Just checking in.

I hope everyone had a good 2007. I moved closer to family, found out I'm going to be a dad, and started a great job-- pretty sweet all around. Of course, I miss having the free time to post on my music blog, so I thought I'd pop in and post some iTunes links to stuff I've been loving lately. Take care...

My favorite albums of 2007:

1. The National: Boxer

2. Tegan and Sara: The Con

3. Bloc Party: A Weekend in the City

4. Arcade Fire: Neon Bible

5. Modeselektor: Happy Birthday!

6. Bruce Springsteen: Magic

7. dibidim: Riders

8. M.I.A.: Kala

9. The Pipettes: We Are the Pipettes

10. Missy Higgins: On A Clear Night

11. Liars: Liars

12. Noisettes: What's the Time, Mr. Wolf?

13. Bonde do Role: With Lasers

14. Deerhoof: Friend Opportunity

15. Apparat: Walls

Favorite Song of 2007:

Unkle featuring Josh Homme: Restless

Favorite Music Video of 2007:

The Pipettes: Pull Shapes

Goodbye of the Week

I've been on the fence the last few months, but to be truthful this was meant to be a short-term hobby, a time-wasting distraction from my failure in grad school. It has come to mean a bit more to me than that, but this month we're moving out of Memphis, and I've decided to move onto other projects. But I have enjoyed writing about my favorite CDs -- I hope you've picked up at least one of them -- and I will continue to enjoy music and laughs with the friends I have met through Blogger the last year and a half.

Take care,
GREG

P.S. I was running short on albums I really wanted to talk about anyway. As of two weeks ago, my list of choices looked like this...

Aesop Rock: Bazooka Tooth (Definite Jux 2003)

Aquanote: The Pearl (Naked Music 2002)
Bad Religion: The Grey Race (Atlantic 1996)
Andrew Bird: Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum 2007)

Sarah Blasko: The Overture & the Underscore (Low Altitude 2005)

Blue States: Nothing Changes Under the Sun (ESL 2001)
Kasey Chambers: Wayward Angel (Warner Bros 2004)
dibidim: Riders (Protest 2006)


Editors: An End Has a Start (Kitchenware 2007)

Elbow: Cast of Thousands (V2 2004)
Justice: Cross (Ed Banger 2007)
Lil' Kim: Hard Core (Big Beat 1997)
The Main Drag: Yours As Fast As Mine (RPL 2007)

Mexican Institute of Sound: Pinata (Nacional 2007)

M.I.A.: Kala (XL 2007)
Owen: Owen (Polyvinyl 2001)
Pulp: This Is Hardcore (UMG 1998)


Radiohead: Kid A (Capitol 2000)

Robert Randolph & the Family Band: Unclassified (Warner Bros 2003)
Son Volt: Okemah and the Melody of Riot (Transmit Sound 2005)
The Soundtrack of Our Lives: Behind the Music (Republic 2002)


The Sundays: Static & Silence (DGC 1996)

Luke Temple: Snowbeat (Mill Pond 2007)
The Wannadies: Bagsy Me (Indolent 1996)


P.P.S. Go visit Forgotten Disc Friday and indie christoph, my two favorite music blogs. As long as they don't give up too, all will still be right in the world.

Big Calm of the Week

The Dears: Gang of Losers (Arts & Crafts 2006)

In a similar vein as Blur and Elbow, The Dears put together staggeringly beautiful songs that are peaceful yet complicated. Not that "Gang of Losers" is extraordinarily soft-spoken, but it's a piece of work that calms as it expands. The occasional snyth beat or grungy guitar riff simply adds a little texture to the group's previously proven orchestration skills. If you listen without digging too deep, you'll float along. Peel off a layer or two, and the effect will be stronger and more personal. When Lightburn hits his marks on songs like "Hate Then Love," "There Goes My Outfit," and "You and I Are a Gang of Losers," you may start weeping and might not be able to stop. "Gang of Losers" is so human that it breathes. [iTunes]

Quantum Leap of the Week

Les Rythmes Digitales: Darkdancer (Astralwerks 1999)

