Megan's Top 18 of 2008 - #14 - Flight of the Conchords

I'd like to clarify one thing before I go any further: I am not a fan of comedy albums. Even when I thought Weird Al was hilarious, I never owned a single one of his (many) albums. I haven't really watched a "comedy" show since "In Living Colour" went off the air. I managed to resist the pair of Kiwis known to the world as Flight of the Conchords for many moons, until one day my best friend Laura turned their self-titled album on while we were tooling around the California desert last April. From that moment on, friends, I was hooked. When Laura and I started having FOTC night, wherein we would watch episodes of their HBO show and drink wine and coo over how funny the boys are, I began to morph into a straight up fan.

From the opening, Serge Gainsbourgian "Foux de Fafa" to the Pet Shop Boy beats of "Inner City Pressure" to the too cute white boy rap of "Hiphopopotamus Vs. Rhymenoceros", it's one clever, damned catchy song after another. No genre or artist is spared the Conchordian treatment. "Think About It" owes its existence to Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On". "Prince of Parties" reminds me a smidgeon of Donovan's "Sunshine Superman" with some early Bowie thrown in for good measure. Yet even more superior to the aforementioned songs are my trio of favorite Conchordian songs; "Robot Boom", wherein robots take over the world and "the humans are dead", backhanded ballad "The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)", and my all-time favorite, "Bowie", in which Brett and Jemaine do their best Bowie impressions and sing about sparkly jumpsuits and nipples. It's a must-listen. There's also this little song they do, you might perhaps have heard it, something about "Business Time". Yeah, that's pretty good too.

And in closing, I have but this to say. If loving comedy rock parodies is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Best Albums of 2008: Let the Madness Continue!

Ms. Megan is right. Who doesn't love Best Of… lists? Nobody. Not even your grandfather.

My big "problem" with "Best of…" lists for CDs of the year is the fact that I seldom listen to full albums anymore. The reasoning is fairly simple: most of the music I receive, either to review or for "personal consumption," seldom comes in the form of full albums anymore. That and the fact that most bands these days can't put out a full CD worth of good music, but that's an entirely different conversation.

Interestingly enough, at least for me, was the fact that most of my faves for the year came out in the first half of the year, if not the first few months. What does this mean? Absolutely nothing, but that doesn't mean I didn't find it interesting.

Also of note, I don't think Megan and I had one top 10 in common. And what does that say? Not much, other than the fact that between the two of us, we've probably got all your musical bases covered. And what more do you want out of your music blog?

Megan's Top 18 of 2008 - #15 - Darker My Love

Take Deep Purple's cover of "Hush", the Beach Boys (circa the early 60s), the Dandy Warhols' "Be-In"-era pysch-heavy sprawl, dashes of the Beatles and the Stones, throw it all into a blender with some hard liquor, and you're getting warmer. With sophomore effort 2, California's Darker My Love (complete with Virginia transplant!) paints a pretty picture of swirling, booming soundscapes full of voluminous waves of heavy, crunching guitars, twinkling of the (electronic) ivories, and tunes drenched in reverb and perfectly muddied vocals. Oh, and they know how to harmonize, too.

In other words, 2 is a fucking awesome album.

They belong among the best of the nouveau psychedelics, but unlike bands like the Black Angels and Black Mountain, there's less of a far out element, less frenzy among all the noise. There's no threatening to veer out of control.

I've got a handful of favorites begging to be brought to your attention, so consider yourself highly encouraged to give special attention to "Talking Words", "Northern Soul", "Blue Day", "Two Ways Out", and "Pale Sun". Of course, the rest of the record's not too shabby, so you might also wanna listen to the whole thing. Many, many times.

Megan's Top 18 of 2008 - #16 - The Walkmen

It seems so long ago that the DC-bred, NYC-transplant Walkmen first entered my musical frame of knowledge. I always tell this story, but dammit here it comes again. From the first second I heard Hamilton Leithauser's trademark wail in that Saturn commercial, I've been a Walkmen convert, and with the release of their latest album, You & Me, the band has sunken their collective hooks just that much deeper into my affections.

