This year two of my friends put out excellent records. David and Joanna put on a great show at the Bottom of the Hill for the Record release show. Monkstrap the nom de plume of my friend Rich also released Bentfolk this last November. It was also wonderful. This leads me to my two basic guidelines for choosing the ten best Records of the year. Friends are not eligible for the list. So if Eddie Vedder ever becomes my friend Pearl Jam records will be disqualified from the list. The second guideline is I have to have obtained a copy of the entire record. This will explain why Chuck Profit's record is not included because I haven't bought it yet.
10 Dinsour JR Farm www.dinosaurjr.com
A very good Dinosaur Jr album featuring Lou Barlow and Jay Mascis. I saw the live show on my birthday. Jay Mascis in front of three count them three Marshall Stacks! Way to be an actual Guitar Hero
9. Pearl Jam Backspacer www.pearljam.com
A fine effort. However, they have to compete with their other albums and everybody else. The End was my favorite song and the Tom Tomorrow artwork rocked. They also put on a top two show at outsidelands. Plus their turtle won!!
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/greatturtlerace-map/
8. Brendan Benson My Old Familiar Friend www.brendanbenson.com
He just writes the best pop songs that no one hears. If you haven't bought Lapalco yet what are you waiting for.
7. Camera Obscura My Maudlin Career www.camera-obscura.net
I will never be able to get Tracyanne's voice out of my head. An excellent record and great follow up to Let's Get Out of This Country.
6. Sonic Youth The Ethernal www.sonicyouth.com
They still have it after all these years. I can't wait for the show in January.
5. Mando Diao Give Me Fire www.mandodiao.com (Import)
This Swedish band is one of my favorites. This is another in a great series of records. This one was a bit hard to find. I had to buy the import but it was worth it.
4. Hope Sandoval and The Warm Inventions Through The Devil Softly www.hopesandoval.com
There's were she went. That voice. Ah wonderful!!
3. The Dead Weather Horehound www.thedeadweather.com
Jack White is GOD well one of them anyway. This album is great and the live show is even better.
2. Them Crooked Vultures Them Crooked Vultures www.themcrookedvultures.com
Putting the super in supergroup. From John Paul Jones slide bass to David Grohl on drums this band rocks. Mind Eraser, No Chaser
1. The Blue Seeds The Blue Seeds www.theblueseeds.com
Since I first heard this band on Radio LaGrosse I haven't been able to stop listening to this French Canadian band. They make me want "sing softly to the moon"
Honorable Mention
Regina Spektor Far
Gaslight Anthem 59 Sound
Julianna Hatfield How to Walk away
Tracks
That Night in Amsterdam Blue Seeds
Mind Eraser No Chaser Them Crooked Vultures
Horseshoes and Hand Grenades Green Day
Blanchard Hope Sandoval
Antenna Sonic Youth
A Quick Killing in Art Blue Seeds
Machine Regina Spektor
The End Pearl Jam
Honest I Do David and Joanna
Earn Your Scars Monkstrap
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Joyeux Noel
Gathering storms of greed
battering the calmness of the city
walking away the dread
with a pretty little ditty
bouncing around my head
Washing away the need
to be at the mercy of fear
letting my fancy roam
to the corners of the verse
a second home
a stage to rehearse
the play of life and cheer
Happy to be alive and well
with friends like you
Happy Holidays to all and a wonderful New Year
battering the calmness of the city
walking away the dread
with a pretty little ditty
bouncing around my head
Washing away the need
to be at the mercy of fear
letting my fancy roam
to the corners of the verse
a second home
a stage to rehearse
the play of life and cheer
Happy to be alive and well
with friends like you
Happy Holidays to all and a wonderful New Year
Friday, April 03, 2009
Friday Morning Kreskin
IT’s that time of year again. The air is fresher, it’s mildly warmer and John Fogarty is again being played. I loved the Baseball classic it was much more fun than watching Spring training on TV. A few things to help the next one. Hey US can you field a team like we give a shit about winning it. I also think the final round should be best two out of three. This is baseball for Christ sake it’s supposed to be played every day. It would also be nice if it was played when the players were all ready to play. For the steroid minded this is better than I can write.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/durst/detail?entry_id=37590
Enough of my yakking
AL East
Why is this on first? Well this is the Douchebag division and I want to get it over with. Evil Team A is much improved and has a brand spanking new billion dollar stadium. They went from having the worst starting rotation to one of the best. Ah! the smell of money, and someone willing to spend it on the players rather than themselves (I am looking at you Kansas City and Florida). Evil Team B basically whined their way through the off season and are same as last year. The surprise Rays are a year older and primed for that let down. The less said about the Orioles and Blue Jays the better.
Order of finish
Tampa Devil Rays
Real Madrid (evil Team A)
Manchester United (evil Team B)
Blue Jays
Orioles
NL West
The weakest division in baseball last year. Finally a divison worse than AL Central. The Giants who can't score any runs went out a got more pitching. This kind of makes sense. If you can't score try and keep them from scoring. What's the record for losing 1-0? I think we can break it. Lets face it when you come in second to last in the Majors in runs scored winning is going to be a problem. The best record in one run games last year is a product of luck more than skill. The good thing for the Giants is that the worst team in run scoring in the majors is in our division. The Padres are hopeless this year. The Dodgers can score runs. They have terrible starting pitching but an excellent bullpen. They also play in a pitchers park. The Diamondbacks are young. They can score and pitch but are not great at either. Is this year some of their young guns bust out?
