The 11 Best Songs By Leonard Cohen of the 70s

Recently, the hottest music news seems to be dominated by classic artists.  There's Madonna at the Super Bowl.  The Velvet Revolver reunion.  The Van Halen reunion shows and new album.  Bruce Springsteen's got a new album. Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney have new albums.  Will Guns N Roses reunite for the rock n roll hall of fame? and tomorrow is Rush day.  I think there are two reasons why these classic rock artists continue to dominate headlines.  First of all, because they made great music once and continue to the boundaries of music...and secondly because people just like rock music better.

Leonard Cohen has never been the most prolific when it comes to making albums.  Now in his sixth decade of making music...Leonard is only releasing his 12th album.  That's like Ryan Adams' output in a down year.  When he touches down, he makes the loudest lull out there.  With four albums in the 70s, Leo doubled his output in any other decade, which makes it the most fun decade to explore.

Here are the 11 Best Leonard Cohen Songs of the 70s:

1. Avalanche (Songs of Love and Hate)
2. Famous Blue Raincoat  (Songs of Love and Hate)
3. The Smokey Life (Recent Songs)
4. Lover Lover Lover (New Skin For the Old Country)
5. Take This Longing  (New Skin For the Old Country)
6. The Guests (Recent Songs)
7. Chelsea Hotel #2  (New Skin For the Old Country)
8. Don't Go Home With Your Hard-On  (Death of a Ladies Man)
9. Love Calls You By Name  (Songs of Love and Hate)
10. Ballad of the Absent Mare  (Recent Songs)
11. There Is A War (New Skin For the Old Country)

Buy Leonard Cohen's new album, Old Ideas...now!!

Free Music Fridays: Paper Bag Records Sessions

Wilco played in LA this week and I missed it.  Here's the worst part...I didn't even know they were playing.  There was a time where I went to see 3-4 concerts a week.  Now if I see that many a year...it was a good year.  Part of having kids and working all the time, you give up certain things.  Concerts seemed to be one of the first things to go.  But now my kids are getting old enough that soon I'll start taking them to shows.  Thankfully the internet has at least kept me up-to-date with all the new music out there, so when it is time to go to the shows with them...I'll be caught up with all the fresh young bands.

Get the sessions here for free!!
http://paperbagrecords.com/downloads/the-paper-bag-sessions

The 11 Best Songs By Rodrigo y Gabriela

I will never understand Apple.  They really have no ability except to repeat the same mistakes over and over and over.  First off, I can't figure out how to turn off Genius from constantly connecting and using up the internet bandwith.  But what's worse is that every time it tries to connect, it makes me fill out my password.  It's annoying because I don't even want Genius to connect but it does anyways...AND...I can never remember my password.  That shouldn't be an issue but apple has the most ridiculous parameters for passwords (needs letters, numbers, and capital letters).  Apple doesn't realize that people use mostly the same passwords.  Asking them to create a new password with all your parameters is counter-productive.  Since every website needs a password nowadays...making your site the one site where the password needs to be different is only going to piss us off.  Now we have to remember a new password...it's just not going to happen.  We'll forget it...then every time we sign in...we're going to need to reset our password.  If I have to do that every time I check in it's only going to discourage me from coming back.  I know this sounds silly and petty to complain about but should Apple the company that everyone thinks is so customer-friendly...be a bit more customer friendly?

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Rodrigo y Gabriela:

1. Buster Voodoo (11:11)
2. Diablo Rojo (Rodrigo y Gabriela)
3. Orion  (Rodrigo y Gabriela)
4. Hanuman  (11:11)
5. Foc (re-Foc)
6. Tamacun  (Rodrigo y Gabriela)
7. 11:11  (11:11)
8. Temple Bar  (re-Foc)
9. Paris  (re-Foc)
10. Master Maqui  (11:11)
11. Take 5 / One (Focing Version 9)  (re-Foc)

Buy Rodrigo y Gabriela's new album, Area 52...now!!!

The 11 Best Songs By The Hold Steady

For music releases...the first couple months of a new year is usually a dead time filled with leftovers, new bands, and sophomore albums.  It's very hard to make lists for bands with one album since their list is pretty much every song on their debut album.  There's really no point in making a list. It's like eating a BLT and then making a list of the five favorite ingredients in the sandwich.  The only real surprise is if the tomato knocks off the bacon...or some nut bread or rosemary mayo somehow sneaks up the chart.  But I've never been big on order of songs over the inclusion of specific songs in the lists.  That's why there's no lists for Big Pink or Cloud Nothings...two of my most anticipated albums this month.  But finally things are rolling...and there are more lists to be made.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Hold Steady:

1. Stay Positive (Stay Positive)
2. Stuck Between Stations (Boys and Girls in America)
3. Soft in the Center (Heaven Is Whenever)
4. Sequestered in Memphis (Stay Positive)
5. Hot Soft Light (Boys and Girls in America)
6. Both Crosses (Stay Positive) 
7. Cattle and Creeping Things (Separation Sunday)
8. The Weekenders (Heaven Is Whenever)
9. The Swish (Almost Killed Me)
10. Constructive Summer (Stay Positive)
11. Chips Ahoy! (Boys and Girls in America)

Buy Craig Finn's new solo album, Clear Heart Full Eyes.

