The 11 Best Songs By The xx

This summer Jamie xx will have us up raving all night with his new album.  It's already easily one of the best albums of the year but there is still something missing.  I don't know if it's the appearance of his xx band mates on a few random songs that makes wish this was a full xx album...or if it's the appearance of his xx band mates who make me wish this was a full Jamie xx album.  When something leaves us wanting more, it's only because it's great.  We don't wish for excess of mediocrity. Here are the 11 Best Songs By The xx:

1. Shelter (The xx)
2. Islands (The xx)
3. Intro (The xx)
4. Chained (Co-Exist)
5. Sunset (Co-Exist)
6. VCR (The xx)
7. Crystalised (The xx)
8. Reunion (Co-Exist)
9. Night Time (The xx)
10. Heart Skipped A Beat (The xx)
11. Hot Like Fire (The xx)

Buy Jamie xx's new album, In Colour now!!!    

The 111 Best Albums of 2012

Thanks to all those who voted!

Here are the 111 Best Albums of 2012:

1. Japandroids - Celebration Rock (Bonus Track)
2. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange (Bonus Track)
3. Jack White - Blunderbuss (Bonus Track)
4. Kendrick Lamar - g.o.o.d. kid, maad city
5. Grizzly Bear – Shields
6. The xx - Co-Exist
7. Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls
8. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel
9. Sharon Von Etten - Tramp
10. Beach House - Bloom
11. Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
12. The Lumineers – Lumineers
13. Tame Impala – Lonerism
14. Bob Mould - Silver Age
15. Ben Folds Five - The Sound of Life of the Mind
16. Shins - Port of Morrow
17. Grimes - Vision
18. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - The Heist
19. Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods
20. Of Monsters and Men - My Head Is An Animal
21. Soundgarden - King Animal
22. Chromatics - Kill For Love
23. Lana Del Rey - Born To Die/Paradise
24. The Walkmen - Heaven
25. Jimmy Cliff - Rebirth
26. Father John Misty - Fear Fun
27. Andy Stott - Luxury Problems
28. First Aid Kit - Lion’s Roar
29. Burial - Truant/Kindred EP
30. Bahamas - Barchords
31. Swans - The Seer
32. Pinback - Information Retrieved
33. Smashing Pumpkins - Oceania
34. Bloc Party - Four
35. Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
36. Dinosaur Jr. - I Bet On Sky
37. Lord Huron - Lonesome Dreams
38. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
39. Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory
40. Bob Dylan - Tempest
41. Fun. - Some Nights
42. Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
43. TY Segall – Twins
44. Bobby Womack - Bravest Man in the Universe
45. Passion Pit - Gossamer
46. Liars - WIXIW
47. Gary Clark Jr. - Black and Blu
48. The Corin Tucker Band - Kill My Blues
49. Olafur Arnalds - Another Happy Day
50. Wintersleep - Hello Hum
51. Matt Skiba and the Sekrets - Babylon
52. Titus Andronicus - Local Business
53. Crystal Castles - III
54. Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
55. Hot Chip - In Our Heads
56. Jesse Ware - Devotion
57. Four Tet - Pink
58. Glen Hansard - Rhythm & Repose
59. Sun Kil Moon - Among The Leaves
60. Avett Brothers - The Carpenter
61. Band of Horses - Mirage Rock
62. The Lighthouse and the Whaler - This Is an Adventure
63. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - Lost Songs
64. The Big Pink - Future This
65. Yellowcard - Southern Air
66. Harold Budd - Bandits of Stature
67. Pilot to Gunner - Guilty Guilty
68. Muse - The 2nd Law
69. Said The Whale - Little Mountain
70. P.O.S - We Don't Even Live Here
71. Fang Island - Major
72. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
73. Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
74. Aesop Rock - Skeleton
75. Delta Spirit - Delta Spirit
76. Lambchop - Mr. M
77. Metric - Synthetica
78. Jon Samuel - First Transmission
79. Loscil - Sketches From New Brighton
80. Lostprophets - Weapons
81. Mumford & Sons - Babel
82. Lee Fields & the Expressions - Faithful Man
83. Bad Veins - The Mess We’ve Made
84. Everclear - Invisible Stars
85. Forgetters - Forgetters
86. Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream
87. Niki & the Dove - Instinct
88. Classics of Love - Classics of Love
89. Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
90. Yukon Blonde - Tiger Talk
91. Goodnight Lights - As Far As the Moon
92. Joel Plaskett Emergency - Scrappy Happiness
93. Vijay Iyer Trio - Accelerando
94. Marconi Union - Different Colors
95. Purity Ring - Shrines
96. Minus The Bear - Infinity Overheard
97. Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Big Moon Ritual
98. Field Report - Field Report
99. Twin Shadow - Confess
100. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
101. Two Door Cinema - Beacon
102. Rhett Miller - The Dream/The Interpreter Live At Largo
103. Maus Haus - Light Noise
104. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
105. Battles - Dross Glop
106. Minilogue - Endlessness EP
107. Amos The Transparent - Goodnight My Dear
108. Django Django - Django Django
109. Animal Collective - Centipede Hz
110. Jeff The Brotherhood - Hypnotic Nights
111. My Bloody Valentine - The EPs 1988-1991

Buy these albums and more now!!!

