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_andregret's top albums (overall)
1. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup (556) 2. Cassino - Demos (433) 3. Rocky Votolato - Makers (392) 4. Minus the Bear - Highly Refined Pirates (382) 5. The Honorary Title - Anything Else but the Truth (324) 6. Northstar - Pollyanna (322) 7. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (312) 8. Minus the Bear - Menos El Oso (295) 9. Cassino - Sounds Of Salvation (294) 10. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (281) 11. Beirut - Gulag Orkestar (273) 12. Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs (271) 13. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (268) 14. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It in People (262) 15. Arcade Fire - Funeral (261) 16. Augustana - All the Stars and Boulevards (256) 17. The Good Life - Album of the Year (252) 18. He Is Legend - I Am Hollywood (224) 19. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha (212) 20. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (209)

(stolen from drewnew)

Mainly curious + somewhat bored = this.
Select 20 songs at random; take line 1 from the first line of song 1, line 2 from the second line of song 2, etc. (If a song had too few lines, I started counting again from the beginning.)

01. Cake - Sheep Go to Heaven
02. Counting Crows - Mrs. Potter's Lullaby
03. The Vandals - San Berdu
04. David Bowie - Star
05. Belle & Sebastian - If You Find Yourself Caught In Love
06. Barenaked Ladies - Blame It On Me
07. Pantera - Cemetary Gates
08. Beastie Boys - Putting Shame in Your Game
09. Jim Croce - Operator
10. Smashing Pumpkins - Medellia of The Gray Skies
11. Stroke 9 - Letters
12. ACDC - War Machine
13. Jose Gonzalez - Crosses
14. Mike Doughty - I Just Want the Girl in the Blue Dress
15. Foo Fighters - Everlong
16. Incubus - Echo
17. Minus the Bear - The Fix
18. Ozzy Osbourne - Goodbye to Romance
19. The Beatles - Mean Mr. Mustard
20. Dropkick Murphys - The Fortunes of War

I'm not feeling alright today.
I dream I never know anyone at the party and I'm always the host.
Most girls make noises in their sleep,
Bevan tried to change the nation.
If you find yourself caught in love
but if you blame it on the rain, tell me
I'm a man cut in half in this world.

But I've got the styles that are always in the pocket
so I can call just to tell them I'm fine;
I'd give you what you wanted.
You're pulling away,
I'm like a bird of prey.
Ignore them tonight and you'll be alright.
Behind the mic I'm burning too.
The only thing I'll ever ask of you:
Strange how it turns out that way

As he slides in the rest of them continue their talking and drinking
and I feel the time is right although I know,
Keeps a ten-bob note up his nose;
when the justice eludes you, it's the fortunes of war.

11-03 Minus the Bear @ Glass House
11-11 Glassjaw @ Mayan
11-12 Glassjaw @ Glass House
11-13 Red Sparowes @ Vacation Vinyl (FREE)
11-14 Russian Circles/Young Widows/Helms Alee @ The Echoplex
11-19 Mastodon/Dethklok/Converge/High on Fire @ Palladium
11-20 Deftones @ Avalon (Benefit for Chi)
12-03 Baroness @ The Troubadour
12-14 Mew @ Henry Fonda Theater
12-16 Melt-Banana/Tera Melos @ The Troubadour
01-04 Open Hand @ Spaceland
01-17 Between the Buried and Me/Cynic/DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND/Scale The Summit @ House of Blues Sunset Strip

Past shows for 2009:
01-03 Babyland @ Spaceland
01-16 North @ Knitting Factory
01-17 Autolux @ Henry Fonda Theatre
01-22 El Ten Eleven @ The Silver Lake Lounge
02-03 Meshuggah/Cynic *1*
02-05 El Ten Eleven/Charlotte Martin @ The Hotel Cafe
02-13 Don Caballero/sBACH @ Spaceland
02-19 Far @ The Velvet Jones
02-21 Grails @ Spaceland
03-14 Clevis/Solar Wimp/Totally Serious/The Littlest Viking @ the Cocaine
03-17 ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead @ Echoplex
03-20 Karin Tatoyan @ Spaceland
03-26 Forbidden @ Key Club
03-27 Pelican @ Troubadour
04-03 Acid Mothers Temple/Kinski @ The Echo
04-04 noodles/The Outline @ Silver Lake Lounge
04-05 Autolux @ Glass House
04-10 Karin Tatoyan @ Echo and El Ten Eleven @ Home [I made it to both shows!!!]
04-12 Silversun Pickups @ Glass House
04-14 Taproot @ Key Club
04-17 Kylesa/Intronaut/Made Out of Babies/Black Elk @ Echoplex
04-24 Emily Wells @ Bardot *1*
04-30 Silversun Pickups @ Echoplex
05-07 Sleepytime Gorilla Museum @ Key Club
05-09 Threadbare reunion show w/Unbroken @ Glass House
05-13 Traindodge/National Sunday Law @ Blue Monkey Bar
05-18 The Life and Times @ Spaceland
05-22 dredg/Torche @ Troubadour
05-23 dredg/Torche @ Troubadour
05-24 Gojira/Car Bomb @ Key Club *1*
06-04 Karin Tatoyan @ The Echo
06-05 King's X @ Key Club *1*
06-20 friday nights @ ???
06-21 Shellac/Arcwelder @ Echoplex
06-24 Isis @ Henry Fonda Theater *1*
07-11 Tortoise @ Troubadour *1*
07-22 Elbow @ Wiltern *1*
07-17 Three Mile Pilot @ Spaceland *1*
07-29 Themselves/[Post-Foetus]/Emily Wells @ Spaceland
08-03 Gomez @ Wiltern
08-05 Torche/Big Business @ Knitting Factory
08-11 Sunn O)))/The Accused/Eagle Twin @ Center for the Arts in Eagle Rock
08-14 El Ten Eleven @ Bootleg Theater
08-20 friday nights @ the Gap in Studio City
08-28 Intronaut/Cattle Decapitation @ Cobalt Cafe
09-01 Mew @ The Troubadour
09-07 Mew @ the Detroit Bar
09-09 Emily Wells @ Echo
09-15 Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Fox Theater
09-30 Kylesa/Bison/Saviours/Black Math Horsemen @ Knitting Factory *1*
10-08 Coalesce/Cave In @ Knitting Factory
10-10 These Arms Are Snakes @ Knitting Factory
But seeing Far open for Thursday and could care less for Thursday
10-11 Sunny Day Real Estate @ Henry Fonda Theater
10-13 Mono/Maserati @ El Rey
10-15 Jesus Lizard @ Henry Fonda Theater
10-18 Dysrhythmia @ Relax Bar
10-24 El Ten Eleven @ Bootleg Theater
10-28 Pelican @ The Troubadour
10-30 Professor Calculus @ The Smell

