IBS's Best of 2009: Top 10 Albums

The top 10 albums released of 2009 according to me.

Only includes albums released in 2009.

10. "Bitte Orca" - Dirty Projectors - Stellar female vocals and Yale smarts equal a creative sound.

9. "Veckatimest" - Grizzly Bear - So The Beatles, The Beach Boys and Bob Dylan had an son...

8. "Forget and Not Slow Down" - Relient k - They're not just for Christian kids anymore. This solid effort might be their best.

7. "War Child - Heroes, Vol. 1" - Various Artists - Legends pick modern day stars to cover their own tracks.

6. "Baby Darling Doll Face Honey" - Band of Skulls - These guys passed the White Stripes' School of Blues with flying colors.

5. "Face Control" - Handsome Furs - The guy from Wolf Parade and his wife churn out some awesome, dark, electric rock.

4. "Dark Was The Night" - Various Artists - Just check out the names. This is an indie all-star game.

3. "The Hazards of Love" - The Decemberists - A story and an album in one. Creepily awesome.

2. "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" - Phoenix - Their French toast-sweet pop hooks took the world by storm.

1. "Manners" - Passion Pit - I really caught a taste for dance-rock this year and these guys were one of the leading offenders. Their ridiculously catchy indie techno earns them the top spot.

IBS's Best of 2009: Top 50 Songs

The title says it all. My favorite songs of the past 365 days. Enjoy.

Only includes songs released in 2009.

50. "The Wrestler" - Bruce Springsteen

49. "I'm On Fire" - John Mayer

48. "Hotel California" - The Killers feat. Rhythms del Mundo

47. "No You Girls" - Franz Ferdinand

46. "Undisclosed Desires" - Muse

45. "Heads Will Roll" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

44. "Lark On My Go-Kart" - Asher Roth

43. "Quiet Dog" - Mos Def

42. "Evangeline" - Handsome Furs

41. "Boombox" - The Lonely Island feat. Julian Casablancas

40. "Wavin' Flag" - K'naan

39. "Hell" - Tegan And Sara

38. "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" - Kaiser Chiefs feat. Rhythms del Mundo

37. "Young Adult Friction" - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

36. "Death By Diamonds And Pearls" - Band of Skulls

35. "Summertime Clothes" - Animal Collective

34. "Playing God" - Paramore

33. "Brackett, WI" - Bon Iver

32. "You And I" - Wilco feat. Feist

31. "Straight To Hell" - Lily Allen feat. Mick Jones

30. "Ulysses" - Franz Ferdinand

29. "Dear God (sincerely M.O.F.) - Monsters of Folk

28. "Walking On A Dream" - Empire of the Sun

27. "Train Song" - Ben Gibbard & Feist

26. "I Know What I Am" - Band of Skulls

25. "Dance Anthem Of The 80's" - Regina Spektor

24. "Low Rising" - The Swell Season

23. "Don't Stand So Close To Me/Young Girl" - Glee Cast

22. "Daylight" - Matt & Kim

21. "The Fear" - Lily Allen

20. "Introducing Palace Players" - Mew

19. "All We Want, Baby, Is Everything" - Handsome Furs

18. "Hellhole Ratrace" - Girls

17. "Nothing To Worry About" - Peter, Bjorn and John

16. "Tightrope" - Yeasayer

15. "Fables" - The Dodos

14. "Sweet Disposition" - The Temper Trap

13. "Savannah" - Relient k

12. "Knotty Pine" - David Byrne & Dirty Projectors

11. "The Wanting Comes In Waves / Repaid" - The Decemberists

10. "4 Chords Of The Apocalypse" - Julian Casablancas

9. "Eet" - Regina Spektor

8. "1901" - Phoenix

7. "Cheerleader" - Grizzly Bear

6. "The Reeling" - Passion Pit

5. "Two Weeks" - Grizzly Bear

4. "Lisztomania" - Phoenix

3. "My Girls" - Animal Collective

2. "Little Secrets" - Passion Pit

1. "Stillness Is The Move" - Dirty Projectors

IBS's Top 12 Days of Christmas Songs

Just in time for the big day, here's the best of the holiday tunes. Hopefully you're not already sick of them. And yes, I chose the "12 Day" format because I couldn't narrow it down to ten.

12. "The 12 Days Of Christmas" by Straight No Chaser - Add a cup of humor, two tablespoons of a cappella awesomeness and what do you have? The twelfth best Christmas song. (I mean, where else could it go?)

11. "Carol of The Bells" by Family Force 5 - There have been billions of different takes on this yuletide standard, but somehow FF5 manages to make it fresh. Maybe it's the club feel and the auto-tune rapping (wrapping?). Yeah, that's probably it.

10. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid - It took a supergroup effort to churn out this now-classic (Ahem: Bono, Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Sting, just to name a few). Sure the "Tonight thank God it's them instead of you" lyric is somewhat questionable, but hey, look at that lineup [drool].

9. "Donde Esta Santa Claus?" by Guster - Maybe I just have a thing for Spanish songs that I can understand, but who doesn't love a holiday song with castanets that isn't "Feliz Navidad"?

8. "Last Christmas" by Wham! - Sure it's probably been hammered into your head since Halloween, but this song is just so damn catchy. Also, whenever I think of George Michael, I think of Arrested Development, and that makes me extremely happy.

7. "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" by Bruce Springsteen - The Boss's personality just makes this song. His questioning of the crowd's spot on the nice list, his cracking up mid-verse at Clarence's ho ho hos and, most importantly, his voice add spirit to this holiday song.

6. "A Great Big Sled" by The Killers - The Killers' Christmas tunes have become an annual tradition, and it all started with this one. And frankly, it's the best (sorry, "Don't Shoot Me Santa"). The Killers' sound plus Christmas. What could be better (besides the next five songs)?

5. "Father Christmas" by The Kinks - Ahhh... Forget peace on earth and goodwill toward men. Finally a song about kids stealing from the street corner Santa. Suck it, Charlie Brown. This is what Christmas is really all about.

4. "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney - Paul may never have been able to match The Beatles' success in his solo career, but this track single-handedly defeated the Fab Four's Christmas output. And don't give me any of that John and Yoko's "Happy Christmas" crap. War is not over. But who cares? "We're simply having a wonderful Christmastime."

3. "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" by Julian Casablancas - Originally a song written by Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz for SNL. Casablancas (the dude from The Strokes) covered it, taking an already awesome song and making it sound like a lost track from "Is This It" (instead it's a bonus track on "Phrazes For The Young").

2. "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses - You gotta love a Christmas romance. Okay, maybe meeting "that guy I've been chasing down all year" at the grocery store isn't exactly George Bailey lassoing the moon for Mary, but still. What a good song. The bah humbug bitchiness. The trumpet line. The Christmas spirit. Ah...

1. "White Christmas" by The Drifters - This doo-wop classic is just the best. Hands down. The James Earl Jones-esque low to helium falsetto high range make this song simply awesome. And fun. Especially to sing along to, as evidenced by Macaulay Culkin's lip syncing in Home Alone. It just doesn't get any better than this in December.

The "How The Ebenezer Did I Forget That Song" Song: "Celebrate Me Home" by Kenny Loggins - It might just be because I grew up with Kenny Loggins, but this song just sounds like Christmas is supposed to sound.

IBS's Best of 2009: Top 10 "Mainstream" Songs

These ten songs were actually deserving of their excessive radio play.

Only includes songs released in 2009.

10. "I Gotta Feeling" - Black Eyed Peas, Okay, I'll be honest. The only reason I like this song is because it kicked the grating "Boom Boom Pow" off the airwaves. Still, up until this song caught on, I was never aware that there were two Saturdays in a week. Or maybe that's just Will.I.Am's week...

9. "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" - Pitbull, Why'd I pick this song? Oh yeah, I can sing the Spanish part. "Tu tienes la boca grande dale ponte a jugar." Si si, señor.

8. "My Life Would Suck Without You" - Kelly Clarkson, Clarkson continues to prove the only consistently successful (non-country) Idol with this bubble gum pop hit. Plus, Glee did it so it must be a good song.

7. "Bad Romance" - Lady Gaga, Not my favorite Gaga song, but the only popular one (so far) released in '09, and Gaga definitely deserves mention on this list. 2009 was the year the world went, well, gaga for her.

6. "Sugar" - Flo Rida feat. Wynter, The "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" sample mixed with a strong chorus via Wynter makes this a nostalgic, grooving and (dare I say it?) sweet track.

5. "Empire State Of Mind" - Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys, Hova has always mixed well with diverse styles (usually via mash-up), and he does it again here with Keys' keys. Her voice helps, too. It's strong, as always, and the soaring chorus really sounds like a stroll down Times Square.

4. "Best I Ever Had (Clean)" - Drake, I hate to be repetitive about choruses, but really, they are what make or break a song's dreams of mainstream popularity. And thanks to its chorus, this song has "car party" written all over it. (I speak from experience.) Few songs are better censored, but by replacing the frick word with a repeat line (You the, you the best > You the fucking best), this song definitely belongs in that category.

3. "TiK ToK" - Ke$ha, This song has everything Top 40 artists strive for: fun verses and a ridiculously catchy chorus that sounds like it was recorded at a club somewhere. It even uses auto-tune effectively. Moderation is key. Take note, Lil Wayne.

