Favorite Albums of '07

1. LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver
2. Amy Winehouse Back to Black
3. M.I.A. Kala
4. Muscles Guns Babes Lemonade
5. Kalxons Myths of Near Future
6. Liars Liars
7. Radiohead In Rainbows
8. Justice †
9. !!! Myth Takes
10. Spoon Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
11. Arcade Fire Neon Bible
12. Feist The Reminder
13. Yeah Yeah Yeahs Is Is
14. Of Montreal Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
15. Scout Niblett This Fool Can Die Now
16. The Twilight Sad Fourteen Autumns, Fifteen Winters
17. White Stripes Icky Thump
18. Andrew Bird Armchair Apocrypha
19. Bjork Volta
20. Tim Fite Over the Counter Culture
21. Field Music Tones of Town
22. Battles Mirrored
23. Kanye West Graduation
24. Interpol Our Love to Admire
25. Flight of the Conchords The Distant Future
26. Tegan & Sara The Con
27. Yeasayer All Hour Cymbals
28. El-P I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
29. Burial Untrue
30. Raveonettes Lust Lust Lust
31. Blitzen Trapper Wild Mountain Nation
32. Daft Punk Alive 2007
33. Band of Horses Cease to Begin
34. Shitdisco Kingdom of Fear
35. Bloc Party A Weekend in the City
36. Lupe Fiasco The Cool
37. Coco Rosie The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn
38. A Band of Bees Octopus
39. The Horrors Strange House
40. The Cribs Man’s Needs, Woman’s Needs, Whatever
41. Underworld Oblivion with Bells
42. Hell Razah Renaissance Child
43. Rasputina Oh Perilous World
44. Rilo Kiley Under the Blacklight
45. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Baby 81
46. Shannon Wright Let in the Light
47. Deerhoof Friend Opportunity
48. St. Vincent Marry Me
49. The Polyphonic Spree The Fragile Army
50. Pelican City of Echoes
51. The New Pornographers Challengers
52. Talib Kweli Eardrum
53. Handsome Furs Plague Park
54. Besnard Lakes The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse
55. Aesop Rock None Shall Pass
56. Minus the Bear Planet of Ice
57. Kevin Drew Spirit If . . .
58. LCD Soundsystem 45:33
59. Sage Francis Human the Death Dance
60. Okkervil River The Stage Names

MARVEL (?!) Previews

Normally, I don't give much thought to the Marvel section of Previews. I write the newest issues of Runaways and Daredevil on my pull list along with maybe one or two other books (Currently, it's Marvel Zombies 2 and House of M: Avengers). It's not that I don't like Marvel characters and writers, but I'm burned out on X-Men, et al and don't care for a lot of their current artists.

However, several things caught my attention in this months Previews. All of these titles should ship in January.

While the nauseating Joe Madureira is puking all over Ultimates, Cary Nord's cross-hatches are looking pretty good on Ultimate Human. I'm not sure who's coloring, but I appreciate the washed out colors that allow the line-work to shine. Writer Warren Ellis lost me on issue 3 of Ultimate Secret, though, so I won't be getting this one.

In addition, Ultimate War Machine debuts in Ultimate Iron Man II #2, by Orson Scott Card and Pasqual Ferry. Salvador Larroca (New Universal, Ultimate Elektra) takes over pencils on Ultimate X-men with issue 90. Robert "Invincible and Walking Dead" Kirkman is still writing the series.

The book that caught me most by surprise, was the new Spider-Man mini, With Great Power. David "Stray Bullets" Lapham writes the 5-issue arch, which focuses on the time after Parker gained his powers and before he decided to use them for fighting crime rather than personal gain. Tony "Ex Fucking Machina" Harris handles the artwork! Spider-Man rarely interests me when not in a team dynamic, where he works well as comic relief, but the creative crew on this one might land it in my hands come '08.

Ed Brubaker's Captain America debuts the new hero--complete with pistol, dagger/sword, and Alex Ross-designed costume--in issue 34. I initially assumed that they had prematurely brought back Steve Rogers. The death of Captain America was one of the biggest cultural events of the year, and bringing him back would only cheapen the Civil War storyline and damage Marvel's cred. However, it seems that this is a new Captain, perhaps James Newman from The Chosen. I don't know; I don't keep up with this stuff.

Along with the great Jeph Loeb, Ed McGuinness (Batman/Superman) will be working on the new Hulk series. Loeb's obcession with colors brings us a red Hulk. Man-Thing makes an appearance in X-Men: First Class #8. I'm not really sure what is going on in The Tweleve, but Straczynski is writing and it features classic heroes in contemporary times.

The cover to Marvel "Still Written by Robert Kirkman" Zombies II #4 is Suydam's tribute to Iron Man's first appearance in Tales of Suspense. And is that Dexter's David Zayas (Angel) on the cover of Daredevil #104?

New Scout Niblett

Scout Niblett's new album, The Fool Can Die Now, features more of the vocalist, drummer, and guitarist's sparse creations. The electrosprinkles of Kidnapped by Neptune are brushed aside in favor of Will Oldham guest spots and occasional orchestration. While much of this album shares sonic landscape with White Chalk, "Nevada" is a treatise on where I wished PJ Harvey's newest effort had settled. "Dinosaur Egg" whispers from the dark forests of the dusty Hawthorne on your shelf. Albini records brilliantly.
















Download "Nevada" by Scout Niblett
Download The Fool Can Die (Emusic) (Amazon) (Insound)

Scout in Phonogram #1

Karaoke Verite

I've been away for much to long. Plans for another netcast are still in the works (mainly for my own enjoyment) and I hope to get back to posting regularly.

Today I've got a couple videos for ya. The first is hot of the presses from Zach "Late World" Galifianakis. That's Will Oldham (Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Palace) in the hot shorts. This short, which takes a long time to load, is pretty amazingly directed/edited by Michael Blieden, who has done other work with Zach, other comedians, episodes of King of Queens, etc.

Zach Galifianakis & Will Oldham - "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Kanye West)
[Updated with new link.]


This video reminded me of another classic from the band that provides the title for this post.

Dresden Dolls - "Together" (Avril Lavigne)

Both are highly recommended. Why else would I be posting at 3AM?

Break Up: The Band

Sadly, Phonogram is over. But it promises to be back. Otherwise, we'd just be suspect to some crappy cover bands playing the same boring singles. In other words, I would have been writing my own fanfic. You can get the trade soon.


Meanwhile, look for artist Jamie McKelvie's new solo project, Suburban Glamour, in an upcoming Previews. Apparently it's about skateboarding fairies. Is there any other kind?


Warning: Personal Notes Ahead: This summer I'll be planning a wedding (Yes, my own.) and preparing for my first semester as a high school teacher, so posts may be spotty. I still have plans to do a new podcast and other cool things, but they are not high priorities. I mainly do this blog for my own enjoyment and enrichment. If you're into it, please let me know. I'd hate to disappoint any fans if they actually exist.