The 11 Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2012

There's no telling if any of these albums are coming out this year...it's all a massive guess...all for fun.  Some of these may come out before Fall...some after...but rumors are flying.

Here are the 11 Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2012:

1. Tool - TBA (Nov.)
2. Stone Roses - TBA (Oct.)
3. Pearl Jam - TBA (Oct.)
4. No Doubt - TBA (Nov.)
5. U2 - TBA (Oct.)
6. Green Day - TBA (Dec.)
7. The xx - TBA (Oct.)
8. Modest Mouse - TBA (Nov.)
9. Black Sabbath reunion - TBA (Oct.)
10. Phoenix - TBA (Oct.)
11. Dr. Dre - Detox (???????????)

The 11 Most Anticipated Summer Albums of 2012

As we move into a new year, one of the strangest pieces of news has been revealed.  Album sales in 2011 actually went up for the first time in almost a decade.  Granted it was mostly due to Adele's incredibly popular album...that still proves that the album as a musical format is still very viable.  And while all the news articles still like to pronounce the death of rock and how pop has taken over...there were still more rock albums in the Billboard 200 than any other genre.  This year, there were 47 rock albums on the list.  Second place went to country with 39 albums.  Pop comes up third with 35 albums.  (I still think Bruno Mars is really rock...but I put him in pop).  Hip-hop/rap is fourth with 26.  What's also interesting to note...rock music is comprised of a lot of different bands while the pop albums were all made by the same handful of artists (Bieber, Swift, Adele, Gaga, Kesha, Selena Gomez).  Good for those artists but you take them out of the equation...and pop doesn't have much going on.

Let's see what 2012 brings....

Here are the 11 most anticipate albums of summer 2012:

1.  Soundgarden - TBA (Sept)
2.  MGMT - MGMT (Sept.)
3.  Animal Collective - TBA (Sept)
4.  Grizzly Bear - TBA (August)
5.  Mumford and Sons - TBA (August)
6.  How To Destroy Angels - TBA (July)
7.  Sigur Ros - TBA (July)
8.  The Offspring - Apocalyptic Guides and Inferno Themes about Nothing (July)
9.  Public Enemy - Most of My Heros Don't Appear on Stamps/Evil Empire of Everything (August)
10.  Regina Spektor - What We Saw From the Cheap Seats (July)
11.  Skrillex - Voltage (July)

The 11 Most Anticipated Albums of Spring 2012

Tebow nation is on fire.  Nothing will further propel his legendary status than throwing 316 in his upset victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.  But was it really an upset?  Was it really that surprising that Denver won?  I don't think so...in fact, I called it.  (I swear...you can ask the one friend I told they were going to win).  There's three things you have to take into account.  First of all, Tebow is not leading a 8-8 team.  He's QBing for a 7-4 team.  There were five games of the season where he wasn't playing.  Even if he only won two of those games, they'd be a 9-7 team.  A 9-7 team upsetting a 12-4 team isn't that big of a stretch...especially since they're playing at home (which is the second factor).  Thirdly, Pittsburgh was injured up the ass.  Literally...I read one of the defensive end injured his ass.  With Mendenhall out...Big Ben at about 50% and half the o/d lines riding the bench...the Steelers were not at full strength.  Denver beating Pittsburgh is a mild upset at best...it doesn't even compare to 7-9 Seattle's upset last year of defending Superbowl Champions New Orleans.  In football...any given Sunday...and team can win.

In music...any given Tuesday, an established vet can release a dud.  A has-been can make a comeback.  Or a new band could become a new trend-setter.  Who will make waves this year...that is something we've never been able to predict.

Here are the 11 Most Anticipated Albums of Spring 2012:

1.  Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - TBA (May)
2.  Kanye West - G.O.O.D. Album (May)
3.  Smashing Pumpkins - Oceania (June)
4.  Madonna - Gimme All Your Luvin (April)
5.  Metric - Realities (May)
6.  Garbage - TBA (June)
7.  Mazzy Star - TBA (April)
8.  The Hives - TBA (May)
9.  K'naan - TBA (May)
10.  Beck & Dwight Yoakam - TBA (June)
11.  The Mars Volta - In Absentia (April)

The 11 Most Anticipate Albums of Winter 2012

The final year of existence is upon us...and here's what we have to look forward to.

