2011 Album Reviews - 7/29/2011

The Vivian Girls - Share The Joy - A-

Thursday - No Devolucion - A

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #190-#181

#190 Minus The Bear - "My Time" from "Omni" - It's weird that an indie rock song released in 2010 would have a 70's feel to it, but that's the case with "My Time", the top Minus The Bear song on the countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9rSYYNPQSc&ob=av2n


#189 Good Shoes - "Under Control" from "No Hope, No Future" - A tight indie rock song with solid lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1KworDaCqs


#188 Jennifer Knapp - "Letting Go" from "Letting Go" - This song gets lumped under the "country" genre, but it's really more of a singer-songwriter song, and a powerful one at that, with an Etheridge-level of passion applied to the chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXe76HUnXtE


#187 Paul Weller - "Wake Up The Nation" from "Wake Up The Nation" - I don't know what it is about songs with "Wake Up" in the title, but they always seem to be excellent. Case in point, this punchy alt rock song from former Jam front-man Paul Weller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HykV37M67MI


#186 Devo - "Later Is Now" from "Something For Everybody" - Yes, that's right, Devo is still making music and it's still awesome. They sound just as sharp as they did back in the 80's and now that technology has infected our lives more than ever, their sound is as urgent as it's ever been.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqwZm3mgM4c


#185 Big Boi - "Train, Pt. 2 (Sir Lucious Left Foot Saves The Day)" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - The title track from "Sir Lucious", "Train" is a trippy hip hop song with many weird music effects mixed in with Big Boi's usual lyrical brilliance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXgY7NoEzYo


#184 Mark Ronson And The Business Intl - "Introducing The Business" from "Record Collection" - The chorus is hypnotic to the point of being damn near subliminal and the verses feature some of the best hip hop lyrics of the year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EKLzvx6EbI


#183 Emma Pollack - "I Could Be A Saint" from "The Law Of Large Numbers" - A slow starter to be sure, this song has a fantastic chorus of "How you gonna break my heart when you've never even made my day" that fits the song perfectly, creating a great narrative tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXsdGW42Du0


#182 The Vaselines - "My God's Bigger Than Your God" from "Sex With An X" - All of the world's religious politics condensed into a 3 minute pop song. If you've followed my countdowns in the past, you know that I love this sort of thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQljbGEwvgY


#181 Reflection Eternal - "Strangers (Paranoid)" from "Revolutions Per Minute" - Bun B guest stars on this Reflection Eternal song, which does an outstanding job of living up to its name by building a paranoid atmosphere with nervous lyrics and the booming horn section that injects itself into the song every couple seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjsn9ifTwMg&ob=av2e

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #200-#191

#200 How To Destroy Angels - "Fur Lined" from "How To Destroy Angels" - One of two Trent Reznor projects in 2010 (he also won an Oscar for his "The Social Network" score, which unfortunately didn't put any songs on the countdown), How To Destroy Angels features a female vocalist, but the industrial dance style and dark tones bear Reznor's signature.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul0cqfSJJxo


#199 Sex Bob-Omb - "Summertime" from "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Soundtrack" - Heavily distorted lyrics and fun lyrics make this one of 2010's best songs by a fake band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cltx4MQPsVw


#198 The Deadstring Brothers - "Can't Make It Through The Night" from "Sao Paulo" - The Deadstring Brothers channel "Exile On Main St."-era Jagger and Richards on this (and every) song off of "Sao Paulo". This is a song that sounds 40 years older than it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X92Ms4vXhYk


#197 Fang Island - "Life Coach" from "Fang Island" - I caught their concert in St. Paul, MN last summer. They were an unbilled opening act for Stone Temple Pilots along with Cage The Elephant. Their live show is much more distorted than their album, but even when I could barely understand their lyrics I could tell they were something special. "Life Coach" isn't their highest ranking song, but it is an outstanding indie pop song in the Animal Collective tradition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCaojIXbsB0


#196 The Midnight Juggernauts - "This New Technology" from "The Crystal Axis" - 2010 wasn't quite as good a year for the Midnight Juggernauts as 2008 was, but they still released this excellent alt rock song this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcMsG8FYxXA


#195 Big Boi - "Follow Us" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - The latest song from "Sir Lucius" features the usual great lyrics from Big Boi and a solid R&B chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHN8IHh8mGk


#194 Muse - "Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)" from "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - Soundtrack" - You didn't think that Muse would miss out on the countdown just because they didn't release an album in 2010, did you? "Neutron Star Collision" is another over the top indie rock song from Muse. Say what you will about the wretched "Twilight" movies, their soundtracks are outstanding and if it weren't for them, Muse wouldn't be one of the biggest acts in rock n roll right now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTvgnYGu9bg&ob=av2e


#193 Blitzen Trapper - "Evening Star" from "Destroyer Of The Void" - A falsetto chorus highlights the latest indie folk classic from Blitzen Trapper to make the countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDDqGwESbus


#192 The Vaselines - "Sex With An X" from "Sex With An X" - The Vaselines (made "famous" by Nirvana when several of their songs were covered on "Incesticide") enjoy a healthy comeback with their sensational "Sex With An X" album, which featured this hooky indie pop song as it's title track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHIa3zr_vTQ&ob=av2e


#191 Slash - "Beautiful Dangerous" from "Slash" - Yeah, that's Fergie singing the vocals on this Slash song. It's strange, but she really has a voice for metal. When she's in the studio anyway... "Beautiful Dangerous" has some of the most aggressively 80's style of vocals I've heard since the hey day of GNR.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjmTf31MAe8&ob=av2e

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #210-#201

#210 Ke$ha - "Your Love Is My Drug" from "Animal" - I can't admit to liking the vast majority of Ke$ha's music (in fact, some of it is terrible), but this is a ridiculously catchy pop song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR_qa3Ohwls&ob=av2n


#209 Stars - "We Don't Want Your Body" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - A fun indie pop song with distinct vocals and a great hook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgocyn8Jw-E


#208 The Roots - "Radio Daze" from "How I Got Over" - A mellow rap song, reminiscient of the best songs from A Tribe Called Quest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j35M1aTaGa4


#207 Phosphorescent - "It's Hard To Be Humble (When You're From Alabama)" from "Here's To Taking It Easy" - A peppy southern-fried indie folk song from the latest in a long line of brilliant indie folk artists to enter the mainstream.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ducRkLS4Fwk


#206 The Goo Goo Dolls - "Sweetest Lie" from "Something For The Rest Of Us" - Long removed from their prime, The Goo Goo Dolls prove once again that they're capable of creating brilliant pop rock songs, though they don't do it as frequently as they used to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXqxNMOB1Z4


#205 The New Pornographers - "Your Hands (Together)" from "Together" - A drum-driven indie pop song with the usual male/female vocal dynamic that the New Pornographers have perfected over the years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxMCaU83QKs


#204 Sex Bob-Omb - "Threshold" from "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Soundtrack" - Another crazy alt rock song written by Beck as performed by Scott Pilgrim's band in the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EF2XAw-ayo


#203 Beach House - "Zebra" from "Teen Dream" - The first of two Beach House songs to appear on the countdown, "Zebra" is a sweeping dream pop song with sleepy vocals and a shiny chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-wfb25WmV4&ob=av2n


#202 My Chemical Romance - "Vampire Money" from "Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys" - The beginning of the song is a tribute to "Ballroom Blitz". The rest of the song is a tight, psychotic punk rock song in the spirit of The Stooges "Raw Power" album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3L6T0dfHa0


