why would you add "I'm not kidding" to Neil Diamond's 12 Songs?That album must be one of the most universally praised of the past 12 months.I doubt you will see Punk blogs and college radio dj's and mainstream publications like Rolling Stone and the housewives of America agree on much else.

true. but some people have a certain idea of what Neil Diamond is like and are very surprised at the praise tossed this recording's way.

So, Mark, am I supposed to buy just music for my family?

well, either that or porn.

What? You mean "Kate Bush" isn't a household word? Where's your house?

hey, i didn't say she wasn't a household word in MY house now did i? ;-)

Mark, you and I must be the only two people on the planet who own albums by Neil Diamond, Rhys Chatham, AND Susanne Abbeuhl... (I liked "Compass" too but prefer her first album, "April.")

ho ho ho

oh, and am I the only one that thinks Metheny/Mehldau is a massive bore? I wanted to like it, and tried several times, but it just wasn't happenin' for me.

My holiday advice: get one (or both) of the Bill Evans/Jim Hall albums instead.

FWIW, I didn't think Mehldau/Metheny was a massive bore, just a minor one. I still need to get that Ornette you're recommending, that's got to be a good one.

I listened to New Monestary at least a dozen times in its entirety trying to like it; I'm still not getting it. Except, of course, for "Compulsion".

-P

it's funny how some pieces of music resonate and others don't. i still remember the first time i heard The Lounge Lizards. a friend of mine had a copy of Live in Tokyo: Big Heart that somebody had given him. holy crap, i could hardly carry on a conversation because i was so taken with the music.

why? i just don't know.

i have this coming week off, i should review Metheny/Mehldau.

Keith-if you ask 100 random people on the streets of New York who Kate Bush is,99 of them will probably say that she is George Bush' daughter.

Well the only things on this list I actually own are Dylan, The Who, and Springsteen, Of those three, I had my doubts about the latter two going in. Happily, I was proven wrong on both counts. I've had my eye on Buckingham, Waits, The Dolls, and yes, Neil Diamond, for awhile now. So those are definitely on my "get list."

Of the others you mention, I know Guster has gotten all kinds of raves. So far, I don't hear it but perhaps I'll give it another chance. My Chemical Romance I'm more leary of -- although I did like Queen the first time around.

Pat Metheny is a guy I loved around the time of "As Falls Wichita" and "Offramp." "As Falls" for me is the perfect soundtrack for driving on a dark two lane late at night with no traffic. He lost me somewhere in the years following those two albums, but again I may have to take a look at whats he's been up too lately (though Mr. Funk calls it a "turkey").

I also have to be honest and say I'm not sure I heard enough truly great music this year to fill a top ten list. Good stuff there was plenty of. Great not so much.

I would put Dylan and Springsteen on a personal Top 3 though. Right along with Johnny Cash's American V.

Happy New Year!

-Glen

Glen, you should get the Metheny Group's The Way Up, a long suite of interconnected parts. very cool..

also, for something more straight ahead, check out the live Trio record.

Mark,

On your recommendation, The Way Up just got added to my "get list." Which means I may actually buy it sometime within the next six months --LOL-- but I will buy it.

I used to absolutely love the guy, but somewhere there in the late eighties/nineties (not sure exactly), I lost interest. When you describe a "long suite of interconnected parts" though, that definitely sounds encouraging.

I'll let ya know what I think once I get it.

-Glen

Glad to see you had the Dixie Chicks on the list; this is a great album. These days, that takes a lotta nerve!

xxoo
S

1.THE KILLERS-SAM'S TOWN
2.AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD-SO DIVIDED
3.BOB DYLAN-MODERN TIMES
4.BOUNCING SOULS-THE GOLD RECORD
5.ALL AMERICAN REJECTS-MOVE ALONG
6.PLANES MISTAKEN FOR STARS-MERCY
7.XXXTINA AGUILERA-BACK TO BASICS
8.AGAINST ME!-SEARCHING FOR A FORMER CLARITY
9.HATEBREED-SUPREMACY
10.BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME-ALASKA

11.HONORABLE MENTION: CARRIE UNDERWOOD-SOME HEARTS, IRON MAIDEN-DANCE OF DEATH, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE-THE BLACK PARADE, SLAYER-CHRIST ILLUSION, JUDAS PRIEST-ANGEL OF RETRIBUTION,TERROR-ALWAYS THE HARD WAY SPARTA-THREES

BUT NONE OF THE ABOVE ARE BETTER THAN THE MISFITS BOX SET, AND THAT COMES IN A COFFIN SHAPED BOX!

I FORGOT ABOUT BRAND NEW-THE DEVIL AND GOD ARE RAGING INSIDE ME. PLEASE PLACE THIS AT #9, AND REMOVE HATEBREED TO THE HONORABLE MENTION LIST. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.