Aeglos

Federer is the best ever (you'll on be able to question it seriously for another year, if you even can now). He is a pure joy to watch - i've never seen anyone with his shot making ability. His ability to turn positions of desperate defence into winning points beggars belief.

For absolute unassailability he needs to win the French. I hope he does (and i think he will). If you stopped watching tennis after Sampras you are missing out.

so's the music of african pygmy tribes... you're missing out

anyway, the most enjoyment i've had from country lately: http://www.mentalsoup.com/mentalsoup/bestof.htm

i don't like country and i don't like musical diarrhoea, so Ryan Adams leaves me pretty cold... i don't think its possible not to recognize he is talented though, like him or not

I'm afraid that the low standard of contemporary music criticism (well, of criticism of all the arts) is simply a product of the times.

Intellectual hierarchies were attacked and more or less abolished during the 60's and 70's. In its place we have the present day emotional egalitarianism - everyones' feelings are equally valid, valuable, and so the theory goes, interesting. In this climate a music reviewer, in particular, the superanonymous internet music reviewer, merely has to permit the intrusion of an album into his/her busy life, see how it rubs them up, and publish an article based on that information. Serious consideration of the artistry or artistic intent behind what they are listening to is... optional, even in some forums unwelcome.

Its got pros and cons but whichever way you see it don't expect it to change any time soon.

absolutely fascinating, if you have any interest in the linguistic side of things

he probably thinks Maurice Sendak is a poet laureate

love her to death but...

i'm not sure but i've had a lot of love for track 6 over the years... probably started with Dino Jr's Pond Song and Get Me

some others: Handshake Drugs, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell, Walk in the Fire, To Ramona, Purple Sneakers, Ashes of American Flags, Zurich Is Stained, etc

Tailchaser's Song, by Tad Williams is about all i can think of.

Gary Larson's cartoons give me all the animal perspective i need.

Dedicated Follower of Fashion - The Kinks

Grounded - Pavement

Speed of Sound - Chris Bell

Working In a Coalmine - Lee Dorsey

Wreckroom - Loose Fur (dunno if this would count as a cover but hey... )

I agree Bjorn, Nabokov is the best ever (although not necessarily good to jump at the deep end).

I'd be tempted to read the Banks because i love his sci-fi.

Grab a P.G. Wodehouse omnibus if you need something light between books.

malkmus

doves

stephen fretwell

band of horses

and this mix cd for the car :

Liar - Built To Spill

F.S.O. - Regurgitator

The Warmth Of The Sun - The Beach Boys

Lost Cause - Beck

Grounded - Pavement

Seven Nation Army (Harry Potter And George Bush's Severed Head Army Mix) - The Flaming Lips

Let's Not Get Carried Away - Wilco

Run - Stephen Fretwell

Almost Forgot Myself - Doves

Who Is He? - Bill Withers

Mr. Ambulance Driver - The Flaming Lips

Aprite finestre - Claudio Villa

The Hook - Grant Lee Buffalo

Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole - Martha Wainwright

Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) - The Arcade Fire

Good Fortune - PJ Harvey

We Gathered In Spring - Midlake

An Ecumenical Matter - Loose Fur

Think - James Brown

Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down - Jeff Tweedy

Speed Of Sound - Chris Bell

she's a jar

airline to heaven (probably alone on this)

company in my back

war on war

divided on sunken treasure and wishful thinking

that's not many

i've always felt that AGIB was too loaded with ambiguity to take those sort of conclusions out of it... probably why its my favourite album i like its edge (n.b. i could handle Spiders going a bit longer )

i have to be in just the right mood for the drone, but i'm glad its there

Coopers (Sparkling) but would be Orval or Old Speckled Hen if i could get my hands on it

Buffalo Tom are excellent. I still pull out Let Me Come Over all the time, and the self titled album, too, though less so. Interesting coincidence seeing Buffalo Tom making a new record at the same time as Dino Jr's, given that J mixed their debut (as well as contributing a little guitar). I never did hear Birdbrain or the other stuff - anyone know if its any good?

And yeah, intodeep, Mastodon are awesome.

i guess they'll get down to oz on the tour though

Cortney Tidwell

cheers for that... Amis, as ever, a great read

i second Tool, 'Jerkoff', and add Beck's 'Lost Cause'

also Martha Wainwright's 'Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole' has a pretty clear message

looking forward to Jeff's first performance of 'Was Fragen Sie Nach Meinen Schmerzen' and the birth of alt-lieder

let me not be too consumed with this world

Cunts Are Still Running the World - Jarvis Cocker

go for maximum effect, me old china

when you get down to it this thread is about everything BUT music...