The primary objective of 80's retro acts is to make fresh dance music that sounds so authentic that the fun, the love, the sex, and the horrible fashion that decade embodied rushes over the listener. Even if you didn't really care for the 80's, groups like Chromeo, Felix da Housecat, and dibidim make you forget about that for a few minutes and just enjoy yourself. I say "a few minutes" because the act often tires quickly and all you're left to fall back on, like in so many other genres, is the quality of the songwriting. Les Rythmes Digitales' "Darkdancer" is the most consistently pleasurable collection I have come across in my modest investigation. "Dreamin'" sounds like a cut from a John Hughes soundtrack, "What's That Sound" is ready-made for breakdancing, "Take A Little Time" reeks of Aqua Net, and "Sometimes" just might be the greatest 80's song ever that wasn't made in the 80's. LRD accomplishes in one sweet hour what it took years of shame to experience. [iTunes]

New Model of the Week

Folk Implosion: The New Folk Implosion (iMusic 2003)

Although I thought their stuff fit well with the movie "Kids," I was never a big fan of the original incarnation and direction of Folk Implosion, which is why I was initially suspicious and then quickly ecstatic when I came across "The New Folk Implosion." Low and behold, the group's new sound is completely different-- from low-fi to indie rock, from samples to guitars, from talk-singing to actual singing! As far as I'm concerned, these guys shouldn't be known for "Natural One," they should be known for the straightforward rocker "Brand of Skin," the sweet accoustic "Pearl," or the (gasp!) radio-friendly "Leaving It Up To Me." Unfortunately the new model didn't stimulate the market, and the new, better lineup broke apart in 2004. The old saying is "too little, too late." In this case it was just "too late." [iTunes]

Action-Adventure of the Week

The Aquabats!: Vs. the Floating Eye of Death! (Goldenvoice 1999)

Arguably the most entertaining live act in American music history, the Aquabats eject a hysteric energy that penetrates, stuns, and stupifies. Beyond their goofy personas they also make some pretty catchy music. The most thrilling of their action-packed adventures is depicted in their third album, which reflected a turning point musically for the group. Their themes and lyrical content had always been charmingly silly, but here they began to stray away from their ska past and enter odder, more eclectic territory. Examples include "Chemical Bomb," an uneasily humorous take on the apocalypse, "The Man With Glooey Hands," a heavier number about glue and Ronald Reagan, and "Tiny Pants," which sounds like an Elvis impersonator singing with dancing mice. People with little patience will struggle with this material, but others with an imagination and a sense of humor will gleefully submit. [iTunes]

MTA Pick of the Week

Susan Cagle: The Subway Recordings (Lefthook 2006)

It had all the elements of a disaster experienced so many times before -- a pretty girl singing cute little pop songs about love -- but three things keep "The Subway Recordings" well above ground. First, Susan Cagle actually has a beautiful singing voice that is clear without seeming forced. Second, her band has a great natural garage-live sound which is enhanced by her choice of recording studio: Times Square Station during rush hour. And third, all ten songs are so beautifully written and executed that if any of them ever made the airwaves they'd probably raise the standards. In this condition, Cagle has made a perfectly unique, perfect pop album. In the alternative, mainstream condition, she could easily become another card in the deck. Here's hoping that never happens. [iTunes]

Revival of the Week

The Willowz: Chautauqua (Dim Mak 2007)

As of right now, "Chautauqua" feels like a missed opportunity. Not on the band's part, but on mine. Don't get me wrong-- it's great and that's why I'm recommending it, but I wasn't raised during or around the 60's, I have never experienced the west coast, and I really don't remember ever witnessing a great, raw, live show, so the Willowz' music brings back no fond memories of anything, although it feels like it should. From laid-back grassroots (e.g., "Jubilee" and "Big Knob") to more visceral, heavier-hitting rock (e.g., "Nobody" and "Warship"), there is certainly plenty to enjoy, yet there's an instant age to this album that takes age to appreciate. I could love this album even more than I do, but I can't, and that bothers me. As unchallenging as it really is, "Chautauqua" challenges me to go out there and experience more of what life has to offer. It's a "revival" in more ways than one. [iTunes]