They always did say Van Halen would reunite when hell froze over.  I guess they were right.

Here are the 11 Most Anticipate Albums of Winter 2012:

1. Van Halen - Secret Title (2/7)
2. The Shins - Port of Morrow (March)
3. Craig Finn - Clear Eyes, Full Hearts (1/24)
4. Paul McCartney - Kisses on the Bottom (1/31)
5. Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror (2/14)
6. The Big Pink - Future This (1/17)
7. Of Montreal - Paralytic Stalks (1/31)
8. Heartless Bastards - Arrow (2/14)
9. Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society (2/28)
10. Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory (1/24)
11. Miike Snow - Happy To You (March)

The 111 Best Albums of 2011

Here they are.  The 111 Best Albums of 2011 as voted on by you my readers.  If you don't like the results...then vote for something better next year.

I personally, always like the results of this list much better than most critic lists.  This list is always more honest to me.  While Adele dominated most lists...she only cracks the top 40 here.  Or the Decemberists who barely made it on many critic lists jumped up high here because the people just liked the album.

Here are the 111 Best Albums of 2011:

1. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
2. The Black Keys - El Camino
3. The Decemberists - King Is Dead
4. Yuck - Yuck
5. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
6. Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys
7. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
8. Radiohead - King of Limbs
9. Wilco - The Whole Love
10. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
11. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
12. The Weeknd - House of Balloons/Thursday/Echoes of Silence
13. Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math
14. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
15. Wye Oak - Civilian
16. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
17. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne
18. The Strokes - Angles
19. TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
20. R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
21. Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
22. Bright Eyes - The People's Key
23. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials
24. Middle Brother - Middle Brother
25. Telekinesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines
26. Destroyer - Kaputt
27. War on Drugs - Slave Ambient
28. Wild Flag - Wild Flag
29. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
30. Tune-Yards - Who Kill
31. Foster The People - Torches
32. Fucked Up - David Comes To Life
33. Real Estate - Days
34. Beirut - Rip Tide
35. Ryan Adams – Ashes and Fire
36. Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing
37. Tom Waits - Bad As Me
38. Adele - 21
39. Gomez – Whatever’s On Your Mind
40. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Hysterical
41. Raveonettes - Raven in the Grave
42. James Blake - James Blake
43. Stephen Malkmus - Mirror Traffic
44. Alexander (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) - Alexander
45. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Belong
46. Tapes N Tapes - Outside
47. Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What
48. Class Actress - Rapproacher
49. Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong
50. My Morning Jacket - Circuital
51. Dum Dum Girls - Only in Dreams
52. Ersatz G.B. - The Fall
53. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It And See
54. Atlas Sound - Paradox
55. Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
56. Rival Schools - Pedals
57. Sigur Ros - Inni
58. Battles - Gloss Drop
59. Dustin O Halloran - Lumiere
60. Sam Roberts Band – Collider 
61. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 2
62. Drake - Take Care
63. Washed Out - Within and Without
64. Feist - Metals
65. Jason Isbell - Here We Rest
66. Fountains of Wayne - Sky Full of Holes
67. Grouplove - Never Trust a Happy Song
68. Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital
69. Childish Gambino - Camp
70. Low - C’mon
71. Crooked Fingers - Breaks in the Armor
72. Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing
73. Deer Tick - Divine Providence
74. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
75. Hey Rosetta! - Seeds
76. SBTRKT - SBTRKT
77. The Head and the Heart - The Head and the Heart
78. The Roots - undun
79. Noah and the Whale - Last Night On Earth
80. Mates of State - Mountaintops
81. New Found Glory - Radiosurgery
82. Gillian Welch - Harrow and Harvest
83. Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi 
84. Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Scandalous
85. Found - Factorycraft
86. Metronomy - The English Riviera
87. Library Voices - Summer of Lust
88. The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
89. The Kills - Blood Pressures
90. Juliana Barwick - The Magic Place
91. Cut Copy - Zonoscope
92. We Were Promised Jetpacks - In The Pit Of Our Stomachs
93. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
94. Tennis - Cape Dory
95. Cults - Cults
96. The Antlers - Burst Apart
97. Friendly Fires - Pala
98. Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind of Fix
99. J. Mascias - Several Shades of Why
100. Tyler the Creator - Goblin
101. Noah Gallagher - High Flying Birds
102. Ladytron - Gravity the Seducer
103. We Are Augustines - Rise Ye Sunken Ships
104. The Airborne Toxic Event - All At Once
105. And You Will Know us By The Trail of Dead - Tao of the Dead
106. The Felice Brothers - Celebration, Florida
107. The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar
108. Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
109. Glossary - Long Live Us All
110. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
111. The Deep Dark Woods - The Place I Left Behind

Buy these albums and more here and here.