500 Words

Come to think of it, Hannah Montana is a great stripper name

You can try to justify her performance at the Teen Choice Awards all you want, but Miley Cyrus’ pole dance during Monday night’s ceremony was unacceptable. Sex sells. And societal mores have loosened quickly over the past decade. The stigma that was once attached to pole dancing has lessened dramatically. Health clubs offer pole dancing classes. Porn is a multi-billion dollar industry. Many strip clubs have a higher cover charge than high-end dance clubs do.

And I wouldn’t have a problem with her performance if not for a few major issues:

1. Miley Cyrus is 16 years old. If you’re 18 or older and getting aroused by her performance – and considering that she has a 53-year-old stalker who was recently arrested, there are plenty in that demographic who are – you’re a pedophile. In the United States, it’s illegal to be a stripper if you’re under 18. But Cyrus’ performance ostensibly makes it acceptable. Hopefully, the next time a club owner gets caught for using underage dancers, his lawyer is smart enough to whip out this tape to bolster his client’s defense.

2. Cyrus and her family are enormous hypocrites. (As if you didn’t know this when she was dating a 20-year-old with their approval; I’m certain it was a completely chaste relationship.) About a year ago, they made just short of a federal case out of photographs that Cyrus took for Vanity Fair with legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz. The family and her handlers cried that Cyrus was exploited and that they did not know that Leibovitz had taken “topless” shots of Cyrus – even though her father was on the set; “topless” shots that were about as titillating as a root canal. That was wrong. Wrong they said. But being an underage stripper is okay. Her parents don’t just belong in the Hypocrites Hall of Fame. They deserve their own wing.

Chris Rock once said:

"Sometimes I am walking with my daughter, I'm talking to my daughter, I'm looking at her, I'm pushing her in the stroller. And sometimes I pick her up and I just stare at her and I realize my only job in life is to keep her off the pole. Keep my baby off the pole! I mean they don't grade fathers but if your daughter is a stripper you f—ked up.”

When you hear about the Cyrus clan, the stories always mention how religious and god-fearing they are. Miley Cyrus has been quoted in USA Today that her faith is “the main thing.” There are the Cyrus’ – usually photographed dressed like homeless hillbillies – going to church. Clearly, they missed the sermon about asking themselves, “What Would Jesus Do?”

Now, I’m not a deeply religious person, but I don’t remember the Bible passage in which God encouraged pole dancing. (I’d probably be a more avid reader of the Bible if that was the case.) But if Miley’s church encourages pole dancing, save me a front row pew for the next 500 Sundays.

3. It’s expected that a 16-year-old girl, hormones raging, will act out; however, when you’ve cultivated your career as an innocent, Disney performer, are getting paid millions to foment that image, and, whether you like it or not, are a role model to a generation of young girls, pole dancing is not acceptable. How would you like to be the parent of a 13-year-old who says to their mother that she wants her parents to install a pole in her bedroom so that she can dance like Miley did on the awards show?

Let’s make it clear. I’m no prude. I’ve visited strip clubs and have had lapdances, but never in any of those clubs were the dancers 16 years old. I’m not disparaging the women who choose to dance. There’s great money in it for many of them. But they’re adults. And when you go to a strip club, you don’t see 13-year-old girls in the club idolizing the dancers.

To paraphrase Britney Spears, another pop tart who took full advantage of using underage sex to sell millions of records, Miley Cyrus is not a girl, but not yet a woman. Both touted their purity (though we’ve learned in Spears’ case that that was a lie also) while using sex to sell records. The difference between the two is that Cyrus is still a Disney employee (while Spears was not by the time she released her debut; admittedly a tenuous distinction.)

Regardless, it wasn’t right then and it certainly is not right now. Cyrus stepped it up a notch and in the process, became more of a joke than she already was. Miley Cyrus should be ashamed of her behavior. Then again, considering who raised her, you can’t be surprised.

