I heard that on the radiio this morning. Horrifying.

"Song to the Siren" by This Mortal Coil.

Just added this to the Goth(ish) video tape. You have to admire a record label owner who puts together his own superstar cover band just to do his favorite tunes. I mean - that's what I'd do if I had a record label.

My Top Ten of 2004:

1. Fiery Furnaces – Blueberry Boat.
2. Wilco – A Ghost Is Born
3. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs
4. Mike Watt – The Secondman’s Middle Stand
5. Liars – They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
6. The Streets – A Grand Don’t Come For Free
7. Mission of Burma – ONoffON
8. Deerhoof – Milk Man
9. Will Johnson – Vultures Await
10. Shearwater – Winged Life

Excluded: Brian Wilson - SMiLE, which is really a long-delayed 1967 release. If it were on the list, it would be #2.

Close but not quite: TV on the Radio - Desperate Youths, Bloodthirsty Babes, Mekons - Punk Rock, Iron & Wine - Endless Numbered Days, Madvillain - Madvillainy.

Haven't heard but mean to, 'cause I think I'd like 'em: Panda Bear, R. Buckner, the New Year, Ted Leo, Mountain Goats, Stereolab, Tom Waits, American Music Club, Carla Bozulich, Nels Cline, Arcade Fire, Oneida, Hella, MF Doom (Mmm... Food), McLusky, controller.controller, and Comets on Fire.

Great re-releases: Talking Heads - The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads, Can's first four albums, and the Go-Betweens' 4th-6th albums.

Oneida

Have you ever listened to these guys, Hayden? Papa Crazee, who's no longer with them, is married to my bro-in-law's little sister. Nice guy. I think he's leading a country band now, although that may be on hiatus (not sure if he's done rehabbing from a serious injury.)

David, I have some questions for you in the books thread. Thanks in advance for your answers. Got my copy of LITG yesterday. I don't know if I'm the only one whose copy was kind of eccentrically packaged, but it showed up in a big square of cardboard, maybe 2'x2', flat except for the book. What's up with that?

I've only heard their split EP with the Liars and a p-sychedelic track that a friend put on a mix. All good.

No copy of LITG yet, though.

Just added this to the Goth(ish) video tape. You have to admire a record label owner who puts together his own superstar cover band just to do his favorite tunes. I mean - that's what I'd do if I had a record label.

I loved 4AD, when it was around. More than any other label since, what, Chess? You always knew what you were going to get with them, and it was always going to be good.

And Elizabeth Fraser's voice just makes me melt. Well, my heart melts. Other parts of me do . . . . other things. Things which could easily be described as diametrically opposed to melting.

But the sexiest female voice, like, ever? Early Annie Lennox.

I've just acquired a copy of Miles Davis - Live at Fillmore East March 7, 1970: It's About That Time, which is the most insanely great live album I've ever heard. This band, which apparently only existed for a very brief time (besides Miles, there's Wayne Shorter on sax [4 days before leaving to form the kinda lame Weather Report], Chick Corea on Rhodes [distorted so much that I thought he was John McLaughlin on guitar at first], Dave Holland on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Airto Moreira on percussion) is so incredibly in tune with each other, you'd think they were sextuplets. In particular, I'm amazed by the start-stop synchronicity at random times in "Masqualero" and "Bitches Brew." But there's no point where anyone is just showing off -- the music is as passionate and wild and emotional as live music can possibly be.

What's up with that?

I have no idea. Still waiting for my copies.

Is it a bootleg, Hayden, or an official release? Is McLaughlin on it? Wait... "sextuplets," I guess no Johnny Mac. If you wanted to send me a copy I wouldn't object or anything. And I promise I'll finally get RT at the Bayou and EDO burned & send them to you. (Actually that phrasing's pretty funny given the band's proclivities. Eliot: "This song, like all our songs, is a true story and a love song." Yanni: "And it's about drugs." Eliot: "This song, like all our songs, is a true story and a love song. And it's about drugs.")

I love Dave Holland. His playing on "Mademoiselle Mabry" is one of my favorite things. And the interplay with Tony Williams... there is a God!

"I'm not a good person to ask about Miles," Holland replied. "Because every time he played his horn, even only one note, magic happened for me. It didn't matter what was under or over it."

Is it a bootleg, Hayden, or an official release?

It's official, Joe. And I would guess you'd love the hell out of it. It's after Bitches Brew was recorded, but before it was released. No Zawinul, no Johnny Mac. It churns like Jack Johnson, but Miles & Shorter are playing clean - no distortion or effects. And it's the best I've ever heard Wayne Shorter. He sounds like late Quartet era Coltrane, but, y'know, with funk. I've already built it up a lot, so I'll shut up, but it took me completely by surprise.

Edit - Oh, and Holland sounds the best I've ever heard him, too.