New Hope of the Week

theSTART: Ciao, Baby (Metropolis 2007)

I now feel about theSTART the same way I felt about Bis five years ago: "well, this really is not usually my thing, but hey, these guys pull it off!" It was as if I had already discounted them by association, but then the lack of cheesy beats, childish lyrics, and a pompous attitude caught me happily by surprise. In other words, what makes "Ciao, Baby" different than most new wave is that they don't let the prospect of having fun or making a statement get in the way of writing good songs. They do it all and then some. A couple tracks admittedly lean toward the norm, but the rest take full advantage of the duo's improved craft and edgier rock sound. Examples include the feverish dance punk of "Runaway," the old-school new wave feel of "Surrender," and "Fix," the best song this summer that unfortunately most people will never hear. "Ciao, Baby" is evidence that there is indeed new hope in new wave. It really needed it. [iTunes]

Writer's Block of the Week

The National: Boxer (Beggars Banquet 2007)

What with work getting crazier, my wife's and my fertility issues continuing to delay our starting a family, and the prospect of another big move peeking over the horizon, chatting about music hasn't been a priority these last few weeks. This is interesting because the distractions crept up right around the time I picked up "Boxer," an album I have nothing but good feelings about, yet it's one I have great difficulty describing in plain words. I might not have been able to write about it even if I had wanted to! But yet there it's been through all those stressful moments, playing in the background on the stereo in my office, in the car on the way home, and in my headphones as I'm pacing around frustrated because I haven't written anything in nearly a month. (I'm going though all my reserves!!) In a strange way, although the themes don't quite match, the group's stirring, thoughtful instrumentation and Matt Berninger's sombering vocals have gotten me through a pretty rough patch. Whether you feel a personal connection or not, the National's new album emits a quiet power that renders one speechless. Nothing else really needs to be said about it. [iTunes]

Fresh Cheese of the Week

Duncan Sheik: Daylight (Altantic 2002)

My generation often sticks up our noses at adult contemporary music, because much of it truly is too cheesy for its own good. I hope I'm not the only one who feels that Duncan Sheik is one of the exceptions, although his earlier success could sort of be partially blamed for the current proliferation of crap that I'm talking about. Sorry, back to the positive-- Sheik's finest hour so far has been "Daylight," the poppiest and arguably the fullest of his five albums. It's true that much of the material here doesn't challenge the listener as much as it just sweeps them off their feet, but that's really just Sheik's undeniable charm shining through. What's different between what we have here and what's on the radio is that each and every song on "Daylight" genuinely is good enough to listen to over and over without wear, while his peers' work becomes stale upon its second or third spin. Sheik's shelf life is nearly infinite. It's a shame that his career faces danger because of our generalization, but hopefully his songs will continue to stick out just enough to see the light of day. [iTunes]

Scary Thought of the Week

My Brightest Diamond: Bring Me The Workhorse (Asthmastic Kitty 2006)

For an uninterrupted eight years Björk held my title for Most Unique Female Vocalist, but her streak was swiftly theatened last year when Shara Worden and her band released their debut "Bring Me the Workhorse." On it Worden clearly illustrates her ability to fill any space with an eerie peace like a cloud of rolling smoke into a lowly lit room. You'll get chills when she hits her marks on songs like "Something of an End," "Disappear," and "The Good & The Bad Guy." In other random spots on the album she jolts the system with an odd energy like on "Freak Out" when she shrieks the chorus, or on "Workhorse," which ends the album with the darkest message and the poppiest beat. My Brightest Diamond is an interesting experiement where classical training and an indie sensibility are pushed together, and the result is certainly dark but it's equally beautiful. It's also just sharp enough to dethrone even the Queen of Oddity. All in all, it's a very scary thought. [iTunes]

Late Arrival of the Week

Saint Etienne: Good Humor (Sub Pop 1998)

