Autumn Souvenir

The caucuses are in three days and I'm terrified that John Edwards won't win. That is all for tonight. Happiest of new years.

An independent run by Bloomberg is looking more and more possible. If Edwards isn't the democratic nominee, there's a very good chance that I'd cast my vote for Bloomberg. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/us/politics/31bloomberg.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Yes, I've posted my Best of List, but time has told me that there were only two near perfect records released this year. These are records that could compete for a Top 20 All-Time spot.

Not a whole lot going on as the year comes to a close. I spent the past four days visiting family in Baltimore - great, great time. I'm now back in SF and working through the last stage of my first cold/flu in about two years. I barely listened to any music over the four days in Baltimore, which was odd. I tried to spend most of my time chatting with my mom, stepfather and the rest of the family out there. It was quite nice. I've made two quick resolutions for 2008: 1) Read two books per month. I realize that 24 books in a year isn't a whole lot, but I've probably been averaging about 5-8 a year the past few years and 2) drop ten lbs. There are a slew of movies that I want to see before returning to work on Wednesday: "There Will Be Blood", "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead", "Michael Clayton" and a few others. I'm feeling a bit listless right now, as I'm sure is evident in this writing. Back to "The Deer Hunter"....

I spent well over an hour on IMDB tonight just perusing lists and watching trailers. I later stumbled upon a complete list of the Best Pictures. Here they are dating back to 1965. If I've seen the film, I've provided my rating, on a ten-point scale. 2006 The Departed 8.8 2005 Crash 4.3 2004 Million Dollar Baby 7.2 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 8.8 2002 Chicago 2001 A Beautiful Mind 8.7 2000 Gladiator 1999 American Beauty 9.5 1998 Shakespeare In Love 1997 Titanic 6.4 1996 The English Patient 1995 Braveheart 7.9 1994 Forrest Gump 9.2 1993 Schindler's List 9.3 1992 Unforgiven 1991 The Silence of the Lambs 9.4 1990 Dances With Wolves 7.8 1989 Driving Miss Daisy 1988 Rain Man 8.7 1987 The Last Emperor 1986 Platoon 9.4 1985 Out of Africa 1984 Amadeus 1983 Terms of Endearment 10.0 1982 Gandhi 1981 Chariots of Fire 1980 Ordinary People 9.7 1979 Kramer vs. Kramer 9.0 1978 The Deer Hunter 1977 Annie Hall 9.2 1976 Rocky 9.5 1975 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest...

It's only the 23rd and this has already been one of the best Christmas' in recent memory. N and I had a classic day yesterday: exchanged some great great gifts, went out for a sensational dinner (courtesy of The Blouses) and watched about 22 episodes of "Extras". This morning we slept in. Ok, we slept in until I begged her to get up so we could get omelettes. We ran into C Muenz which was a nice surprise as I've been meaning to call him. I took the above photo while N and I were in Oregon a few months back. My big gift from N was a blown up version on a big piece of wood. It's one of the best gifts I've ever received. It's as much my creation as it is hers. Thank you, N. 2007 has been one of the most memorable years of my life. As those close to me know, I've been able to abandon some things and my will power has even surprised me. But as I said to N today, the reason that this has been such a fulfilling year has little to do with those accomplishm...

Unfortunately, I never made it to the Crocodile, but I know many who did and *loved* this place. Another sad farewell in the music business: Seattle's Crocodile Cafe closes By JOHN MARSHALL P-I REPORTER Crocodile Cafe, R.I.P. Saturday night, the Belltown club was packed once again for sets by Robin Pecknold, J. Tillman and David Bazan, with the usual "Croc" good times under way and the bar doing brisk business. Nothing suggested that those in the crowd were witnesses to the venerable music venue's last waltz. Owner Stephanie Dorgan, who could not be reached Monday, left voice mail messages with club employees Sunday telling them they should not report for work any longer -- the Crocodile Cafe has been closed because of financial difficulties. Eli Anderson, the club's current booker, was shocked when he received the brief voice mail from Dorgan on Sunday afternoon. As he said Monday: "We all knew the club has problems with money, but we certainly didn't th...