Order of Finish
Diamondbacks
Dodgers
Giants
Rockies
Padres
Everyone will get the padres right.
AL Central
The Indians were horrible at the beginning of the year and good at the end. The Tigers can mash but can they pitch. The White Sox got lucky last year and they are screwed this year. The Twins have the most balanced talent but are already filling their DL. The Royals are the Royals or the picture in the dictionary next to suckitude. order of finish.
order of finish
1. Twins
2. Indians
3. Tigers
4. White Sox
5. Royals
AL West
This is the NL West's competition for worst division.
Order of finish
1. Angels
2. no one
3. Rangers
4. the team with white shoes, an empty upper deck and Raider fans
5. Mariners
NL Central.
This is an interesting division. Too bad the season starts in April and not June, that would give the Astros a chance. The teams in this division all have talent and holes to be filled. I think any of the top four teams can win the division. The Cubs actually got worse during the off- season and Millwaukee lost almost all it's pitching. They can out score you though. The Cardinals are solid and unspectacular(at least when Pujols is not batting). The Astros can't seem to win until June. The Reds are young and manged by Dusty Baker. Not a good combination. The Pirates need to find the ghosts of Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell.
order of finish
1. Pirates
2. Brewers
3. Cardinals
4. Astros
5. Reds
6. Cubs
Please note this in order of how I like the teams and or their history not how they play. Against my better judgement I am picking the Cubs to win the division
NL East
Well this is a two team race. The Phillies and the Mets. The Marlins are young and have some talent but not enough for 162 games. The rest suck. I think the bullpen improvements, and new park will stop the annual Mets' choke and they will clip the Phillies. Payback is a bitch.
order of finish
1. Mets
2. Phillies
3. Marlins
4. Braves
5. Expos
The Wild card and DH still Suck
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/durst/detail?entry_id=37590
Enough of my yakking
AL East
Why is this on first? Well this is the Douchebag division and I want to get it over with. Evil Team A is much improved and has a brand spanking new billion dollar stadium. They went from having the worst starting rotation to one of the best. Ah! the smell of money, and someone willing to spend it on the players rather than themselves (I am looking at you Kansas City and Florida). Evil Team B basically whined their way through the off season and are same as last year. The surprise Rays are a year older and primed for that let down. The less said about the Orioles and Blue Jays the better.
Order of finish
Tampa Devil Rays
Real Madrid (evil Team A)
Manchester United (evil Team B)
Blue Jays
Orioles
NL West
The weakest division in baseball last year. Finally a divison worse than AL Central. The Giants who can't score any runs went out a got more pitching. This kind of makes sense. If you can't score try and keep them from scoring. What's the record for losing 1-0? I think we can break it. Lets face it when you come in second to last in the Majors in runs scored winning is going to be a problem. The best record in one run games last year is a product of luck more than skill. The good thing for the Giants is that the worst team in run scoring in the majors is in our division. The Padres are hopeless this year. The Dodgers can score runs. They have terrible starting pitching but an excellent bullpen. They also play in a pitchers park. The Diamondbacks are young. They can score and pitch but are not great at either. Is this year some of their young guns bust out?
Order of Finish
Diamondbacks
Dodgers
Giants
Rockies
Padres
Everyone will get the padres right.
AL Central
The Indians were horrible at the beginning of the year and good at the end. The Tigers can mash but can they pitch. The White Sox got lucky last year and they are screwed this year. The Twins have the most balanced talent but are already filling their DL. The Royals are the Royals or the picture in the dictionary next to suckitude. order of finish.
order of finish
1. Twins
2. Indians
3. Tigers
4. White Sox
5. Royals
AL West
This is the NL West's competition for worst division.
Order of finish
1. Angels
2. no one
3. Rangers
4. the team with white shoes, an empty upper deck and Raider fans
5. Mariners
NL Central.
This is an interesting division. Too bad the season starts in April and not June, that would give the Astros a chance. The teams in this division all have talent and holes to be filled. I think any of the top four teams can win the division. The Cubs actually got worse during the off- season and Millwaukee lost almost all it's pitching. They can out score you though. The Cardinals are solid and unspectacular(at least when Pujols is not batting). The Astros can't seem to win until June. The Reds are young and manged by Dusty Baker. Not a good combination. The Pirates need to find the ghosts of Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell.
order of finish
1. Pirates
2. Brewers
3. Cardinals
4. Astros
5. Reds
6. Cubs
Please note this in order of how I like the teams and or their history not how they play. Against my better judgement I am picking the Cubs to win the division
NL East
Well this is a two team race. The Phillies and the Mets. The Marlins are young and have some talent but not enough for 162 games. The rest suck. I think the bullpen improvements, and new park will stop the annual Mets' choke and they will clip the Phillies. Payback is a bitch.
order of finish
1. Mets
2. Phillies
3. Marlins
4. Braves
5. Expos
The Wild card and DH still Suck
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