Happy Thanksgiving! Now Buy Us Stuff...

Well, it's about that time... we're off for the long weekend, but we just wanted to make sure that you were aware that, traditionally, the days after Thanksgiving are when you can find really good deals on things. It's also the day you're most likely to die, probably from a car accident or shopping aggression. But if you want to buy stuff for us, here are some suggestions:

Concert posters: They're the best kind of art because a.) they can commemorate an awesome time and b.) they (usually) don't require you to think. Check here and here for some great ones.

Amazon: They're basically giving away DVDs at this point. Here's a calendar of their "Lightning" Deals, but browse this to see all the TV on DVD goodness. Buy something for someone and yourself (AND us)!!!


Happy Thanksgiving. Stay safe. Eat food. Don't try to move... moving's for suckers. Just lie there and let the tryptophan coma wash over you.

The Muppets - "Bohemian Rhapsody"

1 million+ views in less than 2 days. That perfectly summarizes the appeal of something that combines two incredible childhood memories: the Muppets and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." You learned how to count watching Sesame Street, and as soon as you got a car, you popped in Queen's Greatest Hits, cranked "Bohemian Rhapsody," and lip-synced the whole thing (recreating that amazing scene from Wayne's World). And if you didn't do BOTH of those things, then you're probably a Communist. There, I said it.

Vintage Lady Gaga

You've undoubtedly seen performances like these (if not this exact video) from Stefani Germanotta, now globally known as Lady Gaga. I personally find her current attention-whoring persona grating. But I'd never claim that she can't write incredible hooks and great pop songs. I don't know anything about her personal history, and maybe there were already too many Regina Spektor-types out there, making it hard to break through. But these performances from NYU's annual talent show prove one thing: the girl is gifted. The first song, "Captivated," sounds a lot like "Poker Face," and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they're essentially the same song. "Electric Kiss" is just straight-forward power-pop. I wonder if the audience realized what they were watching.

R. Kelly: Master of the Single Entendre

Any song that starts out with "Girl you make me wanna get you pregnant" really doesn't need any explanation. And it could only come from one man: Kells. He's conscripted fellow R&Bers The-Dream, Robin Thicke, and Tyrese (he's still alive??) to drop unambiguous verses about "the sexing." I have to assume that all Best of 2009 lists are being withheld until December 8 when R. Kelly's Untitled finally drops. It's gon' be HUGE!

James Murphy - Scorer of Soundtracks

A trailer that uses LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends." A mature Ben Stiller (not mature as in old or whatever... mature as in "When a comedian goes from doing slap-stick comedy to dark comedy, like Adam Sandler in Punch-Drunk Love"). A German shepherd. LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy writing the score (and making a cameo!). A plot based on the metaphysics of aging. At least one scene in which a character is in a hospital bed. Another scene in which an elder imparts wisdom disguised as witty dialogue upon a group of youngsters. Noah Baumbach.

These are the things lit grad students (they're the worst!) pine for in their movies. All seem to be present in Greenberg. It's like Garden State, except only for people who really get it, man!

Jimmy Fallon as Neil Young as Fresh Prince?!?

Did I miss something? Is Jimmy Fallon funny now? Because I've gotta be honest... this is really good. I actually thought it was Neil Young for like 2 seconds. He made it through the whole song without laughing, which makes me think one of two things: either it was pre-recorded, or he finally understands that the actors in comedic bits aren't supposed to laugh hysterically. Either way, this is a great rendition of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song.

New Music Tuesday

There really weren't many major releases this week... the only thing of note would be Animal Collective's new EP (see below) and a Tom Waits live album. No matter! "New Music Tuesday" doesn't care about the industry.

Animal Collective - "What Would I Want? Sky"
Off their Fall Be Kind EP, Animal Collective's "What Would I Want? Sky" is about as beautiful as the name would suggest. There are two distinct sections, the first being a rather typical Animal Collective fare and the second being more immediate pop. If people have forgotten how great this band is after all the early-year hype, "Sky" should offer a fantastic reminder.

The Sandwithces - "Back To The Sea"
Goofy name? Check. Drowned out sound? Check. Familiar melody and chord progression? Check and check. "Back To The Sea" won't change your life or make you experience music differently. It'll probably just make you think of the ocean and make you smile.

Frightened Rabbit - "Living In Colour" (Live on BBC6)
Frightened Rabbit - "Nothing Like You" (Live on BBC6)
Two new tracks from GSATW favorite Frightened Rabbit, set to be released on their forthcoming The Winter of Mixed Drinks. Although these are live, they sound really clean. Count me among those already excited for the March release of this album... these songs are great!

And finally, we leave you with our first (but probably not our last) Christmas song! Yes, I know it's not even Thanksgiving. No, I'm not sorry at all. Camera Obscura gives us their take on "The Blizzard," and it's actually pretty awesome. Just be glad that Sufjan's five-disc Christmas set didn't come out this year...

Jason Segel: Actor, Love-Song Writer Extraordinaire

Yes, this has been out for a while, but it's just as funny on the 10th viewing as it was on the first. Jason Segel, he of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Freaks & Geeks, I Love You Man, and How I Met Your Mother fame, joined The Swell Season (Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglov... the Once duet) on stage at a show in Los Angeles last week. Most of the posts have made a big deal about him giving out his phone number, but come on! That's just some incredible songwriting! Tell me you wouldn't jump in bed with him after that, and I'll call you a liar...

Lists - Top Albums of the Decade

We got into We Listen For You because they have one of the best ideas in all of music blogdom: March Music Madness! Seriously, I haven't had more fun following a voted-on competition since the 2000 presidential election... and although the results may not represent what I want, it's definitely a popular vote. No complaints here. They released their Top 50 Albums of the Decade today, and made a bold (but 100% defensible) choice of The Flaming Lips' Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots as their #1. I can't believe I haven't seen this at the top (or even near the top) of many other lists; it's definitely one of the most interesting and genre-breaking albums of the 2000s. Check out the whole list here, because we're only giving you the top 20.