I'd like to endorse my candidate. Since I simply don't understand the right, I can only endorse a democratic candidate. After looking long and hard at all of the candidates, and watching almost every debate, I will be voting for: When this all got started, Edwards was my guy. And after about six months of paying close attention, he remains my choice. Barack Obama certainly moved up my list, but I still find him to be a bit inexperienced. And I don't mean that in terms of years of service, etc.; he just doesn't seem ready and his performances in the debates have proven this. I'm fairly certain that, if elected, Hillary Clinton would make a fine president, but she's just too immersed in the tank to get my support. I want something new. I want someone with passion. Someone who's fired up to turn this country around. Someone who's not afraid to stick to the issues that matter to him/her. Someone who sees the big picture and isn't afraid to speak up. And ...

My home state does good: (CNN) -- New Jersey lawmakers have voted to abolish the death penalty in the state, sending the governor a bill he has already said he will sign. The measure will make New Jersey the first state in more than 40 years to outlaw capital punishment. art.corzine.file.pool.jpg New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, in a file photo, has said he'll sign the bill abolishing the death penalty. The bill will make life in prison the most severe penalty for convicted murderers in the state, including the eight men currently on the state's death row. New Jersey has not put anyone to death since 1963, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. The state Assembly approved the measure 44-36 Thursday, following up Monday's 21-16 approval in the state Senate. A spokesman for Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine said the bill probably will be signed into law within a few days, after the exact text is reviewed closely. "The governor has said for quite some time that he supp...

It's released tomorrow. Rumor is that there will be former MVPs and Cy Young Award winners among the names. When all the names are released and many of us see some of our favorites on there, we must remember the real culprits in this fiasco: Bud Selig and Donald Fehr. Yes, the players who pumped this crap into their veins need to be held accountable, but we all must remember that Selig and Fehr knew that this was going on and turned a blind eye. They saw record revenues around the McGwire, Sosa and Bonds years and didn't want to reveal what was behind it all. Had Selig and Fehr blown the whistle earlier, many players wouldn't have felt compelled to join in. But when the commissioner and the union head say nothing, and more athletes turn to the juice, it's *somewhat* understandable that some players would pick up a needle in order to stay competitive. Bud Selig has done so much to tarnish this wonderful game. Tomorrow will be his lasting legacy.

I'm told that after 72 hours, nicotine has completely left the bloodstream, and things should get better. I'm about 90 minutes from 72 hours and things have NOT gotten any better. The past three days have been a mix of manic tirades, nausea (mostly day three), throat pain, severe irritability, unbelievable urges/cravings and overall, just an inability to sit still. Today I randomly did 25 push-ups in the middle of the workday just to take my mind off of smoking. I try to read yet I can't get past page three. I take baths but can't lay down for more than five minutes. I wake up in the middle of the night and stuff my face with whatever drink/food is within reach. It used to seem like no one smoked, now that I'm done, EVERYONE seems to smoke. I see a cigarette at every turn. It's taunting me. How do I defeat it? Every time I consider buckling, I think the following: 1) I've now been a smoker for 18 years! EIGHTEEN YEARS! This is no longer a hobby, 2) I think o...

Let's start with these chaps: Mitch Bainwol/RIAA Doug Morris/UMG Andy Lack/SonyBMG We'll get to the folks at LiveNation, Ticketmaster, EMI, WMG and elsewhere later on. But the three fellas above sure played a nice part in leading to the demise. A new era is upon us. The era of the artist.

I can vividly remember the first time I bought a pack of cigarettes. I was seventeen years old and I was driving on Route 17 in Paramus, NJ. I stopped at Exxon for gas and pondered the purchase. I figured I'd just buy one pack. I mean, I clearly wasn't going to get hooked after one pack. I thought and thought. And I made the purchase. Camel Lights. This was 1990. Today I quit. Last night I had my last smoke at about 1115pm. I quit once before for about seven months, but I started again. This time I am done. When I woke up this morning the stress was immediate. Oddly enough, I felt ok up until about 2pm. The past four hours have been pretty close to unbearable. The cravings come about every two minutes and they come with a fury. When I sit through them, I get dizzy, or I begin to sweat. I can't sit still. I just want to put an end to this desire. But I won't. RJ Reynolds can KISS MY ASS. You had a grip on me for 17 years but it's over. You will never see another penn...

