower.

Ennio Morricone - Crime And Dissonance
:: It can’t get any stranger than this, but I found myself listening to this one completely through from start to finish just to see what was next.

Amanda Rogers - Something Borrowed, Something Blue
:: No need to pigeon-hole people who do it to themselves, but for an EP centered around female vocals and a piano, a little change up couldn’t hurt though the last couple of tracks seem to standout from the rest.

Bearsuit - Team Ping Pong
:: This must be the week of incredibly scattered songs on records where not a single track seems to representative of an overall sound and while not a negative comment at all it makes it difficult to remember where one album stops and another one starts.

The Light Footwork - One State Two State
:: If I was still in 7th grade and loved emo rock-y tunes I would hope to one day sing in a band like this, but no.

Film School - Film School
:: Unbalanced record that lacks a cohesive thread to connect the dots, but maybe that’s part of the schtick that I don’t seem to get.

Explosions In The Sky - The Rescue
:: This started off very interesting, got really boring and then got really interesting again.

Death From Above 1979 - Romance Bloody Romance
:: I didn’t get their last record and I don’t get this one either.

Burt Bacharach - At This Time
:: No you’re not watching Ford slash Carter era porno on an equally old motel style RCA color television that progressively gets more “diverse” as the night grows longer.

Tangiers - The Family Myth
:: There’s something in the water in Toronto apparently that makes the residents put out some well crafted music and The Family Myth is no exception.

Uncut - Those Who Were Hung Hang Here
:: Another Toronto band with a very respectable 2005 2004 (confusing my Paper Bag releases) release?

Editors - The Back Room
:: Do we really need another Interpol? Joy Division? Chameleons? Interpol?

Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - #3
:: If Jonathan Richman and Stephen Merritt had a son they would name him Moses.

Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities
:: I like Mark Kozelek quite a bit and think this record needs a longer listen before comment, but all signs indicate that it’s a pretty good listen.

Bonnie Prince Billy - Summer In The Southeast
:: “I See A Darkness” seems to me to be the standout track on this record though I typically don’t prefer live records as proper releases.

The Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity
:: I’m willing to bet that “Godspel” is a radio hit with the mass media, but the rest of the record doesn’t seem very interesting.

Jens Lekman - Oh You’re So Silent Jens
:: What is with the Swedes and their incredible ability to write great English songs better than some who speak it as their first language?

Afterhours - Battle For Hyenas
:: The Italians may not be able to out out rock records in English as well as the Swedes can, but there are a couple of very listenable songs surrounded by walls of rock cliche.

Milemarker - Ominosity
:: This is the result of terrible songwriting followed by below average instrumentation cum vocals a la Fred Durst.

I was recommending these guys to a friend today and I realized that I had not given them sufficient cred. I think they’re great for many reasons. I’m not in love with all the songs. Some I could easily do without. But there enough stellar songs accross his records to put together a masterpiece. It’s probably an insult to the artist to suggest that I tear apart his art the way that he created it only to put it back together in a way in which I see better fit.

Anyway. One of my particularly favorite Antony & The Johnsons songs is Fistfull Of Love, from The Lake EP. Lyrically, it invokes some wicked imagery, but musically it makes you want to happy dance. There’s nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, I commend them on choosing such contrasting elements and feelings in one piece.

Gang Of Four - Return The Gift
:: Any fan of GoF needs to hear this immediately.

Sons And Daughters - The Repulsion Box
:: Not something that I would consider listening to everyday, though I can admire the talent and creativity that was required in making this record.

Moonlight Towers - Like You Were Never There
:: If this record came out right after Toad The West Sprocket disbanded, then we would be in business, but listen to the entire record since the softer songs towards the end are worthy of attention.

Story Of The Year - In The Wake Of Determination
:: Angry mobs of 7th grade members of the middle school band may have collaborated to write the lyrics to this record as it does not sound as if it was written by anyone with a certain minimum degree of song writing maturity and guitar prowess.

