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RECKLESS EMPLOYEE BEST OF LISTS 2009

BRYAN
Azita – How Will You? lp/cd
Built to Spill – There Is No Enemy 2lp/cd
Vee Dee – Public Mental Health System 2lp/cd
Absu – Absu 2lp/cd
Deathspell Omega/S.V.E.S.T. LP
Wolves In The Throne Room – Black Cascade 2lp/cd
Arthur Russell – Love Is Overtaking Me 2lp
Death – For The Whole World To See lp/cd
Group Bombino – Guitars from Agadez Vol.2 lp
Group Doueh – Treeg Salaam lp
Tortoise – Beacons Of Ancestorship lp/cd
Faust – Faust IV lp re-issue
Karen Dalton – It\’s So Hard To Tell Who\’s… lp re-issue
Amon Duul II – Yeti lp re-issue

KEN
Disappears – Live over the rainbow
Greg Kowalsky- Tape Chants
Sun Araw- Heavy Deeds
Group Doueh – Treeg Salaam
Bobby Beausoleil – Lucifer Rising boxset
George-Edwards group – 38:38
Pisces – Lovely Sight
Kurt Vile – Childish Prodigy
Nudge – As good as Gone
Ngozi Family – 45,000 Volts

BILLY
JONSI & ALEX \”RICEBOY SLEEPS\”
JAPANDROIDS
HAYMARKET RIOT \”ENDLESS BUMMER\”
WINDY & CARL
PEARL JAM \”BACKSPACER\”
THEM CROOKED VULTURES

REISSUES:
WHO SELL OUT MONO/ STEREO
SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE – BOTH

ELI
1- Das Boton \”Soda Drip\”
2- Polvo \”In Prism\”
3- El Michels Affair \”Enter The 37th Chamber\”
4- Thom Yorke \”Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses\” 12\”single
5- Zombi \”Spirit Animal\”
6- Dead Weather \”Horehound\”
7- Tortoise \”Beacons Of Ancestorship\”
8- MAGAS \”Violent Arp\”
9- Flaming Lips \”Embryonic\”
10- Chandeliers \”Dirty Moves\”

MATT
Absu \”Absu\”
Beherit vinyl reissues
Big Star \”Keep an Eye on the Sky\” boxset
Blues Control \”Local Flavor\”
Blut Aus Nord \”Memoria Vetusta: Dialogue with the Stars\”
Bobby Beasoleil \”Lucifer Rising\” boxset
Circle of Ouroborus \”Tree of Knowledge\”
Circle of Ouroborus “Streams” LP reissue
Deathspell Omega/S.V.E.S.T. split
Drudkh \”Microcosmos\”
Gris \”Il Etait Une Foret\”
Group Bombino \”Volume 2: Guitars from Agadez\”
Harmonia/ Eno \”Tracks & Traces\” reissue
Immortal \”All Shall Fall\”
Magas \”Violent Arp\”
Nachtmystium \”Doomsday Derelicts\”
Ngozi Family \”45,000 Volts\”
Pisces \”Lovely Sight\”
Plustapes Reckless domination! (Mannequin Men, Blasted Diplomats, Chicago Thrash
Ensemble, Death Ships, Chris Connelly etc…)
Polvo \”In Prism\”
Ruins of Beverast \”Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite\”
Sixx \”Sister Devil: Demo 1991\”
Sun Araw \”Heavy Deeds\”
Sylvester Anfang II
Von \”Satanic Blood Angel\” reissue
Gareth Williams \”Flaming Tunes\”
Yoga \”Megafauna\”
Thom Yorke \”Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses\”
Neil Young \”Dreamin Man\” Live 1992
Neil Young Archives boxset

Live Shows
Absu
Enslaved
Sunn o))) \”Monoliths & Dimensions\”
Pentagram
Harvey Milk
Leonard Cohen

CHARLES
Beatles: Mono Box Set
Henry Cow: Box Set
Sunn 0))): Monoliths & Dimensions
Barry Guy: Radio Rondo
Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra: Poetics
Paul Dunmall Sun Quartet: Ancient And Future Airs
Evan Parker: The Moment’s Energy
N.E.W: Deadeye Tricksters
Marcus Strickland Trio: Idiosyncrasies

WHITNEY
Bests:
Tallest Man on Earth : Shallow Grave. Technically 2008 but I found out about this in 2009. And fell in love.
Neko Case : Middle Cyclone
The Mountain Goats : Life of the World to Come
Mirah : (A)spera
Drakkar Sauna : 20009 (Twothousandousandnine) These guys make me really happy.
Volcano Choir : Unmap
Sing Fang Bous : Clangour
Why? : Eskimo Snow

Live:
Feelies @ Pritzger Pavillion

TV show I got my whole house hooked on:
Dexter Seasons 1, 2 & 3

ETHAN
DEATH- FOR THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE
RATIONALS – THINK RATIONAL
ORCHESTRA POLY-RHYTHMO DE COTONDU: ECHOS HYPNOTIQUES
KURT VILE: CHILDISH PRODIGY
IMPLODES- S/T
BLASTED DIPLOMATS- S/T
DEATH SHIPS- NOTES FROM THE CAP\’NS QUARTERS
MANNEQUIN MEN- PREHISTORIC SHIT
MANNEQUIN MEN- LOSER ILLUSION TOO
JT IV- COSMIC LIGHTNING
CHRIS CONNELLY- PENTLAND FIRTH HOWL LP
CHICAGO THRASH ENSEMBLE- DEMON CASSETTE
VEE-DEE-PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM
SNOW ANGELS
\”SEASONAL HELP\”

ANTHONY
BEE GEES: Odessa Deluxe Edition
BROADCAST: Broadcast & Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio
GEORGE-EDWARDS GROUP: 38:38
MONKS: Black Monk Time & Early Years Deluxe Editions
YOKO ONO: Between My Head & The Sky
PISCES: Lovely Sight
TENNISCOURTS: Dig The New Sounds of the Tenniscourts
KURT VILE: Childish Prodigy
ZERO BOYS: Vicious Circle & History of the Zero Boys
V/A: G-Spots: Spacey Folk & Electro Sounds of Studio G Library
V/A: Where The Action Is: Los Angeles Nuggets Box Set V/A: You Weren\’t There: History Of Chicago Punk 1977-1984 LP/DVD

STEVE
beherit – drawing down the moon reissue
big star – keep an eye on the sky box set
box elders – alice & friends
circle of ouroborus – streams lp
citizen\’s arrest – colossus reissue
death – for the whole world to see
deathspell omega/s.v.e.s.t. split lp
faust – so far & IV lp reissues
harmonia & eno \’76 – tracks & traces
harvey milk – bob weston sessions
iron claw – s/t reissue
JT IV – cosmic lightning lp
lake of dracula – skeletal remains lp
masshysteri – var del av stan
mirrors – something that would never do
the monks – black monk time reissue
obits – i blame you
pisces – a lovely sight
pissed jeans – king of jeans
raekwon – only built 4 cuban linx part II
ratas del vaticano – s/t lp
the rats – intermittent signals reissue
the spits – IV
sun araw – heavy deeds
television personalities reissues
zero boys – vicious circle & history of reissues
v/a local customs: downriver revival
v/a mata la pena
v/a mortika
v/a oh graveyard, you can\’t always hold me

small stuff:
brain idea demo
dark ages – vicious lie 7\”
eyesight television demo
the fems – go to a party 7\” reissue
ga\’an – s/t cassette
implodes – cassette(s)
smart cops – cominciare a vivere 7\”
white meat – sculpted beef 12\”

live stuff:
carcass
der todesking
the gories & the oblivians
harvey milk
implodes
jesus lizard
killdozer
masshysteri
throbbing gristle

COURTLAND

  1. A ORILLAS DEL MAGDALENA: Coastal Cumbias from Colombia’s Discos Fuentes
  2. SYLVESTER AND THE HOT BAND – Blue Thumb Collection
  3. LOVE TRAIN – The Sound Of Philadelphia Box Set
  4. RICK POPPA HOWARD – Whithout Your Love (12\”)
  5. LIGHT :ON THE SOUTH SIDE
  6. Phil Cohran – Spanish Suite
  7. Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics – Inspiration Information
  8. El Michels Affair – Enter The 37th Chamber
  9. Mos Def – Ecstatic
  10. Tortoise – Beacons Of Ancestorship
  11. Africa Boogaloo: The Latinization of West Africa
  12. Tumbele! Beguine, Afro & Latin Sounds from the French Caribbean
  13. Doom – Born Like This
  14. Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
  15. Bonnie Prince Billy – Beware
  16. Death – For the Whole World To See
  17. String of Pearls: Jewels of the 78 RPM Era
  18. Omar Souleyman – Highway To Hassake
  19. Suarasama – Fajar Di Atas Awan
  20. Mayer Hawthorne – Just Aint Gonna Work Out (Heart Shaped Record)
  21. 24-Carat Black – Gone: The Promises of Yesterday
  22. Pisces – Lovely Sight
  23. Local Customs: Downwater Revival

DYLAN
Didn\’t find out about it until late 2008:
THE WEEK THAT WAS – S/T

BEST 25 RECORDS OF 2009
CHEER-ACCIDENT – FEAR DRAWS MISFORTUNE
Chicago\’s own finally create their prog masterpiece
MARC RIBOT – SCELSI MORNING
An underrated guitarist, and a gorgeously compelling album
BAD PLUS – FOR ALL I CARE
Vocals? It works!
SQUAREPUSHER – NUMBERS LUCENT
Not as obtuse as previous records, but still complex and genius
AZITA – HOW WILL YOU
Another set of impeccably crafted jazz-pop tunes
STORSVEIT NIX NOLTES – ROYAL FAMILY – DIVORCE
Punk-gypsy blues – nice!
ST VINCENT – ACTOR
This was certainly her year!
AKRON/FAMILY – SET EM WILD, SET EM FREE
A bold experiment in free-form rock, but consistently good
DIRTY PROJECTORS – BITTE ORCA
Another great collection of off-kilter pop; oddly popular…
YONLU – A SOCIETY IN WHICH NO TEAR IS SHED
Sadly overlooked bedroom lo-fi tragedy – look into it!
FUTURE OF THE LEFT – TRAVELS WITH MYSELF AND ANOTHER
Intense live show, and great songs
WILCO – WILCO THE ALBUM
\”Dad rock\” – ridiculous. How \’bout \”insidious AOR\”?
JOAN OF ARC – FLOWERS
A concise, consistent collection from these old-timers
DEAD WEATHER – HOREHOUND
Exciting and revolutionary in its backwards-looking vibe
GREYMACHINE – DISCONNECTED
Those of you missing Godflesh can stop immediately!
PATTERN IS MOVEMENT – ALL TOGETHER
Strange art-prog, but with a heart
PATTON OSWALT – MY WEAKNESS IS STRONG
Nerd comedy!
YO LA TENGO – POPULAR SONGS
Another strong collection of varied pursuits
POLVO – IN PRISM
They\’re back!
SHUDDER TO THINK – LIVE FROM HOME
A perfect setlist
DAVID SYLVIAN – MANAFON
An absolute stunner – think Scott Walker meets Derek Bailey
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS – HERE COMES SCIENCE
Another batch of \”kids\” songs. Dorky geniuses
FLAMING LIPS – EMBRYONIC
Back to the old school for this psych-pop classic
DEAD MAN\’S BONES – S/T
Creepy and cool, despite the Hollywood pedigree
THEM CROOKED VULTURES – S/T
Not much fancy here, just good ol\’ rock \’n\’ roll
BEST REISSUES OF 2009
NIRVANA – BLEACH
The bonus live show is probably the best show I\’ve heard
ANTHRAX – AMONG THE LIVING
About time for this thrash masterpiece
DEATH – FOR THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE
What a find! Great lost punk tunes
WHO – SELL OUT
A slightly flawed reissue campaign can\’t diminish the importance
PISCES – LOVELY SIGHT (REISSUE) (KIND OF)
Who doesn\’t love this lite-psych lost gem?
BEST (OR MOST INTERESTING) BUSINESS MODEL OF 2009
THIRD MAN RECORDS

