Books, Best of 2008

I read a lot last year- much more than I should have given the state of things personally & in the world. I read to get away but also for knowledge (personal & work related). Just like I said in my music list though... I would also read more if I could, but I think finishing a book every 3.07 days or so on average is not to bad. Yes, some of the things I read were small in the number of pages, but I more than made up for it with some of the absolute bricks that I read this year (2666 by Roberto Bolaño for one <--- challenging, frustrating- yet worthy).

As was my decision last year, I will put forth two top ten lists. One with books released in 2008 only and the second will be comprised of books released in years prior to that (because there are too many good books that I have not read yet).

My top ten from 2008:

1. Serena - Ron Rash
2. The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway
3. Black Postcards - Dean Wareham
4. The Oxford Project - Stephen G. Bloom & Peter Feldstein
5. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball - Kadir Nelson
6. Vunce Upon a Time - J. Otto Siebold & Siobhan Vivian
7. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larsson
8. The Black Tower - Louis Bayard
9. Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip- Confessions of a Cyncial Waiter - The Waiter
10. Duma Key - Stephen King

and the second list of books published prior to last year:

1. The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop: A Memoir, a History - Lewis Buzbee
2. Cathedral of the Sea - Ildefonso Falcones
3. South of the Border, West of the Sun - Haruki Murakami
4. The End of the Affair - Graham Greene
5. The Memory of Running - Ron McLarty
6. Oryx & Crake - Margaret Atwood
7. The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid
8. The Devil in the Kitchen: Sex, Pain, Madness & the Making of a Great Chef - Marco Pierre White
9. The Black Path - Åsa Larsson
10. Then We Came to the End - Joshua Ferris

Notes on a few books:

It was hard to choose between Serena and The Cellist of Sarajevo. One was a novel of pure regional imagination set at the onset of the Great Depression in the mountains of western North Carolina & the other was a work of fiction based upon a real event mixed with the added pain, terror & horror of what humans will do to each other in the time of war and those moments in between. Either way, both are wonderful works that should not be over looked.

Dean Wareham's Black Postcards is my non-fiction book of the year by far. Dean was in the bands Galaxie 500 & Luna but it is his time spent in New York of the 1970's, 80's & 90's that grab your attention. He got to see it all explode & then participate as an indie Rock-God. A must read for any serious music lover.

I included two children's books in my top ten this year. We Are the Ship & Vunce Upon a Time are elegantly illustrated. One is wonderfully informative and the other is a sweetly told tale of misconceptions that we all have about others that we sometime shy away from. Of course, both books in a matter of fact way are just books about baseball and halloween, but really... they are much, much more.

Duma Key is possibly Stephen King's strongest work since his heyday of the '80's... and that is saying a lot. Folks, the literary world continues to take him for granted. He is much more than a writer who talks about things that scare you. He is our best story teller and while the literary elitists would scoff at that notion, how many Phillip Roth, Don DeLillo, Paul Auster, Joyce Carol Oates books can you name that are either super popular or that are movies? Certainly, a movie is not the be-all end-all success for a writer, but it says a lot about good stories. I re-read Hearts in Atlantis this year and forgot at how good it was & you should look into it yourself.

The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee was pure pleasure to read. If you love books, bookstores or have worked in one, then this is a book you must read. While it tails off a bit towards the end, Buzbee instills his passion for books & the printed word so well that it make you wistful for days long ago when you could stroll through book stacks for days on end because there were so many independent bookstores to choose from. Sadly, those days are no more. As I stated earlier: a pure pleasure to read.

The Memory of Running was the feel good book of the year for me. Smithy Ide is a man who realizes that second chances are often not noticed until they are gone and for once in his life, he is determined to make something happen. Ron McLarty's debut novel that almost didn't make it but did is as heart breaking as it is wonderful.

A few novels I am looking forward to reading in the coming weeks/months:

Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees - Roger Deakin
If I Could Write This in Fire - Michelle Cliff
Raging Sea - Ferenc Mate
Fool - Christopher Moore
Blackstrap Hawco - Kenneth J.Harvey
Blood Atonement - Dan Waddell
Party of One: The Loner Manifesto - Anneli Rufus

Looking back on my list, I noticed that this was the year that I returned to reading mysteries. The Hard-Boiled thriller was in big demand earlier this spring and summer. The summer also brought me into my Murakami phase where I finished reading the rest of his novels which I enjoyed a lot. I was disappointed with The Wind Up Bird Chronicle though. It is usually near the top of the list for Murakami critics/fans but it left me feeling flat- which is the first for one of his novels.

Below is a complete list of what I read in 2008 & when I finished each title (nerdy, I know).

Happy Reading!

