Reflections on the Decade or: Some Albums I Feel like Talking about before 2011

It is December 2010 and I've been thinking for a while about doing a Best of the Decade post about music. A "Top 10" or something along those lines. I've been listening to a lot of new things lately, local, large and otherwise. The following criteria are how i've decided to do it:
1. I'm disqualifying all the bands that my friends are in. I love you all and you are making some wonderful music in a million different ways. Lets just say I don't have room for all the ways I respect my talented friends. All these friends are, by the way just a Google from your ears. Look them up!!

My friends who have finished albums in the past decade:
Hepcat Dilemma- Overend
Junk Fingers- You can't drink all day unless you start in the morning.
Incommunicado- Burning Daylight
Aardvark Spleen- Center of the Universe
Acoustic Ross- The Anarchist Fakebook
Naythen Wilson- various titles
Soma Mestizo- Telomere and various titles.
Corduroy Days- Timestamp EP
Krista Crommett- Private Parade

2. All the albums on my list are ones that I personally own. Do you think theres a particular album I will like better? Let me know. I'm always on the lookout.
3. Disqualified my own releases in this decade for obvious reasons. But in case you are wondering, they are:
Voxius- Psyclotomis Rex (2001)
Mister Voxius- Atroxius (2008)
Moot Pt.- This Space Intentionally Left Blank (2010)

That's really it. Just wanted to note my restrictions, hopefully to make the enjoyment of reading this list that much greater :)
Presenting!!!! Some albums put out since 2000 that I really want to talk about!
Regina Spektor- Begin to Hope- 2006
I have to start with a little story. When Reginas' Bonaroo 2010 performance was on npr.org, some person commented that she was "nothing but a Tori Amos wannabee" or something to that effect. Wanting to read the rest of the commentary and perhaps respond, I accidentally "liked" that comment and couldn't figure out how to take it back. So let me be clear now. That person is wrong, and in a huge way. The only thing that the wonderful Tori and Regina have in common is a piano. Thank you. done.
Begin to Hope starts in some kind of pop territory, with "Fidelity" and "Better", both excellent vehicles for a truly unique and flexible voice. Then comes "Samson" a simple lovers lament wrapped in a biblical verse that almost always still chokes me up just from the sound of it. "Apres Moi" still baffles me with its meaning, but sung partially in Russian, it is unforgettable. No one ever gets as versatile on a piano ballad as Spektor does on "Chemo Limo". Almost characteristically heartbreaking while still maintaining a sense of humor, this has become one of my favorite tunes.

The Roots- Phrenology- 2002
Where do you start with this one? The beginning? Ok. "Rock You" is everything you ever wanted from the Roots, solid beat, awesome rhymes, the feeling that this is not just another hip-hop record, and suddenly theres comes a formidable Fishbone impression in the form of "!!!" which somehow leads back to the silkiness of "Sacrifice". Yes, "The Seed 2.0" is one this one too. This is the album I pick first when discussing rap , it's pitfalls and its heroes. Considering their decade of output,including the latest John Legend collab and the excellent "How I Got Over" from earlier this year, I always come back to this one when I want to be amazed by the Roots.
OutKast- Stankonia- 2000
My re-introduction into hip hop. In the 1980's, when I abandoned DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and RUN DMC for Minor Threat and the Violent Femmes, it's because I was young and it matched my hair. Punk made a lot more sense to me at 15 than rap did. When I heard OutKast in about 2001, "Stankonia" and then "Aquemini" I first wondered, where on Earth did this come from? Then I marveled at the pure lyrical fanaticism of Andre 3000 and Big Boi. Hardly anyone can touch these two for pure creative power. Includes fascinating George Clinton cameo. My favorite? "Humble Mumble" which features the scratchy soul of Erykah Badu. Includes this little gem :"She said 'I thought hip-hop was only guns and alcohol.' I said "Hell, Naw, oh but it's that too! You can't discriminate cause you done read a book or two."
Seu Jorge- The Life Aquatic Sessions- 2005
I love this album so much it's ridiculous. Brazilian singer Seu Jorge does David Bowie songs acoustically and in Portuguese. It doesn't hurt that it includes many of my favorites from "Hunky Dory" and at least a few from "Ziggy Stardust". Truly, I cannot express how much this recording means to me. If you are even a little bit of a Bowie fan you should get it. Mind Blowing.
Andrew Bird- Armchair Apocrypha- 2007
This album contains a song called "Simple X". It features an incredibly catchy drum loop by Martin Dosh at the beginning, is full of melancholy melody and you know what? It makes me feel good every single time I hear it. If there were no other songs on the record (there are) this one would still make my top 10 of the decade. Other notable tracks: "Scythian Empires". This one is a triumph of sound engineering as well as songwriting. The spaces they create with simple sounds, whistling, plucked violin, it's an adventure to listen to.