It's pretty amazing how much one can mature in such a short period of time. I've made so many changes in my life over the past year that it even shocks me. The majority of them have clearly been positive moves, while others remain a bit hazy, meaning that I'm growing comfortable with them, but the end result is still a bit uncertain. I don't particularly know why, but 2007 has been a major year of reflection and internal discovery. It almost feels as if everything up to this point was practice. I've learned more about myself this year than I probably have all years prior combined. And through it all, so many things just seem better. Music has more of an impact. Friendships and family have taken on a new, much deeper, meaning. The things around me are much more visible. Things that I once essentially ignored, trees, the sky, the wind, now appear to be ever-present. Sometimes I feel as if I'm opening my eyes for the first time. Life just holds much more meaning. T...

It's astounding the mistakes that the majors continue to make. This bulletin was sent out by artist signed to Universal. Hey everyone...bad news. Due to circumstances beyond my control I have to swap the songs out on my page for 90 second versions instead of full length versions. In fact some of the songs have already been swapped as I write this. Every artist signed to a Universal label has to comply immediately. You can listen to full versions of some of my songs on my personal webpage www.ifidontsellamillionrecordsiwillbedropped.com (that site is obviously made up). I will make sure that the songs that were available here are available there as soon as possible. I apologize to everyone for the inconvenience especially those that use my songs for personal profiles. Hopefully the politics involved here gets worked out soon and we can return to full length songs as soon as possible. Thank you everyone for your continued support!!

I turned this on for one minute and the following is what I heard: Fred Thompson: "I think our #1 priority should be overturning Roe v. Wade". This should be the country's #1 PRIORITY?!?!? Who listens to this garbage and does not find such a statement completely absurd? I am turning this crap off right now.

and will be playing for the rest of the week: The Clash and everything related to Joe Strummer and Mick Jones. I just watched "The Future is Unwritten" and I plan on dedicating the next few days to Strummer's music. There's nothing I can say about Strummer that hasn't already been said, but man could this country/world use his presence right now. Where are the artists/writers who need to speak out about what's going on this world? I know of very few out there. Joe spoke loudly. And people gave a shit.

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/Story.aspx?StoryID=11918 For those too lazy to copy a link: JOSH RITTER'S CONQUESTS When I first heard Josh Ritter's new record The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter (released August 21 by Sony) I was left nearly speechless. It was the first record in probably a decade that nailed me at the core. It was part Bob Dylan circa Highway 61 Revisited, part Brian Wilson and part Nick Drake, yet it was completely fresh and original - sprawling, loud, angry, despondent, depressing, uplifting, heartfelt and just about every other emotion. I had the same feeling in my gut the first time I heard Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run and Richard Buckner's Devotion & Doubt. After a few months of absorbing this masterpiece, nothing has changed. Every time I listen, I find something new - an outstanding line, a startling musical progression. One song proves impossible not to sing while walking down the street, while another causes me to pause and ponder ...

Dear Governor Dean, I have been a long-time supporter of the Democratic Party (although only 34 years old), and despite my objections with the lackluster efforts since we took back Congress in 2006, I remain aligned with the Democrats. I quit my job in late 2003 to volunteer for the Kerry campaign (well before any of the primaries) and worked for his campaign (gratis) for about eight months. When my money ran out, I had to return to work. However, this election was too important for me to sit on the sidelines. Although I'm making this very simplistic, I firmly believe that if Senator Kerry took on the Swift Boaters he'd be in the White House right now. I digress. My reason for writing revolves around my grave concern about the upcoming presidential election. As I'm sure you're keenly aware, this is an absolutely critical election. Both 2000 and 2004 were extremely important to the future of this great nation, and we've all witnessed the horrific results of losing th...

