In order to begin, we must first know that while many of these bands & artists seem familiar to most of us…is it my fault that THEY are THE ONE’S who are putting out quality material? I think not. Hence they are simply voted into the crucial, the essential, the masterful, the chosen few, the coolest of the cool, the best, quite simply THE POOP! While there are quite possibly 10 records that I could list this year, I am only coming up with 6 GEMS. Now I will mention a few at the end (that I was not fortunate…

CDs   Buy new or used through Amazon 1. VA – Fonotone Box set 5 CDs – (Joe Bussard’s 78rpm label) comes w/ great book, bottle opener and postcards   Buy new or used through Amazon 2. Ali Farka Toure – The King of the desert ‘blues’ singers – Savane (World Circuit)   Buy new or used through Amazon 3. Wayne Hancock – Tulsa (Bloodshot) honky tonk at its swingin best Buy new or used through Amazon Buy from the Vipers 4. New Orleans Preservation Hall Jazz Band – Shake That Thing (Preservation Hall) 4. New Orleans Jazz Vipers –…

    Buy new or used through Amazon 1. PAUL McCARTNEY – Chaos And Creation In The Backyard Go ahead and call me a wanker for liking this (or for any other reason, if you prefer). Without resorting to one damn silly love song, McCartney delivers a genuinely great album of minor key marvels. Like new Beatles music once did, it surprises and challenges at every turn. And to think that this year he’ll rent a cottage at the Isle of Wight (if it’s not too dear).       Buy new or used through Amazon 2. ROBBIE FULKS –…

What I listened to in 2005 (approximately)   As ever, in no order, at least that I can discern:       Buy from Not Lame Recording Co. Terry Anderson and the Olympic Ass Kickin’ Team  –  Terry Anderson and the Olympic Ass Kickin’ Team Drunkin’ Rockpile. Songs about drinking, driving, drinking and driving and (did I mention) drinking. Delivered with delightful abandon.       Buy new or used through Amazon Kronos Quarter and Asha Bhosle –  You’ve Stolen My Heart – Songs from RD Burman’s Bollywood The name says it all. A collaboration between the eclectic quartet and the…

Cultural Learnings of Music Geek for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of America Hey! Now 2006, what a year … The world is still going to hell in a handbasket, but Americans finally woke up from their collective coma to try and straighten out our own freakish mess of a government. It may actually be too late for any kind of real salvation but, as always, I’ll try to find some salve in the mysterious, narcotic delirium of music. It also helps when you have a good-natured and forgiving wife and a little pip of a son running around to brighten…

Well, it’s that time of year again. The holidays have come and gone, the cookies and nog have settled permanently in my waistline, and the resolutions have been made. Then the voices in my head start talking; “Mark’s going to be in touch soon, start on the list, don’t put it off, don’t put it off …”. Unfortunately, I’m able to listen to myself about as much as I listen to other people (which is not much, obviously, except for my wife and son). So once again, at the last minute, I’ll try to meet Mark’s deadline and stay in…

Buy new or used through Amazon m. ward – post war   Buy new or used through Amazon charlotte gainsbourgh – 5:55   Buy new or used through Amazon holden – chevrotine   Buy new or used through Amazon neko case – fox confessor brings the flood   Buy new or used through Amazon root 70 – heaps dub   Buy new or used through Amazon jenny lewis & the watson twins – rabbit fur coat   Buy new or used through Amazon elodie frege – le jue des 7 erreurs   Buy new or used through Amazon paul st….

Buy from Amazon iron & wine & calexico – in the reins   Buy from Amazon francoiz breut – une saison volee   Buy from Amazon jeb loy nichols – now then (& the october ep on cd at last)   Buy from Amazon ana d – morning becomes eclectic   & that about does it. the new brian eno has its moments as does the new benjamin biolay. the daniel lanois is cool but i prefer his pop song stuff. the bertrand bergalat was worth it for a few songs & a wonderful animated video that was inspired by…

Click below for Jim Meyer’s rather elegant .pdf     PoOP

Dancing gets me into trouble. I was dancing after my youth and my body showed me what for. Then, that love thang, that illusion created by a lifetime of Raspberries and Badfinger songs, did another kind of dance. Oh, that’s precious. Start over. Hey what a great fucking year. The war is going well, love was in the air, I lost weight and my hair grew back. Oh, and the music, ..honestly, every year is great. Push on. You know, there is always good music, you just have to look, like a pig searching for truffles. I got bored with…