While Leithauser's vocals are definitely the easiest recognizable feature of the Walkmen's sound, You & Me also cashes in on several of the others. Sharp, jangly guitars have been a big part of my love affair with the Walkmen, and the new album has the sound in spades. The stellar drumming, tight and crisp and fierce, also makes appearance after appearance. And then there's the production, that like the band itself is effortlessly cool, somewhat too loose and yet sounding exactly the way it needs to.

Truth be told, there are two songs on You & Me that I listen to rather incessantly, and would cause me to put this album on my list regardless of how good (or bad) the remainder of the songs were. Happily, they're also fabulous, but I'd give serious attention to the albums first single, "In the New Year", and my absolute favorite, the bouncy "Canadian Girl." I promise, you won't be sorry. Check out the live version below (as performed in Canada, of course).

LP Lust: December 8

It's official: I have no willpower.

No, really, I don't.

Example: tonight's post-work stop by one of my favorite thrift stores, ostensibly for business, but resulting in several entirely unnecessary purchases. In addition to the $40 I spent on (what I consider to be) the best chair ever (no really, it's fabulous), I was also sucked in by the racks of records. Despite a fairly lackluster selection, I managed to unearth five pretty awesome records, which will soon be out of the bag and happily ensconced in my gradually growing collection.

I do find it relatively easy to justify such expenditures on the basis that a) it's a Monday and Mondays are loathsome and annoying, and b) I have a lot of ground to cover in terms of my records. Oh, and c) did I mention the chair is glorious? Because it really is. Goldenrod velvet with big buttons and gorgeous lines...

But I've digressed. Here's what I fell for on this particular occasion:


*Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway

*Quincy Jones - The Dude

*Diana Ross - Surrender

*Diana Ross - Diana Ross

*Dionne Warwick - Make Way for Dionne Warwick

This is a monumental spate of purchases, you see. I very seldom buy many chick records, and have entirely more male-dominated music than that with lady vocalists. So tonight is an aberration, if you will. And I'm rather pleased.

Megan's Top 18 of 2008 - #17 - Duffy

It's been one hell of a year for little miss Duffy. Not only was her album, Rockferry, released to piles and piles of critical praise, but she's been nominated for several Grammy Awards, which for such a newcomer is a huge deal. Thankfully, Duffy has the chops to warrant such attention, and Rockferry has definitely earned a place among the best of 2008.

Duffy's debut is a winning combination of that big, beautiful voice of hers mixed with the girl group production of the 60s. The arrangements are purely vintage in sound, but the songs are definitely up to speed. It's the best kind of homage to that golden era, true to form but managing to steer clear of mere imitation. The best of Duffy's songs were produced by Suede guitar virtuoso Bernard Butler, but the entire album gets a gold star. Her voice still impresses me, months after listening to Rockferry for the first time.

Here's hoping Duffy stays out of the tabloid headlines and sticks to the straight and narrow, because this girl's definitely got what it takes. See for yourself in the clip below, an interesting behind the scenes studio take for the great track "Syrup & Honey."

Megan's Top 18 of 2008 - #18 - Cut Copy

My little list of the top 18 albums of 2008 kicks off with Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours. It's an album that will always feel like late April nights in the Southern California desert to me, partially because of the band's appearance at Coachella but partially because of the vibe of the songs. In Ghost Colours is big and dramatic, filled with all the 80s-ish synths your little heard could desire and all the right beats to get you in the mood for some serious throwdown on the dancefloor. And yet, there are also subtle, whisper-in-your-ear moments that give the record added depth.

The album is executed to perfection, with impeccable production and attention to detail. The band also gets bonus points for being able to replicate the awesomeness of the record in their live shows. When I first wrote about In Ghost Colours, I thought of Cut Copy as a sort of Australian New Order. Months later, I think that's still pretty apt. I can't wait to hear what they come up with next.