I knew I jumped the gun when I posted my Top Ten of '07 before Thanksgiving. Over the past few days, I have absolutely fallen in love with Nathan Moore's "In His Own Worlds". Until last week, I had never heard a note by Moore. A good friend of mine had been pushing his music on me for weeks, but I was too caught up in Dylan, Joe Henry and, of course, Ritter. I finally got around to buying Moore's new record a few days ago. Floored. I'm still listening, but I would gather that this would probably be my #2 for the year, behind Ritter. It's that good. "So Close To Dreams" would also easily have made my 2007 Mix. Buy this record. It's available at CD Baby or eMusic. I went ahead and also bought "Sad Songs Make Me Happy". I will report on that one later. Thanks, Fred.

If I'm not bookmarked, you can now access my crap blog by simply typing in www.ccsbandwagon.com. I'm also going to spend some time making it look nicer or not nicer, depending on your taste. In the meantime, listen to Nathan Moore's new record.

Todd Haynes doing a Dylan biopic did not sound like a great idea to me. For one, I'm not a big fan of Haynes at all. Although critically adored, I thought "Far From Heaven" was absolutely dreadful. "Safe" was pretty good, but to my eyes, that was about all that he'd done worth anything. I suppose there are many angles and approaches to Dylan, but two of the greatest rock n' roll movies ever done were about him ("Don't Look Back" and "No Direction Home"). This only added to my feelings that this was likely going to be a bomb. Nope. This movie moved me on so many levels. First off, the music is fantastic, mixing Bob's recordings with new takes by many of today's most important artists. And then there were the stories. The Woody Guthrie/Dylan character was wonderful. The porch scene with little Bob, Richie Havens and another fella doing "Tombstone Blues" sent shivers up and down my spine. The scene with Bob doing ...

I'm doing this solely based on the data in iTunes. 07 - JOSH RITTER / THE HISTORICAL CONQUESTS OF JOSH RITTER 06 - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN / WE SHALL OVERCOME: THE SEEGER SESSIONS 05 - AIMEE MANN / THE FORGOTTEN ARM 04 - ARCADE FIRE / FUNERAL 03 - THE WRENS / THE MEADOWLANDS 02 - WILCO / YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT 01 - BOB DYLAN / LOVE & THEFT 00 - ELLIOTT SMITH / FIGURE 8 99 - WILCO / SUMMERTEETH 98 - SON VOLT / WIDE SWING TREMOLO 97 - RICHARD BUCKNER / DEVOTION & DOUBT 96 - WILCO / BEING THERE 95 - SON VOLT / TRACE 94 - JOHNNY CASH / AMERICAN RECORDINGS 93 - UNCLE TUPELO / ANODYNE 92 - JOE HENRY / SHORT MAN'S ROOM 91 - UNCLE TUPELO / STILL FEEL GONE 90 - YO LA TENGO / FAKEBOOK

It's early, but I'm ready to get this one out of the way. I've already shared my 2007 Mix and later I'll post a miscellaneous best of list, but let's get the best records out of the way. As always with my Best of Albums, this is subject to change the second that I publish it. 1 JOSH RITTER - THE HISTORICAL CONQUESTS OF JOSH RITTER 2 OKKERVIL RIVER - THE STAGE NAMES 3 JOE HENRY - CIVILIANS 4 WILCO - SKY BLUE SKY 5 THE ARCADE FIRE - NEON BIBLE 6 LIZ PAPPADEMAS - 11 SONGS 7 SOLAL - THE MOONSHINE SESSIONS 8 SCOTT MILLER & THE COMMONWEALTH - RECONSTRUCTION 9 MARK OLSON - THE SALVATION BLUES 10 JOSH ROUSE - COUNTRY MOUSE, CITY HOUSE Almost: The National/Boxer, Band of Horses/Cease To Begin, Explosions In the Sky/All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, Nathan Moore/In His Own Words, John Doe/A Year In the Wilderness, The Gourds/Noble Creatures, Flight of the Conchords/The Distant Future (EP), Elliott Smith/New Moon, Deerhoof/Friend Opportunity

Just as I say that I'm turning a corner, I stumble upon this: http://www.alternet.org/rights/68399/