Gorillaz- Demon Days- 2005
"Feel Good!" bowp ba ba ba bawp bow! bowp ba ba ba bow bowm! Infectious isn't even the appropriate word for the repeatability of most of these tracks. When not bouncing with dance floor bombast you find quieter moments in "November has come" and the late Dennis Hopper brings you alien history in "Fire coming out of the monkeys head". This album is frozen in time and space, nothing by the Gorillaz or anything else will ever touch it.
Gnarls Barkley- St. Elsewhere- 2006
When was the last time you danced? Probably near the last time this was on. Something about Cee-Lo Green makes me root for the guy. Even though "Crazy" probably got overplayed no matter where you live, it's deeper than the average pop song. "There was something so pleasant about that place, even your emotions have an echo in so much space..." Cheers to CLG and Danger Mouse for etching out a unique place for St. Elsewhere to live.
The Breeders- Title TK- 2002The best things about a song like "Cannonball" (from 1993's Last Splash) pop up everywhere on tyhis album. Simple ,catchy and yet so sonically unique. Perfect harmony over imperfect rhythym. Garbage can drums and bass propel Kim Deals ever so slightly damaged voice to proclaim "I will sing...Title TK...if I don't black out!"
This is how I like my rock'n'roll.
" I am the autumn and the scarlet, I am the makeup on your eye..."

I truly hope you enjoyed reading my opinions and thoughts on music from the last decade. I find it only fitting to close with a quote from one of my true heroes, who will never be surpassed in this decade or in another. A Squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous! Got me!
~~HAPPY NEW YEAR~~
Orange Claw Hammer by Captain Beefheart
Uh thick cloud caught uh piper cubs tail The match struck blue on uh railroad rail The old puff horse was just pullin' thru'n uh' man wore uh peg leg forever I'm on the bum where the hoboes run The air breaks with filthy chatter Oh I don't care there's no place there I don't think it matters My skin's blazin' thru'n my clothes in tatters'n the railroad looks Like uh "Y" up the hill of ladders One shoe fell on the gravel One stick poked down Gray of age fell down on uh pair of ears An eagle shined thru my hole watch pocketUh gingham girl baby girlPassed me by in tearsUh jack rabbit raised his folded ears Uh beautiful sagebrush jack rabbit'n an oriole sang like an orange His breast full uh worms'n his tail clawed the evenin' like uh hammer His wings took t' air like uh bomber'n my rain can caught me uh cup uh water When I got into town Odd jobs mam ah' yer horse I'll fodder I'm the round house man I once was yer father Uh little up the road uh wooden Candy stripe barber pole o'n above it read uh sign "painless parker" Licorice twisted around under uh fly'n uh youngster cocked 'er eye God before me if I'm not crazyIs my daughter Come little one with yer littleole dimpled fingers Gimme one 'n I'll buy you uh cherry phosphate Take you down t' the foamin' brine 'n water'n show you the wooden tits On the Goddess with the pole out full sail That tempted away yer peg legged father I was shanghied by uh high hat beaver mustache man'n his pirate friend I woke up in vomit 'n beer in uh banana bin'n uh soft lass with brown skin Bore me seven babies with snappin black eyes'n beautiful ebony skin'n here it is I'm with you my daughter Thirty years away can make uh seaman's eyes Uh round house man's eyes flow out water Salt water

186,000 song/album titles per second. 61-80.

Here it is, part 4 of the continuing list of unused song titles. The title above is a reference to Richard Brautigans story, "A Confederate General at Big Sur".

61. Midlife
62. Election Food Crisis
63. Selective Misogyny
64. No Other Word for Poontang
65. Old Police, New Cops.
66. Chicken Haters
67. Plasticene
68. I missed.
69. Been to Bayonne?
70. Cannot Be Destroyed
71. Elliptical Moon.
72. Slowly Dis-invited
73. Try and Find Me
74. Not Caring but Writing It Down.
75. Embarrass Me Again
76. It's not like Cheese.
77. Paper Chewing Class
78. Alone in Love.
79. Talking Faster than you Think.
80. Get Your Mother.

Song/Album Titles Galactica 41-60.

First post since November 4th! Here's the continuing list of song/album titles I wrote in a state of forced sleeplessness due to my Verizon work schedule. Hope you enjoy them!

