Well, Heart On A Stick Blog has gone and done it– they’ve compiled the big master-index-searchable-aggregate-etc. spreadsheet of all the blogger picks for Top Albums of the Year. Go check ‘er out.

Personally, I can’t help but go back and check to see how eerily prescient my predictions were back in September, and I didn’t do too bad, considering that I put the list together 3 months before the lists started being posted, and before Crane Wife, Boys and Girls In America, and Cookie Mountain had even been released. I mean, sure, I could’ve selected more accurately if I’d waited longer, but where’s the fun in that?

Maybe next year, someone who’s a much bigger nerd than me can make a whole interactive Web 2.0-enabled online prediction contest thing.

And maybe it can be sponsored by AXE and Zune.

Just kidding.

OR AM I? DUNH-DUNH-DUUUUUNH!

That limited-edition FADER 7-inch series I mentioned awhile back has finally kicked off. The first release, M Ward/Jim James “Magic Trick (Kansas City Remix)” b/w Ladyhawk “Soap” is now available, but you can’t just go down to yr local record shop and pick it up; ’tis not available in stores. You can, however, get one by being one of the first five people to email contests@thefader.com and answering this question: What was the theme of M Ward’s 2005 album?

Get on it!

Sweden’s Envelopes have a new website, and a new record, Here Comes The Wind, slated for release in June. It will be preceded in January by a limited vinyl EP, which will probably only be released in the UK, since the kids over there are so cool they’ve actually made vinyl a viable format* again.

(*not that vinyl isn’t alive and well in the US… it’s just a different market. I mean, if CBR was UK-based, I’d be crapping out nothing BUT vinyl.)

Oh, and SF’s Antenna Farm (who released this year’s amazing Donkeys record) have signed on to release the new Je Suis France record, Afrikan Majik.

::: Je Suis France – Thank You For Being A Friend* :::

(*yes, THAT one. NOT from Afrikan Majik, btw.)

You can check out the first mp3, “Double Vision,” (alright, cool it with the Foreigner jokes already) from The Ponys‘ upcoming Turn The Lights Out over at Matador. I would just link directly to the track, but Matador has the totally asinine and policy of “no deeplinking,” which I realize is but a minor, tiny little hoop to jump through, but it’s one that TOTALLY annoys the piss out of me regardless.

Apparently, Elephant Micah’s Hindu Windmills vinyl LP is now finally available from Time-Lag. There was apparently also a new CDR, Embarrassment Of Riches, out in October.

::: Elephant Micah – Events Near Dove Cottage :::

Hey, if you want that 23-minute Loscil Destroyer’s Rubies track, but you don’t have a turntable, I would advise you to buy the Acuarela version of the album, because that’s the bonus track on that version of the CD. You can order the disc from them right now for approximately $15 US, but I think that’s a special offer that ends tomorrow. So do it now, if’n yr gonna do it.

::: Loscil – (Loscil’s Rubies) Carmine :::

December Mix = most all mostly favoritish tracks of the year.

Well, everybody does it, and I’m gonna be no exception: it’s year-end list time.

I’ve got three I’ll go to bat for this year:

1. Destroyer – Destroyer’s Rubies
2. The Battles – Tomorrow’s Eager Hands
3. Frightened Rabbit – Sings The Greys

#1: Duh. Like you didn’t see that coming. Yeah, suddenly, everyone loves Destroyer, and that’s fine. Destroyer’s Rubies is a fine album.

#2a: Out of nowhere, I was hit by this disc by the band that’s not that free-form-jazz-or-whatever-instrumental-band-on-Dim Mak. Yes, *this* Battles is so intermingled with the Destroyer ethos that everyone will just roll their eyes at me, but I don’t give a good god damn. I didn’t full-on embrace this disc at first, but damned if it didn’t grow on me somethin’ fierce over the course of the year. A new album, recorded with JC/DC, is due next year, and I’m stoked.

#2b: A coupla guys from Glasgow pulled this one together, and it blew me away. I tried my best to spread the word, but it just didn’t seem to take… I even offered several times to release the disc stateside via CBR. But whatevs. Chances are, you haven’t heard this disc. Chances are, no one you know has this disc. Too fucking bad for you, because it’s fantastic, and original, and, uh, fantastic.