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2008

1. The Hold Steady, Stay Positive: It's one thing to follow up a classic album (Boys and Girls in America) with one that is arguably better than its predecessor. It's another to include three bonus tracks that rank with the best songs the band has written.

2. Amadou and Mariam, Welcome to Mali: The duo's first album in three years hasn't yet North American shores, but the hype it has generated on the other side of the pond is well-deserved. World music that is accessible, enthralling, and enlightening at the same time. Sheer genius.

3. Southside Johnny. Grapefruit Moon: The Songs of Tom Waits: It's all about the horns. Southside Johnny Lyons' interpretations of classic Tom Waits tracks benefits from LaBamba and the Hubcaps rich horn section. The disc crackles with an energy nearly unmatched by any band recording this year.

4. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend: One of the most-hyped new bands of the year lived up to expectations on their thrilling debut, which channeled mid-1980s, Graceland-era sounds with erudite, but not impenetrable, lyrics.

5. Kaiser Chiefs, Off With Their Heads: On their third album, Kaiser Chiefs return with an edgy, tight, 11-track collection, which expertly produced, and chock full of potential radio hits. Or else they would be if you could find a radio station that still played music.

6. Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Cardinology: The prolific Adams has had some hit or miss releases over the past few years, but his latest, Cardinology is a masterpiece. It's country beats flow like a cool river and bathe you in a haunting pool of spirituality.

7. Hot Chip, Made In the Dark: The band's third album is, quite simply, a dance classic – one that you'll hear at parties for the next decade. It's that rare combination that makes you want to move as much as it makes you want to think.

8. Al Green, Lay It Down: With some artists, it's just enough that they get into the studio and sing, because you know that whatever they do is going to be memorable. Al Green is one of those artists and the right Reverend transports listeners back to 1970s R&B heaven.

9. The Killers, Day and Age: The year's most underrated record. The Killers suffer from unrealistic expectations. After their legendary debut, the bold follow-up, Sam's Town, was a complete departure and that terrified and upset the lemmings who wanted Hot Fuss: Part II. But that's not The Killers, who clearly see themselves being in the music business for the long run. On their third album, the band returns with a different sound, less bombastic, less Springsteen influenced, and just as compelling.

10. Ponytail, Ice Cream Spiritual: Fun. That's what this album is. Fun. It's a pop pleasure, that captures the band's essence. Known for their energetic live shows, this album nearly captures that experience.

11. Jody Porter, Close to the Sun

12. Girl Talk, Feed the Animals

13. Bob Dylan, Tell Tale Signs, The Bootleg Series, Volume 8

14. Spiritualized, Songs in A & E

15. Santogold, Santogold

16. TV on the Radio, Dear Science

17. Conor Oberst, Conor Oberst

18. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III

19. The Walkmen, You and Me

20. Rick Springfield , Venus In Overdrive

21. Travis, Ode to J. Smith

22. Local H, 12 Angry Months

23. Saul Williams, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust!

24. Tokyo Police Club, Elephant Shell

25. Oasis, Dig Out Your Soul

26. Cut Copy, In Ghost Colours

27. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?

28. Nine Inch Nails, Ghosts I – IV

29. The Clash, Live At Shea Stadium

30. Nada Surf, Lucky

31. Portishead, Third

32. The Streets, Everything Is Borrowed

33. Randy Newman, Harps and Angels

34. Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creation's Dark

35. Pat Monahan, Last Of Seven Acoustic

36. Various Artists, Imus Ranch Record

37. Coldplay, Viva La Vida

38. Kings of Leon, Only By the Night

39. Neil Young, Sugar Mountain, Live at Canterbury House 1968

40. Guns N' Roses, Chinese Democracy

MY FIRST MIXALOO MIX

A SONG FOR GATE D

The New York Times reported earlier this week about the crowds that surrounded the ramps leading to Gate D at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands.

While I won’t go into detail about the incidents here, rest assured that this is old news. These things have been happening at the stadium for years during Jets games. Now that the Old Gray Lady has reported on it, this has become a nationwide story, picked up by television, radio, and print media.