41. Frustrated Mexican
42. Alert America
43. False
44. Somebody Bit Me
45. Missing Urinal/Black Scar on a White Wall
46. More reasons to Shut Up.
47. Refusing to Bleed
48. Burdening
49. Look What Happened.
50. Party Favor Attack.
51. He's a Pig, She's a Pig.
52. Pieces, Thick Slices
53. Infected Query of Reason.
54. Sail a Boat Alone.
55. Umlaut in the Spotlight. #
56. Born into Murderous Rage.
57. Never Come Back.
58. Fucking Lucky. #
59. Meet Yourself
60. Beaten til Pretty.

The Song/Album Titles of Notre Dame Part II: 21-40

I started yesterday by listing 15 then changed it to 20. Why? It feels more complete that way. I do wonder if different groupings would give different significance to the arrangement. Also, already been used indicated by #.
21. Starview Inn.
21. Electric Street Meat.
23. Write 21 twice Everytime.
24. Entwhistle Supreme.
25. Field of Crushed Lettuce.
26. Poor in Spirit, Laughing all the way to the Bank.
27. Mixed Motor Skills. #
28. Feeling Real Remorse.
29. Incredibly Dry.
30. Daylight Warrior (Warrior).
31. Wall Mark.
32. Spanish Salad Dressing.
33. Rock Feels Good and Rocks Feel Good.
34. Eleven Twelve.
35. Black Wind Marks I.
36. Too Far.
37. Bloody Bloody Lincoln.
38. Little Silver.
39. Ex-Messenger.
40. Damn-alot.

Mixed Motor Skills appears on EQC: Empty Quotation Casino. The title became F--K this but the original inspired lyrics are included.
EQC Facebook Page

Post -Midnight Album/Song Titles part. 1

One night a half of a zillion years ago (2004) when I worked my horrifying job at Verizon, I needed something to do. You see, my job at the time was to answer 411 calls from 10pm-6am. Fifteen second conversations with drunk people several hundred times per shift. While usually midnight to say 2:30 is relatively entertaining, after that the joy quotient drops off significantly. Some people at the job brought crosswords, word search puzzles, magazines. You couldn't get too involved because a call could pop up any second "city and state please?".
I used to read magazines, attempt to do homework and bring blank paper and pens. I could doodle and sketch, or write. One night I decided to make a list of song titles I could use for future songs (or perhaps albums). My goal was 100. I surpassed it.
I'm not claiming any specific right to any of these but if you ever decide to use one, let me know. I'd like to hear where my inspiration ended up.

100+ Song titles part 1: 1-20.
1. Sick of a lot of Stuff.
2. Had his heart (rate) set on it.
3. Beat you to the Glass.
4. Spanish Pavillion
5. Mysteries and Malcontents.
6. Second Soul on the Left.
7. You wish it had meaning.
8. Nuts upon Dots.
9. Learn how to Spell before you Die.
10. Nothing this Service Obscures.
11. Restaurant Economy.
12. Metapunk Dendrite Revolution.
13. Upset about your Cold Feet.
14. Every Foreign Word.
15. I'm a Free Thinker and you should be too.
16. You Should Just Quit.
17. Old Shuffling Pretender.
18. Conundrumitis.
19. The First Three Times I Quit Smoking.
20. Funny Fuzzy Ruddy.
I'll continue the list in a few days or a week.

My 30 day project (on paper)

My interest is in interpreting a piece of music every day for 30 days. I don't actually have time to record every day but I am generating
a list from which to work from . Dirty deeds is actually recorded. I 'll probably get to one or two a week. My real project, in fact,
is in keeping the list up to date.

1. dirty deeds
2. stand and deliver- adam ant
3. after the gold rush
4. this is the picture excellent birds- peter gabriel
5. god (tori amos)
6. i saw her standing there.
7. fallen angel- king crimson
8. why do fools fall in love?
9. take me with u

Mute Pt.: Aardvark Spleen "Center of the Universe"

Is there a Rhode Island "sound"? Is it some combination of Canned Heat, Jim Hensons' Muppet Show and a philosophical inquiry into cannibalism? If you're listening to Dr. Zeke and Aardvark Spleen, the answer is yes, without a doubt.
The new disc, "Center of the Universe" is Spleen's first since 1999's "Love of Wisdom". This group opens fresh in 2010 with Cosmic Sludge, a little reminiscent of Floyd on "One of these Days" and it's mellow sax intro. The first line of the album tells you just where these guys are coming from; "Listen to the preacher lie...explain away cro-magnon man."
Where are they actually from? I think that's answered in the super stompy blues of Foster. Don't listen to this one before bedtime kids. If you want to relax, pick Smells So Good which sounds like a loaf of freshly baked bread.
When I heard Them Last Ten Beers which features a couple of solos containing 9.6 percent alcohol, I felt like I was there. Streaking, fighting ,whatever, it's hard to resist the simple charms of a good old party song. Sober up at the Chinese Buffet, try the sweet and sour kitten or consult with Lao-Tzu "who proclaims I need no virtue..." So goes our journey to the center...how exactly will we get out?

