A History of Umbrellas

Over the past two years I’ve earned a collection of umbrellas. Before these two years I had none, had no use for them; whenever it was raining I just took the bus or my car or stayed in if I could. However, recently I’ve had to be a pedestrian come rain or shine, so thus my umbrella collection. My most recent umbrella is the one Dave got for me. He had found it at a bus stop, leaning against the glass, alone, and since he already had one (a nice one too) he gave it to me. It’s sheets alternate blue and white and if I rest the metal tip (which is about five inches and half an inch wide) it comes up past my waste, making it one of those heavy duty umbrellas, something that could easily be turned into a weapon if need be. Whenever I carry it around I imagine someone trying to mug me and me beating this person with my umbrella: I can’t help it really. My second umbrella I got when one night in Nancy, Mariella, the quiet Argentinean girl who occasionally showed up at my house for my small impromptu get-togethers, left her black umbrella at my house, so I took it. Even though I already had one, I couldn’t leave it in France, as it had easy access to a host of memories I wasn’t ready to let go of. My oldest umbrella I purchased one rainy day in the Vosges, had to run to the office of tourism to ask where I could buy one. The woman there pointed me in the direction of this cheap boutique. As I only had to make it from the school to the train station, I purchased the cheapest one, thinking it wouldn't really matter how big or well-made it was. This one was a small blue umbrella with a duck’s head at the end, and linings of plaid Burberry-style trimmings. It was with this umbrella that I learned how to properly use umbrellas, the way I imagine one learns to use weapons: where to point it when the wind blew so fiercely that the flaps clamped in on me; I learned how to quickly flip it if the metal claws ever went inside-out.

Lately I've been hearing a lot of indie-electro, or however you might call it, that I can really dig, and I realized that if you think about these songs, they are in fact quite simple. A good bass, some good singing, maybe throw in a breakdown, some bongo drums are always a plus, a wailing guitar solo if you think you can do it and there you have a grade-A dance tune. Such is the case for the following songs. It doesn't have to be Daft Punk-style mash up of obscure songs from the 70s. It doesn't have to be anything. These songs just do it for me.

Ghosthustler - Only Me To Trust

Architecture In Helsinki - Debbie (U-Tern Remix)


Last night I had an obsession. Behind on the MGMT-craze (if there is one, properly), I decided to check out a few of their songs. It could have been the Pabsts I had for dinner (and dessert), or just the feeling of the night weighing down on me, but I played the two songs "Time to Pretend" and "Electric Feel" over and over again all night. The lyrics, the heavy synth-bass, everything just got me. The two gentlemen that make up MGMT, VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, sing about youth and struggling with the responsibilities of adulthood--except with lots of sarcasm. "Time to Pretend" ends with this little couplet: "We'll choke on our vomit and that will be the end./ We were fated to pretend," as though in singing about adulthood, MGMT have found their way around it.

The management duo studied at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. For one of their first shows they played the Ghostbusters theme song ad infinitum, which may remind you of how the Flaming Lips got their start in the '80s. Interestingly enough, for their debut album Oracular Spectacular, MGMT worked with Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann. If you missed it, check out Matt's best of 2007 post for "Time to Pretend."

MGMT - Electric Feel


Also, for those of you in the Bay Area, Vampire Weekend is playing at Amoeba tomorrow (Feb 1) for Free at 7pm. I'll probably be there.

Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa


Missed Connections:

Trick Daddy - Sugar (Gimme Some)

Talking Heads - Sugar on My Tongue

Best of 2008?

Recently, Alex posted Cut Copy "Lights and Music," the single that was to ring the alarm for the new Cut Copy Album. He finished with the note, "I can already hear the remixes," but he spoke much too soon.

Boys Noize has dropped the distortion and gone for a more crisp feel, barely touching upon disco, and it feels so good. And that's to expect under the influence of Cut Copy and Philippe Zdar. Not too long ago Boys Noize put out the Feist Remix and people are liking the new direction since. Hopefully the year will continue this way!

Cut Copy - Lights and Music - Boys Noize Remix

New SebastiAn

Pic: Cobra Snake

Remember when everyone thought the Scenario Rock - Both Gotta Move On "Hey Champ" remix was the SebastiAn remix? People, it turns out the "Hey Champ" remix is not, in fact, the SebastiAn remix. Considering how much hype this guy gets, the Sebastian remix is surprisingly on the DL. It hasn't leaked yet, or so it seems. However, you can hear the song in its entirety at Scenario Rock's Myspace, or simply purchase the "Both Gotta Move On" single, including the said remix, at Arcade Mode.