#201 Los Campesinos! - "The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future" from "Romance Is Boring" - This song starts out slowly, but at about the 1:45 mark kicks up significantly. The lyrics are a highlight, bleak though they may be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoIr60buB1I

2011 Album Reviews - 7/28/2011

Glasvegas - Euphoric Heartbreak - A+

Paul Simon - So Beautiful Or So What - A+

Brett Dennen - Loverboy - A-

Atmosphere - The Family Sign - B+

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #220-#211

#220 Elizabeth Cook - "All The Time" from "Welder" - A stomping barnstormer of a country song, "All The Time" maintains a frantic pulse throughout the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUyd5klFv40


#219 Vampire Weekend - "Taxi Cab" from "Contra" - Another great song from one of the best bands in indie music at the moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHljPP-4Z4g


#218 The Hoodoo Gurus - "Crackin' Up" from "Purity Of Essence" - A guitar-driven throwback to late-80's / 90's style alt rock from The Hoodoo Gurus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM6I2W1HP5w


#217 The Retribution Gospel Choir - "Hide It Away" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - The latest in a series of great indie rock songs that I probably would have never heard if not for the playlist site.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d24W46NdH-U


#216 Grace Potter And The Nocturnals - "Paris (Ooh La La)" from "Grace Potter And The Nocturnals" - The hardest female-vocaled indie rock song since "Kiss With A Fist", filled with aggressive lyrics and a nasty hook in the chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHlhOgQ36m8


#215 Jamey Johnson - "Heartache" from "The Guitar Song" - One of the best country songs of 2010, "Heartache" is a perfect example of Johnson's old-school style of pop-shunning country music that sounds like it would belong in any era of the genre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDh81xL5R6Q


#214 The Bouncing Souls - "Gasoline" from "Ghosts On The Boardwalk" - A guitar-driven indie rock song with a great chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOxc2cM75NI


#213 Kid Cudi - "Erase Me" from "Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager" - Kanye West guest stars on one of Kid Cudi's best songs on "Rager". Unlike most of the songs on this album, "Erase Me" sounds like it could have fit on either "Man On The Moon" album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICaTsTkBPV8&ob=av2e


#212 Paul Weller - "Grasp And Still Connect" from "Wake Up The Nation" - A 2 minute blast of sharp lyrics and tight beats. Weller's been doing this for 35 years, so he's gotten quite good at it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8wecmJbdHQ


#211 DJ Khaled - "All I Do Is Win" from "Victory" - T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross all make guest appearances on "All I Do Is Win", the best "ringtone rap" song of 2010, featuring one of the hookiest choruses of the year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGXzlRoNtHU&ob=av2e

2011 Album Reviews - 7/27/2011

T.V. On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light - A+

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #230-#221

#230 Robert Plant - "Angel Dance" from "Band Of Joy" - Robert Plant's solo work has never been particularly impressive to me, but "Band Of Joy" is a solid album with several great songs on it, especially this Zeppelin III-esque track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LREVZSIcL8


#229 Street Sweeper Social Club - "The New Fuck You" from "The Ghetto Blaster EP" - Street Sweeper Social Club is as close as we've gotten to a new Rage Against The Machine since Zach released that album under the name One Day As A Lion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ_T2JRY9ek


#228 Phosphorescent - "I Don't Care If There's Cursing" from "Here's To Taking It Easy" - One of the best songs from the newest brilliant indie folk band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1LzsXQP2yc


#227 The Old 97's - "The Magician" from "The Grand Theatre Volume One" - A fast paced indie pop song with a fast-paced chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awlSgpssb9I


#226 Broken Social Scene - "Texico Bitches" from "Forgiveness Rock Record" - A fun indie pop song from the Canadian rock collective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj6osnssnx4&ob=av2n


#225 Big Boi - "Back Up Plan" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - A slow R&B chorus yields to a solid hip hop bounce midway through the song on the latest Big Boi song on the countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmKp2EGsQB8


#224 Against Me! - "Because Of The Shame" from "White Crosses" - It's not every day that an Against Me! song starts out with a piano solo, but this song does, right before the Springsteen style chorus and the usual (if slowed down) Against Me! sound kicks in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfvkF5wgeQQ


#223 The Cold War Kids - "Louder Than Ever" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - The Cold War Kids didn't have an album out in 2010, so this song has a good chance of appearing on the 2011 list as well. The hook on the chorus ranks amongst the year's best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shBMl9u3Zh0&ob=av2e


#222 Hollerado - "Juliette" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - "Juliette" has a throwback sound that would have fit in just as well during the mid-90's as it does now. The chorus features a nice contrast with the rapid lyrics that fit in perfectly between the shouts of "Juliette".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NjKJYPzAoo


#221 B.O.B. - "Airplanes, Part II" from "B.O.B. Presents: The Adventures Of Bobby Ray" - While the original also features Hayley Williams of Paramore, "Part II" also features an excellent guest appearance from Eminem, which pushes this version into the countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARiT3R63U0I

2011 Album Reviews - 7/26/2011

The Submarines - Love Notes / Letter Bombs - A+

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light - A+

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #240-#231

#240 Mark Ronson And The Business Intl - "Record Collection" from "Record Collection" - Simon LeBon of Duran Duran provides guest vocals on "Record Collection", the first of three songs from Mark Ronson And The Business Intl on the countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiZI23pTV7A


#239 Black Milk - "365" from "Album Of The Year" - The second-highest charting song from Black Milk in 2010, "365" isn't technically the album's title track, but the title is derived from the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi-gZzLh5GA


#238 The Roots - "Dear God 2.0" from "How I Got Over" - Monsters Of Folk provide guest vocals from their 2009 song "Dear God" to accompany the rap verses on one of the best Roots songs ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Qr5oKKP-M&ob=av2e


#237 Blitzen Trapper - "Sadie" from "Destroyer Of The Void" - Another great indie folk song from Portland's Blitzen Trapper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xViQF8vnra8


#236 Ryan Adams And The Cardinals - "Kill The Lights" from "IV" - Ryan Adams, the best artist in alt country, only placed one song on this year's countdown, the high-intensity "Kill The Lights".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJUNmtMs-eo


#235 Isobel Campbell And Mark Lanegan - "You Won't Let Me Down Again" from "Hawk" - Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees teams up with Isobel Campbell of Belle And Sebastian again, resulting in another collection of great songs featuring the contrast between Lanegan's scratchy voice and Campbell's sweet vocals, including this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCyhLLI9rks&ob=av2n


#234 Band Of Horses - "NW Apt." from "Infinite Arms" - A fast-paced indie rock song from "Inifinte Arms", the latest gem from Band Of Horses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOOMoAPawoA


#233 The Gaslight Anthem - "We Did It When We Were Young" from "American Slang" - This song takes a little bit to ramp up, but once it gets to the chorus it really knocks it out of the park, ending up like an indie rock Springsteen tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLDKcTmnRXc


#232 Cults - "Go Outside" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - I'm sure this song will be on the 2011 countdown as well, as Cults is one of the hottest new bands in indie pop. "Go Outside" is a peppy dream pop song with bright, shiny vocals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0pSo58K5aY&ob=av2n


#231 Crystal Bowersox - "Holy Toledo" from "Farmer's Daughter" - Bowersox wrote this song a long time ago and actually debuted it on American Idol. Imagine that, a brilliant original song on American Idol. That's probably why she lost. No, I will not let it go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q9h_TcnT4o

