To List Or Not To List - That Is The Question...

There seems to be a glut of discussion on openingbands.com about the validity or usefulness of year-end best-of lists. To me, they are useful in the capacity of reminding me of artists and albums that may have slipped my mind or past my radar completely. I honestly could care less that Sufjan Stevens was #1 on Pitchfork, because I had already decided that I liked it by listening to it myself. Hell, I think that more than half the time Pitchfork is simply an operating arm of The Onion website. I do, however, enjoy reading the yarns writers spin about a record I've bought simply to compare and contrast opinions. For every Sufjan record, there are thousands of others that no one has heard that are incredible, as well. I don't need someone to tell me what I like. For example, I think the new Wolf Parade record is very mediocre at best, and I'm not going to buy it. However, I think Ryan Adam's album, Cold Roses is the bee's knees, but it shows up nowhere on the big Pitchfork year end list. Who cares? I don't. That being said...

Here are some of my favorite records from this year:

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses & Jacksonville City Nights
Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene
My Morning Jacket - Z
Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
American Minor - American Minor
Idlewild - Warnings/Promises
Kanye West - Late Registration
White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Martha Wainwright - Martha Wainwright
The Living Blue - Fire, Blood, Water
The Coral - The Invisible Invasion
Beck - Guero
BRMC - Howl
Block Party - Silent Alarm
Kaiser Chiefs - Employment

Happy Holidays! (and a local music plug...)

No matter what you're celebrating these days, may your holidays be happy and memorable and safe. Best wishes for the New Year, and thank you all for your continued visits!

Also, all you net heads, if you log into iTunes, you'll find that American Minor, The Beauty Shop, Tractor Kings, The Living Blue, and Headlights all have downloads available there. You can even send them as gifts from iTunes... a perfect last minute day-of-Christmas gift idea!