As far as 2008 is concerned, I think people will be surprisingly impressed with the album from Sebastian, which is said to drop in "Winter Spring" 2008, whatever that means. He's already given the public a ghostly track "untitlted." With better remixes under SebastiAn's belt, this track is nothing exciting. Probably, SebastiAn specifically put this track out because it's the least personable track on the record. Justice did something similar when they made a faux version of "The Party," (and people were actually liking it!!?!) prior to the drop on the album, almost as a spiteful scheme to the blog community. When the real version finally appeared, people were pleasantly surprised.

That said, here is a video of a brand new SebastiAn track that he dropped at Dafunkfest in Tokyo. The youtube author has disabled embedding *by request,* so you'll just have to follow the link. Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says sample?. Notice the distinct resemblance to Justice's sound, or is it Justice's resemblance to SebastiAn's sound?

Have you heard:

Sneaky Sound System - UFO - SebastiAn Remix vs. Blaze Tee Rerub

No One Every Really Nose

Well, the horses are out of the gates and it's official: 2008 has taken off in full force. The death of Heath Ledger validates the fact that a new year has begun; the first celebrity death--and not without the sting of loss, poignancy and tears-to-be-shed. I can see the yearbook's first few pages with Ledger's face all over. Remember that day he died? We were socially conscious when he first came to fame in 10 Things I Hate About You. Though we were still young, we even got the Shakespeare reference. Then the movies continued and we grew, seeing what we could, hearing his name here and there, figuring things out meanwhile. The bells ring 2008 and to be sure Heath Ledger's found dead in his apartment surrounded by pills. Let the spectacles begin.



The month of January is almost over, can you believe it? There are already a host of things to look forward to in 2008. The latest Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn--often mistaken as English--seems to be making some waves. And it's about time. Robyn got her start in the early '90s when, at the age of 12, she recorded the theme song for the Swedish show Lilla Sportspegeln. At 16 she had written and recorded her own single and in 2005 she started her own label Konichiwa Records. Last March she gained some reputation with her single, "Konichiwa Bitches" and "Be Mine" and "Cobrastyles," not to mention the remixes that followed thereafter. Her The Rakamonie EP will be released on January 29.



Robyn - Be Mine (Ocelot Mtherfckrs remix)

Check out those Ocelot Mthrfckrs too! Robyn's EP includes her electric cover of "Cobrastyle." The original by Teddybears is equally as amazing--reggaeton lyrics and rapping with garage-punk-rock beats! Although there are some obvious similarities, the two songs are vastly different in style.

Teddybears feat. Mad Cobra - Cobrastyle

Robyn - Cobrastyle

Though Pharrell Williams has been popping up here and there (ie, as producer and featured on certain American Gangsta tracks), his sidegroup N*E*R*D has been lying low for about three or four years now. The trio--including Chad Hugo and Shay Haley--broke up in 2005, but will rise from their own ashes this spring with an album entitled N.3.R.D. (I wonder if it will have anything to do with C-3PO?). The first single, entitled Everybody Nose, was released just two days ago. It's kind of tongue-in-cheek, with the chorus turning the mundane into something danceworthy: "All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom!" The bass and sax are reminiscent of Eric B & Rakim, while not sounding very off from the latest Jay-Z and dancehall trends.

N*E*R*D - Everyone Nose

And I can't help myself. With the cute nose pun, I have to post a song that I listened to a lot last year. Because of the vaudevillian piano riff, the simple synths, the French accent and the absence of any real hard beat, I thought for sure this one was just a great '80s find. But I was wrong. Instead it was one of the most popular unerground techno songs of 2007! The song is great, and the lyrics are filled with sadness, nostalgie and beer. Everyone nose how that feels.

Nôze - Remember Love

Finally, once again from Down Under something big is coming up! Cut Copy is releasing their second album, In Ghost Colours, this March. Their first single "Lights & Music" is charming enough. Especially with the way the song fades, it sounds kind of like a high school dance song. I can already hear the remixes.

