Top Albums of 2004...

So the year end is upon us, and since I am a music nerd, there's nothing better than displaying your "best of" lists to everyone so they can go "ah, yes" or "what? idiot." Of course if you are in the latter category, you are stupid because my choices are beyond cool. Anyways, here are my top 15 favorite records that had their debut this past year, and in order of significance. Perhaps you've heard of them, perhaps you haven't. Maybe it will inspire you to go out and buy something new. Happy New Year!

1. The Arcade Fire - Funeral - From the opening notes, to the very last chord, this album is flawless. If they never release anything at this level again, I wouldn't care.
2. Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News - I remember some kid at freshman orientation telling me that Modest Mouse was just too weird. Can we say surprise radio hit of the year? Not up to par with Moon and Antarctica, but head and shoulders above everything but the Arcade Fire.
3. AC Newman - The Slow Wonder - Best power-pop record of the past five years, even better than his New Pornographer's output.
4. TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes - Took some time to really digest, but when it clicked, it clicked.
5. The Black Keys - Rubber Factory - This is the band I always wanted to be in. Enough said.
6. Iron and Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days - Sam Beam tops his sub pop debut with this amazing record that is so intimate I didn't want to share him with anyone.
7. Interpol - Antics - Faced with the unenviable position of trying to top their flawless debut, Interpol gets pretty darn close with this one.
8. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans - Sufjan Stevens made me start practicing banjo again. God bless him.
9. Air - Talkie Walkie - Even though I just bought this a few days ago, it is a beautiful record, that, if given more time, would have certainly risen on this list.
10. The Features - Exhibit A - Amazing Middle TN band, my favorite driving record of the year.
11. The Killers - Hot Fuss - Say what you will, "Somebody Told Me" flat out rocks. The first five songs on this record are all worthy of #1 status.
12. Q & Not U - Power - Funkiest DC area record of 2004.
13. The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows - Another one that took some time to get into, but it is a stunning album.
14. Jens Lekman - You Are The Light EP - Hindered only by being an EP, can't wait to get his full length.
15. Tom Waits - Real Gone - Tom Waits can be hard for some people to take, but I love him.

Biggest Disapointment of the Year - The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat - Maybe I'm just dumb, but I really don't understand all the praise heaped on this album. It's like a kid with ADHD took the tape, cut it up, and threw it back together.

My Most Anticipated Release of 2005 - Bloc Party - I dunno when it comes out, but their song "banquet" was simply amazing, and I can only hope the full length matches its potential.

And there we go, my faves of 2004. Hope you enjoyed it.

-ed.

So...

The new Air album I picked up in Evansville, IN is pretty much the best chill out music ever. Ah.

-ed

HENDERSON, KY ROCKS.

Why? Not only does Ashley live there and they have a sweet river, but I made my first snowman ever today. Ok, I know what you're thinking...lame, and yes, to my readers who are from "The North" it might be. But to a son of Texas such as me, this is a once in a lifetime event. It wasn't a very big snowman, but I did it. He even had little twigs for arms. So cute. Of course by the time we got back from lunch he had melted...oh Frosty, if only you could laugh and play the same as you and me. But nooooooo. You had to try to be cool and smoke those cigarettes. Sigh.

-ed

This assimilation thing isn't going as I planned...

Ok, I go to Wal-Mart to get some hooks for my door so I can put my scarves on them. I find them and then proceed to the check out line. Everything is going smoothly until I had the lady my money. She looks at me, then says.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

At this point, I'm getting scared. I have this feeling like this will turn out like those movies where the rednecks corner the poor black guy in the back of the convenience store, then they lynch him.

I go, "No, I'm from San Antonio, TX."

Her face lights up like I just revealed I was wearing black face.

"Texas!? Well hey there, I have a joke for you!" she says.

Right about now, I start to look around for a way out. No one is behind me in line. No one is remotely near us. So much for an escape.

She starts telling it, and halfway through, she forget it. She then proceeds to reach behind her and pick up a Reader's Digest and turns to the joke section. She reads me the joke, having something to do with Texans, Californians, New Yorkers, and beef shortage. I laugh nervously, trying to be cool. By this time, someone has gotten behind me in line. I feel better, knowing the chances of me being lynched have gone down...or gotten worse, depending on the mentality of the guy behind me and if the checkout lady decides to sell me out. Anyways, I laugh some more, grab my bag and walk away. Somehow I have survived.

The question that begs to be answered here is how did this woman know I wasn't from Columbia. I know that it's a small town, but surely everyone doesn't know everyone...I could have slipped through her radar. What tipped her off that I wasn't a native? My lack of accent? My tragically stylish dress? The fact I'm buying hooks to put scarves on? I thought maybe she saw something suspect in my wallet, but I have a TN licence, so I'm cool on that part. I suggested that maybe she smelled foreigner, and of course when I tell this to Christina, she goes "yeah, you have a scent," which makes me think I need to change deoderants. Do I smell like TX? It seems to be the only logical explanation.

