My RSS Feeds
Favorite Albums of 2006
There was a time not so long ago when I bought every album I heard good things about. I heard a song I liked, I picked up the CD. When the year-end "Best Ofs" came out, I knew almost every disc they mentioned. I call this time "The Time When I Had Money."
2006 was not a stellar year financially, so I haven't been able to purchase as many CDs as I want to. In fact, I try to avoid Best Buy like recovering alcoholics avoid the bar. So while I'm giving you a Top Ten List, please know there was much I didn't hear that I would have liked to.
And that’s what the comments are for. Please, by all means, argue and disagree with me. If you heard some great music this year, tell me about it! If an album disappointed you, bitch it out! Let’s get a discussion rolling.
First, let’s discuss what I heard this year that didn’t make the cut.
The Killers, Sam's Town (C)
The very definition of a "Sophomore Slump." I don't mind a band not living up to expectations, but when the band itself creates those expectations, it's much harder to forgive. No, Brandon Flowers, not only is this not "one of the best albums of the past twenty years," it's not the best album of yours, and you've made two. No, it's not up there with Born In The USA, it's not even up there with Lucky Town. To be honest, it kinda sucks. Like, kinda really sucks. Particularly obnoxious is all the talk about how they were trying to make a Springsteen-style album, apparently forgetting that the reason most of America idolizes the man is because he sings from the gut, with absolute sincerity and conviction. The Killers are the complete and total opposite of that. I've heard better Springsteen impressions at state fairs, seriously.
Best Songs: "When You Were Young," "Read My Mind"
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium (C+)
The only thing more cliched than the rock star Double Album is saying of those albums "This would have made a better single disc." But it has to be said here. In a perfect world, this would have continued the remarkable creative streak they had going this decade, but this is not a perfect world, and there are far too many songs and not enough variety.
Best Songs: "Dani California," "Tell Me Baby"
Eagles of Death Metal, Death By Sexy (B-)
The first half of this album is fantastic, a total blast. Then the act starts to wear pretty thin.
Best Songs: I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)," "I Gotta Feelin' (Just Nineteen)," "Cherry Cola"
Flaming Lips, At War With The Mystics (B-)
For some reason insanely long song titles really annoy me, (see Decemberists) and this album is full of them. As for the music, it creates a definite mood, it's definitely like a "getting high and seeing visions" kind of album. Since I don't really smoke pot, I found it all...moderately entertaining.
Best Songs: "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)," "Free Radicals"
Pearl Jam, Pearl Jam (C)
Best Songs: "Unemployable," "Come Back"
Mates of State, Bring It Back (C+)
Eh.
Very poppy, husband and wife singers, keyboard and drums. They do sing in a perfect harmony with each other, and they have a cool sound, but the songs all sound alike and it gets pretty old pretty fast. Also, I hate to judge a book by its cover, but I can't enjoy music made by the gentleman looking at me up there.
On the final song, when the chick's singing: "I'm tired of singing!" over and over and over and over I just kept thinking "THEN FUCKING STOP!"
Best Songs: "Think Long," "For The Actor"
The Long Winters, Putting the Days To Bed (B)
Solid pop/rock music, frustratingly bland one minute, incredibly catchy and powerful the next. It's peppered with some highly memorable melodies here and there and a couple of genuinely outstanding songs. The guy's voice is an acquired taste, and I didn't acquire it. They do know how to create some explosive choruses that stick in the brain.
Best Songs: "Pushover," "Ultimatum"
Elvis Costello, My Flame Burns Blue (C+)
Elvis is in incredible voice in this live concert with the Metropolitan Orchestra. It’s all in jazz style, which is pretty cool when he’s reworking his rock songs and kind of dull otherwise. Experimentation is great, but I always just wish EC would stick to what he does best.
Best Songs: "Watching The Detectives," "God Give Me Strength"
Jay-Z, Kingdom Come (B-)
Like Outkast, this suffers from expectations. What could top The Black Album? Certainly not this. It's a pretty solid collection of tunes, but nothing special. Rapping about how cool it is that you're still at it in your 30's and you run a huge corporation? Not exactly gangsta, Jay. Having CHRIS MARTIN OF COLDPLAY guest on a track??? Jigga, please!
