Johnny Marr - Guitar Prostitue

Thanks to my inside sources in the radio industry, I found out that everyone's favorite alternative guitar slinger is off to join another established band. This time the whiney bastards cast in the mold of The Smiths themselves, Modest Mouse.

For the record Johnny has been a member of the following bands (only major bands are listed):
The Smiths
The The
Electronic
Johnny Marr & The Healers

And he has contributed his talents to the following bands (not a comprehensive list):
Talking Heads
Kirsty MacColl
Pet Shop Boys
Billy Bragg
Everything But the Girl
Beck
Tom Jones
The Cult
Beth Orton
Oasis
The Pretenders

For the most part he tends to make good choices. Just a little tip, don't bother with his solo album. He is definitely a colaborater not an innovater. This does bode well for Modest Mouse, though.

She Wants Revenge

After about the third listen I have finally put my finger on why these guys seem to fall short. In the same way Interpol is a perfect blend of Joy Division and The Smiths, these guys blend Joy Division and Depeche Mode. The former is a more organic blend, but the latter isn't like peanutbutter and sardines. The problem is the early minimalist (not on purpose) Depeche Mode that they ape in order for it to mesh with the now ubiquitos Ian Curtis impression. Even DM didn't want to use that style. It was the limitation of the technology at the time. They are now full and rich and push the threshhold of being over the top. That is good music. I hope these guys ditch the monotone drone and go full on WuDM for their sophmore effort. Right now this guy's vocal talent is almost on par with my own impressive one octave range.

Top 100 New Rules Picks

Since we have now changed the rules to essentially be any recording with more than 4 songs, here are some revisions to the list:

37. Nine Inch Nails - Broken (replaces Pretty Hate Machine)
81. Squeeze - Singles, 45's & Under
68. Billy Bragg - Back to Basics (replaces Life's a Riot w/ Spy v SPy)
82. Echo & the Bunnymen- Songs to Learn and Sing
23. Joy Division - Permanent (replaces Closer)

also

24. Matthew Sweet - Altered Beast (compromise between Girlfriend and 100% Fun)
79. The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute (replaces Deloused)
83. They Might Be Giants - Flood
84. Ian McCollough - Mysterio

And the current working top 10 countdown:

10. The Smiths - Strangeways Here We Come
9. U2 - Achtung Baby
8. The Cure - Disintegration
7. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
6. The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
5. Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
4. Depeche Mode - Violator
3. The Clash - Combat Rock
2. The Cure - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
1. Radiohead - Kid A

My Netflix Keaton-athon has begun!

Night shift arrives soon, followed by Gung Ho and then one of the funniest movies ever made, Mr. Mom. You think I am sh*ttin' you? Watch it!

What the judegs have allowed

1. Aw hell yeah!
2. Wish I could say "Broken" but the judges won't allow it. NIN must be represented so it stays.
3. The judges say "Grilfriend."
4. Elvis gets about 6 picks. This is one. "My Aim is True," "This years Model," "Trust," "Spike," and "When I was Cruel." If space allows there are some others, but we can't get greedy.
5. The judges say "Document.'' But they could be wrong.
6. Mmm...young Natalie. *drool*
7. Yes, yes, and yes.
8. Don't ask me what you know is true.
9. All Music says this is a proper album, so it stays. I have always thought it was a Soundtrack thing, but am glad it stays.
10. This however is a compillation. Besides, some of the B-Sides drag it down overall. And I never got over "The Girl Least Likely To" not being on there. The judges say "Viva Hate," "Vauxhaul and I," and space allowing "You Are the Quarry (special edition.)" More room must be made for the Smiths.

In fact lets get some of the absolutes out of the way right now:

1. The Smiths- The Smiths
2. The Smiths- Meat is Murder
3. The Smiths- The Queen is Dead
4. The Smiths- Strangeways Here We Come
5. The Smiths - Louder than Bombs
6. The Cure- Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
7. The Cure- Disintegration
8. The Clash - Combat Rock
9. The Clash - London Calling
10. Radiohead - OK Computer
11. Radiohead- Kid A
12. Radiohead - The Bends
13. Interpol - Turn On Your Bright Lights
14. Morrissey - Viva Hate
15. Depeche Mode - Violator
16. Portishead - Dummy
17. Soul Coughing- Irresistable Bliss
18. The The- Dusk
19. 10.000 Maniacs- In Our Tribe
20. New Order- Movement
21. New Order - Technique
22. New Order - Republic
23. Joy Division - Closer
24. Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend
25. Echo & the Bunnymen- Echo & the Bunnymen
26. The Ocean Blue - Cerulean
27. The Sundays- Reading, Writing & Arithmetic
28. The House of Love- The House of Love (butterfly)
29. Weezer- Weezer (blue)
30. The Strokes - Is This It
31. The Trash Can Sinatras - Cake
32. They Might Be Giants - Lincoln
33. Soul Coughing - Ruby Vroom
34. R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
35. U2 - Achtung Baby
36. Pet Shop Boys - Please
37. Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
38. Death Cab For Cutie - Plans
39. Jeff Buckley - Grace
40. Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstacy
41. Garbage - Garbage
42. Foo Fighters- The Color and the Shape
43. The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen
44. Moby - Play
45. Tricky - Pre-Millenium Tension
46. The Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
47. The Beatsie Boys - Ill Communication
48. INXS- Kick
49. Gorillaz- Gorillaz
50. Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True
51. Elvis Costello - This Years Model
52. Elvis Costello - Armed Forces
53. Elvis COstello - Trust
54. Elvis Costello - Spike
55. Elvis Costello - When I Was Cruel
56. Soul Coughing - El Oso
56. Portishead- Portishead
57. Cake - Prolonging the Magic
58. The Stone Roses- The Stone Roses
59. The Stone Roses - The Second Coming
60. Bjork- Homogenic
61. Green Day - American Idiot
62. The Violent Femmes- The Violent Femmes
63. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
64. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Like Bad News
65. Midnight Oil - Blue Sky Mining
66. The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God
67. Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
68. Billy Bragg- Life's a Riot with Spy vs. Spy (reissue)
69. Billy Bragg- Don't Try This at Home
70. Morrissey - Vauxhaul and I
71. Morrissey - You Are the Quarry (special edition)
72. The Lightning Seeds- Cloudcukooland
73. The Dead milkmen - Bealzabubba
74. Wilco- Summer Teeth
75. James- Laid
76. Rancid- ...And Out Came the Wolves...
77. Social Distortion- Social Distortion
78. Madness - Madness
79. The Mars Volta - Delousing at the Crematorium
80. The Inspiral Carpets - the Inspiral Carpets