I recently read that Saint Etienne was supposed to be our generation's ABBA. Too bad A*Teens beat them to it. Seriously though, there's an immediate classic/retro feeling to most of the indie dance trio's work-- not just the sound, but also the sweetness, the flair, and the humility. "Good Humor" is their "Arrival" only with a more overarching fun-in-the-sun vibe. In both the songwriting and execution categories, these 11 tracks present a warmth and maturity that they had never fully shown before. Just like their other albums, however, "Good Humor" suceeds in taking the listener to another place. If only it were a place more people visited. [iTunes]

True Rumors of the Week

The White Stripes: Icky Thump (Warner Bros 2007)

Everything that you've heard about the new White Stripes... believe it. Yes, it's their heaviest. Yes, the blues influences are thicker than ever. Yes, there's a horn section. Yes, there are bagpipes. Yes, it's more classic rock than classic rock. Yes. Yes. Yes. After what felt like the longest wait imaginable I can tell you that the rumors are all true. It's un-freaking-believable. [iTunes]

Amateur's Pick of the Week

Michael Penn: MP4 (Sony 2000)

In each music blogger's mind there is their own long list of obscure, talented acts that they feel all people who claim to love music should know and appreciate. My list is hardly obscure, but near the top of it is a man whose name I'm appalled more people don't know: Michael Penn. I'm not trying to be pretentious here, I just think the guy knows how to make a great song. He's Tom Petty a la Jon Brion, equal parts power and quirk. All five of his albums are worth checking out, but "MP4," his fourth, is probably the best place to start because it covers the most ground. Look, I'm no Pitchfork or Gorilla vs. Bear, but if I've led only a couple more people to Michael Penn's work, then I've done my job. Enjoy. [iTunes]

Wrong Section of the Week

Brisa Roché: The Chase (Blue Note 2005)

Although you'll find her in the jazz section, Brisa Roché and her debut "The Chase" are all over the place. This is a good thing. "Coco" and "Flying Too High" are as close to jazz as she gets, elsewhere "Dial Me Up" and "Helmet Ray" are sixties-era rock, "Dans Le Vert De Ses Yeux" and "Little Robot" are quintessentially French, "Torchlight" and "At the Shore" are eccentric orchestral pop, and "Baby Shut Your Eyes" and "Sugarfight" are calming lullabies. The whole package initially feels strange and foreign, but there's an ultimate warmth to it, and no matter what the backdrop Roché's vocals are delectable. If there were a "wholly entertaining" section in your local music shop, you'd find this under the R's. [iTunes]

Distractor of the Week

Beastie Boys: Hello Nasty (Capitol 1998)

The Summer of '98 was the final turning point in my long love-hate relationship with the Beasties. Maybe it was the wear of "Fight For Your Right," maybe it was because "Ill Communication" never clicked with me, or maybe it was because I've always felt their goofy personas were below their talent -- I don't know -- but I wasn't feeling them at the moment. An initial continuation of that vibe, the videos for their singles that year were cheeseball, yet the songs were something I wanted to take very seriously, each a fine balancing act between their two extremes: eclecticism and freneticism. While other albums have been praised for their supremecy in one of these extremes, "Hello Nasty" was the first one that sustained both at appropriate and therefore extremely entertaining levels. From "I Don't Know" to "Unite," from "Song for the Man" to "Putting Shame in Your Game," a lot of good ground is covered over these 22 tracks, so much so that it easily distracts from whatever you're doing. The fun that ensues is a pleasure and a relief. The Beastie Boys had grown up, and I've loved every single thing they've done since. [iTunes]

Short Ride of the Week

Clinic: Visitations (Domino 2007)

Mysterious, chilling, and beautiful, Clinic's work always provides an almost unexplainably unique ride for the listener like a musical Rorschach test. "Visitations" is arguably them at their sharpest and is definitely them at their most succinct. The aged feeling of their recordings, the through-gritted-teeth vocals, the punk variations, even the surgeon uniforms and masks-- their trademarks are all still here, but this time they manage to emit more with less. At just over 30 minutes, it's a brevity that penetrates, at the end of which there is a jarring silence that only select music fans will appreciate. Existentialism isn't for everyone, and neither is "Visitations." [iTunes]