1. Transit Maps of the World - Mark Ovenden 01/03/08
2. Granta 68: Love Stories - Ian Jack (Editor) 01/07/08
3. The Devil in the Kitchen: Sex, Pain, Madness & the Making of a Great Chef - Marco Pierre White 01/13/08
4. Duma Key - Stephen King 01/16/08
5. Go With Me - Castle Freeman Jr. 01/18/08
6. Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood 01/26/08
7. At the City's Edge - Marcus Sakey 01/29/08
8. Roasting in Hell's Kitchen - Gordon Ramsay 2/04/08
9. The Serpent's Tale - Ariana Franklin 02/10/08
10. The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop: A Memoir, a History - Lewis Buzbee 02/13/08
11. The Appeal - John Grisham 02/16/08
12. Granta 100: One Hundred - William Boyd (Editor) 02/21/08
13. Out Stealing Horses - Per Petterson 02/28/08
14. Backyard Giants - Susan Warren 03/01/08
15. Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak 03/06/08
16. The Giving Tree - Shel Silverstein 03/06/08
17. To Conquer Hell Edward G. Lengel 03/14/08
18. Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure - Smith Magazine, Editors 03/16/08
19. My French Life - Vicki Archer 03/17/08
20. No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach - Anthony Bourdain 03/17/08
21. The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 Facts About the Worlds Most Amazing Human - Ian Spector 3/19/08
22. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball - Kadir Nelson 03/22/08
23. A Moveable Feast - Ernest Hemingway 03/25/08
24. Barguments - Doug Hanks 03/28/08
25. Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing - Elmore Leonard 03/28/08
26. The Lost City - Henry Shukman 03/28/08
27. Black Postcards - Dean Wareham 04/01/08
28. How I Learned to Cook - K. Witherspoon & P. Meehan, Editors 04/04/08
29. Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett 04/08/08
30. The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid 04/15/08
31. Pulp Fictions - Edited by Peter Haining 04/19/08
32. Granta 69: The Assassin - Ian Jack (Editor) 04/26/08
33. Killer Year: Stories to Die For… - Edited by Lee Child 04/28/08
34. Blood Kin - Ceridwen Dovey 05/04/08
35. Deadly Beloved - Max Allan Collins 05/06/08
36. Big City, Bad Blood - Sean Chercover 05/07/08
37. A Diet of Treacle - Lawrence Block 05/08/08
38. Dead Street - Mickey Spillane 05/09/08
39. Hit and Run - Lawrence Block 05/10/08
40. Gone, Baby, Gone - Dennis Lehane 05/13/08
41. The Great Derangement - Matt Taibbi 05/13/08
42. Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Food Critic in Disguise - Ruth Reichl 05/16/08
43. Odd Hours - Dean Koontz 05/19/08
44. House of Dark Shadows: Dreamhouse Kings Book 1 - Robert Liparulo 05/19/08
45. Merde Happens - Stephen Clarke 05/21/08
46. Watcher in the Woods: Dreamhouse Kings Book 2 - Robert Liparulo 05/25/08
47. Hit Parade - Lawrence Block 05/27/08
48. The Memory of Running - Ron McLarty 05/29/08
49. Granta 101: One Hundred and One - Jason Cowley (Editor) 05/31/08
50. Millions and Millions and Millions! - Louis Slobodkin 06/03/08
51. The End of the Affair - Graham Greene 06/06/08
52. The Polka-Dot Goat - Louis Slobodkin 06/06/08
53. The Year She Disappeared - Ann Harleman 06/11/08
54. Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami 06/13/08
55. Then We Came to the End - Joshua Ferris 06/18/08
56. Dance Dance Dance - Haruki Murakami 06/21/08
57. The Brass Verdict - Michael Connelly 06/22/08
58. When You Are Engulfed in Flames - David Sedaris 06/25/08
59. The Last Oracle - James Rollins 06/26/08
60. Traveler - Ron McLarty 06/30/08
61. A Wild Sheep Chase - Haruki Murakami 07/03/08
62. Chef's Story - Dorothy Hamilton & Patric Kuh, Editors 07/04/08
63. The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway 07/07/08
64. Cathedral of the Sea - Ildefonso Falcones 07/11/08
65. Crime Beat - Michael Connelly 07/14/08
66. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling 07/14/08
67. Julie and Julia - Julie Powell 07/17/08
68. Of Song and Water - Joseph Coulson 07/20/08
69. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World - Haruki Murakami 07/24/08
70. Supreme Courtship - Christopher Buckley 07/28/08
71. How the States Got Their Shapes - Mark Stein 07/28/08
72. The Gashlycrumb Tinies - Edward Gorey 07/31/08
73. Chez Moi - Agnes Desarthe 07/31/08
74. The Gargoyle - Andrew Davidson 08/04/08
75. The Black Path - Åsa Larsson 08/05/08
76. South of the Border, West of the Sun - Haruki Murakami 08/07/08
77. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami 08/14/08
78. Granta 102: The New Nature Writing - Jason Cowley (Editor) 08/20/08
79. Good People - Marcus Sakey 08/22/08
80. Vunce Upon a Time - J. Otto Seibold and Siobhan Vivian 08/23/08
81. My Last Supper - Melanie Dunea 08/25/08
82. The Black Tower - Louis Bayard 09/02/08
83. Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip- Confessions of a Cynical Waiter - The Waiter 09/03/08
84. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larsson 09/06/08
85. The Elephant Vanishes - Haruki Murakami 09/12/08
86. I Love Ranch Dressing - C.L. Freie 09/15/06
87. Indignation - Philip Roth 09/17/08
88. The Book of Fate - Brad Meltzer 09/23/08
89. The Blood Detective - Dan Waddell 09/26/08
90. The Angel Maker - Stefan Brijs 09/30/08
91. The Oxford Project - Peter Feldstein & Stephen G. Bloom 10/02/08
92. Hearts in Atlantis - Stephen King 10/06/08
93. Serena - Ron Rash 10/14/08
94. Beat the Reaper - Josh Bazell 10/16/08
95. Outliers - Malcom Gladwell 10/20/08
96. The World Made Straight - Ron Rash 10/21/08
97. Trigger City - Sean Chercover 10/22/08
98. A Most Wanted Man - John Le Carré 10/28/08
99. The Hobbit (or There and Back Again) - J.R.R. Tolkien 10/30/08
100. Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche - Haruki Murakami 11/05/08
101. Hardcore Hardboiled - Todd Robinson (Editor) 11/08/08
102. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien 11/09/08
103. These Guns for Hire - J.A. Konrath (Editor) 11/11/08
104. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - J.R.R. Tolkien 11/17/08
105. Chicago Blues - Libby Fischer Hellmann (Editor) 11/18/08
106. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - J.R.R. Tolkien 11/20/08
107. 2666 - Roberto Bolaño 12/03/08
108. The Charlemagne Pursuit - Steve Berry 12/07/08
109. Chuck Norris Vs. Mr. T: 400 Facts About the Baddest Dudes in the History of Ever - Ian Spector 12/09/08
110. Real World - Natsuo Kirino 12/12/08
111. Hellboy #1: Seed of Destruction - Mike Mignola and John Byrne 12/13/08
112. Hellboy #2: Wake the Devil - Mike Mignola 12/15/08
113. The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling 12/16/08
114. Granta 70: Australia: The New World - Ian Jack (Editor) 12/19/08
115. Hellboy #3 The Chained Coffin & Others - Mike Mignola 12/21/08
116. Granta 103: The Rise of the British Jihad - Jason Cowley (Editor) 12/22/08
117. Hellyboy #4 The Right Hand of Doom - Mike Mignola 12/23/08
118. Stephen King's The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born - Peter David & Robin Furth 12/27/08
119. Stephen King's The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home - Peter David & Robin Furth 12/27/08