Some will call it a scandal. Others will yawn and say that when your team is as bad as the Jets is, you take your entertainment where ever and whenever you can.

So, with apologies to the Beach Boys, we bring you the official song parody of the scandal, "Jets gate D":

(sung to the tune of "sloop john B")

We head over to gate D
My frat brother and me
Around the Meadowlands we did roam
Eight-buck beers all night
Looking for a bite
My team’s a joke yeah I want to go home

So walk up to gate D’s ramps
And hope to find all the tramps
Who’ll lift up their shirts
And maybe give me a bone, give me a bone
Oh please give me a bone, yeah yeah
You know my team sucks
Help me get a bone

The Pats’ HC is a skunk
Who acts like a classless punk
Taping the games, so the league gave them a fine
Tells The NFL
You can all go to hell, yeah yeah
You know their team sucks, we beat them at home

So walk up to gate D’s ramps
And hope to find all the tramps
Who’ll lift up their shirts
And maybe give me a bone, give me a bone
Won’t you give me a bone, yeah yeah
You know my team sucks Help me get a bone
(walk up to gate D’s ramps)
You know my team sucks, help me get a bone
Help me get a bone

The golf balls roll down the ramp
The quarters will get damp
We’ll pee on the kids who run and catch them all day
Find me a broad
Who’ll flash me dear gawd, yeah yeah
My team really sucks, help get me a bone

So walk up to gate D’s ramps
And hope to find all the tramps
Who’ll lift up their shirts
And maybe give me a bone, give me a bone
Oh please give me a bone, yeah yeah
You know my team sucks
Help me get a bone

Technorati Tags: Current Affairs, Music, Sports

ALBUM REVIEW: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, MAGIC

The career of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band has been marked not only by the band’s ability to write and perform compelling, catchy songs that sound great in the studio and even better when performed live, but also by the seemingly slavish attention to thematic and sonic unity that have elevated previous efforts from collections of songs to great albums.

The first time this writer listened to Magic, the new album from Springsteen and the Band, my initial impression was that the group had released a disc which contained some excellent songs, but which was, as a whole, less than cohesive. Fortunately, repeated listens prove this theory false.

So why the confusion? Part of it can be attributed to the quality of the songs. It might seem odd to make the argument that so many of the songs are so accessible that it is easy to be fooled by their tasty outer shell, but the more times you spin Magic, the more understandable the argument becomes and the more you’ll come to appreciate the depth of the songs on this disc.

Through the years, Springsteen has succeeded because of his innate ability to capture the cultural zeitgeist and put it on record - even if the songs themselves are not as accepting of the era as some might want to believe. His 1973 debut,Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., channeled Bob Dylan (leading to inevitable comparisons.) 1975’s Born to Run and 1978’s Darkness on the Edge of Town snapped a picture of a country in recession, still struggling to come to terms with the aftereffects of the Vietnam War. Born in the U.S.A. arrived in 1984 at the height of Ronald Reagan’s flag-waving presidency. The Ghost of Tom Joad examined the underbelly of America when too many were interested in reveling in the excesses of prosperity. The Rising was Springsteen’s take on the tragic events which took place September 11, 2001.

One common theme that links Springsteen’s work is the way in which he writes political anthems that work both on a pop level as well as on a social level. Those who wanted to wave their flags to "Born in the U.S.A" were not discouraged from doing so - save for the Republican candidates who attempted to co-opt the track and transform it into something that it wasn’t. Those who realized that the song was, in fact, not the pro-U.S. anthem that so many thought it was, appreciated Springsteen’s ability to write such pointed lyrics that were misunderstood by so many.

A social and political activist throughout his career, Springsteen has, over the past several years, become more vocal in his support of certain political candidates, and more critical of those who have squandered their responsibilities and made the same mistakes that their fathers and mentors did.