Tidal Wave of the Week

Mew: Frengers (Sony 2003)

Some bands are perfect for eyes-closed, headphones-that-wrap-around-the-whole-ear enjoyment, and in this department the Danish group Mew can truly do no wrong. Their rock sound booms and vibrates like thunder, and the singer's vocals, while lofty and dreamy, attack like lightning bolts. Thanks to this and their sharp songwriting, all of Mew's releases are worth wearing out, although "Frengers" is their most powerful tidal wave to date. Each song is epic in its delivery, supporting their self-proclaimed title as "the world's only indie stadium band." I make it a point to see them live before I die, but until then I can just close my eyes and experience the closest thing. [iTunes]

Silly Goose of the Week

Maria Bamford: How To Win! (Stand Up 2007)

If you think that stand-up is all about rapid-fire punchlines and the element of surprise, then Maria Bamford would be considered an overall good comedian. If you're like me and you feel that quality stand-up is a little more than that, then Bamford could easily be called one of the finest comediennes of our time. There's substance and depth to what she brings to the stage. You're just not going to laugh at every funny thing she says in "How To Win" the first time you listen to it. Many spins over, each time you put it in you'll laugh at other things you didn't catch before, and if you don't pay attention, it's just going to seem like some annoying chick that does funny voices. It's much more than that. It's stand-up that makes you think and then laugh-- the ultimate comedy experience. [iTunes]

Instrumental Release of the Week

Ratatat: Classics (XL 2006)

As if the line between rock and electronica wasn't hard enough to read, Ratatat smears it a little more. Their sophomore LP was the instrumental release of 2006, and I mean that in two ways. First, the more obvious: there are no vocals that stand in the way between the listener and the duo's punchy, guitar-laden beats. Dissonant for some but definitely the right choice, since vocals would have distracted from the beauty within these ten songs. Second: "Classics" not only stands well on its own; it makes a contribution. They may be harking back to Nintendo soundtracks and classic rock riffs, but like scientists they're pushing things forward. I'm not sure if they were being facetious when they titled this one, but they were right. You'll see. [iTunes]

Ladies' Man of the Week

Ol' Dirty Bastard: N***a Please (Elektra 1999)

When he was alive he was the most colorful member of Wu-Tang with his trademark slur and the swagger of a man on the verge of snapping. Thankfully when he did someone was recording, because "N***a Please," his second and most experimental release, is stupefyingly genius. Over a thick layer of beats provided by the RZA, the Neptunes, et al, O.D.B. grabs your attention by the throat and doesn't let go until you're gasping. Seemlingly-freestyle lyrics like "I don't have no trouble with you f***ing me, but I have a little problem with you not f***ing me" and "B***h you obey me, you better not betray me, be calling no cops, saying this is his baby" are shocking yet strangely charming, even when they're dropped off beat. I probably shouldn't like this, but I just can't help it. It's his maddening tour de force. [iTunes]

Hall of Famers of the Week

R.E.M.: Reveal (Warner Bros 2001)

They may have been one of this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, but the R.E.M. I grew up with kept the rocking at a modest level. Take "Reveal," for instance, which moves a lot more than it rocks. Each song sweeps through with a different kind of power. There are no loud guitars or percussion on "Disappear" or "Beat a Drum," just sweet, stirring pop. There are no shout-like vocals on "I've Been High" or "Saturn Return," just Stipe's touching delivery. Placed together it forms an album calm enough for an evening under the stars, but if you listen carefully enough, it's one that can bring you to tears. Rock and roll isn't just about headbanging, it's about creating an experience. This is why "Reveal" is a rock and roll record, and this is why R.E.M.'s placement in the Hall of Fame is so richly deserved. [iTunes]

100 albums and counting...

