Top 10 fave albums of 2011

Here we go, in no particular order.

Tom Waits: Bad As Me. Initially I was disappointed this wasn't stronger, this being his first new material in seven years. But I found myself enjoying it anyway. What more matters?

The Pack A.D.: Unpersons. Two-girl garage-punk band kickass album of the year.

Limes: Tarantula! Sort of a slacker Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, which makes for a fun listen.

Silos: Florizona. Walter S. and friends back with a mighty fine collection that doesn't break much new ground but jumps out of the speakers.

Lydia Loveless: Indestructible Machine. Kickass drunk-young-female-alt country album of the year. Great voice.

Art Brut: Brilliant! Tragic! Critics didn't like this much but I truly enjoyed the Black Francis production (Pixies sound) mixed with the witty/ wacky lyrics and singing

Felice Brothers: Celebration, Florida These guys totally surprised by advancing their material beyond alt country roots, into some mighty fine, deep tunes.

TV On the Radio: Nine Types of Light I played this one the loudest and longest on my car stereo. One of the best concerts I ever experienced when they came to the Pabst.

The Kills: Blood Pressures Like the Tom Waits CD, it took me a while to warm up to this, but it's a solid album with the exception of one track where the guy sings.

PJ Harvey: Let England Shake Every PJ album is an event and in this case it's haunting, heartfelt and, as always, in a class of its own.

Video link: Tom Waits "Satisfied"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHn_Kb4Dz40

from the new album Bad As Me

Christmas eve eve eve eve playlist

I think that is the right number of "eves" before Christmas. I mixed in a few Christmas favorites but saved most of them for the 80s at 8:30. Happy holidays, radio listeners!

New tracks

6 pm hour

Crooked Fingers -- Went to the City
Trolley -- I Woke Up
Deer Tick -- Main Street
Lovers -- How the Story Ends
Zola Jesus -- Vessel
John Cale -- Catastrofuk

Recurrent (4-12 months old)

Gil Scott Heron and Jamie xx -- Running

7 pm hour

Atlas Sound -- Praying Man
Twin Sister -- Spain
Kurt Vile -- Life's A Beach
Tom Waits -- Bad As Me
Robert Pollard -- I Wanna Be Your Man on the Moon
High Places -- Altos Lugares

Recurrent

Girls -- Die
The Kills -- Satellite

8 pm hour

Tommy Stinson -- Don't Deserve You
Wavves -- In the Sand (live)
Lydia Loveless -- Can't Change Me
The Fall -- Age of Chang

Recurrent

Obits -- You Gotta Lose
John Maus -- Quantum Leap

The 80s at 8:30 Christmas edition

Kristin Hersh -- Jesus Christ
Timbuk 3 -- All I Want for Christmas (Is World Peace)
Pretenders -- 2000 Miles (request)
Bobby's Blue Band -- Yulesville/ Dig That Crazy Santa Claus
Chris Stamey Group -- You're What I Want for Christmas
Fishbone -- Slick Nick You Devil You
Ramones -- Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)
Couch Flambeau -- Santa Skips Cudahy

Christmas lights blinking to Ventures vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76UhU1Pd9S8

Vid link of the week: High Places @ bowling alley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgTug9VtAvs

Kickstarter Fatty Acids Bunnyman night

It was a full ticket Wednesday night with two hours of the regular Showgram -- along with pitches for "keep live music on wmse" (at wmse.org), a live performance by the Fatty Acids (to promote Kickstarter campaign for live music equipment) and an appearance by Bunnyman on the 80s at 8:30. Next week, I will mix in a few Christmas faves from 6 to 8:30 and then do all-Christmas during the 80s at 8:30.

New tracks

6 pm hour

Ladytron -- Altitude Blues
Black Belles -- Honky Tonk Horror
Kurt Vile -- Life's A Beach
Robert Pollard -- I Wanna Be Your Man in the Moon
High Places -- Morning Ritual
Tom Waits -- Chicago

7 pm hour

Southern Culture on the Skids -- The Creeper
Phantogram -- Make A Fist
Deer Tick -- The Bump
Trolley -- I Woke Up
Ty Seagall -- My Sunshine
The Antlers -- Parentheses (PVT remix)
The Fall -- Age of Chang (sic)

8 pm hour

Live set by The Fatty Acids

The 80s at 8:30

Artist of the Week -- The Wipers from Portland, Ore.

Pushing the Extreme
Nothing Left to Lose
Messenger
Romeo
Think About It
Better Off Dead

Vid of the week: The Black Belles

This is from 2010. They are a Jack White production. I have been playing their recent single "Honky Tonk Horror."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXNTQ-GmMkM

End Nov. Showgram playlist

Yes, it's December. Call me observant of the obvious. For my last Showgram of November, I did nothing special. But really, it was fun. 80s at 8:30 feature was the two Husker Du double-album sets -- Zen Arcade and Warehouse: Songs and Stories.

New tracks

6 pm hour

The Pack A.D. -- Pieces
Los Campesinos! -- Songs About Your Girlfriend
Limes -- North Dakota
Jim Jones Revue -- Dishonest John
Caveman -- A Country's King of Dreams
Tom Waits -- Bad As Me

Recurrent (4-12 months old)

The Silos -- White Vinyl
Yellow Ostrich -- Hate Me Soon

7 pm hour

Deer Tick -- The Bump
Trolley -- I Woke Up
The Antlers -- Parentheses
Lydia Loveless -- Can't Change Me
Black Belles -- Honky Tonk Horror
Ladytron -- Altitude Blues
Gauntlet Hair -- Top Bunk

8 pm hour

Wild Flag -- Future Crimes
Phantogram -- Make A Fist

The 80s at 8:30

Husker Du released Zen Arcade (ZA)in '84 and Warehouse (WH)in '86

She Floated Away (WH)
Pink Turns to Blue (ZA/ request)
Visionary (WH)
Up in the Air (WH)
Somewhere (ZA)
Ice cold Ice (WH)
Whatever (ZA)
Divide and Conquer (this was from the '85 LP Flip Your Wig)