Music, Best of 2008

Hello music fans. Here are my top releases for 2008:

1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2. Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs
3. Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
4. Calexico - Carried to Dust
5. Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
6. Black Mountain - In the Future
7. Grand Archives - Grand Archives
8. Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads
9. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
10. UNKLE - End Titles... Stories for Film
11. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cardinology
12. American Music Club - The Golden Age
13. Beck - Modern Guilt
14. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirt
15. Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV

A few notes on the top five:

I first heard Fleet Foxes from the Sub Pop website early in the year where they are very generous in letting you download free music. White Winter Hymnal was the selection available by Fleet Foxes. I was blown away & have been since the album was released in June. Their EP Sun Giant was released the month before & contains what I believe to be their best song: English House. While I have heard them more than I would like at work since the summer started, I have not grown sick of them...in fact, I like them even more.

Some will say it is not fair that I have included Bob Dylan in my top 15 albums of the year as these songs have all been previously released (from '89-06) & I will find no fault with that opinion- however, these songs did not make any of his official releases & further more, they are just as good if not better. It was like getting a brand new Dylan album that you were not expecting. My only disappointment is that the special 3 disc edition of the record was $100 dollars... kind of a rip off if you ask me.

Partie Traumatic is the party/dance record of the year. Black Kids simply got their synth/groove on with nary a track that did not make me tap my foot, bob my head or snap my fingers. Check out---> Hurricane Jane

Calexico's Carried to Dust is just beautiful. They sound like no other band & are tragically underrated. Check out---> Two Silver Trees

Keep You Eyes Ahead by Helio Sequence is another gem by the label of the year: Sub Pop. Strong all the way through & was in the running for a long time for the #2 spot on this list. Lately is heartbreakingly beautiful.

Other worthy releases this year:

1. Beach House - Devotion
2. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
3. Flaming Lips - Christmas on Mars (movie as well)
4. Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
5. Joe Jackson - Rain

Musical highlights of the year:

1. After waiting 17 years to see American Music Club in concert, I finally got to see them live. It was an 8 song set & while I wanted more, I was happy to get what I did. After the show, I was very fortunate to shake hands with Vudi & talk to him for a few minutes.
2. I got over my phobia to Robyn Hitchcock thanks to a co-worker- great stuff in his catalog.
3. Funky 16 Corners
4. I finally got a copy of Leftism by Leftfield
   

Disappointments of the year:

1. Nine Inch Nails did not come to my hometown on their recent tour.
2. Nine Inch Nails' album The Slip. It's still free, but only a handful of songs were keepers while the rest were fan only.
3. 4:13 Dream by The Cure was no where near as good as the single/ep's they released leading up to the album.
4. I only added 156 titles to my collection. I would love to triple that total...sigh.

Trend to go away:

Not really a trend, but I wish those whiny bastards from Coldplay would go the hell away.

Album I wish I purchased last year when it was out but missed it:

Band of Horses - Cease to Begin <---GREAT!

Albums from 2008 I still want to look into to:

1. Benji Hughes - A Love Extreme
2. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
3. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
4. David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
5. Erykah Badu - New Amerkyah, Pt. 1: 4th World War
6. Gary Louris - Vagabonds
7. Individuals - Fields/Aqua Marine (Reissue from the early 80's)
8. Lucinda Williams - Little Honey
9. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
10. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
11. School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms
12. Steve Jansen - Slope
13. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
14. Walkmen - You and Me

Feast or Famine

I was strolling through my local grocery store the other night and saw this amazing cart full of "clearance items". This photo opportunity was too good to pass up. Note the Ace wrist brace in the bottom left corner... heh heh. Maybe you need that after using all of those condoms?!

2008 NFL Season Predictions

Again, I am late in getting these posted. Naturally, after the 1st week a colossal injury occurred on my AFC team pick for the Super Bowl. I have not changed the pick in keeping with my own sense of personal honesty.

Here goes nothing:

NFC

East

Dal
Phil
NYG
Wash

North

Min
GB
Det
Chi

South

NO
TB
Car
Atl

West

Sea
Stl
AZ
SF

Div Winners, Wild card and Playoff seeds

Dal (1)
Min (2)
Sea (3)
NO (4)

Phil (5)
GB (6)


AFC

East

NE
Buf
NYJ
Mia

North

Pitt
Cle
Balt
Cin

South

Tenn
Indy
Jax
Hou

West

SD
Den
KC
Oak


Div Winners, Wild card and Playoff seeds

SD (1)
NE (2)
Tenn (3)
Pitt (4)

Indy (5)
Jax (6)


Playoffs

NFC

Round 1

Sea over GB
Phil over NO

Round 2

Dal over Sea
Min over Phil

NFC Champ

Dal over Min


AFC

Round 1

Jax over Tenn
Pitt over Indy

Round 2

SD over Jax
NE over Pitt

AFC Champ

NE over SD


Super Bowl

Dallas over New England 28-26

Monday Tirade #3

OK, long time no post.
A couple of things... maybe more, I'm in a mood- hence the tirade:

What is it with women who think they need cosmetic surgery?
Specifically the injections in the lips? Don't they realize that they look like Donald Duck?

I saw a woman the other week and I wanted to give her some Looney Tunes lines to see if she would start following along. Women, I know that some of you might have vanity issues and want to look younger for yourselves, your mate or whatever- hell, maybe you are getting signals from your partner or subliminally get them from the publishing/advertising world. Please know that we love you the way your are. Granted, men are shallow assholes when it comes to our own looks and you might get that feeling that we want you to look younger, well let me tell you: we just want to feel more secure in our own minds and I think that is why men stray... but, that is another topic.