Though the above might have seemed like a history lesson, it actually was meant to illustrate that Springsteen’s decision to release an album that is critical and wary of the direction in which this country is moving, while doing a masterful job at couching his displeasure by constructing hook-filled melodies that allow the tracks to work on multiple levels is what makes Magic so compelling and so necessary.

The album is chock-full of allusions to the decline of the United States in the past half-decade. Commercial radio has been decimated by big media companies who spent insane amounts of money lobbying the FCC to loosen ownership rules originally put into place to avoid the faceless homogeneity that now corrupts terrestrial radio and "Radio Nowhere," the first single from Magic, illustrates that point perfectly. "This is radio nowhere," Springsteen sings. "Is there anybody alive out there?"

"Livin’ In the Future," which opens with the sax-driven sound that hearkens to a combination of Springsteen’s classic "Hungry Heart" and Billy Idol’s "Hot In the City," is not as cheery as one might think, when Springsteen sings "Tell me is that rollin’ thunder/or just the sinkin’ sound/of something righteous goin’ under?"

"Girls In Their Summer Clothes" might feel like a typical Springsteen banger on first listen, but there is a serious melancholy evident in the lyrics, when the "girls in their summer clothes pass me by." Roy Bittan’s piano eases the listener into "I’ll Work For Your Love," which soon explodes when Springsteen sings about the way in which "our city of peace has crumbled/our book of faith’s been tossed."

"Last To Die" maybe be the most overtly political song on the disc, on which Springsteen’s anger with the lies that took the United States to war in Iraq and the needless blood shed by U.S. soldiers. "Who’ll be the last to die for a mistake" Springsteen asks. "Whose blood will spill, whose heart will break/who’ll be the last to die, for a mistake."

"Long Walk Home," an instant classic performed by Springsteen on 2006’s Seeger Sessions tour, is the antithesis of Born In the U.S.A.’s "My Hometown." "In town I passed Sal’s grocery/the barbershop on South Street/I looked into their faces/they were all rank strangers to me/the veteran’s hall high up on the hill/stood silent and alone/the diner was shuttered and boarded/with a sign that just said ’gone.’" The country faces a long walk home. When you torture and kill in the name of a war that should never have been, you lose part of your soul and it appears that this is one of the messages that Springsteen is attempting to convey.

The disc’s closer is a hidden track, "Terry’s Song," a tribute to Terry Magovern, a longtime friend and mentor to Springsteen, who passed away July 30. It is a stirring, simple-yet-elegant, piano-and-acoustic-guitar eulogy that gives the disc a sense of closure, and appropriately (and unfortunately) amplifies the feelings of loss and despair that propel this disc.

That Springsteen can make a collection of songs sound both anthemic and mournful at the same time is a tribute to his talents. While other artists of his generation have long ago grown complacent with releasing yet another collection of their greatest hits, Springsteen continues to take chances and continues to elevate his game. Magic is not Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s best album, but it is a magnificent and harrowing snapshot of where we are, as a nation, at the end of 2007.

In much the same way that Born to Run painted a portrait of the artist as a young man, and Nebraska captured the despair of the early 1980s, Magic proves itself necessary and worthy of much praise because, without being too onerous, it is another, necessary, snapshot of the state of the union and a wake-up call for those who don’t realize, as Springsteen himself once said, that "blind faith in your leaders will get you killed."
Technorati Tags: Current Affairs, Music, Politics

A FAMOUS PICTURE ON YOUR WALL

When you’re looking for a way to cover that bare spot on your walls, you have many options, but if you’re looking for a unique piece of signed memorabilia for your wall (or if you just want to look like you have many famous friends), you should look no further than Memorabilia4u.com.