WLFY's Top 20 Albums of the 2000s
20. Elliott Smith - Figure 8
19. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
18. The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
17. The National - Boxer
16. Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs
15. Animal Collective - Feels
14. Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
13. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
12. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - s/t
11. Daft Punk - Discovery
10. The Strokes - Is This It
09. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
08. LCD Soundsystem - s/t
07. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
06. The White Stripes - Elephant
05. The Unicorns - Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?
04. Arcade Fire - Funeral
03. Sufjan Stevens - Michigan
02. Radiohead - Kid A
01. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Neutral Milk Hotel: "Two-Headed Boy" (Video)

Very coincidentally, video from a 1998 show at NYC's Knitting Factor of Jeff Mangum playing "Two-Headed Boy." Musically... so simple. Check out that emotion though! Merge Records has reissued the Neutral Milk Hotel albums on vinyl this month, and this is apparently footage they found while prepping the rissues. Kind of awesome.

AOTW: Neutral Milk Hotel: "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea"

Jeff Mangum. "Jeff Mangum." Jeff Mangum. The man is more like an idea at this point than an actual human being... a Keyser Soze-like figure that haunts dreams and then vanishes. His band, Neutral Milk Hotel, released just two albums in the 1990s, yet is widely considered one of the most influential acts of that time. He helped start an incredibly prolific recording company (Elephant 6) in Athens, GA that's spawned a number of critically acclaimed bands like Of Montreal, Elf Power, and Apples In Stereo. But Mangum remains "in hiding," content with ending his legacy on In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. Such perspective.

Without hyperbole, I would say that I've listened to this album no less than 40 times. Each listen necessitates completeness: if you aren't willing to experience the whole album, it's just not worth it. Yes, there are some songs ("King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1," "Two Headed Boy") that stand incredibly well on their own, but this is an album in the truest sense of the word. Loosely based on The Diaries of Anne Frank, Mangum composed an incredibly dark, twisted, sad, and sexually repressed album that flies from idea to idea, yet manages to stay within a specific construct. The album tells a story... yes, one that a psychiatrist could have a field day with (paraphilias, somatizations, and schizoid personality, oh my!), but it's a compelling nonetheless. Songwriting is rarely this personal, and it's almost impossible to avoid getting swept up in the narrative.

I haven't met too many people who are on the fence about In The Aeroplane. More divisive than expected, people either love or hate Mangum's emotive, runaway vocals. The instrumentation either sounds too antiquated or offers a compelling layer to the sound. The songwriting is either intentionally vague or refreshingly deep. To you, this album might be a waste of time. To me, it's one of the greatest albums released in the past 20 years. Regardless, it deserves a genuine listen.

Califone - "Funeral Singers" Video

The Earl (Atlanta) has had a number of canceled shows recently, and none was more disappointing than Califone. Roots and Crowns was one of my favorite albums of the past few years, and All My Friends Are Funeral Singers is equally as good. The video for "Funeral Singers" was just released, and if nothing else, it provides some visual stimulation for an otherwise fantastic song.

Lists - Top Albums of the Decade

I'm not sure how fast we'll be able to keep up with these lists, but we sure as hell are gonna try. Because you, the pop-culture consumer with discriminating tastes, deserve to know what your peers think about these things. You also deserve to bitch and moan about who is/is not on these lists. I'm not going to lie... this may be my favorite Albums of the Decade line-up so far (although the rap albums seem forced). But there's oh-so-much time left! Check out the full Top 50.

The Onion A.V. Club Top 20 Albums of the Decade
20. Daft Punk - Discovery
19. The Strokes - Is This It
18. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
17. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
16. Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
15. Spoon - Kill The Moonlight
14. LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
13. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun
12. M.I.A. - Kala
11. The Walkmen - Bows + Arrows
10. The National - Alligator
09. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
08. Arcade Fire - The Funeral
07. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica
06. The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
05. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
04. Outkast - Stankonia
03. Radiohead - Kid A
02. Kanye West - The College Dropout
01. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells

zOMG!!!!! VAMPIRES!!! MOONS!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!

While it has absolutely nothing to do with either music (unless you count this) or television, Round 1 of Vampires v. Werevolves is on. Midnight. Tonight. To the face! So here's the question... who ya got!?!













Vs.

As You (or at least, I) Were Sleeping...

The video for Vampire Weekend's newest single "Cousins" is out. It will be part of the band's January release of Contra. If it's half as good as the video game, it should be a lot of fun.


The Avett Brothers were on Jimmy Fallon last night and performed "Slight Figure of Speech." They're currently on tour, so check them out if you have a chance!


via [Stereogum] and [AudioPerv]

Lists - Top Live Moments of the Decade

Paste is at it again with another list of the decade - this time commemorating the top live TV moments. It's fun to look back and see how many of these you actually saw in real time versus on replay or YouTube. I really don't think number one could be anything else considering the historic impact of that night, but I would argue that the U.S. coming from behind to win the 4x100 swimming relay in Beijing was possibly the most exciting thing I've ever watched live. Anyone else who stayed up late and screamed their head off during those last 25 meters would agree it deserves to be higher than 13. Also where is Boise State's overtime victory and subsequent marriage proposal in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl? Check out the full list and all the clips here.

Kidz in the Hall - "The Grizzly Man"

I gotta be honest... this is only getting a full post because of that picture. How awesome is that?!? As you could probably tell from the title "The Grizzly Man" and that stellar artwork, Kidz have sampled "Two Weeks" and thrown some flighty lyrics over a sped-up version of the original. It's entertaining enough, but I mean... come on! Look at that artwork!!
Kidz in the Hall - "The Grizzly Man"

[via]

New Music Tuesday

So one of these posts just got taken down by Blogger for violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, even though the three songs were either a.) available on Lala or b.) still streaming from the original sites we linked to. Not really sure what's going on, but we'll try it again!

Beach House - "Norway"
Don't say we aren't keeping you up to date. Beach House's "Norway" is blowin' up the internets right now... a woozy electronic dream song, someone had their finger on the pitch knob. You've gotta wonder how many other songs ol' Norway has dedicated to it.

