Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark *

Gotta get this up before PF gets its review out. We predict a 7.2. Actual rating: 8.2. Point differential: 1.0.

The Whigs - Mission Control

Don't know too much about this band, but I've read reviews that compare it to The Clash, The Who, The Replacements, Pavement and a few others I can’t remember right now. The inclusion of Pavement in that list intrigues me...

I’ll probably pick this one up. I'll let you know what I think. For now, I predict a 7.8. Actual rating: pending. Point differential: TBC.

Promising start to 2008

Missed by 0.1 on new The Magnetic Fields album!

Black Mountain – Into the Future *

Everything you need to know about this band can be summed up thusly: Art Collective. I predict a 7.9. Actual rating: 7.4. Point differential: 0.5.

The Magnetic Fields – Distortion *

Has it really been almost a decade since 69 Love Songs was released? Like many other people I took my favourite songs from those three albums and made a one-cd best-of. It was excellent. Will this regular-length Magnetic Fields cd be as good as my personal best-of cd? Probably not. Every one of those songs was brilliant.

At the same time, PF gave 69 Love Songs a rating of 9.0. I find that astoundingly high. Maybe it got extra marks for thematic execution.

I don’t see how this latest Magnetic Fields album will get more than an 8.1, and it won’t include anywhere close to as much “filler” as 69 Love Songs. More proof that all art is subjective, and record reviews are stupid. Actual rating: 8.0. Point differential: 0.1.

Marah – Angels of Destruction

I once had an English teacher named Mr. Stalmach. He was old and had an odd way of writing on the chalkboard, with his elbow bent awkwardly way out from his body. I used to refer to the time spent in his classes as The Stalmachian Age. Nobody thought it was funny then either.

Which brings me to the latest age: Springsteenian. Or, as it is known by its scientific name, Bossism. Def. Bands whose albums, or, in some cases entire careers, are based on the influence of Bruce Springsteen.

The Killers would qualify for Sam’s Town. The Hold Steady too, not only for its general musical similarity, but for writing my favourite Boss song ever that was not written or performed by the Boss: You Can Make Him Like You. Then there would be the gold standard in Springsteenian: Marah, which would be responsible for approving every other band’s entry into this esteemed category.

Springsteenian. It could be…no, it should be its own musical category. Write your congressman today!

Prediction: 6.4. Actual rating: pending. Point differential: TBD.

Which province is that in?

I've heard people refer to Canada as part of the U.S., but never before the other way around.

British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?

PF seems enthusiastic about this one, based on its review of the EP leading up to the album. For my first prediction of 2008, I'm going with a very 2008-like 7.6. Actual rating: pending. Point differential: TBD.

Let's try again

I only have one New Year's Resolution: to do everything I meant to do in 2007 but didn't due to laziness, procrastination, etc.

It's not a long list, but some of the items are time-consuming. They are mostly creative indulgences; new and worthy ones get added to the list as my brain snatches them from the ether. The list includes more predicting of new albums.

Which I guess means I have a sub-resolution: to not be lazy and not procrastinate. This is obviously key to the achievement of my main resolution, but really it's the same thing in the end. Because after all, if I get everything done that I meant to get done, then I haven't been lazy and haven't procrastinated.

It's an exciting time to be me.