I'm enjoying this every bit as much as you think I am.

Springsteen was a great choice for album of the year, no question. He'll rate highly on my list.

I could have easily put the Zevon and Knopfler on my list and probably should have. Good choices, Mark.

Are you going to put out Top 10 Whack Jazz list, too?

Stand in the Fire is one of the best live albums I've ever heard.

yes, jazz list is coming tomorrow.

Well you already know how I feel about Magic, (and by the way those discs are in the mail...ho...ho...ho...)

Rilo Kiley could've made easily made my list (although I was a bit late on it). White Stripes too, but I didn't want to ignite the fury of that comments editor guy.

Great list Mark.

-Glen

Wow, you know, these type of lists are so subjective. But, Icky Thump is a definate choice of mine. Very well done. Diverse and heavy and soulful. Reminded me of an early Led Zeppelin approach. OK, the mandolins did that...

And you know, the guy (Jack) was actually saying something in an eloquent manner, not just blathering a bunch of narcissistic garb to music.

OK, Icky Thump is my top pick....

best,
DM

Great choices, Icky Thump and the Rilo Kiley album made my list too, just not the top ten (but they're excellent albums). Nice to see more musical end of year lists!

Interesting reading these lists, seeing what crosses over with my upcoming one. You've got one on yours, Mark, that will be on mine - this might be the least amount of crossover we've ever had, actually! I'll be curious to see your jazz list. I'm just tossing it all in one, a stew of stuff this year. That is, of course, when I can make up my mind about what falls behind #1 . . .

I'm not a massive Broose head, but my brother is and goes to shows in the way he used to watch Leeds United as a season ticket holder. But seeing his Seeger show live on the telly sent shivers down my spine - having always preferred the Boss's stripped down accoustic stuff (Nebraska is my favourite album) and doubted the wisdom of a folk big band I was stunned into, errrm, stunnedness. Yeah.

Colin, oh man, you just had to go and mention Leeds United. Our new MLS soccer (uh, futbol) team here in Seattle for 2009 has sold over 10,000 season tickets already. That is rock n roll, isn't it?

OK, back on subject...yes, the live Broose thing on VH1 here in the States was great! Oh, hopefully the substance of rock n roll will make a comeback.

best,
DM

Douglas, I mention Leeds United in almost every conversation I have and given the unfettered chance to mention the Mighty Whites in print I do so freely and frequently. I'm pleased you fellahs are getting into God's beautiful game, which is called Football... Leeds, despite being at the lowest ebb in our 80-odd year history seem, miraculously to be getting around 30,000 to each home game.

And to remain on topic. I gather from my brother, who this evening is in the O2 arena with Mr Bruce and all his pals, that he rocked in Cologne, Paris and Antwerp (I told you he was obsessed man... I couldn't do it, not for any artist).

Be nice to Mr Beckham, tho he be Red Scum to me!

Too much good stuff, not enough time to find it. I do already own Norah Jones and the Stripes went on my Christmas list.

Colin, oh gosh, this conversation should be on another thread! But finally we got a team. This part of the USA (Seattle) has been playing God's beautiful game on an organized level for a long time. I have 42 years of playing experience. Marcus Hannaman played college ball right down the street from me, Kasey Keller is from about an hour south of me.

BACK ON SUBJECT!!!!!!! You mentioned the O2 Arena. That is where Zeppelin played last week, true? Know anyone who saw the show? Heard it was killer! I should put in a top album vote for the Led Zep compilation that came out this year.

Oh yeah, I hope Mr. Beckham can teach these Americans how to play attractive ball instead of this no style running around we have now.

Oh, that's right, the subject is top albums... Good chatting with ya.

best,
DM

Honestly, you young whippersnappers and your guitar heroes! This Bruce Springstein and this other one, Mark Knockler, I see them all over my TV screen.

And that one greasy haired young fellow, Jack White from the Pinstripes? He's quite the ragamuffin, but I know that's what gets you kids excited these days. I'm sure you'll make him a star, along with that cute little Mrs. of his, the one with the big ninnies.

Hi Douglas.

