TheMaker

Awesome! It really is a great record; this was far from a "gimme" award.

Another sufferer here. My left ear emits a wonderful split-second-after-the-grenade-detonates tone all the time, and has for about a year and a half. I just sleep with a fan on year-round and try to ignore it when I'm outside on a quiet, still day.

Congrats! Don't let it sour you and enjoy the sun before the UV gets too much to bear!

Represent, sis or bro. *makes Black Panthers sign, if there is one* Here's hoping you get your request!

Uh, I was gonna say "No, unless they're perfect angels," but I guess I'm in the minority on this one. Hrm.

Whoa, are these OUT OF PRINT?! I've also never been able to find them on sale new, and I've always wondered why. These records are so essential that it never once crossed my mind that they might be unavailable from the distributor. Wow.

I think the title track is the best of the bunch, and also one of the best things Gary's ever recorded. I agree with the general consensus in that it's mostly a breezy, welcome addition to the Louris canon. What's up with Black Grass, though? I'm going senile, so I can't think of the tune, but the melody is almost exactly like a particular John Lennon song.

Astral Weeks, Blood on the Tracks, Highway 61 Revisited, Time Out of Mind, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Being There, On the Beach, and um. Hmm. Rain Dogs and Small Change would have to be on the list. London Calling, maybe the White Album. This is hard.

I'm finally listening to that Vampire Weekend disc, and I'm amazed that a band with a name that dumb can be this impressive. Really, really strong debut.

Well, it's one opinion, I guess. I'm on the diametric opposite side of it, though, definitely. The songs on this record have made a tremendous impact on me, to the point where I don't imagine any other record will end up topping my best of '08 list at the end of the year. Even the slight songs shake like an epileptic.

Molson Amphitheare = no thanks. Blech. They pretty much have to expand this, right...?

Not, really, no. Geezis, bands lose and pick up members all the time... This is the one that finally won me over. If you can be bored by the opening lines of "The Monument Valley," the pathos and craftsmanship of "Daddy Needs a Drink," or the sheer emotional aggression of something like "That Man I Shot," I think you might be taking a bit of an unfair tack in appraising this record. Just the opinion of a guy who's never cared much for this band 'til this release hit (and yes, I've revisited most of their older records; I still think they're uneven as hell, and I still think this one totally

I feel it's massively underrated among Crowes fans, personally. The most timeless songs the band ever recorded are all on this disc. The rockers are wonderful, too. If it makes you feel better, "Wiser Time" is my favourite Crowes song. Amorica is crazy uneven, though. Just crazy uneven!

Southern Harmony By Your Side Amorica Shake Lions Three Snakes I don't know if I've ever considered the, er, "non-canon" records carefully enough to rank 'em.

I will piss anywhere. I used to piss in a laundry sink back when I lived in my old man's house in the days when he didn't have a downstairs bathroom. Initially it was a drunk-only activity, but following a little musing it soon became a regular deal. People are way too uppity 'bout shit, in general.

I think cautious optimism is just being smart here, really... 34 minutes! Awesome.

I think it's about life. Pretty open and shut.

Truth. "Boo-hoo, my savings are vanishing!" Fuck, if you've GOT savings, shut up. Seriously. You'll be able to retire, whiz kid.

1. Arthur 2. Lola 3. Village Green You literally won't hear any other three albums, ever, by anybody, that are better than these. And if you do, you'll be famous, because you'll be the dude bringing them to the world at large.

At least you have the option of seeing these movies, Lou. I'm new to downloading (movie) torrents, and I feel like a heel every time I snag one, even though supporting these films with my wallet is no longer a viable option. (Could I get a posse of friends together and waste two hours on a round driving trip to see these flicks? Probably. Ain't gonna happen, though, I'll tell you that.) Once upon a time, when there were more theatres in my city of 140,000 (which I feel compelled to point out is by no means a flyspeck on the map in terms of demographics), I'd have been able to see movies like T

6'2", slightly overweight even though I can't afford to buy food most days, no vinyl. Possibly I ate the vinyl. Another thing about me is that my memory is just terrible.

SHHH! Harlan Ellison is probably going to sue you for talking about this.

And a big shout-out to whoever risked life and limb - well, okay, maybe not, but certainly an aspect of their career - to get it online. I don't know about other people, but I'm fucking sick of being treated like a cultural pagan simply because I don't live in a crowded, smelly megagoogoltopia of a city. Note to Hollywood: maybe you're losing money because people, whether they consciously realize it or not, want to watch movies that are worth seeing rather than the overbudgeted sequels and limp adaptations you release to thousands of theatres across the world! Anyway... As a Dylanphile, I

I'll be the dissenter here, I guess. It was love at first listen. To this day, I swear it's the album I would've made in a parallel universe if I'd become a musician instead of a visual artist (which, my god, if I could remake reality, I would be). Everything from the production to the songs to the general atmosphere felt totally unique but also incredibly familiar to me right off the bat.

Smoky indoor venues? Jeez, where do you live and what year is it there? Seriously... I dig a good bar show. I'm with you on the scorching outdoor venues, though.