KATIE
Aceyalone – Lonely Ones
Bibio- Ambivalence Avenue
Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit – The Very Best
jj – jj no. 2
Kings of Convenience – Declaration of Dependence
Major Lazer – Guns Don\’t Kill People, Lazers Do
Moderat – Moderat
Mr. Scruff- Nice Up the Function feat. Roots Manuva
MSTRKRFT- Fist Of God
Raekwon – Only Built For Cuban Linx II

MICHELLE
new releases:
cultural decay – eight ways to start a day
13th chime – the singles: 1981-1983
subway – subway II
big pink – a brief history of love
broadcast & the focus group – investigate witch cults of the radio age
jack rose & the black twig pickers – s/t
james blackshaw – the glass bead game
pisces – a lovely sight
arthur russell – the sleeping bag sessions
marked men – ghosts
pissed jeans – king of jeans
liechtenstein – survival strategies in a modern world
pains of being pure at heart – s/t
death – for the whole world to see
jeremy jay – slow dance
vaselines – enter the vaselines
V/A – forge your own chains: heavy psychedelic ballads & dirges
1968 – 1974
V/A – local customs: downriver revival

reissues:
zero boys – vicious circle
loop – the world in your eyes
rodriguez – coming from reality
jawbox – for your own special sweetheart

vinyl reissues:
television personalities – and don\’t the kids just love it
faust – so far & IV
the rats – intermittent signals
the breeders – last splash
samuel prody – \”s/t\”

best shows:
jack rose @ the hideout
devo @ the vic
mk ultra @ the beat kitchen
faust @ the empty bottle
broadcast @ the bottom lounge

JESSICA
Best Coast tape \”Where the Boys Are\” on Blackest Rainbow
Pissed Jeans \”King of Jeans\”
Ga\’an s/t tape
Torche \”Meanderthal Demos\” tape on Rotting Chapel
Vivian Girls \”Everything Goes Wrong\”
Julian Lynch \”Orange You Glad\” LP on Olde English Spelling Bee
Om \”God is Good\”
OH YEAH and the hit single (song only) by SHAKIRA SHE WOLF

ANGELA
(in no particular order)

  1. Iron Age \”Sleeping Eye\”
  2. Ofege \”Try and Love\”
  3. Pisces \”Lovely Sight\”
  4. Greymachine \”Disconnected\”
  5. Pissed Jeans \”King of Jeans\”
  6. Oneida \”Rated O\”
  7. Bellini \”Precious Prize of Gravity\”
  8. Subway \”Subway II\”
  9. Jack Rose & The Black Twig Pickers s/t
  10. Giant Squid \”The Ichthyologist\”
  11. Bill Callahan \”Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle\”
  12. Nirvana \”Bleach\” Deluxe Reissue
  13. Oxbow \”Fuckfest\” Reissue & Remaster

CHRIS W
BEST ALBUMS OF 2009

1) DIRTY PROJECTORS \”Bitte Orca\” (Domino)
2) COLD CAVE \”Love Comes Close\” (Matador Records)
3) LIGHTNING DUST \”Infinite Light\” (Jagjaguwar)
4) ST. VINCENT \”Actor\” (4AD Records)
5) DERADOORIAN \”Mind Raft EP\” (LovePump United)
6) ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS \”The Crying Light\” (Secretly Canadian)
7) DAVID LYNCH PRESENTS \”Fox Bat Strategy: A Tribute to Dave Jaurequi\” (David Lynch Music)
8) THE DURUTTI COLUMN \”Love In the Time of Recession\” (Fulfill)
9) GRIZZLY BEAR \”Veckatimest\” (Warp Records)
10) KARL BLAU \”Zebra\” (K Records)
11) SUN ARAW \”Heavy Deeds\” (No Not Fun)
12) ANIMAL COLLECTIVE \”Merriweather Post Pavilion\” (Domino)
13) REVOLVER (France) \”Music For a While\” (101 Distribution)
14) TELEPATHE \”Dance Mother\” (IAMSOUND)
15) NUDGE \”As Good As Gone\” (Kranky)
16) OM \”God Is Good\” (Drag City)
17) THE GENTLEMAN LOSERS \”Dustland\” (City Centre Offices)
18) CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA \”Les Ailes Pourpres (soundtrack)\” (101 Distribution)
19) CLUSTER \”Qua\” (Nepenthe Music & Publishing)
20) MULATU ASTATKE & THE HELIOCENTRICS \”Inspiration Information\” (Strut Records)

*Honorable Mention: ELUVIUM \”Life Through Bombardment\” (7LP collected works) (Temporary Residence)
BEST HIP HOP ALBUMS OF 2009

1) KiD CuDi \”Man On the Moon: The End of the Day\” (Motown)
2) GET BUSY COMMITTEE \”Uzi Does It\” (Tokyo Sex Whale Records)
3) WALE \”Attention Deficit\” (Interscope/Allido Records)
4) CAM\’RON \”Crime Pays\” (Asylum Records)
5) METHOD MAN & REDMAN \”Blackout! 2\” (Def Jam)
6) APATHY \”Wanna Snuggle?\” (Traffic Entertainment)
7) PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS \”Carried Away\” (On Records)
8) CLUTCHY HOPKINS MEETS LORD KENJAMIN \”Music Is My Medicine\” (Ubiquity Records)
9) U-GOD \”Dopium\” (Babygrande)
10) THE LONELY ISLAND \”Incredibad\” (Universal Republic)

CONOR
Kiila – Tuota Tuota [Fonal]
Current 93 – Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain [Dutro]
Onna – Onna 7” [Holy Mountain]
Spectrum – War Sucks 12” [Mind Expansion]
Josephine Foster – Graphic as a Star [Fire]
WHITE – WHITE [Open Note]
Marissa Nadler – Little Hells [Kemado]
Back Sheep – Kiss My Sweet Apocalypse [Invada]
Nurse With Wound – Surveillance Lounge [Dirter]
Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle [Drag City]
Peanut Butter Wolf – 45 Live 7” Box Set [Stones Throw]
Träd Gräs och Stener – Hemlosä Katter [Subliminal Sounds]
Bardo Pond – Gazing at Shilla [Important]
Skitliv – Skandinavisk Misantropi [Season of Mist]

Records from the past that have been addictions throughout the year:

Gene Clark – White Light [1971]
John Cale – Vintage Violence [1970]
Mike Heron – Smiling Men With Bad Reputations [1971]
Pearls Before Swine – Balaklava [1968]
Felt – Forever Breathes the Lonely Word [1986]
Rolling Stones – Let It Bleed [1969]
Graham Nash – Songs for Beginners [1971]
Roxy Music – Roxy Music [1972]
Don Cherry – Symphony for Improvisers [1966]
BadFinger – Straight up [1971]

Otherworldly Performances:

Jack Rose at the Hideout 9.24.2009
Throbbing Gristle at the Logan Square Auditorium [4.26.09 & 4.27.09]
Tony Conrad and Keiji Haino at the Empty Bottle [4.28.09]
Harvey Milk at Subterranean [7.18.09]

MAGAS
TRAXX – FAITH
BLUES CONTROL – LOCAL FLAVOR
GATEKEEPER – OPTIMUS MAXIMUS
BILL ORCUTT – A NEW WAY TO PAY OLD DEBTS
IRON CLAW – s/t
MORITZ VON OSWALD – VERTICAL ASCENT
Plustapes/Addenda: IMPLODES, BLASTED DIPLOMATS, DEATH SHIPS, CHRIS CONNELLY
LIGHTNING BOLT – EARTHLY DELIGHTS
ANDREW WK – 55 CADILLAC
BOBBY BEAUSOLEIL – LUCIFER RISING SUITE
KEVIN DRUMM – IMPISH TYRANT & IMPERIAL HORIZON
FRED BIGOT – MONO/STEREO
MAGAS – VIOLENT ARP

CONNELLY

  1. GRISTLEISM-THROBBING GRISTLE
  2. VIOLENT ARP – MAGAS
  3. ALEPH AT HALLUCINATORY MOUNTAIN – CURRENT 93
  4. REPO – BLACK DICE
  5. HOW WILL YOU? – AZITA
  6. THE ROAD – HENRY COW
  7. THIRD MIND SESSIONS – THROBBING GRISTLE
  8. L.A. TURNAROUND – BERT JANSCH
  9. WHITE ALBUM -THE BEATLES
    10.PARADE ROOM- THESE WONDERFUL EVILS
  10. ANTONY & THE JOHNSON \”CRYING LIGHT\”

DAN
Favorite 20 New Releases for 2009
1.) Bibio — Ambivalence Avenue (Warp)
2.) Phoenix— Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glassnote)
3.) Felice Brothers– Yonder is the Clock (Team Love)
4.) Obits — I Blame You (Sub Pop)
5.) Alela Diane — To Be Still (Rough Trade)
6.) Washed Out — Life of Leisure (Mexican Summer, Vinyl Only)
7.) Kurt Vile — Childish Prodigy (Matador)
8.) Peaking Lights — Imaginary Falcons (Night People)
9.) Handsome Family — Honey Moon (Carrot Top)
10.) Horrors — Primary Colours (XL)
11.) Future of the Left — Travels With Myself and Another (4ad)
12.) Baroness— Blue Record (Relapse)
13.) Dawes — North Hills (ATO)
14.) Thee Oh Sees — Foggy Notion + Help (Boomkat + In the Red)
15.) Ducktails — Landscapes (Olde English Spelling Bee)
16.) Wilco — The Album (Nonesuch)
17.) Neko Case — Middle Cyclone (Anti)
18.) William Elliott Whitmore — Animals in the Dark (Anti)
19.) Camera Obscura — My Maudlin Career (4ad)
20.) Yim Yames — Tribute To (ATO)

Favorite 20 Reissues of the Year:
1.) Beatles — Remasters (Capitol)
2.) Red House Painters — Songs for a Blue Guitar (Plain Vinyl Reissue)
3.) Betty Padgett — S/T (LuvnHaight)
4.) Jim Ford — Big Mouth USA + Unissued Capitol Album (Bear Family Vinyl Reissues)
5.) Arthur Verocai — S/T (LuvnHaight)
6.) Karen Dalton — It\’s So Hard to Tell Who is Going to Love You the Best (Light in the Attic Vinyl Reissue)
7.) Neil Young —- Archives Box Set (Reprise)
8.) Death — For the Whole World To See (Drag City)
9.) Terry Reid— River (4MenWithBeards Vinyl Reissue)
10.) Anagram Jam — Compilation (Bmusic)
11.) Townes Van Zandt — Vinyl Reissues (Fat Possum)
12.) Big Star— Keep an Eye on the Sky Box Set (Rhino)
13.) Sunny Day Real Estate — Vinyl Reissues (Sub Pop)
14.) Jawbox — For Your Own Special Sweetheart (Desoto)
15.) 24 Carat Black — Gone Promises of Yesterday (Numero)
16.) Wayfaring Strangers — Lonesome Heroes (Numero)
17.) Loudon Wainwright III — Vinyl Reissues (Scorpio)
18.) Michael Hurley — Armchair Boogie + Parsnip Snips Vinyl Reissues (Mississippi Records)
19.) Nerves/Breakways — Live Reissues (Alive)
20.) JT IV — Cosmic Lightning Vinyl (Galactic Zoo/Drag City)