TuNe-YaRdS - "Jumping Jack"
Pretty Much Amazing has a whole post dedicated to Merrill Garbus' TuNe-YaRdS. Apparently she's opening for Dirty Projectors at this point in the tour, and the hyperbolic review of Garbus' live set feels familiar. First The Givers, now TuNe-YaRdS... who will Dirty Projectors expose us to next??

The XX - "Crystalised"
Yeah, I may be borderline obsessed with this band, and even though they lost a member (presumably to some understandable psych condition/exhaustion), but they're all up in the ATL tonight. Criminal Records in-store show at 8pm, SOLD OUT show at the 529 at 9:30pm... good thing it was cloudy/rainy today, or we may not be able to handle this much angst!

Lists - Top Albums of the Decade

British people have interesting taste in music, and to prove that, NME has released their Top 100 Albums of the Decade. I'm definitely not going to argue the fact that the Strokes' Is This It grabbed the top spot... you could certainly defend its placement. But the top 10 is pretty dubious... Primal Scream? PJ Harvey? You can do better, Britain.

NME's Top 20 Albums of the 2000s
20. Blur - Think Tank
19. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
18. The White Stripes - Elephant
17. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
16. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free
15. Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf
14. Radiohead - Kid A
13. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
12. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
11. At the Drive In - Relationship of Command
10. Radiohead - In Rainbows
09. The Streets - Original Pirate Material
08. Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
07. Arcade Fire - Funeral
06. PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
05. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
04. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
03. Primal Scream - XTRMNTR
02. The Libertines - Up The Bracket
01. The Strokes - Is This It

"All in the game..."

From my brother, who continues to know about things way before I do... this 10 minute YouTube video of 100 great quotes from The Wire. I doubt it'll make any sense to people unfamiliar with the show, and there wasn't enough Season 4 for my taste. But if you've watched it, prepare to get sentimental.

AOTW: Lil' Wayne - "No Ceilings"

Over Halloween, Lil' Wayne dropped his latest mixtape, the interestingly-named No Ceilings. We promised a review of the album when it came out, and after a couple weeks of listening and digesting (and, if Wayne was in charge, "shitting"), we can confidently offer an eloquent review: [siiigggghhhhhh].

It's not that Weezy doesn't absolutely murder a few of the tracks on this mixtape. He does. His reinterpretations of "Swag Surfin'" and "Run This Town" are inspired. He takes an incredibly dumb song with an incredibly sparse beat ("Ice Cream Paint Job") and does the unthinkible: he makes it exciting. Even "I Gotta Feeling," which is the exact opposite of a song I would expect Wayne to tackle on a mixtape, ends up being a fun and breezy finale to an overall very solid mixtape.

But more than anything else, it leaves the listener wanting. Maybe "pining" is a better word. Because he's done this all so much better before. In mixtape form (Dedication 2, Da Drought 3) and as a proper release (the sure-to-be-classic Tha Carter III): we know he's a martian, but the explanations are worse; he has an obsession with "being the shit" analogies, but they sound forced and tired (constipated?). And although No Ceilings far outshines his most recent releases, that sort of relativistic praise is deceiving. To borrow a phrase from an old employer, we need to "maintain high expectations" for Lil' Wayne. Pitchfork reviewed the album today and made some good points, but one was especially salient: that no current rapper may have a higher ceiling (oooohhh, the mixtape title!) or a lower floor (see: prison sentence, "rock" album). And although No Ceilings would fall on the "great" side of the see-saw, it's not at the very end. By moving a little closer to the middle, it works to offset some of the current affairs weighing down the "terrible" side... enough of a reminder that Lil' Wayne is an incredibly gifted rapper, but not enough to make us think he isn't falling down a few floors.

Via Stereogum...

A couple of things from one of our favorite music-info sites, Stereogum:

Solange Knowles - Beyonce's hipper sister (she likes Grizzly Bear, dudes!!) has covered the hippest song from this year's hippest band (that's a whole lotta hips). Solange tackles Dirty Projectors' "Stillness Is The Move," making it a more overt R&B jam that's radio-friendly. If this cover catches on, it may provide that final push for Dirty Projectors. They're about to be so famous, OMG!!
Solange - "Stillness Is The Move (Dirty Projectors Cover)"

Brendan Benson - The excellent axeman has a new album out (My Old, Familiar Friend) and a proper video for the very awesome "A Whole Lot Better." Can I interest you in 1970s visual stimulation?

Lists - Top TV Shows of the Decade

As you can no doubt tell from the graphic to the left, the Onion's A.V. Club has released a Top 30 list of their Best TV Shows of the Decade. It doesn't look too dissimilar from Paste's list that we posted last week, but they get #1 right (I mean, is there really any way you could put any show other than The Wire at the top spot?!?). As we mentioned before, we're going to be ambitious and attempt to rank the Top 20 seasons of TV instead of simply listing the 20 best shows. What's life without challenges, right??

The A.V. Club's Top 20 TV Shows of the 2000s
20. Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (Cartoon Network)
19. Big Love (HBO)
18. How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
17. Firefly (Fox)
16. Friday Night Lights (NBC)
15. Veronica Mars (UPN/The CW)
14. Futurama (Fox)
13. 30 Rock (NBC)
12. Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi)
11. The Office (NBC)
10. The Shield (FX)
09. Deadwood (HBO)
08. Lost (ABC)
07. The Office (BBC 2)
06. Breaking Bad (AMC)
05. Mad Men (AMC)
04. Freaks and Geeks (NBC)
03. Arrested Development (Fox)
02. The Sopranos (HBO)
01. The Wire (HBO)

As a final FYI, during the mid-2000s, HBO had a lineup that included The Wire, The Sopranos, Deadwood, Six Feet Under, Big Love, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Wow.

AOTW: Freelance Whales - "Weathervanes"

We can all agree that Freelance Whales might be one of the dumbest animal-related band names in a sea of them (get it?). I mean, what're they freelancing: sonar messages? Swallowing biblical figures? Frustrating old seamen (hehe... seamen)? Come on. But confusing name aside, the Whales' have started developing the indie-music-blog cred that's so essential for new bands to make it (see: Pit, Passion and Weekend, Vampire). Their debut album, Weathervanes, is one of the least offensive albums you'll hear this year (which may, in itself, be offensive to you, Mr. High-brow Music Critic), and with all the talk of Owl Eyes copping the Death Cab for Cutie/Postal Service/Ben Gibbard sound, it's surprising more people haven't caught onto Freelance Whales.

