My Favorite Music: 2010, #1

Well, folks. We made it! We've reached number one on our little list! I know you "all" been on the edge of your seat waiting to find out what who grabbed the top spot this year, and I guess I shouldn't make you wait any longer, right?

#1. Sleigh Bells - Treats

No music this year, or perhaps ever, has instantly grabbed me and choked me nearly to death quite like what Sleigh Bells acomplished in 2010. This band created a bunch of buzz back in late 2009 when some demos were posted and someone noticed and started yelling about how great it was. So soon enough, a proper album was dropped and it did not disappoint. Relying heavily on heavily distorted guitars with odd tuning, layered over dance beats, with a subtle female vocal creates a recipe for disaster on paper. When put into practice, you get something completely fresh and new and like nothing you have ever heard before. Not only is it the coolest shit I had the privilege of hearing this year, it may go down as the coolest shit I have ever heard, or ever will. I can't say enough about this album that other people who are better at this sort of thing have not already said, but I want you to hear it from my mouth, I suppose. I'll say it again, what makes this special and fantastic is that it is totally new, totally fresh, and totally original. And very loud.

Fun thing to note about the entire list of top 5ers, none of them were purchased on CD. 4 of the 5 were bought digitally, and one on vinyl, which included a digital copy. Even of the Honorable Mentions, only three were bought on CD. I guess I didn't realize how much I was using iTunes and AmazonMP3 so much. But no matter how I got them, they are all great. I could admit that Treats and Infinite Arms were basically a tie for first, but I had to pick one over the other, and I could not pass the opportunity to rave about Treats. If you haven't heard this album yet, I suggest you go out and get it.

That concludes my wrap-up on my favorite music of 2010. If you know what's good for you, go out and buy these. They made my year awesome, and just because you can't include them on your list next year, doesn't mean you can't enjoy them next year just as much as I did this year.

If you want, please tell me about the good music I missed, and I will be very happy to give it a spin! Your input is very important to me!

Key Track(s): Tell Em', Straight A's, Infinity Guitars, Kids

My Favorite Music: 2010 The Rest

I think before we talk about number one on my list of favorite albums of 2010, I want to go through the other hits and misses of this past year. I bought a good amount of music in 2010, lots and lots of it was from the used bins at Grimey's and The Great Escape, and most of it wasn't released in 2010. But of the stuff I did buy this year, these are the honorable mentions!

Honorable Mentions: In No Particular Order

Four Year Strong - Enemy of the World

The Gay Blades - Savages

Vampire Weekend - Contra

Bad Books - s/t

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Nightmare

Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life

Hot Hot Heat - Future Breeds

OK Go - Of The Blue Color Of The Sky

I also want to touch on the biggest disappointment of the year. That honor goes to the band Terrible Things, with their debut album titled Terrible Things. While not living up to the name in being actually Terrible, it was pretty damn generic. I like Fred Mascherino, and I really liked his solo album, under the name The Color Fred, but this album is so bland. Radio-ready blah. Alternative Press gave it such a glowing review, I figured it must be the greatest album to be released this year, only to be a huge let down. Sorry Fred, I like you, I support you, but this is not very inspiring stuff.

Of the honorable mentions above, I want to highlight Vampire Weekend, OK Go and Hot Hot Heat. These albums are all great, despite being left off my illustrious list, and I recommend you go get them, in that order.

Key Track, Honorable Mentions:

Before the Earth Was Round - OK Go - Of The Blue Color of the Sky

Best album not released in 2010 that I procured in 2010:

Spockadelic - Ooh Baby I like It Raw

Thanks for reading. Tomorrow is the big day! Number one is...

My Favorite Music: 2010, #2

Back in 2008, I started a band with my longtime friends. When you start a band, you try to figure out what sounds everyone likes so you can add that to your own sound as a band. Even if Tim, Chris, TJ, and Andy were my best friends, there was still music that we all listened to on our own that perhaps wasn't widely shared amongst the group. Tim, for one, had a taste that was much different than Andy and I. Well, in the spirit of expanding my horizons, Tim borrowed me a CD by the band Band of Horses. I instantly fell in love with it. So did my wife. So much so, we made one of the songs off the album our first dance song at our wedding.

In 2010, Band of Horses released their third album, and it comes in at number two on our list...

