Yet another pointlessly connected journal!

1. How did you get into 29?
Amanda Palmer..... let's see... uh, she's the lead/pianist of The Dresden Dolls and her solo record just came out this past week.... she's been flying up my charts ever since.

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? Guillemots?? Um. Maybe Trains to Brazil or Made-Up Lovesong #43

3. What's your favourite lyrics by 33? Oh No! Oh My!? Um. The whole of Walk in the Park is pretty genius.

4. What is your favourite album by 49? Rhett Miller's The Instigator

5. How many albums by 13 do you own?
Regina Spektor. Five. I think technically. I have 11:11, Songs, Soviet Kitsch, Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories and Begin to Hope plus the bonus disk.

6. What is your favourite song by 50?
We The Living's Atlantic most likely.

7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad?
Belle and Sebastian's [track artist=Belle and Sebastian]The Chalet Lines.

8. What is your favourite song by 15?
Favorite song by The Flaming Lips.... you've GOT to be kidding me.

9. What is your favourite song by 5?
a favorite Snuzz song?! Hell no. I can tell you though that Worst in You was my first favorite Snuzz song.

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy?
Cloud Cult... many... but Alien Christ takes the cake here.

11. What is your favourite album by 40?
Midlake... it will be hard for them to top [album artist=Midlake]The Trials of Van Occupanther, me thinks. That album is awesome.

12. What is your favourite song by 10?
Andrew Bird NO IDEA. Nervous Tic was my first favorite though.

13. What is a good memory you have involving 30?
Wilco.... the Wilco concert I attended?? And Jeff Tweedy waved to me?! How's that for good memory.

14. What is your favourite song by 38?
Django Haskins OH MAN OH MAN OH MAN. NO. Though. Ex-Best Friend is one of my favorite tracks of forever, and ever.

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy?
Eef Barzelay as a whole makes me happy. Even if the lyrics can be sad.

16. How many times have you seen 25 live?
Built to Spill one glorious glorious time last summer.

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23?
Bishop Allen.... I saw Saved! years before I knew of this band.... so technically Things Are What You Make of Them.

18. What is your favourite album by 11?
Eels..... another mean question. My first favorite was It's a Motherfucker

19. Who is a favourite member of 1?
Favorite member of Ben Folds Five!! :'( That's like picking children. But, at gunpoint I'd go with a Mr Darren Jessee. (Sorry Ben and Robert!)

20. Have you ever seen 14 live?
No. :( Kevin Devine this will hopefully change in a few weeks.

21. What is a good memory involving 27?
Okkervil River. Seeing Okkervil River LIVE was a great ass memory.

22. What is your favourite song by 16?
The Old Ceremony This is another like picking a favorite child question. It changes pretty much weekly.

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47?
The Alternate Routes's Ordinary.... Emily played it for me on the coach while in England May 2006.

24. What is your favourite album by 18?
Rilo Kiley's Take Offs and Landings.

25. What is your favourite song by 21?
The Decemberists.......... no idea. I love a lot of Decemberists songs.

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26?
Band of Horses... was probably The Funeral.

27. What is your favourite album by 3?
Elliott Smith's Either/Or

28. What is your favourite song by 2?
Ben Folds.... solo song? Uh. Kylie from Connecticut? And it's not out yet?? My first favorite was Still Fighting It.

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32?
Death Cab for Cutie NO CLUE AT ALL. The end.

30. What is you favourite song by 8?
The Dresden Dolls. TOO MANY TO CHOSE.

31. How many times have you seen 17 live?
Ben Lee.... three times!

32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy?
Architecture in Helsinki... most of them!

33. What is you favourite album by 12?
They Might Be Giants.... no idea. Have you seen how many records they've put out?!

34. What is the worst song by 45? Chuck Folds Five has a bad song?! I mean, I've only heard four.... but.... really? A BAD one?

35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34? Sufjan Stevens? My guess? Chicago.

36. What is you favourite album by 48?
Stars's Set Yourself on Fire. Sorry Bedroom!

37. How many times have you seen 42 live? Radiohead... never. Too damn expensive.

38. What is your favourite song by 36? Bon Iver?? Today?? Probably Re:Stacks.

39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28?
The Mountain Goats. NO IDEA.

40. What is your favourite album by 7? Ben Kweller's Sha Sha is classic.

41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy? Almost all of Cake makes me smile.