Album-opener "Generator ^ First Floor" both looks and sounds like an Arcade Fire impression, replete with repetitively strummed guitars and plenty of "Oohs/Aahs." Judah Dadone's upper-register vocals are immediately soothing (and eerily similar to the aforementioned Gibbard's). That's not a knock in any way... I'm throroughly convinced that clean, alto-register vocals will always sound great. As the album progresses, we get to hear a band that hasn't exactly pinned down what they want to sound like. Which is exciting. They incorporate electronic blips, glockenspiels, and KORG-y synth with "traditional" sounds, and they vary the rhythms. "Broken Horse" opens with a simply-picked melody that would sound at home on an Iron & Wine or Michigan-era Sufjan Stevens album, while the track right before it ("Kilojoules") invokes Vampire Weekend-y thoughts. "Starring" will likely draw the most (appropriate) comparisons to Postal Service, as the first synth hit sounds a lot like "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight." The second half of the album drags a little bit, but their sound remains strong, and "The Great Estates" is a flat-out beautiful way to finish what turns out to be a very good start for a(nother) promising band from NYC.

According to their MySpace, Freelance Whales will have a song featured on the new HBO "comedy" Bored To Death this week. It's not surprising for so many reason, but without question... as the year ends and more people hear the album, Weathervanes will get more TV exposre (I wish I could make bets like "One song by the Freelance Whales will be on Chuck or Friday Night Lights in the Spring"). With TV exposure comes greater fan attention and by late next year, they may even be touring as a headliner. These things happen fast, and Freelance Whales have the talent to pull it off.

New Music Tuesday... on Wednesday (Again!)

Yeah, this is the second time in three weeks that New Music Tuesday is running on a Wednesday. No, we're not going to switch it to New Music Wednesday because a.) new music generally comes out on Tuesday and b.) Wednesday take longer to type. Less talking, more listening...

Ke$ha - "Tik Tok (Fred Falke Remix)"
So I've been waiting and waiting until New Music Tuesday to drop this Fred Falke remix of Ke$ha's newest single "Tik Tok." I say "newest" because I honestly have no idea about anything related to her musical output other than the fact that she's the girl on Flo Rida's "Right Round." And while that may not be the best way to break onto the scene, this remix is a straight club-banger. Please try to listen to this and tell me you weren't moving to it. You're a liar. NEXT!

Clipse - "Doorman"
The run-up to Clipse's Till the Casket Drops is in full sprint, and we'll likely hear at least one more track off the album leak before its release on December 8th. If you need me to tell you that The Neptunes produced this track, then you haven't been paying attention. Typical Clipse themes (to wit: drug money, drug culture, drug druggy drugness) don't feel tired... great sign.

Wale (feat. Bun B) - "Mirror"
Kind of a hip-hop/pop day, but Wale's Attention Deficit, amazingly his first proper release, came out yesterday. Hard to tell if the lukewarm reviews are actually indicative of the true quality of the album or represent the feeling that its just not as good as Wale's mixtapes (Mixtape About Nothing, Back to the Feature, etc). Decide for yourself.

Franz Ferdinand - "Live Alone (Delorean Remix)"
I love Franz Ferdinand. I loved Delorean's AyrTon Senna EP that came out this summer. I love this combination of Spain and Scotland so much, I wanna take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant (only Tracy Jordan really understands).

Hot Chip - "Take It In"
And finally, if you thought we were going to stray from hip-hop/pop/electronic music, you were obviously wrong. We started with what is undoubtedly one of the catchiest songs of the year and we're ending with a track from Hot Chip, who are putting out one of the more highly anticipated albums of 2010 (what?!? I have to wait until February??).

Good to be back... Freelance Whales review tomorrow!

We'll Be Back Wednesday...

Last test for med school (kind of)! It's psych, so we've been self-diagnosing. Audra has a little of histrionic personality disorder. Matt shows some narcissistic personality disorder every once in a while. And we've both got clinical obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Whatever, we're awesome! (Damn narcissism...).


Try not to get too distraught... take a listen to the new Album of the Week (Freelance Whales' Weathervanes). I guarantee you'll either like it or you won't!

Get Out and Enjoy the Weekend!

YOU'RE WELCOME!!

BREAKING NEWS: Beating Women = Bad for Career!!

In what almost everyone would consider shocking news, Chris Brown's upcoming "Fan Appreciation" tour is having trouble selling tickets. Crazy! I can't believe that people wouldn't want to see an abusive, entitled man-child play average songs that came out a long time ago!! You'd think people would be lining up for the chance to hear "Transform Ya" (and maybe, if you're lucky, leave without a black eye). And if he was having trouble with ticket sales before, Rihanna's recent appearances on Good Morning America and 20/20 might cause him to... hmmm, I don't know. If I was Chris Brown and Rihanna made me mad, what would I do?? Gee, there are so many options... I guess I could call her up and have a conversation in which I was apologetic and sincere. We could go to dinner and discuss the situation like adults. Or maybe we could go for a drive somewhere...

Grizzly Bear - "Ready, Able" Video

Would you have expected anything less awesome from Grizzly Bear?!? Just to remind you how great their music videos have been this year, we offer the following:

Grizzly Bear - "Ready, Able"


Grizzly Bear - "Two Weeks"


Grizzly Bear - "While You Wait for the Others"


Damn...

Lists - Top Albums of 2009

It's November, which means that we're officially entrenched in the "Top Albums of the Year" wheelhouse. Not surprisingly, an outfit that stands to profit from developing a list of their 100 best albums of the year (Amazon.com) have beaten everyone to the punch and released their list to holiday shoppers. Personally, I think 100 albums is way too many for just one year. It's an interesting list (and one I don't really agree with), but at the very least, it's a jumping off point/reference for those looking to develop their own "Best Of..." rankings (yours truly, included). You can find the full Top 100 smack-dab on the front of Amazon's Music page, but get ready... these posts are going to be much more frequent in the next two months!