I have recently made a pledge to myself to do my best to steer clear of all of things that bring me down. For example, watching ANY network news, getting frustrated over the corruption that is my insurance carrier (Blue Shield), the growing crime in my home city and countless other things. Tomorrow I will spend Thanksgiving here in SF with my girlfriend and a few close friends, and three cats. This may be corny, but I need to write down some of the things that I feel grateful for this past year. -Phone calls from my mother -Every time N laughs -My amazing friendships all over, but in the past year, the number of great friendships that have developed here in SF -Josh Ritter -My trip to Oregon a few months ago -Witnessing my sister and Thurm getting married (not to each other) -Boppa -Live music -My music collection -The New Yorker -The cows that I saw in some field in Oregon -All the times that N makes me smile -Thurm's trip out here -Causes -Slint & Daniel Johnston @ Bimbo'...

It's just endless. www.percyboyd.com

As always, my Best of 2007 mix contains 17 songs. This is the first installment of what will be many Best of lists for this year, including Top Ten Records, Best Shows and some other shit. "The Academy of Trust" / Solal "Freedom's a Stranger" / Scott Miller & The Commonwealth "John Allyn Smith Sails" / Okkervil River "Nice To Fit In" / Josh Rouse "Start a War" / The National "Window Blues" / Band of Horses "Mind's Eye" / Josh Ritter "Intervention" / The Arcade Fire "The Golden State" / John Doe "Our Song" / Joe Henry "Side With the Seeds" / Wilco "Loma Prieta" / Liz Pappademas "The Temptation of Adam" / Josh Ritter "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" / Spoon "Simple Twist of Fate" / Jeff Tweedy "More Lights" / Georgie James "Great Atomic Power" / Charlie Louvin

I often mull where I'll move to next, if/when I decide to leave San Francisco. I don't see this happening any time soon as I've grown to like this city quite a bit, but I'm guessing that I'll feel the urge at some point. Maybe. Lately I've thought about some possibilities: Portland/OR, Spain, Iceland, New Zealand, Stockholm, Melbourne, Croatia, Vancouver. Tonight I stumbled upon Mercer Human Resource Consulting's list of the Top 100 Most Livable Cities "based on 39 key quality-of-life issues. They include political stability, currency-exchange regulations, political and media censorship, school quality, housing, the environment and public safety." Here's the Top 20: 1 Zurich, Switzerland 2 Geneva, Switzerland 3 Vancouver, Canada 4 Vienna, Austria 5 Auckland, New Zealand 6 Dusseldorf, Germany 7 Frankfurt, Germany 8 Munich, Germany 9 Bern, Switzerland 9 Sydney, Australia 11 Copenhagen, Denmark 12 Wellington, New Zealand 13 Amsterdam, The Netherla...

God is a Concept by which we measure our pain I'll say it again God is a Concept by which we measure our pain I don't believe in magic I don't believe in I-ching I don't believe in Bible I don't believe in Tarot I don't believe in Hitler I don't believe in Jesus I don't believe in Kennedy I don't believe in Buddha I don't believe in Mantra I don't believe in Gita I don't believe in Yoga I don't believe in Kings I don't believe in Elvis I don't believe in Zimmerman I don't believe in Beatles I just believe in me Yoko and me That's reality The dream is over What can I say? the Dream is Over Yesterday I was the Dreamweaver But now I'm reborn I was the Walrus But now I'm John and so dear friends you'll just have to carry on The Dream is over

My company just launched this new mix tape thing. See if you like the product, and more importantly, listen to my tunes.

The one area of Pitchfork that I still read is the Guest List section. Although I find some of their questions to be budget, I still like to read what some of my favorite artists are listening to, etc. I've invited myself to their Guest List. >>Favorite New Songs From the Past Year Josh Ritter "The Temptation of Adam". This songs sums up a lot of the emotions I've been feeling given the current administration. I mean, there's this message that love seems to override anything, even the eventual apocalypse. There's this notion that connecting with people is quite possibly the most important human activity that exists. Liz Pappademas "Loma Prieta". Absolutely stunning. The fear that takes hold of a child during a time of chaos, and that child's need for parental love and calming. Just beautiful. >>Favorite Older Songs at the Moment It's not that old, but Bonnie "Prince" Billy's "Hard Life" has been a favorite ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/arts/music/11leed.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=music I don't know enough about these deals to really comment, but I do have an immediate reaction (which could shift as I learn more about them). After years of feeling that the major labels have taken SERIOUS advantage of artists and their fans, I'm extremely skeptical of this new model. To combat my disdain for the majors, instead of focusing on buying my favorite bands' new recordings, I've tried to get my money direct to the artists. I have done this by going to shows, picking up a t-shirt at almost every show and trying to get my expendable "music cash" direct to the artists. With majors now looking to take increase artists' share of cd/digital sales (something they should have done decades ago), I find it somewhat deplorable that they're looking to milk the artists of their true direct revenue sources: live shows and merchandise. If this takes hold, and the ba...

