well what a year. I work, play or went to over 200 shows this year alone. That is nuts when I actually think about it. I didnt get to play out as much as I would like to this year but I did perform my 1st show in NYC at Pianos which was a highlight. I also scored some new toys. In the beginning of the year I got an acoustic/electric. Than I scored 2 delay pedals, a big muff distortion pedal, and a chorus pedal. My big pick up of the year was my xmas gift from jen my vox valentronix amp. sweet deal. Hopefully Ill be putting all this stuff to good use in the new year. Now onwards to listamania.

Top cds of 2007

1) Radiohead- In Rainbows- Finally!!!! This is the album Ive been dying for radiohead to make the past 10 years. Truth be told I didnt pay for the download of this album cause I felt radiohead owed me for some of their past albums. But the beauty in this new album is that it has renewed my love for the band and its old cds as well. The album is a perfect mix of the greatness of the bends and ok computer and with the quirkiness of kid a and amensica all mix up to sound nothing like the other albums. Good job boys. Now come back to philly and let me see you play the new stuff live.

2) Arcade Fire- Neon Bible- not as strong as funeral but after a few listens it sunk in and was overall a good album by the canucks. Highlights include No Cars Go, Keep the Car Running  and Windowsill.

3) Peter, Bjorn and John- Writer's Block- Techinically I think it came out in 2006, but I got it in 2007. Whatever. Of course I was sold with the band right away much like everyone else who like this band with the catchy single.."young folks". The lyrics and video were priceless. The album itself prove to have many gems as well. Personal faves include objects of my affection and up against the wall.

4) Nick Drake- Family Tree- though I owned a fair share of the songs on this collection via various bootlegs, the family release version proved to be a wise buy. The sound is much clearer. Its amazing to know how most of these songs were recorded before drakes 1st album. His playing is top notch. It baffles me, its like drake was born with the ability to play geetar from birth. His talent is unmatch in my book. The Far Leys instrumental blows my mind everytime I listen to it.

5) Tegan & Sara- The Con/Panda Bear- mix- Tegan and Sara is the postal service of 2007. Jesus christ is their album sugary sweet pop goodness. It wasnt a shocker to find out that dude from death cab/postal service produce such. But the panda bear mix and the tegan and sara album were uneven but with some outstanding tracks on both which raise them high on my list. The songs from Panda Bear that stood out to me reminded me of a stonier version of pet sounds. Its just walls and loops of sound coming from everywhere. T& S on the other hand just wrote some killer hooks with some fun lyrics that you can scream along to. My fave by T & S was 19.

6) 120 Days- 120 Days- band from Norway who play a nice kraut influence dance tuneage. Their single Come Out, Come Down was one of my favorite dance tunes of the year.

7) Deerhunter-Cyptograms- like 120 days I saw this band live this year and loved them. The cd is good but doesnt totally standout like their live show.

8) Sigur Ros- Heim/Hvarf- so why so low for sigur ros on a best of year list. Well the 1st half of the 2 disc is new unreleased songs while the 2nd disc is old songs done acoustic. I would have just prefer a whole new album. Oh well. Havent gotten a chance to listen to it much cause it wont work on my cd player at home only on my playstation. Crazy icelanders

9) Jose Gonzalez- In Our Nature- good album but the 1st one is so much better. Jose is a good player but he doesnt really shine through this album. I kinda feel the album was rush to be pushed out instead of waiting for the man to really work on some new material. Oh well. Teardrops although is a good cover it is a song I really didnt feel a need to be cover. The original is too good to mess with. Down the Line is my jam though.

10) Interpol- Our Love to Admire- Truth be told I didnt get to listen to this album much yet, but when I did try I wasnt all that impress. Its fair....but they seem stuck.

2007 best of show list
ok I went to over 200 shows this year so there is no way in hell I can give a top 10. No I broke it down this year to many highlights which I will write about. It was a stellar year this year...hell I even went to NYC like 4 times this year alone for shows. So onward we go the list this year is broken up into older acts, local acts, and newish acts.

best old acts of 2007 that I FINALLY got to see-
1) Pogues- Electric Factory- weeks prior to this show I kept threathing jen I was going walk home from this show drunk to hell in my boxers in the snow. Well the night arrived and boy did it snow and boy did I get my drunk on but luckily for jen and the rest of philadelphia my pants remained on. I must admit I was late for the whole pogues vibe...but I went to the show cause I was like now thats a band and spectacle I NEED to see live. Boy did it deliver. What also delivered from this night was a great new love and admiration for the pogues. I tend to avoid the hoop-la of st pattys day...but it was great to go see the pogues the night before such.

2) Stooges- Electric Factory- while working the tla this year some douche from the band !!! had the audacity to shit on the stooges reunion. It took all my energy not to beat the living shit out of him for his blasemphy and stupidity...cause you know what the fucking stooges reunion was excellent. Fuck iggy maybe pushing 60 but he rocked the house that night. It was a total double fist pumping...double fist drinking night and I loved everything about it. Even bam couldnt ruined the goodness of the stooges that night.