While this site is based in the UK, they ship worldwide and have a tremendous selection of signed memorabilia from the worlds of film, music, television, and sport. While memorabilia and autographs of stars of baseball, American football, hockey, and basketball are not as well represented -- the site’s sports section is focused towards U.K. football, golf, boxing, and other sports (where else can you find a signed Franz Klammer action shot?) -- the music and film/television sections are chock full of items from many of the most popular stars, including Bon Jovi, 50 Cent, Beyonce, Al Pacino, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Even when one takes into account the exchange rate, North American buyers will find the prices extremely competitive, especially when one considers that most of the pieces are mounted and framed. In addition, the site’s owners say that if a buyer ever has any doubt that an item purchased through them is not a true signing from the celebrity they are "more than willing" to offer a full refund upon its return. In addition, they offer a seven-day full satisfaction guarantee. In fact, on the site, the company makes the following guarantee (bold face emphasis is the site’s):

All items carry a personal, lifetime, money-back guarantee that they are genuine.

You can spend your days traveling around the world and stalking stars in the hope that they will sign a photograph or you can buy your memorabilia and autographs from a reputable dealer. If the latter appeals to you -- and it should -- check out Memorabilia4u.com .

Technorati Tags: Film, Music, Sports

BOOK REVIEW: BOB DYLAN: INTIMATE INSIGHTS FROM FRIENDS AND FELLOW MUSICIANS

For decades, Bob Dylan was an enigma; he bared his soul on numerous albums released over the course of a multi-decade career. He toured with numerous artists. He was everywhere. At the same time, he was a recluse. When Dylan was not on tour, when he was not promoting an album, you heard little from or about him. He wasn’t hanging out at Studio 54. He wasn’t in the front row at Los Angeles Lakers games. He valued his private life as much as he cherished the opportunity to express himself through song.

And even when he opened up, as he did in Chronicles, he still kept many of his secrets to himself. Therefore, it is understandable that one interested in learning more about the singer would attempt to corral the memories of his colleagues, contemporaries, and friends in order to paint a more thorough picture of this mysterious, brilliant man who often seemed too shy or modest to speak about himself.

While one hopes that this was the reason that Kathleen Mackay decided to embark upon the journey that became Bob Dylan: Intimate Insights from Friends and Fellow Musicians, it appears more likely that the author was more interested in finding a way to make a quick buck with little effort by assembling an anthology of interviews, most of which provide little information about Dylan than was already known.

Mackay fills the book with a combination of previously-published interviews and conversations captured specifically for this project. Unfortunately, the previously-published interviews will be familiar to most of Dylan’s fans, and the new interviews focus more on what Mackay ate and what the weather was like than they do the story of Bob Dylan. The new interviews are bloated with tangential information about the respective subjects. It often feels like even Dylan’s closet friends were unable to provide a great deal of new information. This lends to the idea that the book is filled with information that was only included because the writer had to meet a page minimum. At the same time, the book crawls. You won’t believe that it’s only a 256-page book because it moves at a glacial pace. This is attributed largely to the author’s writing style, which, in this book, often suffers from questionable grammar and weak sentence structure.

Adding to the feeling that this book’s sole purpose is to add another notch in the author’s bibliography is the overall sloppiness of the research. When you open your book with the Mies van der Rohe quote “God is in the details,” you better make sure that the details you include are factually correct. Mackay’s “research” is sloppy to the point that you wonder if her vast knowledge of rock music caused her to feel like she could get away with writing whatever she wanted under the assumption that the reader would accept her “facts” at face value.

There are several notable errors in the book. On page 150, the author writes about Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run: “Born To Run was an instant hit. The album made it to Number One.” Wrong. The album never peaked above the No. 3 position and the single never broke into the top 10 (so one cannot say that she meant to refer to the chart position of the single.) It might seem like a minor error, but music fans who are seeking a deeper understanding of Bob Dylan are not likely to be casual fans. God is in the details.

Another factual error brought to my attention occurs in the first chapter. Mackay describes the drive from Boston, Massachusetts to the Mount Hermon Prep School, where she is to meet Noel “Paul” Stookey of Peter, Paul, and Mary. On page four, she writes, “Erving’s small commercial area features the predictable Wendy’s, McDonald’s [sic], and the occasional gas station…” This is incorrect. A simple Internet search will show you that there is neither a McDonalds nor a Wendy’s in Erving. Those facts are backed up by visits to the respective restaurants’ corporate Web sites, where a search by store location comes up empty when one tries to find an outlet in Erving.