42. What is your favourite album by 41? The Beatles... YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.

43. What is your favourite song by 24? Clem Snide Jews for Jesus Blues or Something Beautiful or When We Become. Maybe.

44. What is a good memory you have involving 46? The one and only time I've seen The Fratellis live.

45. What is your favourite song by 35? Mute Math's You are Mine probably.

46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy? The Polyphonic Spree is ALL happy.

47. What is your favourite album by 4? Hotel Lights both albums hold their own, but really, I'm madly-passionately-in-love with Firecracker People. And I've already been quoted to say that I'd do GNGM if it were a human, and not an EP.

48. Who is a favourite member of 37? Jeff Buckley! Easy!

49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43? International Orange.... Prince Charming, on a BF5 bootleg.

50. How many albums do you own by 20? Eisley? The only two there are! Combinations and Room Noises.

Put your playlist on shuffle and write down the first 20 songs you get:
1. Hand to God - Black Clorophyll
2. Toddler Highway - They Might Be Giants
3. I Burn for You - Sting
4. Silent Night - The Coats
5. Shoehorn With Teeth - They Might Be Giants
6. Thought I Was - Rainer Maria
7. Jack of All Parades - Elvis Costello
8. Twisting - They Might Be Giants
9. Section 27: Mental Cabaret - The Polyphonic Spree
10. Small Towns and Invisible People - The Physics of Meaning
11. Sovereignty Flight - The Gories
12. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want - The Smiths
13. Jesus at McDonalds - Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper
14. Toxic - The last unicorn.
15. Dixie - Bob Dylan
16. High Water - Bob Dylan
17. Starman - David Bowie
18. Dangerous - Panda & Angel
19. A Shooting Star Is Not A Star - They Might Be Giants
20. I'll Have a New Body (I'll Have a New Life) - Hank Williams

Now take the first line from the first song, the second line from the second song, third line from the third song, etc. and put them in order below to make your scrambled song. If the song doesn't have enough lines loop back to the beginning.

These lines become your very own poem.

Hand to God, why would you run?
The parking lot fills 'round Toys-R-Us
In the shade of your parasol
Holy infant so tender and mild.

He asks a girl if they can both sit in a chair.
I've got to choose sides
To be the love of one true heart.
She wants to see you again.

This little cabaret is dancing with my fate,
Sundays singing in the church choir,
I don't think so.
So please please please...

I touched myself late last night.
Don't you know that you're toxic?

Away down south in Dixie
You dance with whom they tell you to.
Let all the children boogie.

I'm in a bad way.
Why does it shine so bright?

Praise the Lord, I'll have a new life.


It was sometimes hard to discern exactly which line was which number, but I kinda like how this came out.

Now you try!

It's A Pretty long list...
Sorry for the bands I've Forgot about...
This list starts in my 14th year on this planet.
The counter is on *465* different Bands


*#*(7)
-3LostManiacs
-37 Stabwoundz
-50 Caliber
-65daysofstatic
-100 Demons
-1990's
-2000 Wat

*A*(29)
-Aborted(2x)
-A Brand
-Absynthe Minded
-Admiral Freebee
-After All
-Agnostic Front
-alaska dawn(2x)
-Alborosie
-Alert(2x)
-Alice Cooper
-All Above Hate
-All Shall Perish
-Alpha Blondy
-Amen Ra(4x)
-aMute
-An Albatross
-Andy C
-Angel Crew
-Angelskin
-Antwerp Gipsy Ska Orchestra
-Apse(2x)
-Arcade Fire
-Architecture in Helsinki
-Arctic Monkeys
-Art Brut
-Ashema
-As We Fight(2x)
-Audio Bullys
-Autumn Delay (4x) (Played With)

*B*(32)
-Backfire!
-Balkan Beat Box
-Bane
-Battle Of Wolf 359
-Beatsteaks
-The Berzerker
-Betrayed
-Beware The Ides Of March
-Biffy Clyro
-Bite Down
-Bitty McLean
-The Black Dahlia Murder
-Black Friday '29(2x)
-Black Haven(2x)
-Blacklisted(2x)
-The Blood Brothers
-Blood Redemption(3x)
-The Blue Van
-Bonafide
-Bonde do Role
-Bong-Ra
-Born From Pain
-Borokov Borokov
-The Boss
-Bourbon For Roses(2x)
-The Bravery
-Breather Resist
-Broken Social Scene
-Bryan Gee
-The Bug
-Bush
-butsenzeller

