Features

It would be in bad form to list my own, right?  Honestly, this year I cut myself off and I only listened to the most wonderful and peculiar old albums. If you are a songwriter, sometimes this is a very useful thing to do.

Chamber Strings reunion show @ Double Door, Chicago

Scritti Politti @ Double Door, Chicago

Dan Deacon @ a very sweaty Pitchfork after party

Dave Wakeling of English Beat asking people to throw money on stage to raise money for the Smile Train foundation. The organization provides surgery to children with cleft lips, enabling them to smile for the first time. Each operation costs $200. Several new smiles were made possible that evening as the band played an elated version of "Tenderness" in a shower of crumpled greenbacks.

The Bunkers, "Bunk Up!", Nirvana (late 60s Nirvana, not the 90s band), The System, the whole Buddah Records catalog

This year I chose to only watch old movies that had been on my list for a long time. So for me, it was the best film year ever! And the popcorn was organic.

(3 way tie): "I Wish that I Could See You Soon," Herman Dune; "Long Limbed Girl", Nick Lowe; “Until I Kissed You,” Stephen Duffy

If I couldn’t say Le Concorde, something would be wrong, no?

Oh please. I no longer feel guilty about taking pleasure.