Si Le Cœur Vous En Dit

I have to admit, lately, I've been watching, quite religiously, Lost. Albeit, three or four years after it first came out, but now that you can watch all three episodes online for free, I've been devoting a lot of my free time to catching up. This evening, after coming home from work, I decided it was the perfect time to watch another episode. By god, if it wasn't the best one I've seen so far. After Kate and Sawyer played the "I never" drinking game, I had to pour a drink myself: the only thing I had: vodka on the rocks. As the episode progressed, I started thinking. This show romanticizes so much. For one thing, the thought of surviving a horrific plane crash, then being stranded on an island. These things that I never thought would be inspirational, idealized or even desired. At my age, thoughts of "what will I do with my life?" or "how will I make my mark on the world?" haunt me almost constantly. Yet, watching Lost, it seems like if only I were stranded on an island with few provisions, along with no one I knew, then all those worries would disappear. The only thing that would be left of me would be survival, and that alone is important enough. It seems like once survival is no longer an issue, we become plagued with thoughts of fame, fortune, success, the stock market, fine dining, and immortality through art. If I were stranded on an island, life wouldn't be much easier, but at least I wouldn't have to worry about applying to goddamn grad school.

Halfway through it I understand the theme of this particular episode: to kill a man. Rather, the plight of those who have killed someone who by no means deserves to live, who has harmed your life so much that anyone would agree he must die. This is when I began to question it: do they really mean to romanticize this? Of course, not to say that they mean killing someone is the most heroic thing to do, or that it is right in any way; instead, do they mean to romanticize the plight of a killer without guilt? In the moment of the TV show, it seemed to me that coping with killing someone who deserved to die (as part of, say, a firing squad, or meeting the man who killed your family) was indeed something that deserved to be engraved by the art's chisel. And yet haven't I known sadness, guilt, loneliness and utter forsakenness? Haven't I known these feelings and realized that--though I've read about them in such a way that I have momentarily yearned to feel such emotions, romanticized in exactly the same way--they aren't feelings that should make one envious of those who haven't experienced such hardships, that romanticizing them is almost wrong, a crime even? It struck me that in feeling that to kill a person who deserved to die (never mind the implications of that statement) I was actually justifying this art that was false. I wondered, is it when art makes someone feel that something undesirable is in fact desirable, is that when it becomes kitsch, fake, completely unreal? Is it cheap when a show, a film, a poem makes romance at another's expense?



Now, on to music news. Over the past week word has been circulating the Net that Justice submitted a mix to Fabric and were rejected (mostly for reasons of length). Justice felt that their mix was so good that they sent it out as a Christmas gift to a select few in the industry, and now it's circulating the mp3 blogs. As with most things Justice, reviews seem to be mixed and I'm not totally decided one way or the other myself. However, the first ten minutes of the mix are pretty effing fantastic. Starting off with a tweaked Sparks' "Tryouts For The Human Race" (reviewed by Matt a few months ago) and flowing flawlessly into "La Serenissima" by Rondò Veneziano (see above).

It quickly becomes clear why this mix is marked with controversy. For instance, by about the twelfth minute Justice inserts The Korgis "Everybodys Gotta Learn Sometimes" (that one later covered by Beck) that is sure to leave most scratching their heads--makes it seem more like the mix for a high school dance. Nonetheless, though somewhat patchy the 40-minute mix is rife with classics, including Alan "The Paradise" Braxe's "In Love With You" and an awesome mashup of "TTHHEE PPAARRTTYY" and "Everybody Dance." Well, don't take my word for it; grab your copy from Redthreat:

Justice - Fabric Mix

Three Dead People

Yesterday while I was at Amoeba, Weston called me. His voice sounded urgent: "Dude, Michel Gondry is speaking at the Apple Store tonight." We had already waited in line to see a free screening of There Will Be Blood last week and failed that, so we wanted to get to this event really early. We headed downtown at half past 3 and walked down Market cigarette in hand. We were putting our cigarettes out as the store came into view. From a distance we could see a line of only two girls. I told Weston, "I don't know how comfortable I feel about being the first in line." We ended up waiting for about two hours, but were able to get some pizza by writing on the sidewalk with chalk where we were standing, "Alex and Weston will be back in 20 mins." Probably no less than 100 people came up to us or the girl in the very front to ask what we were standing in line for. We began experimenting with responses: 1. "to buy an iPhone... the 2009 edition," 2. "free iPhones," 3. "to see Mariah Carey," 4. "we actually don't know why," 5. "to see director/screenwriter Weston Green," 6. "what're you in line for?"