*C*(22)
-Caliban
-Camden
-Campina Reggae
-Cancer Bats
-Cann
-Capsule
-Captain Ahab
-Cataract
-Cave In
-Ceremony
-Chase & Status
-Chris Clark (A.K.A. Clark)
-Civalizee Foundation
-CocoRosie
-Coheed and Cambria
-Cold as Life
-Comadre
-Common Cause
-Core Of Anger
-Cradle of Filth
-Cruize Of Fiction
-Cyantific

*D*(42)
-D.Kay
-Daan
-Daft Punk
-Daggers
-Dago
-Danse Macabre
-Dapoerka
-Das Pop
-Daughters
-D-Convict
-Deadlock(2x)
-Deadsoil
-Dearly Deported
-Deft(2x)
-denito (Played With)
-Depotax(2x)
-Despiced Icon
-Despoilah
-Devendra Banhart
-Dice
-Dick Dale
-Diecast
-Die My Demon
-Dieselrocker
-Digitalism
-The Dillinger Escape Plan
-Dillinja
-ding dong dead
-Dinosaur Jr.
-Distreality
-Dizzee Rascal
-The DJ Producer
-Do Androids dream of electric Sheep?
-Dominic
-Donnybrook
-Doomriders
-Do or Die
-Droon (5x)
-Dubdelight
-dub front association
-Dustrickx(3x)
-Dying Fetus

*E*(18)
-Eagles of Death Metal
-Earth Crisis
-Echo Virus (6x)
-Editors
-Electromeca
-elfenkommando
-El Guapo Stuntteam
-Elko Blijweert
-The End
-The End Of All Reason
-End Of July
-Endzweck
-Enemy Ground
-everything we used to be (2x)(Played With)
-Every Time I Die
-evil superfarce
-Eustachian
-Eye Of Judgement

*F*(18)
-Fall of Serenity
-Fall Out Boy
-Far West Crew
-Fatal Recoil
-Fata Murgana
-DJ Feadz
-Fear My Thoughts
-Felix Kubin
-Fifty Foot Combo
-Fire in the Attic
-First Things First (2x)(Played With)
-Folsom
-Four Tet
-Franz Ferdinand
-Fucked Up
-Fun Lovin' Criminals
-The Furious 5
-The Fuzztones

*G*(8)
-Gang Gang Dance
-Geht's Noch?
-The Go! Team
-GO_TELL
-Goldorak
-Goth Trad
-Grinding Halt
-Guernica(2x)

*H*(22)
-H8INC
-Hannelore Bedert
-Harry Poppins
-Have Heart(2x)
-Havoc(2x)
-hayk
-Heaven Shall Burn
-Heavy Heavy Low Low
-DJ Hell
-Hello bastards
-The hickey underworld
-Hidious
-high grade sound
-Hijak
-hiro
-The Hives
-Homer
-Hookerz
-Horace Andy
-HorrorPops
-Hulk
-Human Demise

*I*(9)
-I-Witness(2x)
-The Stooges(2x)
-igneon system (2x)
-Ignite
-I Love Sarah
-In-kata
-In Cut Flower
-Iration Steppas
-Ivory Sound

*J*(9)
-Jerusalem the black
-J Majik
-Joan as Police Woman
-Johnny Berlin
-Johnny Unstoppable (x3)
-JR Ewing
-June Paik
-Justice(2x)(Belgian Hxc Band)
-Justice (French Electro Band)

*K*(20)
-Kaddish
-Kaiser Chiefs
-Kania Tieffer
-Kaospilot
-Karbonkid(2x)
-Kastor
-Keitzer
-Kid606
-Kid Fear
-Kid Kameleon
-The Kids
-Kifjar
-Killjoy
-Kingdom
-King Freddy & The Lazy Intercoolers
-Kit Electric
-Klezmic Noiz
-Knuckledust
-Kontrapunkt
-Kromestar

*L*(14)
-Lady Vortex
-LCD Soundsystem
-Lemon D
-Leng Tch'e
-Let Down
-Liar
-Liars
-Liz Teria
-Loathus
-The Locust
-Logistics
-Losing Streak(2x)
-Lostprophets
-Louise Cyphre