3) Lindsey Buckingham- TLA- whenever I think of fleetwood mac I think of me and my bro making fun of lindsey buckingham on the behind the music by saying....this was the woman I was in love with. anyhew he put on a fine show at the tla. I always thought he was a good geetar player and seeing him up close only confirmed such. Who knew he did holiday road?

4) Styx- Tweeter- Styx a band my pal gaz got me to love is a band I hadnt had the honor of seeing until this year. Sadly I had to work the show. The band was opening for def leppard and the show sold poorly and you were like man styx is going be piss and play like crap. The band came out and you would have thought they were playing a sold out madision square garden show. They brought the thunder. The real dud to my show experience was the fact some douches decided to get into a rumble during come sail away in which in return I got into a pushing match with a patron. Ruin the night for me and I havent been back to the tweeter since cause of such douches. Who fights during come sail away? bastards.

5) Damo Suzuki- Rotunda- I had tried two times before to see the lead singer of can, damo suzuki. The 1st time the show was cancel due to poor tix sales, second time he had visa issue. Well luck was on my side this evening cause damo made up for all the past blunders. Damo played with philly psych rockers bardo pond. I was told as I entered the building that damo wasnt feeling so hot so who wouldnt be playing long. The fucker sang ONE song....yes ONE song....but said song lasted 90 MINUTES. It was fucking nuts. Damo took the stage with a clean dry shirt and didnt finish till his shirt was drench in sweat. Words can barely describe what took place on stage. It was definitely a unique experience I was glad to be apart of. Its great cause radiohead is huge can fans and I wonder if they ever got to see damo I hope not.

6) Toots and Mayalls- TLA- what the hell....a reggae show made list. sure did fuckers. you know why? cause toots and the motherfucking mayalls rock your fucking ass. damn old fucker was great.

Best Local shows of 2007

1) Espers- best valentine days EVER!. I hate the idea of this day but R5 came to my rescue by having the espers play this frigging sweat art building for $1. Yes I bought two tickets for $2 and its not 1969. The art work at said building reminded me of the ewoks village from star wars. It was great. Me and jen had a blast. Two complaints though...I didnt get my pic with the hall and oates painting/statues...and NO pillows. I love the espers...but next time I see them Im bringing a pillow

2) A-Sides- I think I saw A-Sides 4 times this year. Not sure. The 1st time was great cause they were getting filmed at johnny brendas for action news and I chatted drunkenly with them backstage how cool it be if vernon odom introduce them. suprisingly when they played the tla the guys remembered me for such shennigans. The band is pretty solid. They write good songs and I love their geetar playing.

3) Cobbs- Cobbs is the latest version of Ty Cobb. Their drummer did my sound at one of my khyber shows. I thought they were great when they played the TLA. I totally saw why BRMC had them on the bill.

4) Mike Tumaburo- I get real excited when I find people who play in the style I play and tour. Mike is from Pittsburgh. I found him through the wonders of myspace. I saw him at a random house party on the 4th of july. It was good.

5) Illinois- its kinda apart of the Ty Cobb crew but in a new band. Good guys with a good sound.

Best Newish Band Shows of 2007

1) Arcade Fire- Tower- arcade fire had all the makings to be my new radiohead hatred. Let me explain. I have loved radiohead since creep but NEVER got to see them till like 2003. Which sucks dude to lack of money or knowing where places were....blah blah. Now lets face forward to arcade fire. 1st time through I remember they were playing with the unicorns who I dispised and was like pish Im not wasting money to see a band I dont know yet with a band I hate. 2nd time through they play the TLA....but its right around xmas and I have no money. Finally get xmas gifts and go to get ticket son of a bitch is sold out. so when they were announced to play the tower i KNEW I had to go. I scored 9th row seats from a pal from work. But got even more of a hook up cause I found out the band was allowing people to rush the stage...so me and jen ended up like 5ft away from the band. The show ruled. So glad to finally have seen them

2) Bjork- Radio City Music Hall- Holy Shit Ive been waiting like 13 years to see Bjork. Why cause she crazy and hot in my book. Anyhew I FINALLY achieved such this year. My pal hooked me up by getting me a ticket. Walking into radio city hall I felt like a million bucks. The venues bathroom alone is better than 99% of the venues Ive been to in my life. The show outstanding. I so wanted to rush the stage and hug bjork.

3) Alexi Murdoch- North Star- jen had never seen alexi so I got tixs for us. I went in expecting not much since I had seen him before  and was proven wrong.

4) Panda Bear- FU Church- drench in a wall of sound like I wanted to be. Jen rules cause she feel asleep during it and bitch about it. haha. Oh well so panda bear isnt for everyone but I liked it. The man only tour like 3 dates I think in the US for such so kuddo bonus points for ultra rareness factor.