Seeing Michel Gondry was pretty exciting. Although I can't attest to being the hugest fan, I could feel the excitement. He was a very inspiring person, and his accent made me very Franconostalgic. Since he was promoting his new film Be Kind Rewind, Mos Def--who coincidentally happened to be in SF as well--also showed up. Mos Def made the crowd laugh the most by adding his "regular guy" persona to the group. The interviewer probably tried too hard to ask "intellectual" questions. And Michel Gondry was very inspiring; I especially was pleased to hear him talk about his gripes with too high production, his inspiration for different music videos and films, and how Kanye West was hard to work with. I loved how at times he would be really into explaining something from his oeuvre and he would get really into it and keep talking as the interviewer tried to intervene. Then, as she finally was allowed to speak, he would stop paying attention for a moment, look down at the ground, and smile, as though in talking about such a project he was reminded of something from his past that made him laugh.



Justice - D.A.N.C.E. (Benny Blanco Mix ft. Mos Def)

Lately I've been doing some intense research on new music, so today I have three songs to write about. Let's start with Sebastien Tellier. His "Ritournelle" for me is one of those perfect songs, but I have been wary about any of his other songs. The original "Sexual Sportswear" is alright, though repetitive and a bit boring. SebastiAn makes it more dance-floor friendly, and without putting too much grinding computer sounds that he seems prone to use (on songs like "Smoking Kills" or his "Ready to Uff" remix).

Sebastien Tellier - Sexual Sportswear (SebastiAn Remix)


Next up we have perhaps DFA's most bizarrely named band, Hercules & Love Affair. Is it the name of two people or is it a mysterious story based on Greek mythology? Well, Brooklyn-based Hercules' songs have a disco-feel, but are mostly heavy. In "Blind," however, they've enlisted the help of Antony Hegarty (of "the Johnsons" fame). Antony, mostly known for his sad, resonating and often twisted songs, gives this track a sort of timelessness. With its bongos, bouncy synths and walking bass, this one definitely deserves some radio play.


Hercules & Love Affair - Blind




And then the best for last; I can't get enough of this one. Judging from his get up My Robot Friend electrifies indie rock and is making Devo cool again. And with the presidential primaries in process right now, the song is doubly poignant: "Everything I say about bad education/ a million broken records have already said."

My Robot Friend - Robot High School

Hymn to a Great City

Last Friday I made the mistake of taking my bike to work without checking the "weather report"--that is to say without looking outside my window. Sure, it was raining, but I underestimated the intensity. As I coasted down the first hill in my limited periphery (closed in by the flaps of my jacket's hood) I could see small branches, pine needles and bits of trash on both sides of the street. The farther I went the more debris there was; until, as I hit my brakes to watch for cars at the intersection, I saw a huge fallen tree, gnarly roots torn from its base and everything. I had to steer around it and the rain was so intense now that I didn't even have time to inspect it thoroughly. I was more concerned with the fact that my pants were soaking wet all the way to my legs. My shoes and socks, which were exposed, were also wet. I only had seven blocks to go.



When I got to the museum there was something haunting about the place. Security informed me that power was out and that we were running on back up generators. I had to take the stairs to the kitchen as opposed to the elevator and when I entered was greeted with a sight that horrified me: the normally bustling kitchen was completely deserted. As I walked past the dishwashing station I noticed that an uncanny silence permeated the place, even the refrigerators did not contribute their usual hum. Then, one of the prep-cooks who speaks very little english staggered in, he had a sort of makeshift poncho made out of a trash bag. "Uh, where is everyone?" I asked. He mumbled as though from exhaustion something like, "We couldn't get everything in time." His demeanor and statement shocked me. I felt for a moment that we had finally come to the disaster to end all disasters. In those few seconds, I imagined post-apocalyptic scenarios, zombies walking the earth, an eternal storm covering the entire globe, and thought how I was screwed because I hadn't gone to the grocery store in who knows how long?