Amazon.com Top 20 of 2009
20 Horrors - Primary Colours
19 Leonard Cohen - Live In London
18 Amadou & Mariam - Welcome To Mali
17 Sarah Jarosz - Song Up In Her Head
16 Steve Earle - Townes
15 The Swell Season - Strict Joy
14 Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
13 Passion Pit - Manners
12 Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
11 Metric - Fantasies
10 Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
09 Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3
08 K'Naan - Troubadour
07 Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
06 Girls - Album
05 The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
04 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
03 Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
02 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
01 Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

AOTW: The Avett Brothers - "I And Love And You" [UPDATE]

So this post is essentially me calling out Julie. Julie requested The Avett Brother's I And Love And You to be the Album of the Week a couple weeks ago. She promised that she would write the review since a.) she loves it and b.) I've never heard it before. I've heard a few songs by the band and know that they are pretty popular at this point, having built a very devoted fan base. I know they are generally classified as "bluegrass," although I'm sure they straddle a few genres. And for some reason, their album cover makes me think of a Daniel Day Lewis movie instead of a love album. That's it. So until Julie writes that review, you can find more info about the band/album here. You can find her review below. Enjoy!

Part of my motivation for nominating The Avett Brothers for AOTW is to get Matt to write about some music that I actually know and like. Of course that backfired and now I have to write about them, but the Avetts are worth it.

I have to give credit to my mandolin-playin', modern-hippie little sister for turning me onto the Avetts a year ago with my still-favorite song, Murder In The City. (Listen to it. Now. It’s amazing. But come prepared with a Kleenex). I am a late Avetts bloomer, apparently years behind everyone else in North Carolina. Scott and Seth Avett, two brothers from Concord, NC, started the band in the early 2000s, but their popularity has exploded in the last few years. They’ve gone from playing at the tiny 600 person Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill in early 2007 to playing NC State’s Homecoming (Go Pack!) for 4,000 people that fall to appearing on David Letterman in September of this year. All while being on their own tiny local record label. Their music just sells its self. I and Love and You is their first album on a major label, produced by Rick Rubin on American Recordings. For a much more interesting and better written account of their awesomeness, read this.

As for the album, some purists would say that this is a big departure from their previous work, replacing some of the traditional banjo/bluegrass sound with piano. I personally think it’s just the maturing of a band that knows how to retain their soul while gracefully stepping into the big leagues. The title track "I and Love and You" is the perfect heartfelt introduction, followed by "January Wedding", which seriously makes me want to get married all over again. In January of course. "Kick Drum Heart" shows the band’s punk influence and the infectious energy of their live shows.

Don’t write them off as a bluegrass band … they are so much more than that. Maybe I love them because they are from NC (and if you know me, you know I love everything about North Carolina). Or maybe it’s because the banjo plucks at the heartstrings of my childhood (my father is an incredibly talented banjo player). Or maybe it’s just because their songs speak directly to the heart and they are just plain good. If you want more, you can stream the entire album from their website.

Julie Gentry DeVoe, Guest Columnist

Lists - Top TV Shows of the Decade

Paste has been busy. Earlier this week we posted their Top Albums of the Decade and today, they've released their favorite 20 TV shows of the 2000s (kind of, see below). Not to brag, but we had this idea long ago, and in fact, our idea is better. Picking the 20 best TV shows of a decade is like picking the 20 best musical artists for a decade. The output varies, sounds/styles change, and inevitably, you end up choosing either a.) the artist/show that resonated the most with you (and likely suffered an untimely break-up/cancellation) or b.) the artist/show with the most (and, at the very least, "consistently good") output. Therefore, by the end of the year, you will see a breakdown of the Top 10 TV Seasons of the 2000s on GSATW. That's a promise, and if we have to fail out of school to do it, then... well, actually we probably won't do it. Sorry. We're pretty far in the red at this point.

Paste's Top TV Shows of the 2000s
20. Deadwood (HBO)
19. Dexter (Showtime)
18. Breaking Bad (AMC)
17. Family Guy (Fox)
16. Weeds (Showtime)
15. Friday Night Lights (NBC)
14. The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
13. Freaks and Geeks (NBC)
12. 30 Rock (NBC)
11. Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
10. Mad Men (AMC)
09. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (WB/UPN)
08. Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi)
07. LOST (ABC)
06. Sopranos (HBO)
05. The Office (BBC/NBC)
04. The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
03. The West Wing (NBC)
02. The Wire (HBO)
01. Arrested Development (Fox)

Just a few thoughts:

• You won't find a more adamant supporter of Arrested Development. I love that show, and I hate that Fox canceled it and no one else picked it up. But it's a comedy, and as impressive as their comedic writing was, you can't put it ahead of The Wire. You just can't.
• I know that The Daily Show is more established and routinely wins Emmy's (they still give those out, right?), but they should've just combined it with The Colbert Report and put it somewhere in the 10-15 range. Both are incredibly impressive and I don't want to take anything away from either, but we're talking about a completely different entity.
• Freaks and Geeks had one amazing year that spanned from Fall 1999 to Spring 2000... is that really enough to get it into a Top 20 list for this decade? And one season?? It was definitely great, but at some point, you just have to give the grade "INC" and move on.
• I thought it was really funny that Buffy and Battlestar were right next to each other: two REALLY cultish shows that, coincidentally, my dad liked. Always a good sign.
• Of all the networks, I would tip my hat to AMC for the fact that they've just jumped into making original series and two of their first are of such high quality; in my opinion, Mad Men and Breaking Bad deserve to be a little higher.

Still, I think the overall complaint is pretty obvious... you have to break this list down to Best Seasons! Anyone who could argue that Friday Night Lights - Season 3 was worse than LOST - Season 2 has never watched television.

New Music Tuesday (Music Video Version)

OMG!!!! More new music, only this time, there are moving pictures to keep your attention! Not going to provide any commentary except for the following: Weezer's Raditude is finally out, so maybe they'll stop showing up in my RSS feed 13516 times/day; stop-motion videos of mice turning into heavy rock bands are awesome; and well... just watch the last video by Ramona Falls. It's incredible.