The Best of What Greg Likes Volume Three, an adequate summary of the best albums mentioned on this blog since December, is now available on iTunes for your enjoyment/judgement. It includes songs from 18 of the following:

Absolute Beginner: Bambule
Federico Aubele: Gran Hotel Buenos Aires
Baby Chaos: Love Your Self Abuse
Basement Jaxx: Kish Kash
Beck: Midnite Vultures
Miri Ben-Ari: The Hip-Hop Violinist
Björk: Volta
!!!: Myth Takes
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Some Loud Thunder
Daft Punk: Discovery
Felix da Housecat: Devon Dazzle & the Neon Fever
Imogen Heap: Speak For Yourself
House of Heroes: Say No More
Miranda Lambert: Kerosene
Marilyn Manson: Mechanical Animals
Margot & the Nuclear So and So's: The Dust of Retreat
Men, Women & Children: Men, Women & Children
The Murder City Devils: In Name and Blood
The Noisettes: What's the Time Mr. Wolf
Pernice Brothers: Yours, Mine & Ours
Madeleine Peyroux: Careless Love
Liz Phair: Liz Phair
The Raconteurs: Broken Boy Soldiers
Rainer Maria: Long Knives Drawn
The Rentals: Seven More Minutes
Kate Rusby: The Girl Who Couldn't Fly
The Silent Years: The Silent Years
Silversun Pickups: Carnavas
Snowden: Anti-Anti
Spank Rock: YoYoYoYoYo
The Stills: Logic Will Break Your Heart
Amy Winehouse: Back To Black
Neil Young: Silver & Gold
The Zutons: Who Killed...... the Zutons?

Volumes One and Two are still available and need your support. For a free alternative, check out my Pandora station-- I don't technically pick those songs, though.

Thanks for reading. Hey, what are your favorite albums?

Renewed Membership of the Week

Björk: Volta (Atlantic 2007)

It's hard to shake a fan base like Björk's, although it's not like she hasn't been trying. "Medulla" was almost too weird for me, a long-time member of the Bjork fan club. Given that admitted bias, her new album "Volta" not only brings things back above sea level, but it presents an adventure that even normal people may enjoy. Her one-of-a-kind style still shines throughout, but here she covers a broader terrain: "Innocence" is downright dancable and "Declare Independence" is a digital punk workout, while "The Dull Flame of Desire" is chilling and "Pneumonia" is sweeping and sweet. In a way, it's a look of the many places she has been and the many places she plans on taking us. It's Björk past, present, and future, and it's most certainly worth the $10-12 membership fee. [iTunes]

Country Gem of the Week

Neil Young: Silver & Gold (Reprise 2000)

I'm certainly no expert, having only started investigating his work when I was in college, but for me, the delicate, sweet "Silver & Gold" is the prettiest gem in the Neil Young mine. Listening to it is like taking a 40-minute drive down a dirt country road-- something that probably takes age to appreciate, but something that brings an instant peace. The understated country paints a beautiful, small-town landscape, and the lyrics read like stories from a wise, old man. Young's weary vocals match the picture perfectly. I was born the year Young wrote the title track of this album, but thankfully it took him 18 years to find nine other songs that fit. If it hadn't, it wouldn't have touched me when it came out, and it wouldn't still touch me as much today. [iTunes]

Sellout of the Week

Liz Phair: Liz Phair (Capital 2003)

I still don't fully understand the Liz Phair backlash that resulted from her self-titled LP. After years of semi-obscurity, she decided to bring in some bigger names, and instead of it hurting her craft, it only enhanced. Sure, songs like "Extrodinary," "Take A Look," and "Favorite" are straight-up pop songs, but they're still great songs, and her vocals have never sounded better. And even though each producer's influence is noticeable, packaged together the individual tracks make up Phair's most consistently good album. On one track she jests that "you don't even know who Liz Phair is," and she was right then. Today it's a different story, and this excellent album made that happen. Any fan who doesn't like that really shouldn't be calling themselves a fan. [iTunes]

Left Field of the Week

!!!: Myth Takes (Warp 2007)