*1* Denotes that I didn't record the show...

bands I've seen more than once:

10+ times:
Elsinore - Courtyard Cafe 8/24/06, Illini Union 9/29/06, Taste of Champaign 2007, Sweetcorn Fest 2007, Urban Outfitters 8/24/08, Pygmalion 2008, Record Store Day 2009, IMCFest 2009, Green Music Fest 2009, Cowboy Monkey 8/22/09, Pygmalion 2009
Headlights - Courtyard Cafe 10/7/06, Krannert Art Museum 9/6/07, Canopy Club 3/6/08, IMC 4/18/08, Canopy Club 6/6/08, Urban Outfitters 8/29/08, Pygmalion 2008, Canopy Club 3/14/08, IMCFest 2009, Pygmalion 2009

eight times:
Morgan Orion - IMC 11/5/06, Red Herring 3/8/07, Red Herring 3/29/07, Red Herring 7/6/07, UIUC Main Quad 8/8/07, IMC 8/20/07, Cloud Factory 9/22/09, Channing-Murray 10/14/09
Zmick - Red Herring 4/14/07, Red Herring 5/5/07, Red Herring 11/2/07, Canopy Club 1/25/08, Sweetcorn Fest 2008, Canopy Club 8/23/08, Canopy Club 9/1/08, Canopy Club 9/22/08

seven times:
New Ruins - Courtyard Cafe 5/2/07, Red Herring 5/5/07, Pygmalion 2008, Cowboy Monkey 12/27/08, Cowboy Monkey 8/22/09, Courtyard Cafe 9/4/09, Pygmalion 2009
Common Loon[artist] - IMCFest 2007, IMC 5/4/08, Pygmalion 2008, IMCFest 2009, Record Store Day 2009, Taste of Champaign 2009, Pygmalion 2009

six times:
Me, Him and Charlie Miller - Iron Post 5/16/07, Iron Post 10/6/07, IMC 10/19/07, IMC 11/16/07, IMC 1/11/08, Iron Post 8/15/08

five times:
Mit'n - Red Herring 4/14/07, Iron Post 5/16/07, Courtyard Cafe 10/12/07, Caffe Paradiso 10/25/07, IMC 5/4/08

four times:
Nine Inch Nails - Assembly Hall 2/10/06, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 7/3/06, Scottrade Center 8/20/08, Bonnaroo 2009
Duke of Uke - IMC 11/5/06, Iron Post 4/20/07, IMC 10/19/07, Espresso Royale 5/27/08
Fireflies - IMC 9/13/06, IMC 10/27/06, Red Herring 3/8/07, IMC 11/10/07
Organic Flow - house show 1/25/08, Taste of Nevada 8/24/08, Courtyard Cafe 9/13/08, IMCFest 2009
World's First Flying Machine - Pygmalion 2008, Canopy Club 3/14/08, Courtyard Cafe 8/27/09, Caffe Paradiso 10/2/09
The Hood Internet - Pygmalion 2008, Canopy Club 12/13/08, Bonnaroo 2009, Pygmalion 2009

three times:
David Bazan - Pygmalion 2006, Caffe Paradiso 9/23/06, Courtyard Cafe 12/6/08
Shipwreck - Courtyard Cafe 8/24/06, Courtyard Cafe 10/7/06, Krannert Art Museum 1/24/08
Yo La Tengo - Pitchfork 2006, Lollapalooza 2007, Pygmalion 2008
The Dresden Dolls - Metro 10/15/05, Lollapalooza 2006, Vic Theatre 10/20/06
Kaki King - Wall to Wall 2005, Highdive 10/13/06, Wall to Wall 2007
The Roots - Area: One 7/15/01, Lollapalooza 2007, Kirkland PAC 3/29/08
Triple Whip - Iron Post 2/18/07, Boneyard Arts Fest 4/20/07, Red Herring 5/5/07
Ryan Groff - Iron Post 2/18/07, Boneyard Arts Fest 4/20/07, Pygmalion 2009
Spoon - Foellinger Hall 10/28/07, Pitchfork 2006, Lollapalooza 2007
KiKi and PeePee - Living Room 12/14/07, Living Room 1/4/08, Red Herring 1/25/08
Good Night & Good Morning - Error House 1/12/08, Error House 1/19/08, Pygmalion 2009
Krukid - Red Herring 11/2/07, Kirkland PAC 3/29/08, Canopy Club 12/13/08
Mordechai in the Mirror - IMC 5/4/08, Caffe Paradiso 10/3/08, IMC 5/30/09
Decibully - Pygmalion 2008, Courtyard Cafe 5/1/09, Pygmalion 2009