There are other errors, but my point is not to illustrate each one. Still, these blatant mistakes lead this reader to question what other mistakes are present. Mackay’s credibility suffers with each error that went uncorrected in the editing process.

Bob Dylan: Intimate Insights from Friends and Fellow Musicians suffers because the insights never feel very intimate and most of the interviewees have less to say about Dylan than one suspects Mackay thought they would.

Dylan fanatics will be turned off by this book and those who wish to learn more about the artist are better served by purchasing Chronicles or looking back at old interviews from Rolling Stone. It’s not entirely clear who would benefit from reading this book, and it’s even less clear whether any music fans would enjoy reading it.
Technorati Tags: Books, Music
Technorati Tags: Books, Music

I LOVE IT WHEN YOU CALL ME BIG POPPA

I don't usually post videos to the site, but this one is a classic and really holds up well.

Thanks to my friends at Bad Boy Entertainment for this one.

MY FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2006, PART 4: NO. 10 TO NO. 1

10. Tom Ze, Estudando o Pagode
This Brazilian avant-pop artist’s operetta is a sonic explosion in three parts. You don’t need to understand a word of it — and I admittedly don’t — to know that it doesn’t matter whether or not you have a knowledge of the spoken language. Estudando o Pagode is an expertly crafted musical vision whose parts meld seamlessly into a wondrous journey.

9. Willie Nile, Streets of New York
On his first recording in six years, Nile strays from his punk roots and belts out a powerful, yet measured, rock classic, full of anger, energy, and grit. Rich and harmonic, with songwriting talent for which many would kill, Streets of New York is a magnificent and underappreciated work from a musician who deserves much more attention than he has received.

8. Jeremiah, Chasing Forever
When I first reviewed this disc, I wrote a lengthy disclaimer explaining that Jeremiah’s label, Siri Music, is a subsidiary of the company that owns Groovevolt. And then I praised the disc to the heavens. As the months have passed, I’ve thought about the inherent conflict of interest and came to the conclusion that I just don’t care. Jeremiah is one of the most exciting new soul artists to release a disc in a long time. With a distinctive voice and a clear appreciation of his predecessors in the R&B world, Jeremiah has released a stunning debut that is baby-making music at its finest. His voice is both warm and chilling, which makes his sound so unique. The man has a blindingly bright future ahead.

7. Ghostface Killah, Fishscale
It might be inaccurate to call the Wu-Tang Clan underappreciated; however, when one looks back at the artists associated with them, a powerful argument will be made for the group being one of the most important in the history of hip-hop. Ghostface Killah, who dropped a pair of strong discs in 2006, strengthens the legacy of the group with his rapid-fire delivery and rhymes that are both literate and raw. Even the skits — a rap album feature that I frequently decry — are above average.

6. Prince, 3121
It is unfortunate that so many mainstream music fans have given up on Prince. It’s easy to point to his eccentricities as a reason for not paying attention to his new releases; however, those who did that last year missed one of the best releases of his career, full of delicious funk beats, steamy, ready for the bedroom grooves, and horns that just won’t quit.

5. Ali Farka Toure, Savane
On the final studio album of his career, the late Ali Farka Toure put together a disc that is nothing short of stunning. Primarily an acoustic effort, the disc’s rootsy rhythms are complimented by impassioned lower-register vocals and provide a memorable final chapter to what was a remarkable career. The word virtuosity has a new synonym: Savane.

4. Hot Chip, The Warning
The best dance record of the year, Hot Chip’s The Warning balances wild breakbeats with moments of pop magic that shamelessly bring in R&B elements when they need to truly prove a point. “Over And Over” is one of the year’s best tracks and anyone who is not moved to dance spastically while grinning retardedly is likely overdue for his lobotomy appointment.