Favorite Local Underground Labels/ Releases:
1.) Plus Tapes/Addenda Records + Tapes Label (Disappears, Blasted Diplomats, Implodes, Mannequin Men, Hollows etc)
2.) Hozak Label— (White Mystery, Plastic Crimewave Sound, Smith Westerns)
3.) Numero Group Label (A true Chicago class operation)
4.) Mannequin Men — Lose your Illusion, Too (flameshovel)
5.) Cococoma — Things Are Not Alright (Goner)
6.) Cave — Psychic Psummer (Important)
7.) Canadian Rifle — Visibility Zero LP (Reissue)
8.) Galactic Zoo (comics + mixes)
9.) Coupleskate — Dont Scare the Horses (self)
10.) Vee Dee — Public Mental Health System LP (Criminal IQ)
11.) Magas — Violent Arp LP (Punch)

CHRIS D
Eternal Tapestry – Palace of the Night Skies
Group Bombino – Guitars of Agadez Vol. 2
Japandroids – Post-Nothing
Mount Eerie – Wind\’s Poem
Oneida – Rated O
Pissed Jeans – King of Jeans
Pontiak – Maker
Residual Echoes – MFI GBSP
Sonic Youth – The Eternal
Various Artists – Local Customs: Downriver Revival

JOSH
10 neko case middle cyclone
9 fuck buttons tarot sport
8 oneida rated o
7 wilco the album
6 fever ray
5 yo la tengo popular songs
4 volcano choir unmap
3 mount eerie winds poem
2 califone all my friends are funeral singers
1 flaming lips embryonic

ROBBIE
Best albums of 2009:
Fool\’s Gold -S/T
Pisces – A Lovely Sight
Flaming Lips – Embryonic
Sian Alice Group – Troubled, Shaken, Etc.
Subway – Subway II
Jarvis Cocker – Further Complications

Best artist that I just discovered this year:
Dwight Twilley

Best films of 2009 (that I\’ve seen so far!):
Funny People
Adventureland
Drag Me To Hell

Best live shows in Chicago of 2009:
Pentagram @ The Empty Bottle, June 27, 2009.
The Entrance Band @ The Hideout, July 16, 2009.

JASON
1.DEATH \”FOR THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE\” (DRAG CITY)
2.TORTOISE \”BEACONS OF ANCESTORSHIP\” (THRILLJOCKEY)
3.YEAH YEAH YEAHS \”ITS BLITZ\” (DGC)
4.YOU WEREN\’T THERE;HISTORY OF CHICAGO PUNK 77-84 (FACTORY 25)
5.ZERO BOYS \”REISSUES\” (SEC.CANADIAN)
6.PELICAN \”WHAT WE ALL COME TO NEED\” (SOUTHERNLORD)
7.SLAYER \”WORLD PAINTED BLOOD\” (DEF-AMERICAN)
8.CONVERGE \”AXE TO FALL\” (EPITAPH)
9.MUNICIPAL WASTE \”MASSIVE AGGRESSIVE\” (EARCHE)
10.CANADIAN RIFLE \”VISIBILITY ZERO\” (RESIDUE REC.)

MELISSA
in alphabetical order:
Mulatu Astatke & the Heliocentrics- inspiration Information
Big Star- Boxed set
Broadcast- Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio
Bill Callahan- Sometimes I wish we were an Eagle
Camera Obscura- My Maudlin Career
Neko Case- Middle Cyclone
Phil Cohran- Spanish Suite
Chris Clark- Soul Sounds (reissue, first time on cd!)
Leonard Cohen- Live at the Isle of Wight
Chris Connelly- Pentland Firth Howl
Death- For the Whole World to See
El Michels Affair- Enter the 37th Chamber
Yvonne Fair- Bitch Is Black (reissue, first time on cd!)
Group Bombino- Guitars from Agadez
Mayer Hawthorne- Just Ain\’t Gonna Work Out & Maybe So Maybe No 12\”s
Implodes- Implodes (cassette)
Barbara Lynn- Here is Barbara Lynn (reissue, first time on cd!)
Magas- Violent Arp
Monks- Reissues
Ofege- Try & Love
Orchestre Poly Rythmo – Echos Hypnotiques Analog Africa vol.2
Pisces- Lovely Sight
Betty Padgett- Betty Padgett
Raveonettes- In and Out of Control
Sunn- Monoliths & Dimensions
Sylvester Anfang- Sylvester Anfang II
Thin Lizzy- Still Dangerous Live at the Tower Theatre
24-Carat Black- Gone the Promises of Yesterday
Kurt Vile- Childish Prodigy
Thom Yorke- Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses 12\”
Neil Young- Dreamin Man Live \’92
Various- Light on The South Side
Various- Mortika
Various- A Orillas Del Magdalena- Coastal Cumbias
Various- Tumbele! Biguine, Afro & Latin Sounds from the French Caribbean
Various- Fly Girls B-Boys Beware
Various- You Weren\’t There
Plus Tapes releases (blasted diplomats/ mannequin men/ death ships etc.)

SARAH

  1. embryonic – flaming lips
  2. live anthology – tom petty
  3. dark was the night – various artists
  4. childish prodigy – kurt vile
  5. entrance band – entrance band
  6. middle cyclone – neko case
  7. wolfgang amadeus phoenix – phoenix
  8. enter the 37th chamber – el michels affair
  9. top ranking – diplo & santogold
  10. ecstatic – mos def
    favorite ladies of the year:
    chelsea lately, stephanie meyer,
    mary portas & catherine hardwicke,
    charlaine harris

JACOB
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Azita – How Will You?
Jim O\’Rourke – The Visitor
Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
Alasdair Roberts – Spoils
Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
Antony and the Johnsons – The Crying Light
Atlas Sound – Logos
Wilco – Wilco (the Album)
Sufjan Stevens – The BQE
Systems Officer – Underslept
Sunny Day Real Estate – LP2 (Reissue)
V/A – New Moon OST

Bonny Billy live

CAROLINE
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE “Merriweather Post Pavillion
ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS “The Crying Light”
ATLAS SOUND “Logos”
BLAKROC “Blakroc”
CALIFONE “All My Friends Are Funeral Singers”
CAMERA OBSCURA “My Maudlin Career”
CAVE “Psychic Psummer”
NEKO CASE “Middle Cyclone”
CHANDELIERS “Dirty Moves”
DEAD WEATHER “Horehound”
THE DECEMBERISTS “The Hazards of Love”
DIRTY PROJECTORS “Bitte Orca”
DODOS “TIme to Die”

  • FLORENCE & THE MACHINE “Lungs”
    FRUIT BATS “The Ruminant Band”
    GRIZZLY BEAR “Veckatimest”
  • MICACHU “Jewellery”
    PHOENIX “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix”
    TAKEN BY TREES “East of Eden”
    VAMPIRE WEEKEND “Vampire Weekend”
    THE XX “xx”
    V/A “Dark Was the Night” *favorites

Concerts: Beirut, Pitchfork Festival
Phoenix, Aragon Ballroom

CHRISTIAN

  1. Big Knife \”Ruff Sesh\” cassette
  2. Blasted Diplomats \”Blasted Diplomats\” cassette
  3. Chicago Thrash Ensemble \”Demon Cassette\” cassette
  4. Chris Connelly \”Pentland Firth Howl\” Lp
  5. Coupleskate \”Don\’t Scare the Horses\” CD
  6. Death Ships \”Notes From the Captain\’s Quarters\” cassette
  7. Implodes \”Implodes\” cassette
  8. Magas \”Violent Arp\” LP
  9. Mannequin Men \”Lose Your Illusion Too\” LP
  10. Party Downers \”party Downers\” LP

DAN W
Obits – I Blame You
Sonic Youth – The Eternal
Magic Markers – Balf Quarry
Coupleskate – Don\’t Scare The Horses
Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs
Times New Viking – Born Again Revisited
Mannequin Men – ridiculous album title
Wilco – ashes of American flags DVD (skip the crappy new CD)
Flaming Lips – Embryonic. the last album sucked. nice return to form.
Magas – Violent Arp

EMILY
Antony & The Johnsons \”Crying Light\” (Secretly Canadian)
Pains Of Being Pure At Heart \”S/T\” (Slumberland)
Abner Jay – One Man Band (Subliminal)
Wolves In The Throneroom \”Black Cascade\” (Southern Lord)
Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career (4AD)
Lil Wayne – Rebirth (Cash Money)
Rick Ross – Deeper Than Rap (DefJam)
The Horrors – Primary Colours (XL)
Mayor Daley – Facial Expressions (Rotted Tooth Recordings)
Trad Gras Och Stenar – Homeless Cats (Subliminal Sounds)
Mount Eerie – Wind\’s Poem (P.W. Elverum & Sun)
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Running For The Drum (Appleseed)
Bobby BeauSoleil – Lucifer Rising (Boxset) (Ajna Offensive)
Vivian Girls – Everything Goes Wrong (In The Red)
Julian Lynch – Orange You Glad (Olde English Spelling Bee)
No Age – Losing Feeling EP (Sub Pop)
White Shit – Sculpted Beef EP (PPM)
Windy & Carl – Instrumentals For The Broken-Hearted (Self Released)
Grass Widow – S/T (Make A Mess)
Mason Lindahl – Serrated Man Sound (Porter Records)
Atlas Sound – Logos (Kranky/4AD)
Desire – II (Italians Do It Better)
Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Pt. 2 (Ice H2O)
Rev. Louis Overstreet “An Evening with…”
Kurt Vile – God Is Saying This To You (Mexican Summer)
Q-Tip – Kamaal the Abstract (Battery)
Washed Out – Life Of Leisure (Mexican Summer)
O.W.L. – Of Wonderous Legends (Locust)
Ga\’an – S/T cassette (Self Released)
Reissues:
Stone Roses – Stone Roses (Reissue) (Sony)
Betty Davis – Nasty Gal (Reissue) (Light In The Attic)
Beherit – Drawing Down The Moon (Reissue) (Primitive Reaction)
Feelies – Crazy Rhythms/ Good Earth (Reissue) (Domino/Bar None)

DAVE
Brutal Truth – Evolution Through Revolution
Cryptacize – Mythomania
Dear Landlord – Dream Homes
Dying Fetus – Descend Into Depravity
Cannibal Corpse – Evisceration Plague
Mastodon – Crack the Skye
Norah Jones – The Fall
Burnt By The Sun – Heart Of Darkness
Triorganico – Convivencia
The Red Chord – Fed Through The Teeth Machine
Harpoon – Double Gnarly/Triple Suicide
Iron Reminders – S/T
Clutchy Hopkins Meets Lord Kenjamin – Music Is My Medicine
Resident Evil 5 (video game)
Shadow Complex (video game)
Left 4 Dead 2 (video game)
Drag Me To Hell (film)