Here's a clip of one of my favorite tracks off In Ghost Colours, "Hearts on Fire."

Best Albums of 2008: Let the Madness Begin!

O, End of Year lists. Fun and all, yet immensely stressful. I'm gonna be totally forthcoming here and say I haven't heard nearly as many of the releases of 08 as I probably should have. So if, over the course of the next few weeks, you see things omitted that you are one hundred percent convinced should be on every single Best Of list out there, I apologize in advance.

My criteria ended up being pretty simple. My top albums (all 18 of 'em, with a tie for first) are the albums I gravitated towards the most, the ones that grabbed me and didn't let go, and the ones I find myself humming in the shower. These are albums made by some of my favorite bands, and some by bands who I'd never heard of until now. In any event, I'm darned excited about my list. I hope you'll like it, too.

What's going to happen is this: over the course of the following weeks, I'll post one album out of my top 18 every day (hopefully!). Please feel free to start speculating about my top 2 albums, I'll even give you a hint. I've written about both of them!

And to get things going, here's my list of the top 10 albums I felt were worthy of Honorable Mention. Enjoy!

Adele - 19

Black Mountain - In the Future

British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?

Calvin Harris - I Created Disco

Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - Angles

David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

The Duke Spirit - Neptune

Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree

Santogold - Santogold

Scary Mansion - Every Joke is Half the Truth

And for your viewing pleasure, videos from Black Mountain ("Angels"), British Sea Power ("No Lucifer"), and Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip ("The Beat That My Heart Skipped").

Newsflash: Coldplay Sued!

You know, there was a time, back in my youth, when I was an ardent Coldplay fan. I thought their debut album Parachutes was probably the greatest thing sliced bread, and was in love with Chris Martin's beautiful, sensitive guy lyrics and flashes of falsetto in his vocals. While my devotion waned with the release of their second album, I continued to enjoy them musically up until album number three, and then I quit Coldplay cold turkey. It wasn't just that my musical tastes were changing, but it was the band themselves that turned me off faster than you can say Yellow. Had Martin always been so whiny and annoying? Had the band always sounded so MOR and boring? Or had I only started to notice? In any event, hearing "Violet Hill" on the car stereo in LA earlier this year was the final nail in the coffin, and since then I've been decidely anti-Coldplay. Sure, there are certain moments, when "Shiver" or "Don't Panic" show up in my shuffle, and I'll listen to them and remember fondly those first innocent flushes of my brief love affair with the band. And then, the next song will play, and that'll be that.

With all of that in mind, I won't deny this news being slightly pleasurable to post. Coldplay is evidently being sued by Joe Satriani. Satriani thinks Coldplay, erm, borrowed without crediting him shall we say, from his 2004 song "If I Could Fly" in their new song "Viva La Vida". Evidently, Martin and Co. learned nothing from the late 1990s, when Team Rolling Stones (Andrew Loog Oldham, especially) went medieval on my beloved Verve's ass for "borrowing" (and "forgetting" to ask for permission for) that jangly orchestral intro bit of Urban Hymns' most famous track "Bittersweet Symphony." From what I remember, the Verve didn't see a red cent from that song.

Naturally, Satriani wants a piece of Coldplay's pie. And given the handy YouTube clip below, I'd say he's probably gonna get what he wants. And to be clear, it's not just that I don't like Coldplay. I am not a fan of stealing. When you write a song using someone else's music, it's not just your song. It's as simple as that. Give credit where it's due, folks. So put any band in Coldplay's place, and I would feel the same way.

Here's the comparison. You be the judge.

