1. How did you get into 29?
Sun Kil Moon - Driving at night from Watkins Glenn through Montour Falls. It was a very confusing time in my life, I was in the backseat of the Ouca van, Elijah was driving and Willa was in the passenger seat. The song
Carry Me Ohio haunted me.
2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22?
Fruit Bats -
The Old Black Hole was the first song I heard from Fruit Bats, as it is the first track on their debut album. I was drawn to their music as they sounded much like
The Shins, who I was devoted to at the time.
3. What's your favorite lyric by 33?
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - "Wait for me another year or two/ I will graduate and marry you" from
Oregon Girl
4. How did you get into 49?
These United States - When Alexandra was living with me for a few short weeks in Harlem I took her downtown to see
Horse Feathers at the Knitting Factory. These United States opened for them.
5. How many albums by 13 do you own?
Phosphorescent - I own
Pride on vinyl, but digitally I have five (and one daytrotter session).
6. What is your favorite song by 50?
Music Tapes - I really like
Freeing Song For Reindeer, though
The Television Tells Us is a favorite as well, since it makes me think of that singing vintage TV, Static.
7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad?
Rogue Wave -
Temporary always makes me think of a time when I was very vulnerable and searching for some stability.
8. What is your favorite song by 15?
Horse Feathers -
Like Lavender will probably always be my favorite song by this artist. Certain things always stay the same.
9. What is your favorite song by 5?
Iron & Wine - Lord, tough call. I'm inexplicably drawn to the first album, though it has cemented itself as a pill crucial to ingest whole. As a stand alone song, I think
Carouselis my favorite.
10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy?
Happiness isn't
Luke Temple's strong suit, but when I hear
the owl song I often find myself grinning.
11. What is the worst song by 41?
Via Audio - Though they have such solid material, the duet
presentsalways bores me.
12. What is your favorite song by 10?
Bowerbirds - I have to admit that I hold the song
Dark Horse is very special to me as it makes reference to the 'great upstate of New York' and for that I will always love them.
13. What is a good memory you have involving 30?
Akron/Family - I went to see this band for the first time on Valentines day up in a euro-trash club in Greenpoint. I went with Elijah and we ate gummy bears before the set, and during the performance I met Tiel Reardon, and at the end of the show we rode the train together and have been friends since.
14. What is your favorite song by 38?
Great Lake Swimmers -
Song for the Angels is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. It fills me with love and the desire to make it.
15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy?
Love -
Orange Skies is a song so cheerful it could only be fully appreciated on a journey with friends. I hope I get to experience that soon.
16. Is there a song by 25 that makes you sad?
Elf Power - I never thought about it before, but
Elf Power is a generally optimistic force in my life. I find comfort in the familiarity of the songs and the messages of hope. However,
The Arrow Flies Close is a bit sad.
17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23?
Van Morrison - Actively the first song by Van Morrison I listened to was
And It Stoned Me, though I'm sure I'd heard others before growing up.
18. What's your favorite lyric by 11?
Calexico - "I'm gonna walk these streets of cold concrete / Like I'm a ghost searching for its grave / Then I'll dwell by the edge of this man made lake / And descend into the city that holds no place for me" from
Man Made Lake
19. Who is your favorite member of 1?
of Montreal - This is a hard question. In certain respects you might be able to argue that there is only one member of oM, as Kevin Barnes isolates himself and comes back with an album made entirely on his own. Still, without the impact of the live show, they never would have achieved the acclaim they currently enjoy. In that setting The B.P. easily steals the show with his wily charms. Bryan is someone I know and respect as both a person and a musician, so probably Beeps. Still, I wish I could have an afternoon to get to know Kevin outside of his stage persona.
20. Is there a song by 14 that makes you happy?
The Snake the Cross the Crown -
Gypsy Melodies always lifts my spirits!
21. What is a good memory involving 27?
Sufjan Stevens - Pfft... I dunno. There was that one summer where Soupjam was all the rage with everyone. I would go from my car to Chazland to Eli's Ouca van to Willa's house and feel like I never missed a beat off Illinoise...
22. What is your favorite song by 16?
The Kinks - That's a really tough call. Toss up between
Strangersand
Picture Book.
23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47?
Grandaddy - Hell yeah, I remember it like it was yesterday. Charles and I were lazing about, watching MTV in our youth when a rather unusual music video came on, featuring a song that was way too cool for MTV. It was
Crystal Lake, and the video featured a flying shack that landed in the middle of a big city, where the hillbilly inhabitants took some time to explore. It also featured a dancing bear. Look it up on Youtube, I know its there because I just watched it the other day.
24. What is your favorite album by 18?
Chad VanGaalen - Thats a difficult question. I think I'd have to say
Skelliconnection, although
Soft Airplane is also really amazing.