I get to see Mr Hannaman every week, and of course Brad Friedel - you seem to major in goalkeepers for some reason. Is Kasey Keller still at Fulham? He was last I saw and they seem to have quite an American contingent. Good players all, although Hannaman is regarded as something of a loon - I think in part because of his love of guns and taste in music. He's written a book I believe - you would not believe the profile of Premier League football players in this country, they go in to publication at the drop of a hat, and amazingly people seem to buy the stuff. I'm glad you've got a local team - the franchise idea is very alien to us here. However, although I'm a Leeds fan I'm from nowhere near Leeds and the football team is my only connection with the city.

The O2 is the Zepp shed, it started life as the Millennium Dome - a much derided project to celebrate the year 2000, but seems to be doing very well as a concert hall, Prince did a long run there earlier this year as well, and that's despite its location, which I gather is rather difficult to get to - the idea of the Dome was partly to regenerate a run down area of London's former docklands on the less-regarded South-side of the Thames. I don't know anyone who saw Led Zep and all the clips I saw of people coming out seemed to confirm that the 'net distribution of tickets had made the audience truly international - lots of yanks.

I'm not a big fan of the Zepp (I'm 36) - although I have enourmous admiration for Robert Plant: I know people who know him (a family I know went to his father's funeral) and have heard him talking about his beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers on the radio here. Every report you get is that despite his enormous wealth and fame he remains a genuine and very nice Black Country bloke - he used to come to a pub in my town apparently and drink with the locals quite incognito.

Take it steady, nice chatting with you,

Colin.

The more I listen to the Wilco, the better it sounds. Even six months later.

John Doe's fine album almost made my list, but I winnowed it down to the top five. Wilderness definitely would have made my top 10.

Nice list. Here is mine. We have one CD in common.

don't we have two? Wilco and Bruce. maybe my math is wrong.

Colin, God's beautiful game. Yeah, in my part of the USA (Seattle) it is not some new deal. The rest of the USA it sure is. As a youth back in the 60s, soccer (ahem, futbol) was active and orginized here for some reason. Then aeronautical engineers in the UK found better oportunity here for the Boeing company. So there is a heavy UK presence here. And British style futbol was taught. Create and use that space! This part of the USA produces more world professional players per capita than anywhere else in the country. There are kids around here that have grandparents that play a good game. It is in the blood. Goalkeepers? Yes, that has to do with the influence of USA Football. You know, the games are actually more alike in certain strategies than one would think. Yeah, write a book? Wherever the money is.

Oh man!!!! Sorry readers, this is a music thread. One thing that would help CDs sell again is if the industry would make music for the audiophile, not some heavily compressed sounds to keep a computer (glorified transistor radio) working...

Leeds vs. Chelsea for the FA Cup back in the late 60s (or was it early 70s?). My favorite match of all time. Well, the first game. Well, Leeds won the replay.

Interesting what you say about the O2 Arena. I love that urban infrastructure stuff. Yeah, I am sure a bunch of Yanks made it to the show on their devalued dollar. The Canadian dollar is worth more than the USA dollar now. Thanks Mr. Bush! Spending our hard earned tax dollars on war and death. It should be spent on rocknroll, futbol. And health care, so we can all make it to the next gig.

best,
DM

hey, if you guys are gonna hijack a thread, can you at least talk about a real sport, like curling or something.

Badminton, man.

Oops. Yes, we do have two alike on our respective lists. I overlooked Wilco. My bad.

Mark, sorry, we did kinda hijack the thread, Colin and I. But at the same time, the nature of soccer is kinda rocknroll. Damn, as soon as Leeds comes up, uh, you know, I found a common buddy type thing.

Curling!!!!??? I love it!!!! I watch it every Sunday morning on the CBC!!! Should be back in season soon. It is so sedate. And it does get exciting actually. The thought and strategy...

BACK ON SUBJECT!!!!

OK, White Stripes "Icky Thump" and the Led Zeppelin comp. are my favorite releases of the year. AND let me add Joni Mitchell's 'Shine'!!!! (that is a 2007 release, isn't it? I got it at Starbuck's) It features a nice new version of 'Big Yellow Taxi'

Sorry folks. Colin and I strayed from the subject a bit. But we just happened to bump into each other at this particular pub.

Colin and I are loud,
DM

I love Rilo Kiley's album. It's just brilliant. I almost added it to my list... maybe it should have been 11 albums. But Icky Thump? Icky! What a tragedy that is. Can I just remind you Mark that just because something is different or eccentric doesn't mean it's good. I believe Jack White is a musical genius but... this time he got it far wrong.

on this we will have to disagree. i think the record is brilliant on many levels.