At the Cinema: The Rolling Stones - Rock and Roll Circus

It's no secret, I'm a Stones gal all the way. Thusly, it should surprise absolutely not a single one of you to see that I'm writing about something to do with said most awesome band to ever walk the face of the Earth (in my humble opinion, of course). The only surprise is that it's taken me this long to write about a Stones-related flick. But here we go, ladies and gentlemen, at long last, with the one, the only, "Rock and Roll Circus".

My first thought upon watching the intro to the Circus, when the performers parade out performing a circus march amongst a group of acrobats and clowns and what have you was "gee, it sure would have been swell to be around in 1968". This isn't really the kind of thing the kids are throwing together these days, and certainly not involving bands of this caliber (in addition to the Stones, the Rock and Roll Circus features performances by Jethro Tull, the Who, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, and the Dirty Mac).

See Roger Daltrey's amazing fringed outfit! Marvel at Pete Townshend's blue, blue eyes and silly faces during his closeups! Gaze at the dapper figure cut by your ringmaster, Mick Jagger! Stare in awe at the macrame sweater worn by Eric Clapton!

The performances are all pretty darned good, but especially impressive are Jethro Tull's "Song for Jeffrey", Taj Mahal's "Ain't That a lot of Love", and every single song done by the Stones (with Brian Jones), particularly "No Expectations". The Dirty Mac, super sideproject, also nailed "Yer Blues", but I'll admit I could have done without the Yoko howling in their second number.

It's a bold, colorful, delightfully lo-fi one ring circus. Musical performances are peppered with actual circus routines (bar acrobatics and playing with fire, anyone?). The audience is a representation of Swinging London, decked out in satin orange and yellow robes and having a grand ole time, especially the far out dancers during "Jumpin' Jack Flash". The camera shots are frequently choppy and sometimes flat out silly. And it's perfect. There was some kinda magic going on in December of 1968, and it's lucky for those of us that weren't there that someone caught it on camera.

LP Lust: December 4

Somehow, while looking for Christmas gifts for others, I managed to acquire several more records over the past few days. It started Monday and happened again at Plan 9 on Tuesday. $1 record bins have magical, seductive powers, and I am unable to resist them. Obviously, I need to be kept far, far away (but not too far) from them.

I don't really have a plan when it comes to bulking up the collection. On occasion I've duplicated things I already own on CD, but for the most part these records are new to me. I was particularly happy with my Jerry Reed find, mainly because I've decided "Smokey & the Bandit" is one of my current favorite movies. The Bryan Ferry covers album was another sweet score, I'm looking forward to hearing his take on "Sympathy for the Devil" among others.

I think I'm, for the moment anyway, immune to new records. If they were recorded before 1990, I want nothing to do with them.

Here's what I ended up with this time:


*Bryan Ferry - These Foolish Things

*Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels - Sock It To Me!

*Jerry Reed - A Good Woman's Love

*Leon Russell - Carney

*Creedence Clearwater Revival - The Concert

*Elvis - Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas

*Procul Harem - Grand Hotel

*Depeche Mode - Depeche Mode 101

*Van Halen - Van Halen

*Herman's Hermits - Herman's Hermits on Tour

*Willie Nelson - Stardust

Again, I welcome any and all suggestions on great records to add to my fledgling stash. Lost gems, forgotten classics, obvious necessities...

2008 Grammy Nominations

For those of you who still pay attention (I gave up all those years ago when, in a moment of what-the-fuckery, Pat Boone won Best Metal Act, and when long-timer Shelby Lynne laughably won Best New Artist), the Grammy Nominees were just announced. Before you get too excited, I must warn you that it's your typical mix of crap, crap, and more crap (Exhibit A: the Jonas Brothers up for Best New Artist, Exhibit B: Kid Rock), though there are some bright spots (Hot Chip! Nine Inch Nails! Duffy!) among the humdrum (Exhibit C: Coldplay) nominations.

Of course, these representations of quality music probably don't have a snowball's chance of taking home one of those lovely golden gramophones, but it's nice to dream, isn't it?

