YouTube Gems: Band of Horses

From their forthcoming album Infinite Arms, here's Band of Horses with "Compliments," live from this year's SXSW.

Best of 2010 So Far: First 1/3 Report

I've decided to stop numbering my top albums list for a while mostly because I don't use spreadsheet software to make the list, so it's really hard to reorganize when something new comes out. Also, with the massive bounty of good music that has come out/is coming out this year, I'm not gonna bother with strict rankings until I have to or until I get a better grip on my preferences. The following list is a loose ordering of my favorites of the year so far. Even the albums at the bottom of the list are very good, which says a lot about the positive state of music (but not the music biz, ha). What else do I need to hear???


Top Albums of 2010
as of April 29

Band of Horses - Infinite Arms
Austin Collins - Wrong Control
Joe Pug - Messenger
Kasey Anderson - Nowhere Nights
Drive-by Truckers - The Big To-Do
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - I Learned the Hard Way
Dirty Sweet - American Spiritual
Great American Taxi - Reckless Habits
Trampled by Turtles - Palomino
Phosphorescent - Here's to Taking It Easy
Hellbound Glory - Old Highs and New Lows
Rodney Hayden - Tavern of Poets
Johnny Cash - American VI: Ain't No Grave
Hank III - Rebel Within
Drew Kennedy - Alone, But Not Lonely
Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer of the Void
Tim Barry - 28th & Stonewall
Reckless Kelly - Somewhere in Time
The Brothers Comatose - Songs from the Stoop
Nightjar - Hometown Stranger
Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever
Retribution Gospel Choir - 2
Alan Jackson - Freight Train
Ray Wylie Hubbard - A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C)
Gary Allan - Get Off On the Pain
Butch Walker and the Black Widows - I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart
Whispering Pines - Family Tree
Murder By Death - Good Morning, Magpie
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
D.B. Rielly - Love Potions and Snake Oil
Little Brother - LeftBack
Jakob Dylan - Women and Country
Memphis 59 - Ragged But Right
Slash - s/t
She & Him - Volume 2
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig
Freedy Johnston - Rain on the City

Memphis in May parody album covers

I'm headed to Memphis in May this Saturday to take in North Mississippi Allstars, Government Mule, Richard Johnston, Drive-by Truckers and Alice in Chains (that is, if it doesn't flood). In honor of the annual event, I thought I'd post some parody covers of some of the bands who'll be playing this year. I'm not sure if they have quite enough crappy 90's bands on the lineup. What? Vertical Horizon and Creed didn't want in?

Summer Blows - satire lyric

It's almost that time of year for kids to get out of school and Yoo Hoo bottles to roll on floorboards. Almost every year, country songs praising the warmer months come out just in time to blare out the windows of bondo colored Mustangs and jacked up trucks everywhere. Well, truth is, once you pass the age of 25, summer just isn't as much fun.

Summer Blows

©2010 Trailer satires

Ice cream melts and beer gets hot

Girls wear skirts even when they're not

The lawn needs mowing every single week

You might get chiggers if you take a leak outside

Man, summer blows

Gas prices rise and the creek gets low

There's screamin' kids everywhere you go

The AC's running from dusk till dusk

Honey-do list has the wife on my butt

Damn, summer blows

I still remember

Those May to Septembers

'fore I graduated school

I did so much livin'

Hangin' out, going swimmin'

Yeah summer used to be cool

But now that I'm older

No tan on my shoulders

All that seems so long ago

All work and no playin'

And that's got me sayin'

Dadgummit summer blows

My white shirt's the color of sweat

Truck's runnin' hot and my Right Guard left

When I get home all there is to see

Is reality shows on the damn TV

Hoo, summer blows!

Bridge

Gimme some cool air

Gimme some fall

Gimme kids back in school

And gimme football!

But, I still remember

Those May to Septembers

'fore I graduated school

I did so much livin'

Hangin' out, going swimmin'

Yeah summer used to be cool

But now that I'm older

No tan on my shoulders

All that seems so long ago

All work and no playin'

And that's got me sayin'

Dadgummit summer blows

Little Known Facts

This is the first in a new series that reveals facts about your favorite country stars that you may not have known, and some are even true!

Shania Twain goes by the user name "Swiss Diamond" on eHarmony.

In his spare time, Daryl Worley is an accomplished violinist.

Brad Paisley is a 12% shareholder in a company that makes fake vomit and whoopie cushions.

Besides Darius Rucker and Jon Bon Jovi, other rockers who've considered releasing a country album include Sammy Hagar, Steven Pearcy of Ratt© and Jason Aldean.

Butter of Trailer Choir prefers to go by his birth name, Parkay Simpson.

Taylor Swift prefers dipping her french fries in her chocolate shake rather than ketchup.

Miranda Lambert celebrated her ACM victories by leaving a burning bag of dog poo on the doorstep of Taylor Swift's tour bus.

Jimmy Wayne says Uncrustables are the greatest invention of the past decade.

Jason Aldean is flattered by the interest from all his female fans, except Laney Childs of Mobile, AL.

Due to her as-yet undeveloped good hygiene habits, Patty Loveless was given the unflattering nickname "ratty Patty" by third grade classmate, Chad Carmichael. Carmichael disappeared shortly after a '93 Loveless concert in Louisville and has not been seen since. The country singer was not questioned in the incident.

Kenny Chesney denies rumors that he took steroids to enhance his build in preparation for his 3D concert movie. He did, however, enhance another part of his body with a gym sock.

John Rich doesn't drink anywhere close to the amount you thought - you vastly underestimated.

Billy Joe Shaver has never once uttered the word "afraid" in his life.

Kenny Rogers' pre-concert rituals include prayer, updating his fake Twitter account and downing three white Russians.