2011 Album Reviews - 7/21/2011

The Mountain Goats - All Eternals Deck - A+

The Raveonettes - Raven In The Grave - A

The Kills - Blood Pressures - A+

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #250-#241

#250 Lissie - "Little Lovin'" from "Catching A Tiger" - A song that I think made the 2009 list as well, "Little Lovin" is a great indie pop song from Lissie. One her best originals so far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VQz2IwIMag


#249 Big Boi - "Fo Yo Sorrows" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - The chorus is less up-tempo than most of the songs off of "Sir Lucious", but Big Boi picks up the pace on the verses. Too Short and George Clinton make guest appearances on this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsUSlR7tTEs&ob=av2e


#248 Apollo Ghosts - "Things You Go Through" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - There's a raw aspect to the vocals on this song that really adds to the urgency of the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cqN3m8ii0w


#247 Dr. Dog - "Stranger" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - Dr. Dog always seems to have at least one really great song every year. This year it's "Stranger", which starts out slow, but really kicks it up a notch in the chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yMe4Qf9nrg


#246 The Street Dogs - "Up The Union" from "The Street Dogs" - An undeniably liberal punk song from the Bad Religion school of punk, bluntly political but catchy as hell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EDnH8w90WM


#245 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Conscience Killer" from "Beat The Devil's Tattoo" - More up-tempo than the usual BRMC song, "Conscience Killer" is fast-paced and downright aggressive at times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY4Cor3mTuA


#244 The Street Dogs - "Punk Rock And Roll" from "The Street Dogs" - "We all need a little punk rock n roll, the kind that makes you want to break some bones, it doesn't really matter what the singer says, as long as punk rock is beating in those heads". Indeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNjyWtGrxC0


#243 Paul Weller - "Two Fat Ladies" from "Wake Up The Nation" - Sardonic as always, Paul Weller (ironically) gets lean and mean on this fast-paced headbanger from his latest unheard masterpiece, "Wake Up The Nation".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri_Y1SBFeUg


#242 Kanye West - "Good Friday" from "Good Friday" - Common and Kid Cudi are among the many guest stars on this poppy hip hop song. "Good Friday" was not released on Kanye's 2010 album but was actually released via Twitter as part of his Good Friday project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptbqn-7VJUk


#241 Blake Shelton - "Draggin' The River" from "All About Tonight" - Miranda Lambert joins Black Shelton on this fun old-school country duet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISV-QqNZzIE

2011 Album Reviews - 7/20/2011

Snoop Dogg - Doggumentary - A+

Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some - A+

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #260-#251

#260 She And Him - "In The Sun" from "Volume Two" - "In The Sun" is highlighted by She And Him's best hook yet along with the usually solid lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ3cTwI9bIw&ob=av2e


#259 The Futureheads - "Heartbeat Song" from "The Chaos" - A fun indie dance rock song from the New Wave biting Futureheads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saYWZ837FeA


#258 Gorillaz - "Plastic Beach" from "Plastic Beach" - Former Clash members Mick Jones And Paul Simonon guest star on this twisty indie rock song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qhchE6rEZE


#257 Best Coast - "Each And Every Day" from "Crazy For You" - This song falls somewhere in-between dream pop and shoegaze. It has to be the catchiest song to ever feature a chorus of "you will never fall in love".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flT5Xe-IBlo


#256 The Old 97's - "A State Of Texas" from "The Grand Theatre Volume One" - Another hooky pop song from the criminally overlooked alt rock band The Old 97's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8pvbs2ng94


#255 Locksley - "The Whip" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - A fun indie rock sing-along song that I probably would never have come across were it not on Blalock's IRP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUQAz7w6svU


#254 Blitzen Trapper - "Laughing Lover" from "Destroyer Of The Void" - Another great indie folk song from the best band of said genre, Blitzen Trapper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOPZyW-mZwE


#253 The Thermals - "I'm Gonna Change Your Life" from "Personal Life" - It's unusual that this is the highest ranking Thermals song from their latest album, but then again, this would be a high placing for most bands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FoA0G74k28


#252 Never Shout Never - "Piggy Bank" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - It's a weird harmonica and drum rock song, but "Piggy Bank" has one of the catchiest choruses of the year and clever lyrics throughout.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goJ-6dmKYYc


#251 The Constellations - "What I See" from "Southern Gothic" - A socially conscious pop song with solid lyrics and a good hook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZDWGN9UXDA

2011 Album Reviews - 7/19/2011

Wiz Khalifa - Rolling Papers - A+

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Belong - A+

Broken Bells - Meyrin Fields - A+

Generationals - Actor-Caster - A

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #270-#261

#270 Tom Jones - "Burning Hell" from "Praise And Blame" - I was as surprised as anyone that a song this good could come from cheese-meister Tom Jones, but a good song is a good song, no matter the source.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujEiojVwewg


#269 Marnie Stern - "Cinco De Mayo" from "Marnie Stern" - The swirling guitars and high-pitched vocals on this song remind me of My Bloody Valentine, but the backbeat makes for a much more up-tempo song than MBV would ever produce.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHUuc-GtI_U


#268 Bone Thugs N Harmony - "Only God Can Judge Me" from "Uni5: The World's Enemy" - Bone Thugs N Harmony continue to turn out great soul-tinged hip hop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=734SRSc3pjQ


#267 Hole - "Never Go Hungry" from "Nobody's Daughter" - Borrowing a line from Scarlett O'Hara for the chorus, Courtney Love and Hole create another great alt rock song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqKSj5zxgKY


#266 These New Puritans - "Three Thousand" from "Hidden" - A slow trip hop song with a dark groove to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHy08s3CCso


#265 Big Boi - "Hustle Blood" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - A slower song that most off of "Lucious Left Foot", "Hustle Blood" is a solid R&B song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs9mYwK0fF0


#264 Nas And Damian Marley - "Nah Mean" from "Distant Relatives " - Another great collaboration from two artists at the top of their chosen genre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCV0KJ-_At0


#263 Neon Indian - "Deadbeat Summer" from "Mind Ctrl: Psychic Chasms Possessed" - I think this song made the 2009 list, but it's one of the best indie rock songs in recent memory, so it more than earns its spot on both lists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWroI785ghU


#262 Black Milk - "Closed Chapter" from "Album Of The Year" - An excellent hip hop song from an album that didn't quite live up to its name, but did come close.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d5Jn4CSnyg


#261 The Arcade Fire - "We Used To Wait" from "The Suburbs" - "The Suburbs" is a genius concept album that works as one consistent piece and as a collection of great songs like the urgent yet patient "We Used To Wait".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDM9qyXrfN8

2011 Album Reviews - 7/18/2011

Young The Giant - Young The Giant - A

The Sounds - Something To Die For - A

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #280-#271

#280 Little Big Town - "Why, Oh Why" from "The Reason Why" - One of the best country songs of 2010, though "twangy pop song" might be a more accurate description.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3aE4DMw5sg


#279 Here We Go Magic - "Collector" from "Pigeons" - A catchy indie pop song with murky lyrics but a great hook in the chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KtrX6ft1HQ


#278 Nas And Damian Marley - "In His Own Words" from "Distant Relatives" - Mix reggae with rap and what you end up with is a ballad? Anyway, it works thanks to solid lyrics and a surprisingly good vocal from Damian Marley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLs6GXkZhk0