This is what I want:

As any reader of my blog knows, I am extremely passionate about politics. I long to find leaders to believe in. I see faults in our presidential candidates and our current members of Congress, but I somehow stay engaged and try to believe. But lately I've come to realize that I'm running out of steam. Perhaps it's just a phase. I mean, it's somehow ingrained in me to fight for truth, justice, equality and understanding. I write government officials when I disagree with them. I've fought insurance companies but have almost always come out on the losing end. Corporate greed makes me ill, and I often write e-mails to the most corrupt corporations out there. But again, I feel like I'm running out of gas. Plain and simple, I'm becoming exhausted by the fight. No matter how hard I try, nothing seems to change. Sure, there are tiny wins, like when the dems took over the Congress in '06, but their pathetic tenure just furthers my desire to move towards apathy. I...

I can't say that I know their music that well, but this is pretty classic. In Jello Biafra we trust Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra has spent his career railing against the religious right and the idle rich. In the run up to the US election Tony Naylor hears his manifesto for change Saturday November 3, 2007 The Guardian Scan the potential US presidential candidates, both Republican and Democrat, and what do you see? Idiots, automatons, religious nutters, corporate lackeys, war mongers and, worst of all, career politicians. But there is an alternative: Jello Biafra, lead ranter of hardcore punks, the Dead Kennedys. The 49-year-old Biafra once stood for election as mayor of San Francisco - he came fourth out of 10 candidates, winning 3.5% of the vote, with a platform including a proposal to force all businessmen to wear clown suits to the office. Then, in 2000, he briefly ran for the US Green Party's presidential nomination. Article continues Since Dead Kennedys split in 1986,...

Those are the current numbers if these two win their respective nominations. A friend also told me that evidently 55% of married men in the US will not vote for Clinton under any conditions. Given the Bush presidency, how can the democrats have a 1% lead right now? The answer is simple: Hillary Clinton. Too many people in this country detest her and I don't see that changing. That said, Howard Dean needs to round up the troops and walk away from Clinton. Now! They can't afford to wait longer, continue to pour money into her campaign, and then let the floodgates open for the attacks. Remember her immigration waffling in last week's debate? The republicans are going to play that OVER AND OVER and we're going to see another John Kerry. Nearly all polls suggest that this country wants major change. Hillary Clinton is not the answer to that desire. I see two people that will handily take back the White House for the democrats: Al Gore or John Edwards. Since Gore has yet to e...

Once again, the democrats kick and scream and then cave. If you haven't heard, Chuck Schumer and Diane Feinstein voted Yes in the Senate Judiciary Committee in favor of Michael Mukasey as the next Attorney General. Yup, this is a guy who isn't sure if waterboarding is torture. With their votes, Mukasey is almost certain to become our next Attorney General, following the glowing legacies of Alberto Gonzales and John Ashcroft. I ask once again: Where is my party? Oh right, they've been gone for years. The excitement we felt when they took over the House and Senate in '06 has resulting in one disappointment after another. They should just come out and admit that they fear Bush. They're terrified of *really* taking him to task and this is downright laughable. I have a hard time calling myself a democrat anymore. And that's because the leaders of my "party" are not democrats.