Everything turned out all right though and because the museum had no power we were sent home early with a handful of sandwiches each. As we were leaving one of my coworkers Israel shared his earphone with me inspired by a song he liked coming up on his shuffle. It was Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music." It later struck me that in situations approaching disaster or severe weather everyone feels a special kind of camaraderie toward one another. Instead of greeting everyone in the morning-grunt that I usually do, we sat around the cafe tables and laughed about the travails of our morning getting to work, which was followed by talk of typical Chinese celebrations of the New Year, and so on. I imagine that this slight emergency situation is a demonstration of what would happen in an actual emergency: people come together and help each other out.

Rihanna - Don't Stop the Music [2]

I had yesterday off, so I went to the Amoeba store and did some of the most intense "record-digging" I've ever done. The trick to this is that often you'll find precious records under puzzling categories. For instance, Le Tigre in Pop-Dance/Freestyle? Or a Bell X1 remix under House? In any case, I spent about $40 of hard-earned cash there and am hoping to use these soon!

Gui Boratto - Beautiful Life

Bell X1 - Flame (Chicken Lips remix)

2007: Here and Gone

of Alex Teplitzky

10. Arcade Fire- Neon Bible

With every album, Arcade Fire grows stronger. Although with Neon Bible, they’re only picking up where they left off from Funeral, but they move steadily forward in production, melodies and, most notably, lyrical strength. The album takes an Oberstian twist; a sense of doom and armageddon run amok on nearly every song. Lyrics like "Same old city with a different name," or "Who here still believes in choice?/ Not I" or with titles such as "Keep the Car Running," "Neon Bible," "Black Wave," or "Antichrist Television Blues" make it seem like some catastrophe looms in the distance. Looking back at 2007, it is clear that this was the year that our concern for our own well-being and certain potential disasters: making Neon Bible not only a great album, but an apt soundtrack 2007.

Arcade Fire - Ocean of Noise

9. Electrelane- No Shouts, No Calls

Electrelane has disbanded, but they left us this solid piece of work for us this past year. If you listen to enough of Electrelane’s older albums (Rock it to the Moon or The Power Out), you begin to notice a recurring pattern in their songs. Some kind of intro followed by a slow build-up that explodes into a fit of synth-organs or guitars. With No Shouts, Electrelane have retained this formula, but they have tightened it up: no 9 minute songs here. Just clean, solid fun; short and to the point.

Unlike Neon Bible, No Shouts, No Calls concerns itself more with happier, more optimistic moments. Still, there is a sense of sadness that pervades the lyrics. "To the East" is a kind of letter asking a lover to join her in Hungary. Aside from the astounding dance- and popishness of the songs, the album had a particular resonance with me as I spent my time in France this past year.

Electrelane - To the East

8. Animal Collective- Strawberry Jam

Thank god Animal Collective aren’t falling by the wayside. I often imagine what my children (if I ever have any) will think of my music tastes. It’s part of the reason I actually buy CDs, so that they stumble upon them when they’re old enough to formulate their own opinions. One day they will find this CD, listen to a song like “For Reverend Green” or “Peacebone” and wonder what kind of guy their dad was. They’ll wonder, Was he into tribal music? Was he hardcore? Or was he just plain crazy?

The best thing about Animal Collective is that they combine perfectly all the elements of, often, the most marginal music: tribal, screamo, or postmodern mashup; yet, the tie it all together with folkish, popish guitars. Strawberry Jam--an ode to Lisbon, Portugal--received perhaps the most ink out of any of their previous albums, and rightly so.

Peacebone music video

Animal Collective - For Reverend Green

7. Caribou- Andorra

The video for "Melody Day" captures the mood of this album best: faceless figures trouncing around an alien world that seems at the same time recognizable… well, maybe not. But you have to admit, while the songs on this album seem like nothing you’ve ever heard, they also seem like they could have been plucked from the sixties.

Caribou - Melody Day

Melody Day music video

6. Chromeo- Fancy Footwork

Some of the best bands today are duos, but none are as motley as Chromeo. P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel) looks like he would be the background vocals for some Top 40 hip hop song, while Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) looks like he was pulled from a Calvin Klein ad. One’s Arab, one’s Jewish. One sings and one plays the talk box. Yet together: solid gold.

As I've stated before, Fancy Footwork has received tons of recognition from DJs and remixers: it's hardly any coincidence. The songs combine a 70s pop flair, the best things about 80s dance music, and sound as fresh as anything else this year. Though Chromeo are most known for their first single, "Needy Girl," I suspect Fancy Footwork will be remembered as their true ground-breaking work. Meanwhile, one day we'll hear these tracks on an oldies station and think fondly back on 2007.