2. "Party In The U.S.A." - Miley Cyrus, Yes she's a no-talent brat. ("I picked that song because I needed something to go with my clothing line.") No, she wouldn't even know if the Jay-Z song was on. ("I've never heard a Jay-Z song. I don't listen to pop music" You're the biggest freaking pop star in the United Freaking States!!!) But I've got three reasons why this song deserves the #2 spot: 1: You know you secretly wanna put your hands up, nod your head and move your hips like yeah when this comes on. Even if you're hip-locked, this song's contagiousness has spread across both genders, a first for a Cyrus track. 2: This pop song is one of few on the radio that relies on guitar rather than synths/auto-tune. 3: If the people who actually write/play Miley's music can make a good song in spite of that dumb son-of-a-Billy-Ray, it must be a helluva tune. (P.S. don't show this post to my sisters.)

1. "Whatcha Say" - Jason DeRulo, Who knew you could take "Hide and Seek," Imogen Heap's layered vocal orchestra hit, and turn it into the damn catchy chorus of one of the catchiest pop/synthy/hip-hop tracks of the year? Heck, forget the chorus (just like they forgot to give Imogen Heap her "featuring" cred). The rest of the song stands alone as a stellar debut from DeRulo. It even has a great bridge! I mean, how often do you leave your car singing the bridge from the song on the radio? Yep, this single's got it all: lyrical rapping, creative mixing and cronic catchiness. It even has a nice indie flavor. Just don't tell Mr. General Public.

The Early Bird Gets The Shaft: Honorable Mentions

"Single Ladies" by Beyoncé, "That's Not My Name" by The Ting Tings, "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga, "Don't Trust Me" by 3Oh!3, "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga, "Halo" by Beyoncé, "Blame It" by Jamie Foxx feat. T-Pain, "Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry, "Love Lockdown" by Kanye West and "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift all caught fire in 2009, and deservedly so. Too bad they were released in 2008.

Review, Reuse, Recycle

Dear Reader(s),

As addressed by my only — I mean, one of my many followers, these most recent posts are recycled material. This is absolutely true; these reviews were written for my school newspaper. They are being posted here because I want to get all of my album reviews on my blog. There is, however, new material coming soon. So don't touch that dial — um, mouse. Stay tuned to Isaac Bruce Springsteen for infinitely more posts than present in the past three or so months.

Your loving blogger,

Brandon Foster

REVIEW: "Day and Age" - The Killers

What do you get when you mix steel drums, saxophones, disco beats, synthesizers that beg to be danced to, harps and background vocals that trigger memories of the opening scene of "The Lion King?" Why, The Killers, of course.

The Las Vegas band's new album, "Day and Age," takes countless elements — many unexpected — and combines them with songwriter/lead singer Brandon Flowers's apparently endless supplies of imagination, potential and ambition.

Much like The Killers' first two releases, it takes a couple of listens for this CD to sink in. After the initial shock of Flowers's goofy lyrics ("Saw Cinderella in a party dress/She was looking for a nightgown/I saw the devil wrapping up his hands/He's getting ready for the showdown") and the seemingly astray musical styles, the album is a catchy mix of dance-induced pop and epic alternative rock.

"Day and Age" finished first in Rolling Stone magazine's Rock List: Readers' Top 30 Albums of 2008. The two singles "Human" and "Spaceman" reached sixth and 23rd respectively on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. These are two of the standouts on the new CD as well as "Losing Touch," which is a downloadable song for Guitar Hero: World Tour.

"Human" asks the vital question "Are we human? Or are we dancer?" in reference to journalist Hunter S. Thompson's quote about America raising a "generation of dancers." In other words, Thompson believes that people currently follow the steps of everyone else.

With their newest album, it is obvious that The Killers are human. The band dances to their own beat: a beat that has made The Killers one of the elite rock groups in this day and age.

As published in The Prowl, winter 2008.

REVIEW: "The Resistance" - Muse

Wait, I have a blog?

I apologize profusely for my extended hibernation. Coming soon should be some CD reviews, a list/critique of all the concerts I've ever attended and the B segment of Alphabetical Awesomeness (Backstreet Boys

FTW?). But for now, here's my review of Muse's "The Resistance," as written for my high school newspaper, The Prowl.

Given its vast following in England and its status as one of the best alternative bands of the decade, Muse was bound to get known across the pond.

Their popularity was confirmed by their appearance on the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. When Kanye West wasn't ruining acceptance speeches and Lady Gaga wasn't changing Halloween costumes, Muse was pleasing the nine million viewers' ears with its anthemic "muse-ic."

