What a crazy week. I've still managed to make it to some shows, reviews will be forthcoming.

First, I mentioned a little bit ago I've been obsessing over the Arcade Fire song Cold Wind (download it here). That song is still awesome. But I bet you'd like to hear more new Arcade Fire tracks, wouldn't you? I know I do. I'm happy to help: apparently, the new record is going to be called Neon Bible, and you can call 1 866 Neon Bible (extension 7777) and hear one of the new tracks. The sound quality is what you'd expect for a phone line, but the track is good. I've already called several times, I can guarantee you that it works.

Jeri Yeti has a great top 10 list up, totally cracked my shit up. I agree, although I would add that Sufjan Stevens should be #2, the only reasons he doesn't take the top spot being TVOTR and the fact that he didn't release a new record this year. People love Sufjan a lot.

I hope to start posting my best of lists next week.

I'm totally in love with a record from a Boston band called Christians & Lions. The record is called More Songs For Dreamsleepers & The Very Awake. It's beautiful and awesome and will get its own post shortly, possibly with some tracks.

My friends over at A Tune A Day and Flux=Rad have made some excellent year end mixes, you should check them out.

Labels: Arcade Fire, Christians and Lions

Not that it should come as a surprise to anyone, but recent events are making things worse, possibly much worse in the middle east. It's well established at this point that US ill-advised and iller-executed invasion of Iraq created a raging civil war, one which we have no ability to end and a very limited ability to influence. What Bush and his gang of fuck ups really didn't plan for was the possibility that the invasion of Iraq would destabilize the entire region. And this is precisely what's happening: if the US either pulls out of Iraq or starts negotiating with Iran, other countries are going to become pulled into the conflict supporting their respective ethnic groups: the Sunni's will fund and fight with the Sunnis, and the Shiites will fund and fight with the Shiites, turning this into a regional war for power between the competing sects. Israel will be stuck in no-man's land for the entirety. I hate feeling this pessimistic. I still think that regional negotiations between the US and all surrounding countries (including Iran and Syria) provide the best opportunity for less bloodshed, but this does little to change the fact that we've restarted a war that's been simmering for a very, very long time between folks that have hated each other for over a thousand years. Having our troops continue to die over this accomplishes nothing; we need to get out of Iraq, where we never belonged in the first place.

The always fantastic Juan Cole lays the whole situation out very clearly and much more in depth the brief summary above. Read this post to get schooled on where everything stands right now, before the shitty news coverage confuses the masses.

Labels: Politics

So, my job has taken me out of NYC for most of the week, which was nice except that I've been super busy. If I had been here, I would have certainly checked out White Rabbits at the Mercury on Wednesday. The Underrated blog was there, so check out her review if you'd like some more on them. I'll be at their next NYC show, as long as nothing comes up again.

Speaking of shows, I'll be getting back into town tomorrow. If I don't get stranded (it's snowing in Boston) I'll probably give the Big Sleep another shot tomorrow. They're playing at Southpaw, and I've not been to a show in a little while.

I did check out Forward Russia and Snowden at the Bowery last week, but I had a million too many drinks before hand, which severely impaired my ability to give a decent review. I can say this: the sound crew at the Bowery made Snowden sound a million times better than they did when I caught them a few months ago, which was nice. I didn't catch a lot of their set, as my show buddy for the evening made me over an hour late, which was unfortunate as I'd hoped to catch Meneguar. Forward Russia sounded pretty good, I enjoyed myself. That's about all I feel comfortable saying.

I've got to run again, but have a nice weekend!