The harmonic lament of I Killed the Dinosaurs begins the second half, setting in motion the de-volution that may lead to a Shellfish Orgy. This is not a metaphor: "The hardshells...will be oozing slimy fluids tonight!" This song also contains a stinkin' hot slide solo, possibly my favorite moment on the whole disc. What happens when plants gain self awareness? They conspire to Eat the Vegetarians (and the Vegans too). Gimme Money sounds more like Captain Beefheart falling off stage at a blues festival every time I hear it. Everybody loves Grampa, and it might be Aardvark Spleens signature tune.

The fun and the hard work that created this disc is evident in every tune. Leave it to Paul "Dr.Zeke" Swift, Tim Johnson, Scott Ulricksen, Erik "Spiney Norman" Ryfa, Harold Lawton, Christine Andrade, and Chris Lussier to bring this mix of rock, blues, and existentialist thought to life with such energy and freedom. Here's to the Rhode Island sound of Aardvark Spleen. You can buy it on iTunes or from the band through Facebook.

Can you do it?

Can you hold your enthusiasm for something for thirty days? Can you commit to completing a simple task, once a day for a month? So far, I can't . I 've tried to find some topic, activity or project that I can commit to doing everyday, but somehow I keep talking myself out of everything. I think maybe I need to start small: "I will walk barefoot on the grass every day for 30 days...", "I will throw frisbees at Oologah every day for 30 days...". Right now, because I really need to, I've resolved to read 30 minutes a day, for 30 days. This will fulfill my need to complete a project and will make me more prepared for class, which is definitely what I need to be. Stay tuned, please and see how the whole 30 days of stuff works out. You can join the group on Facebook now, you can certainly follow @andrewatideal or @dubber (or @sivers) to see where this all came from, or you can resolve to do something for 30 days and see what happens!

What's a zombie pig devil?

First Followers in Action...we're busy people.

should say...I'm busy people. I'm apparently too busy to create a blog post every week, which is pretty much the only thing I was asked to do as part of this project. And too busy to even keep up with my project everyday, although I am watering my grass seed on a daily basis. Here however is what other first followers are up to, in the spirit of acting to do one thing for 30 days. Simon Fowler's blog contains alot of interesting info on realtional thinking and living. What's that? well.. read it. Deb Walsh is creating music every day for 30 days on http://www.onebeforemidnight.com/ . And Andrew Wicklander continues work on what will certainly be the impetus for many many month-long commitments that flower into great works, the 30 day project organizer!!! The current location of this project is a carefully guarded secret, but I can tell you it's shaping up to be a very useful tool for projectistas of all shapes and sizes.
I am growing grass for 30 days. I'm trying to. GROOOOOWWWWW!!!!!!
In other news, all my homework is getting done and I got a 99 on my paper.

more and more ideas, and more ideas

As the web so often does, every step I take along with the First Followers opens me up to new ideas, new music, new tools I can use and most importantly, new people. Andrew Dubbers 30 days of Ideas has inspired Andrew Wicklander to learn new coding skills, and Deb Walsh started a Facebook page just for 30 day projects. I've decided to do 30 days of gardening, I really hope my lawn turns out acceptably .
Still looking forward to trying out the "Numberless Calendar", i still want shower pebbles, personalized radio, online mixtapes. All this has led me to discover some new tools such as Bandcamp which is the coolest way I've seen yet to present and sell independent music.

DubDate: free ideas up to 20!!

Here we are at the end of week 3 of "30 days of ideas". Mr. Dubber has been thinking alot lately! My favorite new idea is of a mixtape website; a virtual mixtape if you can picture that. Seems very possible to me, but I'm not sure how many people would use it. Dubber imagines the romanticism involved in creating a mix, on cassette, for just one person. The personal mixtape weblink would be available to just one person, and the songs arranged in two 30 or 45 minute blocks, depending on your cassette preference, so as not to allow the songs to be played out of context with the adjacent songs. As a former serial mixtapist, I see the appeal. If it would involve magazine photo collage cover art as well, I think it could be a huge success.
Wicklander is well along with creating a sweet app for the "Numberless calendar", a tool for handling 30 day projects. I am certain it will be fascinating when it's complete. I'm looking forward to using it.

Albuquerque, then home tomorrow...