Best Songs: "Anything," "Lost Ones"
Keane, Under The Iron Sea (D+)
Yaaaaaaawn! This was a gift by the way, never would have picked this up on my own. Listened to this twice and I can't remember a thing, except repeatedly checking to see how many more minutes there were of a terrible song called "The Frog Prince." Immediately, powerfully forgettable. If Radiohead is Seinfeld and Coldplay is Friends, Keane is season three of Caroline In The City.
Best Songs: "Is It Any Wonder?"
Rhett Miller, The Believer (C+)
Rhett Miller is the main songwriter and singer for one of my favorite bands of all time, The Old 97s. As far as I'm concerned, no band has blended country and rock better, and their masterpiece Too Far To Care would probably land on a list of my top ten favorite albums. Since then, they've headed in a much more pop direction, and that's been great too, very Kinksy/Beatlesy. I miss the country touches, but I still love the band and their music.
Then Rhett Miller decided he needed to drop a solo CD. Left one of the greatest live bands out there, recorded on his own, toured with a band that looked exactly like the Old 97s minus the awesomeness. That album, The Instigator, had some good moments, "Come Around," "Our Love," and "Terrible Vision" being standouts, but on the whole it felt like watered down 97s. And now comes another solo joint, and this one's been watered almost past the point of recognition.
When I opened up the case and saw Rhett Miller staring at me with a $500 haircut and a purple shirt unbuttoned to the navel, I knew I was in for some problems. It's pleasant enough, but knowing what this guy can do with his band, I just kept asking myself why. Most obnoxiously, he chose to re-record two excellent 97s tracks for this solo album. Huh? The first do-over is "Singular Girl, once an Old 97s B-side that was mind-blowingly great. Here, it's reduced to tepid power pop. His acoustic marriage song "Question" was such a lovely little highlight of the 97s' Satellite Rides, and here he just...sings it again. Exactly the same, except now it sounds lame and, in turn, cheapens the original. What could be his reason for putting the exact same song on two albums?
And I would pay money to see the Old 97s try and stomach a song like "I'm With Her." They'd crucify him, and rightfully so.
Rhett, I like money too, friend. But this has to stop.
Best Songs: "Fireflies," "Delicate"
*****************************************************
And without further ado, the Top 25:
25) Tom Petty, Highway Companion
Great, meat and potatoes, laid back rock and roll. Petty's strength is always the singles, and he's got another winner here with "Saving Grace," which manages to make the world's oldest riff sound fresh and exciting. Love that song. Perfect driving music. I still say his last truly great album was Wildflowers, but it's good to see he's still got it.
Best Songs: "Saving Grace," "Square One," "Flirting With Time"
24) Cat Power, The Greatest
Maybe not the greatest, Cat. But very pretty music, good going to sleep stuff. This is the first album of hers I've heard, apparently she's a real nutcase. Sustains a great, floating-on-air kind of vibe. Title track is phenomenal.
Best Songs: "The Greatest," "After It All"
23) Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere
Very original, sounds like little else, so props right there. Obviously there weren't many better songs this year than "Crazy." Fun and inventive. Major bonus points for the Violent Femmes cover.
Best Songs: "Crazy," "Gone Daddy Gone"
22) Outkast, Idlewild
It's always sort of a Big Boi/Andre 3000 competition on their albums these days, and I'm happy to say Big Boi really grabs the lead with the one, mixing the rap with soul while Andre 3000 goes further into jazz. This album is only a disappointment because they've set the bar so high in the past, their last three albums were hip-hop classics. This is not, but it is fun and way better than reviews gave it credit for. It's certainly better than the movie.
IMPORTANT: For the love of God, if you pick this up...NEVER LISTEN TO THE LAST SONG. It is called "A Bad Note" for a reason, it sounds like an obese woman rolling around on a piano while Sonic Youth rehearses a D-Side in the next room.
Best Songs: "The Train," "Morris Brown"
21) The Decemberists, The Crane Wife
I have major problems with this album, but what's great on it is great indeed. I don't really see the need for the 12 minute songs, especially the second track (the one with the catchy title: "The Island: Come and See/The Landlord's Daughter/You'll Not Feel The Drowning), which is almost unbearable. The first two minutes of that song actually ARE unbearable, and almost had me throwing the CD away. "Sons and Daughters" sounds like Peter, Paul, and Mary. "Shankhill Butchers" and "The Perfect Crime #2" sound like Sweeney Todd rejects. The song "When The War Came" might be the worst song of the year, and nearly derails the entire album.