#2. Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms

Like the total hipster I am, I bought this album on vinyl. Thankfully, it was one of those that included a digital download of the album as well, so I could rock it on my iPod, too. Good thing, because it has been pretty hard to separate me from this music since it's initial release, on May 18th. Every song on here is absolutely beautiful. This is easily my most listened to album of 2010, for sure, as you could tell by my Last.fm page. Me liking this album so much signaled a shift in musical taste in 2010, towards, you know, this. Because I couldn't get enough of this album. We saw them play here in Nashville at the War Memorial Auditorium in July, and it was a very good show. We were right up front for it, which was so cool.

I believe I have run out of ways to gush about this album at this point, except to say that it was HIGHLY considered for the number one spot...

But I had to save that for the most innovative album I think I have ever heard... However, if you want my opinion of the best music made in 2010, this is it. Not just my favorite, but the best music made this year. Simple as that.

Key Track(s): Infinite Arms, Dilly, Factory, Evening Kitchen, Older, For Annabelle

My Favorite Music: 2010, #3

Remember when I said that this wasn't going to go this smoothly? Boy was I wrong. I am pleasantly surprised to present to you my number three album in the list of favorite albums released in 2010.

#3. The Wonder Years - The Upsides

One thing I'll say is that I haven't shouted loud enough about the Wonder Years. First off, not a fan of their band name. Sort of expected band name from a pop-punk band. But what lies within the music is one of the most fantastic contributions to pop-punk in years. The band hail from Philadelphia, PA, and if you listened to Soupy Campbell's lyrics, you would have probably picked up on that pretty quickly. The album's lyrical content centers on Campbell's social awkwardness as well as being fed up with dealing with douche bags. Another running theme in the album is that he's "not sad anymore," and learning to understand where he fits in with society, which is not many places besides "the back of the van." It's odd for me to know so much about the lyrical content of music, because that's usually the last thing I hear when I listen to music. That's what makes this album so outstanding. The lyrics are so damn clever and interesting.

Those that know me know that I have been a fan of pop-punk since about 1999, especially in the earlier part of the 2000's. This is the best pop-punk album released in YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. It was really close to being number one on this list, but the other two above this are just so strong, I couldn't. If you like pop-punk or punk or good music, or good lyrics, GET THIS. It just got re-released, so go get that deluxe edition that I couldn't wait it out to get myself. This album is also out on No Sleep Records. (At one point, what label a band was signed to mattered, but not in my time listening to music. But I feel it should be noted anyhow.)

Key Track: New Years With Carl Weathers

My Favorite Music: 2010, #4

Here's the thing, I believe yesterday, I said that the list I'm compiling is the "best music of 2010," when I actually mean to say these are my favorite albums of 2010. Who am I to say that these are the best? These are my favorite albums of 2010. And it continues...

#4. Angels & Airwaves - LOVE

This was actually a tough spot for me, not because I couldn't

decide between five, four and three, or whatever, because I already knew I wanted to include The Felix Culpa. The problem was what to put at number four and leave off the list completely. In a slight edge over OK GO's Of The Blue Color Of The Sky, I have chosen Angels & Airwaves' third album for a few reasons. When a song from this album comes on my iPod on shuffle, I very regularly have taken shuffle off, and listened to the rest of the album instead of keeping it on shuffle. That's a good sign for the album, in my opinion. This album was originally slated to be released on Christmas day 2009, but was pushed back to Valentine's day because the production of it was delayed by that little get-together Tom Delonge had with Blink 18fucking2. Blink reuniting is just fine by me. But to delay the release what was my most anticipated album of 2009 until 2010 was a huge disappointment. The benefit of it was that the wait made me want it harder, and when it came out, FOR FREE I MIGHT ADD, the wait was totally worth it. And, now it can be included in my favorite of 2010 list!

Like I said, it was released on Valentine's day as a free download via Tom's Modlife site, so there was no excuse for you not to go get this record. It might still be free, I haven't checked, but if so, I highly recommended you go download this. Now, if you have heard AVA's other two albums, this will not really come as a surprise what this album sounds like, but I happen to be a big fan of what Tom has created with AVA. It basically sounds like a continuation of the other two albums. When Tom said that Angels & Airwaves would never go away, even if he had reunited with Blink, that made me pretty happy. He could put this album out every year and I'd love it every time. BEST album of 2010? Probably not. My fourth favorite?

Absolutely.

Key Track: Soul Survivor (...2012)

Thanks for reading. Check back for the rest of the list.

My Favorite Music: 2010, #5

Ho Ho Ho! It's the holiday season. In fact, I could probably skip the season part of that statement, because today is Christmas morning. Forgive me for not really touching on the subject here, but you know what? Hasn't that all been said already by everyone else. I think the best way to sum the whole idea up was already written.