JAMES
BARONESS \”Blue Record\”
BEATLES (Remasters)
BIBIO \”Ambivalence Avenue\”
BIG STAR \”Keep An Eye On The Sky\”
BLASTED DIPLOMATS \”S/T\” Cassette
A.A. BONDY \”When The Devil\’s Loose\”
CAMERA OBSCURA \”My Maudlin Career\”
CAVE \”Psychic Psummer\”
THE CLEAN \”Mister Pop\”
COCOCOMA \”Things Are Not Alright\”
CONVERGE \”Axe To Fall\”
DEATH \”For The Whole World To See\”
DEATH SHIPS \”Notes From The Captain\’s Quarters\” Cassette
ALELA DIANE \”To Be Still\”
DISAPPEARS \”Live Over The Rainbo\”
BOB DYLAN \”Together Through Life\” & \”Christmas In The Heart\”
FAUST \”Faust IV & So Far\” LP Reissues
THE FELICE BROTHERS \”Yonder Is The Clock\”
FUTURE OF THE LEFT \”Travels With Myself & Another\”
GIRLS \”Album\”
GROUNDHOGS (Vinyl Reissues)
HOLLOWS \”S/T\” LP
MICHAEL HURLEY \”Armchair Boogie & Parsnip Snips\”
IMPLODES \”S/T\” Cassette
BERT JANSCH (Drag City Reissues)
ABNER JAY \”True Story Of Abner Jay\”
JESUS LIZARD (Touch & Go Remasters)
MAGAS \”Violent Arp\”
MANNEQUIN MEN \”Lose Your Illusion, Too & Prehistoric Shit Vol 1\”
MY BLOODY VALENTINE \”Before Loveless\” LP
NACHTMYSTIUM \”Doomsday Derelicts\”
NIRVANA \”Bleach\” Remaster & \”Live at Reading\”
NGOZI FAMILY \”45,000 Volts\” LP
OLD FAKE \”Covers Tape\” Cassette
PISCES: \”A Lovely Sight\”
REIGNING SOUND \”Love & Curses\”
JOSEPH SPENCE \”Good Morning Mr. Walker\”
SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE (Sub Pop Remasters)
THEE OH SEES \”Help/ Dog Poison/ Tidal Wave 45/ Ty Segall Split 45\”
13th FLOOR ELEVATORS \”Sign of the 3 Eyed Men\”
VASELINES \”Enter The Vaselines\”
VEE DEE \”Public Mental Health System\”
SCOTT WALKER \”30 Century Man\” DVD
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM \”Black Cascade\”
NEIL YOUNG (Remasters/ Fork In the Road/ Dreamin\’ Man Live \’92 &
That Weird Boxset)
V/A: FORE YOUR OWN CHAINS- Heavy Psychedelic Ballads & Dirges \’68-\’74
V/A: TUMBELE- Biguine, Afro & Latin Sounds From The French Carribean
V/A: AFRICAN SCREAM CONTST- Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds From…
V/A: LOCAL CUSTOMS- Downriver Revival

DANIEL
Bat For Lashes \”Two Suns\”
Box Elders \”Alice & Friends\”
Death \”…For The Whole World To See\”
Fiery Furnaces \”I’m Going Away\”
King Khan & BBQ \”Invisible Girl\”
Niela Miller \”Songs Of Leaving\”
Pisces \”A Lovely Sight\”
Thee Oh Sees \”Help\”
Vivian girls \”Everything Goes Wrong\”
v/a \”Cazumbi: African Sixties Garage Vol. 2\”

BRETT
2009 with headphones:

Bear in Heaven \”Beast Rest Forth Mouth\” (Hometapes)
Lullatone \”Songs That Spin in Circles\” (Audio Dregs)
Devendra Banhart \”What Will We Be\” (Warner Brothers)
Clientele \”Bonfires on the Heath\” (Merge)
Tune-Yards \”Bird Brains\” (4ad)
Swan Lake \”Enemy Mine\” (Jagjaguwar)
Jay-Z \”The Blueprint 3\” (Roc Nation)
Atone \”Cet Après-Midi Là (Autres Directions In Music)
Sonic Youth \”The Eternal\” (Matador)
Shuta Hasunuma \”Pop Ooga\” (Western Vinyl)
Atlas Sound \”Logos\” (Kranky)
Grizzly Bear \”Veckatimest\” (Warp)
.tape. \”Tomavistas: (Selected Rarities 2002-2007)\” (Tomavista)
A.C. Newman \”Get Guilty\” (Matador)
Handsome Furs \”Face Control\” (Subpop)
Mos Def \”The Ecstatic\” (Downtown)
Sunset Rubdown \”Dragonslayer\” (Jagjaguwar)
My Little Airport \”Poetics — Something Between Montparnasse and Mong Kok\” (Harbor Music Type)
Animal Collective \”Merriweather Post Pavilion\” (Domino)
Doom \”Born Like This\” (Lex Records)
The Archivist \”The Keeper of the Library\” (Lacies)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs \”It\’s Blitz\” (Interscope)
Built to Spill \”There Is No Enemy\” (WEA/Reprise)
Destroyer \”Bay of Pigs\” (Merge
The Wooden Birds \”Magnolia\” (Barsuk)
The Dirty Projectors \”Bitte Orca\” (Domino)
The Lucky Dragons \”Rara Speaks\” (Moamoo)
School of Language \”Sea from Shore\” (Thrill Jockey)
Sigur Ros \”We Play Endlessly\” (EMI)
Es \”Kesämaan Lapset\” (Fonal)

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black metal documentary screening sponsored by reckless

Reckless Records is proud to sponsor a one-time screening of “Until the Light Takes Us” on July 25th at the Gene Siskel Theater. This documentary focuses on the origins of the Norwegian black metal scene & the cultural implications of this scene. Directors Aaron Aites & Audrey Ewell moved to Norway for two years while making the film which allowed them direct access to many of the originators of Norwegian black metal including members of Mayhem, Darkthrone, Burzum & Immortal. There have been other documentaries over the past few years that have touched on the scene but “Until the Light Takes Us” provides the deepest insight into how & why this incredible music came to exist & questions who the real victims were of the violence that came along with it.

get tickets here:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/Until-the-Light-Takes-US-tickets/artist/1334792

http://www.blackmetalmovie.com/
http://www.myspace.com/blackmetalmovie

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new MAGAS EP!!!

Violent Arp
Violent Arp

Violent Arp is the new mini-LP from Chicago denizen, Jim MAGAS, which crudely bridges the gap between heavy stoner rock and no wave synth blather. Imagine BLACK SABBATH playing the LIQUID SKY soundtrack and you’re getting there. This limited edition monster is nothing but VIOLENT ARP. Beautifully packaged with red vinyl and a die-cut sleeve.

[NOTE: All copies have a mild warp which should not affect play. Any problems, come see MAGAS for a refund].

Comes with a voucher for an MP3 download. SUPER-LIMITED, so don’t sleep!!!

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tons of metal CDs at reckless on milwaukee ave!!!

Yeah! Reckless on Milwaukee Ave. just got in about 1,500 used metal CDs!

We’re still in the process of receiving them and getting them on the floor, so keep an eye on the “new arrivals” section of reckless.com to see what’s new every day!

Tons and tons of weird black metal, but also a good amount of death, thrash, doom, etc.

Up the irons,
Reckless

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Reckless Employee Top Ten lists 2008!

2008 has been one of the weirdest years ever. George Bush = NO! Barack Obama = YES! Chicago Cubs = NO! Blackhawks Winter Classic = YES! Economy = NO! Reckless best of lists = YES!

So here they are, we know that you’ve been waiting for them.

RECKLESS 2008 BEST OF LISTS

CHRIS P
GROUPER “Dragging a Dead Deer up a Hill”
SPIRES THAT IN THE SUNSET RISE “Curse the Traced Bird”
DOWN IN JUNE “Covers…Death in June”
BEACH HOUSE “Devotion”
JOHN MAUS “Love is Real”
CHRISTOPHER BISSONNETTE “In Between words”
SPACEMEN 3 “DJ Tones” ep
PORTISHEAD “Third”

REISSUES
MAYO THOMPSON “Corky\’s Debt to His Father”
THE LINES “Flood Bank”
THE LINES “Memory Spand”
IRON CURTAIN “Tarantula Scream”ep
DEAD CAN DANCE reissues
VAN DUREN “Are You Serious?”

MICHELLE
in no particular order
M83 “Saturdays = Youth”
BEACH HOUSE “Devotion”
CRYSTAL STILTS “Alight of Night”
PIT ER PAT “High Time”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle/ “Weird Era Continued”
18TH DYLE “Amorine Queen”
GROUPER “ Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill”
WINDY & CARL “Songs for the Broken Hearted”
WHITE MAGIC “New Egypt”
NAGISA NI TE “Yosuga”
HELENA ESPVALL & MASAKI BATOH “S/T”
WOODEN SHJIPS VOL. 1
LEGENDARY PINK DOTS “Plutonium Blonde”
JOHN MAUS “Love is Real”
JACK ROSE “ Dr. Ragtime & Pals”
KING KHAN & THE SHRINES “The Supreme Genius of…”
RODRIGUEZ “Cold Fact” reissue
FIVE OR SIX “Acting on Impulse”
MONOCHROME SET “Independent Singles Collection”
THE LINES “Flood Bank” reissue

EMILY
in no particular order
LIL WAYNE “Tha Carter III”
GROWING “All the Way”
SPIRITUALIZED “Songs in A&E”
CHAIRLIFT “Does You Inspire You”
BLACK ANGELS “Directions to See a Ghost”
BORIS “Smile”
METALLICA LP Reissues
RZA “Digi Snacks”
BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT “Motion to Rejoin”
ENSLAVED “Vertebrae”
M83 “Digital Shades Volume 1”
MOUNT EERIE/ JULIE DOIRON – Lost Wisdom (Southern)
NO AGE “Nouns”
OCEAN “Pantheon of the Lesser”
DUNGEN “4”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
T-PAIN “Thr33 Ringz”
NICO MUHLY “Mothertongue”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue” reissue
VETIVER “Thing of the Past”
Q-TIP “Renaissance”
CHARLIE LOUVIN “Sings Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs”
WARMER MILKS “Soft Walks”

JASON
RUSSIAN CIRCLES \”Station”
NERVES (1975) \”One Way Ticket”
MOGWAI \”The Hawk is Howling”
LARRY NORMAN \”Rebel, Poet, Jukebox Balladeer”
EARLES & JENSEN \”Just Farr a Laugh”
THE MIDDLE CLASS \”Out of Vogue, Early Material”
COLLAPSAR \”Integers”
JEFF LOOMIS \”Zero Hour Phase”
DON CABALLERO \”Punkgasm”
DIANOGAH \”Qhnnnl”

MATT
AIDAN BAKER/TIME HECKER“Fantasma Parastasie”
BROWN JENKINS “Angel Eyes”
CIRCLE OF OUROBORUS/ SOMNIVORE split
DUNGEN “4”
ENSLAVED “Vertebrae”
FRIPP/ ENO“No Pussyfooting” reissue
GROUPER “Dragging a Dead Deer Up A Hill”
GROUPER/INCA ORE split
HELLHAMMER “Demon Entrails”
JAY REATARD “Singles 06-07”
KRALLICE “S/T”
LEVIATHAN “Massive Conspiracy Against All Life”
LIFELOVER“Konkurs”
MORKER “Hostmakter”
NACHTMYSTIUM “Assassins: Black Meddle pt. 1”
NASHEIM/ ANGANTYR split
ONE LAST WISH “1986” LP reissue
O.W.L. “Of Wondrous Legends” reissue
THE PEACE “Black Power” reissue
RADIOHEAD “In Rainbows”
RAVEN “Back to Ohio Blues”
STRID“s/t” reissue
V/A “1970\’s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground”
WEDARD “Wo Die Ewgkeit Die Zeit Beruhrt”
XASTHUR \”A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors” reissue
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM “Two Hunters”
NEIL YOUNG “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House”