And yet...everything else is fantastic.
Best Songs: "Yankee Bayonette," "O Valencia," "The Crane Wife Part 3," (Called Part 3, but it's the first song on the album! Isn't that crazy!)
20) Nelly Furtado, Loose
Hard to call something this great a guilty pleasure. I am not a fan of this genre of music, but nobody does this better than Timbaland. No other hip-hop producer comes close. I love him so much I briefly considered picking up Justin Timberlake's new album. (I just can't). His production mixed with the spicy Latin Furtado flava is pretty irresistible. You've all heard "Promiscuous," but even that hook-laden piece of work can't compare with "Maneater," which rivals "Sexyback" as the pop song of the year. You should be dancing/working out/questioning your sexuality to this song.
Best Songs: "Maneater," "No Hay Igual," "Promiscuous," "Afraid"
19) Thom Yorke, The Eraser
Sort of the music equivalent of The Good Shepherd, maybe it was just too cold for a mass audience. Very chilly, spare recordings, doesn't offer the dynamic bombast of Radiohead, but an interesting side project, and a perfect hangover record. Speaking of Timberlake, imagine him singing the album's best song: "The Eraser." Bet it would have been a smash.
Best Songs: "The Eraser," "Black Swan," "Harrowdown Hill"
18) Johnny Cash, American V: A Hundred Highways
The "weakest" of the Cash/Rubin collaborations, but that's probably because Cash was at his weakest when he recorded it. I think IV was his definitive statement on death, so this one felt a little redundant to me, but I'm glad these final recordings were released, though they are hard to listen to at times.
Now, who's got a shotgun?
Best Songs: "God's Gonna Cut You Down," "If You Could Read My Mind," "I Came To Believe"
17) Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Show Your Bones
Better produced and more conventionally rocktastic than their previous album, it's a more satisfying listen and a great rock record. Doesn't contain any tracks as classic as "Maps," but few albums do. Dig that solo on "Gold Lion."
Best Songs: "Gold Lion," "Way Out," "Cheated Hearts," "Phenomenon"
16) Elvis Costello and Allan Toussaint, The River In Reverse
Elvis, it's hard to be a fan of yours sometimes. It really is. Every year, I hear you have a new album coming out, and I cream my jeans. Then details emerge, and I find out it's going to be you playing jazz piano and singing about how in love with your wife you are (North), or you playing with some fucking classical quintet (The Juliet Letters). When I heard your new one would be a collaboration with some old dude I've never heard of, I expected the worst. But I got a pleasant surprise.
Allen Toussaint is actually a very cool cat, and this mix of his songs, Elvis' songs, and songs they wrote together is a highly entertaining, funkadelic listen that gave my old white man shoulders a workout while driving down the street.
Best Songs: "Tears, Tears, and More Tears," "All These Things" "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?" "Wonder Woman"
15) Bruce Springsteen, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
We discussed a bad Springsteen ripoff earlier with The Killers, we'll discuss a great Springsteen ripoff later on in the countdown, but for now, let's talk about The Man himself. As much as I love him, I put off listening to this for quite a while, as it just sounded dull and I hate folk music. Loved this. It feels like it was recorded live, it's just a big, exciting blast of trumpets, guitars, fiddles, drums, and The Voice. Who knew these old, musty songs could kick so much ass?
Special notice must be paid to "How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live?" Springsteen updated the lyrics to reference Hurricane Katrina and the song is devastating. It's only on the special edition so that's the one to get. Check this out:
There's bodies floatin' on canal and the levee's gone to Hell. Martha, get me my sixteen gauge and some dry shells. Them who's got got out of town. And them who's not got left to drown. Tell me how can a poor man stand such times and live?
And any idea who this might be a shot at?
"Me and my old school pals had some mighty high times down here.
And what happened to you poor black folks, well it just ain't fair"
He took a look around, gave a little pep talk. Said "I'm with you," then he took a little walk.