Shit is about to get real boring around these parts, as I have been mentally blogging for a while now, coming up with my End of 2010 Best Albums list!

Now, there are people out there that can compile a list of their favorite albums of 2010 and not include one album that I hadn't heard about from him and him only. He is the person I envy, I suppose. I wish I could do that sort of thing, in a way. I'm sure there will be albums included in my list that you haven't heard or even heard of the people making it. Maybe not. Either way, at this point, I can't be that guy that only listens to the most underground, innovative, left field music being made, because I'm not that guy. I probably won't ever be that guy, no mater how hard I try. And also, just to clarify, regardless what I just said, I'm not trying to be anyone but myself, and I like what I like, so I don't want to come across as wanting to be EVEN MORE of a music snob than I probably already come across as...

Anyway. I'm going to write about an album a day, for five days. That's a top five list, if you weren't paying attention. I think I'll include a honorable mention list as well, which will be all the other good shit I want to mention but didn't crack the top five. Also, If you know my posting style, this will take longer than five days. My parents are coming to town, so...we'll see.

Should we start today? Why not?

#5 The Felix Culpa - Sever Your Roots

There a band from the Illinois/Wisconsin boarder, like the Chicago area. This is a fantastic album, more for it's depth than anything else. This is not a record to be taken lightly, or in a hurry. If anything, that's the one problem I have with Sever Your Roots, as sometimes I just don't have the proper attention to give to it. In the age of A.D.D. music, and short sonic bursts and blasts, this is a treat to those that enjoy the long term listen. I've been listening to this album since February, and I am still finding nuggets of awesome hidden in songs later on the album. There is not a bad song on here. Please don't take the "knock" I gave this album the wrong way. The knock is on me, not them. I'm the one with the problem, the one that can't focus long enough to drink it all in. This has been my go-to album all year for something fresh, and something brilliant. For those of you that haven't heard anything and want a description of the sound, they can be best described as a progressive indie band with post-hardcore elements. Take from that what you will, as that doesn't say a whole hell of a lot, if you don't know exactly what that means.

Personally, as a drummer, the drumming on here is top-notch. Very excellent. Also, one thing I like about it is his equipment sounds unique enough for me to instantly recognize it and separate it from other drum sounds being produced from every other act out there. Does that mean he's probably using a off-the-wall high-hat? Yeah, probably. Regardless, I like it.

The band self-released the album back in January, and has since signed to No Sleep Records, and that label will be making another appearance on this list in the coming days, believe me. Go buy this record if you like guitars and drums and loud to quiet to loud again. Also, if you need to hear something that takes a while to savor, and not something disposable, at all.

Didn't mean to make this that long. Sorry!

Key Track: An Instrument

(If nothing else, go listen to that song!!!!)

On Letting Go

I'm a collector of stuff. Well, sort of. I'm more of a half-ass collector of stuff I think is important. Not anything like my brother, or at least how he used to be. He has hundreds upon hundreds of unopened WWF action figures from the late 90's and early 2000's stashed away in an undisclosed location, that will probably net thousands someday. That's a collector. There are people that seriously collect things, like the people who really do it for the money and the thrill of the hunt. People who spend entire chunks of their lives devoted to tracking down that rare copy of whatever it is they feel they must own. I always liked those people, and would love nothing more than to emulate them, but it requires purchasing power, as well as constant vigilance to find what is you want, weather it's a rare music album or a baseball card or even a piece of art. I can think I am special because I own the first version of Slipknot's first album that got pulled from the shelves because of a copyright violation on one of the tracks, but I'm not. (though the actual disc was stolen in the now infamous incident in late August, 2002, I still have the case...)

I am actually just a guy who buys stuff, like anyone else. My collection of CD's spans the past 18 or so years of my life, since I started buying CD's. I have only parted ways with a very, very small percentage of them. Like, we're talkin' less than 10 in my whole life. The reason is because I am a borderline hoarder, and it would be full-blown if not for my wife convincing me to let go of things in the past few years. (Still cringing at donating my wash bucket of hot wheels and matchbox cars in '09.) But now, I have a lot of CD's I don't even display in my CD rack in the spare bedroom, that I could probably part ways with. They have a few great used CD places here in town, and I think that now is the right time to start paring down the collection. Do I really need the money? Not really. I could survive, for sure. But if I'm getting rid of my prized collection of CD's, I'm going to use the money for something I really want, damn it.