The Long Winters - Ultimatum EP
:: Don’t let the crits lead you to believe that since this record has some remote similarities to Coldplay’s efforts that you should label them as a wannabe and write them off as this EP will hold it’s own.

Altamont - The Monkees’ Uncle
:: We must be in the second wave of unlistenable irony metal, because I didn’t get the last one and will run effortlessly from this one.

65daysofstatic - One Time For All
:: I must be some sort of indie outsider considering this record would require large doses of ecstacy, neon twirlers, and lots of girls with nose and tit piercings to make this entertaining.

Ham1 - S/T
:: This is one of those records when hearing for the first time, I tell myself. “I’m going to have to listen to this one several times completely through before I can make a judgement on it since there’s a lot going on in it.”

Messer Chups - Crazy Price
:: Would be great for late night chic coffee bars that serve chocolate martinis and taps of mostly English ales, but for daily listening when you are alone, this is not the piece.

The Tah Dahs - Le Fun
:: There’s nothing groundbreaking by any means on this record, but for some strange reason I get the feeling it could be loads of fun for a late night crappy hour when the bars have all closed.

I was snooping around Amazon looking to pre-order Suitcase 2 and I stumbled upon the fact that The Electrifying Conclusion Tour DVD is available for pre-order.

Thanks to OneLouder for the link to Rogue Wave’s MySpace page. I can look past Ruport Murdoch being an evil bastard for just a moment after hearing the non-LP track on MySpace. Still can’t wait for their forthcoming release though I’ve listened to it many times.

We Are Scientists - Love And Squalor
:: Though I’m much more impressed when girls sing the oh-oh’s, don’t let the pedestrian nature of the first few songs keep you from listening to the better quality (but not great) songs towards the end of the record.

Rocky Votolato - Makers
:: Makes me feel like drinking cheap whiskey, smoking generic unfiltered cigarettes, and then topping it off with a plate of Scattered, Smothered, And Covered at The House.

Lichens - The Psychic Nature Of Being
:: If you’re interested in Robert Lowe’s work, I would recommend starting and stopping with the 90 Day Men.

The Ladies And Gentlemen - Small Sins
:: Damn those Canadian love children of Ben Gibbard and Ross Shapiro who are putting Seattle and Athens to shame.

Controller.Controller - X-Amounts
:: Don’t be turned off by the cheesy nature of using a period in a band’s name as it might prevent you from hearing a rather impressive release by these talented folks from Toronto.

Suspirios - Make You Wet
:: Kinda lo-fi hardcore, but not so much that your ears will bleed.

The Gris Gris - For The Season
:: Certain well respected people will disagree, but I just can’t seem to get into these guys though I try maing — I try.

V/A - Shake Some Action: A Collection of Powerpop, Mod & New Wave Rarities 1975-1986 (Vol. 1 - U.K.)
:: A great listen if you’re into making the Jagger-protruded-puffy-lip-look while dancing like Debbie Gibson wearing leg warmers and snapping your fingers simultaneously.

Degenerate Art Ensemble - The Bastress
:: “The punk rock of jazz” is such an accurate description that I couldn’t possibly add anything more pithy to say.

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm Remixed
:: If only the entire remix record could be as good as the disco version Banquet.

Alright. I’m just going to spit this out. The new Celebration record reminds me of Interpol because of how they use a bass guitar, not because of the Joy Division-y singing. Celebration is complex and deep, layered and dark, but tight and together. It’s really quite good and could easily be a late year list maker. There. I did it.

I have spent a great deal of time listening to this record recently. I think it’s fantastic for many reasons, but my love for “Be Careful What You Call Home” really centers around a handful of well crafted songs. As great as those songs are, I regretfully wish the rest of the record to be as good. There are certain songs that I could simply do without. As much as I would like to say that records portray some gloriously conceived theme, I can’t. Bee Thousand does though and anyone who says differently is insane — insane I tell you. Back to Paul Duncan — If one could take “You Look Like An Animal” and replicate it’s genius across the entire record, it would be a masterpiece in my opinion.