two times:
Incubus - Area: One 7/15/01, Assembly Hall 10/13/02
Jeffrey Lewis - IMC 11/5/06, Channing-Murray 10/14/09
My Morning Jacket - Foellinger Auditorium 12/5/06, Bonnaroo 2008
The Chemicals - IMC 10/27/06, Sweetcorn Fest 2007
Silversun Pickups - Courtyard Cafe 10/7/06, Lollapalooza 2007
Caleb Engstrom - Pygmalion 2006, Courtyard Cafe 5/2/07
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Lollapalooza 2006, Assembly Hall 3/3/07
Ohtis - Courtyard Cafe 8/24/06, Pygmalion 2009
Andrew Bird - Lollapalooza 2006, Pygmalion 2007
Death Cab for Cutie - Lollapalooza 2005, Foellinger Auditorium 10/13/05
Dustin and the Furniture - UIUC Main Quad 8/8/07, Living Room 1/4/08
Corn Desert Ramblers - Red Herring 4/14/07, Iron Post 1/16/09
painkillers - Iron Post 6/16/07, Iron Post 1/16/09
The Decemberists - Foellinger Auditorium 4/15/07, Millennium Park 7/18/07
Withershins x2 - Red Herring 5/5/07, Living Room 12/14/07
Charles Joseph Smith - Red Herring 5/5/07, Red Herring 11/2/07
Alleyway Sex - IMC 6/30/07, Courtyard Cafe 1/26/08
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Lollapalooza 2007, Bonnaroo 2009
Megan Johns - IMC 8/20/07, Living Room 12/14/07
Dark Meat - Sweetcorn Fest 2007, Pygmalion 2008
Sonny Landreth - Wall to Wall 2007, Blues Brews and BBQ 2009
Smashing Pumpkins - Braden Auditorium 10/4/07, Adler Theatre 8/8/08
Man Man - Courtyard Cafe 10/12/07, Canopy Club 10/16/08
Kenny Knowles - Red Herring 11/2/07, Red Herring 1/25/08
Yeni Raki - Red Herring 11/2/07, IMC 11/16/07
Hathaways - Red Herring 11/2/07, Pygmalion 2009
The Beauty Shop - IMCFest 2007, Krannert Art Museum 1/24/08
Maritime - Courtyard Cafe 2/9/08, Green Fest 2009
Company of Thieves - Courtyard Cafe 2/9/08, Courtyard Cafe 1/25/09
Broken Social Scene - Bonnaroo 2008, Foellinger Auditorium 10/19/08
Derek Trucks Band - Bonnaroo 2008, Ellnora 2009
Jonathon Childers - Canopy Club 8/23/08, Pygmalion 2008
You & Yourn - Courtyard Cafe 12/6/08, Pygmalion 2009
Oceans - Courtyard Cafe 3/13/09, Pygmalion 2009
Maserati - Courtyard Cafe 3/13/09, Pygmalion 2009
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Courtyard Cafe 9/4/09, Rocket House 9/4/09
Peninsula - Cloud Factory 9/22/09, Channing Murray 10/14/09
The Avett Brothers - Canopy Club 9/7/08, Canopy Club 10/22/09

one time:
The Who - Deer Creek 7/26/97
OutKast - Area: One 7/15/01
Moby - Area: One 7/15/01
Hometown Hero - Assembly Hall 10/13/02

Doris Henson - Pageant 7/7/05
The Crimea - Pageant 7/7/05
Billy Corgan - Pageant 7/7/05
The (International) Noise Conspiracy - Lollapalooza 2005
M83 - Lollapalooza 2005
Liz Phair - Lollapalooza 2005
Cake - Lollapalooza 2005
Billy Idol - Lollapalooza 2005
Primus - Lollapalooza 2005
Pixies - Lollapalooza 2005
Weezer - Lollapalooza 2005
Saul Williams - Lollapalooza 2005
Dinosaur Jr. - Lollapalooza 2005
Ben Kweller - Lollapalooza 2005
Drive-By Truckers - Lollapalooza 2005
Arcade Fire - Lollapalooza 2005
Dandy Warhols - Lollapalooza 2005
Dave Mason - Brookhaven Amphitheater 8/19/05
Eric Burdon - Brookhaven Amphitheater 8/19/05
Andy Summers - Wall to Wall 2005
Vernon Reid - Wall to Wall 2005
Youth Group - Foellinger Auditorium 10/13/05
Mucca Pazza - Metro 10/15/05
Faun Fables - Metro 10/15/05

Mary Timony - Foellinger Auditorium 10/28/05
Moving Units - Assembly Hall 2/10/06
Phat Phunktion - Mills Recital Hall 6/26/06
Theory of Everything - Aroma Cafe 7/13/06
Nels Cline Singers - Pitchfork 2006
Bonde do Role - Pitchfork 2006
CSS - Pitchfork 2006
Aesop Rock - Pitchfork 2006
Mission of Burma - Pitchfork 2006
Os Mutantes - Pitchfork 2006
The M's - Lollapalooza 2006
Stars - Lollapalooza 2006
Mute Math - Lollapalooza 2006
Secret Machines - Lollapalooza 2006
Sleater-Kinney - Lollapalooza 2006
VHS or Beta (DJ Set) - Lollapalooza 2006
Ween - Lollapalooza 2006
Be Your Own Pet - Lollapalooza 2006
The Go! Team - Lollapalooza 2006
Peeping Tom - Lollapalooza 2006
Particle - Lollapalooza 2006
Calexico - Lollapalooza 2006
The Flaming Lips - Lollapalooza 2006
The New Pornographers - Lollapalooza 2006
Manu Chao - Lollapalooza 2006
Catfish Haven - Lollapalooza 2006
Manishevitz - Lollapalooza 2006
Benevento-Russo Duo - Lollapalooza 2006
Matisyahu - Lollapalooza 2006
Queens of the Stone Age - Lollapalooza 2006
Watery Domestic - Courtyard Cafe 8/24/06
Psalters - IMC 9/13/09
mewithoutYou - IMC 9/13/06
Danielson - Pygmalion 2006
Lorenzo Goetz - Illini Union 9/29/06
Ostinato - Illini Union 9/29/06
The Kingdom - Courtyard Cafe 10/7/06
Viva Voce - Courtyard Cafe 10/7/06
The Red Paintings - Vic Theatre 10/20/06
Sxip Shirey - Vic Theatre 10/20/06
1090 Club - IMC 10/27/06
Irving - IMC 10/27/06
The Slip - Foellinger Auditorium 12/5/06