HmmmNow! Interesting (to myself at least) to note how, with each passing year since catbirdseat’s inception, the number of annual catbird album recommendations has decreased:

2002: 47 albums
2003: 44 albums
2004: 35 albums
2005: 30 albums
2006: 19 albums

At this rate, given another few years, I won’t like *anything*.

But seriously, though, this has as much to do with me becoming much more selective, crotchety and cranky as time passes as it does with anything else (for real… there’s some crap on those older lists I doubt I’d go near today, but no apologies), but anyway, really now: this was a pretty shit year for music. And we can blame it on the blogs, on the O.C., on the labels, whatever; but in the end, the fact remains: there was a distinct lack of *really* good stuff in 2006*.

(*And yes, I HAVE heard ________. And ______. And yes, even _______.)

It’s November 21st, and that means that Swan Lake’s Beast Moans is now out there on the shelves. There’s definitely very little fanfare, which is to be expected considering that A.) this is a late-in-the-year release, B.) the record leaked months ago, and bloggers’ attention spans are about a day and a half long, C.) Hell, it’s No Music Day.

Still, I‘m happy about it. And tipped off by Carl, I just read through that nice three-part Swan Lake interview by Michael Barclay over at Radio Free Canuckistan. I heartily agree with Barclay’s assessment that the first few listens of the record are less-than-rewarding. Barclay says, “baffling and impenetrable,” but I would’ve said “disappointing.” Still, that was just the first few listens, as I also agree with Barclay that this record pays off after spending some time with it, which, again, is not something I would expect many (critics, bloggers) to do.

Anyway, all I’m sayin’ is: I like it, and yet, at the same time, I definitely wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who’s not already a fan of Dan, Spencer, or Carey. It’s not an easy record to process, but then again, the same can be said about each of the guys’ other work as well.

::: Swan Lake – All Fires :::
::: Swan Lake – The Freedom :::

Side Note: In the interest of showcasing my extreme nerdiness, I would like to point out that nearly 4 months ago, well before the record even leaked, I predicted which songs were Dan’s with 75% accuracy. My only misstep was “City Calls,” but even now, I swear that title sounds positively Bejarian.

Lot of stuff out this week, including Wrens re-issues, US releases of recent Sparks and Divine Comedy albums, and 4 new Drag City releases (White Magic’s LP, a new Red Krayola EP, Bonnie Billy’s “Cold and Wet” 12″/single, and everyone’s new favorite, Ys).

But also out? The vinyl of The Hidden Cameras‘ latest, Awoo. FWIW, I had a hard time turning up a copy, but finally came across one at Interpunk.

Hey, so a new batch of Catbird Records came in last week, and as usual, the majority of them sold out within a day. HOWEVER, this time, we did press additional amounts of the Smalls and the Ladies’ sizes, which we do still have available. So, little guys, ladies, and extra-medium wearers, get on it while the gettin’s good.

75 Or Less Records is all set to (re)release the Captain Amazing EP by Lame Drivers, a Providence band, 75% of which is composed of 60% of Get Him Eat Him. The disc was originally issued on CD-R in 2005, and this new version features 5 new bonus tracks.

Jason from the band wrote to me and said that I could feel free to post any of the tracks hosted on their music page, but I simply must ignore his request. Because I’m compelled to offer up this one, my favorite one:

::: Lame Drivers – Superbomb :::

Because it’s like the Buzzcocks getting a reacharound from the Descendents.

Catbirdseat’s CMJ Report

Thurs: Didn’t go to any shows, parties, panels, etc.

Fri: Didn’t go to any shows, parties, panels, etc.

Is that weird?

Anyway, if you know what I look like, and you happen to see me out on the street, stop me and talk to me because I’ve got ten 2-track promos to give out for CBR 008. Hey, I don’t think I’ve officially announced CBR 008 yet, have I?

Coming V. Soon
CBR 008
The Ghosts – Blue Birds Blood

The Ghosts are led by London’s own Mathew Sawyer- visual artist, ukelele aficionado, and one-time drummer for the Television Personalities. Blue Birds Blood is a full-length album; 12 tracks of Mathew’s unique folk’d up, punk’d out, romantic, uneasy listening. You can stream 4 of the tracks over at The Ghosts’ Myspace, or grab the first mp3, “Penny Falls,” from this month’s Catbirdseat mix.

::: The Ghosts – Penny Falls :::

The “official” release date is January ‘07, but Mailing List members and other resourceful types should be able to pick it up sooner.