#277 She And Him - "Over It And Over Again" from "Volume Two" - Zoey Deschanel's insanely pretty vocals shine on this sweet, hooky indie pop song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rf6HGhjxFw


#276 Brandon Flowers - "Jilted Lovers And Broken Hearts" from "Flamingo" - I think this is Flowers' top-ranked song of 2010. The song starts out slowly, but builds quickly to a Springsteenian chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOE-Tg1NjnU


#275 Boxer The Horse - "Mary Meets The Pilot" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - An excellent hooky indie rock song from an obscure band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-_YxLAokEI


#274 Flobots - "Airplane Mode" from "Survival Story" - Another fun, edgy rap song from Flobots, this time highlighted by string instruments playing in the background to raise tension.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou8TXcW3C1c


#273 Lissie - "Pursuit Of Happiness" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - I generally tend to dock cover songs on my countdown, especially if the song being covered is only a year old, but this is simply a brilliant cover of Kid Cudi's 2009 classic. Lissie brings a different style and perspective to the song that works better than the description would indicate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmsbHGEB6UU


#272 John Legend And The Roots - "Compared To What" from "Wake Up" - John Legend taps into the great R&B / soul music of the Motown era on this Stevie Wonder-esque funk song from his team-up album with the Roots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii-9toToBW8


#271 The Hold Steady - "The Sweet Part Of The City" from "Heaven Is Whenever" - The Hold Steady specialize in deeply personal indie rock that bites heavily from the Springsteen apple. "The Sweet Part Of The City" may be the best example of their unique style off of "Heaven Is Whenever".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJg7-Ryqy8s

2011 Album Reviews - 7/15/2011

Does It Offend You, Yeah? - Don't Say We Didn't Warn You - B+

The Strokes - Angles - A+

The View - Bread And Circuses - A+

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #290-#281

#290 OK Go - "Back From Kathmandu" from "Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky" - There isn't any treadmill dancing in the video for this one, but this song and the album it's on represents a big step forward artistically for one of the most under-rated indie rock bands around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvUW4loi4sY


#289 Gogol Bordello - "When Universes Collide" from "Trans-Continental Hustle" - Gypsy punk as indie folk ballad would be the best way to describe this cut off of "Trans-Continental Hustle".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZthyHC5_qQ


#288 The Deadstring Brothers - "Houston" from "Sao Paulo" - I had hoped that more songs off of "Sao Paulo" would have made the countdown this year, but the album, which heavily bites the "Exile On Main St." sound does have some representation, especially this hooky country rock tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu-fleIJyUA


#287 Sarah McLachlan - "U Want Me 2" from "Laws Of Illusion" - A holdover from the 2009 list, "U Want Me 2" is Sarah's best song in nearly a decade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0PfUzbQDg8


#286 The Dream - "Yamaha" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - I don't usually listen to this type of pop song, but this low-key R&B ballad is ridiculously catchy, with a borrowed backbeat and a dreamy tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP8oGRmi0iE


#285 Usher - "There Goes My Baby" from "Raymond V. Raymond" - Again, R&B ballads aren't exactly my favorite type of music, but Usher always seems to put a few songs on the countdown whenever he releases an album and this brilliant pop song is a fine example of why that is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6urbZyHgO4


#284 Mumford And Sons - "Winter Winds" from "Sigh No More" - The first of three Mumford And Sons songs on the countdown (the other two ranking in the top 50), "Winter Winds" is a great indie folk song with a Fleet Foxes meets My Morning Jacket feel to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KCg_QEHtkY


#283 Sleigh Bells - "Tell Em" from "Treats" - Distortion meets bombast on this Sleigh Bells song that explodes right out of the gate and maintains its intensity throughout.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kJ05P-71gY


#282 The Like - "Narcissus In A Red Dress" from "Release Me" - A sly hook carries this song through a build to a big-time chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRs6okNTpkU


#281 The National - "Conversation 16" from "High Violet" - Another great slow-burn tune from the gloomiest art rock band in the business.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg5geyUlU4Y

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #300-#291

#300 Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - "Good Enough" from "Mojo" - A slow blues rock song from Petty's latest classic album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE9mM_ut62Y


#299 Prince - "Act Of God" from "20Ten" - Prince produces a politically charged R&B song with a great bass line and chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK2yJUH7NO0


#298 Infant Sorrow - "Furry Walls" from "Get Him To The Greek" - An important plot point in the movie, "Furry Walls" is also fun song with a hard charging, drum-driven chorus. It really doesn't make any sense if you haven't seen the movie, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X2bf76wn54


#297 Shonen Knife - "Do You Happen To Know" from "Free Time" - Shonen Knife produced a lot of catchy pop punk songs on their 2010 album, "Free Time". "Do You Happen To Know" is the catchiest of the group.

No links on youtube.


#296 Ice Cube - "Your Money Or Your Life" from "I Am The West" - Nearly 25 years into his career, Ice Cube is still cranking out great gangsta rap songs with excellent west coast hooks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG2NXB0NOzs


#295 Eminem - "Cold Wind Blows" from "Recovery" - One of Eminem's most aggressive songs on "Recovery", despite the relatively mild chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiEiFARVicU


#294 The Klaxons - "Cypherspeed" from "Surfing The Void" - The Klaxons took a big step forward with their second album and this manic indie rock song is a big part of their continued success.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvm-SwfKl-M


#293 Belle And Sebastian - "I Want The World To Stop" from "Write About Love" - The masters of twee indie pop continue their reign with another fantastic song off of "Write About Love".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjW3tZhdnyw


#292 Ice Cube - "I Rep That West" from "I Am The West" - Another great west coast rap song from Ice Cube, who keeps cranking out songs of this caliber even though he's not in the spotlight as much as he was during the 90's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC9JbuENoYQ


#291 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Beat The Devil's Tattoo" from "Beat The Devil's Tattoo" - This BRMC song has a bit of an eastern vibe to it, sounding like George Harrison's take on a Jesus And Mary Chain song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYkhNWIdra0

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #310-#301

#310 The Constellations - "Love Is A Murder" from "Southern Gothic" - Cee Lo Green provides guest vocals on the chorus of this pop / rap song from one of the top bands of 2010.

I couldn't find a decent version on youtube.


#309 Juvenile - "Drop That Azz" from "Beast Mode" - It's not exactly going to win any awards from civil rights groups, but "Drop That Azz" is a fun pop song with a great hook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIHL2NI-ssY


#308 Melissa Etheridge - "Fearless Love" from "Fearless Love" - She's not as famous as she was back in the 90's, but Melissa Etheridge can still crank out the type of rock songs that once earned her comparisons to Bruce Springsteen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOQJlWBU42Q


#307 JP, Chrissie And The Fairground Boys - "Australia" from "Fidelity!" - Chrissie Hynde's distinct vocals and personal style of songwriting make this song interesting long before the sweeping chorus makes it great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nlpf2Cs-cLY


#306 Coldplay - "Christmas Lights" from "Christmas Lights" - This wasn't an easy song to locate, but it's nice to see Coldplay back in the spotlight after a year off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1rYmzQ8C9Q


#305 The Hoodoo Gurus - "I Hope You're Happy" from "Purity Of Essence" - Hoodoo Gurus are a band that most people had written off a long time ago, but their pop style mixing with alt rock aethestics has continued to the present day and they continue to make great music that mostly doesn't get heard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1APvbEIQ8M


