R.E.M. Used to Be Good?

Bob Dylan - Modern Times, 2006
As much as I liked the last record, I think that this is my favorite of his three recent "comeback" albums that started with Time Out of Mind. Maybe it's because I loved his book, loved the Scorsese documentary, and am obsessed with his XM show even though I've only had a chance to listen to it once. This album is so good. The guitar is clean. His voice is pristine. He sings songs about Alicia Keys. The shortest song is over five minutes long but it doesn't matter. Even the 8 minute jams don't get boring. I really think that this guy has something to offer, he might be the next Bright Eyes.

00100 - Taiga, 2006
Oh my god, the drumming, the craziness, the Japanese chanting. I can't get enough of this band. I really can't. And it is a good album to put on, put the speakers on the floor, play at top volume, and leave the apartment to screw with the salsa neighbors during their parties.
Listen to UMA.

Waylon Jennings - Honky Tonk Heroes, 1973
I can't believe that Waylon put this and Lonesome, On'ry and Mean out in the same year. They still remain the only two Waylon records I have. Must - get - more. Dave and Jen gave this to me for my 33rd birthday. Sometimes it takes me awhile to actually get to writing about stuff. Lame, I know.

Clinic - Visitations, 2006
The luster is off this band. I used to really really dig them. Now there are a couple exciting tracks per album and the rest sounds like trying to regain lost glory.

King Khan and BBQ Show - What's For Dinner, 2006
Decent and all but quite a letdown from their last record. Too many slowburners. Don't they know that the kids wanna rock?

R.E.M. - Best of the IRS Years, 2006
Disc 2 of last year's best of mixes songs that didn't make Disc 1, some live stuff from the era, and assorted demos. Some good stuff on here. And how sad is it that two of their better songs of the past few years ("Bad Day" "All the Right Friends") are remakes of songs they originally recorded during this era. If nothing else, this CD is worth having for a clear sounding version of "Theme From Two Steps Onward." I still can't believe that they were so good at one point that they rejected putting that song on a record.
Listen to Theme From Two Steps Onward.

M. Ward - Post - War, 2006
The Chris Larrys of the world don't need to comment about this but for the people who like M. Ward, is this album a little bit of a letdown after the last two or it just me? As SHR said while listening to this with me, "I like M. Ward and all but don't all of his songs sound the same?" I mean, I like it all, just not as much as the previous two.

Camera Obscura - Underachievers Please Try Harder, 2003
The sound of a band coming into its own. A really good record. The only bad thing I can say is that it isn't even close to being as brilliant as their next record Let's Get Out of This Country which is probably my favorite record of 2006. A little too much of the dude singing is my big complaint here. Still, I dig this album just fine.

Junior Mance Trio - At the Village Vanguard, 1961
Mooney sent this to me through You Send It. I'd never heard of Junior Mance. I'm glad that I have now. One of the countless jazz artists that I would undoubtedly be familiar with if I had anything more than a cursory knowledge of the subject. Pianist. Good stuff. That's all I can really say other than this shit swings.
Listen to Looptown.

The Best of Loma Records: Rise and Fall of a 1960s Soul Label, 1995
Yes! Hell yes! Burned from Balgavy who had burned it from Alex J. This shit is top notch. 50 songs, 51 hits. So damn fine. This is the soul that I've been craving. A lot of people I hadn't heard of before and then some wonderful Ike and Tina thrown in for good measure.

Dolly Parton - Ultimate, 2003
All the hits. I want more. SHR burned this from a former co-worker. Oh Dolly.

Songs About Girls
File this under "Truth in Advertising." The Noiseboy end of the year three CD monumental undertaking. This is the kind of mix to put on at a party and just let fly. Fuck that iTunes shit when you've got DJ Noiseboy spinning 60 plus songs of gold for you. Some of the classics - Dylan, Beatles, VU, Chuck Berry, etc. mix quite nicely with rarer tunes. My two faves of songs that I didn't already know - the T. Rex song "Debora" and the Tommy Roe song "Sheila" that sounds unbelievably like Buddy Holly.
Or this one by the Beacon Street Union.
Sheila - Tommy Roe

The La's - BBC In Session, 2006
Why only one proper LP? I love this band. This CD is a compilation of 4 BBC sessions the band did from 1987 - 1990. Any self-respecting La's fan should have this CD. If you don't like the La's, you are stupid. Thanks for the Hanukkah gift, little sister.

Red Sticker Collection
Prince - 1999, 1982
This still brings back wonderful memories from the New Year's Eve We Hate Our Downstairs Neighbors Dance Party. After the first three songs, the rest of this album doesn't blow me away. But who needs more than the first three songs? 1999, Little Red Corvette, Delirious. Bam, bam, bam.