Ask for something different and ye shall receive. One part punk, one part disco, and one part funk, !!! are as different as it gets. As if the base weren't crazy enough, on their third album "Myth Takes" they go tribal (e.g., the title track), attempt rap ("Must Be the Moon"), and add a brass section ("Break in Case of Anything") with staggeringly brilliant results. It could be described as the perfect dance record, but beyond the surface there's no comparing this succesfully to any other dance record. Even on the indie scene it's rare for something this original to break though. There's much more good to that than bad, so if you can learn how to pronounce their name for the clerk at the counter, you'll be thankful you gave this a chance. [iTunes]

Opening Act of the Week

The Noisettes: What's the Time Mr. Wolf (Umvd 2007)

These days they open for bands like Babyshambles and Bloc Party, but soon enough there won't be a marquee large enough for "The Noisettes" to fit. Their official classification is post-punk revival, but like their distant cousins Wolfmother, the trio is just a raw-to-the-bone rock group whose studio work sounds intensely live. I'm sitting here listening to their debut right now, and I'm sweating bullets. The pulsing rock sound behind songs like "Scratch Your Name," "Bridge To Canada," and "Nothing To Dread" would be reason enough to pick this up, but Shingai Shoniwa's vocals take things to the next stratosphere-- half venom, half honey. If "What's the Time Mr. Wolf" is any indication, the Noisettes are officially the toughest act to follow. [iTunes]

Dicker Hammer of the Week

Absolute Beginner: Bambule (Umvd 1998)

No need to really explain why German rap hasn't made its way to the States beyond basic ethnocentrism. I'm no expert, but theirs seems quite similar to our own brand of hip-hop, particularly the fine line between shtick and arrogance. The only exception I've come across on die deutsche Seite is Beginner (formerly Absolute Beginner), a trio from Hamburg with heavy beats and street-level rhymes. Even during the initial listen of "Bambule," you realize that it doesn't exactly matter what they're saying. Heat transcends language. That said, "Hammerhart," "Füchse," and "Geht Was" could have easily been stateside hits had they been delivered in English, and the other songs aren't too shabby either. On its own, it's a ride most Americans won't accidentally experience. Even at import prices, the ride is worth it. [Amazon.de]

Supreme Extreme of the Week

Beck: Midnite Vultures (DGC 1999)

One of my all-time favorite artists, Beck performs best when he's at either extreme. When he plays it serious on "Sea Change," he can bring you to tears, but "Midnite Vultures" is the polar opposite: fun, sexy, and nothing short of complete insanity. The retro-funk base of each track is counterbalanced with loopy, space effects and moon-bound lyrics. On one song he moans, "I'll feed you fruit that don't exist; I'll leave graffiti where you've never been kissed; I'll do your laundry, massage your soul; I'll turn you over to the highway patrol." On another he slurs, "Sex in the halls, Niagra Falls; local shopping malls receive anonymous calls; hot like a cheeta, neon mamacita; eat at tacoria, pop lockin' beats from Korea." It's Beck at his dirtiest, craziest, and most brilliant. When we grow old and the next wave of musicians crest through, Beck should be remembered for his infinite versatality, but if people end up overlooking that, they better at least think he was a lot of fun. [iTunes]

Lame Review of the Week

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Some Loud Thunder (CYHSY 2007)

Talk about great music. "Some Loud Thunder," the second self-released LP from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, is a great album. I could listen to it over and over again. It's so great that it puts the "great" in "great CD." ...Sorry, this is the best I can do. When I bought it in January, I couldn't get enough of it. It's just so different from everything else that it immediately catches your attention. I've been tearing my place apart trying to find it -- I lost it a few weeks after I bought it -- but from what I remember, it's definitely worth checking out, perhaps even worth a repurchase. [iTunes]

Lone Star of the Week

Miranda Lambert: Kerosene (Epic 2005)