*M*(45)
-m0ist
-MacGyver Hofstadt
-Machin
-Madball(2x)
-Mad Professor
-Magnus(2x)
-Maintain
-Mala
-Maple Room
-Mark N
-DJ Marky(2x)
-Maskesmachine (2x)
-maudlin(2x)
-MC Daily
-mc ebony(4x)
-MC V
-MDC
-Merauder
-milk the fish
-Millenium Kru(2x)
-Millionare
-Minguz
-Mira
-miruki tusko(2x)
-Misery Speaks
-Mochipet
-Modern Life Is War
-Mofe Crew (4x) (played with (2x))
-Mogul
-Mondo Generator
-Monster X
-Monza(2x)
-Mood INdigo (3x)
-Morda(2x)
-Motion Theory (2x)
-Motörhead
-mount venus
-Mr. Kill
-Mr. Orange (4x)
-Mr. Willis of Ohio
-Murdock (3x)
-Murphy's Law
-Music For Rabbits(2x)
-My Dying Bride
-My Hot Pony

*N*(14)
-Natalia
-Neaera
-the Neglected Wood-Pigeons
-Nilo
-No Recess
-Nosfell
-Nothing Done
-Nothing Gold Can Stay
-No Trigger
-No Turning Back(2x)
-Nouveau Riche
-November Coming Fire
-Nu:Tone
-Nuns Go Riot

*O*(10)
-The O'Haras
-The Ocean(2x)
-Officer Jones and His Patrol Car Problems(2x)
-Okkervil River
-Omar Perry
-Omerta
-Omission
-One Voice
-Only for the sake of aching
-Out To Win

*P*(19)
-Palomine
-Paranoiacs
-Parkway Drive
-Passenger of Shit(2x)
-Pelican
-Pendulum
-Peter Pan Speedrock(2x)
-Le Peuple de l'Herbe
-The Pidgeon Detectives
-Placebo
-PN
-The Polyphonic Spree
-Praga Khan
-Primal Instinct(2x)
-The Prodigy
-Psalm (2x)
-Psy' Aviah
-Pulling Teeth
-Pushed Too Far

*Q*(1)
-Quest

*R*(17)
-Rafflesia (3x)
-The Rakes
-Realicide
-Red Dons
-The Revisions
-Rhythm To The Madness
-Righteous Jams
-Rik Mayhem (3x)
-Rise and Fall(2x)
-Ritual
-The Rones
-Rootman J
-The Roots
-Röyksopp
-Rudy Trouvé
-Ruimtezeevaarders (Played with)
-Ruiner

*S*(46)
-Salweno
-Sarah Bettens
-Scypus (2x)
-The Sedan Vault
-Sensual Noise (Played With)
-Servants of the Apocalyptic Goat Rave
-Settle the Score
-Set Your Goals
-The Setup(2x)
-Sgt. Pokes
-Shitmat
-Shredder
-Sickboy (7x)
-Silkie
-SimpleSongs
-Since the Flood
-Sioen
-Six Ft. Ditch(2x)
-Skarhead
-Skream
-Sleepingdog
-Slipknot
-The Smashing Pumpkins
-Snöras
-Social Distortion
-Solpher
-Soma
-Somatic Responses
-Sonic Youth
-Sopha
-Sophia
-Soulfly
-Sparta
-st. andries mc's
-Stekker
-Stijn
-The Streets
-The Struggle
-The Subways
-Suicidal Rap Orgy
-Sunpower(2x)
-Surge of Fury
-Sworn Enemy(4x)
-syn*error
-Syntheme
-System D

*T*(25)
-Team William(2x)
-teddy machinegun (2x)
-TEKvetamin
-Terror(2x)
-Thalita Voices Gospel Choir
-The Tabasco Collective
-The Teknoist(2x)
-Them Bones
-Think of One (2x)
-Time Decides
-Timer
-Tim Terror (2x)
-Tip Toe Topic
-Tirret (Played With)
-Titan
-tito (5x)
-Toecutter
-To Kill
-Tokota
-To the bone
-Trainwreck
-DJ Trax
-Trenchfoot
-Trigger the Bloodshed
-True Colors(2x)
-The Tuxedo Weasels

*U*(3)
-Uffie
-Uman
-U Roy

*V*(13)
-The Vains (3x)(Played With)
-Vanic(2x)
-The Van Jets
-Various Artists
-veaudeville
-Venetian Snares
-Versa (Played With)
-Verse
-Victims
-VIZOR
-Vogue
-Vorwärts Schöner Weltenkotzer
-Vuur

*W*(9)
-Walls of Jericho
-Warrior Queen
-Wawadadakwa
-What Price, Wonderland?
-Who Calls So Loud
-Wisdom in Chains
-Wontime(2x)
-World Collapse
-Woven Hand

*X*(3)
-X&trick
-Xample
-Xian

*Y*(1)
-Yevgueni

*Z*(9)
-Z.E.A.P. (2x)
-Zann(2x)
-Zeker Weten
-Zero Mentality
-Ziggy Electric
-Zita Swoon
-Zion Train
-Zionyouth Crew
-zoologie