I promised my buddy Bryan three mix cds for finishing up a big project at work. I finished up the first set tonight. Civil War - Joe Henry PCH One - Pernice Brothers Blame It On the Tetons - Josh Ritter Go Walking Down There - Chris Isaak No Regrets - The V-Roys More Troubles - Absentee The Golden State - John Doe There She Goes - The La's One of These Things First - Nick Drake We Dance - Pavement Oklahoma, USA - Yo La Tengo Start a War - The National Just Like a Woman - Bob Dylan Feel Free - Jay Farrar Grievances - Daniel Johnston Michigan - Josh Rouse Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks

Bob Dylan appearing in a Cadillac Escalade ad? This can't be Dylan. It just can't be. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/automobiles/04DYLAN.html/partner/rssnyt?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

With Al Gore seemingly out of this presidential race, after watching numerous debates and following the democratic field for some time now, I will now only be pleased if either John Edwards or Joseph Biden win the nomination and land in the White House. Both are longshots at this point, with Biden's chances being extremely slim at best, however, these are the only candidates that I have faith in. I watched Hillary and Barack last night and TRIED to believe in one of them, but they virtually did nothing for me. Once Hillary voted in favor of the Iran resolution, and then waffled endlessly about immigration last night, I've completely lost faith in her. Obama? There are things I like about him, but he's WAY too unseasoned. Most of his answers seem overly rehearsed, and when caught off-guard, he seems to just jump around in hopes of landing on a position. All told, I don't really understand the Obama hype. He hasn't impressed me at all. Anyone who knows me knows quite...

HBO remains the sole reason why I won't cancel cable. Ok, and maybe Animal Planet. I watched the first episode of "Tell Me You Love Me" about a month ago and found that the gratuitous sex scenes were a bit absurd. I liked the character development, but the over-the-top sex scenes seemed to be a cheap way try and lure in viewers. About a week later, I decided to give it one more shot. And now I'm hooked. I just finished watching episode 9 and I can barely wait for the season finale. This is the best show about the highs lows and in-betweens of relationships that I've seen in ages. As anyone who knows me knows, I am sucker for media with character development. Whether it be the writing of Paul Auster or Haruki Murakami, films such as "Ordinary People" or "You Can Count On Me, or the lyrics of Jeff Tweedy or Bruce Springsteen, I am always roped in by art that involves deep character analysis and development. "Tell Me You Love Me" is probably ...

As a lifelong Yankees fan, I am happy to see the A-Rod era end. His tenure with the Yankees was way too much of a distraction. There was so much focus on A-Rod and this hampered the Yankees' ability to create cohesive units as they did in the late 90s. Rodriguez never truly fit in in New York, and although he claimed to "love" New York, as has always been the case with Alex, it's about the money. The Yankees were willing to offer him approximately $27M per year, yet he wouldn't even meet with them to discuss. So long, A-Rod. Be prepared to be the most hated former-Yankee ever.

Ok, it's certainly not the worst...

There's no more need for discussion. Josh Ritter's "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter" is HANDS DOWN the best record released this year. Actually, I can't think of a better record since maybe Richard Buckner's "Devotion & Doubt" in 1997. This is Bob Dylan meets Springsteen meets The Beach Boys meets Josh Ritter. Lyrically, musically and spirit-wise, this is a remarkable piece of art. It's the first five-star record of the 2000s. "What's it take to make the time drop, all these kids who think they're quick on the draw"

How do these assholes get away with this? And the White House scolds them? Hilarious. I know I'm speaking the obvoius, but we need this administration to end NOW. NOW. NOW. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21490838/

Off of the top of my head, I can think of a few shows that really changed things for me. These were shows that brought rock n' roll or some emotion(s) into me and wouldn't let go. It's why music drives me. It's why music has always meant so much to me. There was Marah in '98, Apollo Sunshine at SXSW '05, Slobberbone at SXSW '99, Wilco at Irving Plaza '97 and of course, all of those Springsteen shows. Last night it happened again. I never really knew much about Josh Ritter until a friend kept pushing him on me. At first, "The Animal Years" didn't hit me that much. And with the plethora of music out there, for some reason, I didn't return that often. Then came "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter". Wow. This record has BLOWN ME AWAY. I hear early Springsteen, The Beach Boys, Highway 61 Dylan. Ritter's new record might be the best record I've heard in ten years. Last night I got to see him perform live for the first t...