#304 Greg Laswell - "Around The Bend" from "Take A Bow" - Greg Laswell is an under-rated indie pop singer-songwriter who specializes in the type of sweeping pop songs that have made Coldplay, Snow Patrol and Keane so successful. "Around The Bend" sounds like the kind of song that could be a big hit if it were confused as the new single by one of those bands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKIIVfwxxEc


#303 Crystal Bowersox - "Lonely Won't Come Around" from "Farmer's Daughter" - I don't see any Lee DeWyze songs on the countdown. Hmmm... Anyway, "Lonely Won't Come Around" is a rock solid pop song with a great hook and chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvYfVkiCBCA


#302 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "River Styx" from "Beat The Devil's Tattoo" - Shoegaze meets blues rock in this hypnotic BRMC tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1IY_bVHUgg


#301 Kid Rock - "Born Free" from "Born Free" - Kid Rock continues his transformation into Bob Seger with "Born Free" the best song off of the album of the same name.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu3rsha1ZtI

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #320-#311

#320 Sugarland - "Shine The Light" from "The Incredible Machine" - An excellent ballad from country band Sugarland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdn4Jq8jHhk


#319 The Weepies - "They're In Love, Where Am I?" from "Be My Thrill" - A sad indie pop song from The Weepies. It's not as up-tempo as their other songs on the countdown, but it is the highest charting song for the band this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0EF93eqqmk


#318 Josh Ritter - "Change Of Time" from "So Runs The World Away" - A solid pop song from singer-songwriter Josh Ritter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHMx5xbejz8


#317 Sheryl Crow - "Our Love Is Fading" from "100 Miles From Memphis" - Sheryl's music isn't as popular as it was back in the 90's, but she's still capable of creating great pop / rock music such as this up-tempo rocker from "100 Miles From Memphis".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UBjjrImFe8


#316 Free Energy - "Bang Pop" from "Stuck On Nothing" - A fun guitar-driven indie pop song with a style that easily lives up to its title.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lZFHnyeqSI


#315 Katie Melua - "God On The Drums, Devil On The Bass" from "The House" - A fun pop song with dark undertones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-BeNbH3dxI


#314 Titus Andronicus - "And Ever" from "The Monitor" - A short, straight-forward rockabilly-type song, which is very unusual for Titus Andronicus, but still works as a fun two minute blast from a band usually more accustomed to longer, proggier songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6GU_7u1kKs


#313 Metric - "Black Sheep" from "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Soundtrack" - Metric provided the music for The Clash At Demonhead, the band that Scott Pilgrim's ex Envy Adams fronts in the movie. The song is vintage Metric, a band that otherwise didn't release any music in 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obV-OL3TwXo


#312 Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - "Bottled In Cork" from "The Brutalist Bricks" - Ted Leo is another artist that should be far more successful than he is. Like the Old 97s, it's not just that his music is excellent, but he writes the kind of pop rock songs that are both fun and catchy, yet for some reason, radio doesn't play this kind of music anymore. "Bottled In Cork" is a peppy song with great hooks and some excellent guitar solos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w248uwpAX14


#311 Asia - "Finger On The Trigger" from "Omega" - Of all bands to produce interesting music in 2010, forgotten 80's prog-rock supergroup Asia has to be the most surprising by far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOd_f0UjZX4

2011 Album Reviews - 7/13/2011

The New York Dolls - Dancing Backward In High Heels - B+

J. Mascis - Several Shades Of Why - A-

The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar - A+

The Dodos - No Color - A+

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #330-#321

#330 Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - "Let Yourself Go" from "Mojo" - Petty took a bluesier approach to his music on "Mojo" and it paid off big time with this song and the upcoming "Running Man's Bible".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU6xB9ob9S8


#329 She And Him - "Ridin' In My Car" from "Volume Two" - She and Him's well-written throwback to 60's girl group music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dckcGhT5mN0


#328 Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - "Running Man's Bible" from "Mojo" - Another slowed down blues rock song from one of the best albums of 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeqOi3j-oME


#327 Apostle Of Hustle - "Wu" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - A crazy mix of genres that's hard rock and rap at the same time, but really neither.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayNClZM7ys0


#326 The Vaselines - "I Hate The 80s" from "Sex With An X" - An alt pop song decrying the 1980's that would have (ironically) had a better chance at being a pop hit then than now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urJnJId6_3s


#325 Jenny And Johnny - "Scissor Runner" from "I'm Having Fun Now" - Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice's latest side project produced an album of indie pop bliss, highlighted by "Scissor Runner".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GVnVBkAdXw


#324 The Dum Dum Girls - "Jail La La" from "I Will Be" - The 60's girl group sound is merged with shoegaze and a catchy chorus to creating one of the most interesting songs of 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMy4CceeBgA


#323 The Drive-By Truckers - "After The Scene Dies" from "The Big To-Do" - Another great southern-fried indie tune from the best artist of that particular genre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr6F_ko__qI


#322 Stone Temple Pilots - "Huckleberry Crumble" from "Stone Temple Pilots" - Sounding like a lost track from Aerosmith's "Toys In The Attic" album, "Huckleberry Crumble" has a funky 70's vibe to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3klTCOFlLM&feature=fvst


#321 Zola Jesus - "I Can't Stand" from "Stridulum" - Zola's sound is difficult to describe, with it's bombastic, stadium-filling vocals and dramatic choruses, but it's a lot of fun to listen to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEsBE5Jqvp4

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #340-#331

#340 Grinderman - "Palaces Of Montezuma" from "Grinderman II" - Nick Cave's music has become much more accessible to mainstream audiences (who still aren't listening) in recent years. The bouncy, nearly spoken word "Palaces" is a good example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30U1-5-k1P4


#339 Fyfe Dangerfield - "Any Direction" from "Fly Yellow Moon" - Fyfe is an up and coming band and this song is a step in the right direction for them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yw0QftMAig


#338 The Weepies - "Add My Effort" from "Be My Thrill" - Another light-hearted indie twee pop song from the Weepies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtf1KtKAAEo


#337 Who Knew - "Sharpen The Knife" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - Blalock provides another great song from an obscure band with "Sharpen The Knife".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO7QFr_5Z_Y


#336 Prince - "Beginning Endlessly" from "20Ten" - 2010 was a year for surprising comeback albums from bands thought to be well past their prime (Ozzy, Cypress Hill), but no comeback was more exciting than Prince's "20Ten" album, which ranks amongst his best ever. "Beginning Endlessly" has a funky guitar hook and "Purple Rain" level lyrics.

No youtube link available.