The Best Albums of 2012 (1-11)

It's the end of the year.  2012...and we survived.  Unless some mad Mayan rises from the grave in the next three days and turns us all into zombies and the inevitable Irwin Allen disaster picture.  Anything's possible.

So here are my top pics for favorite albums of 2012.  It's really a toss-up between Jack and Corin.  I went with Corin in the final coin flip because I find myself going back to the record more than JW.  It's honestly the strongest thing she's put out since the heart of the Sleater-Kinney years...if not better in some ways.

Now it's your turn.  Send in your top album pics for 2012 and I'll compile them in my super 111 best album list that I'll post about a week from now.

Remember it doesn't have to be twenty.  It can be any number of albums you liked.  Just post them in the comment section or email me.

Have a great new year!

Here are the Best Albums of 2012 (1-11):

1.  The Corin Tucker Band - Kill My Blues
2.  Jack White - Blunderbuss
3.  The Big Pink - Future This
4.  Lana Del Rey - Born To Die/Paradise
5.  Passion Pit - Gossamer
6.  Shins - Port of Morrow
7.  The xx - Coexist
8.  Delta Spirit - Delta Spirit
9.  The Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits (Bonus Track)
10.  Niki & Dove - Instinct
11.  Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods

Buy these albums and more...now!!!

The 11 Best Songs By Jamie XX

It's the first weekend of football and everyone is freaking out.  The Redskins upset the Saints.  Dallas beat the Giants.  Broncos beat the Steelers.  The Niners beat the Packers...in Lambeau!  This happens every year.  A bunch of mediocre teams have crazy upset wins and the fanbase goes crazy.  Sure, it's a great thing to get the first win out of the gates but you can't tell anything by the first week of games.  Just because one team has a stellar debut doesn't mean they're a front runner for a Super Bowl run.  The first week is the worst week to tell a team's prognosis.  The real assessment of a team's quality is their longevity over an entire season.  It's the second week when true colors start to show.

Here are the 11 Best Songs Featuring Jamie xx:

1. Islands (The xx)
2. Crystalised (The xx)
3. VCR (The xx)
4. You've Got The Love Rework (Florence + The Machine - You've Got The Love)
5. Teardrops (The xx Bonus Track)
6. Intro (The xx)
7. I'll Take Care Of You (Gil Scot Heron - We're New Here)
8. Bloom Rework Part 3 (Radiohead - TK08)
9. Shelter (The xx)
10. My Cloud (Gil Scot Heron - We're New Here)
11. Far Nearer (Far Nearer/Beat For)  

Buy The xx's new album, Co-Exist now!!!

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 Exciting Acts to see at Coachella 2010

The lineup for the 2010 Coachella show is out. And some strange headliners. Jay-z the first night...okay, I can see it. Muse the 2nd night...yeah, I guess...may be too commercial for the show...but okay. Gorillaz the 3rd night. Gorillaz? Headliner? Aren't they just a novelty act? Considering you have Thom Yorke (a previous headliner) and the Pavement reunion on the same night...you went with Gorillaz as the headliner...okay...

These aren't necessarily the best bands playing at the show. These aren't the bands who might put on the best performances. And these aren't even the bands that I think everyone else would be excited about seeing. These are the bands that I, personally, am excited to see at the show. Some big reunions (Pavement, FNM, PIL, and SDRE)...and some of 2009's breakout sensations (Phoenix, the XX, Grizzly Bear). Should be an awesome show...too bad I can't go.

The 11 Most Exciting Acts I'm Most Excited to see playing at Coachella 2010:

1. Pavement (April 18)
2. Faith No More (April 17)
3. Sunny Day Real Estate (April 18)
4. MGMT (April 17)
5. Phoenix (April 18)
6. the XX (April 17)
7. Grizzly Bear (April 16)
8. Sly and the Family Stone (April 18)
9. Vampire Weekend (April 16)
10. LCD Soundsystem (April 16)
11. Public Image Ltd. (April 16)

Check out the entire list for yourself.

The 111 Best Albums of 2009

Well, here it is...the annual epic 111 best albums of 2009...as voted on by you. Usually it's a close race...but this year, Animal Collective ran away with it. In fact, the entire top ten was leaps and bounds above the rest. And...if you have a problem with the list...then blame yourselves...you're the ones who voted.

See ya, next decade!!

