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At long last, the WilcoArchive has been updated: http://www.owlandbear.com/2011/09/09/wilco-archive-update-september-2011/

Updated with 40+ shows.

Archive updated today. We're going to be doing updates every Friday through June. You should befriend O&B on Facbeook or Twitter or just check back often.

Here's Owl and Bear's list: http://www.owlandbear.com/download/owl-and-bear’s-best-albums-of-2009

So freakin' sad.

Updated 12/20.

Damn. Didn't see this before. RIP. Loved his contributions to the Dylan doc, No Direction Home, too.

Yes.

I'm pretty skeptical of its place at the top of lists, but clearly it's resonating with a lot of people. I find it interesting in parts but not wholly engaging or as brilliantly creative as many people seem to. I'd say it's one of the year's most creative albums, and it's definitely AC's most accessible. That said, I agree; I think a lot of people put it at the #1 spot but only because they're supposed to like it.

Sorry. I guess I should've been clearer. What you said wasn't douchy, it's your behavior that is douchy. But you're right. You are not the first to make the wrongful assumption that fans of a musician are interested in your subjective dismissal of someone they like. Yes, your contribution is just as valid as that of anyone else who has dismissed an at least moderately talented musician as "no-talent". You have now joined an elite club. And, for the record, I don't care at all about Norah Jones.

You're right. We should not be surprised when people say douchy things on a message board.

Cool, ok then. In no particular order, and subject to additions: Best Albums of 2009 Califone - All My Friends Are Funeral Singers Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band Marissa Nadler - Little Hells St. Vincent - Actor Animal Collective - MPP Brandi Carlile - Give Up The Ghost Tortoise - Beacons of Ancestorship Local Natives - Gorilla Manor Sera Cahoone - Only as the Day Is Long Steve Earle - Townes Vic Chesnutt - At the Cut Volcano Choir - Unmap Wilco - Wilco (The Album) Box Sets/Reissues Beatles Big Star - Keep an Eye on the Prize Iron & Wine - Around the Well Wil

Is There a Best of 2009 Thread? I tried, but failed, to find it—if it exists. Can someone point me in the right direction?

I would've hoped so.

They don't run the Facebook page. If I'd have known, I would've put it on Pastrysharp.

Do you have a link? Pitchfork just announced the West Coast dates today.

Not including their all-instrumental ones (right?). I think it's written as "Heron King Blves" on the cover, but the actual title of the album is "Heron King Blues". Fun fact: in medieval times, the letters "U" and "V" were used interchangeably. These letters were not given separate alphabetical listings in English dictionaries until about 1800.

Which is also probably one of the best Tweedy solo shows ever.

I probably wouldn't direct someone to HKB as an intro to Califone. It's a good album, but probably their strongest deviation from their "sound". It's almost a two-part thing. The earlier tracks are more Califoney, and the longer, later tracks, "Two Sisters Drunk on Each Other" and "Heron King Blues", are more like Califone+swamp funk. In sum, I like everything they've done, though If I were you, I'd get the new one first.

Any VeeCee thoughts about the Chicago shows?

They did a couple of segments for Chicago Public Radio where they played a few songs and talked about the film process--you can listen to and/or download them here: Part 1: http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=37279 Part 2: http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/content.aspx?audioID=37302 I don't know why they have two different web addresses. Edit, here's the full/extended interview: http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=37303

I'm not sure they're actually "big", although they seem to be getting bigger. I hope they're big. They deserve it. I agree, I like Funeral Singers a tad better than Roots & Crowns (which I also like quite a bit). I've been listening non-stop, but that's what I do. I think that their film/shows will be partly improvised, so I'm not sure how much of the setlist will be from their records. According to an interview with Rutili that I recently read, the CD isn't supposed to be the film's soundtrack. In other words, a lot of the film is actually scored.

My personal favorite is from the December 7, 2002 Loose Fur show, but it could be because I was there, and the show was legendary.

Updated again. Will be posting 15 new shows every week or so for the next couple months.

If I recall, they originally had the whole thing up for streaming. Looks like they've since changed that, though. Perhaps now that it's out.