#335 Kings Of Leon - "Radioactive" from "Come Around Sundown" - Even on a disappointing album, Kings Of Leon will still crank out a couple excellent songs. "Radioactive" as the lead single from the album and the best song off of "Come Around Sundown".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPBbMbKSZrQ


#334 One Night Only - "Forget My Name" from "One Night Only" - A British alt rock band that I've been unfamiliar of to this point, One Night Only sounds like the kind of great stadium filling alt bands of the 80's and 90's. "Forget My Name" sounds like it could have been a vintage Echo And the Bunnymen song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yL1psTa9fI


#333 The Dead Weather - "Hustle And Cuss" from "Sea Of Cowards" - Jack White changes his sound like most people change their clothes, but "Hustle And Cuss" is vintage garage era blues rock of the best type.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj-x1sPdrUE


#332 The Manic Street Preachers - "A Billion Balconies Facing The Sun" from "Postcards From A Young Man" - Manic Street Preachers specialize in politically-tinged epic alt-rock songs and this song fits that mould better than any other song off of "Postcards From A Young Man".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKr2xQVuaME


#331 Dom - "Living In America" from "Sun Bronzed Greek Gods" - Every year produces a few indie dance tracks that add something new to the genre and "Living In America" is that song in 2010, combining the fuzz of Sleigh Bells with the dream pop of Beach House.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvdFnINlN6Q

2011 Album Reviews - 7/11/2011

Raekwon - Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang - A+

Jessie J - Who You Are - A-

Alexi Murdoch - Towards The Sun EP - A-

Rise Against - Endgame - A+

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #350-#341

#350 David Guetta - "How Soon Is Now" from "One More Love" - I don't usually go for overtly disco / dance tracks, but several tracks from David Guetta's album were too good to pass up, including this song, which reminds me of the best songs from the disco era, such as "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkrUtlnzMuc


#349 Ozzy Osbourne - "I Want It More" from "Scream" - 2010 was a big comeback year for Ozzy and this song was a big part of that. The song rawks, as per expectations, but (as usual with Ozzy) there's much more going on in the lyrics than you would expect from a guitar and drums driven metal tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb-HZ-v9vwY


#348 Sade - "Soldier Of Love" from "Soldier Of Love" - Sade doesn't release albums very frequently, but when she does you can safely assume that whatever she does put out will be at or near the top of the R&B / soul genre, as the lead single off of her latest album, "Soldier Of Love" certainly is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR5_rTCi-Bo


#347 My Chemical Romance - "The Only Hope For Me Is You" from "Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys" - MCR specializes in bombastic goth / punk / emo and ever since they started making concept albums they've become one of the better bands around. "The Only Hope" is a critical middle piece of the "Danger Days" album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX8tVy4Xxyo


#346 Frightened Rabbit - "Son C" from "The Winter Of Mixed Drinks" - "Son C" is a bit slower than the usual FR song, but the lyrics are typically brilliant and the song is driven forward by a slow, hypnotic pulsing beat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGpm8w8LqJ4


#345 Robyn - "The Girl And The Robot" from "Body Talk" - Another fun dance pop song from the best pop singer most of the world is unaware of so far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EJUCkSMN4k


#344 The Drive-By Truckers - "Daddy Learned To Fly" from "The Big To-Do" - The Drive-By Truckers are an underrated southern rock band with great songwriting and catchy hooks. They're sort of the Old 97's of their genre. "Daddy Learned To Fly" ranks among their best songs in recent years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obIYcoQBDc8


#343 Eminem - "Going Through Changes" from "Recovery" - Eminem samples an old Ozzy Osbourne song on this introspective track off of his big comeback album, "Recovery".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0mE7Ve6m30


#342 Infant Sorrow - "Gang Of Lust" from "Get Him To The Greek" - Infant Sorrow isn't a real band, but they still managed to make some of the most entertaining music of 2010. The band (created for the movie "Get Him To The Greek") is trashy pop metal and the lyrics are deplorable, but like Spinal Tap before them, it satirizes rock n roll in a light-hearted, fun way with great hooks throughout.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfIv_NCX9jg


#341 The Hold Steady - "Hurricane J" from "Heaven Is Whenever" - "Heaven Is Whenever" was a step down from their last album, but it still produced a handful of the great, deeply personal indie rock songs that the band has always specialized in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG4ABgTuCqA

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #360-#351

#360 Nas And Damian Marley - "Strong Will Continue" from "Distant Relatives" - Nas and Damian Marley are as strange a combination as rap and reggae, but when they trade verses it works amazingly well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-DpInHMzrc


#359 Girls - "Broken Dreams Club" from "Broken Dreams Club" - A well-written downer from the masters of depressing (but not emo) indie pop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXliavlymxI


#358 Blitzen Trapper - "The Tailor" from "Destroyer Of The Void" - Another great folk

rock song from Blitzen Trapper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpnj-j7z770


#357 Jay Electronica - "Exhibit C" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - One of the most promising new artists in hip hop, Jay Electronica debuts with a bang with "Exhibit C", one of the best rap songs of the year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lrVO3pPDP4


#356 Far - "Pony" from "At Night We Live" - A cover of Ginuwine's filthy R&B classic by a rock band that nails the vibe of the original song without getting too cheesy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26oYJ0ta3iw


#355 Hole - "Pacific Coast Highway" from "Nobody's Daughter" - Courtney Love will be a magnet for the hatred of Nirvana fans until the day she stops making music, but it's
impossible to ignore the continued quality of songs like "Pacific Coast Highway", a slower song that a lesser artist would fumble but Courtney nails.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaG5VEJxk1w


#354 Gorillaz - "Pirate Jet" from "Plastic Beach" - A short song, but crunchy enough to get the job done in the little time it was afforded.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VJl-EsNwnA


#353 Wolf Parade - "What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way)" from "Expo 86" - A slow build to an intense chorus highlights this excellent alt rock song from Wolf Parade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPPkTM6aKkE


#352 Stone Temple Pilots - "Dare If You Dare" from "Stone Temple Pilots" - More great glam / alt rock from STP with a great chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X48rSxmvALE&feature=fvst


#351 Duffy - "Breath Away" from "Endlessly" - Duffy's follow-up wasn't as successful as
her last album, but it still produced this blue-eyed soul classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tIo98kB_c

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #370-#361

#370 Flobots - "Cracks In The Surface" from "Survival Story" - A paranoid, intense rap song with a guitar riff and pressure build reminiscient of Rage Against The Machine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdwg3dhz7DQ


#369 The Deftones - "Royal" from "Diamond Eyes" - Deftones are one of the best metal bands around and "Royal" is a fine example of their style off of their most recent album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnj68Dy9AdA


#368 Travie McCoy - "We'll Be Alright" from "Lazarus" - Travie borrows lyrics and chorus from Supergrass, but uses the song as a frame for a solid R&B song of his own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04zaL7wIbmc


#367 Bo Burnham - "Art Is Dead" from "Words, Words, Words" - A cynical song about the world of comedy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo9pU1q8sy8


#366 Gil Scott-Heron - "New York Is Killing Me" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - A great song from a hip hop pioneer. I picked the version that featured a guest appearance from Mos Def over the original.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0TKDU96xwM


#365 Kid Cudi - "Don't Play This Song" from "Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager" - "Man On the Moon II" wasn't as catchy as the previous album, but it still had a lot of great, hooky hip hop songs, such as "Don't Play This Song".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv0IEwypXkY


#364 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - "History Of Modern (Part I)" from "History Of Modern" - OMD keeps cranking out great songs 30 years after their heyday. This song could have been a hit at pretty much any point in the New Wave era.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSuIrgjUlcc


#363 Vampire Weekend - "California English" from "Contra" - Another fun indie pop song from "Contra".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTYDSWqAeNc


#362 Little Big Town - "Little White Church" from "The Reason Why" - Generally there aren't a lot of country songs on my countdown, but this twangy new country song has a pulsing beat and great lyrics, so it made the cut.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B077Dw_zDe0


#361 Reflection Eternal - "Midnight Hour" from "Revolutions Per Minute" - Estelle guest stars on this fun R&B / rap tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrDOWatyUSc

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #380-#371

#380 The Shout Out Louds - "Fall Hard" from "Work" - A solid indie pop song from a reliable band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENqNgTnXi8s