scurvine - Iron Post 1/19/07
Nonagon - Iron Post 2/18/07
Gnarls Barkley - Assembly Hall 3/3/07
Hinter - Red Herring 3/8/07
Chick Corea and Gary Burton - Krannert Center 4/5/07
Greg Spero Trio - Red Herring 4/14/07
My Brightest Diamond - Foellinger Auditorium 4/15/07
The Living Blue - Boneyard Arts Fest 4/20/07
Lynn O'brien - Boneyard Arts Fest 4/21/07
Strawberry Alarm Clock - Virginia Theatre 4/29/07
Jose Gonzalez - Courtyard Cafe 5/2/07
Santa - Red Herring 5/5/07
Dorian Minor - Red Herring 5/5/07
Water Between Continents - Iron Post 6/14/07
Carbomb Lottery - IMC 6/30/07
OUTCAST TO SOCIETY - IMC 6/30/07
Vexed Youth - IMC 6/30/07
Hollowed Out - IMC 6/30/07
Slint - Pitchfork 2007
GZA/Genius - Pitchfork 2007
Sonic Youth - Pitchfork 2007
The Polyphonic Spree - Lollapalooza 2007
Electric Six - Lollapalooza 2007
Blonde Redhead - Lollapalooza 2007
LCD Soundsystem - Lollapalooza 2007
Daft Punk - Lollapalooza 2007
I'm From Barcelona - Lollapalooza 2007
Silverchair - Lollapalooza 2007
Sound Tribe Sector 9 - Lollapalooza 2007
Patti Smith - Lollapalooza 2007
Interpol - Lollapalooza 2007
The Postmarks - Lollapalooza 2007
Rodrigo y Gabriela - Lollapalooza 2007
The Black Angels - Lollapalooza 2007
TV on the Radio - Lollapalooza 2007
Pearl Jam - Lollapalooza 2007
A Drum and an Open Window - IMC 8/20/07
Michael Kammin - IMC 8/20/07
Poster Children - Krannert Art Museum 9/6/07
Oh Astro - Krannert Art Museum 9/6/07
Toubab Krewe - Wall to Wall 2007
Campbell Brothers - Wall to Wall 2007
Yohimbe Brothers - Wall to Wall 2007
Harry Manx - Wall to Wall 2007
Tony McManus - Wall to Wall 2007
Alex de Grassi - Wall to Wall 2007
John McLaughlin - Wall to Wall 2007
[artist]Jorma Kaukonen[artist] - Wall to Wall 2007
Banning Eyre - Wall to Wall 2007
Buddy Guy - Wall to Wall 2007
Dianogah - Pygmalion 2007
Weird Al Yankovic - Assembly Hall 9/28/07
The Bravery - Braden Auditorium 10/4/07
The Extraordinaires - Courtyard Cafe 10/12/07
Bob Dylan - US Cellular Coliseum 10/20/07
Elvis Costello - US Cellular Coliseum 10/20/07
Amos Lee - US Cellular Coliseum 10/20/07
Western Civilization - Caffe Paradiso 10/25/07
Mount Eerie - Caffe Paradiso 10/25/07
Too Much to Carry - Red Herring 11/2/07
Michael Malinsky - IMCFest 2007
Infinite Imagination - IMCFest 2007
JigGsaw - IMCFest 2007
Kilborn Alley Blues Band - IMCFest 2007
Candy Foster and Shades of Blue - IMCFest 2007
Murali Coryell - IMCFest 2007
Shirley King - IMCFest 2007
Matt Rocks - IMC 11/16/07
Jenny is a Boy - Living Room 1/4/08
Toby Foster - Living Room 1/4/08
white. wrench. conservatory - IMC 1/11/08
Zachary Morris - Error House 1/12/08
Wabash - Error House 1/12/08
Clever Coil - Error House 1/12/08
The Fix - Error House 1/12/08
1999 - Error House 1/19/08
The Signal - Error House 1/19/08
The Drastics - Courtyard Cafe 1/26/08
Mustard Plug - Courtyard Cafe 1/26/08
Inspector Owl - Courtyard Cafe 2/9/08
Egon's Unicat - Courtyard Cafe 3/1/08
Manic Sewing Circle - Courtyard Cafe 3/1/08
Evangelicals - Canopy Club 3/6/08
Tall Tale - Canopy Club 3/6/08
The Guess Who - EPCOT Center 3/20/08
Kronos Quartet - Krannert Center 4/3/08
Unwed Sailor - Courtyard Cafe 4/12/08
Ryan Lindsey - Courtyard Cafe 4/12/08
Corn tha Coon - IMC 4/18/08
Islands - IMC 4/18/08
Stars of the Lid - Staerkel Planetarium 4/22/08
Christopher Willits - Staerkel Planetarium 4/22/08
Jookabox - Canopy Club 6/6/08
MGMT - Bonnaroo 2008
Battles - Bonnaroo 2008
Fiery Furnaces - Bonnaroo 2008
Minus the Bear - Bonnaroo 2008
!!! - Bonnaroo 2008
M.I.A. - Bonnaroo 2008
Chris Rock - Bonnaroo 2008
Metallica - Bonnaroo 2008
Les Claypool - Bonnaroo 2008
Soul Rebels Brass Band - Bonnaroo 2008
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - Bonnaroo 2008
Gogol Bordello - Bonnaroo 2008
B.B. King - Bonnaroo 2008
Levon Helm - Bonnaroo 2008
Sigur Ros - Bonnaroo 2008
The Morningbell - Bonnaroo 2008
The Coup - Bonnaroo 2008
Bela Fleck - Bonnaroo 2008
Ladytron - Bonnaroo 2008
Robert Randolph - Bonnaroo 2008
Aimee Mann - Bonnaroo 2008
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Bonnaroo 2008
Jake Shimabukuro - Bonnaroo 2008
Grizzly Bear - Verizon Wireless 8/3/08
Radiohead - Verizon Wireless 8/3/08
Identity Crisis - Iron Post 8/12/08
Beat Kitchen - Iron Post 8/15/08
A Place to Bury Strangers - Scottrade Center 8/20/08
Foghat - Sweetcorn Fest 2008
The Brother Whys - Canopy Club 8/23/08
Snowsera - Canopy Club 8/23/08
Herbert Wiser Band - Canopy Club 9/1/08
Justin Gordon - Canopy Club 9/7/08
Jaik Willis - Courtyard Cafe 9/13/08
Coco Coca - Pygmalion 2008
Times New Viking - Pygmalion 2008
Eureka Sky - Pygmalion 2008
Everthus the Deadbeats - Pygmalion 2008
Pontiak - Pygmalion 2008
Wye Oak - Pygmalion 2008
Robots Counterfeiting Money - Pygmalion 2008
Monotonix - Pygmalion 2008
Dan Deacon - Pygmalion 2008
The Lonelyhearts - Pygmalion 2008
Kid, You'll Move Mountains - Pygmalion 2008
Gentleman Auction House - Pygmalion 2008
Pattern Is Movement - Pygmalion 2008
Titus Andronicus - Pygmalion 2008
Black Mountain - Pygmalion 2008
Centaur - Pygmalion 2008
Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter - Pygmalion 2008
High Places - Pygmalion 2008
Animate Objects - Pygmalion 2008
Asobi Seksu - Pygmalion 2008
Peter Piek - Canopy Club 9/22/08
Passafire - Canopy Club 9/22/08
Hopewell - Aragon Ballroom 9/27/08
My Bloody Valentine - Aragon Ballroom 9/27/08
The Abacinators - IMC 10/5/08
Dizzy Chair Time - IMC 10/5/08
Roberta Sparrow - IMC 10/5/08
The Independents - IMC 10/5/08
The Queers - IMC 10/5/08
Tim Fite - Canopy Club 10/16/08
Land of Talk - Foellinger Auditorium 10/19/08
CX Kidtronik - Canopy Club 11/5/08
The Death Set - Canopy Club 11/5/08
Girl Talk - Canopy Club 11/5/08
Fotosputnik - Courtyard Cafe 11/15/08
The Hentchmen - Courtyard Cafe 11/15/08
The Fleshtones - Courtyard Cafe 11/15/08
Starflyer 59 - Courtyard Cafe 12/6/08
Ice Water - Canopy Club 12/13/08
Tractor Kings - Cowboy Monkey 12/27/08
Hum - Cowboy Monkey 12/27/08