This performance coincides with the release of their sixth LP, "The Resistance." This much-anticipated CD is quite possibly the group's most adventurous yet.

The album begins with the lone single, "Uprising," a typical Muse song fused with an atypical amount of pop. The track grows catchier with each listen and will most likely get the most radio play of the 11.

By placing this song first, Muse seems to acknowledge that it is the only single. It's almost as if the band is getting it out of the way so that it does not interfere with the journey of an album that follows.

While Muse is no stranger to epic verses, it takes its progressiveness to a new level here, experimenting with elements of R&B, Queen-esque arena rock and instrumental music. In fact, the album ends with "Exogenesis," a three-part symphony about migrating astronauts.

It's nice to see the group differentiate from its typical style and these attempts work fairly well. While this may not be Muse's strongest effort, it is undeniably its most diverse. The new style may turn away some old Muse fans, but the band's daringness should gain them some new ones.

For those just now getting into Muse, this might not be the perfect introductory CD (check out "Absolution"), given its experimental content. However, thanks to the band's newfound American fame, it will be many listeners' first Muse CD. This is not necessarily a bad thing; if lead singer Matt Bellamy's vibrato-laden vocals and the music's distorted swooning leads the listener to the Muse library, they will have made a great discovery. But the average teenager won't have the attention span to sit through this album.

Don't let that turn you off to Muse. The band is worth checking out, even if this album does not fit your taste. And besides, Twilight author Stephanie Meyer considers the group one of her greatest influences. [Hordes of teen girls drop their Prowls {or in this case log off their computers} and go buy "The Resistance."]

CD I'M LISTENING TO: "Forget and Not Slow Down" - Relient k

CD I NEED TO GET: "Monsters of Folk" - Monsters of Folk

CD I WANT TO GET: "Backspacer" - Pearl Jam

CD I'M INTERESTED IN: Twilight Soundtrack (I'm serious, check it out.)

Buzzer Beaters [6/18/09]

last-second thoughts on recent sports ongoings

(just throwing 'em up there)

• The Cardinals better tie up Albert Pujols. They've been kinda cheap in recent years--and they can get away with it because of their extremely (dare I say over?) faithful fanbase. But those countless red shirts are starting to get a little ticked at the frugal ownership. If El Hombre plays in another uniform, the Redbirds could lose not only baseball's best player, but baseball's best fans.
  
• Free throws, free throws, free throws. You just gotta make 'em. Ask the 2007-8 Memphis Tigers. All season, they just couldn't hit from the charity stripe. But they said they'd make 'em when they needed to. Except they didn't. Kansas took advantage. And the championship. The latest victim: the Orlando Magic. Now, their free throw fumbles haven't been quite as well-documented, but they were just as costly. Down in the Finals 2-1, up by three points with about 10 seconds left, big man Dwight Howard just had to knock down one of two freebies to tie up the series. But sure enough, he clanked them both, and LA followed by hitting a three and winning in overtime. I just don't understand how pro athletes getting paid millions can't make free throws. I guess the punishment fits the crime, though. Orlando couldn't do the little things to make them champs. But look at the bright side, Dwight: with shoulders like yours, you can retire from hoops and become a freelance table.
• Why is the Stanley Cup in Sidney Crosby's pool? I'm sure he can find someone else to swim with. He's the hottest thing on ice, for Lord Stanley's sake. Maybe he thought it needed a bath. It's a nice thought, Sid, but c'mon, show the Cup some respect. At least put some water wings on it.
• Paging Brett Favre: please retire! He might have enough left in the tank to help the Vikings, but I'd rather see him quit than wear purple.

Alphabetical Awesomeness: A

All right, here it is. The first segment of the "Alphabetical Awesomeness" series, where I name the top bands/artists for each letter of the alphabet (in my opinion). Today, I start from the top. It's angry. It's abusive. It's ass-kicking. It's the letter A.

The Contestants:

AC/DC - This legendary Aussie rock group churns out hard rockin' tunes by the dozen. Unfortunately, they all sound alike: guitar intro, innuendo-filled verses, chorus (consists of repeating the title of the song over and over), shredtastic solo, some more sexually charged verses, guitar outro.

Aerosmith - Another illustrious rock band. More substantial than AC/DC, yet still rock gods, Steven Tyler and Co. use their slightly bluesy sound to produce timeless hits such as "Dream On," "Sweet Emotion" and "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing." They also teamed up with Run DMC in the groundbreaking "Walk This Way" duet.

AFI - Emo and catchy make a sweet combination.

Against Me! - For some reason, they have a chip on their shoulder, and I'm glad they do. As much as a Killers worshipper I am, "Spaceman" seems to have ripped from AM!'s "Thrash Unreal" and I'm not so sure The Killers did it better.