Live shows:
IRON MAIDEN
POLVO
RADIOHEAD
BORIS
STARS OF THE LID
NICK CAVE
MY BLOODY VALENTINE
BARACK OBAMA Acceptance Speech in Grant Park

CONNELLY
BOB DYLAN “Tell Tale Signs: Rare & Unreleased 1989-2006”
OAN AS POLICE WOMAN “To Survive”
EARLY WORM “S/T”
THESE WONDERFUL EVILS “Regine Flory”
CURRENT 93 “Nature Unveiled” reissue
LYNN JACKSON “Soft Stars”
ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS “Another World”
CAT POWER “Jukebox”
JUANA MOLINA “Un Dia”
THE SMITHS “Sound of the Smiths”

LIZ
BEACH HOUSE \”Devotion\”
JOHN MAUS \”Love is Real\”
PORTISHEAD \”Third\”
SAY HI \”The Wishes And The Glitch\”
MARNIE STERN “This is it & I am it & You are it & So is that & he is it”
IRON CURTAIN \”Desertion\”
V/A “BIPPP: French Synth Wave 1979-85”
SEBASTIEN TELLIER \”Sexuality\”
RAVEONETTES \”Lust Lust Lust\”
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions to See a Ghost\”
V/A “Messthetics #106
DUNGEN \”4\”
BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT\”Motion to Rejoin”
DEERHUNTER \”Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued\”
TRICKY \”Knowle West Boy”
LEE SCRATCH PERRY \”Repentance”

REISSUES
NEW ORDER “Movement”
JORGE BEN \”Forca Bruta”
U2 \”October\”
FRIPP & ENO \”No Pussyfooting\”

BILLY
CHRISTOPHER BISSONNETTE “In Between Words”
NICK CAVE & WARREN ELLIS “Assassination of Jesse James” soundtrack
NICK CAVE “Dig Lazarus Dig!!!”
JONNY GREENWOOD “There Will Be Blood” soundtrack
SIGUR ROS “Med Sud I Eryum Vid Spilum Endalaust”
NINE INCH NAILS “The Slip”
RIVERS CUOMO “Alone Part 1”

Bands that stupidly got ignored (by me) until 2008:
WINDY & CARL
UFO (how did I miss them for so long?)
SAMMY HAGAR
PROCOL HARUM

These albums had some good SONGS on them, but I didn\’t
find myself listening to the WHOLE album…
COLDPLAY “Viva La Vida”
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE “Narrow Stairs”
RADIOHEAD “In Rainbows” (Don\’t believe the hype)
UGLYSUIT “S/T”
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM “Sound of Silver”
JUSTICE “Cross”
HOLD STEADY “Stay Positive” (slightly annoying, but catchy)
REM “Accelerate” (starts off great, then zzzzzzz)

DYLAN
NEW RECORDS
XIU XIU “Women As Lovers”
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS “Here Come the 123s”
NEPTUNE “Gong Lake”
SIAN ALICE GROUP “59:59”
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
THE BREEDERS “Mountain Battles”
MARNIE STERN “This is it & I am it & you are it & so is that & he is it”
VIOLENCE OF THE LEFT “Curses”
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS “S/T”
NEIL HAMBURGER “Sings Country Winners”
MEGAFAUN “Bury the Square”
ROOTS “Rising Down”
PORTISHEAD “Third”
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE “Water Curses”
NEW BLOODS “Secret Life”
LAST SHADOW PUPPETS “Age of the Understatement”
ERIC MATTHEWS “Imagination Stage”
PONYTAIL “Ice Cream Spiritual”
WALTER BECKER “Circus Money”
MUCCA PAZZA “Plays Well Together”
SLOAN “Parallel Play”
SIGUR ROS “Med Sud I Eryum Vid Spilum Endalaust”
FRED FRITH “To Sail to Sail”
FUCKED UP “Year of the Pig”
SPARKS “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
ONEIDA “Preteen Weaponry”
GETATCHEW MEKURIA & THE EX “Moa Anbessa”
SBACH “S/T”
METALLICA “Death Magnetic”
DEAD SCIENCE “Villainaire”
FUCKED UP “Chemistry of Common Life”
WOMEN “S/T”
JARBOE “Mahakali”
WHITE MAGIC “New Egypt”
AC/DC “Black Ice”
SQUAREPUSHER “Only a Souvenir”
CHRIS CONNELLY “Forgiveness & Exile”
LOWDOWN BRASS BAND “S/T”
MY CANADIAN GIRLFRIEND “It Might Even Get Cold”

REISSUES
V/A “Carolina Funk”
MAYO THOMPSON “Corky\’s Debt to his Father”
GARY NUMAN “Replicas”
NICK LOWE “Jesus of Cool”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue”
VAN DUREN “Are You Serious”
VSS “Nervous Circuits”

MAGAZINE PUBLISHING EVENT OF THE YEAR
CHUNKLET

JACOB
PORTISHEAD “Third”
DEERHUNTER \”Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued\”
BEACH HOUSE \”Devotion\”
MICAH BLUE SMALDONE \”The Red River\”
BONNIE PRINCE BILLY \”Lie Down in the Light\”
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE \”Water Curses\”
ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS \”Another World\”
ARTHUR RUSSELL “Love is Overtaking Me”

JAMES
CONSTANTIES “Kensington Heights”
EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING “Primary Colours”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
DUTCHESS & THE DUKE “She\’s The Dutchess, He\’s The Duke”
FUCKED UP “The Chemistry of Common Life”
PORTISHEAD “Third”
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
BLACK MOUNTAIN “In The Future”
SHEARWATER “Rook”
OKKERVIL RIVER “The Stand Ins”
WALKMEN “You & Me”
ONEIDA “Preeteen Weaponry”
DISAPPEARS 2008 7\”s
HOWLIN\’ RAIN “Magnificent Fiend”
BORIS “Smile”

Reissues/Live
BOB DYLAN “Tell Tale Signs: Rare & Unreleased 1989-2006”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue”
RODRIGUEZ “Cold Fact”
LARRY NORMAN “Rebel Poet, Jukebox Balladeer: Anthology”
V/A “Nigeria Disco Funk Special”
STEINSKI “What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective”
ARTHUR RUSSELL “Love Is Overtaking Me”
V/A “1970\’s Algerian Proto Rai Underground”
FINAL SOLUTION “Brotherman” soundtrack
THE CLEAN “Anthology”
SKIP JAMES “1931 Sessions”
IRMA THOMAS “Sings”
JOHN PHILLIPS “John The Wolf King of L.A.”
THE CLASH “Live at Shea Stadium”
THE RATS “S/T”

ROBBIE
PORTISHEAD “Third”
BEACH HOUSE “Devotion”
LEE SCRATCH PERRY “Repentance”
DUNGEN “4”
SPARKS “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
ERIC MATTHEWS “Imagination Stage”
DAVID VANDERVELDE “Waiting for the Sunrise”
BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT “Motion to Rejoin”
JOHN MAUS “Love is Real”
BLACK MOUNTAIN “In the Future”
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)
SLOAN “Parallel Play”

REISSUE OF THE YEAR:
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue”

BAND I JUST DISCOVERED THIS YEAR:
BADFINGER

MOVIE OF THE YEAR:
WALL-E

GAR
CLASH \”Live at Shea Stadium\”
DAVID BOWIE \”Live Santa Monica \’72\”
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions To See A Ghost\”
JAY REATARD \”Matador Singles \’08\”
CLINIC \”Do It\”
DEERHUNTER \”Microcastle\”/ “Weird Era Continued”
CHRIS CONNELLY \”Forgiveness & Exile\”
PORTISHEAD \”Third\”
FUCKED UP \”Chemistry of Common Life\”
JOHNNY FOREIGNER \”Waited Up Til It Was Light”
V/A \”Sprigs Of Time: 78\’s From The EMI Archive\”

DAN W
EDDIE CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING “Primary Colours”
DUTCHESS & THE DUKE “She\’s The Duchess, He\’s The Duke”
DISAPPEARS both 7 inches + Live Above The Rainbo CDR
TIMES NEW VIKING “Rip It Off”
CONSTANTINES “Kensington Heights”

COURTLAND
V/A “Sprigs of Time: 78s From the EMI Archive”
STEPHEN MALKMUS “ Real Emotional Trash”
V/A “1970\’s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground”
LEON WARE “Moonride”
GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS “Claudine/ Pipe Dreams” soundtracks
NEIL YOUNG “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968”
V/A “I Don\’t Feel At Home In This World Today”
V/A “Life Is A Problem”
GZA “Pro Tools”
GETATCHEW, EKURIA & THE EX “Moa Anbessa”
V/A “New Orleans Funk Vol. 2”

MICHAEL
DISAPPEARS 7\”s + “Live Over the Rainbo”
V/A “1970s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground”
TOUMANI DIABATE “Mande Variations”
ROOTS MANUVA “Slime & Reason”
FLYING LOTUS “Los Angeles”
BOB DYLAN “Tell Tale Signs: Rare & Unreleased 1989-2006”
DEBASHISH BHATTACHARYA “Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey”
VALERIO COSI “Collected Works”
ODEAN POPE “What Went Before, Volume 1”
CHRIS CONNELLY “Forgiveness & Exile”
V/A “Give Me Love: Songs of the Brokenhearted: Baghdad, 1925-1929”
V/A “Sprigs of Time: 78s from the EMI Archives”
SIR VICTOR UWAIFO “Guitar-Boy Superstar 1970-76 “
SCOTT TUMA “Not for Nobody”
MATANA ROBERTS QUARTET “Chicago Project”
BLUES CONTROL “Puff”
Best Shows
STARS OF THE LID (Lakeshore Theater)
TOUMANI DIABATE (Logan Square Auditorium)
THE EX & GETATCHEW MEKURIA (Pritzger)
AMIR EL SAFFAR (Pritzger)
ORNETTE COLEMAN (Grant Park)
MATANA ROBERTS (Heaven Gallery)

SARAH
(NO ORDER-ALBUMS)
BLACK ANGELS “Directions to See a Ghost”
FLEET FOXES “S/T”
LINDSAY BUCKINGHAM “GIFT OF SCREWS”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
DIPLO & SANTOGOLD “Top ranking”
PIT ER PAT “High Time”
ROOTS MANUVA “Slime & Reason)
PORTASTATIC “Some Small History”
V/A “Nigeria Disco Funk Special”
V/A “Rmxxology”

(NO ORDER CELEBRITIES)
TINA FEY
CHARLIE DAY

DAVE
THE BAKERTON GROUP “S/T” (Groovy instrumental boogie-rock from Clutch, but
minus their singer)

BETWEEN THE BURIED & ME “Colors” (I know this came out in 2007, but
Victory Records finally issued this on vinyl! Amazing prog-metal-hardcore)

GOJIRA “The Way of All Flesh” (Awesome, heavy, and complex metal recorded
and performed very well. Fans of Meshuggah or Lamb of God will like this)

GRIDLINK “Amber Grey” (Another band starting with \”G,\” this features Jon
Chang from Discordance Axis on vocals and most of Japan\’s Mortalized on
instruments. 12 songs in 11 minutes and completely punishing)

GUILTY SIMPSON “Ode to the Ghetto” (A nice mixture of street-level rhymes
and a sense of humor, this is another winner from Stones Throw)

HARMS WAY \”Delusion\” 7\” (Intense and scary hardcore/grind/death metal
from these Chicago lads)

THE MUZZLER /MZRCDXVL Split 7\” (Awesome split from two of the area\’s best
hardcore bands)

ORIGIN “Antithesis” (Insane and unrelenting technical death metal from
Kansas, of all places. Totally overpowering and amazing)

PORTISHEAD “Third” (Indescribable release from an indescribable band.
Other-worldly rhythms mixed with Beth Gibbons\’ airy voice make for another
winner from this band)

PUERTO MUERTO “I Was A Swallow” (Dark, post-country tunes with beautiful
male/female vocals from right here in Chicago. Very underrated music that
sounds like it\’s from Death Valley and covered in sand)

STEINWAYS “Gorilla Marketing” (Excellent pop punk in the vein of Screeching Weasel. Buy & smile.)