Frightened Rabbit - Courtyard Cafe 1/22/09
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Courtyard Cafe 1/25/09
Matter of Face - Red Herring 1/30/09
Jackhammer Hoganson - Red Herring 1/30/09
The Night Brigade - Red Herring 1/30/09
Wastebasket - Red Herring 1/30/09
Checkerboard Stalemate - Red Herring 1/30/09
Eugene Mirman - Courtyard Cafe 2/14/09
Pomegranates - Canopy Club 3/14/09
John Vanderslice - Courtyard Cafe 4/2/09
The Mountain Goats - Courtyard Cafe 4/2/09
The War on Drugs - Courtyard Cafe 4/3/09
The Hold Steady - Courtyard Cafe 4/3/09
Five Peace Band - Krannert Center 4/7/09
The Butts - Black Sheep Cafe 4/10/09
Soy City Stranglers - Black Sheep Cafe 4/10/09
Obi Wan Kenblo Mi - Black Sheep Cafe 4/10/09
River City Rebels - Black Sheep Cafe 4/10/09
The Casualties - Black Sheep Cafe 4/10/09
Sunset Stallion - IMCFest 2009
We Landed on the Moon! - IMCFest 2009
The Ruckus - IMCFest 2009
Faux Coup - Illini Union 4/30/09
Crazy/Agile - Illini Union 4/30/09
Local H - Illini Union 4/30/09
Light Pollution - Courtyard Cafe 5/1/09
The Foundry Field Recordings - Courtyard Cafe 5/1/09
John Hoeffleur - Iron Post 6/2/09
Ave Marling - Iron Post 6/2/09
Your Yellow Dress - The Stanley 6/8/09
Passion Pit - Bonnaroo 2009
Motion Potion - Bonnaroo 2009
Tobacco - Bonnaroo 2009
Dirty Projectors - Bonnaroo 2009
Animal Collective - Bonnaroo 2009
St. Vincent - Bonnaroo 2009
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Bonnaroo 2009
David Byrne - Bonnaroo 2009
Pheonix - Bonnaroo 2009
Mynameisjohnmichael - Bonnaroo 2009
Chairlift - Bonnaroo 2009
Katzenjammer - Bonnaroo 2009
Robin Hitchcock - Bonnaroo 2009
Bon Iver - Bonnaroo 2009
of Montreal - Bonnaroo 2009
Wilco - Bonnaroo 2009
The Mars Volta - Bonnaroo 2009
Russian Circles - Bonnaroo 2009
Bruce Springsteen - Bonnaroo 2009
High on Fire - Bonnaroo 2009
Erykah Badu - Bonnaroo 2009
Okkervil River - Bonnaroo 2009
Neko Case - Bonnaroo 2009
Phish - Bonnaroo 2009
Eddie "The Chief" Clearwater - Blues Brews and BBQ Fest
Pinetop Perkins - Blues Brews and BBQ Fest
Bob Margolin - Blues Brews and BBQ Fest
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - Blues Brews and BBQ Fest
Brilliant Pebbles - Green Music Fest 2009
Sybris - Green Music Fest 2009
Say Hi - Green Music Fest 2009
Tapes 'n Tapes - Green Music Fest 2009
Art Brut - Green Music Fest 2009
Heyokas - Cowboy Monkey 8/22/09
Hot Cops - Cowboy Monkey 8/22/09
Pet Lions - UIUC South Quad 8/23/09
Tosche Station - Terror House 8/23/09
Moons - Terror House 8/23/09
Straight No Chaser - Terror House 8/23/09
Cloud Mouth - Terror House 8/23/09
Cougar Den - Terror House 8/23/09
Nurses - Courtyard Cafe 8/27/09
Throw Me the Statue - Courtyard Cafe 8/27/09
The Brunettes - Courtyard Cafe 8/27/09
War - Sweetcorn Fest 2009
My Werewolf Diary - Cowboy Monkey 8/29/09
The Beets - Cowboy Monkey 8/29/09
Vivian Girls - Cowboy Monkey 8/29/09
Chicha Libre - Ellnora 2009
Frank Vignola - Ellnora 2009
Junior Brown - Ellnora 2009
The National - Ellnora 2009
Yea Big + Kid Static - Parkland 9/13/09
Matt and Kim - Parkland 9/13/09
Mt St Helens Vietnam Band - Pygmalion 2009
Owen - Pygmalion 2009
Japandroids - Pygmalion 2009
Liz Janes - Pygmalion 2009
Brooke Waggoner - Pygmalion 2009
Joe Pug - Pygmalion 2009
Skream - Pygmalion 2009
Girls Next Door - Pygmalion 2009
Low - Pygmalion 2009
The Antlers - Pygmalion 2009
Autolux - Pygmalion 2009
Zach May & the Maps - Pygmalion 2009
The Horse's Ha - Pygmalion 2009
The Books - Pygmalion 2009
Iron And Wine - Pygmalion 2009
Porno Galactica - Pygmalion 2009
YACHT - Pygmalion 2009
gazelle - Pygmalion 2009
RJD2 - Pygmalion 2009
Thankful Tree - Cloud Factory 9/22/09
City Center - Cloud Factory 9/22/09
The Vertebrats - Amara Yoga 10/1/09
Bunny Zewt Suit - Channing Murray 10/14/09
David Sedaris - Virginia Theater 10/16/09
Infirmary - Terror House 10/24/09
DOTK - Terror House 10/24/09
Cloud Burial - Terror House 10/24/09
Maltross - Terror House 10/24/09