NBC sucks! Boy, did they screw up the opening ceremony for the Olympics. If I wanted to see a new camera angle every 3 seconds, I could tune into MTV or whatever passes for music video programming these days. Hey jackasses at the home office in NYC: we have brains and know how to use them so please stop force feeding us visual cues on how great you want us to think things are. Oh and Hasbro would have loved it if you said a new board game was coming out next week based on the opening night monologues. I swear, if I heard that China had 1.3 billion one more time after the first two hours I would have been violently drunk because the drinking game I could have invented every time I heard "1.3 Billion!!!" I should hunt down Bob Costas and kill him for putting that into a perpetual loop. Again, we are not dumb but if you continue to treat us that way the exodus to cable and satellite will continue. Personal aside: I have not watched network television in years and the crap I put up with for the first night of the Olympics are the very reason I stopped watching.


More on television: My TV screen is not a computer screen.

I do not need a crawl at the bottom of the screen nor your logo in the corner of the screen reminding me what channel I am watching. And I can damn well tell you I don't want your advert interrupters flashing across a good portion of the screen when I am trying to watch a show. I can already disable that type of content on my computer at 99% of websites; don't think I don't relish the day when I can do the same on my TV too. Just stop it.

Whatever happened to common courtesy and manners? I used to think that kids were rude, but I find out that they have been taught the manners that their parents have forgotten. Simple things as saying hello when its said to you, or speaking when spoken to. Folks, it really matters.

And the biggest rant of all: Do any of you out there see the irony when our jackass leader says that Russia invading Georgia is without any merit and is essentially against any kind of moral code, law, UN Security Council violation or just plain wrong. Hmm. Did we not do the same thing when we invaded Iraq? Millions around the world protested the unlawful invasion of a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. You know, they used to string up leaders and people for making dumbsh*t decisions like that. I am certainly not advocating it, but stating a fact.

People of the U.S., please wake up.

Hopefully, I will post more often.

2008 Major League Baseball Predictions

My predictions for the 2008 Major League Baseball season. Hey, I could get these right you know... it could happen.

AL East

Red Sox (1)
Yankees (4)
Blue Jays
Rays
Orioles

AL Central

Indians (2)
Tigers
White Sox
Twins
Royals

AL West

Mariners (3)
Angels
Rangers
A's


NL East

Braves (3)
Phillies
Mets
Nationals
Marlins

NL Central

Cubs (2)
Reds
Brewers
Cards
Astros
Pirates

NL West

Diamondbacks (1)
Dodgers (4)
Padres
Rockies
Giants

AL Playoffs

Indians over Yankees
Mariners over Red Sox

Indians over Mariners


NL Playoffs

Cubs over Dodgers
Diamondbacks over Braves

Cubs over Diamondbacks

World Series

Cleveland Indians over Chicago Cubs in 6!
Cubs continue the curse.

AL MVP: Travis Hafner (Indians)

AL Cy Young: C.C Sabathia (Indians)

AL Rookie of the Year: Alexei Ramirez (White Sox)

NL MVP: Mark Texiera (Braves--Yes, I picked him two years in a row!)

NL Cy Young: Carlos Zambrano (Cubs)

NL Rookie of the Year: Johnny Cueto (Reds)

The 3:30 AM Squeak Squeak

My newly moved in neighbors above me are early risers. Every day- even on Saturdays, they get up around four in the morning to start their day. Frequently, there is some Dusty Springfield action going on... you know the song: "Just a Little Lovin'" from Dusty in Memphis.

Now, did I mention the bed squeak? I guess I didn't. Their bed makes so much noise that it has actually woke me up from a deep sleep more than once! But its only the bed- I rarely ever hear them make nary a sound. I don't mind really because at least somebody is seeing some action around here.

Friday night/Saturday morning this past week, the action started around 3:30.

3:30!!! If the bed woke me up around then, that means it all started before that!

I couldn't get back to sleep.

Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak

Pause

Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak

Longer pause

Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak Squeak.

I had to listen to the rest of that squeaking bed- then the stomp to the sink; the running water; the stomp back to the bed; the stomp back to the sink; more water running. I was mostly awake for the rest of the morning until right before I had to get up for work... when, my alarm/radio came on.

I was so tired that day.

Five Years

Can you believe that it has been five years since our retard of a president declared war on Iraq?

Re-read that sentence if you need an additional moment of clarity.

Five years, and 3,991 confirmed U.S. armed forces deaths as of March, 19th 2008 according to the Department of Defence. Tens of thousands of our soldiers wounded (discharged & non-discharged). Iraqi military and civilian deaths? - Well that depends on whose numbers you believe. Estimates range anywhere from 50,000 to 250,000- maybe more as accurate numbers will never be validated by our government.

The surge you hear our leaders grandstand so much about in the last six months that is supposed to be working. Well of course they can claim it as a victory of sorts because the violence has lessened-- because we are paying the insurgents to not kill each other. Really, you can look it up in a variety of places. And that is your tax dollars. Why is the media or congress for that matter not investigating what happened to almost nine billion dollars that is missing.... hey, even Fox news- that bastion of the right wing with its fair and balanced reporting style, reported this in 2004. Where is the outrage? Are we all asleep?

Economically, this war is a mess for us as well. When Alfred E. Newman took office, we had a budget surplus that was unsurpassed in American history. He blew that and was already getting hammered by the press on economic matters leading up to 9/11 (Enron anyone?) when we all of a sudden got patriotic and decided to go to war on lies. We've spent upwards of 3 trillion dollars by the current estimates and who knows when we are going to get out. The upcoming election this year guarantees us nothing on this war. If McCain wins, he'll keep us mired there longer and if a democrat wins, all the blame will get put on them for anything further by the Republican spin machine. It is a no win situation for all of us. The Democrats are no better. Most of them voted for the war based on the fear machine put into action by the Bushies.

We've lost stature
in the international community in so many ways. It makes so many Americans ashamed to actually be an American... me included at times. People think that radical Islam is all of Islam and that they all want to kill us when that cannot be farther from the truth. Radicals exist in all religions and sects. If you don't think so, look at the Christian right in this country and examine the sad deeds of the Catholic church in Europe over the last thousand years. Now they want to try and extend the war into Iran when the Irani people actually want nothing to do with that and are the one of the most pro-American countries in the middle east.