The All-American Rejects - They started off as a lovable pop rock band, begging to be swooned over by teenagers--and not just the girls. I'll admit, AAR was my favorite band in middle school. They got popular, they got overplayed, they got poppy. And then "Gives You Hell" was born. I'm sorry, but I'll stick with "Swing, Swing," thanks.

Alicia Keys - What can I say? I like "No One."

All Time Low - They seem to be the next AAR. They haven't had a real superhit yet, but they are already loved by punks and mainstream music misers alike. And why not? They're alternative, yet sing-alongable.

The Allman Brothers Band - The definition of Southern Rock, really. That's all I need to say.

Amy Winehouse - Sure, she may have (pardon the sports term) "off-field" issues, but behind the mic, she's got it. Besides, if she was a goody two shoes, she probably never would have written a song about rehab.

Arcade Fire - Think Decemberists, but a little less creepy. This odd bunch just has a wonderful sound.

Arctic Monkeys - Brit Rock at its very best. It's bloody wicked.

Aretha Franklin - Spoilers: this famous soul woman isn't in my Top 5. Sorry for the lack of R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Audioslave - Tom Morrelo + Chris Cornell = a leading 21st century rock band.

Avenged Sevenfold - Metal, yet radio-friendly, this frightening group will wet your pants while pleasing your ears.

Dark Horses: Abba, Adam Sandler, A Day to Remember, After Midnight Project, A-Ha, Alice Cooper, Alice In Chains, Alison Krauss, All That Remains, America, Anberlin, Angels & Airwaves, The Answer, The Apples in Stereo, April March, Ashanti, Asher Roth, Atreyu, Avril Lavigne, Awesome New Republic

The Winners:

5. Amy Winehouse - Big-ass voice outweighs big-ass eyelashes.

4. The All-American Rejects - Okay, guilty pleasure. What can I say? It's my dirty little secret.

3. Arctic Monkeys - Driving beats, great riffs, fun vocals. What's not to love?

2. Arcade Fire - They're deliciously indie and their album, "Funeral" is truly a work of art.

1. Aerosmith - What makes this band a classic? Maybe its the solos, the epic-ness, the big-mouthed lead vocals... Whatever it is, they just know how to write a great rock song.

Close, but no cigar: Against Me! - I don't know who's against them, but it sure isn't me.

[Don't like my picks? Comment away...]

BLOGGER'S NOTE: IN RETROSPECT, ARCADE FIRE AND ARCTIC MONKEYS DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEATEN OUT AEROSMITH, NOW THAT I AM INTO THEM MORE. AND ANIMAL COLLECTIVE WOULD PROBABLY NOW BE COMPETING WITH ARCADE FIRE FOR THE TOP SPOT. SO HERE'S THEIR SUMMARY.

Write in: Animal Collective - When I first heard everyone swooning over "Merriweather Post Pavilion" I thought they were all crazy. MPP was totally WTF for me for about 10 listens. And then it clicked. Now I don't know how I ever disliked this album. I don't think my musical palate can take anything weirder than Animal Collective, but that's okay. They are pretty much the greatest acquired taste I've ever acquired or tasted.

MOVIE YOU NEED TO SEE: The Hangover

MOVIE I NEED TO SEE: I Love You, Man

A Use for Pennies

Coinstar. That machine in grocery stores that converts coins to cash (while deducting a 8.9% fee, I might add). I had used it once before. I was loaded with coins and Chuck E. Cheese was closed. So I dumped in my nickels and dimes and took my cash, never to return--or so I thought. Months later, my friend (who happens to have a blog, "A Complicated Viking Tale" that you should check out) told me coins could be converted to Amazon or iTunes gift cards. What a perfect way to create my own music buying allowance. Sound like an infomercial? But wait, there's more! Unlike Shamwows and Snuggies, it's free! So I proceeded to cash in all my coins and buy five CDs. I am planning to purchase music only with my coin fund. So while that tunes spree may sound nutrageous, I am hoping it saves me dough in the long run. And in case you're curious, the five CDs (bought with about $50 worth of coins) were: Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Stadium Arcadium," Queen's "Greatest Hits," The Killers' "Sam's Town," Phoenix's "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" and Death Cab for Cutie's "We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes." Will I review these? Why, of course. For three easy payments of $19.95, that is.

Opening Pandora's Box

I checked out Pandora internet radio for the first time a couple of weeks ago and all I can say is I love it. It quickly joined Facebook and fantasy baseball in my procrastination toolbox. You can create your own stations based on genres, artists and even songs. You can even mix stations to form an ear-pleasing casserole. The commercials are minimal and it can even be used via cell phone. Oh yeah, and unlike XM or Sirius, it's free. This is the future of radio, folks. If not Pandora, then internet radio in some form. It will probably become car-friendly in the coming years. In fact, there are already devices that can play Pandora without use of computer. Whether you're looking for new ways to discover music, trying to find the right background tunes or you're just sick of AM/FM, check it out.