Hey, kids, is this starting to feel too much like work? Would you like fries with that opinion? This mound of music and plastic is turning into Stonehendgeand I need smething to sacrifice. I would do a ritual dance, but I have clacium in myankles. Same truth different day…. I’ll go on … it’s Becketts world, the rest of us just live in it. Translation available on request.    Buy new or used through Amazon 1. Mat Sweeney / Bonnie Prince Billie – “Superwolf” Will grows up, his voice stops cracking and now sounds like… Stephen Stills? And somehow that’s…

No collision with a logging truck was gonna keep me from my PoOpy duty. Em, our music makes us heal. Buy new or used through Amazon Bruce Springsteen & The Seeger Sessions Band – We Shall Overcome (American Land Edition) Not the best disc of the year (see next entry) but definitely the most honest. Maybe the most honest disc ever.   Buy new or used through Amazon Bob Dylan – Modern Times Does anyone really care to argue this isn’t the best of ’06? If the seemingly throwaway line from ‘Nettie Moore’ “too much paperwork” doesn’t convince you of…

   Buy from Amazon John Prine – Fair and Square After nine long years, Prine returns stronger than ever. Bush bash song of the year ‘Some Humans Ain’t Human’. Even his July appearance at The Palace was primo Prine.      Buy from Amazon The Kennedys – Half a Million Miles Nary a year goes by without Pete and Maura on my list du POop. High harmonies, sparkling folk pop and ‘Namaste’. I daresay it won’t get much better, given the current musical clime.      Buy from Amazon Bob Dylan – No Direction Home And do I daresay that…

Welcome to another new year. Hope is well with everyone. Surely you are awaiting the choice as remembered by the one and only me.       Buy new or used through Amazon JOHN COLTRANE “ONE DOWN/ONE UP” Two NYC dates recorded in the last year of the true “power” quartet. This “fab four” was cooking. The first cut catches ‘em in a full jam, Garrison working the strings, Elvin, McCoy, and then John….Double set…live…what mo’ do ya need.       Buy new or used through Amazon PETRA HADEN “ Sings THE WHO SELL OUT” The mo’ ya listen,…

Records 25) Destroyer-Rubies 24) Yo La Tengo– I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass 23) TV on the Radio– Return to Cookie Mountain 22) Liars- Drum’s Not Dead 21) Graham Coxon– Love Travels at Illegal Speeds 20) Silversun Pickups– Carnavas 19) Pink Mountaintops- Axis of Evol 18) Sonic Youth– Rather Ripped 17) The Thermals– The Body, The Blood, The Machine 16) Band of Horses– Everything All The Time 15) Robert Pollard– Normal Happiness 14) Califone-Roots and Crowns 13) Girl Talk– Night Ripper 12) Eagles of Death Metal- Death By Sexy 11) Mastodon– Blood Mountain  …

Top 11   Buy new or used through Amazon 1. Alexi Murdoch: Time Without Consequence   Buy new or used through Amazon 2. Alejandro Escovedo: The Boxing Mirror   Buy new or used through Amazon 3. Ray Davies: Other People’s Lives   Buy new or used through Amazon 4. Bob Dylan: Modern Times   Buy new or used through Amazon 5. James Hunter: People Gonna Talk   Buy new or used through Amazon 6. The Long Winters: Putting the Days to Bed   Buy new or used through Amazon 7. Johnny Cash: American V   Buy new or used through…

O.K. Boys and girls it’s Poop time. I was going to bow off this effort as the year in music through my ears was a bit ho-hum . Then I thought I have another chance here just to shoot off my opinionated and pompous mouth, let alone with like kind, so I’m in good company so let’s rock you ,rock me, rock on! LAMF.   Buy new or used through Amazon 10) Wayne Shorter “Night Dreamer” Well I copped this in 2006 amid all the hoopla surrounding Blue Notes Rudy VanGelder Editions. In this day and age of cyber crap…

Another year…another poop. Buy new or used through Amazon Buy new or used through Amazon Buy new or used through Amazon This was the year of the ARCTIC MONKEYS. I had heard (from Mr. Jim Meyers) and read about these bunch of teenagers from the UK putting out "Whatever People Say I am, That’s What I’m Not" and as soon as it came out over here it was in my hands. The band wanted to make a disc for their friends and turns out to be the biggest debut in the UK. Their song structure can’t be beat. The killer…

Sometimes the best things come in pairs. Well, at least for me in 2006, that’s the best way to discuss the year in music. So now it’s time to double your pleasure, because this year I am pooping Twins! Buy new or used through Amazon Buy new or used through Amazon Ornette Coleman – Sound Grammar Andrew Hill – Straight Lines For almost fifty years, Ornette Coleman has been the Shape of Jazz to Come, and this year’s entry includes a rhythm section with two bass players and Ornette even fiddling around on violin. Forty years after Alfred Lion of…