I walk into the office this morning and lying on my desk is a vinyl copy of M.I.A.'s "Arular". I have no clue how this got here, but what a nice damn treat. I LOVE this record and have had a vinyl copy in my hand numerous times at Amoeba. Should I try and locate the sender (it wasn't even in a package), or just let the kind gesture by someone sit? Eh, who cares, I'm pumped.

THURS -I arrive at the airport to see N on line, but looking a bit tense (which she rarely looks). Turns out she forgot the dresses for the two weddings and will need to catch a quick cab home and return to the airport. We make the flight by about two minutes. -We arrive in Charleston and my suitcase doesn't follow. FRI -Still no suitcase. -Confession: Due to a major time constraint and ZERO clothes, I stopped into Wal-Mart. I bought packages of t-shirts, boxers, socks and pack of smokes for a grand total of $26. I still can't believe that I went to Wal-Mart. -Sister gets married. I see a lot of my father's side of the family but keep cautious distance. We had a fun time. It was great to meet my now brother-in-law who seems like a pretty class guy. -Still no suitcase. SAT -Negative on the suitcase (oh, the airline was US Air). -Drive from Myrtle Beach to Charleston to catch wedding #2. -Attend the wedding of a friend I've known since about the age of six. Wonderful wedd...

With a short trip on the horizon, I had to use up the rest of my eMusic tracks before the month's downloads expired. A nice little mix here: Various Artists - The Complete Stax, Volume 2, 1968-1971 Red House Painters - Red House Painters Otis Redding - Good To Me: Live at the Whiskey a Go Go, Volume 2 Echo and the Bunnymen - Siberia Scott Walker - And Who Shall Go.... 0 downloads remaining....until next month

I've now been on Last.fm for over two years. If you discount vinyl, cds in my car and cds on my cd player, the following are the artists I've listened to most (along with plays): Wilco 1,094 Bruce Springsteen 998 Josh Rouse 926 Bob Dylan 831 M. Ward 650 Richard Buckner 612 Okkervil River 594 Eels 574 Elliott Smith 548 Bonnie "Prince" Billy 539 Uncle Tupelo 512 Damien Jurado 483 Nick Drake 442 Josh Ritter 436 Spoon 423 Aimee Mann 389 Centro-matic 389 Neil Young 377 Son Volt 358 Iron & Wine 342

I disagree with a lot of what she has to say, but nonetheless: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2007/10/22/071022crmu_music_frerejones

Wow! From Bruce's fan site, backstreets.com: October 14 / Ottawa, ON / Scotiabank Place Notes: Four more tour premieres tonight, including "Tougher Than the Rest" (an audible, in the "Heartbreak"/"Brilliant" slot on the setlist) and "Backstreets." But when the spot-on debut of "Backstreets" isn't the big story of the night, you know something unusual happened. Yep, in the six-song encore, Bruce and the E Streeters were joined by members of Arcade Fire, husband-and-wife band co-founders Win Butler and Régine Chassagne. First up was "State Trooper," a song Arcade Fire has been known to cover, and which the E Street Band hasn't played live since the Born in the U.S.A. tour. After that, they all went into "Keep the Car Running," a hard-hitting track from Arcade Fire's magnificent Neon Bible. [Stream the album version here.] We're always hoping for more covers in the set, any chance this one stays in? ...

How often do we get to experience this? Whether it be with a girlfriend/boyfriend or something else, I'd say that it's pretty rare. Maybe it's a band or a movie, or perhaps your home or a vacation spot. How often do we find something that really captures us, buries itself within us and seems to touch our soul? I can only assume that for most, it doesn't happen often. And how many of us can say this for their JOB? Yes, a job. The majority of us work to pay the bills, to buy food, to provide shelter, but the actual job itself holds little personal meaning. But some of us get lucky. And I was one of those people. When I graduated college in 1996 I was considering but two career choices: 1) The music business or 2) pursuing a phD in Sociology. Due to financial constraints, I chose the former. It's been a good ride, but it took me about a decade to find the job that I'd waited for. I'd ALWAYS wanted to land in a role where I was working to help musicians and ind...