-ed

COFFEE...

Dear Columbia,
Please point me in the direction of a coffee shop that is not seem like it is run by middle aged women. Show me a place where I can get a cup of black coffee and no one will look at me like I'm weird. Lead me to an establishment where I can sit and not be interrupted by loud people. Guide me to a place where the waitress knows my name, and knows exactly the right time to refill my cup. But until that blessed day comes, I will be forced to make my own coffee and sit in the flat and drink it. Please Columbia, I want to feel trendy. You're not helping. For Godsakes, I dressed like I was Al Pacino from that 70's movie about the tattletale cop, and no one said anything. Do I need to shout out my hatred for gun freedom? Something's gotta get me noticed around here.

But no.

I think I'll buy a Dale Earndhart hat and assimilate. Take that corporate America!

-Love, ed.

Reflections on Texas...

Most Surreal Moment: Sitting in Goerke's Diner, surrounded by construction workers, and Abba's "Dancing Queen" is playing in the background

Funniest Story: Sara's sister telling about the pregnant stripper who didn't know she was pregnant.

Best Wedding Moment: Playing the opening 3 chords of "Sweet Home Alabama" at the request of the groom's family...because that's the only part of the song we knew.

Best Taco Experience: Sitting in Bill Miller's, reading the Current, drinking 5 cups of coffee, eating 2 sausage and egg tacos, and eavesdropping on the 10 Mormon's behind me.

Time I thought I was going to die the most: Thursday Night, around 10:30pm. Sara and Kristen know what I mean.

Most Metal Moment: The page long tribute to Dimebag Darrell in the SA Current.

Best Coffee: Denny's...probably around 10 refills.

Worst Coffee: Jim's, 12am. Enough said.

Oh Texas...you confuse me. I like the people, can't stand the place.

MOST REDNECK MOMENT EVER: So I'm at Kroger, standing in the checkout line, and I look towards that machine that'll convert your change into dollar bills. I had to look twice, but I swear, there was this guy with the most amazing mullet I've ever seen, emptying two bottles of change into the machine. But as this was no ordinary mullet, these were no ordinary bottles. Two huge Crown Royal bottles, filled with pennies. Trust me, if you had been there, you would have died of laughter, which I almost did. Ah...Columbia.

-ed

Best Songs of 2004...

Before I list them off, I would like to say that the vast majority of these songs were released in 2004, but I keep this list open to older songs I might have discovered this year along the way, such as the Cat Stevens song. That said, here's my picks for best songs of 2004, in the order randomized on my iTunes play list:

1. Sweet Summer Night in Hammer Hill - Jens Lekman
2. Hoist That Rag - Tom Waits
3. All These Things That I've Done - The Killers
4. Paperwings - Damien Juardo
5. Hardcore Days and Softcore Nights - Aqueduct
6. Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens
7. Miracle Drug - A.C. Newman
8. The Art Teacher - Rufus Wainwright
9. Ocean Breathes Salty - Modest Mouse
10. Our Mutual Friend - The Divine Comedy
11. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - The Arcade Fire
12. Evil - Interpol
13. 10 A.M. Automatic - The Black Keys
14. He War - Cat Power
15. In the Devil's Territory - Sufjan Stevens
16. Even Tho - Joseph Arthur
17. Passing Afternoon - Iron & Wine
18. Banquet - Bloc Party

And there you have it...my favorite songs of the year. I'll gladly burn a copy of these for anyone who wants them...the are amazing. I'll follow with the Top 10 Albums of the year soon, promise.

NO MORE BYRNE.

I defended my honors paper like a friggin' champ.

I am now done with that part of my life.

This is something worth noting. And celebrating.

Whoo!

btw...I want to live in whatever fake 70's Belle and Sebastian and Josh Rouse currently inhabit.

Things that amaze me about Columbia, TN...

1.) How, at 2pm on a Sunday, the Cracker Barrel (barell, barrell???) in the middle of nowhere between Columbia and I-65 can be so packed that people are parking in the overflow lot with the truckers.

2.) How people continue to call the county "Murry" when it is spelled "Maury"...surely there are other educated people in Columbia that this pisses off also.

3.) The library is closed on Sunday. Not that I would go, but I remember the SA library being open all week. Seems logical, right?

4.) They have Sun-Drop flavored Icee's at the movie theater. Personally, I think that is awesome.

5.) The mullets are beyond compare. It's not even ironic anymore.

-ed

Sometimes I think "Liberals" don't really think out their arguments...