Sat 2 Aug – Splendour in the Grass



For seasoned punters, Splendour in the Grass, a Byron Bay music festival considered by many to be the best in Australia, is synonymous with gumboots, and many of the shops in Byron Bay stock up in June in anticipation of a July windfall. There was no need this year though; since moving the festival into the first weekend of August last year, Splendour in the mud has become Splendour in the dust (there are those who are convinced that shifting the festival by a single week is responsible for the improvement). Don’t worry about the shopkeepers though, the gumboots still served for the nearly-washed-out writer’s festival the weekend before.

This was my first Byron Festival experience since the Byron Bay Arts and Music Festival in 1995. Memories are hazy, although I do remember Dirty Three being absolutely brilliant. I also recall that the festival back then had a real ‘Byron’ feel to it, with all that implies, and I was looking forward to the chilled out crowd – as a contrast to all the 20 y.o. dickheads running around at the last two Homebake Festivals in Sydney I've been to. Unfortunately the dickheads have discovered Byron; the abundance of drugged up boys with Rugby League brains and Rugby League manners, pushing everyone out of their way, were a real downside to this event. Not enough, however, to spoil the enjoyment of the great music and venue !

We arrived at the venue just in time for the end of Operator Please. Not much to say about these guys; they’re not my cup of tea and I’m sure they don’t care. The kids certainly seemed to like them though, judging by all the high pitched screaming from the Supertop ! The Music, on the other hand, are very much my cup of tea live – and – it seems – everyone else’s. The big blue tent was packed to the rafters of heaving bodies swaying to the music (capitalised or otherwise) and they got the best fan reaction of the day.



The only puzzle is why they were on so early. Musically, The Music's music can be a little repetitive (in the lounge room at least), with all the high pitched arm punching choruses, driving beats and angry guitars; but it's tailor made for a short set at a festival like this one, and they were for many the highlight of the day.

Gyroscope and The Fratellis came and went. I wasn't really familiar with either of these bands, and already their gigs are blurred in my mind, but I do remember enjoying both of them despite the lack of familiarity. Gyroscope in particular played with a real energy which suggests bigger things to come. I had heard great things about Band of Horses and had been meaning to give them a spin for a while. I wasn't disappointed - the show was great, both musically and as a spectacle; and even if the crowd reaction at the smaller 'GW McLennan Tent' wasn't as passionate as for The Music, this was my highlight of the day. These guys are a band I'll be keeping an eye on.



I'd also heard great things about The Polyphonic Spree and was looking forward to seeing their much praised live show. On paper it sounded great; multi-instrumental, with operatic influences, parallels to the The Beach Boysand The Flaming Lips, and (according to a recent interview) 'definitely not a gimmick'; it sounded right up my musical alley. The show itself was spectacular, from the build up behind the red curtain; the colourful stage props, through to the exciting light show. However (you saw it coming, didn't you) the music itself let me cold. Tuneful and happy, yet somewhat soulless; it reminded me more than anything else of a musical meeting a church choir - think Godspell - and I certainly won't be rushing out to buy the CDs.



Which brings us to Devo, the headline act for Day One if not the entire festival. It was a strange choice of headline act, and certainly the crowd was noticeably smaller and more subdued that for The Music and the other bands earlier in the afternoon. Although they'd resent being called a novelty act (and certainly their longevity belies that tag) it has been literally decades since Devo had done anything musically significant, and even an oldie and almost fan from the old days like myself was struggling to recall more than a handful of songs.

First things first - yes, they still wear the flower pots and boiler suits. While that's to be admired, there's no hiding age, and what was quirky on 20 year-olds looked - as much as I hate to say it - pretty ridiculous on a bunch of middle-aged guys.



Musically the gig was fine without being inspirational. Whip It was whipped out early and rushed through, and their version of Satisfaction, so inspirational in its time, seemed limp. Girl You Want and Beautiful World were better - and I'm definitely glad I saw them, yet somehow I expected more from Devo.



In good news just to hand, the Byron Bay Arts and Music Festival is being resurrected in the New Year after a 12 year absence. Stay tuned for part 2 of the Splendour in the Grass review ... and sorry about the crap title, if you've got this far.