Weezer (w/ Sara Bareilles) - "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To"


No Age - "Losing Feeling"


Ramona Falls - "I Say Fever"

Lists - Top Albums of the Decade

A while back, we started the futile process of documenting Top Albums of the Decade lists from major publications. Futile because there's not a chance we catch all of them. And really, there's no way one will be better than the other (unless the publication in question is from England, in which case, their list will be rubbish). Paste, a music mag out of Decatur, GA (!), has released their Top 50 Best Albums of the Decade, and although there are a few surprises/lapses in judgment, the Top 4 seem pretty standard (in fact, move White Stripes ahead of Bright Eyes and that's a pretty damn formidable Top 5). And oh wait... what's that in the Top 10? Is that... The Avett Brothers? Man, where did I just see that album? [scroll down] Nice pick by Julie. Now, if she'll just send in her write-up. The list of their Top 20 is below, and you can go to the website to listen to each of the Top 50 and see what they have to say about them.

Paste's Top 20
20 The National - Boxer
19 Beck - Sea Change
18 Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
17 Kanye West - The College Dropout
16 Rufus Wainwright - Want One
15 Patty Griffin - 1000 Kisses
14 The Strokes - Is This It
13 Josh Ritter - The Animal Years
12 Spoon - Kill the Moonlight
11 The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America
10 M.I.A. - Arular
09 The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
08 OutKast - Stankonia
07 Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator)
06 The White Stripes - Elephant
05 Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
04 Radiohead - Kid A
03 Arcade Fire - Funeral
02 Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
01 Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

Happy Halloween!

Yes, it's that time of year again. When eating candy from strangers is encouraged and (many) women bear the cold to bare (almost) all. I'm not sure I've ever been a huge fan of Halloween, probably because I'm not super creative and come up with lame costume ideas that have to be explained to people when they see me. Absolutely the worst. But it's always fun to have an excuse to get together with friends, dance to "Thriller," and imbibe a few adult beverages. In honor of the holiday that ends arguably the best month of the year, here are a few Halloween-themed music selections. Hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend...


Surfer Blood - "Floating Vibes"

Ra Ra Riot - "Ghost Under Rocks"

Sea Wolf - "Wicked Blood"


Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Heads Will Roll"



PS. Spoon has a new album coming out in January! SODG0us goia;s dg;iadgs!@$!@% [Excitement]

As If We Weren't Insignificant Enough...

Google has essentially added a streaming music player. Well, not exactly. But by searching the entire internet for songs from your favorite artists and then providing links to them, it's only a matter of time until they have an actual streaming player. They've partnered with Pandora, Lala, MySpace, Rhapsody, and imeem (as well as a number of recording labels) to provide this service, essentially eliminating the need for mp3 blogs completely (unless you want some fawning and/or sarcastic commentary to go along with your new music... you do, right?!?). Is there any doubt that Google will own all aspects of your life in the near future? Pretty soon we'll all be banking, getting groceries, watching movies, and getting medicines from a new Google service. The future is scary (unless you work for Google... shut up, Ewing).

Florence + the Machine - "Kiss With A Fist" (Live on Letterman)

Florence + the Machine's Lungs is definitely one of the most fun albums of the year, and the British upstarts brought "Kiss With A Fist" to Letterman last night. I think it's safe to say that they killed it.

Lil' Wayne - No Ceilings

Boom! Download the mixtape. A review is forthcoming... believe that.

via [Nah Right]

Spreading the Gospel of Dance

If anything can bring me back it's So You Think You Can Dance. If you know me you know that I was NOT happy with last season's winner and overall disappointed in the season as a whole (minus Kayla and Kupono's "Addiction" - may it never die!) Needless to say I've been eagerly awaiting the real kickoff to season 6 especially since it's been hyped as the most talented Top 20 yet.

Channing and Phillip - Underwhelming. Neither one of them brought much personality to the dance which is essential for a jive. Mary Murphy was right on - more energy and more sharpness needed.

Ashleigh and Jakob - First off this was pretty weak choreography from Tyce but I forgive him considering the absolutely amazing dance he delivered in last night's show. Basically Ashleigh was just a statue for Jakob's showcase of tricks. She can't kick very high and her pirouettes look like a 5th grader's. Get her out of here! But Jakob, Jakob is a dream. I predict he will be around for a very long time.

Ariana and Peter - I found Ariana's performance unconvincing - something about it just didn't click. Glad to see that Peter does have some versatility. Once again judge's critiques were right on - maybe they've laid off the crack this season.

Noelle and Russell - I love Melanie Lapatin and how she always has to step up when someone gets hurt! Anyone else remember when she was on What Not to Wear years ago? Probs not, but I do! I love Russell but correct me if I'm wrong - Didn't he say in Vegas week that he hadn't had training in other styles?? Then how do you explain "5 years of formal training at Boston Art Academy High School" from his official bio? Something's fishy and I blame Nigel.

Bianca and Victor - While Bianca is definitely the weakest in this pairing she actually did better than I expected. Victor reminds me a lot of Danny from Season 3 - always a good thing. Note on Travis' choreography - love him and some people won't like this but I think he relies a bit too much on tricks for the high points of his dances. Yes there was a story behind it but I don't think it was conveyed enough through the emotion of the dance.

Karen and Kevin - Boy knows how to smize...Tyra would be SO proud! And I love Fox's self promotion using the Glee soundtrack. All in all Karen was hot but the turns and flips were too slow. Also hair stylist - never, EVER put Kevin's hair in a bun again. With those earrings he looked like a smaller version of Ms. Jay Alexander, runway expert. Too much Top Model??

Ellenore and Ryan - Creepy angels....I like it. Just when I thought I was kind of getting over Sonya she reels me back in! Ryan and his fake little Hugh Jackman self really held his own against a contemporary dancer. Ellenore had started to annoy me last night but she's back in my good graces again. No doubt she'll have to face the wrath of Ashleigh backstage after resting her hand dangerously close to the man's goods.

Pauline and Brandon - On first sight these two are an adorable couple and I can't believe Brandon only had a day and a half to learn and clean the dance. Yet again I agree 100% with Mary - what is going on?