Five years ago, I marched in protest of a pending invasion of Iraq. It was a just cause then and now we've decimated a country that had nothing to do with 9/11.














Sure, Hussein was a horrible despotic leader, but his country was safer in his hands than the hands of the Shiite and Sunni Muslims who are slaughtering each other for control (and I probably don't have that fact right). Millions marched around the world in support and now America is considered an aggressor who pushes for regime changes to serve its own economic interests.

We've lost so much-- we all have.

Monday Tirade #2

What the hell is it with all the dipsh*t's who cannot fathom the idea of driving in a sane and/or rational way? It's like they selected "I for Idiot" instead of D when they put their car in gear.

I find the following things terribly annoying when I am driving:

1. Morons who fail to use a turn signal.
2. Morons who fail to stop at a stop sign.
3. Morons who think that by going a million miles an hour faster than the posted speed limit, they will get there faster.
4. Morons who peel out at the stop light when it turns green.
5. Morons who drive through pedestrian walk ways when there are pedestrians actually present in the walkway already!
6. Morons who run red lights.
7. Morons who like to tailgate me. (I just love to take my foot off the gas pedal and slow down for these idiots).
   

I really want to mount a grenade launcher onto the roof of my van to take care of some of these bozo's- that and an L.E.D. message board that I can flash messages at them (like SLOW THE F*** DOWN!! MORON!).

I feel better now.

Oscar picks 2008

It’s Hollywood pat on the back time again- where millions watch the only award show that hardly matters anymore (because the Grammy’s clearly suck). Do the Oscars matter now that every network/magazine or blogger like me rates this stuff at the end of every season? Where are great stars of yesteryear like Cary Grant or Katharine Hepburn? Tom Hanks is not our Jimmy Stewart- he’s our Tom Hanks and that should be enough. Gone are those golden days of great movies. Sure, they churned out some lower grade films then, but do we really need absolute crap like Witless Protection or yet another Rambo movie? Clearly, there are enough morons out there (studio executives who green light this junk & idiots who fill the seats) who say yes. Okay, stepping off the step stool now and my mega horn is thrown away.

Best Picture

Not only do I think No Country for Old Men is the best picture, but it was my favorite movie last year. The Coen brothers have done it again. There Will be Blood is only good because Daniel Day-Lewis did some kick ass (I drink your milkshake!) acting in it. Paul Dano was chronically under used in his role & left out of the Oscar party. Juno, while very good was too cutesy for a best picture win. Atonement was not good enough. In any other year, Michael Clayton would be the front runner but there will be no denying the Coens.

Should Win: No Country for Old Men
Might Win: Cannot see any possibility of another movie winning
Will Win: No Country for Old Men

Best Director

Yeah, you might think I am biased here with my pick of the Coens. This film elevates their already lofty status to new heights. Paul Thomas Anderson is the serious competition here and I don’t think he going to get it (This is not even P.T.A.’s best movie- Boogie Nights easily gets the nod with Magnolia right behind it). The other three are mere window dressing. This race is the one that might be the tightest to call.

Should Win: Joel and Ethan Coen
Might Win: Paul Thomas Anderson
Will Win: Joel and Ethan Coen

Best Actress

This is a two horse race: Marion Cotillard in a movie that no one has seen & Julie Christie in another movie that no one has seen. Ellen Page got the late year push from Juno, but her role is mostly charming smart-ass quips and not great acting (the real gem in Juno is the writing- Thank you Diablo Cody). Laura Linney is solid in just about everything she does and I am waiting for a big role to come her way so she can really shine. Cate Blanchett is not going to win this year in this category since she is nominated twice. That leaves Cotillard and Christie. Gut feeling is Christie takes it as she is an established name.

Should Win: Laura Linney
Might Win: Marion Cotillard
Will Win: Julie Christie

Best Actor

Daniel Day-Lewis vs. the world on this one. His competition is filled with worthy actors. George Clooney might prove us all wrong. Tommy Lee Jones doesn’t have a real chance in a movie most people did not see. Johnny Depp is a good actor, but is wearing out his welcome in quirky roles (note to Depp: please stay away from Tim Burton for a long, long, LONG TIME). Viggo Mortensen in a powerhouse role will not win either (the Academy likes the Best Actor Winners to be in dramas. Only four winners since 1980 featured actors in terribly violent roles: De Niro, Hopkins, Crowe & Washington)

Should Win: Daniel Day-Lewis
Might Win: George Clooney
Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis

Best Supporting Actress

Best Supporting Actress is always an interesting one to try to figure out. Will it be another year of an out of the blue winner like Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) or Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone)? Will it be a year for an established background actress to be recognized like Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)? There is always the sympathy vote for a veteran actress like Ruby Dee who has never been nominated and Oscar likes to give these out for career achievement. Then you have the actress who really deserves it like Cate Blanchett (I’m Not There). There should be no question here… yet there always is.

Should Win: Cate Blanchett
Might Win: All four besides C.B., but the lean is towards Ruby Dee
Will Win: Cate Blanchett

Best Supporting Actor

Unlike its sister category, I don’t see the same kind of out of the blue possibilities every year in this race. Javier Bardem should win this easily friend-o. There is stiff competition with Philip Seymour Hoffman in the mix (hell, he could be tough to beat in three roles this year: The Savages, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead & the nominated role in Charlie Wilson’s War). New comer Casey Affleck is this year’s Ryan Gosling. Tom Wilkinson is A-1 in Michael Clayton but would rate #3 in this year’s category. Hal Holbrook should escort Ruby Dee down the red carpet as he is her counterpart this year though I give him no chance.