Here are the 111 Best Albums of 2009:

1. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
2. The xx - xx (Crystalised BBC)
3. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
4. The Antlers - Hospice (Kettering)
5. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (1901 live)
6. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca (The Bride)
7. Wilco - Wilco (the Album)
8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz (only $5.00)
9. Metric - Fantasies (Help Im Alive)
10. Girls – Album
11. St. Vincent – Actor
12. Pearl Jam – Backspacer
13. Japandroids – Post Nothing
14. Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk
15. White Rabbits - It's Frightening (Percussion Gun daytrotter)
16. Modest Mouse – No One’s First and You’re Next
17. Bob Dylan – Together Through Life
18. Built To Spill - There is No Enemy
19. Silversun Pickups – Swoon
20. Lisa Hannigan – Sea Sew
21. Morrissey - Years of Refusal
22. The Dead Weather – Horehound
23. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
24. Wild Beasts – Two Dancers
25. Cage The Elephant – Cage The Elephant
26. Regina Spektor - FAR
27. Fanfarlo – Reservoir
28. Various Artists – Dark Was The Night
29. Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Beware
30. Passion Pit – Manners
31. Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
32. Mos Def – The Ecstatic
33. The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love
34. The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You
35. K’naan – Troubadour
36. Super Furry Animals – Dark Days/Light Years
37. M. Ward – Hold Time
38. Sunset Rubdown – Dragon Slayer
39. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
40. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
41. Fuck Buttons – Tarot Sport
42. Samantha Crain - Songs In the Night
43. David Gray – Draw The Line
44. Fever Ray – Fever Ray
45. Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown (Know Your Enemy Colbert Report)
46. The Pains of Being Pure of Heart – POBOH
47. Karen O and the Kids – Where the Wild Things Are
48. Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King
49. Devendra Banhart – What Will We Be
50. The Swell Season - Strict Joy
51. Why? – Eskimo Snow
52. Julian Plenti - …is a Skyscraper
53. Cymbals Eat Guitars – Why There Are Mountains (Cold Spring)
54. The Low Anthem - Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (Ticket Taker)
55. Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms
56. Mew – No More Stories Are Told Today
57. Fun. – Aim and Ignite
58. The Horrors – Primary Colours
59. Conor Oberst – Outer South
60. Crystal Method - Divided By The Night (only $5.00)
61. Miike Snow – Miike Snow
62. The Big Pink – A Brief History of Love
63. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
64. Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3.0
65. The Mountain Goats – Life of the World To Come
66. Dan Deacon – Bromst
67. Florence and the Machine – Lungs
68. Weezer – Raditude
69. Mastodon – Crack the Skye
70. Say Anything – Say Anything
71. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below
72. Trail of Dead – Century of Self
73. Paramore – Brand New Eyes
74. Sonic Youth – The Eternal
75. Handsome Furs – Face Control
76. Wavves – Wavves
77. Antony and the Johnsons – The Crying Light (only $5.00)
78. Maxwell – BLACKsummer’s Night
79. Von Bondies - Love, Hate and Then There's You
80. Deer Tick - Born On Flag Day (Straight Into A Storm)
81. Dinosaur Jr. – Farm
82. Muse – The Resistance
83. The Mars Volta – Octahedron
84. Cut Off Your Hands – You and I
85. Tanya Morgan – Brooklynati
86. Brand New – Daisy
87. Manchester Orchestra – Mean Everything To Nothing
88. The Black Crowes - Before The Frost...Until the Freeze
89. The Fray – The Fray
90. Roman Candle – Oh Tall Tree In The Ear
91. Band of Skulls - Baby Darling Dollface Honey
92. U2 – No Line on the Horizon
93. Placebo – Battle For the Sun
94. Various Artists – Ghana Special (1968-91)
95. Gogol Bordello – Live from Axis Mundi
96. Flyleaf – Memento Mori (only $5)
97. Taking Back Sunday – New Again
98. Third Eye Blind – Ursa Major (only $5.00)
99. Jack Penate – Everything Is New
100. Levon Helm – Electric Dirt (only $5)
101. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
102. Dananananaykroyd – Hey everyone!
103. El Grupa Nueva De Omar Rodriguez Lopez – Cryptomnesia
104. Raekwon – Only Built For Cuban Linx P2
105. Wale – Attention Deficit (only $5.00)
106. Franz Ferdinand – Tonight
107. Matt & Kim – Grand ($5.00)
108. Memory Tapes – Seek Magic
109. Drake – So Far Gone (only $5.00)
110. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast
111. Tegan and Sara – Sainthood

The 11 Best Albums of 2009: 1-11 (Part 5)

So here it... the best 11 albums of 2009...according to me.


But if you want a voice...then it's time to vote on your favorite albums. Next week, I will publish a list of the 111 best albums of 2009...according to you...my readers.


If you want to vote...just put your top 20 albums in the comment section anywhere on the blog.


Here are the 11 Best Albums of 2009: 1-11 (Part 5):

1. The xx - The xx
2. Samantha Crain - Songs In the Night (Devil's in Boston)
3. Wilco - Wilco (the Album)
4. Morrissey - Years of Refusal
5. The Antlers - Hospice (Kettering)
6. The Low Anthem - Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (Ticket Taker)
7. Built To Spill - There is No Enemy
8. The Swell Season - Strict Joy (Low Rising)
9. Crystal Method - Divided By The Night
10. Metric - Fantasies
11. Von Bondies - Love, Hate and Then There's You