It would also be nice to see a little less clusterfuckery by the people who select these things, though. It gets old seeing various people weighted down with six Grammys after the ceremony, on the verge of toppling under the immense weight of their collection of statuettes, because they were nominated for every other category.


Here are the high points on the nominee list:

Record of the Year: Adele - "Chasing Pavements"

Record of the Year: M.I.A. - "Paper Planes"

Album of the Year: Radiohead - In Rainbows

Song of the Year: Adele - "Chasing Pavements"

Best New Artist: Adele

Best New Artist: Duffy

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Adele - "Chasing Pavements"

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Duffy - "Mercy"

Best Pop Vocal Album: Duffy - Rockferry

Best Dance Recording: Daft Punk - "Harder Better Faster Stronger"

Best Dance Recording: Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor

Best Electronic/Dance Album: Daft Punk - Alive 2007

Best Electronic/Dance Album: Brazilian Girls - New York City

Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Radiohead - "House of Cards"

Best Hard Rock Performance: The Mars Volta - "Wax Simulacra"

Best Rock Instrumental Performance: David Gilmour - "Castellorizon"

Best Rock Instrumental Performance: Nine Inch Nails - "34 Ghosts I-IV"

Best Rock Song: Radiohead - "House of Cards"

Best Rock Song: Death Cab for Cutie - "I Will Possess Your Heart"

Best Rock Album: The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

Best Alternative Rock Album: Radiohead - In Rainbows

In other news, who knew there was a Polka category of the Grammys? I mean, that kinda stuff never gets airtime on the awards show. Travesty!

For now, I dream of a world where Radiohead will triumph over Coldplay, Kid Rock, and Kings of Leon...

The Untitled Interview #16: Starring Joel Burleson (Ki:Theory)

Change is good. Not only is this true of life in general, but more specifically related to music. Richmond’s Ki:Theory has undergone drastic changes over the past few years, but founding member Joel Burleson has emerged from the ashes and pointed the band’s music in a completely new direction. What once was just rock is now a heady mix of twiddled knobs and meaty beats, dashes of folking it up, and slight, mellower traces of those former days of rock. Not only does Burleson have his own music keeping him busy, he’s also turning into quite the remixer, working on Unkle and Ladytron tunes to name just a couple.

I had the pleasure of seeing Joel and his live compatriot Ash open for the Cult this summer, and I was pleasantly surprised by just how good the band is on stage. Happily, we Richmonders can catch Ki:Theory this Saturday at Gallery 5. I’ll be there, hope you will be, too. But in the meantime, here’s Joel waxing and waning on just about everything.

Les Enfants Terribles: How the hell are you?
Joel Burleson: Quite well. Busy busy getting ready for... Gallery 5 this Sat. 12/6 8pm. All ages. $5 (shameless promo)…

LET: What was the last song you listened to?
JB: Ray LaMontagne’s "Hold You In My Arms" is on my AppleTV right now (it's on shuffle). But, I’ve been listening to Low's new-ish record Drums and Guns lots lately - "Murderer" murders me...

LET: Playing music is:
JB: Stupid. Just kidding, but you do have to carry around lots of heavy shit and set it all up and break it all down all the time... Guess if I didn't love it, I'd stop though.

LET: What album most made you realize that you wanted to make music?
JB: U2's The Joshua Tree. Got into it heavy, listening to my Walkman on the school bus...

LET: Beatles or Stones?
JB: Both are rad - but gotta go w/ Beatles - melodies...

LET: What're your top 5 albums (of this minute, this year, or ever)?
JB: Minute:
1-Low - Drums and Guns
2-Crystal Castles
3-Eagles Of Death Metal - Heart On
4-Fleet Foxes – LP
5-Lykke Li - Youth Novels

LET: Favorite music-related movie?
JB: “The Little Mermaid”. I watched that movie way to many times as a male adolescent.

LET: What city or venue would you like to play, but haven't yet been to?
JB: Anywhere in Europe... (been there, but no touring yet).