So I'm gonna sell my CD's and buy Nashville Predators hockey tickets with the money. Yup, totally a good idea. All I ever do is try to scheme ways to go to Preds games, and this is a way to do just that. Hockey tickets, especially NHL hockey tickets, and especially good NHL tickets are quite pricey. If I'm going to sell off my life long collection, I'm going to use the money for something I really, really want. That's to watch hockey. It's a win-win, because my wife wants that clutter out of the house, anyway. So I'll essentially gather my semi-prized possessions, give them to the Great Escape or Grimey's, then transfer the funds into David Poile's checkbook.

Let's just hope I don't have a meltdown letting go.

Did I Ever Tell You Abut The Time I Met Paul McCartney?

[Never before have I come to this page, and told myself to write, has it felt more like a chore I don't want to do, than it does right now. I can't even begin to explain what that means, but the fact that I basically had to force myself to this page today is not good. I mean that it's not good because I do enjoy writing here. I really do. That's why I'm concerned. I don't want to force myself to write here. Why I have such strong feelings against doing this today, that I don't understand.]

I watched Paul McCartney on Jimmy Fallon the other night. It's always great to see him on TV, but it is also usually really awkward to see him get interviewed. What do you ask Paul McCartney that hasn't been asked before, and also be a relevant question? I always get uncomfortable when someone interviews him because I just think it's all been asked before, and when he answers, he just sound tired of it all. He's been making and playing music for 50 years, after all.

There was one story he told during the show that really got me thinking, though. This is a guy who's mere presence can make your day memorable. All he has to do is exist in the vicinity of you and you would probably remember that for the rest of your life. The degree of significance would obviously vary if you are, say, a Beatles hater, or a Wings hater, I suppose. But nonetheless, he is a major, global icon. If you met Paul McCartney, I'm sure you would remember that day forever. He told a story of riding a bus in New York, and having that experience, but on his side of it. Meeting a nice lady on the bus, whom he chatted with for the ride to wherever they were each heading. That day stuck with Paul, and I'm sure it stuck with that lady even stronger.

Every day, if Paul McCartney goes into society, someone will probably meet him for the first time, as we all meet people for the first time when we venture out to the store or wherever we are heading. Most people get forgotten. But when Paul McCartney meets someone, it's just a normal experience to him. But those people meeting him, they have something to go home and tell their friends and loved ones about. Not to say that everyone drools over celebrities all day, but it would be pretty fucking neat if you were shopping at the Kroger, and Paul McCartney was picking out bananas next to you. You would probably have to tell someone about that. That's pretty cool. Paul McCartney can make someones day/week/year/life by just existing.

A Slight Inconvenience

When you have a problem or an ailment, the first thing you want to do, usually, is find the source of the problem, and stop that from being, so that you can stop the problem, right? After I finished that sentence, I realized that I will need to clarify, won't I?

I have back pain. I have it often. This isn't the pain where you can't get out of bed or need to be on disability or anything like that, but it's one where I am focused on it very often. I guess I would even go as far as to say I have "back uncomfort." Well I have tried to find the reason for my pain, and I have come to no conclusion thus far. I sit on the couch with a bolster pillow behind my lower back so that the arch of my back is supported, and that makes me comfortable when I sit. I sleep fine, and it's a bit stiff when I wake up, and my back hurts too.

My complaint here is that I can't find out what I'm doing to make it hurt all day. And it comes and goes. One day it hurts, the next it doesn't. I crack my back by twisting, and I don't think that helps me at all, but this is more of a habit thing, I think. I feel pain in the back, so I twist and crack it, and it doesn't really help. If I were a betting man, I'd bet that's the problem...

So I am here to say that I am going to try and not crack my back anymore, and see if that helps. I have a coworker who says she thinks it's weather related, and that may be true, indeed. It's very cold here in Middle Tennessee, and that makes sense that my back hurts right now. So there's that, I suppose. She also said that if the barametric pressure is high (or low, I don't remember) that that can make peoples backs and joints and stuff ache. So there's that too, I suppose.

So basically, I wanted to take this moment to bitch and complain about my sight inconvenience. Thanks for reading, though. haha

I Ate A Lot Of Spaghetti

Ever eat way too much spaghetti? I did that earlier tonight, and now it feels like a lump of carbs in my stomach. As the kids say, "ugh."