And this is withouth looking at my collection.

...Rolling Right Along

Ten more albums for consideration (listed alphabetically by height):
1 - Portishead - Dummy
2 - Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
3 - Matthew Sweet - 100% Fun
4 - Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Armed Forces
5 - R.E.M. - Life's Rich Pageant
6 - 10,000 Maniacs - In My Tribe
7 - Soul Coughing - Irresistible Bliss
8 - Inxs - Kick
9 - Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
10-Morrissey - Bona Drag

What is so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Discuss.

The Albino Blacksheep Of the Family

For those of you who need something to fill the seemingly endless hours between waking and sleeping, I present to you Albino Blacksheep. A site rife with (mostly) Flash animation, music videos, games, etc. Perhaps an outlet for the Goldfish, hmm?

Death Cab Decision

Despite the fact that I bought PLANS at Target, Death Cab is still cool. Had I bought a pair of Chuck Taylors at Target would they be any less cool? And are they any less cool because the unwashed masses have accepted them? I know these aen't universal rules, but ona case-by-case basis they apply. U2 and Radiohead are still realtively cool. And before anyone says anything, I understand that it is very hard for a 30+ year-old man to pull off Converse hightops. I may still be able to do Jack Purcells.

Let's get this thing rolling...

I am going to pick my first 10 albums. Then everyone else will add ten. You can use the same artist, but you can't duplicate albums. You can dispute one of my picks, and it may be deleted or adjusted. But in the end, I am the moderater and have final say. Remember the only criterea here are that you feel these are great albums. They need have no cultural, popular, or musical signifigance other than your own. We will worry about order of rank later, but here we go:

1. The Clash - Combat Rock
2. The Cure - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
3. Radiohead - Kid A
4. The Smiths - Strangeways Here We Come
5. Morrissey - Viva Hate
6. Ian McColloch - Mysterio
7. The The - Dusk
8. They Might Be Giants - Lincoln
9. New Order - Technique
10. New Order - Movement

Pezda's picks:
63. Beatise Boys - Paul's Botique (Solid pick, despite being on every other top 100.)
62. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
61. Ray Charles - The Genius of Ray Charles (compilation)
60. Original Cast Recording - Rent (Makes me think you have been colluding with Red! This will not make the final cut. Just letting you know now.)
59. The Strokes - Room on Fire
58. 10,000 Maniacs - Blind Man's Zoo
57. Gorillaz - Gorillaz (Definitely the best cartoon zombie smian hip-hop alternative album ever!)
56. Police - Ghost in the Machine
55. Suzanne Vega - 99.9F
54. Matthew Sweet - Altered Beast (Assuming the olive drab cover. I know it makes no difference.)
53. Elvis Costello - This Years Model (Outstanding!)
52. Echo & the Bunnymen - Songs to learn and Sing (compilation)
51. The Smiths - Meat is Murder (If anyone else would like suggest the remainder of the Smiths proper albums, you could spare us all the trouble.)
50. Squeeze - Singles, 45's & Under (compilation)

New rule: These must be proper albums. No EP's. No compilations. Too easy to say "the best of." Though, in the case of Squeeze it almost seems like you have to make an exception.

The State of the Union

OK first off, Red your suggestions have me two seconds away from disowning you. "Nazarean? What? Who?"

Second, Lulukins you have ADMINISTRATIVE RIGHTS! You don't need to Comment, you need to post!

Thrid, ... damn it I never have a third point!

100 Greatest albums cause I said so

Lulukins must contribute. Pezda must contribute. J must contribute. Jilly if you're out there. Other submissions will be considered.

Is this thing on?

Anyone? Anyone?

Is it still OK to Like Death Cab? Discuss.

If you read this, post a comment. It is the only way I know that I still exist.

What I Like About the Universe

I now own Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith on DVD. The only rationalizations I can give for this are being a slave to my childhood, and closure. What is sad is I know there will be a box set of the prequels if not all six movies re-issued and I will buy them all again! Because Lucas knows that he can add three minutes and some more CG BS to the film and I, along with other salivating Gen-X drones, will lie awake at night if we don't have the new one. I may actually have to buy a humidor for my original version VHS tapes so that I will always be able to see Han shoot Greedo first. I may even have to throw my Special Edition tapes in there too so I won't have to scratch my head every time Hayden Christiansen pops up at the end of Jedi.

On a slightly less self-loathing note, I also bought the Simpsons season 7. I have not determined yet which season is the last one worth buying, but the most recent years are not worth owning. I am guessing roughly season 11, which is about 2001. These are the last ones I know were good, but there may be one or two salvagable episodes in the past 4 years. Season 7 on the other hand, may have more grade A episodes than any other season. Including my favorite episode ever, King Sized Homer! On the other hand I haven't seen much of the past few years, but maybe I will just Netflix them. Netflix, the Simpsons, and Star Wars- There are actually somethings I do like about the universe!