Kathryn and Legacy - Love Dave Scott, LOVE the dance! Kathryn was great and Legacy got to show off his skills too. Am I getting a little Courtney and Gev vibe from these two? Maybe too early to tell but thus far I'm a fan! Definitely my favorite dance of the night.

Mollee and Nathan - In case you forgot I've been pimping Nathan from the moment he appeared on our screen almost 6 months ago. I also knew that I recognized Mollee when she first showed up but couldn't quite place her. It all made sense once she explained she danced in all the 3 High School Musical films. So clearly on background alone these two 18 year olds had a lot to live up to. So a couple of the landings from lifts were rough (which the judges failed to mention) but they definitely brought the energy and fun to the piece.

The only real drawback of having a fall season of SYTYCD is the interruption by the World Series. Because of it America will have no say in who stays and goes until the Top 16. This just further feeds into my conspiracy theories about Nigel controlling and orchestrating everything on this show. Case in point - does anyone really believe that Russell would have gone home had Billy Bell still been in the competition? I think not. I'm not really sure who would have - I'll leave that for you to discuss. I don't really think Ariana had much of a chance to stick around even though in my opinion she had the strongest solo. So Brandon and Ariana are the first to leave us on what looks to be a promising season. It's good to have you back SYTYCD, real good.

New Music Tuesday (Lil' Wayne Version)

Screw it. Today is Lil' Wayne Day. I don't even care that we just posted that Wale track... for all I know, Lil' Wayne had something to do with it. Without further ado... some great new(ish) Weezy tracks. The first three are from No Ceilings, Wayne's mixtape that'll be available on Halloween). "Can't Stop Partying" is actually a Weezer song off their new album Raditude, and yes, everything about it is just about that bad. The last two are from a mash-up album by Mole Star called Weezyer. Interesting, to say the least.

Lil' Wayne - "Swag Surfin"

Lil' Wayne - "Wasted"

Lil' Wayne - "Run This Town"

Weezer (feat. Lil' Wayne) - "Can't Stop Partying"

Weezyer - "Don't Let Go Of That Lollipop"

Weezyer - "Fireman, Gimme Some of That Surf Wax"

via [Music Ninja, Tsururadio, Earmilk]

Wale - "Letters"

Wale (he who would like you to know it's pronounced wah-lay, not whale) finally has his debut album coming out after a string of mixtapes, most notably Mixtape About Nothing and Back to the Feature. While Attention Deficit is set to drop on November 10 (via Interscope), the Mark Ronson-produced "Letter" was just leaked, and yes... that's John Mayer's "3x5." That's the sample they went with. (sigh) The song is surprisingly good considering that Wale decided dropping just a lyric or verse about President Obama wasn't enough, otping instead to devote a whole song to him. Oh yeah, and that John Mayer hook. Jesus.

Chris Brown - "Transform Ya"

Are there words to display what's going on in this video? No. No there aren't. But hey! There's Lil' Wayne! We could probably make this "Lil' Wayne Day" if we wanted...

Lil' Wayne - "Run This Town"

Yes, Lil' Wayne will be going to jail. And that's sad. But let's be honest: a.) he was guilty and b.) there's very little chance that we'll see any drop in output during his stay in the clink.

Tracks from his forthcoming No Ceilings mixtape are already in the process of leaking in anticipation of its "official release." The best of these is Weezy's take on "Run This Town," which brings back memories of some his best freestyles on Da Drought 3. Clearly, more to come when No Ceilings is available to download!

Lil' Wayne - "Run This Town"

via [PMA]

AOTW: Givers - "Givers" (EP)

Until last night, there have been exactly three occasions where I've thought to myself, "If the headliner is even half as good as the opener, this has a chance to be the best concert I've ever been to." The Get Up Kids opening for Green Day back in 2001 was the first time it happened. In 2003, Sondre Lerche got up on stage with only his guitar and silenced an entire room of people waiting to see Jason Mraz and Liz Phair. You could actually hear the conversational din transform into complete attention as he moved through his set. And most recently, Megafaun opening (on separate occasions) for St. Vincent and Dodos created an energy that (luckily) both bands were able to match.

After last night, I can move that number up to four: Lafayette, LA's Givers displayed an energy, stage presence, musical ability, and excitement that belies their youth. The band, on tour for the first time and with only a self-titled EP to their name, brought the crowd to a frenzy in a short 30 minute set, and I know I wasn't the only one still talking about them after the Dirty Projectors' incredible performance.

Co-lead singers Taylor Guarisco (guitar) and Tif Lamson (guitar, percussion, glockenspiel, insanity) complement each other both vocally and emotionally, as one person's mania is easily trasferrable to the other. They owned the stage as well as or better than any seasoned group I've seen this year, and as Ron Jaworski would say about Brett Favre, "They're just having fun out there!" At only 4 songs (plus one bonus remix of "Up Up Up"), Givers EP is a great introduction to a band whose full-length LP should garner a lot of attention (especially from people lucky enough to catch them live).

There's nothing quite like the feeling of watching a band you know nothing about completely and convincingly take over a room with their excitement and love of making music. It's times like these that I'm glad I have a compulsive need to be on time!

Photo via [Science Killer]

Clipse (feat. Cam'ron) - "Popular Demand"

On a slow music day, the leak of "Popular Demand," a collaboration between hip-hop heavy hitters Clipse and Cam'ron, is a welcome surprise. Everything flows over a simple piano riff and warbly horns, and even if it's not one of their greatest tracks, Malice, Pusha, and Cam go pretty damn hard. Hopefully Till The Casket Drops is actually released soon, because everything coming out of this camp is sounding good. And with that, we're out. Happy Friday, and thanks for the help finding Audra.


Clipse (feat. Cam'ron) - "Popular Demand"

via [P4K, Earmilk]

Have You Seen This Woman?