Because I've basically saved every song I've ever collected in my long life of music listening, I figured it would be fun to compile CD length playlists containing songs that best represent my music taste at various stages in my life. What's interesting is that there are very few bands that I used to listen to that I now say are terrible. It seems like my tastes haven't exactly changed; I've merely added new genres and bands to my collection, and I still listen to artists that I rocked out to as a wee youngin. See what you think of my former selves, and sound off on which one's taste sucks the most if you want. It's all kosher here.

Age 13 (When I was an awkward, fat teenager)
Beastie Boys - Intergalactic
The Beatles - Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear the Reaper
Collective Soul - The World I Know
Dave Matthews Band - What Would You Say
Kent - Things She Said
Meja - All About the Money
Mikael Wiehe - Flickan och Krakan
Oasis - Wonderwall
Robbie Williams - Millenium
Seal - Kiss From A Rose
Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun
Sugar Ray - Falls Apart
Sweet - Ballroom Blitz
The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
Verve pipe - Freshman
The Wallflowers - One Headlight
The Who - My Generation

This playlist shows the beginnings of my exploration of music. At this point in my life, I got music from two sources: my parents and my radio. My mom would buy me popular bands such as Dave Matthews Band, Sugar Ray, The Wallflowers, etc. My dad would play me records and CDs by artists such as The Beatles, The Who, Sweet, and Black Sabbath. The radio introduced me to the grunge movement, alternative rock, and The Beastie Boys. I even distinctly remember a short fascination I had with the Aqua song Barbie Girl... anyways, you might notice a few outliers there, namely Meja, Kent, and Mikael Wiehe. I spent one semester of 8th grade in Sweden, where my friends and neighbors had a considerable impact on what I listened to. So that's that, then.

Age 17 (senior year of high school)
Alizee - Moi Lolita
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - For Tha Love Of Money
Bright Eyes - The Calendar Hung Itself
Death Cab for Cutie - Photobooth
Finch - What It Is To Burn
The Get Up Kids - Long Goodnight
GLAY - Two Bell Silence
Jay-Z - It's Like That (w/Kid Capri)
Jimmy Eat World - Sweetness
L'Arc~en~Ciel - Spirit Dreams Inside
Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song
Noir Desir - Le Vent Nous Portera
Poison the Well - Torn
The Rasmus - In the Shadows
Red House Painters - I Feel The Rain Fall
Sigur Ros - Hjartao Hamast
Something Corporate – Hurricane (Changing Weather Patterns)
The Used - Buried Myself Alive

Ah, I remember this time in my life so clearly. This was probably the biggest change in my listening habits. I had tapped out radio-friendly music and, becoming more internet savvy, I decided to expand my music horizons through talking to people online and, probably the most effective way, searching for random words in file-sharing programs. By searching for “spirit,” I got “Spirit Dreams Inside” by L’Arc~En~Ciel. By searching for “hjarta” (Swedish for “heart”) I got “Hjartao Hamast” by Sigur Ros. By searching for “vent” (French for “wind”), I got Noir Desir etc etc. I also discovered an online game called “The Emo Game” that introduced me to bands like Bright Eyes and The Get Up Kids (although they’re admittedly not emo). I also got some rap music for blasting in my car like pretty much every other idiot jock.

Age 18 (after my first year of college)
Abandoned Pools - Start Over
Avenged Sevenfold - Remenissions
The Beautiful Mistake - Circular Parade
boysetsfire - Full Color Guilt
Dave Matthews Band - Grey Street
Erase the Grey - Rain
From Autumn to Ashes - I'm The Best At Ruining My Life
Guided by Voices - Liquid Indian
Her Space Holiday - My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
Jimmy Eat World - Claire
Keepsake - Cartoon Life
Murder by Death - I'm Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Radiohead - My Iron Lung
Rise Against - Like The Angel
Sparta - Light Burns Clear
Sunny Day Real Estate - Pillars
Thrice - The Artist in the Ambulance
Thursday - Standing on the Edge of Summer