And of course the same can be said for conservatives. But anyways, take the case of an article written by Mike Greenberg on the SA Express News, the arts and entertainment editor. Here are some excerpts from his writing, and my take on it.

The consistent message of exit polls last Tuesday was that Bush voters, the conservatives, were heavily motivated by fear — specifically, fear of terrorism and of same sex marriage, but more generally fear of ambiguity, the unknown and change.

Ok, this is partially true. But after his first two valid points Greenberg then proceeds to give a dictionary definition of conservatives...afraid of change. Personally, I don't think it's fear of change in it's basic terminology that drive conservative voters. It's more fear of things that they believe are morally wrong. Change is all fine and well if it benefits society in some way. Allowing gays to marry, which the majority of America believes is wrong, despite what hollywood would have you believe, is just a "change" that has really no benefit to society besides allowing gays to feel "accepted" even though they do everything else they can to show that they are "different."

By contrast, Kerry’s voters were motivated by opportunity — hope for economic opportunity and equality of opportunity in particular, but more generally the opportunities for experience and growth that are associated with ambiguity, the unknown and change.

Opportunity? Are you serious? The many Kerry voters I have spoken to haven't a clue what Kerry's agenda was, beside the sole fact "He's not Bush." Liberals aren't striving for "opportunity," liberals are motivated by hate, to be really honest. The hatred they had for Bush was more driving than "opportunity." And seriously, what opportunity was John Kerry going to bring to them? A hope for higher taxes and an ineffective social security reform? Perhaps.

The conservative attitude is insular and closed. The liberal attitude is cosmopolitan and open.

Man, don't even get me started, Mike.

The arts thrive in such cities — and most artists are politically liberal — because the rapid, broad and fearless exchange of ideas is crucial to the arts.

Mike, you want to know why most artists are liberal? Because it's trendy. No shit. The only coherent artist I've ever heard speak on behalf of liberals is Moby. That's it. Everyone else is dumped into "Bush bad" camp. Artists latch onto liberalism because it is ingrained in them to be nearly mindless in their political policies. "Fearless exchange of ideas"...Mike, I do believe you are dramatizing things a bit too much. It's one thing to keep an open mind. It's another to be "fearless" and seriously Mike, have you ever noticed the widening gap between "art" and real "society?" How what is cutting edge on the theaters on NY would never run on a stage to more than 20 people in any other city? Is it because you are so open, or the fact they have lost touch with society. There used to be a time when art did not exist to needlessly "challenge" us and instead existed to inspire us. Do you remember? As a musician who does not buy into the wholesale liberal agenda, this distresses me.

enough.

-ed

..Oh Man, Oh Man...

So there's this "Dance Party" in the basement of Heron Hall on Saturday night. I asked Kibbe if I could be a guest DJ and of course she said yes. There's nothing better than subjecting people to your bad music, and thus I will be Saturday night. Here's the track listing, heavy on the remixes:

1. Doing the Stand Still - The Dismemberment Plan
2. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - The Arcade Fire
3. Y Control (Faint Remix) - The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4. Wonderful People - Q & Not U
5. I Need Your Love (Ewan's Stay in School Remix) - The Rapture
6. Breathe In - Frou Frou
7. Take Me Out(Morgan Geist Remix) - Franz Ferdinand
8. Deceptacon - Le Tigre
9. Me and Guiliani Down by the School Yard - !!!
10. Glass Danse - The Faint
11. Such Great Heights (Remix) - The Postal Service
12. The City - The Dismemberment Plan
13. Still In Love Song (Extended 12" Remix) - The Stills
14. Everything is Everything - Phoenix
15. Hardcore Days and Softcore Nights - Aqueduct
16. Jenny Was A Friend of Mine - The Killers
17. One With the Freaks - The Notwist
18. Crumble - The Russian Futurists
19. Evil - Interpol

And there you have it...my dance mix.

-ed

So what ever happened to...

The Old Testament God who smited everyone? This benevolant God just isn't striking fear into anyone's hearts. Maybe he should, you know, smite someone in a high profile position in full public view, I'm not saying who or how, but maybe a spontaneous combustion, just to get everyone's attention. Not trying to tell you how to run the world Lord, but what's a combustion here and there? As long as it's not me, ok?

-ed

Rushmore...

That was an absolutely amazing film. In some ways it reminded me of SMH (you know, with girls added, of course) with the people throwing money at stupid crap just to get their names on a building. And of course, the stupid clubs...robotics club anyone? Oh, the hillarity ensues. I was just glad to finally see a film that showed a school that resembled the one I went to, quasi-religious (chapel?) but firmly secular in its actions. Man, I'm gonna send my kids to public school I think, just so I don't get sucked into any of that. Kudos to my parents for staying out of the inner workings of SMH.

