Three dollars and 63 cents

I started that this weekend and read 80 pages almost effortlessly. I'm really looking forward to our discussion of it.

Awesome! It's going to be the first time I haven't had to drive four hours to see Wilco. What a great surprise!

I completely forgot until last night that I have a friend staying with me tonight. She has a grad school class that meets one weekend a month, and she stays with me so she only has to drive an hour back and forth instead of two. I'd love to see this show tonight, but she's one of the few friends I'll always give up other plans to hang out with. I'm glad I remembered before I bought the ticket. Oh well. I'll see him eventually.

I'm trying like hell to get up to Northampton to see them next weekend, but I'm having a hard time finding somewhere to stay. Offend Maggie is phenomenal (and doesn't offend me at all )

Evangelista is still my favorite, but the new Deerhoof album is phenomenal.

94

You don't live near a Sonic, do you? I'm thinking about making a casserole that has tater tots on top of it this weekend, though. And while we're complaining about what's missing from this poll, there's pierogies.

I only like mashed potatoes with certain things, so I had to go with fries. When I was little I used to ask my mom to make "all rotten" potatoes

I've had A.M. in my car stereo for the last few weeks, and I always listen to Too Far Apart three or four times. In fact, the other day I ended up listening to it for my entire drive home, probably six or seven times.

I nearly bought that Jolie Holland album from iTunes the other day, but I decided to wait and pick it up on CD. I love the few songs I've heard from it, especially Palmyra. Just finished:

I have to disagree. I can't imagine all-Wilco versions of some of those songs, especially Walt Whitman's Niece, Ingrid Bergman, and Way Over Yonder In the Minor Key.

The little guy in the faux-Nudie suit is priceless. He'll be mortified by that picture in 10 years, but it's cute as can be!

The new Kings of Leon album isn't growing on me. I don't hate it, but it's not what I was hoping for at all. They can do a lot better.

Does anybody know if there's a recording of that episode of Crossroads she did with Elvis Costello out there somewhere? I have their gorgeous version of Wild Horses from it, but I'd love to hear the rest.

Thanks for the suggestions. I don't think I'll be able to track them down before the show, but I've been meaning to ask for some recommendations. After Andrew Bird, Billy Bragg, the Decemberists, and the Avett Brothers within about six weeks, I can't complain about the music scene around here anymore. Ithaca is off the beaten path a bit (we're about 25 miles from the interstate), but it's been great to have so many good artists coming through this fall.

I love that you posted this before I even read today's paper I'm pretty sure I'm going to go see him when he's in town Saturday. I don't know too much of his work beyond the Mermaid Avenue discs, but the Watson Twins are opening, and it's in the same great old theatre downtown where Andrew Bird played a few weeks ago, so I think it's worth checking out.

Akashic Books has announced a second pre-order for Infinity Blues. This one is just for a hardcover first edition, without the signature and chapbook that were available in the last pre-order. It's $24.95 = $10 shipping (which is excessive, if you ask me), guaranteed delivery by Dec. 19. The book isn't scheduled to be released until April 1 of next year. Full details are available here.

I didn't really like Easy Tiger, but some of the songs did grow on me over time. In fact, since hearing some of the songs live for the first time a few weeks ago, I've probably listened to the album more than I did all of the last year.

I gave this a first listen a little while ago. It's not my favorite RA album, but I like it more than I expected to. It's more consistent than Easy Tiger, and there were no songs I hated, though I do think Stop could've been a little shorter. The songs are definitely a lot better live, but it's a listenable, enjoyable album. As I think someone else mentioned, mediocre Ryan Adams (and I'm not even sure I'd go as far as to call this mediocre) is still a lot better than a lot of what's out there.

I forgot this came out today. I've been buying a lot of new music lately, and I agree with you that there haven't been too many standout albums so far this year. Car Wheels On A Gravel Road is one of my favorite albums, but I don't feel like anything she's done since then has been as good. I'll still check this one out, though. She played about two hours from me on Sunday, but I had to skip it because of work yesterday. I saw her open for Bob Dylan a few years ago, but I still haven't gotten to see her headline yet.

it's definitely not the best song on the album, but it's not as awful as you're making it out to be. It's nice to see Ray show a sense of humor. You must know some pretty talented fourth graders.

I'm really enjoying this so far. It's a lot lighter than Til the Sun Turns Black, which is refreshing.

iTunes finished mine a little while ago, too, and I burned a copy to take to work with me

If Yeti stops eating again, you have your answer.

I checked this out of the campus library today. I get it for a month, so hopefully that will be enough time to read it. I'm hoping to start it tomorrow or the next night, after I finish Fargo Rock City