LET: What's your favorite song to perform in concert?
JB: Right now, my Ladytron remix - lots of energy and I get to play the electric guitar.

LET: Half-full or half-empty?
JB: Always half-full, gotta be these days...

LET: What's the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?
JB: Where's my iPhone?

LET: The greatest record store in the world is:
JB: Plan 9, of course.

LET: What's the longest flight you've ever been on?
JB: 15 hours to Japan (twice).

LET: Favorite Richmond venue for performing?
JB: The National. But Playing Gallery 5 (for first time) this Sat., so maybe ask me again next week.

LET: What's the best piece of advice, related to music, that you've ever been given?
JB: You're not going to make it as a musician unless you love it.

LET: Shaken or stirred?
JB: Shaken (if possible) - but sometimes it's just easier to stir.


mp3: Holiday Heart

[Photo by Laura O'Neill]

LP Lust: November 30

This year I made a promise to myself to (finally and much belatedly) start beefing up my adorable (i.e. teensy tiny) vinyl collection. Happily, this has been fairly easy to do, given Richmond's hearty supply of thrift stores with their tantalizingly budget-friendly prices and vast selections, and our excellent record store Plan 9 (and their seriously amazing used albums). While it's still miniscule compared to many of my friends (especially that of my roommate, Chelsea, whose cornucopia of obscure albums never ceases to amaze me), my record collection has grown by leaps and bounds this year. I hope to keep steadily adding to it until the collection is a respectable size, though with my glaring willpower problems that could end up not taking much time at all.

After many weeks without purchasing not even one coveted circle of vinyl, I fell victim to the lulling lure of $1 albums while out shopping today, and decided to share with you the bounty procured thanks to a giant lapse in budgetary restrictions. Here's a list of the baker's dozen I picked up on this rainy Sunday afternoon:



*Slade - Slayed?

*Mick Jagger - She's the Boss

*Glen Campbell - By the Time I Get to Phoenix

*Rossington Collins Band - Anytime Anyplace Anywhere

*U2 - Boy

*The Psychedelic Furs - Mirror Moves

*Rick James - Street Songs

*Joe Cocker - Joe Cocker!

*Allman Brothers Band - Beginnings

*Rod Stewart - The Rod Stewart Album

*Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory

*The Psychedelic Furs - Forever Now

*The Beach Boys - The Beach Boy's Christmas Album

Not a bad day's work, if I do say so myself.

Here's a smattering of some of the other gems that I've picked up this year:

*The Sons of the Pioneers - South of the Border

*Highland Pageantry: The Pipes and Drums and Regimental Band of the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

*Lynyrd Skynyrd - Street Survivors

*Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - From Russia With Love

*John Cale - Slow Dazzle

Thoughts? Recommendations? Scoffing? I welcome it all (especially recommendations).

Live Review: These United States @ Black Cat, November 22

Alas and alack, it's the end of the line for These United States. After one tour after another, not to mention those two little albums they put out over the course of the year 2008, November 22nd marked the end of the performance portion of TUS's banner 365 days. And it is with a certain amount of shit-eating smugness, dear friends, that I relate to you just what a fine, fine specimen of a syonara show it was. I had been alight with anticipation to see just how the new songs from Crimes would sound live, and while I knew I wouldn't be disappointed, my expectations were exceeded song after song after song.

It was a cozy, celebratory set, full of glad tidings and giddy smiles. As previously documented, Jesse Elliott is far and away one of my favorite music-makers these days, and he demonstrated (as did everyone involved) just what it is that makes him such a rarity among his peers: the sheer joy that he gets from the music. All through the set he beamed with pride, laughed with abandon, and smiled a hundred humble smiles. While the band was rolling down the river of "Pleasure & Pain & Pride & Me", I thought to myself how wonderful it is to see a band enjoy themselves so much. The members of These United States love what they do, and gosh almighty does it show. The entire band, in this instance the band being comprised of Jesse, Robby, Tom, and Justin, knocked my socks off (tights, technically, as it was a rather chilly evening after all) musically. What began with the mighty "Six Fast Bulets (Five Complaints) did not let up for an instant. They brought the rock, the folk, the country, the soul, and laid it all out there in their undeniable, effortless way. By the time they played "Get Yourself Home (In Search of the Mistress Whose Kisses Are Famous)", I scribbled that this was easily the best I've seen them play. The presence of my favorite TUS song, the delicately beatific (slightly less fragile when live) "Study the Moon", solidified the night as a winner.