Should Win: Javier Bardem
Might Win: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Academy loves to have actors with Best Actor & Supporting Actor Oscar’s: There are currently six)
Will Win: Javier Bardem

The Rest of my Picks:

Animated Feature: Persepolis
Art Direction: Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Cinematography: No Country For Old Men
Costume Design: Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Documentary Feature: War/Dance
Documentary Short: Salim Baba
Film Editing: No Country For Old Men
Foreign Language Film: The Counterfeiters
Makeup: La Vie en Rose
Original Score: Michael Clayton
Original Song: Once
Short Film (animated): I Met the Walrus
Short Film (live action): At Night
Sound Editing: The Bourne Ultimatum
Sound Mixing: Ratatouille
Visual Effects: Transformers
Screenplay (adapted): No Country For Old Men
Screenplay (original): Juno

Another Day, Another Cup of Coffee

I've been up for just under three hours now. I've had time for a bit of television, web surfing, emails, two cups of coffee (well, maybe it's really four because my mug is pretty big) and a bit of time for reflection.

What is this day going to bring me I wonder? I know it will be the usual drudgery at work which is fine because I am able to do my job in my sleep. No challenges there really. I've decided not to take a double promotion that has been offered. I had tentatively agreed to take the position but other than a verbal agreement, nothing has been hashed out. I warned them that I might feel shaky about the whole thing later on if I took the job. Turns out, it didn't even take me that long. Every day has been filled with pressure & stress that only comes from my own head. I cannot compromise myself in this way, so I have to go back to them and say "No Thanks". Tomorrow is the day of reckoning.

The good news is that I am taking nine days off starting this Saturday. The bad news is that I am not going any where. That is quite okay though as I need the time to figure out some things so I can get my act together. I'm not getting any younger you know.

I am listening to Pearl Jam's Live at the Gorge 05/06 set.

I've become such a big fan this year after years of ignoring them. Low Light is a beautifully powerful song. I have a co-worker to thank for that. How can a band such as this be so under the radar in the U.S.? I suppose you can attribute that to the lousy state of the music industry. Thanks a lot you greedy backward thinking bastards!

Well, I have to get my day started- no more coffee though...NEED FOOD!

Books, Best of 2007

Yep, I really read 106 books last year. I’d read more if I could find the time but I really do have other things to do & if anything, maybe I should read a little less (don’t really want to do that) in order to concentrate on more important items.

As was my decision last year, I will put forth two top ten lists. One with books released in 2007 only and the second will be comprised of books released in years prior to that (because there are too many good books that I have not read yet).

Without any further bloated meanderings, here are my top ten books (in order) of 2007:

1. Dead Boys Richard Lange
   
2. A Good and Happy Child Justin Evans
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows J.K. Rowling
4. Crashing Through Robert Kurson
5. After Dark Haruki Murakami
6. In the Country of Men Hisham Matar
7. Blaze Richard Bachman
8. Mistress of the Art of Death Ariana Franklin
9. Heart-Shaped Box Joe Hill
10. The Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett

Here is the second list (in order) but I will not place books in this list that I have re-read such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, older Stephen King titles, Murakami, Herbert etc- you know, favorites you read again & again.

1. Special Topics in Calamity Physics Marisha Pessl
2. The Book of Lost Things John Connolly
3. Feeding a Yen Calvin Trillian
4. The Stupidest Angel:A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror Christopher Moore
5. Gringos in Paradise Barry Golson
6. Heat Bill Buford
7. Comes a Horseman Robert Liparulo
8. Mostly True: Collected Stories & Drawings Brian Andreas
9. Exile on Main St.: A Season in Hell with The Rolling Stones Robert Greenfield
10. Sharp Objects Gillian Flynn

I read a lot of good books last year and there are authors on the list such as John Connolly, Cormac McCarthy and Don DeLillo that I had never read before. I look forward to reading more of their work in the future.

Newer authors such as Marcus Sakey, Bill Cameron, Hisham Matar, Richard Lange & Justin Evans are also not to be overlooked.

There are also new titles to look forward to in the coming months:

1. The Serpent’s Tale (Ariana Franklin- released 01/31/08)
2. At the City’s Edge (Marcus Sakey- just released)
3. Indefinite Leave to Remain (David Sedaris- released 06/03/08)

Finally, if you have not heard of Granta (The Magazine of New Writing) and you like good short stories, non-fiction, poetry, photography & overall quality literature, then check it out. It is a quarterly publication that is issued in trade paperback format and retails for around $15.00. It is money well spent and a great way to learn of authors/subjects you may not have heard about.

Below is a complete list of what I read in 2007 and when I finished each title (nerdy, I know). The books have varied in length… some less than 50 and others almost 900 pages.

There are lots of good books on the list.

Happy Reading!