Fantasy Baseball Update

So, as mentioned earlier, I decided to take a stab at fantasy baseball this season for the first time. I started off in a surprisingly horrendous fashion. After the draft, most of my peers agreed that with my lineup, I was nearly assured of victory. However for the first month or so, I was unable to escape the leagues basement. 20 moves later, I am now in fifth place (out of 10) and hoping to move even further north. Time shall tell, but one thing was initially apparent: I was right. This thing is as addicting as hell. Only without the flames and eternal damnation.

Note to Self: That's at least the second time you've used the phrase, "eternal damnation." Must try to reduce use of this shibboleth to prevent readers from reaching Satanic conclusions.

Note to Self II: Don't use the word, "shibboleth." Correctly answering that question on your vocabulary test does not give you the license to use it.

Note to Self III: Notes to Self are fun. :)

Note to Self IV: Did you just use an emoticon in a blog post?

Note to Self V: Yes I did. You got a problem with that, IV?

Note to Self VI:  [CENSORED]

Note to Self VII: To be continued...

Long Time No See

Dear Reader(s),

Sorry for the long break. I've been overwhelmed by end-of-the-year activities/procrastination. While I am not yet ready to name the best band starting with the letter A, here are my opening thoughts:

AC/DC, Aerosmith, AFI, Against Me!, Alicia Keys, All Time Low, The All-American Rejects, The Allman Brothers Band, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Audioslave and Avenged Sevenfold, to quote my iPod.

More thoughts and a winner to come. Soon. I (and hopefully you) hope.

Back in Blue

"Whatever it Takes." That's the motto of the St. Louis Blues. Owner John Davidson has done just that to get Blues fans back. And it has worked. Hockey is big in St. Louis again, and that is quite a feat. The Lou is a/the baseball town. There have been few times in my lifetime that the Cardinals have not been the main focus on the STL sports page. The Blues' effort on and off the ice made fans watch. Especially after the last piece of the puzzle was put in place--a playoff team. The end of the Blues season actually overshadowed Cardinals opening day. What led to this unimaginable accomplishment? For the first time since the NHL lockout, the Blues had what it took. Thanks to a wave of youth, the Blues were one of the (if not the) hottest team in the NHL in the second half of the season. T.J. Oshie quickly became a fan favorite with his big hits, highlight reel goals and two-night thrashing of Rick Nash. David Backes' astonishing four-goal effort led to a W in a crucial game against the Red Wings. Even without Erik Johnson, Paul Kariya and Eric Brewer, the Blues were able to cook up a playoff appearance with the help of the youngsters Oshie, Backes, Patrik Berglund and David Perron mixed with some stellar goaltending by Chris Mason. Yes, they got swept by the Canucks in the first round of playoffs, but the club has a bright future. It has solid goaltending, a suberb young cast and, once again, an enthusiastic fanbase. This could be what it takes to earn the first Stanley Cup for the Blue Note.

Caution: Gruesome Pimple Metaphor Ahead

Dear Reader(s),

I am here to pop the blogless zit that has rested for far too many days on my journalistic face. Oozing out will be some hockey commentary (a first for HBLB), a CD review (subject TBA) and a new series entitled: "Alphabetical Awesomeness," in which I will decide for each letter which band/artist is the best of the bunch whose names begin with that letter.

Blogging: my Proactiv. (take that, Jessica Simpson)

REVIEW: "Even If It Kills Me" - Motion City Soundtrack

Here's what you've all been waiting for: the long-awaited review of Motion City Soundtrack's "Even If It Kills Me" (or maybe I'm just flattering myself). The CD gets off to a surprisingly weak start with "Fell In Love Without You." This is a decent pop song and even gives a great lyric: "only time will tell if violins will swell in memory of what we used to call in love." The problem? A gut wrenching key change towards the end of the track. Personally, I had to to restrain myself from slamming my iPod against my forehead. Luckily, the song is salvaged in the infinitely better acoustic version of the song (sans key change), which is included in bonus track version of the CD. Batting second is "This Is For Real," a weak track that demands comparisons to (wince) Plain White T's. After these two bumps in the road, however, EIIKM morphs into an above average pop album. There's no doubt this record is saturated with pop, but unlike the T's, Motion City manages to create pop songs with soul and substance. Lead singer Justin Pierre's incredible range mixes with poignant lyrics to produce soaring melodies soaked in sugary pop goodness. There's nothing quite as catchy as "Everything Is Alright" (MCS's hit from their album "Commit This To Memory), but "Broken Heart" comes dang close. That is perhaps this album's biggest flaw. Not enough of the songs are instantly catchy, which is usually the goal of the pop genre. However, unlike most pop bands, Motion City Soundtrack has something to fall back on; be it Pierre's vocals, the poetically ironic lyrics (i.e. "You're too afraid to face the outcome. Quite likely, you're a failure. It's a sh*tty thing to say, but hey man, the clock is ticking") or the driving, hand-clapping beats. Overall this is a very good, but not great CD. Its better than most pop out there, but its not quite at the same level as Motion City's other material.