5) 120 days- Johnny Brendas- you know whats great when bands dont do encores when people expect them. This band from norway came out kicked ass and walked off and refuse to come back. People bitched about such. I went up and complimented them for such. Encores are overrated and play out

6) Deerhunter- Johnny Brendas- holy shit is that lead singer scary skinny. Like Ive seen kids on tv from euthopia with more meat on them. Anyhew boy did this band nail it live. So good.

7) Peter, Bjorn and John- TLA- certain songs were better on cd vs live but overall a decent show. It was great to harass hipster smokers that if they danced to young folks they be kicked out.

8) LCD Soundsystems- TLA- I knew who he was but never really listen to him before. I was peeved when he played the troc and I didnt go. He was solid at the tla. The kids came out and dance. Good times

9) Benni Hemm Hemm- Johnny Brendas- this band kinda got lost in the mix of 2007. I say they are VERY underrated. A good  band for those who love neutral milk. also from iceland which always rules. Holy brass section.

10) Besnard Lakes- Johnny Brendas- another band who was hella underrated in 2007. Holy geetar pedals. Seriously each band member had like 2 pedal boards each. I hadnt seen so many pedals since mars volta. anyhew I was kinda turn off at first by the fact of some many pedals but the band really brought it for me...and impressed me.

11) Cornelius- TLA- had been meaning to see the man. Holy fucking light show. The crowd for the show was empty but damn was he stellar. Geetar playing was nuts.

12) Hold Steady- TLA- a solid band who play solid rock tunes. Not everything by them is gem worthy but they got some good fist pumping rock tunes.

13) Tegan & Sara- some odd ass place in jersey- how out of place did me and jen feel at this show. 1st jersey enough said. 2nd...venue is like a high school theatre. 3rd we were old compare to 99% of the crowd. 4th tegan and sara are two canadian twin sister who happen to be lesbains. yep me and jen stuck out like a sore thumb at this show but we had a great time. About a week later jen had some crazy dream that I cheated on her with sara from tegan and sara. She woke up all mad at me and after she told me what happen I was like....hold up think about that one for a minute...and I went back to bed.

 

Books I read this year:

 

Finished Atlas Shurgged finally but then tackled Fountainhead. Both were hella good just a bitch to read.

 

Read another Bukowski book...this year it was factotum.

 

After Buk I burrowed a few books off my friend dave. The 1st one was Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close....while reading it I liked it, but the more I thought about it, its just another book trying to get $$ off the 9/11 debacle. After that I read Kite Runner, which I kind have the same reaction....liked it while reading it, then realize its just more progranda crap.

 

Next I read Million Little Pieces which I burrowed off of Jen. Yes I was aware of the Oparah hoppla over the book. Whatever. Oddly enough though the book is false it seems pretty accurate of the affects of alcohol/drug abuse. I enjoy it for the most part though it got trite as all recovery books do.

 

Next up on the menu was Sense and Sensibility. Good old Jane Austen. Truth be told while reading this book I was left disgusted with how horrible modern literature and daily conversation is compared to this book. At the same time the people are kinda nuts in it. Overall I thought it was worth the read.

 

I had been steering clear from political books for sanity reason but I decided to read a book an ex gave me. It was called Bushwacked but not the Molly Ivins book. This book was hella good. It is kinda wrongly titled cause it deals more with govt fraud, the iran contra debacle and other issues which didnt deal with dubya although he and his father are mentition here and there in it. Book was good cause it was neither for the right nor the left, which is kinda how I feel anymore. I kinda feel both are crap and fraud is the game.

 

After reading a book which made me more angry I decided to read an all xmas gift from the folks. The Greatest Music Trivia Book Ever! My folks try hard but general fail getting me gifts I want for the holidays/bday. This was a nice gesture and was good bathroom read.

 

I went back to another old book on my shelf that I was suppose to read in college but didnt due to being over burden with college life. Anyhew the book entitled Media Monopoly is a bit outdated but hella good. I would totally recommend it to peeps...although sadly now its 6 companies that own 99% of the worlds media. Think about that peeps and wonder why I dont trust many people.

 

After getting a good old buzz on at nodding heads I came back to discover one day that the 33 1/3 series had released a book about my favorite album of all time, Nick Drake's Pink Moon. I had known of the 33 1/3 series for a bit and had debated on picking some up but with that info....I decided that wait needed to wait. On a whim I picked up a book on Pink Moon, one on My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, and one of Neutral Milk Hotel's In Aeroplane Over the Sea. The 33 1/3 series is a series of books in which they have one author talk about one whole album. They are like the perfect gift for music nerds like myself. All 3 were really good although the drake one was my least favorite. The My Bloody Valentine and Neutral Milk ones were outstanding and made me appreciate the bands even more and understand the reason why they move out of the spotlight instead of riding the crest of fame. Very good stuff. I recommend the series to any music nerd.

 

Lastely Ive been stuck on a book Ive tried to read before....Catch-22. Its ok. Jumps all over the place and kinda is one big book of whining. Havent finished it yet but hope to before the year is over.

 

I usually make a movie list and throw in my top 10 cds of all time but due to horrible length this year I will end here. Hope anyone who reads such enjoyed it.

 

dan