So what's your take on the new Tift Merritt?

I saw The National at the Electric Factory in Philly this past weekend. It was a great show. If anyone knows their music, you are familiar with "Abel". Here is Matt Berninger going into the crowd (as he customarily does) on "Abel". The end with the close up is the clincher. He also climbed to the 2nd floor and did "Mr. November" on top of the bar. It was awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b740fmqNyuw

NICE! More people have to get on the "High Violet" bandwagon.

You know - if album titles were consolidated, Neko Case would be #4 on the list right now!

I'm a big fan of Delta Spirit after seeing them up close at SXSW.

I keep hearing in my head: This tornado loves you....

so the Decemberists were put on the back burner.

No Decemberists?

Gotta consolidate the Neko Cases (three of us have a different version listed)

They are!

Travis is gonna drop out soon but I just saw Kathleen Edwards in concert and she was fantastic. (A couple Flyers even showed up.)

That Tift album is fantastic. If she played anything but GA shows, I'd be there.

Dude - you have to update this thing. No way Tift Merritt, Kathleen Edwards and Travis are still in your top 10.

The Noble Beast entries should be consolidated as well. Plus EVERYONE should really have the deluxe edition with Useless Creatures bonus disc.

I had someone comment after the first listen of "Dear Science" with "What's the big deal. I didn't even like it." A week later I received an apology accompanied by "it's terrific". Sometimes it takes time but eventually (if given a chance) it will reward you.

Yeah, I am putting together my final 2008 list now. I'm not sure where TVOTR is gonna end up but it's pretty low in the top 10.

i don't understand all the hype around TV on the Radio. It's on everyone's list here. I listened to it this weekend; it's okay...am i missing something?

heard the new bon iver song...love it..can't wait for that.

Black Keys is pretty damn good. It's outside my normal singer songwriter sweet spot but i dig it. I also went back and listened to Led Zeppelin IV for a while yesterday.

nice shakeup on the list. Fleet Foxes with a big jump eh? I have to give the Black Keys more of a listen since so many of you are enjoying them. It is good (not great) to me so far.

okay, i've given langhorne slim and bon iver sufficient play and langhorne isn't doin' it for me....NOTHING like ryan...like, AT ALL! can't believe you compared the two.
but! bon iver is on constant rotation now - i'm seeing him at my favorite venue aug 26th. can't wait.

I disagree on Pablo Honey. Yes - it is the weakest Radiohead album but it's still better than 90% of what's out there.

Stop Whispering gave birth to CYHSY's "Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away". Total ripoff (and a great one at that!)

I also lump Amnesiac and Kid A together, mostly because of the timing of the releases. I think they were really close together -- like less than 6 months. So when I'm in the mood for that style of radiohead, I also go for Kid A over Amnesiac.

I also like Pablo Honey for nostalgia purposes but that album isn't very good. Stop Whispering is a great track though.

I'm taking this to mean that you don't like Amnesiac as much as the other 5 then as opposed to not liking the album. Correct? It took me about 2 years before I actually "got" Amnesiac.

Amnesiac.

Actually make it 6 as I will add in I Might Be Wrong.

Why only 5 slots? Which 2 are you leaving off - Pablo Honey and. . .?????

Everything All the Time is so great it might stay there the whole year. I read something interesting in Paste the other day. It was a review of Evil Urges: "The album's variations is delightful yet seamlessly blended. Band of Horses might sound like this if it cared to make some summers songs amid all its autumnal ones..."

That's pretty much spot on. Good stuff Paste. It was my first issue and i'm fairly impressed by that bit of writing. On the minus side, they had Scarlet Johannson on the cover, like anyone cares about her Tom Waits tribute album. If it weren't for her two friends, who the hell would greenlight that project?

(Come August, my first 5 slots will be occupied by Radiohead.)

Gotta say I like seeing Transatlanticism in the rotation. I'll be kicking them back into gear over the next week before the show.

Is Everything all the Time still a #5 of the moment? It has more staying power than "In Rainbows" or are you that devoted to keeping Bon Iver @ #1? ;)

It almost seems as though Doc is taking a shot at Death Cab by making the gay comment. Don't quite make the connection but - OK - Charlie has terrific taste!

gays are awesome

Yes, the gays have excellent taste.

i listened to death cab for cutie and i don't like them at all, but my gay friend, charlie loves them.

For some reason, Librarian is a standout track for me. I've always liked the MMJ songs that people don't like. Apparently, I wasn't supposed to like Lay Low... go figure.

Anyway, Highly Suspicious is really weird. It's like something out of the 80s. You can imagine Jim James in the middle with his band in the background (like the Queen video) and seeing them singing HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS. Just an odd odd track at #3.

Vin - those mellow ones in the middle are now growing on me. I kind of like Highly Suspicious although I understand how some dislike. It's almost like when you heard "Glorified G" from Pearl Jam. You were like "What?!" Anywho - my favorite tune right now is "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part II"

It's funny Vin because my favorite tracks are different from yours yet we both enjoy For Emma so much. My 3 favs right now are Lump Sum, Blindsided & Creature Fear

Scott Weiland's masterful use of eyeliner implicated real talent. Maybe of being a drag queen. But that's still talent dammit. Now could he translate that fantastic makeup application ability to music? No. But the boy has skills.

Why are you guys cluttering up my list with comments about a hack band with no f'ing talent?

STP just isn't STP without a coked out Scott Weiland and his tube of Maybelline and terrible lyrics. Huzzah for a reunion!

Are you a STP fan? They are reuniting and they are going to tour. Aren't you excited ?

That is President Camacho--my choice for the White House in 2008.

you're pretty cute vin. it looks like a fake mustache, but i love the hair.

I am not hip at all. I am a corporate drone.

Do you have Band of Horses first album, Everything All The Time? It's better than cease to begin.

Also, the fuss around Radiohead is because they continue to innovate and produce music that doesn't sound like anything else out there. Check out the Bends. It's not as out there as the rest of their albums.

hey sweetie, thanks for the comment. i chose that one because it sounds exactly like this band i used to listen to in high school which was a long time ago. my ex-husband turned me onto it. you have a lot of radiohead on your list. besides pablo honey, i just don't understand what the fuss is all about. i'll listen to some suggestions from your list. you seem like a hip guy who knows his music. i need to find out if we can add a photo because i want to see what you look like. you probably have tattoos and a moohawk. thanks

Under the blacklight sometimes sounds a little too much like disco music but there are some quality tracks on there: silver lining, under the blacklight, angels hung around, and even breakin up (although i suggest turning the volume down in your office when listening to that or people might expect to see you on market street for the next pride parade).

Still warming up to Under the Blacklight. I listen to her solo album too much and can't move on.

There is nothing wrong with Josh Ritter dammit!