She was last seen on this blog September 22nd... exactly one month ago. Although it's been so long since we've heard from her, we think she used to write about television. Particularly reality television. Man, that shit is terrible. But she'd also write about Glee (although Rolling Stone beat her to the punch by penning an article entitled "The Awesome Gayness of Glee." I kid you not). And the young masters and misses of Gossip Girl. And award shows... oh, the award shows!! In all likelihood, she was completely swallowed up in the belly of the beast this is a new Fall TV schedule. Or maybe her computer has suffered a terrible fate. God help us if she's lost fine motor control in her fingers! If you see her, please do NOT hesitate to contact us (or the authorities, if the situation demands it). For if a TV show is watched and no one reads about it, does it make a sound?*

* Mixed metaphors are great!

A Great Way To Waste Time

I can't really remember when we first caught wind of Snacks and Shit (get it?) or who was responsible for it. But ever since that day, the site has provided us with almost constant entertainment. The premise is so perfectly simple, we can't believe we didn't think of it first:

"Rappers say stupid shit. Let's make fun of it."

Probably the best place to start (especially if you have a lot of time to waste) is at the beginning. Particularly funny is the semi-serious disclaimer about how authors Chris and Chris actually love hip-hop and the jest is all in good fun. "Guys, mockery is the greatest form of flattery! Don't shoot us!" One of the reasons it's so fun is that you can be listening to almost any rap song at any time and immediately think of a great post idea for these guys. Luckily, they've tackled some of the most egregious lyrics, but you can always email them to suggest something. Chances are low they'll put it up, but you never know until you try! Until then, enjoy the bad language, worse analogies, and truly horrific grammar.

Craig Finn to Help Write Screenplay? Stay Positive...

Chuck Klosterman may be the most influential non-fiction writer about music in the current era. Craig Finn, lead singer of The Hold Steady, writes incredible albums with common themes, characters, and references to John Berryman. And Tom Ruprecht, uh... well he's a Letterman writer. Ruprecht and Finn recently acquired the rights to Klosterman's Fargo Rock City and are in the process of co-writing a film adaptation of the 2001 book (with help from Klosterman). Ruprecht's admits that while the book may focus on heavy metal, the writers see the film as more of "a universal story of dorky kids trying to be cool." So basically, any teenage/early adult comedy you've ever seen. That description doesn't instill confidence, but since they're still looking for financing, it'll be a long time until any of this shows up in theaters. Still, the thought of Finn collaborating with Klosterman is intriguing. Keeping an open mind...

via [Stereogum]

Lil' Wayne in NY Court and...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New Music Tuesday... on Wednesday

So it's a day late, but here a few new tracks to get you through the middle-of-the-week blues:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)"
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been remixed to death following the release of their excellent It's Blitz! earlier this year. A-Trak's reimagining of YYY's "Heads Will Roll" takes the synth-heavy rock and transforms it into a dancefloor-ready banger.

Alex Metric - "Shirley You Can't Be Serious?"
I have no context for who Alex Metric is, but I understand he makes dance music. I also understand that he appreciates Airplane!, and titling a song "Shirley You Can't Be Serious?" is enough to get me on the hook. It also helps that the song is pure mania.

Finally, the Song of the Day today is by Princeton, which is obviously neither Art Brut nor Dirty Projectors (like we promised on Monday). The reason for this is two-fold: first, they opened for Art Brut last night and were a big reason why the show was surprisingly great (review is forthcoming) and second, our friend Ira turned 26 today, and he went to Princeton. "Show Some Love When Your Man Gets Home" was excellent in concert and elicited a laugh when they announced it. Between that and the welcomed, swelling horns, it's quite the lovely listen.

U2 To Rock YouTubes (nice, right?)

Yep, those ageless, Irish rockers are on their 360 Tour (sponsored by BlackBerry), and this Sunday's show from the Rose Bowl will be broadcast on YouTube. They're expecting over 96,000 people to fill up the stadium in Pasadena, so it should be pretty cool. Although it'll be a small miracle if YouTube can handle the traffic while also providing seamless streaming. If you're on the east coast, the show will START at 11:30pm (ugh), so make sure you have a pot of coffee on hand. Show highlights will undoubtedly include anything that isn't from their past few albums.

Getting Caught Up

There have been a few big things happening since last Friday, and instead of making a whole bunch of posts, we're compiling them into something neat and tidy. We rock.

• The Flaming Lips, in collaboration with a few other bands, will be covering Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd's eternal gift to stoners (it's at the end of the article). There's never been a less surprising story ever reported. This news dropped shortly after the Lips released their newest album, Embryonic. Check it out!
• Completely batshit crazy, Spike Jonze-directed (NSFWish) short film "We Were Once a Fairytale" starring a drunk Kanye West and his 808s and Heartbreak track "See You In My Nightmares." It's mesmerizing, especially given the quick pace of his self-destruction between when it was supposed to be released (September) and now.
• Nobody takes a Lil' Wayne release date seriously, but Cash Money is saying that Weezy's Tha Carter IV will be out December 15th. It's the perfect complement to other items on your Christmas list, like a chalice of syrup and baby diapers.

So I guess those aren't necessarily "big" things, but good to know, nonetheless.

AOTW: Franz Ferdinand - "Franz Ferdinand"

It's hard to believe that Franz Ferdinand's debut, self-titled album came out in 2004. It's been five long years since "Take Me Out" made its slow and steady way onto the Billboard charts and maintained a solid presence for the majority of the year. While that single may be once of the best of the decade (and it hasn't lost any of it's power), what makes Franz Ferdinand so great is its full realization as an album. As "Jacqueline" begins and Alexander Kapranos' too-smooth vocals lie atop a barely audible acoustic guitar strum, you wonder for a moment what kind of album this is going to be. Then the bass roars to life, snare hits accompany the oncoming burst of electric guitar, and Kapranos is belting out how "it's always better on holiday!" And you have your answer.

There isn't a bad track on the album, and if you're looking for dance-punk-disco-funk, you won't do any better than Franz Ferdinand. The band utilizes perfectly clean stabs of guitar and capitalizes on the negative space in between while simultaneously sounding big. For all the stadiumesque Britpop bands that shared release dates with Franz Ferdinand, most sounded too serious and few sounded as fun.

PS. All our "Song of the Day" entries this week will be either Dirty Projectors or Art Brut in honor of their Atlanta concerts this week. Art Brut is tomorrow at the Earl and Dirty Projectors are Saturday at the Masquerade. Check them out if you can!