Best Songs: "How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live?" "Pay Me My Money Down" "Old Dan Tucker"
14) Tapes N' Tapes, The Loon
I kept hearing "Sounds like the Pixies meets Pavement!" and I could resist no longer. Very cool stuff, HIGHLY influenced by those bands and others, "Insistor" could have been on Surfer Rosa, but they do find their own voice and they could grow into a really exciting band. Never a dull moment. and "Omaha" shows they can really nail ballads too.
Best Songs: "Insistor," "Omaha"
13) Belle and Sebastian, The Life Pursuit
Highly catchy pop music, the first half in particular is incredible. I'd avoided this band for years, this was the first album I've heard and I'll be dipping into the back catalog. Probably the best album of its kind since New Pornographers' Twin Cinema. (NOTE: Not THAT awesome, but similar). The songs below are just about perfect.
Best Songs: "The Blues Are Still Blue," "Another Sunny Day," "Act Of The Apostle"
12) The Beatles, Love
The buzz band of the year, these "Beatles" could be talents to watch.
I was very confused as to what this album even was, and the fact that it is a Cirque de Soleil soundtrack didn't inspire confidence, but it's pretty awesome. Basically, George Martin, their old producer, remixes Beatles classics so they sound incredible. And he also experiments with some mash-ups, making little medleys, putting vocals from one song over music of another, using alternate takes, acoustic takes, live takes, different arrangements, etc. It's a blast for Beatles fans, it gives you a chance to hear this music with fresh ears, which is quite an accomplishment for songs most people have heard thousands of times.
Best Songs: "Strawberry Fields Forever," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "A Day In The Life"
11) The Streets, The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
The Streets' (basically just one man, by the way) last album is one of my top ten hip-hop albums of all time, a concept record called A Grand Don't Come For Free. Naturally, this follow-up seemed like a letdown at first, but repeat listens have proven it's a worthy successor. All the British slang makes this feel like discovering a new world, the lyrics are just as sharp as ever, and the harmonies are just as wonderfully off-key.
He's also one of the few rappers to do rap ballads, and they're surprisingly never awful. "All Goes Out The Window" is one of the best songs about infidelity I've heard.
Best Songs: "When You Wasn't Famous," "All Goes Out The Window," "Never Went To Church"
10) Ghostface Killah, Fishscale
With all the samples, this is basically a soul album, and one hell of a soul album. Lyrically, there are few rappers at this level. The description he goes into with each song, the storytelling, the humor, it's quite the package. Although it's about time to put a moratorium on the sketches and skits between tracks.
Best Songs: "Back Like That," "Be Easy" "Kilo"
9) TV On The Radio, Return To Cookie Mountain
My old band played a show with some terribly pretentious band who claimed to "specialize in soundscapes." SOUNDSCAPES! Well, TV On The Radio is a band who could accurately make that claim, they have an overwhelming, carefully designed "Sound" that is so much at once, it definitely takes several listens for the songs and melodies and backup vocals and "oohs" and "aahs" to sink in. Once they do, this is highly addictive music, covering all sorts of genres and all sorts of styles. Some incredible rock songs here, none better than "Wolf Like Me."
Best Songs: "Wolf Like Me," "I Was A Lover" "Province," "Tonight"
8) The Raconteurs, Broken Boy Soldiers
A genius pairing, Brendan Benson and Jack White are two great tastes who taste great together. Love those harmonies. This is a fucking fantastic album, ten songs and out. Not a bad track here.
Best Songs: "Steady, As She Goes," "Together," "Intimate Secretary," "Broken Boy Soldier"
7) The Strokes, First Impressions of Earth
It took me almost a year to like this album. I was so disappointed by it at first, and while I still don't think it holds a candle to their first two, (too many bum tracks near the end) there's some amazing stuff on here, most notably the unstoppable first five songs. Oh, and for those who bitch about his lyrics, "On The Other Side" is the most scarily accurate description of the emotions I go through when I drink I could have ever imagined:
I hate them all, I hate them all. I hate myself for hating them. So I'll drink some more, I'll love them all. I'll drink even more, I'll hate them even more than I did before.