In college, I connected with people on my hall that had similar music tastes. Two of my closest friends got me into Avenged Sevenfold, Thrice, Thursday, Sparta, From Autumn to Ashes, Rise Against, all that jazz. I randomly heard Abandoned Pools while I was walking past a kid’s room once, and I ran in there and asked him what it was because it was so incredibly beautiful. I continued finding stuff on my own, introducing myself to Radiohead, Guided By Voices, and Murder By Death. I also had my second Dave Matthews Band resurgence; after hating Everyday, Busted Stuff and the Lilywhite Sessions came out and blew my mind with yet another sound, this one more folk/bluesy. It seemed like every other album they’ve put out are the ones that everyone cracks on for being lame (Crash (though it’s only because of Crash Into Me, the rest is awesome) Everyday, Stand Up), and the good ones they do so well on (Under The Table and Dreaming (aside from Ants Marching and What Would You Say), Before These Crowded Streets, Busted Stuff, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King) go unnoticed… but enough legitimizing my on-again-off-again romance with a band that’s trendy to hate. I listed Jimmy Eat World again because while the band moved in their mediocre pop direction (Futures, Chase This Light), I started going back in their history, checking out Static Prevails and Clarity and the various underground comps they lent singles to. They used to be so good, so raw…

Age 20 (senior year of college / becoming a music snob)
The Album Leaf - On Your Way
Arcade Fire - Wake Up
Ariel Kill Him - Ca-cao
Atkins Lane - Everything Was You
Bishop Allen - Ghosts Are Good Company
Dinosaur Jr. - Even You
Fugazi - Give Me The Cure
Iron & Wine - He Lays In The Reins
JR Ewing - Fucking & Champagne
Life at These Speeds - Land Filled
Love Lost but Not Forgotten - Perfectly Fucked
M83 - A Guitar And A Heart
Marc Broussard - Home
Matt Pond PA - The Trees And The Wild
Minus the Bear - This Ain't A Surfin Movie
Rites of Spring - For Want Of
Saetia - Venus And Bacchus
Tujiko Noriko - Aru Choten
Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start - Come Away
Wilco - At Least That's What You Said

This was when I truly got into underground music. The girl I dated at the time started hating the music I listened to (and we actually broke up not long after I refused to go to a Brand New concert with her). I had a torrid love affair with Dischord and Level Planes (my man crush on Guy Picciotto supercedes all other musical emotions even today) caused by a single listen by Saetia’s Venus and Bacchus that lead to me buying over a dozen CDs in a week, including Love Lost But Not Forgotten, Fugazi, JR Ewing, Life At These Speeds, Saetia, Rites of Spring and so many more. I also started moving in the exact opposite direction, away from drum- and guitar-driven rock and hardcore and towards minimalist indie and vocal work. I bought The Album Leaf album without even hearing it, which started me on the road towards Ariel Kill Him, Tujiko Noriko, Iron & Wine, and M83. I also started seeking out rising indie bands like Arcade Fire, Up Up Down Down, and Minus The Bear, catching on right before the huge upswell in popularity. I had my first Wilco moment, and fell in love with Marc Broussard’s voice and writing at first listen even though I only listened to him to be able to mock him (I saw him on Yahoo! Music and thought he was another boy band reject from his looks). I also began getting into unknown bands through random concerts around town (Atkins Lane, matt pond PA).

Age 22 (Wasting time / looking for a job / The Guitar Hero era)
All That Remains - This Calling
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - A Classic Arts Showcase
The Appleseed Cast - Here We Are (Family In The Hallways)
Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
Carissa's Wierd - Ignorant Piece of Shit
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Details of the War
Greenleaf - Agents of Ahriman
I Would Set Myself on Fire for You - Seven
Lightheaded - Poetry in Motion
Mac Lethal - Turn Off The Radio
The National - Fake Empire
Othello - Seasons Greetings (feat. Sirens Echos)
Scar Symmetry - Artificial Sun Projection
A Silver Mt. Zion - Take These Hands and Throw Them In The River
Strange Fruit Project - Get Live (feat. Erykah Badu)
Strata - Night Falls (The Weight of It)
Suis La Lune - Quiet, Pull The Strings
Trophy Scars - Alchemist. Alchemists.
65daysofstatic - This Cat Is A Landmine

I call this the Guitar Hero era because being introduced to that game hearkened back to high school when I actually used to try to play instruments… I returned my focus to instrument-driven work, paying more attention to technique and individual performances instead of the whole song. This lead to a lot of progressive rock and metal. Mike Martin and Olin Buchanan of All That Remains single-handedly slated my guitar-shredding thirst for almost a year. Trail of Dead, Appleseed Cast, The National, Strata, and Trophy Scars kept me happy with unusual drum-work and time-signatures and variations on the 4/4 that would blow most musicians’ minds. Suis La Lune, I Would Set Myself On Fire For You, 65Daysofstatic, and A Silver Mt. Zion created beautiful and off-kilter music. Bands like Greenleaf and Scar Symmetry gave me the guitars to fill the void that All That Remains couldn’t. I also began my foray into undergroup hip-hop, using Mac Lethal as a springboard into balding white rappers and Lightheaded and Strange Fruit Project introducing me to rap music that can uplift and energize. Finally, I continued to get into indie music, playing Black Kids, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Carissa’s Wierd till my roommates wanted to kill me (insert music asshole joke about how one play is all it took here).