#379 Crystal Bowersox - "Kiss Ya" from "Farmer's Daughter" - As usual, the wrong person won American Idol. If you're wondering, there won't be any Lee DeWyze music on the countdown, but there are a couple Bowersox songs, including this Etheridge-esque country rock song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkUIYDjfDqk


#378 Bruno Mars - "Runaway Baby" from "Doo Wops And Hooligans" - Bruno Mars continues his march through the countdown with another great R&B infused pop song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ww-8jvxT5Q


#377 Titus Andronicus - "Titus Andronicus Forever" from "The Monitor" - It's amazing how good this song is considering it's basically one line repeated over and over, but that's Titus Andronicus for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDNMYwK69jM


#376 Los Campesinos! - "We've Got Your Back" from "Romance Is Boring" - Another day, another brilliant Los Campesinos! song that 99.999% of the world has never heard before makes the countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMnoL7qHsGw


#375 Brandon Flowers - "Only The Young" from "Flamingo" - "Only The Young" has a relatively slow build, but once it hits the chorus, Flowers nails down one of the better slow songs of his career.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBENjCPS8LI


#374 Parlovr - "Hell, Heaven" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - Yet another great song that I never would have heard if not for Blalock's IRP. "Hell, Heaven" has a great guitar line and solid lyrics building to a great chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVw7zGmO4IM


#373 Surfer Blood - "Floating Vibes" from "Astro Coast" - An excellent lo-fi indie pop song with surf rock undertones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_RBxVpM_AI


#372 Kanye West - "Devil In A New Dress" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - It's not as "in-your-face" as the other hits off of the album, but it's a great rap ballad with great lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D55rDDvu3n4


#371 JP, Chrissie And The Fairground Boys - "Fairground Luck" from "Fidelity!" - JP and Chrissie trade lines on a ballad that would have done The Pretenders proud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OXwRTeLCro&feature=related

2011 Album Reviews - 7/8/2011

Parts And Labor - Constant Future - A+

Avril Lavigne - Goodbye Lullaby - C - Strangely, Avril's music has gotten less mature as she's gotten older. Musical Benajmin Button syndrome?

2011 Album Reviews - 7/7/2011

Lucinda Williams - Blessed - A+

R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now - A+

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers - A+ - The best rap album I've heard since Kanye's.

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #390-#381

#390 Elvis Costello - "National Ransom" from "National Ransom" - Surprisingly low for Elvis Costello's top song on this year's countdown, but there you have it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkN_qwBHKx4


#389 Tech N9ne - "Far Out" from "Tech N9ne Collabos: The Gates Mixed Plate" - Tech N9ne is the rare rapper that has a completely unique sound. His albums are sort of middling, but he always manages to have one song that stands out every year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g17TVczcBI&feature=fvst


#388 Film School - "Distant Life" from "Fission" - Film School was one of the best bands to make their debut (at least on my personal radar) in 2010. "Distant Life" has a pulsing motor propelling it through its verses to its bouncy chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqAgDZQzuRE


#387 Slash - "Crucify The Dead" from "Slash" - Ozzy continues his comeback year with this epic collaboration with Slash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ps0bQONjys


#386 Ryan Bingham And The Dead Horses - "Direction Of The Wind" from "Junky Star" - Ryan Bingham continues his quest to become the alt-country Dylan with another great album featuring this stomper from "Junky Star".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GK0A8rNjcM


#385 Gogol Bordello - "To Rise Above" from "Trans-Continental Hustle" - I can't say that I was a huge fan of Gogol Bordello's music in the past, but with "Trans-Continental Hustle" they really pulled it together and started making music that was as much fun as it was unusual.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt27B8FDji4


#384 Maximum Balloon - "Groove Me" from "Maximum Balloon" - TV on the Radio's future is up in the air at the moment, but with side projects like Maximum Balloon, even if TotR doesn't make it, we know we'll have plenty of great music to fill in the gaps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sudHXXBqIU


#383 Bo Burnham - "Words, Words, Words" from "Words, Words, Words" - Bo Burnham places another song on the countdown with his unique mix of hyper-literate comedy rap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuF6CpML3IQ


#382 The Arcade Fire - "Rococo" from "The Suburbs" - This song probably should have been much higher on the countdown, as it ranks high among the best songs on "The Suburbs", the year's second best album (behind Kanye).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az_2oiccZNo


#381 The Hold Steady - "Rock Problems" from "Heaven Is Whenever" - The best of the Bruce Springsteen as an indie rock bands, The Hold Steady, cranks out yet another great song about the rock n roll lifestyle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGjwICmx87I

2011Album Reviews - 7/6/2011

The Dropkick Murphys - Going Out In Style - B

Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes - A+

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing - A-

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #400-#391

#400 Fefe Dobson - "I Want You" from "Joy" - An up-tempo pop song with a driving Joan Jett-esque backbeat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYxElyo5w7M


#399 N.E.R.D. - "It's In The Air" from "Nothing" - A slow burn hip hop song with jazz elements and political lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7KQFoIZr_I


#398 Slash - "Starlight" from "Slash" - Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge (crappy band, crazy great vocalist) provides the vocals on this highwire monster ballad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDRopoYh144


#397 The Eels - "Swimming Lesson" from "Tomorrow Morning" - The Eels continue to provide great songs in their unique style of lyric driven indie pop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjrl93pQ_Dw


#396 The Bravery - "Ours" from "Twilight: Eclipse Soundtrack" - The only output from the Bravery in 2010, "Ours" is vintage Bravery, all dark tones and sweeping choruses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj04plawlaI


#395 The Old 97's - "Every Night Is Friday Night (Without You)" from "The Grand Theatre Volume One" - The best pop band that never caught on, The Old 97's continued their leagacy in 2010 with another great album chock full of catchy pop songs that would, in the hand of more well-known artists, have been huge pop hits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxraWZvvHfI


#394 The New Pornographers - "Up In The Dark" from "Together" - Another great pop band that mires in the underground due to the focus of pop music away from quality and into niche market nonsense. "Up In The Dark" ranks among the best indie pop songs of 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quLm-7pUWMU


#393 The Old 97's - "Please Hold On While The Train Is Moving" from "The Grand Theatre Volume One" - Another pulsing rock song with a great chorus from The Old 97's, who seem to do this sort of thing in their sleep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV2VpQ8dgMo


#392 The Crookes - "Backstreet Lovers" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - Blalock's IRP provides another obscure but brilliant indie rock song for the 2010 list with this head-bopping guitar-driven song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Il1NASOxBw


#391 Drake - "Over" from "Thank Me Later" - Lil Wayne guest stars on this track from Drake's official debut album, which was solid, but not quite as good as his 2009 mixtape.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lTB1pIg1y0

2011 Album Reviews - 7/5/2011

Radiohead - King Of Limbs - A+ - If only because I can't give it an A++.