In my notes I equated the rise of the band to one of those cartoon snowballs, such as you might see in an episode of Scooby Doo, for example, rolling down a mountain and growing larger and faster with each rotation and picking up any Fred, Shaggy, or Scooby (and any of a variety of nefarious villains) that happen to be in its way, arms and legs and skis sticking out all sorts of akimbo. The point of such an analogy is this: These United States is a very, very good band. Not only are they a good band, but they pretty much took my breath away at this show. I'm already looking forward to see just what 2009 holds for my favorite DC/Lexington hybrid (and I sure do hope it involves many, many more shows).

In closing, I've probably already said it before, but go ahead and jump on the TUS bandwagon now, while the getting's good. You can sit right next to me.

Gummy Awards 2008: Vote for Us!

Dearest, kindest, most wonderful friends. It is that time of year now when people start racking their brains for the best of the best of the year in every possible category, and blogs are no exception. The Grandaddy of Them All (no, not the Rose Bowl), Stereogum, is currently accepting votes for their 2008 Gummy Awards, and we'd like to shamelessly ask for your vote in the little category known as "Best Music Blog That Isn't Stereogum". We certainly hope you've enjoyed reading us over this past year, and if you have, well, please take a moment or two to vote for us, while you've voting for your "Indie Rock Crush" and the "Most Overrated Act", among other categories.

There is incentive, as well, apart from voting for us out of the goodness of your heart. A random voter will be chosen from the electorate, and will win the Top 50 CDs of the year (according to Stereogum) as well as a one-year Netflix subscription. Pretty nice, eh?

Voting ends 12/2 at 6 pm EST (5 pm CST, 4 pm MST, and 3 pm PST), so get cracking! And as always, your support warms the cockles of our little hearts.

Happy Gobble Gobble Day!

It’s once again the eve of that gluttonous festivus we Yanks like to call Thanksgiving. While the common (and incorrect) notion is to pay homage to the Pilgrims up north, the first Thanksgiving was technically here in Virginia, not too far from where yours truly rests her head here in Richmond. So in honor of those Virginians who have come before, I’d like to tick off a few things I’m thankful for, musically-related, of course.

I’m thankful for my DVD box set of My So-Called Life. Not only was this show on during the height of my coming of age (as they call it), the music in each episode totally encapsulates the time. Right this minute I’m considering reacquiring a Buffalo Tom CD, simply because of its inclusion in a riveting scene involving Angela (Claire Danes) and Jordan (Jared Leto).

As damning as this might sound, I’m thankful for Myspace. The amount of bands on that revoltingly addictive site increases daily, which means a nearly endless supply of new bands for we bloggers to write about.

And finally, I’m thankful for all the great albums we’ve been lucky enough to hear this year, and all the amazing shows I’ve seen. You’ll hear much, much more about who Chris and I think made the best records of 2008, as well as the bands who put on the most important live performances, but to bands like the Black Angels and Dead Confederate, I’d like to say thanks for making such great albums, and kudos to Brian Wilson and Nine Inch Nails for being so spectacular in the flesh.

We here at Les Enfants Terribles would like to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving, full of turkey (or turducken or vegan turkies), stuffing, cranberry sauce (canned or homemade), and whatever else is gonna be on your plate tomorrow. We’re also taking a few days off, so we’ll see you in December. Gobble gobble!

