Currently Listening to...

What a joyous March it's been in the world of music. Almost makes up for the last couple of years of crapola.

1) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible. Fantastic follow-up to my favorite album of the decade. Neon Bible debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts. (I think #1 was Kanye West or some other garbage.) The fact that an intelligent, passionate, creative band like these guys is embraced by this country makes me want to take back some of the horrible, horrible things I've said about the US.

2) LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver. Listening to the first few seconds of the opening track, I thought "wait a minute, this sounds just like Losing My Edge, has he run out of ideas already?" And then the Kraftwerk Robots beat kicks in. And then the song gets super-fucking-awesome. And the rest of the album follows suit.

3) AIR - Pocket Symphony. While not quite as strong as 2004's superb Talkie Walkie, Pocket Symphony will ultimately nestle in AIR's body of work nicely. Another exquisite delicacy from the French guys.

4) Modest Mouse - We Were Dead. In truth, I haven't given this one a proper listen yet but I'm glad it's there and from what I've heard thus far it's pretty worthy.

5) The Good, the Bad and the Queen - (self titled). Damon Albarn's latest project is no Gorillaz but it's still quality. The kind of album that you can dive into or just have in the background.

6) The Black Angels - Passover. Not a day goes by where I don't pop this scuzzy record in my brain.

7) Lily Allen - Alright, Still. Not really the kind of thing I normally listen to but almost every song is hilarious and catchy.

8)

The Black Angels

Well my YouTube woes continue so I'll have to continue this journey on foot. The Black Angels are just great. Admittedly not breaking any new ground but I'm completely addicted to their Passover album. The song Bloodhounds on My Trail is particularly nasty and awesome. Yet another in the lineage of Brian Jonestown Massacre, Dandy Warhols, BRMC, Warlocks, Rick Bain, Out Crowd, Dead Meadow.

Beachwood Sparks - Canyon Ride (live acoustic)

Sadly this is the only Beachwood Sparks clip on YouTube which is shocking. Much more than Grateful Dead wannabees, the members of this super band have had extremely prolific and impressive careers - All Night Radio, The Tyde, (Nobody &) the Mystic Chords of Memory, the Frausdots. Sucks they split.

Broken Social Scene - Stars and Sons

Kings of leon - Red morning light

He looks kind of like Nigel in this video. I got their new song, it kind of sucks but I'll still buy the album the day it comes out.

Clinic - 'Harvest'

These guys have been wearing these surgical masks for many years now and refuse to give it up. They basically have 3 songs that they keep re-recording - the fast one, the slow one and the other one. I like them all. And I like how he sings through clenched teeth.

Brian Jonestown Massacre - You Look Great...

The Verve - Slide Away

My tastes have changed but Verve is always a constant. This song blows me away the same way it did so in 1993. Makes me feel like anything is possible.

Iggy Pop With David Bowie - Funtime

Mr. Bungle - Travolta

Never thought the video could possibly out-weird the song. They changed the name of the song to "Quote Unquote", presumably because Travolta couldn't sleep.

Cornershop - Sleep on the left side

I don't know how this band can get away with one album every 5-6 years but they deliver.

The Velvet Underground - Waiting For The Man

Amazing.

Sigur Rós - Svefn g englar

The Monkees Daily Nightly

Curtis Mayfield - I'm Your Pusherman

13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me

The Verve - Life's An Ocean (Live @ Jools Holland '98)

Mazzy Star - Hair and Skin - Tell Your Honey

Wow, cool b-side I've never heard. Hope Sandoval has vanished for about 6 years now.

Urban Dance Squad - Deeper shade of soul

I've wanted that Charlie Brown shirt since 1990.

The New Main Street Singers

From A Mighty Wind

The Morning After Girls - Hidden Spaces

Super Furry Animals - Zoom

Every one of their albums is better than the previous. The next one has a lot to live up to after Love Kraft. I'm probably in the minority about this.

Pink Floyd - Jugband Blues

The lyrics and this song always fascinated me. Syd is clearly aware of his mental illness "It's awfully considerate of you to think of me here and I'm much obliged to you for making it clear that I'm not here."

Love

The most overlooked psychadelic 60's band. Forever Love is right up there with Sgt. Peppers, the Doors, VU & Nico and Axis Bold as Love. I was lucky to catch Arthur Lee before he died last year.

The Fall - Telephone Thing

Got this from Anton Newcombe's myspace. Heard've them, never listened, this song is intriguing, great bass line.

Arcade Fire - Intervention

Not a video but it's the song that's important anyway. The first time I heard it I thought it was so-so. The fifth time it became my new religion.

primal scream - miss lucifer

Primal Scream are by far the best live band I've ever seen and I don't think it's even possible to top. I thought the last album was disappointing but they still have an astonishing career. Check this video out, it displays everything I love about them.

LCD Soundsystem: Tribulations

A Band Of Bees- Wash In The Rain

These guys just never get old for me. Crap video though.

M. Ward Chinese Translation

2006 - The Year of Medicrity

I haven't posted in ages here partly because I've been focusing on the BWF but mainly because I haven't been fired up about most of the new music I've heard in the past year. The Scissor Sisters album, for example had a shelf life of 2 listens before it outstayed its welcome.

2007 is already shaping up to be much, much better in my eyes due to forthcoming releases from the Arcade Fire, the Bees, LCD Soundsystem and AIr to name a few.

In any case, here are my top 10 picks for '06 (I know it's a little late for this).

1) Nobody and the Mystic Chords of Memory - Tree Colored See
2) The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Know
3) M. Ward - Post War
4) Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics
5) Hot Chip - The Warning

Hawkwind - Hurry on Sundown