25. What is your favorite song by 21?
T. Rex - I'm going to have to go with
Telegram Sam for this one.
26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26?
Tyler Ramsey- The first song I heard, like really listened to, was
Ships. I was really into Ramsey when I lived in Harlem, but anymore I find him to be too much of a downer. I still think Ships is beautiful, though.
27. What is your favorite album by 3?
The Coral - Damn, I used to think they'd never top their self titled release, but since then I've grown to appreciate everything they've done. I think their latest,
Roots and Echoes, is the best album in their catalog, but not by much. Every album is worth listening to, even Night Freak.
28. What is your favorite song by 2?
Casper & The Cookies - I love the song
Moldy Flowers; that little stint towards the end always catches me off guard "Why give birth? / Why get born? / Why give hope to your fellow man and start the pain again?"
29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32?
Centro-matic - The first song I remember hearing is
Strahan Has Corralled the Freaks, but in all likelihood it was probably
The Mighty Midshipman, as it is the first track on
Love You Just the Same.
30. What is your favorite song by 8?
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Probably
Strange Form Of Life, though with such a prolific artist it's hard to pick just one.
31. How many times have you seen 17 live?
The Flaming Lips - The year I decided to finally get my shit together and go to college, the Lips played at the fucking New York State Fair and I had to miss it. That was the first sign that I was making a huge mistake. I still have not seen them live, but they top my list of acts to see.
32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy?
Tom Waits - Oh yes, Tom Waits is always an epicenter of joy in my life... Still,
Don't Go Into That Barn always excites me, even though its about creepy secret slave shacks, and
Step Right Up makes me think of Patrick Pigeonhead who I sometimes fear I wont ever see again.
33. How did you get into 12?
Bon Iver - When I lived in Harlem and only got to see Miranda once every two weeks, she introduced me to him. She came and said "You gotta listen to this guy" and played me a song off his myspace page. This was before
For Emma, Forever Ago came out. I didn't get really into them until I saw them live in Boston with
Bowerbirds.
34. What is the worst song by 45?
Nana Grizol - It's hard to hate a song by these kids, but if I had to pick one... I guess
Tiny Rainbows.
35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34?
Gorillaz- I heard
Clint Eastwood after the video was released in the UK. Shortly thereafter I spread the album throughout my highschool. It was the most important thing I did there.
36. What is the first song you ever heard by 48?
Beck- I don't know, probably
Loseror something that got actual airtime in the 90's.
37. How many times have you seen 37 live?
The American Analog Set - These guys broke up a while ago. I was considering going to catch their last show ever up in Toronto, but didn't feel passionately enough about it, so I skipped it. I'm sure they'll play together again sometime, since they're all mixed up in that retarded Canadian conglomerate.
38. What is your favorite song by 36?
The Helio Sequence - Probably
Blood Bleeds purely for the nostalgia factor. It isn't their best song by any stretch, but it is the song that came to represent the soundtrack to my life's greatest event - a 10 day trip with no destination as long as we were going south. It was a crusade, it was my finest moment.
39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28?
Circulatory System -
Yesterdays World, since it is the first song on their album. I quickly followed it up with the following 21 songs, though.
40. What is your favorite album by 7?
Devendra Banhart - I like his newest album,
Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon the most, though Fatty would disagree.
41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy?
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band -
Yellow Brick Road
42. What is your favorite album by 40?
Destroyer - I love the latest album, Trouble in Dreams. I feel like it is his most focused work, and he's able to finally leave behind the poet's ego that makes his previous albums so convoluted.
43. What is your favorite song by 24?
Starlight Mints - I love
Rinky Dinky, but in the summer you just cant beat singing
Popsiclewith your friends.
44. What is a good memory you have involving 46?
Tacks, the Boy Disaster - Just recently I played them on a very long drive with my friend Alexandra. We were both unemployed and driving is cheap therapy.
45. What is your favorite song by 35?
Samamidon- Hands down
saro. It's one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard.
46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy?
The Olivia Tremor Control - Hell yeah, most of their catalog makes me happy. Namely
Hideaway,
A New Day, and
Jumping Fences.
47. What is your favorite album by 4?
The Impossible Shapes -
We Like It Wild is their best album, I'd have to say.
48. Who is your favorite member of 42?
Ummm...
Neil Young.
49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43?
South San Gabriel - The first song I ever heard from them was
ninety secretaries down, but that was back when I thought South San Gabriel was just the name of an album from
Centro-matic. Turns out it's a full fledged side project. Go Figures.
50. What is your favorite song by 20?
Frank Zappa - I can't get enough of the song
Motherly Love. I think is clever and funny, and it just sounds really nice.
Casper & The Cookies