Ah, New Mexico...what can I say? You have left me more impressed than I ever expected. Land of Enchantment indeed! We ate well, we saw the art, we walked the streets, drove through the mountains and we climbed your volcanic mounds!! Thanks NM, and everyone who made our stay here memorable.

up in the mountains!

drove straight up in the air to get there... cold snowy and beautiful!

on our way to rooftop pizza

at the time of this writing, im in a 3rd floor gourmet pizzeria facing a giant mtn in the distance and expecting good things.

wine tasting

uhh...yum. Vino del Corazon makes a mouth so very happy! we tried 6 different wines apiece!

Moxie!

'specially for my dad and my freind Bob. this store called moxie seemed like a random event until we saw this...

basilica of St. Francis

day 2 santa fe. shopping, tourism, gallery crawl all within 4 blocks! this is the basilica, very gorgeous. lunch, then ?

Arrival, mountain view

we've arrived in santa fe! this location is amazing. no great view from the hotel room,but thats not why we came. going to recover slightly from the 8 plus hr. drive then get some dinner.

Going to the Land of Enchantment!!

Emily and I are headed to New Mexico tomorrow! We are driving to Santa Fe, staying at the Inn of the Governors. Hopefully will catch up with an old friend, Mr. Big Daddy Bull Seal himself. Looking forward to being on vay-k, relaxing and exploring a place I've never been before. Check this site thru the 22nd for updates on the trip.

OKC sundown sky

this is probably the third time or so i've blogged simply because the sky in Oklahoma blew my mind. this pic doesn't do it justice. the clouds were salmon crimson and lapis lazuli all at once. that may not even be a color.

The Recursive 30 day project

So far , in following the exploits of Andrew Dubber and his 30 days of ideas, we've seen a baby proofing software for PCs, a graffiti archive application, an idea for delivering customized radio broadcasts, an updatable business card and a concept to get people to "listen" to recorded music again (good luck, I KID, I kid!!) DJ Phillips has presented an awesome overview on his blog.The idea that has generated the most excitement amongst us, the First Follower Dance Party, is the idea of a numberless calendar.
Oh, really? ok. yay.
No, seriously! A tool , likely web based or presented in a phone app, that helps to organize and implement a 30 day project. The 30 day idea that spawned the 30 day idea to help spawn new 30 day ideas! Got any guinness? say it with me! BRILLIANT!
So, now the plan is for all the participants to think of a 30 day idea so that we can beta the project. Mine likely will be music related, but who knows. can a PR project be 30 days? "30 days to book a show at the museum of Art". Maybe I'll write a comic book. Maybe I'll start a protest. Or a contest.

If you're on twitter, look for #firstfollower or just follow @andrewatideal

Idealism , realism and real ideas.

Today I begin participating in the Idealism Project, or First Follower Dance Party, or something. I'm pretty sure the idea is to observe and report on this one guy's project ot publish an idea a day for 30 days, and then act upon implementing one of those ideas for the greater good. Once again, or something. I am finding the direction a little vague but that is one of the things that is so exciting about being involved in a conceptual project with people from around the world. Ok here's the gidt this week: The idea guys name is Andrew Dubber. The implementer and organizer of first follower is Andrew Wicklander. The idea that Dubber presented today is called Keymash, kind of a security system protecting your home computer against infant invaders. Not too bad, shows you're thinking. I guess what I find so positive about it is that it is actually something some real parents could use. It's just an idea, so I have chosen, this week at least to spend most of this entry talking about the project itself. I'm tired, perhaps I'll rewrite this throughout the week. more info.? follow @andrewatideal on Twitter.

dance party, new project

tomorrow i begin blogging on behalf of First Follower Dance Party, a project i know very little about. #firstfollower will keep you in the loop on twitter starting tomorrow!

EQC recording session

actually the end of the session. we whipped out 8 songs in 4 hours. i'm realky looking forward to sharing the results.

Eqc Update, unrelated dog photo

The RPM Challenge band, I'm tenatively calling EQC, got together last night and had some songwriting success. I think sunday will be a productive one. Hopefully start tracking tunes. Elvis Queries Congress. Eventually Quit Caring. Epileptic Quasi Chameleon.

emily at thunderbird lake

guess i'm home.

ok ghost town: earlsboro

you cant see the internal destruction of this building.

Related News

So the latest news is this...I just changed the tagline of this blog to reflect it's renewal of purpose. Multiple Music is being reborn , slowly, carefully in the heart of Oklahoma City. Right now in the works are a noise/songwriting experiment we have chosen to call "Moot Pt.", also a collaboration with a local gent to enter into the RPM Challenge. Likely both will result in some interesting recordings. May develop into some shows too. we'll see.