Age 24 (Gainfully employeed / the man I am today)
The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
Band of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You
Bottomless Pit - Leave The Light On
Dave Matthews Band - Why I Am
Fleet Foxes - Blue Ridge Mountains
Jacobi Wichita - I Only Draw Chairs
Justice - D.A.N.C.E.
The Knife - We Share Our Mother's Health
The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement
The Mae Shi - Run To Your Grave
Mars ILL - Fade to Black (feat. Sintax)
MGMT - Time To Pretend
Nizlopi - Last Night In Dakar
Pierce the Veil - The Cheap Bouquet
Restiform Bodies - Foul
Silversun Pickups - It's Nice to Know You Work Alone
United Nations - The Shape of Punk That Never Came
WHY? - Good Friday
Zolar X - I Pulled My Helmet Off (I'm Going to Love Her)

Once I got my life on track and got into the real world, my music tastes matured with me. The “My Grass Is Blue” movement in Blacksburg got me into The Avett Brothers and Fleet Foxes (not exactly related, I know, but bear with me), Carissa’s Wierd led me to Band of Horses, peeks at Pitchfork and last.fm led me to Justice, The Knife, and MGMT, and random music review sites turned me onto Jacobi Wichita (still only 250 listeners on last.fm is a crime!) and Zolar X (extremely awesome David Bowie’s mind meets Styx’s sound meets Rush’s instrumental insanity space-age love progressive rock). I also continued to find underground hip-hop, experiencing a love for half of Anticon (Restiform Bodies, Why, Odd Nosdam, etc) and a mixture of disgust and pity for the other half (all the straight-edge assholes like Non-Prophets). I had my third DMB sighting after Stand Up made me hate the band, but Big Whiskey made me their bitch again, and I continued to find bands in genres I thought I already nailed down (Bottomless Pit, Pierce The Veil, Niz, Silversun Pickups, United Nations).

First, what has been opened from the unopened stack:
Calexico and Iron & Wine's collaborative In the Reins EP
Sigur Rós' Hvarf/Heim
Aimee Mann's @#%&*! Smilers
The Black Keys' Rubber Factory
Idea

Still to open from earlier I have:
The B-52's' Wild Planet
Belle and Sebastian's The Boy With The Arab Strap
Electric Light Orchestra's On the Third Day
Nine Inch Nails' Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D
Supertramp's Crime of the Century
Willie Nelson's Shotgun Willie
Ted Nugent's Free-For-All
Steely Dan's Everything Must Go
Modest Mouse's The Moon & Antarctica
Jackson Browne's Running On Empty in a rather cheap remaindered deluxe edition (to replace an already-sold barebones release)
And the John Coltrane set The Impulse! Albums Volume 1 which includes Coltrane, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Live at The Village Vanguard, Africa/Brass and Ballads.

And adding, unopened:

Weather Report's Weather Report, Black Market and Heavy Weather
Yes' The Yes Album
The Band's Rock Of Ages
The Black Keys' Chulahoma EP
Lindsey Buckingham's Go Insane
The Byrds' Mr. Tambourine Man and Sweetheart of the Rodeo (though I've been told to get the boxset instead...)
The Decemberists' The Crane Wife
Devo's Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
Jimi Hendrix's Band Of Gypsys
Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick
Roxy Music's Avalon
Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years
Ennio Morricone's score for The Mission


And, for the rest of June:

Goblin's Perché Si Uccidono (recorded as Il Reale Impero Britanico)
Andrew Bird's Noble Beast and Useless Creatures
Coheed and Cambria's Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV | Volume Two: No World For Tomorrow on vinyl


And July:
David Bowie's Earthling
The Doobie Brothers' The Captain & Me
Lindsey Buckingham's Out of the Cradle
Suffocation's latest, Blood Oath
Paul Simon's Paul Simon
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band's The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Dio's Holy Diver
Fast Times at Ridgmont High's soundtrack

August:
Jethro Tull's Aqualung
Jeff Beck's Truth and Blow By Blow
Blue Öyster Cult's Spectres and Agents of Fortune
fun.'s Aim & Ignite
The Dave Brubeck Quartet's Time Out (in ultra fancy deluxe form)
Elvis Costello's Secret, Profane and Sugarcane
Iron & Wine's Around the Well compilation
Boston's Boston and Don't Look Back

September:
Mark Knopfler's Get Lucky
The Allman Brothers Band's Eat a Peach (deluxe)
Cream's Disraeli Gears (deluxe)
Brother Ali's Us
They Might Be Giants' latest kids' album Here Comes Science
Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet
Billy Joel's 52nd Street and An Innocent Man
Alice in Chains' Black Gives Way To Blue
Pearl Jam's Backspacer on vinyl
and The Beatles' stereo remastered box set, meaning:
Please Please Me, With the Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, Beatles for Sale, Help!,* Rubber Soul,* Revolver,* Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,* Magical Mystery Tour,* The White Album,* Yellow Submarine,* Abbey Road,* Let It Be* and The Past Masters*
*=replacing old version

October:
Mission of Burma's The Sound of the Speed of Light
Dead Man's Bones' Dead Man's Bones
The Mountain Goats' Life of the World to Come
Minus the Bear's Planet of Ice
The Avett Brothers' I And Love And You
BrakesBrakesBrakes' Touchdown
Pearl Jam's Backspacer
and on vinyl:

We Were Promised Jetpacks' These Four Walls
The Twilight Sad's Forget The Night Ahead
Todd Rundgren's Hermit of Mink Hollow
Genesis' Trespass
The Boomtown Rats' Mondo Bongo

1,000: of Montreal - Was Your Face a Head in the Pillow Case?
2,000: The Juliana Theory - This Is Your Life
3,000: Interpol - The Scale
4,000: Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
5,000: Linkin Park - No More Sorrow
6,000: Manic Street Preachers - Yourself
7,000: Linkin Park - Session
8,000: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Gold Lion
9,000: Feist - Sealion
10,000: The Vines - Homesick
11,000: Elf Power - Leopard's Teeth
12,000: Dressy Bessy - Side 2
13,000: Cold War Kids - Pregnant
14,000: Jack's Mannequin - Bruised
15,000: Sahara Hotnights - Hot Night Crash
16,000: Creed - Ode
17,000: Mae - Someone Else's Arms
18,000: Sonic Youth - Wildflower Soul
19,000: The Bravery - Swollen Summer
20,000: Minus the Bear - You're Some Sort of Big, Fat, Smart-Bug, Aren't You?
21,000: Bombay Bicycle Club - Open House
22,000: The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
23,000: Tweaker - Movement of Fear
24,000: Copeland - Hold Nothing Back
25,000: The Dears - Don't Lose The Faith
26,000: Joel Plaskett Emergency - Unconditional Love
27,000: MGMT - Kids
28,000: MGMT - Pieces of What
29,000: Jason Collett - Out Of Time
30,000: Eels - I Need Some Sleep