1. Heat Bill Buford 01/06/07
   
2. Talk to the Snail Stephen Clarke 01/08/07
   
3. The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror Christopher Moore 01/11/07
4. The Book of Lost Thing John Connolly 01/16/07
5. Comes a Horseman Robert Liparulo 01/18/07
6. Sharp Objects Gillian Flynn 01/22/07
7. Exile on Mainstreet: A Season in Hell with The Rolling Stones Robert Greenfield 01/26/07
8. The Road Cormac McCarthy 01/28/07
9. Travels in the Scriptorium Paul Auster 01/30/07
10. You Suck: A Love Story Christopher Moore 01/31/07
11. The Alexandria Link Steve Berry 02/04/07
12. 102 Minutes Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn 02/05/07
13. The Blood Spilt Åsa Larsson 02/08/07
14. Suite Francaise Irene Nemirovsky 02/10/07
15. The Castle in the Forest Norman Mailer 02/19/07
16. Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich Mark Kriegel 02/22/07
17. In Harm's Way Doug Stanton 02/24/07
18. In the Country of Men Hisham Matar 03/06/07
19. Heart-Shaped Box Joe Hill 03/08/07
20. Mistress of the Art of Death Ariana Franklin 03/18/07
21. Granta 96: War Zones Ian Jack (Editor) 03/22/07
22. Gringos in Paradise Barry Golson 03/26/07
23. Scavenger David Morrell 03/31/07
24. Nocturnes John Connolly 04/09/07
25. Climbing the Mango Trees Madhur Jaffrey 04/12/07
26. Crashing Through Robert Kurson 04/17/07
27. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Frank Miller 04/26/07
28. The Far Side Gallery 5 Gary Larson 05/03/07
29. Jamestown Matthew Sharpe 05/13/07
30. The Double Eagle James Twining 05/15/07
31. After Dark Haruki Murakami 05/17/07
32. The Adventuress Audrey Niffenegger 05/22/07
33. The Judas Strain James Rollins 05/23/07
34. The Overlook Michael Connelly 05/24/07
35. The Witch of Portobello Paulo Coelho 06/04/07
36. The Curse of Madame "C": A Farside Collection Gary Larson 06/05/07
37. The Far Side Gallery 4 Gary Larson 06/06/07
38. A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini 06/11/07
39. Blaze Richard Bachman 06/19/07
40. God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything Christopher Hitchens 06/19/07
41. The Good Guy Dean Koontz 06/20/07
42. Michael Tolliver Lives Armistead Maupin 06/22/07
43. Wall and Piece Banksy 06/23/07
44. Mediterrean Summer: A Season on France's Cote d'Azur… David Shalleck with Erol Munuz 06/24/07
45. The Children of Húrin J.R.R. Tolkien 06/27/07
46. The Rug Merchant Meg Mullins 06/29/07
47. Zugzwang Ronan Bennett 07/02/07
48. Granta 97: Best of Young American Novelists 2 Ian Jack (Editor) 07/06/07
49. Lost Dog Bill Cameron 07/07/07
50. The Atheist's Bible: An Illustrious Collection of Irreverent Thoughts Joan Konner (Editor) 07/08/07
51. Milk Eggs Vodka Bill Keaggy 07/09/07
52. The Dark River John Twelve Hawks 07/13/07
53. The Blade Itself Marcus Sakey 07/15/07
54. Mostly True: Collected Stories & Drawings Brian Andreas 07/15/07
55. Chill of Night John Lutz 07/16/07
56. Still Mostly True: Collected Stories & Drawings Brian Andreas 07/16/07
57. Rickles' Book Don Rickles with David Ritz 07/17/07
58. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows J.K. Rowling 07/22/07
59. Kingdom of Ten Thousand Things Gary Geddes 07/28/07
60. Falling Man Don DeLillo 07/31/07
61. The Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett 07/31/07
62. A Good and Happy Child Justin Evans 08/06/07
63. Granta 98: The Deep End Ian Jack (Editor) 08/10/07
64. The Amateur Gourmet: How to Shop, Chop, and Table-Hop Like a Pro Adam D. Roberts 08/11/07
65. Interred With Their Bones Jennifer Lee Carrell 08/13/07
66. Spook Country William Gibson 08/20/07
67. Different Seasons Stephen King 08/21/07
68. Dune Frank Herbert 08/25/07
69. Crooked Little Vein Warren Ellis 08/28/07
70. Dune Messiah Frank Herbert 08/30/07
71. Nexus Confessions: Volume One Lindsay Gordon (Editor) 08/30/07
72. The Sanctuary Raymond Khoury 09/03/07
73. Children of Dune Frank Herbert 09/06/07
74. Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden 09/08/07
75. Special Topics in Calamity Physics Marisha Pessl 09/16/07
76. Death and the Devil Frank Schatzing 09/18/07
77. The Intruders Michael Marshall 09/23/07
78. Dead Boys Richard Lange 09/29/07
79. Super Crunchers Ian Ayres 10/01/07
80. Inside Kenneth J. Harvey 10/04/07
81. Red Sea Emily Benedek 10/07/07
82. Fire in the Blood Irene Nemirovsky 10/11/07
83. I Am America (And So Can You!) Stephen Colbert 10/14/07
84. God Emperor of Dune Frank Herbert 10/17/07
85. The Sad Truth About Happiness Anne Giardini 10/21/07
86. Kafka on the Shore Haruki Murakami 10/28/07
87. The Hobbit (or There and Back Again) J.R.R. Tolkien 10/30/07
88. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring J.R.R. Tolkien 10/31/07
89. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers J.R.R. Tolkien 11/06/07
90. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King J.R.R. Tolkien 11/07/07
91. Cancel Your Own Goddam Subscription William F. Buckley Jr. 11/09/07
92. Exit Ghost Philip Roth 11/12/07
93. Sword of God Chris Kuzneski 11/14/07
94. Deadfall Robert Liparulo 11/19/07
95. Holidays on Ice David Sedaris 11/25/07
96. Granta 99: What Happened Next F. Ahmed, L. Jobey, M. Weiland (Editors) 11/26/07
97. The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry Kathleen Flinn 11/27/07
98. Skeleton Crew Stephen King 12/01/07
99. Feeding a Yen Calvin Trillin 12/03/07
100. I Am Legend Richard Matheson 12/11/07
101. 2033: The Future of Misbehavior Nerve.com, Editors 12/12/07
102. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles Jennifer 8. Lee 12/19/07
103. Granta 67: Women and Children First Ian Jack (Editor) 12/23/07
104. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (A Pop-up Book) Stephen King 12/25/07
105. The Venetian Betrayal Steve Berry 12/27/07
106. The Darkest Evening of the Year Dean Koontz 12/31/07

For Pete’s sake stop already!

I’ve just about had it with the so called clothing style for teenage boys where they wear their pants pulled down past their ass. You can plainly see they can afford a belt (because it is usually worn the wrong way), but I am mystified as to why they wear pants like this. I cannot think of any specific role model/musician/actor who could possibly be a trendsetter for this horrible clothing concoction. If I have to see one more kid on the job somewhere while their store management is oblivious I am going to slap someone. Plus, I am really tired of having to see plumber crack when my household water is working just fine.

Please, please, please make this go away!

Duma Key

I am currently about a quarter of the way through Stephen King’s latest book titled Duma Key. Wow! What a great book so far. Folks, this is Stephen King at his absolute best. When this comes out next week (Tuesday, January 22nd), run right out and buy it.

Movies, Best of 2007

2007 was an off year for me. What I mean is that I did not get to see the number of movies I normally do. 26 movies seen makes it very difficult to rate my top ten movies of the year, when there were so many others that I missed that could potentially rate as a favorite. The other part of what make this difficult is that many of the movies I saw in the beginning of last year were movies that were “officially” released in 2006 in order to be considered for the Academy Awards- even though they were not shown in my area until 2007. Do I say that ‘The Lives of Others’ is not available to be my number one movie of 2007 because of that? Who can say?