3. Bruce Springsteen, We Shall Overcome – The Seeger Sessions (American Land Edition)
I’m usually the first to complain about artists who release an extended edition of an album months after releasing the original; however, there are exceptions to every rule and the American Land Edition of Bruce Springsteen’s We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions is that exception. The stunning album of Pete Seeger covers was enhanced by two breathtaking tracks — “Bring ‘Em Home” and Springsteen’s version of “How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live.” This album is a success because Springsteen embraced fully the idea of a session in the Irish tradition, where artists would gather and begin to play; he put aside his legendary perfectionism; and he realized that by performing songs that he did not write, he was able to embrace the political nature of the tracks and, at the same time, shield himself from the criticism that his tracks are outwardly political. Though Springsteen saw this as a side project, the power of the songs made it one of the most important releases of the year.

2. Bon Savants, Post-Rock Defends the World
Few people would believe that one of the best albums of the year was written by a rocket scientist who works at MIT. Fewer still would believe that such a high-quality album would be self-released by a band that is not signed to a record label. It’s time for people to start believing in Bon Savants, because Post-Rock Defends the World is one of the most auspicious debuts to cross my desk in years. An absolute pop masterpiece, this thrilling disc includes the instant classic “Between The Moon And The Ocean,” comprised of breathtaking verses like “And as I watched you fall, the moon reflection recalled the love I killed that night.” Heartbreakingly beautiful, Post-Rock Defends the World is a brilliant diamond that begs to be listened to repeatedly.

1. The Hold Steady, Boys and Girls In America
It is unfair to call Boys and Girls In America the 2006 edition of Born to Run, but the idea is a valid one. The third album from The Hold Steady, which is fronted by Craig Finn and steered by his band from Brooklyn, whose distinctive voice and inventive lyrics fuel a masterpiece where the night is alive and the highways are wide open and the kids, well the kids are looking for an excuse to drink and drug and fuck. Finn’s love for Jack Kerouac's On the Road — the title of the album comes from the line “Boys and Girls in America have such a sad time together”) — is evident throughout this odyssey of hard-living. The disc is the soundtrack to those summer nights where you sit on the front porch of your beach house, drink, watch the girls go by on their way to the bar, drink some more, watch those same girls stumble back from the bar bleeding drunk, and hope that one or two of them stumble onto your porch.

MY FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2006, PART 2: NO. 50 TO NO. 35

50. Under the Influence of Giants, Under the Influence of Giants
An auspicious debut from a band who is unafraid to sample the myriad influences by which they were clearly inspired during the course of their respective musical educations.

49. The Crystal Method, Drive: Nike+ Original Run
What sounded like a perfectly awful idea on paper proved a commercial and critical success. The Crystal Method composed a compelling piece of work that works as both as an entertaining piece of music and  an effective addition to one's workout regimen.

48. The Game, Doctor's Advocate
This disc definitely suffers from its late release. It's an excellent effort; one that is not weakened by the fact that The Game is not joined by 50 Cent or Dr. Dre as he was on his previous disc.  The disc grows on you with repeated spins and I suspect that it would have ended up higher on the list had it dropped in the middle of the year.

47. LCD Soundsystem, 45:33:  Nike+ Original Run
Another release in Nike's Nike+ Original Run series, this effort from LCD Soundsystem is rich and nuanced and makes you wonder if there is anything that James Murphy cannot do. The release also serves as an excellent tonic for fans who cannot wait for Sound of Silver to hit store shelves in March.

46. The Knife, Silent Shout
The Swedish duo mixes hard techno and electropop beats in a eerie melange that floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee. I guess that would make this disc the Muhammad Ali of this year's list.

45. The Raconteurs, Broken Boy Soldiers
Jack Black's side project finds him a member of a Detroit supergroup  that rocks from the get-go on tracks like "Steady as She Goes" -- a delicious pop track that surely came from an era when such songs would actually be played on the radio -- and zigs and zags the rest of the way in the most compelling manner possible.

44. Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris, All the Roadrunning
This disc flew in under the radar and though it won't win any awards for being a joyous album, this set of melancholy meditation from two grizzled musical veterans is poignant and compelling, often to a fault. It's not an easy disc to listen to, but, if it's any consolation, it probably wasn't an easy disc to make either.   

43. Van Morrison, Pay the Devil
One of two terrific country discs released in 2006 from artists better known for their non-country roots -- the other will appear a few spots up the list -- Morrison's covers disc should be required listening for those who confuse George Jones and George Lucas. The singer's cover of Webb Pierce's "Back Street Affair"  is nothing short of brilliant.

42. Annuals, Be He Me
This North Carolina indie-pop group's full-length debut defies easy categorization. More classic rock than classic pop at times, a wispy, college rock sensation at others, Be He Me is bold and auspicious and wondrous, and if you buy this album now, you won't be labeled a bandwagon jumper when their sophomore set explodes into the consciousness of the mainstream.

41. Comets on Fire. Avatar
Whenever I listen to this album, and like I do, you'll find yourself returning to it more than you would expect to the first time you listen to it, I am struck by just how accomplished this band's players are at pounding out  blues rock riffs that collide with spiky punk power chords and veer off in a whole new direction, sort of the way a comet does when it's on, well, fire.

40. Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere
The inclusion of "Crazy," the best song of the year, on this disc, ensures that the album would appear somewhere on this list, and while it is unfair to expect than anyone could write a group of songs as good as that one, one great song and one terrific cover (of the Violent Femmes' "Gone Baby Gone") cannot overcome the remainder of the tracks that are booty-shaking good,  but, despite their outward desire to be so, rarely earthshaking. It is that difference that prevents this album from landing higher on the disc.

39. Solomon Burke, Nashville
Last year, Solomon Burke's Make Do With What You Got reminded everyone how underappreciated this soul legend truly is. He returns this year with a stunning tribute to his Nashville home in this wonderful collection of country and Americana tracks. He is joined on the disc by country greats like Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Patty Griffin, who complement Burke without ever overwhelming him.

38. The Killers, Sam's Town
Instead of praising The Killers for proving on their sophomore set that they are capable of so much more than they exhibited on their debut, Hot Fuss,  many dumped on the group for a sophomore album that didn't sound like Hot Fuss. "When We We're Young" is the second best song of 2006 and the rest of the disc is ambitious and enchanting.

37. Dresden Dolls, Yes Virginia
I'm not entirely sure why this album wasn't a huge hit. This Boston band's self-titled debut was a cult hit and this disc -- bold, brash, ballsy, and big -- is far superior. The new disc -- three years in the making -- does not find the group trying to reinvent itself; rather, the disc feels like a more advanced, more complete follow-up to the debut. It is the rare band that takes the time to craft its sophomore effort. Time is sometimes all a talented band needs to make a successful and compelling album.

36. Lloyd Cole, Antidepressant
Lloyd Cole sounds, dare I say, happy, on his latest release. Okay, perhaps happy isn't the right word, but this underappreciated artist's latest disc is refreshingly playful. The opening track, "The Young Idealists," lands near the top of my song-of-the-year list, and while it's clear by the end that the appreciation of beauty often results in sadness, Cole reminds listeners that one should always appreciate the joys that life brings, even if said joys are occasionally tempered by sadness.

35. Neil Young, Living With War
Neil Young doesn't like President Bush and he makes no bones about his lack of respect for Bush or his policies on this biting disc. While the song titles are sometimes heavy-handed -- "Let's Impeach the President" is the most obvious example -- the songs themselves are anything but. Young is angry and disgusted and raises his voice and sings about injustice in much the same way that he has for his entire career. The disc feels like it poured from his soul, which it clearly did. Most artists who would attempt a disc as vitriolic as this one is would be marginalized by the partisan forces against which they are singing. Young isn't because he has both the gravitas and the history to pull off such a blistering full-frontal assault.