VENOMOUS CONCEPT “Poisoned Apple” (punk/thrash from one half of Brutal
Truth and one half of Napalm Death)

V/A “This Comp Kills Fascists” (Great hardcore compilation on Relapse, assembled by Pig Destroyer guitarist Scott Hull. Features new material from tons of killer bands, including Brutal Truth, Weekend Nachos, Spoonful of Vicodin, Agents of Satan, and like 15 more)

KIP
in no particular order
MESHUGGAH “Obzen”
MESHUGGAH “Chaosphere Reloaded” (Reissue)
JUANA MOLINA “Un Dia”
DUNGEN “4”
FRIPP/ENO “No Pussyfooting” (Reissue)
NAGISA NI TE “Yosuga”
ENSLAVED “Vertebrae”
FUCKED UP “Year of the Pig”
SEA & CAKE “Car Alarm”
NEIL YOUNG “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968”
NONAGON “No Sun”

TV Series
MAD MEN “Seasons 1 and 2”
IN TREATMENT “Season 1”
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA “Season 4.0”
THE SHIELD “Season 7”
IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA “Season 4”
LOST “Season 4”
TRUE BLOOD “Season 1”

Movies
IN BRUGES
WALL-E

MAGAS
GAS “Nah Und Fern”
WOLFGANG VOIGT “Freiland Klaviermusik”
MAURIZIO “M Series”
V/A “\’70s THAI ORCHESTRA”
BASIC CHANNEL “2”
RAVEN “Back to Ohio Blues”
TRUTH & JANEY “No Rest for the Wicked”
BRAINBOMBS reissues
CHRISSY ZEBBY TEMBO & NGOZI FAMILY “My Ancestors”
YA HO WAH 13 “Penetration, An Aquarian Symphony”
ERSEN “S/T” reissue
CHRIS CONNELLY “Forgiveness & Exile”
THE PEACE “Black Power”
HUMAN BEAST “Vol. 1”
BLUE PHANTOM “Distortions”
SUCK “Time to Suck”
FREEDOM\’S CHILDREN “Astra & Galactic Vibes”
BLUE ADDICTS “S/T”
T2 “It\’ll All Work Out in Boomland” & “T2” (aka Fantasy)
STACK WADDY “S/T”
EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND reissues
MURPHY BLEND “First Loss”
Everything on STRANGE LIFE

Bonus round:
Fallout 3 (Xbox 360)
Braid (Xbox 360)
The Presidential Election

DAN
1.) PORTISHEAD “Third”
2.) NICK CAVE AND BAD SEEDS “Dig Lazarus, Dig!!!”
3.) ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
4.) DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
5.) BON IVER “For Emma Forever Ago”
6.) FLEET FOXES “S/T”
7.) THEE OH SEES “Master\’s Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night in”
8.) BLACK MOUNTAIN “In the Future”
9.) SHOPPING “S/T”
10.) VETIVER “Thing of the Past”

REISSUES
1.)MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: VARIOUS TITLES (IRMA THOMAS, “LOVE IS LOVE” etc…)
2.)RODRIGUEZ “Cold Fact”
3.)LARRY NORMAN “Rebel, Poet, Jukebox Balladeer”
4.)BOB DYLAN “Tell Tale Signs: Rare & Unreleased 1989-2006”
5.) NERVES “One Way Ticket”
6.) LOS HOLY\’S “Sueno Sicodelic” (PLUS TAPES CASSETTE)
7.) DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue”
8.) ARTHUR RUSSELL “Love is Overtaking Me”
9.) KAREN DALTON “Cotton Eyed Joe”
10.) REPLACEMENTS All Reissues
11.) V/A“Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic Afro Rock”
12.) V/A “ Summer Records Anthology”

MARK
in no particular order
BECK “ Modern Guilt”
YAHOWA 13 “Sonic Portal”
O.W.L. “Of Wondrous Legend” reissue
JONAS REINHARDT “ S/T”
BLACK ANGELS “ Directions To See a Ghost”
FRIPP/ENO “No Pussyfooting” (reissue)
DIALS “ Amoeba Amore”
CLOUDLAND CANYON “ Lie in Light”
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE “My Bloody Underground”
DENNIS WILSON “ Pacific Ocean Blue” reissue
GENESIS Rhino cd/dvd reissues
ONEIDA “ Preteen Weaponry”

DANIEL:
KEVIN AYERS \”Unfairground\”
BIG KNIFE “S/T” (cassette)
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions to See a Ghost\”
THE DIALS \”Amoeba Amore\”
ENDLESS BOOGIE \”Focus Level\”
THE FINAL SOLUTION \”Brotherman\”
Soundtrack for an never-filmed movie, unearthed by Numero, by a group with maybe the most (unintentionally,
I hope?) band name of all time.
FUCKED UP \”The Chemistry of Common Life\”
KING KHAN & THE SHRINES \”The Supreme Genius of King Khan\”
NICK LOWE \”Jesus of Cool\” [reissue]
basically the best record ever, the reissue includes all the tracks from the UK release as well as the re-titled U.S.
version \”Pure Pop for Now People\”
MUTUAL DIVORCE \”Gay for Gasoline\”
SPARKS \”Exotic Creatures of the Deep\”
VIVIAN GIRLS “S/T”
V/A \”Well Hung: Funk Rock Eruptions from Beneath Communist
Hungary Vol. 1\”
V/A \”Titan: It\’s All Pop!\”
Another Numero Group compilation, lost power-pop gems on the Titan label. A good follow-up to 2005\’s
“Yellow Pills.”

ANTHONY
JOHN BAKER
The John Baker Tapes, Volume 1: BBC Radiophonics Rare & Unreleased Workshop Recordings 1963-1969
The John Baker Tapes, Volume 2: Soundtracks, Library, Home Recordings, Electro Ads 1954-1985
Trunk CDs/LP
Trunk Records has outdone themselves! A pair of lovingly assembled 2CD sets of various cues, themes and musical beds (much of it unreleased) made for radio and television through the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Primitive (yet futuristic) electronics and sonic manipulations that owe an obvious debt to the electroacoustic/music concrete pioneers of a decade prior, but with an added musicality and playfulness befitting its status as production music. Alongside Delia Derbyshire (who is long overdue for a similar re-examination), Baker was one of the Workshop\’s most prolific composers, and these discs represent a remarkable 30-odd years of work. If you\’re a fan of the Raymond Scott \”Manhattan Research\” package from years back, there\’s much here for you to enjoy.

CLINIC
“Do It!”
Modern avant/psych that manages to avoid the \’retro\’ tag. Familiar elements weave in and out of the mix but Abe Blackburn\’s unique vocals and the band\’s use of odd chord progressions make Clinic sound like no one else. Mildly unsettling and equally mysterious.

MITTY COLLIER
“Shades Of Mitty Collier – The Chess Singles 1961-1968”
First-ever CD collection from this Chicago gospel-influenced deep soul belter. \”I Had A Talk With My Man\” is the classic but Collier & the Chess studio band shine throughout. Classy & moving.

KING KHAN & THE SHRINES
“The Supreme Genius Of King Khan & The Shrines”
US compilation of this multi-national garage R&B outfit\’s prodigious output. Great live show to boot.

LULA CORTES & ZE RAMALHO
“Paêbirú”
Brazilian psych folk from 1975. Lots in common with Caetano Veloso and the then- relatively recent Tropicalia movement, but with a spacier, almost progressive vibe that would appeal to fans of UK acid folk stalwarts Comus or Ramases. Concept record? Of course it is.

NICK LOWE
“Jesus Of Cool” (Remastered Edition)
Expanded version of Nick Lowe\’s 1978 debut (renamed \”Pure Pop For Now People\” in the US) featuring a whopping 10 bonus tracks. The timeless pop perfection of \”Marie Provost\” and \”So It Goes\” (in all of its Thin Lizzy-esque glory) appear here, along with the original version of \”Cruel To Be Kind\” and the only partially tongue-in-cheek \”Rollers Show.\” The line between power pop and new wave has never been so blurry; never mind, they both begin here.

RODRIGUEZ
“Cold Fact”
A heavier Latino Donovan produced by Dennis Coffey. 1970 psychedelic folk rock. Awesome.

SHE & HIM
“Volume One”
Slightly flat, sometimes over-emotive, brashly charming bubblegum that matures throughout the course of the record. A sympatico collaboration between M. Ward & actress Zooey Deschanel that stood up to a summer\’s worth of repeated plays. This deserves a follow-up.

VARIOUS ARTISTS
“African Scream Contest: Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds From Benin & Togo 70s”
“Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic Afro-Rock & Fuzz Funk In 1970s Nigeria”
Complimentary collections from the Afro-Rock underground. Think Fela Kuti crossed with Hendrix, Santana or Funkadelic\’s Eddie Hazel. Not to be missed.

VARIOUS ARTISTS
“Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story”
The alternate/demo versions of Big Star & related material that comprise roughly half of this 2CD set ought to make this a no-brainer, but the mid 60s garage/pop/psychedelic obscurities included keep this from being merely a completist\’s archival package.

ANGELA

  1. ERSEN “ S/T” reissue… Addictive, choppy, and stellar Turkish rock
  2. RODRIGUEZ \”Cold Fact\” reissue
  3. PORTISHEAD \”Third\”
  4. KING KHAN & THE SHRINES \”Supreme Genuis of King Khan\”
  5. WOODEN SHJIPS \”Vol. 1\”
  6. RELIGIOUS KNIVES \”After Dark\”
  7. FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS “S/T”
  8. BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT\”Motion to Rejoin\” (not to mention a mesmerizing show at the Hideout)
  9. NEW ORDER \”Movement\” reissue
  10. WHITE MAGIC \”New Egypt\”
  11. PONYTAIL \”Ice Cream Spiritual\”
  12. DEERHOOF \”Offend Maggie\”
  13. NEU \”Neu! 2\” (Reissue)
  14. RAVEN \”Back to Ohio Blues\” (Reissue)
  15. DEERHUNTER \”Microcastle\”/ “Weird Era Continued”
  16. DAVID BOWIE “ Live Santa Monica” \’72
  17. DUNGEN \”4\”
  18. MAGNETIC FIELDS \”Distortion\”
  19. WOMEN “ S/T”
  20. ONEIDA \”Preteen Weaponry\”
  21. BEACH HOUSE \”Devotion\”
  22. GROUPER \”Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill\”
  23. JOSEPHINE FOSTER \”This Coming Gladness\”
  24. FUCK BUTTONS \”Street Horrrsing\”
  25. AWESOME COLOR \”Electric Aborigines\”
  26. THE BREEDERS \”Mountain Battles\”

DVD\’s:
\”The Future is Unwritten/Joe Strummer\” by Julien Temple
\”Joy Division\” by Grant Gee (amazing footage of Joy Division performances that make you wish, or in fact,
almost feel like you were there. Grant Gee keeps you enthralled the entire time.