Chromeo - Fancy Footwork

Chromeo - Momma's Boy

5. Midnight Juggernauts- Dystopia

Maybe it's because Midnight Juggernauts toured with Justice that everyone seems inclined to compare Dystopia with Justice's †, but I’m not so sure that we’re comparing apples to apples. Although this album hasn’t yet seen a US release, the Juggs are gaining more and more notoriety. With songs like “Dystopia” and “So Many Frequencies,” it’s sometimes hard to tell if they’re a band or just a bunch of DJs. I suspect that the line between the two genres of musician will become more blurred with the coming of 2008. Midnight Juggernauts will not go gently into the night.

Midnight Juggernauts - So Many Frequencies

4. Matthew Dear- Asa Breed

It’s hard to really know what to say about this album. Is it techno? Is it pop? Is it country? I bought this album during one of the first few weeks I moved to San Francisco, mostly influenced by a friend who promotes for Matthew Dear. And while I hadn’t heard any of the songs on it, I don’t think I’ve ever made a better blind-purchase. This one has it all, techno, pop and country, not to mention great vocals from Dear and some intriguing lyrics.

3. Justice- †

While flipping through the AM band in my car one day, I came across one Christian station in the middle of airing something about how Jesus’ birth forever changed the course of human history. As anti-Christian as I am, I realized this was true: love him or hate him, whoever this person was and whatever he stood for severely affected the course of history. With all the Justice backlash coming to the forefront now, it is conversely becoming more difficult to say they haven’t had an effect on electronic music.

According to XLR8R, Justice’s † was just a “collection of previously released singles and mostly uninspiring new tracks.” If it’s nothing new, then why all the hype to begin with? Gaspard Augé, when asked on “Le Grand Journal” why they use the Cross as their principle motif, broke his typically silent character in saying, “Dieu seul le sait” (God only knows). This quote betrays the secret behind the dynamic duo: Justice are more than just two DJs; they surround themselves in mystique, taking a cue from helmet-sporting Daft Punk. Justice has done what other DJs haven't: create personas for themselves. Most DJs remain the faceless man behind the turntables, only recognizable by their names.

Although de Rosnay and Augé’s music, personalities, and gait are strictly French, their use of Biblical imagery as well as their name in particular is universal. Western parole has no need to translate a word lifted directly from biblical tradition. Thus, you have hundreds of remixes of Justice tracks by DJs from all over the globe, and probably even more mixes that start out with "Genesis." You have everyone from the most avid electro fan to French 12-year old girls going crazy for them. You have them all over French news and radio. If anything, 2007 was the year Justice brought the underground club-music to the masses.

Justice - Valentine

Justin Timberlake - Love Stoned (Justice remix)

2. Panda Bear- Person Pitch

It was on a road trip from Barcelona to Paris that I fell in love with Person Pitch, and it only took a few bars of "Comfy in Nautica" to do it. Panda Bear knows how to develop a melody and he does it so well, I might go so far as to say there isn’t a wrong note on the album. Granted, the album is full of loops and sound effects, but that attests to its impressiveness: it is difficult to make something so electronic as gooey and sweet as Panda Bear has.

1. LCD Soundsystem- Sound of Silver

I sometimes wonder why James Murphy doesn’t get as much recognition as, say, David Bowie or the Rolling Stones did in their day. Maybe he has a few more albums to go before that happens, but listen to the first track on Sound of Silver, “Get Innocuous,” and it’s difficult not to get into it. Maybe he isn’t the first to do it, but Murphy almost seamlessly combines rock ‘n roll rhythms with the electronica twists and turns you might hear in the most underground remixes.

Sound of Silver continues full force until the end, making it, in my opinion, the number one dance CD of 2007. Beginning with the building momentum of "Get Innocuous" to the 2007-anthem "All My Friends" and closing sharply with "Sound of Silver" the album syntax is perfectly grammatical, complete with its period "New York I Love You."

LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends

LCD Soundsystem - Us vs Them (Go Home Productions remix)

2007 was a great year for music. It was difficult to make this list; and hell, it took me long enough! I'm expecting great things from 2008. Because eight sideways is infinity, and, as my friend Lee said in the wee morning hours of January 1st, "you can't top that shit!"