This year, I will not do a top ten only because I did not see enough films- but I will say that ‘No Country For Old Men’ was the best film I got to see last year friend-o.

The Coen Brothers have achieved many things in their storied careers and this film puts them into the rarified air of top directors. Yes, they also make quirky films but this film shuts up any critic or anyone else who says they cannot make a serious and epic film. Plus, they write too! Bonus for all of us.

Popcorn movie of the year: Juno. What lovable movie this is. I want to go see it again to laugh at the same zany dialog and smile like I did when I left the theatre. Maybe the most fun I had at the movies this year.

Movie I waited for a long time that did not disappoint: The Simpsons Movie. Homer and the gang (should I really say Groening and the Gang?) delivered the Simpsons movie we’ve waited a long time to see. Now I can laugh at the things I missed because I got the DVD for Christmas. Woohoo!

Here is the complete list of movies I saw in 2007:

1) The Painted Veil
2) Notes on a Scandal
3) Children of Men
4) Letters From Iwo Jima
5) Pan's Labyrinth
6) Venus
7) Little Children
8) Breach
9) Days of Glory (Indigenes)
10) The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)
11) Zodiac
12) Shooter
13) The Namesake
14) Grindhouse
15) The Reaping
16) Shrek the Third
17) 28 Weeks Later
18) Black Book (Zwartboek)
19) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
20) The Simpsons Movie
21) 3:10 to Yuma
22) American Gangster
23) No Country For Old Men
24) Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
25) I Am Legend (IMAX)
26) Juno

Music, Best of 2007

Hello Music Fans!

Here are my top 15 releases from 2007 (In Order):

1) Southern Culture on the Skids - Countrypolitan Favorites
2) Lyle Lovett and His Large Band - It’s Not Big It’s Large
3) Pearl Jam - Live at the Gorge 05/06
4) Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
5) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
6) UNKLE - War Stories
7) Sloan - Never Hear the End of It
8) Radiohead - In Rainbows
9) Stax 50^th Anniversary Collection
10) Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band - Live in Dublin
11) The Rosebuds - Night of the Furies
12) Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War
13) Imperial Teen - the hair the tv the baby & the band
14) The Bird and the Bee - The Bird and the Bee
15) Feist - The Reminder

When Southern Culture on the Skids released Countrypolitan Favorites early in the year, I was really psyched to hear it. When I finally did, I was a bit disappointed because I wanted the old SCOTS that I come to love over the years. Sure, I liked a lot of the songs on the cd, but the disc did not stay with me… that is until I saw them live. SCOTS has always been one of my favorite bands to see live. Their show at The Rhythm Room in October made me love this album. Let me repeat that: I L.O.V.E. this album. Listening to it for weeks after the show made me realize that the “old SCOTS” that I was pining for was just buried in songs and a style that I normally don’t enjoy: Country… which leads me to my number two album from 2007.

It’s Not Big It’s Large by Lyle Lovett and His Large Band is as classic Lyle Lovett as you will ever get. With his desolate Texas songs & swing sensibility that makes me want to crank up my Bob Wills cd’s, It’s Not Big It’s Large is almost the perfect Lyle Lovett album. If you are a fan of Lyle’s & if you get a chance to see him live do not pass up the opportunity as he is a fantastic live performer.

Other Worthy Releases this year:

Clutch - From Beale Street to Oblivion
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
Lucinda Williams - West
Peter Bjorn and John - Writer’s Block
Air - Pocket Symphony

Guilty Pleasure of the Year:

I spent a week in Portland earlier in the year in an attempt to see if it was going to be a place I’d like to move to (it wasn’t). I had a great rental car while I was there (a brand new Nissan Murano with an impressive factory made sound system). I brought a variety of cd’s with me to listen to while I was checking out the surrounding area plus I purchased 10 or 12 cd’s while I was there. The guilty pleasure part of this was just riding around in a new area listening to great music. I don’t get to do that here as my car stereo is limited to radio. While the trip ultimately was a bust for me, I do remember those days driving around- windows down, wind in my face and music blasting. There is nothing like listening to music in your car.

Musical Disappointments of the Year:

PJ Harvey - White Chalk
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob

PJ Harvey’s White Chalk was heartbreakingly disappointing for me. She’s always been one of my favorite artists, but as soon as I heard that warbling falsetto on the opening track, I knew it was just going to suck… and it did. I applaud the effort to try something new, but I hope she does not continue in this direction.

Arctic Monkeys and Kaiser Chiefs suffered the dreaded sophomore slump that is the slayer of many bands. Hopefully they will rebound with better efforts in the future.

Debut of the Year:

I cannot think of one new artist that really blew me away this year. Amy Winehouse made the most noise this year as a relatively new artist (her debut album was issued a few years before last years Back to Black) but now I just wish she’d go away because I am tired of seeing her face appear online and tired of hearing her where I work (not saying anymore about that!).

Trend I wish would go away:

mp3 dominance. I miss good record stores- hell, I miss bad ones too. I have a decent used place here I shop at and I get my hits cheaply at a large big box retailer that I frequent occasionally- but I live in a metropolitan area that has over five million people yet I can count on two hands the number places I could buy music at. I lived in an area in the 90’s that had 250,000 and it had the same amount or more. How can that be? As I talked about last year in my music best of list, the music industry has shot itself in the foot in many ways and now mp3 is their latest target to complain about. It will never be what it was before, but can’t we all just get along?

2007 was a down year for me musically. I did manage to add 122 titles to my collection but a large number of those were either freebies from work or titles I copied from friends of mine. There were plenty of other cd’s I was interested in checking out that I just wasn’t able to. A few examples:

Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight
New Pornographers - Challengers
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
Joy Division reissues (all three of them)
Taken by Trees - Open Field
Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
Siouxsie - Mantaray
Rumble Strips - Girls and Weather
White Williams - Smoke
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
John Fogerty - Revival

Hope you enjoyed my list.

Feedback is hoped for and encouraged.