THADDEUS
SPIRITUALIZED “Songs in A&E”
NEIL HAMBURGER “Sings Country Winners”
EARLES & JENSEN “Just Farr A Laugh” reissue
“KING OF KONG: FISTFULL OF QUARTERS”
“THE WIRE” Season 5
“IT\’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA” Season 4 (TACO BED!!!!)

REBBECA
BIG DIPPER \”Supercluster Anthology\”
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions to See a Ghost\”
BLACK MOUNTAIN \”In the Future\”
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE \”My Bloody Underground\”
CHEAP TIME \”S/T\”
THE CLEAN \”Compilation\”
CRYSTAL STILTS \”Alight of Night \”
DIGITAL LEATHER \”Sorceror\”
DUNGEN \”4\”
EL GUINCHO \”Alegranza\”
EL PERRO DEL MAR \”From the Valley of the Stars\”
THE NERVES “One Way Ticket”
RAVEONETTES \”Lust Lust Lust\”
JAY REATARD “Singles 06-07”
SPARKS “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
SPIRITUALIZED \”Songs in A&E”

KEITH
A/V MURDER “Missile Command” 7\”
CIRCUS DEVILS “Ataxia”
CHRIS CONNELLY “Forgiveness & Exile”
DAVILLA 666 “S/T”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
DISAPPEARS “Need” 7\” & “Old Friend” 7”
DUTCHESS & THE DUKE “Never Had a Chance” 7\”
EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING “Primary Colours”
FRANCE HAS THE BOMB “World of Mirrors” 7\”
NIGHTMARCHERS “See You in Magic”
OBITS “One Cross Apiece” 7\”
THE REPLACMENTS reissues bonus tracks
SHOPPING \”Shopping\” LP

BRYAN:
V/A “1970\’S Algerian Proto-Rai Underground”
V/A “70s Thai Orchestra”
BILL COSBY Presents Badfoot Brown & The Bunions Bradford Funeral & Marching Band CD
BLACK ANGELS “Directions To See a Ghost”
BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW “Dandelion Gum”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue” reissue
DISFEAR “Live the Storm”
FESTIVAL “Come, Arrow, Come”
FUCKED UP “Chemistry of Common Life”
FUCKED UP “Year Of The Pig”
GORE “Hart Gore & Mean Man\’s Dream” reissues
LEVIATHAN “Massive Conspiracy Against All Life”
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS “Dig Lazarus Dig!!!”
NICK LOWE “Jesus Of Cool” reissue
RATS reissue
RAVEN “Back to Ohio Blues”
SEX VID “Communal Living” 12\”
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM “Two Hunters”

STEVE:
BIRTH CONTROL \”Goin\’ To Target\” 7\”
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions To See A Ghost\”
BLACK TIME \”Double Negative\”
BORIS \”Smile\”
BOX ELDERS\”Hole in My Head\” 7\”
THE CLEAN \”Compilation\” LP Reissue
DAILY VOID\”Man/Machine\” 7\”
DANAVA \”Unonou\”
DRUNKDRIVER \”Born Pregnant\” LP
EARLES & JENSEN \”Just Farr a Laugh\”
ENSLAVED\”Vertebrae\”
FEELING OF LOVE \”Petite Tu Es Un Hit\” LP (out of print)
FUCKED UP\”The Chemistry of Common Life\”
GROUPER \”Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill\”
HARMONIA\”Live 1974\”
HARVEY MILK vinyl reissues
MITCH HEDBERG\”Do You Believe in Gosh?\”
LA DUSSELDORF vinyl reissues
MIDDLE CLASS “Out Of Vogue – The Early Material\”
MISSION OF BURMA reissues
NERVES \”One Way Ticket\”
RATS \”s/t\” LP reissue
RODRIGUEZ\”Cold Fact\” reissue
IRMA THOMAS \”Irma Thomas Sings\” LP
VSS \”Nervous Circuits\” reissue CD/DVD
V/A \”Fight on Your Time Ain\’t Long\”

Live:
ANIMAL LAW
BIG KNIFE
DANAVA
DUNGEN
ROKY ERICKSON
GONERFEST
HOMOSEXUALS
KING KHAN
PIERCED ARROWS
PISSED JEANS
JAY REATARD

CHARLES:
MOTORPSYCHO “Little Lucid Moments”
DEPARTMENT OF EAGLES “In Ear Park”
MARNIE STERN “This Is It & I Am It & You Are It & So Is That & He Is It”
MOVE “Lookin On” reissue
STEINSKI “What Does it All Mean?”
PLANETO IMAGINARIA “Biomasa”
SECRET CHIEFS 3 “Plays Masada Book Two”
MATTHEW HERBERT BIG BAND “There\’s Me & There\’s You”
STEVEN BERNSTEIN “Diaspora Suite”
WILLIAM PARKER “Inside Songs of Curtis Mayfield”
SUN RA “Sleeping Beauty”
SUN RA “On Jupiter”
LONDON/GLASGOW IMPROVISERS ORCHESTRAS “Separately & Together”
ANTHONY BRAXTON “Complete Arista Recordings”
SCHLIPPENBACH TRIO “Gold is Where you Find it”

JEFF:
BEACH HOUSE \”Devotion\”
BIRTH CONTROL \”Going To Target\” 7\”
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions To See A Ghost\”
CONVICTED \”Unconquered\” 7\”
CRUEL HAND \”Prying Eyes\”
DEAD CAN DANCE reissues
DIPLO & PAPER ROUTE GANGSTAZ \”Fear & Loathing In Huntsvegas\”
DOUBLE NEGATIVE Raw Energy\” 7\”
FUCKED UP \”Chemistry of Common Life\”
GROUPER \”Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill\”
HARMS WAY \”Delusion\” 7\”
ICEMEN 7\”
IRON CURTAIN \”Desertion 1982-1988\”
LOOP reissues
MARVELOUS DARLINGS \”I Don\’t Want to Go to the Party\” 7\”
MIDNIGHT \”Farewell to Hell\” 10\”
NEW ORDER reissues
NO AGE \”Nouns\”
OBLITERATION 7\”
SATANIC THREAT \”Into Hell\” 7\”
SEX VID \”Communal Living\” 12\”
SPACEMEN 3 \”DJ Tones\”
SUN KIL MOON \”April\”
THOUGHT CRUSADE \”Common Man\” 7\”
VIOLATION \”Devoured\”
WHITE MAGIC \”New Egypt\”

MY BLOODY VALENTINE @ Aragon
PUNCH IN THE FACE & THE REPOS respective last shows
SWERVEDRIVER @ Metro
Family Tattoo (2230 W. Belmont)

LIBBY:
AD ASTRA PER ASPERA “Danger Bird Blues” 7\”
ANNIHILATION TIME “Tales of the Ancient Age”
BIRTH CONTROL “Going to Target” 7\”
BLACK TIME “Double Negative”
DANAVA “Unonou”
DARK AGES “4 Songs” 7\”
IRMA THOMAS “Sings the New Orleans Series” LP
JAY REATARD “Singles 06-07”
PIERCED ARROWS “n My Brain/Caroline” 7\”
RATS “S/T” LP reissue

Live:
THE BARBARAS
BOX ELDERS
DAILY VOID
DANAVA
FUCKED UP
KING KHAN & THE SHRINES

Also:
BEYONCE \”Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)\” video
“Burn After Reading”

STEVE:
PAUL METZGER @ Enemy
BONNIE PRINCE BILLY “ Lie Down in the Light”
All of the T.I. singles
BOB DYLAN bootlegs on the back porch with St. Peter\’s English Ale, Scrabble & good company.
PAUL METZGER “Gedanken Splinter”
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
NEIL YOUNG “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House”
Almost everything Mississippi Records put out
The Ex with Getachew Mekuria@ LSA
EVANGELISTA- \”Hello Voyager\”
ARTHUR RUSSELL “Love is Overtaking Me”
EVANGELISTA @ South Union Arts
Reggae Night @ the Burlington
New bike & biking to the RNC (though the event itself was a horrible depressing drag- thanks republicans & St. Paul PD)
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
EARTH- \”The Bees Made Honey in the Lion\’s Skull\”
CASTRATED WARLORD- \”The Essential Castrated Warlord\”
GROUP INERANE- \”Guitars From Agadez\”
The Pit at the Pissed Jeans show at the Bottle
KATE FAGAN “I Don\’t Want to Be Too Cool” 7”
NICK CAVE “Dig Lazarus Dig!!!”
“My Winnipeg” film
That Earles & Jensen track about Garfield.
“Encounters at the End of the World” film
V/A “Wooden Guitar” (LP Reissue)
CHRIS CORSANO “Young Cricketer” (LP Reissue)
Plus Tapes
RAVEN- \”Back To Ohio Blues\” (Reissue)
Free concerts at Millennium Park
V/A “Dancehall: The Rise of Jamaican Dancehall Culture”
KAREN DALTON “Cotton Eyed Joe”
“Wild Combination” DVD
KEVIN COYNE & Siren reissues
BLACK PUS CDRs
FUN YEARS “Baby, It\’s Cold Inside”

MELISSA:
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
JORGE BEN reissues
BLACK ANGLES “Directions to See a Ghost”
NICK CAVE “Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!”
THE CLEAN “Anthology”
CHRIS CONNELLY “Forgiveness & Exile”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
DUNGEN “4”
FUCKED UP “Chemistry of Common Life”
ENSLAVED “Vertebrae”
ERSEN “S/T” reissue
GETATCHEW MEKURIA & THE EX “Moa Anbessa”
KING KHAN & THE SHRINES “The Supreme Genius of…”
GROUPER “Dragging a Dead Deer up a Hill”
GZA “Pro Tools”
HARVEY MILK LP reissues
LEVIATHAN “Massive Conspiracy Against All Life”
NICK LOWE “Jesus of Cool” reissue
THE PEACE “Black Power”reissue
JUANA MOLINA “Un Dia”
PORTISHEAD “Third”
Q-TIP “Renaissance”
RADIOHEAD “In Rainbows”
THE RATS “S/T” reissue
RAVEN “Back to Ohio Blues”
JAY REATARD “Matador Singles”
RODRIGUEZ “Cold Fact” reissue
IRMA THOMAS “Sings”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue” reissue
Neil Young “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House”
V/A “Well Hung: Funk Rock Eruptions from Beneath Communist Hungary Volume 1”
V/A “Summer Records Anthology”
V/A “Give Me Love: Songs of the Brokenhearted: Baghdad , 1925-1929”
V/A “Life is a Problem”
V/A “Springs of Time: 78\’S From the EMI Archive”
V/A “Rmxxology”
V/A “I Don\’t Feel at Home in this World Today”
V/A “1970s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground”
V/A “New Orleans Funk Vol. 2”
V/A “Nigeria Disco Funk Special”
V/A “Nigeria Rock Special”
The comps were really good this year!