-ed

Ok, seriously...

The Texas Department of Transportation offices are total shit. I just got my new Tennessee drivers license and the building in Columbia is freaking amazing. All the Texas ones are these pint-sized boxes where everyone is pissed off and nothing ever works or something is always wrong. The one in Columbia had windows and natural light, a courteous secretary, and an actual waiting room and nice people to get me my license. And they joked with me, and I made up stories of my Polish grandmother who came over on Elis Island and narrowly avoided the holocaust. And the woman believed me, which was even more amazing. Gotta love TN education.

-ed

To Everyone Who is Voting For Bush and Kerry...

Are you serious? How the hell can you justify your vote? These are both HORRIBLE candidates. How can Republicans back a president who has sunk us into even more debt and got us into an unwinnable war? It sickens me when I see kids my age with stupid "W" things in their AIM profiles...they don't get it. They are most likely doing that because their parents are doing it. And then if not, they try to pull a "Christian" slant. Utter crap. There is nothing remotely "Christian" about anything Bush has done this year. Go to war? Kill innoncent people? Weapons of Mass what? Bush is a bad president. He needs to go.

HOWEVER

As I've writen before, John Kerry is a douchebag. Of the highest caliber. There is no way I can vote for him because he is a political oportunist with no real plan for anything but to throw more money and soliders at it. What a shitty strategy. I will spend no more time on him.

So who am I voting for? Ladies and Gentlemen, I am voting for the Libertarian candidate, Michael Badnarik, because they have more common sense than anything the other two parties throw out there. I mean, there's no chance in hell that they will win. But any party that advocates free immigration, totally free press, free international trade, repealing totally useless drug laws, and the disbanding of Social Security, people, I can put my stamp of approval on that. Now, I now that my voting for Badnarik could lead to Kerry winning, such as how Nader destroyed Al "I invented the internet" Gore's hopes and let Bush in. But, hey, one of those two are going to win, I might as well be able to say I didn't back either of them.

-ed

Reflections on the camping excursion...

So, that was awesome. Nothing like freezing for the love of nature. It just reaffirms my belief that TN is so much more beautifual than TX. TX...the ugly girl at the prom. No idea what that means...shut up.

Anyways, things I learned on this trip:

Things that are so much better when you are intoxicated:

1. Interpol's Turn on the Bright Lights.
2. Scattergories (in where for the letter "G" everything I put had the pre-fix of "Giant")
3. Playing Weezer's "Say It Ain't So" on a guitar in a cave.
4. Warming your feet by the fire...you don't realize the rubber on your soles are melting.
5. Hot Dogs that are cold in the middle.
6. Walking down a trail where you can't see, only to find out in the morning that there was a 50 foot drop right next to you.
7. Burnt Marshmellows
8. Peeing in the middle of the woods

BTW, I like hiking, as long as it's not up a steep hill with shoes with no traction and in the middle of a hunting club's property.

Nice!

So every once in a while...

I'll be reading the San Antonio Express News website and I'll come across an article relating to the family of a kid I went to school with. Now, I know I went to school with the elite of San Antonio, but it's still surprising to see something like "Businessman blah blah millions of dollars blah blah prostitutes blah blah." and then realize I went to school with his son. Weird.

So, am I just like the Audio 1 Assisting Whore or what?

Seriously, I don't know if it's just luck of the draw or people have actually heard my name, but all these Audio 2 and Production students are calling me asking to assist them. And normally, like the assisting whore I am, I would say yes, but I'm already booked all the time. And in some ways I feel bad for turning them down, but then it's like, LEAVE ME ALONE!!

Seth Strawbridge came back this weekend. Immaculate. I walked out of my room at 5am to use the bathroom and he and Clint were talking in the hallway, just like last year. It nearly brought a tear to my eye because these things just don't happen anymore. Oh Third Floor of last year, why must Kyle and I carry the torch? We were the good kids!!

Whoa!

Michael Moore, Sir, You Are an Idiot.

"It's ironic that Republicans have no problem with allowing assault weapons out on our streets, yet they don't want to put clean underwear in the hands of our slacker youth," Moore said. "The Republicans seem more interested in locking me up for trying to encourage people to participate in our democracy than locking up bin Laden for his attacks on our democracy." -Mike Moore

Um.....are you really that stupid? I mean, I'm giving you props for trying to get people to vote, and I find nothing offensive about your methods, but....

You blame the Republicans for the assualt weapon ban being forgotten about? Do you forget that the entire congress is not Republican, but also composed of your precious Democrats? Are you that dim to realize that what you are implying is absolutly false? Well, wait a min...yes, yes you are. You made Farenheit 9/11.

Is it just me...

Or is Elton John just the biggest badass ever these days? See for yourself