Best Songs: "Razorblade," "You Only Live Once" "Heart In A Cage," "On The Other Side"
6) Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, Rabbit Fur Coat
Gorgeous country-pop from a gorgeous gal: Jenny Lewis, lead singer of Rilo Kiley. Terrific, one you can listen to the whole way through, and I listened to "The Big Guns" more than any other song this year.
Best Songs: "The Big Guns," "Handle With Care" "Born Secular," "Melt Your Heart," "Rise Up With Fists"
5) Beck, The Information
How can anyone be this consistently inventive and original while not losing an ounce of catchiness and fun? What an incredible, almost unbroken roll this guy is on. Sort of a Guero Part 2, this hits all of his career high points, from depressing ballads ("New Round" is as beautiful and sad as almost everything on Sea Change) to hip-hop freakouts to pop with ease.
Best Songs: "New Round," "Strange Apparition," "Nausea," "Think I'm In Love"
4) Bob Dylan, Modern Times
Not Dylan's best or even among his best as some overeager critics said when this came out. It's still fucking great, and "Thunder on the Mountain" kicks major ass. I kind of love this creepy Cryptkeeper voice he's rocking these days.
Best Songs: "Thunder on the Mountain," "Workingman's Blues #2," "Someday Baby"
3) The Hold Steady, Boys and Girls In America
Now here's a great Springsteen impression. I wasn't quite made a fan by their previous album, Separation Sunday, but this album takes what was good about that, makes it a million times better, and takes everything that didn't work before and fixes it. An enormous step forward, fantastic lyrics, great musicianship, and...well, better singing than before!
And bonus points for giving Dave Pirner work.
Best Songs: "Chillout Tent" "You Can Make Him Like You," "Stuck Between Stations"
2) Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Probably the best working female vocalist, a modern-day Patsy Cline. She's on a short list with Kim Deal and Aretha Franklin of voices that make me wince in the best possible way. Sounds haunted. Listen to the harmonies on the chorus of "That Teenage Feeling," it'll make your stomach flip. "Hold On, Hold On" is one of my favorite songs of the year.
Best Songs: "Hold On, Hold On" "That Teenage Feeling," "Star Witness"
1) Morrissey, Ringleader of the Tormentors
For two decades now, Morrissey has sung about sex as something either frightening, disgusting, or unattainable. Well, the old bastard is finally getting some ass!
Some of the man's best singing, some real muscle in the music, and, of course, incredible lyrics, with special kudos to a genuine masterpiece about sex and fear and guilt: "Dear God, Please Help Me," which contains one astonishing, hilarious line after another.
"Then he motions to me with his hand on my knee. Dear God, did this kind of thing happen to you?"
And the jewel of the crown:
"There are exploding kegs...between my legs. Dear God, please help me."
Best Songs: "Dear God, Please Help Me," "I Will See You In Far Off Places," "You Have Killed Me," "I'll Never Be Anybody's Hero Now"
*****************************************************************************
Alright, let's hear it. Did you hate/love any/all of these? What were your favorite albums this year? Give me your lists!
Fuck yes. Great list. Haven't gotten a chance to listen to them all, but
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood and Rabbit Fur Coat should be included on
every top ten list. Not just of albums, but of all things that are good.
YAY for Nelly Furtado. Ballsy of you to put it out there, bet you'll get
made fun of, but it's probably my favorite CD this year. It's my gym cd for
sure...
I didn't know what "The Raconteurs" was when I went to Lollapalooza this
year but I saw them and found that I consider both Benson's and White's
non-Raconteurs careers each to be worlds better than the Raconteurs.
Benson has been a shoo-in for my "Top 10 favorite acts" since 1996 and his
ONE MISSISSIPPI is top-shelf for sure.
It maybe the only album on your list that I've heard, but I'm glad to see
Modern Times cracked your top 5. Dylan takes some unexpected directions (I
think) that work out extremely well. Some of the best new songs I've heard
in a while.
I haven't heard/heard off many of the albums on this list, so I won't go
into those, but one place I am definitely going to take issue is the Eagles
of Death Metal not making this list. Granted, their first album is better,
but they bring a dirty straight ahead rock that a lot of these albums just
don't have. All I want anymore is quality rock with nuts, and no one
brings that at all outside of The Eagles of Death Metal and The Queens of
the Stoneage anymore. The Foo Fighters went lame, so did Pearl Jam (see
above), and so I think there is very little left of solid rock anymore.