Album Review: I'll Stay 'Til After Christmas (On behalf of Amnesty International)

If you're anything like me (and you know you wish you were), you've got to have the right mixtape for everything. The holidays, of course, are no exception. (You should hear my Halloween Zombie Mix. Trust me, you'd be jealous.) Well, it's just about Xmas again, so what are you going to pop onto ye olde iPod? Nobody needs to hear that schmaltzy, traditional stuff because, let's be honest, Xmas hasn't been that money since you were 12 anyway. It's gone from waiting anxiously for Santa to getting into fist fights with your drunken relatives after your Dad yells at everyone. Sure, the latter scenario provides its' own memories, but the question remains, have you prepared the correct soundtrack for the occasion?

Fortunately for us, the good folks at Amnesty International have gathered all our favorite indie kids together to create, quite possibly, the perfect Christmas mix for today's discerning Gen Xers and Gen Yers. Mostly forgoing the traditional songs of yuletide, instead we've got Au Revoir Simone putting their spin on a Vince Guaraldi classic, Le Loup singing about Shenendoah and Blitzen Trapper making their own magic with "Christmas is Coming Soon." Sure, Bosque Brown does an almost creepy (though still quite tasty) version of "Silent Night," and Turk Dietrich (of Belong) performs an almost unrecognizable "Blue Christmas" (the vocals are nearly completely buried underneath layered tracks for a damn cool effect), but nothing here is your parents' holiday music. And that's what makes it pretty damn kick ass.

Plus, picking up a copy puts a few shekels into the bank of Amnesty International, and who doesn't want to do that? Nobody. Not even your grandfather.

Make sure to pick up your digital copy at iTunes, emusic, amazon digital, rhapsody, etc., to make it easier on Santa. The album will be available to the world on Dec. 2.

Oooh Look! A Black Keys Song!

It's probably no secret that I lurvs me some Black Keys in the worst way. The only thing better than their CDs, in my humble opinion, is their live show. A studio setting can fix even the most glaring shortcomings, but a band has to let it all hang out when it's just them and an audience.

In an effort to hoc their latest wares, the Live at the Crystal Ballroom DVD, Patrick and Dan have offered up this tasty morsel from the show, a fiery version of "I Got Mine." Culled from the sold-out April 4, 2008 gig at Portland, Oregon's Crystal Ballroom, this track simply reaffirms how freaking kick ass these boys are. Hard to imagine it's just two cats up there, rocking out the way they do. That's the magic potion those two have concocted, I suppose.

Get your copy of the DVD here, friends, and be ready for something special.

mp3: I Got Mine (live @ the Crystal Ballroom)

Singles Club: Eels

So did you see that BBC special just recently about frontman Mark "E" Oliver Everett and his pops, the quantum physicist Hugh Everett III, the dude that created the parallel worlds theory? PBS ran it on Nova and, of course, I missed it. Not pleased about that one.

Not having anything whatsoever to do with that, Mr. E and his Eels just dropped some free mp3 love in the form of a few live tracks from a gig he did in Manchester back in '05. He did so in anticipation of the release of a deluxe, limited-edition, four vinyl version of Blinking Lights and Other Revelations. If you're quick about it, you can get one of 2,500 signed copies here.

If I'm not mistaken, this was taken during his "Strings" tour, where he played with damn near a full orchestral section. I caught half the show when it hit the 9:30 Club back then. I bounced early due to an unfortunate incident involving an undercooked steak, but, seriously, we don't need to discuss that.

Food poisoning notwithstanding, I have to admit it wasn't my favorite Eels show. E was a bit pissy with the crowd, and my crappy view from the back wall in the upper section did little to improve my opinion. Of course, this isn't that show, the Eels kick ass, and you can decide for yourself with the tracks below.

mp3: Feeling Fresh

mp3: Packing Blankets

mp3: Jeannie's Diary

mp3: Climbing to the Moon