CD I'M LISTENING TO: (see above)

CD I NEED TO GET: "Incredibad" - The Lonely Island

CD I WANT TO GET: "Fashion Nugget" - Cake

CD I'M INTERESTED IN: "NOW That's What I Call Power Ballads"

Taking a Dive Into the Swamp of Addiction That I Am Assuming Is Fantasy Baseball

I've decided to try fantasy baseball for the upcoming season. I created my own league and am currently attempting to enlist friends. This is my first ever stab at the fantasy game. I am representing Isaac Bruce Springsteen with my team, mostly because I'm the only person who would...but nonetheless, I will do my best to represent my reader(s) with Team7. No pressure. More updates should be coming your way throughout the '09 MLB season, so keep on reading, por favor.

MOVIE TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS: The Haunting of Molly Hartley. This movie concludes with everyone becoming demons fated for eternal damnation--AND THEY'RE HAPPY ABOUT IT!!! Sorry to spoil the already spoiled ending, but no scary movie (if you can even categorize this film as such) should end with a graduation scene backed by happy music. 

Mizzou Falls Despite Elite Effort

Isaac Bruce Springsteen would like to congratulate Missouri's basketball team on reaching the round of eight in the NCAA tournament. UCONN prevented the Tigers from achieving their first-ever Final Four appearance, but not without a fight. Mizzou played a great game and the Huskies needed to play an even greater game to make it to Detroit. And that they did. Mizzou could never get a substantial lead on UCONN, even though they had a lot working for them. The refs were extremely lax, especially compared to the ticky-tack referees for the Memphis-Mizzou catfight. Mizzou forced many turnovers and kept it close until the closing seconds. While the clock wound down, the difference between these two teams (besides Mizzou's Shaq-like performance at the charity stripe) became apparent. Missouri did not have a go-to guy who could pull out a win for the Tigers. They were unable to make clutch shots until it was too late. Sure, Matt Lawrence is a great catch-and-shoot guy. Leo Lyons can get the job done in the paint. And DeMarre Carroll is a junkyard dog in all aspects of the game. But the reason Mizzou made it this far was because of its system. This team is essentially that--a team; a group of faceless players who play great defense and make outstanding passes. This bodes well for the future of the team. They can plug anyone willing to work into the lineup and succeed. All the Tigers need is one star recruit who can push them over the top and past the Elite Eight. And with a 31 wins and the national exposure that came from their tourney run and upset of Memphis, recruiting should significantly improve for Mike Anderson's club in the coming years. As for now, all I can say is thanks for following up a mediocre .500 effort with possibly the greatest season in Mizzou history. Oh yeah, and one more thing: MIZ! ... ZOU!

CD I'M LISTENING TO: "Aha Shake Heartbreak" - Kings Of Leon

CD I NEED TO GET: "Stadium Arcadium" - Red Hot Chili Peppers

CD I WANT TO GET: "Face Control" - Handsome Furs

CD I'M INTERESTED IN: "Dark Was the Night" - Various Artists

(including The Decemberists, Feist and Arcade Fire)  

Upcoming Posts

Dear Reader(s),

Sorry I haven't posted in forever. Took a trip to NYC with my family over spring break. That Motion City Soundtrack review should be coming soon. Also, some more tournament commentary may be coming your way. I leave you with a quick anecdote about an interesting sports-related incident during my trip:

While I waited for our flight from New York (La Guardia) to St. Louis, I snuck over to a bar to catch the end of the Missouri-Marquette game. As I watched Mizzou squeak its way into the Sweet 16 (aided largely by a Marquette player's inability to make an inbounds pass without going inbounds himself), I realized that the man standing next to me happened to be my pilot, who was also rooting for Mizzou. I knew I was in safe hands.