What could have they replaced:
As for my top five it would be:
One thing however that I think we can all agree about is that Tool's new
album shouldn't be near any greatest list, unless it is Greatest albums
that incorporate an ancient aztec death mask into their box design, and
then it should come second after the Beach Boy's Surfin' U.S.A. album.
Jackson,
Mike,
I think I'm older than you all, so don't make fun if these aren't cool, but
I loved the new Dixie Chicks CD and I also loved KT Tunstall's CD. Pat, if
i remember from the podcasts you watch "American Idol" so you might have
heard that girl with the big chest butcher one of KT's songs. Check it out!
You dislike long song titles but you're a big Morrisey/Smiths fan?
Does...not...compute...
Rebecca,
Great list Pat. My top ten would be ...
1.) The Hold Steady "Boys and Girls in America"
2.) The Decemberists "The Crane Wife"
3.) Bob Dylan "Modern Times"
4.) Belle & Sebastian "The Life Pursuit"
5.) Neko Case "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood"
6.) Cold War Kids "Robbers and Cowards"
7.) Beck "The Information"
8.) Heartless Bastards "All This Time"
9.) Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs "Show Your Bones"
10.) Raconteurs "Broken Boy Soldiers"
HI! I'm Lauren and I just want to tell you how much I love the new Pajama
Game revival CD! Harry Connick Jr is some kinda hunk! DREAMBOAT ALERT!
Patrick,
Goddamn you. Jenny Lewis was already one of my earliest crushes. She's
already one of my favorite musicians. Now you tell me she has huge boobs?
Fuck. Now I have to go beat the shit out of Jonathan Rice.
I don't know much about no music, but I do know a bunch about Caroline in
the City. That analogy was apt and hilarious.
Bryan,
PW, I have not had a chance to flip thru the latest Rolling Stone, but I
imagine you can answer this question: Who are queers on the cover?
Pat,
PS: I believe you are a fan of Elvis Costello - here's a story.
I get Rolling Stone and I'm ashamed of myself for it. I don't know why I
get it - perhaps in one of my weaker moments I agreed to a trial
subscription with an online purchase. In any case, I believe the queers in
question are Panic! at the Disco. (the exclamation point is essential)
Bryan,
Gentlemen,
PS: Elvis C. sang 'Long Journey Home' and damn he was belting out those
lyrics like he was going into battlle - very cool. Here's a taste:
Pat - I LOVE Nelly Furtado's Maneater, but for some reason they didn't play
it much here. I actually requested the dj to play it in four separate
clubs. Three djs did not play it and one told me he'd try to squeeze it in
but he thought it would kill the crowd. I'm glad it made the list. I feel
validated.
Hey Pat,
I'm going to have to defend Panic! At the Disco--I'm not saying they're
deep, incredibly talented musicians or anything, but their album is
INCREDIBLY fun and one you can listen to over and over. Also love Fall Out
Boy, but their recent albums have been nowhere near as good as their first.
Also one of my favorite albums of 2006 was A.F.I.'s December
Underground...not their best, but a great album--and they're AWESOME live.
JJ,
Pat,
Tully,
Pat,
Worlds better. I said it and MEANT it. Like, "I wouldn't by the
Raconteurs album" better.
Tully,
Oh yeah, a bit late to this discussion but a few other worthy albums last
year... "Amputechture" by the Mars Volta. Surely it falls short of their
fantastic "Frances the Mute", but still it is far more interesting than the
vast majority of music being produced. And "Mr. Beast" by Mogwai. Are
these guys popular? I live in a pop culture vacuum so I have no idea.
Again, this isn't their best album (I would give that honor to "Happy Songs
for Happy People") but still worth a listen.
"The Hardest Button To Button" (is that the name of the song?) had a
decently neat video, but the song was well overplayed (and kinda dull in my
humble estimation to begin with)! At least on MTV2. In Europe. Which is
where I was when it was being overplayed on MTV2...there. And my friend
who lived there, with whom I was staying, would watch MTV2 to no small
degree of excess. Yes, he sucks.
Hi. I see your tastes include Elvis Costello. Do you ever listen to Diana
Krall?