KEN:
STARS OF THE LID “Carte-De-Visite”
THE PEACE “Black Power”reissue
BURNING STAR CORE “Destroyer”
CHRISTOPHER BISSONNETTE “In Between Words”
JONAS REIHARDT “S/T”
LULA CORTES & ZE RAMALHO “Paebiru”
ANIMALS & MEN “Never Bought Never Sold” reissue
V/A “Give Me Love: Songs of the Brokenhearted: Baghdad, 1925-1929”
J SPACEMAN & SUN CITY GIRLS “Mister Lonely” (soundtrack)
AMANAZ “Africa” (reissue)

MEGAN:
SIGUR ROS “Med Sud I Eryum Vid Spilum Endalaust”
MINUS THE BEAR “They Make Beer Commercials Like This” (First time ever released on vinyl)
FUCKED UP “Chemistry of Common Life”
MATES OF STATE “Rearrange Us”
SPARKS “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
BEACH HOUSE “Devotion”
LACKTHEREOF “Your Anchor”
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS “Flight of the Conchords”

Honorable Mention:
MAN MAN “Rabbit Habits “[just have to be in the mood]
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE “Narrow Stairs”[much potential, but haven\’t been able to listen enough to judge fairly]
PORTISHEAD “Third” [the whole vinyl fiasco was a pain in the bum]
LYKKE LI “Youth Novels [i just can\’t not love the first track]

FRIENDS OF RECKLESS…

BLAKE JUDD (NACHTMYSTIUM/ BATTLE KOMMAND RECORDS)

  1. EARTH “The Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull”
  2. GENGHIS TRON “Board up the House”
  3. TORCHE “Meanderthal”
  4. WOVEN HAND “Ten Stones”
  5. LEVIATHAN “Massive Conspiracy Against All Life”

ADAM REACH (Touch and Go Records, Production, lover of cats)
PORTISHEAD \”Third”
MONOTONIX \”Body Language
GUN OUTFIT \”Your Will\” 7”
DEAD MEADOW \”Old Growth\”
NODZZZ \”I Don\’t Wanna (Smoke Marijuana)\” 7\”
HIGH PLACES\”S/T\”
BLACK TAJ \”Beyonder\”
DEERHUNTER \”Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.\”
SQUAREPUSHER \”Just A Souvenir\”
RED FAVORITE\”S/T\”
BROTHER JT 3 \”Jelly Roll Gospel\”

STEPHEN SOWLEY (Electrical Audio Studio Manager, Danny\’s doorman, former Reckless Employee, DJ & Bingo MC)
HARVEY MILK “Life…The Best Game in Town”
BREEDERS “Mountain Battles”
EVANGELISTA “Hello Voyager”
“Let the Right One in” (Film)
EARTH “Bees Made Honey in the Lion\’s Skull”
KEVIN DRUMM “Imperial Distortion”
FOOD FOR ANIMALS “Belly”
“Wall-E” (Film)
IRON LUNG “Sexless/No Sex”
Basil Hayden Bourbon
GROUPER “Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill”
WINDY & CARL “Songs For The Broken Hearted”
DISFEAR “Live The Storm”
MY DISCO “Cancer”
THEE OH SEES (OCS) “The Masters Bedroom Is Worth Spending The Night in”
2562 “Aerial”
Roscoe\’s Chicken N\’ Waffles: Los Angeles
NAKED ON THE VAGUE “S/T”
ENSLAVED “VERTEBRAE”
SUNN O))) “Domkirke”
V/A “African Scream Contest”
MISSISSIPPI RECORDS
Soundway\’s awesome examination of \’70s Nigerian music
CHRIS CONNELLY “Concrete, Bullet Proof, Invisible and Fried: My Life as a Revolting Cock” (book)
FENNESZ “The Black Sea”
STEPHEN COLBERT “I am America, and So Can You” Audiobook Version

Little Things–
SEX VID “Nests” 7\” & “Communal Living” 12\”
MAYYORS “S/T” 7\” & “Megan\’s LOLZ” 7\”
BOTTOMLESS PIT “Congress” 12\”
NODDZ “I Don\’t Wanna (Smoke Marijuana)” 7\”
COLD CAVE “Trees Grew Emotions And Died” 12\”
MI AMI “African Rhythms” 12\”
DOUBLE NEGATIVE “S/T” 7\”
FUCKED UP “Crooked Head” 7\”
VIVIAN GIRLS “Wild Eyes” 7\”

Live Things:
EX & GETACHEW MEKURIA (Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago)
HARVEY MILK (Canadian Building, Los Angeles)
ATP NY (Kutshers, Monticello, NY)
STARS OF THE LID (Lakeshore Theater, Chicago)
DEAD C (Empty Bottle, Chicago)
SEX VID (Beat Kitchen, Chicago)
THE THING (Hideout, Chicago)
FOOD FOR ANIMALS/ MI AMI (AV Aerie, Chicago)

TAYLOR ‘s alphabetical nepotism (Touch and Go Records, sales)
ALL THE SAINTS “Fire On Corridor X”
BLANK DOGS “In a Web” 7”fans of shit gaze & glue wave take note– this is the ONLY band whose name you will ever need to know post 2008.
BLANK DOGS “Mirror Lights” Cassette
BLANK DOGS “Diana the Herald” 12”
BLANK DOGS “Two Months” 7”
BLANK DOGS “Yellow Mice Asleep” e.p.
CRYSTAL STILTS “Alight of Night”
DAN MELCHIOR UND DAS MENACE “Christmas for the Crows”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle/ Weird Era Continued”
EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING “Primary Colours”
FUCKED UP “The Chemistry of Common Life” Seventy guitar tracks might look self-indulgent on another band. Somehow these geniuses pull it off, er should I say, continue to pull it off. i even like the pop punk song w/ the douche chills guyliner guest vocalist. Fuck it, i especially like this song.
GANG GANG DANCE “Saint Dymphna”
GUN OUTFIT “S/T” 7” This is the flannel you’ve been waiting for.
KURT VILE “Constant Hitmaker” No matter how many inches of snow and sleet are on the ground outside, playing the first track on this record is guaranteed to make you feel like you’re smoking a j-bone in the Caribbean and that you really are gonna have a functional relationship with your ex.
NAKED ON THE VAGUE “Blood Pressure Sessions”
NUDGE “Infinity Padlock” e.p. Brian Foote is the dude behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz. He is the Wizard, or possibly Oz, whichever one of those is more enigmatic, he’s that one.
SEX VID “Communal Living” 12” If this band stopped releasing live records that sound like my cat w/ bronchitis they would pretty much be perfect.
THESE ARE POWERS “Taro Tarot” e.p.
VSS “Nervous Circuits” reissue

JEFF CAMPAGNA (Forced Exposure distribution, sales)
“I\’m quite an old-school romantic that thinks the heart and emotion of the music is what matters and that is what I listen out for, not the style. The characteristics and virtues I most cherish are when a music-maker can express an all-round character with integrity, a complete universe that thrives on its own. When it elevates above all styles.” – Björk

Top Albums
AARON DILLOWAY & C. SPENCER YEH “Thee Squid”
AIDAN BAKER AND TIM HECKER “Fantasma Parastasie”
ANGEL “Kalmuki”
APSE “Spirit”
BJ NILSEN & STILLUPPSTEYPA “Passing Out”
BORKO “Celebrating Life”
COLDPLAY ”Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends”
COLIN MELOY “Sings Live!”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/”Weird Era Continued”
ELUDER “The Most Beautiful Blue”
EMILIANA TORRINI “Me and Armini”
FENNESZ “Black Sea”
FOTHERINGAY “2”
HJALTALIN “Sleepdrunk Seasons”
J SPACEMAN & MATTHEW SHIPP “Spaceshipp”
JACASZEK “Treny”
JAMES “Hey-Ma”
JASPER TX “Black Sleep”
JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON “Fordlândia”
KEVIN DRUMM “Imperial Distortion”
KOEN HOLTKAMP “Field Rituals”
LAURA VEIRS “Two Beers Veirs”
LAWRENCE ENGLISH “Kiri No Oto”
MACHINEFABRIEK “Mort Aux Vaches”
MILIEU “A Warm Wooden Hollow/Smokebuilder\’s Woodshop”
NADJA/AIDAN BAKER/LEAH BUCKAREFF “Trinitarian”
NINE INCH NAILS “Ghosts I-IV”
Ø “Oleva”
ÓLAFUR ARNALDS “Eulogy for Evolution”
OMIT “Interceptor”
PETER BRODERICK “Float”
PETAR DUNDOV “Escapements”
PHANTOM ORCHARD “Orra”
PHILIP GLASS “Music In Twelve Parts”
POCAHAUNTED “Chains”
ROD MODELL “Incense & Black Light”
RYAN ADAMS & THE CARDINALS “Cardinology”
SIGUR RÓS “Med Sud I Eryum Vid Spilum Endalaust”
SIN FANG BOUS “Clangour”
SOCCER COMMITTEE & MACHINEFABRIEK “Drawn”
SONS OF THE DRAGON “Sons Of The Dragon”
SVARTE GREINER “Man Bird Dress”
THE CURE “4:13 Dream”
THEE SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA & TRA-LA-LA BAND “13 Blues For Thirteen Moons”
THOM YORKE “The Eraser Remixed”
V/A “A Cleansing Ascensio”
V/A “Spire Live – Fundamentalis”
WILLITS + SAKAMOTO “Ocean Fire”
XELA “In Bocca Al Lupo”
YELLOW SWANS “Psychic Secession”

Misc picks

BJÖRK “Wanderlust” 2X12”
FM3 “Buddha Machine II
JANDEK “Manhattan Tuesday” DVD
NURSE WITH WOUND “Images/Zero Mix” Book w/ CD
PAN SONIC “Kuvaputki” DVD

Top Reissues
808 STATE “Quadrastate”
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN “The BBC Sessions”
CHRIS CORSANO “The Young Cricketer”
DAVY GRAHAM “Folk, Blues & Beyond…”
DREDD FOOLE “Kissing The Contemporary Bliss”
GAS “Nah Und Fern”
IN CAMERA “Open Air”
JADE “Fly On Strangewings”
KAREN DALTON “In My Own Time”
METALLICA “Ride the Lightning”
MICHEL CHION “Requiem”
POLE “1 2 3”
STEINSKI “What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective”
THE SMITHS “The Sound of the Smiths”
UNIVERS ZERO “Univers Zero”
V/A “African Scream Contest: Raw & Psychedelic Afro”
V/A “Fight On, Your Time Ain\’t Long”
V/A “Victrola Favorites: Artifacts from Bygone Days”
XHOL “Motherfuckers GmbH & Co. Kg”
YOSHI WADA “The Appointed Cloud”

Special Mention
Náttúra Concert: Reykjavik, Iceland with Ólöf Arnalds, Ghostigital, Sigur Rós and Björk (National Geographic World Music) Webcast

DRAG CITY RECORDS
MARYANNE AMACHER “ Sound Characters 2”
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
BEACH HOUSE “Devotion”
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM “Gift of Screws”
GLEN CAMPBELL “Meet Glen Campbell”
CIRCLE X “Prehistory” reissue
THE COASTERS “ There\’s a Riot Goin\’ On: The Coasters on Atco”
DJ SHADOW & CUT CHEMIST “Hard Sell (Encore)”
JOE E “Love Got In the Way”
EARLES & JENSEN “Just Farr A Laugh Vol. 1&2: The Greatest Prank Phone Calls Ever!”
FENNESZ “Black Sea”
GAS “Nah Und Fern”
GIRL TALK “Feed The Animals”
GUNS N ROSES “Chinese Democracy”
BOBBY HUTCHERSON “Head On” reissue
RYOJI IKEDA “Test Pattern”
AKIRA ISHIKAWA & COUNT BUFFALO UGANDA “Afurikan Rokku no Yoake” reissue
LIL WAYNE “Tha Carter III”
CHRIS McGREGOR “Brotherhood of Breath” reissue
GRACHAN MONCUR III “Evolution” reissue
POLE “1-2-3” reissue
PORTISHEAD “Third”
SHEARWATER “Rook”
SIC ALPS “A Long Way Around To A Shortcut”
SIC ALPS “U.S. EZ”
SPARKS “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
STEINSKI “What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006”
GEBHARD ULLMANN “New Basement Research”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue” reissue
V/A “Bollywood Steel Guitar”

…and everything on Drag City central, natch