Broken Social Scene
Girl Talk
The Bravery
Kimya Dawson
Radiohead
Uh Huh Her
Kanye West
Bloc Party
Paul Baribeau
Cat Power
Spoon
Explosions in the Sky
Brand New
Gogol Bordello
Iron & Wine
Okkervil River
Blues Traveler
Mason Jennings
Keller Williams
The Polyphonic Spree
The Format
The Go! Team
mewithoutYou
Manchester Orchestra
MGMT
Foals
Against Me!
Why?
Mount Eerie

In January, I wrote that I would interested in seeing what music would be in my Top 10 six months from starting the account. I predicted that Ben Harper would fall out; that Joe Purdy, Nickel Creek and Damien Rice would stay; and that I didn’t know where Sarah McLachlan would be.

In April I updated and noticed that three artists dropped out, but Ben Harper wasn’t one of them. I also predicted a slew of bands might make it into the top ten, but oddly, none of them did.

In honor of LastFM’s new Top 15, I now give you James’ top 15 after half a year of scrobbing a little over 23,000 tracks.

1. Joe Purdy (1-1-1) - Still number 1. I haven’t listened to him as much. I joined emusic.com so I am getting a little more new music every month. Joe still is a go to guy when it comes to a pick me up. I am starting to like You Can Tell Georgia more than Julie Blue. Great album.

2. Nickel Creek (4-2-2) – Lately I have picked Nickel Creek back up. I love the Why Should the Fire Die album, plus I picked up a couple of live tracks. One is from this great compilation of Austin City Limits tracks that I picked up.

3. Antioch Community Church (NR-NR-3) – This is my home church, and as I look, they should probably actually be number 2, but I “misscrobbled” a couple of hundred tracks under a band named “ACC.” So, I can’t vouch for the other band.

4. R.E.M. (NR-NR-4) – I saw them in concert recently with Modest Mouse and The National. Great show. I loaded up on a couple of older CDs of theirs and their new album Accelerate isn’t bad either. This feels like rekindling an old flame as I loved R.E.M. for so long.

5. The Polyphonic Spree (5-3-5) – Just haven’t been “feeling” Polyphonic lately. I guess I am not depressed enough to look to them for happy emotions. Their first album still rocks though!

6. Damien Rice (6-4-6) – I love Damien Rice. I could listen to O every day. I recently introduced the girl I am dating to Eskimo. She loved it. Damien Rice is just raw emotion and I love it.

7. Kelly Clarkson (9-7-7) – So, I got that disputed album My December. Just not that big a fan. The quality is there, just not the same energy. Or maybe, I just feel like she is making the same kind of albums. Either way, don’t know if Kelly will hold out in the top ten through the end of the year.

8. Belle and Sebastian (NR-10-8) – I love Dear Catastrophe Waitress, recently picked up The Boy With the Arab Strap and If You’re Feeling Sinister, and own Tigermilk as well. I like their creativity and energy.

9. The Frames (NR-NR-9) – Huh? How about that? I didn’t realize that I had been listening to a lot of frames lately. I love Glen Hansard (currently 26th and 47th with Marketa Irglova). I saw Glen and Marketa in concert and doubt I will ever see a better show…well, maybe a better opening act, because I wasn’t a fan of Martha Wainwright.

10. Dixie Chicks (NR-NR-10) – There have just been some Dixie Chicks days lately. I think musically they digressed on the newest album, but the emotional content and simplicity they use are nice.

11. The Steeldrivers (NR-8-11) – Aww. My love has obviously wained a bit. But The Steeldrivers are still great. Imagine bluegrass with a voice as intense as Eddie Vedder's instead of happy like Dolly Parton’s. Great album.

12. Jars of Clay (NR-NR-12) – Jars was probably just off the top both other times. They are basically one of only a handful of Christian bands I can stomach. Their live, acoustic stuff is great. Great, great band that has made it for over 15 years. That is cool.

13. Norah Jones (NR-6-13) – I haven’t been listening to her or The Little Willies much. I blame the new music. But like Sarah McLachlan, she will always be around. Such a smooth voice. She is amazing.

14. Ben Harper (2-5-14) Just as I predicted long ago. Ben Harper just never was really on my radar outside of two or three songs. I have listened to him a little lately, but I doubt I will remember much of his music for a long time.

15. The Fray (NR-NR-15) – Guilty pleasure! I know; it’s ooey-gooey pop-rock. I still think that How To Save A Life may be one of my favorite albums overall since Lifehouse’s No Name Face. Depending on the day I go back and forth on even what track is my favorite. I think Vienna is one of the prettiest tracks I have heard.

16-20 – Wilco,