CD I'M LISTENING TO: "Broken Boy Soldiers"-The Raconteurs

CD I NEED TO GET: "The Spirit of Radio-Greatest Hits 1974-1987" - Rush

CD I WANT TO GET: "Grrr..." Bishop Allen

CD I'M INTERESED IN: "War Child - Heroes, Vol. 1" - Various Artists (including Beck, TV On the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Lily Allen)

Mizzou's NCAA Tournament Seed

Mizzou is a 3 seed. They play against Cornell in the first round of the West regional in Boise, Idaho. You heard it here first(ish). More thoughts on the tourney coming soon...

MOVIE YOU NEED TO SEE: Gran Torino

MOVIE I NEED TO SEE: Watchmen

Tigers Basketball: Good News, Bad News

Congratulations to the Missouri Tigers for defeating Baylor in the Big 12 Championship game. Its hard to fathom that Mizzou holds this title only three years into the Mike Anderson regime. A world of credit goes to Anderson for helping the team climb out of the huge hole caused by former "coach" Quin Snyder. Anderson has developed a team that can win without shooting well, as evidenced by the semi-final game against Oklahoma State, thanks to its relentless "40 minutes of hell" defense. Yes, they were lucky to avoid Oklahoma and Kansas in the tourney. Yes, they slipped up when they played Goombas to Illinois's and Kansas's Mario in the regular season (Super Mario Bros. anyone?). But this team has the D to frustrate any team and the potential to go deep into the Big Dance.

As for the Oakville Tigers, they were bounced out of the semi-finals in the Missouri Class 5 state basketball tournament by Kansas City's Grandview High School. To hang tough with a one-loss Grandview team was an accomplishment. An even bigger accomplishment for OHS was making it to the final four; defeating the top team in the area on the way and putting Oakville in the spotlight. Senior Keith Pickens stepped up as usual, putting up 21 points and seven boards. While it wasn't enough to earn a championship bid for the Tigers, Pickens should have a bright future at Missouri State. And as with Mizzou, praises are due to the coach. Nick Traxler has toughened up the team in his few years here and has produced an over-achieving product this season of which the whole area can be proud.

WATCH OUT: NCAA Tournament Selection Show, Sunday @ 5 pm (central) on CBS

SONG YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT: "Sleepyhead" - Passion Pit. Think trippy indie-techno (if there is such a thing) mixed with the Chipmunks. 

REVIEW: "Sawdust" - The Killers

In 2006 The Killers released their second CD, the platinum "Sam's Town." Their next LP, "Day and Age," was voted the "Readers' Best Album of 2008" by Rolling Stone magazine. What did the group do in '07? There's no way they could've had time to do much in the time sandwiched between those two mega-hits, right? Wrong. They released another CD--a damn good one at that.

"Sawdust," a collection of B-sides, covers and more emerged rather quietly on November 13, 2007. There wasn't much hoopla surrounding this release, most likely because of its EP status. But you'd be a fool to have low expectations of this CD. They are The Killers after all--that Las Vegas group with the Mormon lead singer who dons a eagle-feathered jacket, the lead guitarist who's saving up for the first commercial trip to outer space and on top of it all, immense amounts of imagination. And those ideas are displayed more on "Sawdust" than any of their CDs so far (and yes, I am including "Day and Age" which consists of steel drums, saxophones and a teaspoon of insanity).

The disc kicks off with the unique "Tranquilize," a spooky, yet catchy, track that features a demented children's choir and Lou Reed, former frontman of the infinitely influential The Velvet Underground.

Later comes a piano-led live version of "Sam's Town" from Abbey Road and a eight-minute remix of "Mr. Brightside" by Jacques Lu Cont (a.k.a. Stuart Price), producer of "Day and Age."

I'm not going to critique this CD track by track, but I easily could. There is not a bad song on the disc. In fact, even when The Killers cover "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town," a country (no, that's not a typo) song by Kenny Rogers, they manage to make it tolerable and--dare I say it?--likable. Whether it's the techno-laced "Shadowplay," the Queen-esque rocker "Leave the Bourbon On the Shelf" or, my personal favorite, the beautiful "Romeo and Juliet" (a Dire Straits cover), The Killers make every song beg to at the top of your playlist. 

Oh, and as for the wisdom teeth extraction, check out my twitter page.

CD I'M LISTENING TO: (see above)

CD I NEED TO GET: "Queen: Greatest Hits"

CD I WANT TO GET: "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand"

CD I'M INTERESTED IN: "Troubadour" - K'naan 

Upcoming Reviews

Dear Reader(s),

I haven't had time to do a real blog post yet but watch for (at least) two CD reviews coming soon: "Sawdust" by The Killers and "Even If It Kills Me" by Motion City Soundtrack. I'm getting my wisdom teeth out soon so I should have a lot of extra time on my hands. Heck, I may even go off-topic and blog on my anaesthetic experience...maybe.

Keep reading, por favor.