Adele - 21 - A+

Bayside - Killing Time - A-

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #410-#401

#410 Yellow Ostrich - "Whale" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - One of the more unusual songs to make this year's countdown, "Whale" is propelled by a droning drum and guitar chord beat that highlights the clever lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDVKYdJDSSQ


#409 Big Boi - "Tangerine" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - Another great hip hop / dance song from Big Boi's brilliant 2010 album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfZXscRI6Xs


#408 Lil Wayne - "Gonerrhea" from "I Am Not A Human Being" - 2011 promises to be a bigger year for Lil Wayne, but he did have a couple of great songs in 2010 (and one terrible rock album), including this song from the album of the same name.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqpKhxqNZG8


#407 Japandroids - "Younger Us" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - Japandroids tones down the reverb on this so far unreleased single that promises a more urgent effort on their next album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m6Ptx4CV6k


#406 Greg Laswell - "My Fight (For You)" from "Take A Bow" - Laswell specializes in sweeping indie pop and this song is no exception, sounding like a rougher, darker Coldplay song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msE5u2G4GXM


#405 The Silversun Pickups - "Currency Of Love" from "The Vampire Diaries Soundtrack" - Not releasing an album in 2010 didn't prevent one of the best hard rock bands around from putting a song on the countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xotLa-WXoIs


#404 Sick Of It All - "Waiting For The Day" from "Based On A True Story" - One of the better hard rock songs of 2010, "Waiting For The Day" is a high-octane scream-a-thon, but also surprisingly melodic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pz4FYCupCw


#403 The Street Dogs - "Freedom" from "The Street Dogs" - More politically-based hardcore punk from one of the best punk bands around.

No Youtube Link Found


#402 Two Door Cinema Club - "What You Know" from "Tourist History" - Two Door Cinema Club are one of the most promising new indie rock acts to debut in 2010. While they have bigger hits coming up on the countdown, this hooky song more than earns it's spot on the list with a catchy chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrzgGGS3YbU


#401 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Shadow's Keeper" from "Beat The Devil's Tattoo" - The heirs to the Jesus and Mary Chain empire cranked out yet another classic shoegaze album in 2010. "Shadow's Keeper" is the first of several songs from that album to make the countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJRu8yTa2d4

Any Given Sunday Contracts - 2011 Season

Any Given Sunday - Current Contracts:

These are the contracts for players heading into the 2011 Any Given Sunday. If one of

these players is cut during the season and picked up by another team, this is the

contract that team will assume should they choose to name said player as one of their

keepers.

A contract that expires in 2013 will expire following the 2012-13 season. For example,

players with contracts expiring after this season will have a 2012 expiration date.

Players listed as Restricted Free Agent Eligible are NOT eligible to be RFAs if they are

waived at any point. They will maintain their same contract terms, but will be treated

as a UFA rather than a RFA.


QB Aaron Rodgers, Packers - $35, 2015
QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - $7, 2014
QB Drew Brees, Saints - $37, 2015
QB Eli Manning, Giants - $11, Expires In 2014
QB Jay Cutler, Bears - $3, 2015
QB Joe Flacco, Ravens - $11, 2014
QB Josh Freeman, Bucs - $1, 2013
QB Matt Cassel, Chiefs - $3, 2015
QB Matt Ryan, Falcons - $15, 2014
QB Matt Schaub, Texans - $2, 2013
QB Matthew Stafford, Lions - $1, Expires In 2015
QB Michael Vick, Eagles - $1, 2013
QB Peyton Manning, Colts - $23, 2015
QB Philip Rivers, Chargers - $30, 2013
QB Sam Bradford, Rams - $6, 2015
QB Tim Tebow, Broncos - $1, 2013
QB Tom Brady, Patriots - $30, 2015
QB Tony Romo, Cowboys - $6, Expires in 2015




RB Arian Foster, Texans - $1, Expires In 2013
RB Beanie Wells, Cardinals - $1, 2015
RB Ben Tate, Texans - $5, 2013, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
RB Chris Johnson, Titans - $56, Expires In 2015
RB Daniel Thomas, Dolphins - $5, 2014, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
RB Frank Gore, 49ers - $30, 2015
RB Fred Jackson, Bills - $8, 2015
RB Jahvid Best, Lions - $5, 2013, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
RB Joseph Addai, Colts - $7, 2015
RB LeSean McCoy, Eagles - $5, 2012, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
RB Mark Ingram, Saints - $5, 2014, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
RB Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks - $1, 2015
RB Mike Tolbert, Chargers - $5, 2015
RB Montario Hardesty, Browns - $5, 2013, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
RB Petyon Hillis, Browns - $1, 2013
RB Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers - $1, 2012
RB Ryan Mathews, Chargers - $5, 2013, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
RB Ryan Williams, Cardinals - $5, 2014, Restricted Free Agent Eligible




WR A.J. Green, Bengals - $5, 2014, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
WR Andre Johnson, Texans - $58, 2015
WR Anquan Boldin, Ravens - $26, 2015
WR Austin Collie, Colts - $1, Expires In 2013
WR Blair White, Colts - $1, 2013
WR Brandon Lloyd, Broncos - $1, 2013
WR Brandon Marshall, Dolphins - $25, 2015
WR Braylon Edwards, Jets - $2, 2015
WR Calvin Johnson, Lions - $46, 2015
WR Chad Ochocinco, Bengals - $10, 2015
WR Davone Bess, Dolphins - $7, 2015
WR DeMaryius Thomas, Broncos - $1, 2013
WR DeSean Jackson, Eagles - $2, 2013
WR Dez Bryant, Cowboys - $5, 2013, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
WR Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs - $23, Expires In 2014
WR Greg Jennings, Packers - $35, 2013
WR Hakeem Nicks, Giants - $21, 2014
WR Jeremy Maclin, Eagles - $18, 2014
WR Johnny Knox, Bears - $1, 2015
WR Jonathan Baldwin, Chiefs - $5, 2014, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
WR Jordy Nelson, Packers - $13, 2015
WR Julio Jones, Falcons - $5, 2014, Resticted Free Agent Eligible
WR Kenny Britt, Titans - $15, 2015
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals - $38, Expires In 2015
WR Malcolm Floyd, Chargers - $1, 2013
WR Mario Manningham, Giants - $5, 2015
WR Marques Colston, Saints - $26, 2013
WR Michael Crabtree, 49ers - $21, 2015
WR Mike Thomas, Jaguars - $6, Expires In 2015
WR Mike Wallace, Steelers - $19, 2014
WR Mike Williams, Bucs - $1, 2013
WR Mike Williams, Seahawks - $1, 2013
WR Miles Austin, Cowboys - $1, 2012
WR Percy Harvin, Vikings - $31, 2015
WR Pierre Garcon, Colts - $1, 2013
WR Randy Moss, Titans - $10, 2015
WR Reggie Wayne, Colts - $55, 2015
WR Roddy White, Falcons - $42, 2014
WR Santana Moss, Redskins - $1, 2015
WR Santonio Holmes, Jets - $3, 2014
WR Sidney Rice, Vikings - $1, 2012
WR Steve Johnson, Bills - $18, 2015
WR Steve Smith, Panthers - $10, 2015
WR Torrey Smith, Ravens - $5, 2014, Restricted Free Agent Eligible
WR Vincent Jackson, Chargers - $17, 2013
WR Wes Welker, Patriots - $30, 2015



TE Aaron Hernandez, Patriots - $1, 2013
TE Antonio Gates, Chargers - $15, Expires In 2013
TE Chris Cooley, Redskins - $2, 2015
TE Dallas Clark, Colts - $21, 2014
TE Jason Witten, Cowboys - $21, 2014
TE Jermichael Finley, Packers - $20, 2015
TE Jimmy Graham, Saints - $1, 2015
TE Kellen Winslow, Bucs - $3, 2015
TE Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars - $3, 2015
TE Owen Daniels, Texans - $6, 2015
TE Tony Gonzalez, Falcons - $1, 2015
TE Vernon Davis, 49ers - $21, 2014
TE Zach Miller, Raiders - $1, 2014