She may not have won on "Nashville Star," but Miranda Lambert is the only contestant so far to make anything worth notice. On her debut album "Kerosene," she delivers a fine set of biting yet lighthearted songs she mostly wrote herself. She starts with the sass ("What About Georgia" and the title track), then shows off those Southern pipes ("Greyhound Bound for Nowhere" and "Bring Me Down"), and saves most of the reminiscence for the end ("Mama, I'm Alright" and "Love Your Memory"). Of course it's country, so with the sweet comes the hackneyed, like the bullfrog percussion of "Me & Charlie Talking" or the painfully cheesy chorus of "I Wanna Die." She gets a pass, though, since she's one of the few performers to emerge from reality television with their own style, talent, and dignity still intact. Only one album down, she's no longer Miranda Lambert from "that show." She's just Miranda Lambert. [iTunes]

Flashback of the Week

The Murder City Devils: In Name and Blood (Sub Pop 2000)

A great thing about the people I hung around in school was that they each had their own strange taste in music which infused an array of flavors into my own taste. In a small hometown like mine, you don't come across a group like the Murder City Devils, for instance, by accident. You have to be looking for something different. "In Name and Blood," best described as a dark garage punk murder mystery, is a perfect example of an amazing thing I never would have known about if it hadn't been for my friends. From Moody's Danzig-esque shout-vocals to the creepy Farfisa organ, it sends instant chills, yet in a weird way I can't help but smile when I listen to it. It's the sound of madness, but it's also the sound of a fruitful, meaningful friendship. [iTunes]

Crash Course of the Week

Basement Jaxx: Kish Kash (XL 2003)

Now that "Queer Eye" is cancelled, I can finally go back to enjoying "Good Luck" and the ten other thumping dance tracks on Basement Jaxx's third LP "Kish Kash." More intense and stimulating than their earlier stuff, this album is a 50-minute course in advanced collaboration. Appearances from Meshell Ndegeocello, Dizzee Rascal, and J.C. Chasez, talented as they are, could have easily worked against the duo's house-heavy effects. Instead they were blown to their full potential with each party's unique temperament shining through, resulting in an overall impressive variety. Even the companionless tracks have their own personality, so if you're majoring in electronic music, "Kish Kash" is the textbook example of talent and fun. [iTunes]

Love Letter of the Week

Pernice Brothers: Yours, Mine & Ours (Ashmont 2003)

Love is a universal theme to almost all rock music, yet Joe Pernice is one of the few people out there who can fully transmit the concept onto tape. When this man sings it's as if you can hear him bleed. In his delivery there is sweetness, passion, hope, and buoyancy with just a hint of caution, like he's bracing himself for a storm that he knows is coming. His message (thoughtful, intelligent lyrics) and his accompaniment (charming guitar rock) are just as beautiful, and the harmonies and memorable choruses don't hurt either. Instead of simply namedropping love, Pernice's work breathes it, and with this and his band's other albums, you can be smitten and tap your toes at the same time. [iTunes]

Soulful Shocker of the Week

Amy Winehouse: Back To Black (Universal Republic 2007)

There's impressive, and then there's jaw-dropping. "Back To Black" is the year's first jawbreaker. The fact that a voice this soulful is coming from the mouth of a 23-year-old white English chick is insane enough, but the whole package is instantly untouchable, superior against anything female R&B has offered since the 60's. It's clearly that original sound she wishes to summon, and the results are dead on, as if the music was lifted straight from old recordings. Meanwhile, the songwriter's subject matter adds a dark layer of reality that is unapologetically current. If you don't say "wow" when you first listen to this, then there's seriously something wrong with you, and if Amy Winehouse isn't a household name by this time next year, then there's something seriously wrong with this country. [iTunes]

Patience Test of the Week

Snowden: Anti-Anti (Jade Tree 2006)

Outside of maybe "Return To Cookie Mountain," Snowden's "Anti-Anti" was the album of 2006 that needed the most time to grow on me. By the chorus of the fourth track, when Jordan Jeffares drones "I'm losing patience," you're liable to agree with him and throw your stereo out the window. But patience here will be rewarded, as it's not that their music lacks quality. It's just that it initially seems very off-center, something that only a few more listens will fix. By then, you'll appreciate every intricate, dark detail of even the album's most challenging material. In fact, you may even dance. It's a low-fi fireworks show, and 10,000 listens later, it just keeps getting better. [iTunes]