TheMaker

Amen to that! One of my favourite vids and, in spite of the record on which it appears, one of my favourite Neil recordings. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufR6HmPlYKQ

I'm tickled by all this love for American Stars 'n Bars. Usually Neil fans will run to its follow-up, the inferior (my opinion) Comes a Time, before giving it its due.

I just listened to most of Neil's '70s albums today. It was a crazy, non-premeditated bender, I'll tell you what. You can't go wrong with any one of those discs. My favs, sort of in order (ranking Neil is almost impossible to do): On the Beach After the Gold Rush Tonight's the Night Everybody Knows This is Nowhere American Stars 'n Bars

For the record, my criticism of O'Rourke is limited only to his contributions to AGIB (and a couple of his solo records that I don't appreciate). I think YHF, like SBS, BT and Summerteeth, is a perfect sounding album.

I'll second that. There's more colour and depth to this than the flat towel-around-your-head production of AGIB. The two styles aren't exactly miles apart, but I had the new leak cranked earlier tonight, and it sounded like the band was in the room with me, playing the songs. Conversely, AGIB sounds like the band is made out of cardboard, playing cardboard instruments inside of a bucket. Bye, Jim!

Jeff Tweedy probably agrees! Everybody knows that his biggest fans are the ones who make fun of his crippling anxiety disorders.

I've always quietly pitied the Wilco fans who can't appreciate Farrar, Bragg, et al. It must suck to not understand "Mermaid Avenue" or "No Depression," two of the greatest albums ever made (as much because of the non-Tweedy participants as Jeff himself).

Yeah, doesn't every album feature a ten-minute motorik epic? And there's nothing weird about 12 minutes of whale noises. Or squalls that sound like the guitar equivalent of the Holocaust, for that matter. Really, come on, people.

Pretty cool. And the body's not even cold yet!

My ranking is objective. I consulted with Tweedy and God before going ahead with it. Deviation will not be tolerated!

Ry Cooder's two most recent records get my nod. (I don't consider many of the albums listed here to be concept albums, for what it's worth.)

We should do this fairly. We'll group the albums by quality, starting with the top tier of BT, YHF and ST, all sterling and perfect in their own respective ways. Then we'll have the "okay" group, consisting of AGIB and SBS. A.M. can hang back and enjoy the show. It's "special."

The first three, I think. As great as they are, I can't help seeing A.M., AGIB and SBS as mixed bag records. The other three are singular and thoroughly wonderful.

I don't like Via Chicago! I think it's their most overrated song by far. That said, my five picks for today are: Impossible Germany I Hate It Here Why Would You Wanna Live I Am Trying to Break Your Heart Company In My Back

Yeah, I'm hearing "yet." We'll find out for sure in a few months.

Just sing what you feel. Don't let anyone say it's wrong.

It's okay. I think it suffers for its length, but the Kingpin-echoing groove bits are awesome.

No problem. I can tell already that your English is much better than my best non-native tongue! I just meant that the song is cheesy, which is another way of saying that the lyrics are very direct and sentimental, lacking in style and subtlety.

(Author's note: I was loaded when I wrote what I did about Apple being Crapple. Although I don't stand by my use of overly damning language, I'm still of the opinion that Apple blows and is a disgrace.)

Criiiiiipes. When was this? The last time I saw the band in TO was '04, and I think the ticket was $35 (before Ticketbastard's usual gouge fees, that is).

It's interesting that you say that, because even though the songs sound nothing alike, I always think of "The Painter" whenever I hear "What Light."

I have to laugh at Apple fanboys. Until you work for the company, you really have no idea what fucking cocksuckers they really are. Pardon my French. Anyway, the Zune is a much better product. And what Apple doesn't like people knowing is that the brand-loyal consumers who buy their notebook and desktop computers aren't nearly as fierce when it comes to the iPod. So nyah nyah neener, iPod losers.

I have never seen The Godfather. When I tell people this, they usually gasp. I think I've seen close to every other film Pacino and Brando have ever made, which makes it all the more delightful. I'm sort of purposely avoiding it now.

And Lammy, thanks for sharing that Daniel Tammet book with us. I saw that 60 Minutes broadcast too, and I couldn't stop gaping. I'll have to check this out.