If you ever want to know when I spent the whole paycheck before the next one arrives, you can tell by what I eat for dinner at work. If it involves spaghetti, peanut butter, or macaroni, that means I am attempting to not spend money on food this week.

So that's that. I ate a lot of spaghetti, and now I am really full.

Posts About Babies: Name It

Now, for those of you paying attention, the name of this blog post has already been used before, even though the auto-fill option on this computer did not recognize it. It's true, I was looking for a name for the "Posts About Babies" series, and landed on the working title anyway, but that's not the point. The point is that this is no repeat. This is all new! Now, if you weren't paying attention, than this explanation was actually not needed, and you can carry on with reading the actual post...

We are naming our baby girl Evelyn. I was totally convinced that this was the best choice, with the sweetest meaning we could come up with, but I wanted to run it by my Dad first. You see, when we were thinking of names, we were going through our parents and grandparents names to see if any were a good fit, in a way to honor our families. My grandmothers names were Betty and Evelyn. We both liked Evelyn, and thought it would make my dad happy, and who doesn't want to do that, anyway? Not that making my dad happy was the actual, main motive here, but we thought it would be an nice touch. Part of me thought that my mom would feel weird about it, as my parents are divorced, and, well, you know. I believe I've heard stories about how my grandmother (Evelyn) was not a big fan of my mother when they were dating/married or something. Therefore, calling her first grandchild a name of her former mother-in-law might be a little strange for her. The key part for me/her/us to remember is THIS IS NOT HER, AND THIS IS OUR CHILD. Yes, I just got capital on your ass, and yes I just got real defensive. Not sure exactly why, but nonetheless...

I wanted to run the name by my father as well, because, after all, this was his mothers name. I asked him on Thanksgiving day about how he would feel, and he said "Well, she hated that name..."

Ugh... Now what? I mean, I know we all called her Nina, but I figured that was just like, a grandma name, ya know? I guess I didn't realize there was more to it. So while I was formerly convinced that Evelyn was the name, no question, I was now, in fact, questioning it. There was no reason to question it, however, because this is my child. This is our child, me and my wife. She absolutely loved the name, and wasn't budging. So that's what we're going with. That's her name.

Mom, if you don't like it, just call her Evie. That's what I'm going to do most of the time anyway. You aren't my only parent. Sorry. I know you were "there" for me because I lived with you, and no one does more for me than you do and I love you very much. But I also love my father, and I had a grandmother whom I loved as well, even if I didn't know her all that well. Her name was Evelyn. My daughter's name is Evelyn. I love you, even if you hate my child's name, but won't actually say it. I understand.

Posts About Babies: He's a She

It's the weekend! And you know what that means? Here I am blogging away. Let's get to it, shall we?

The last time we talked, I was ranting and raving about getting kicked out of my band by my "friend." Since then I have jammed out with other friends in what will most likely be a part time thing, not necessarily a full time band. Not ideal, but it's what I got right now. I will not be stopped as far as making music. In fact, I would be playing a gig tonight with my boy Sean, had the venue not closed this week. Strangely enough, the gig was with my old band. I should say, our old band, actually. That was going to be interesting, to say the least.

Since I wrote a real post, I have found out that my little baby that is growing inside my wife right now will be in Girl flavor. I was hoping for boy, as I am a boy and I know what to expect throughout life as a boy. Girls, not so much. Girls are complicated beings, and I will probably never understand them. I have tried, like many others in the history of humankind, only to fail miserably as all else have done before me. So raising a girl, telling her what to expect? It'll be interesting. I mean, for a while, she'll be just like any other child. The milestones are the same, regardless of gender for a while. It's when she's older, that when experiences start to separate a bit. Boys get boners. Girls get...periods? What the hell am I supposed to do then?

MOM! HELP!

Anyway, I'm happy to know what she is. I feel like I know her a bit more now. I can't wait to meet her. Ever since I know that she's a girl, and I saw the latest ultrasound as it happened, I know that she has bones and kidneys and kicks and punches my wife's innards all day, and the whole thing seems so much more tangible and real now. She's in the room with us, instead of that other person that will be around eventually. She's basically here. I can feel her. Things have changed. It's not about my band anymore, at all. It's not about me. I never wanted it to not be about me anymore, but now that it is, that's okay. I want the best for her. This is a big fuckin' deal. She's not a little parasite leaching my wifes nutrients anymore. She's Evelyn.

Yes, I just had to Google the spelling of my own daughter's/grandmother's name.

For more on the name choice, stay tuned to this blog!!!! Put me in your Google Reader! Never miss a post!