Tankboy's Top Tunes of 2009.

Tankboy's Top Tunes of 2009.

As is customary in these parts, you will find a huge honking ZIP file of 61 of my favorite songs that were released in 2009. These are the tunes that I just haven't gotten tired of, and the ones that this time next year will probably still be in reasonably heavy rotation. I looked back on 2008's list to see how it held up, and it has done so admirably.

The songs are in no particular order, and feel free to delete whatever you don't dig to tailor the list to your tastes. That's totally cool with me. But give everything a listen at least once on the off-chance you might discover something new!

The best way to listen to this collection, I've found, is on shuffle, though if you're playing this at a party or something you probably want to take the Soulseekers song off the list ... it's a long slow burning strand of magnesium that I love, but it is loooong and not exactly upbeat.

And do I have a favorite song on this list? Kind of. I Was A King's "Norman Bleik" has lietraly hit my ears HUNDREDS of times this year, and each time it fills me with fresh joy as if I'm just discovering it for the first time. To anyone who sucks in alot of music, you know how rare that sensation can be.

Anyway, download and enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: The Top Tunes of 2009: One Man's View (Megaupload)

DOWNLOAD: The Top Tunes of 2009: One Man's View (Zshare)

The mammoth year-end list of my favorite music is DONE.

The mammoth year-end list of my favorite music is DONE.

My big ol' list of favorite albums and songs of 2009 is up! Read it and let me know what you think. And check back tomorrow for a link to all my favorite songs so you can soundtrack your own Tankboy Party at home.

The decade.

The decade.

I've seen it much argued, and I can totally understand both sides' arguments, so I'm not decisively swayed by either stance. So I ask you, dear reader, do you mark the decade as ending at the end of this year or at the close of 2010?

Further, and this seems to me to be simple common sense, how is it possible to construct a "best of the decade list" without the benefit of a few years' distance providing context? Considering how many music / culture writers build year-end lists they later find themselves disavowing portions of I find it ludicrous to even attempt to tackle something as vast as a decade the year that you judge that decade to be closing.

What do you think?

Photo from Zazzle, though honestly, did anyone really love the aughts?

Beagle update!

Beagle update!

Longtime readers are familiar with the nightmares Betty the Beagle put me through the last time I moved into a new building. She barked for hours, scratched at the door, opened and ransacked our refrigerator, and just was a general terror. We eventually found workarounds to all her issues but man was she difficult to deal with at times. Since she didn't do all of this stuff when we lived with Photogal I always suspected that at least part of what was triggering her behavior might be location based. Maybe she just didn't like the apartment! It was on the third floor and there was no view out the windows, from a beagle's perspective. And while the place was certainly large, it just never felt like "home."

Since we've moved into the new place she's been a doll. There's a little barking but it's the normal amount of "where's mom and dad, where are they ooh that couch looks comfy zzzzz."No scratching at the door. No eating all the food in the fridge. All in all she seems to be 100 more comfortable here. In fact the biggest ruckus she's really caused since we moved is when she suddenly decides to chase one of the cats and the entire room explodes in a flurry of paws amidst an orchestra of loud meows. And that's more amusing than anything else (although we do scold her for kitty harassment).

So there you have it, since the move Betty the Beagle is a much happier little pooch. And we've breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Not feelin' it.

Not feelin' it.

Just not into Christmas this year. GalPal is visiting her family out of town, part of my own family is in Canada, most of my friends are out of town and those that are here are, duh, hanging with their families. I hung out and had a good time with some fellow holiday orphans last night, and tonight is the annual Christmas at Liar's Club and that's always a blast, but I still feel like I'm celebrating the holiday alone for the first time.

It's Christmas Eve, and we are fortified against the cold.

It's Christmas Eve, and we are fortified against the cold.

The title is slightly misleading. We are fortified against the cold, but in Chicago it's actually reasonably warm right now.

Everything is wet and slushy after last night's ice storm but steadily rising temps have at least taken the non-stop peril out of walking a few blocks. The local liquor store was out of Maker's Mark (obviously one of the pitfalls of living in yuppie-land ... we're safer but more folks are prone to drink my fallback choice) so I had to settle for Knob Creek. And a 12-pack of beer. I figure those, bolstered by the case of mixed wine GalPal gave me last night, should get me through the next couple of days.

I'm kidding GalPal, I'll leave the wine (mostly) alone so we can enjoy it together!

If you ever want your record reviewed...

If you ever want your music written about...

...here is an important piece of advice. Rip it to a reasonable (at least over 160 kbps) bitrate and include a link* to it when soliciting music writers. I understand you spent a lot of time on the physical CD, and probably sweated the details of the artwork to no end, and I don't mind if you want to send me actual, tangible proof of your efforts. I'm old school. i still like records and CDs and that whole holding them in your hands thing.

HOWEVER.

As a longtime music writer I can tell you this: the best way to get me to listen to your songs and consider reviewing your album or previewing your show is by giving me a download to you tunes so I can listen to them RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND.

*Use a site like Megaupload or YouSendIt or even betetr your own server but do NOT make people sit through bullshit like Rapidshare to get your tunes. Just a heads-up.

Ahem, new Flaming Lips? Yes. Please.

Ahem, new Flaming Lips? Yes. Please.

The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs With Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing The Dark Side of the Moon came out today.

I like it lots.

Subtle afflictions of manly pride?

Subtle afflictions of manly pride?

Can't sleep. I'm one of those guys that often falls asleep on the couch -- last night I was so lame it was Conan's second guest that did me in -- and this morning once I finally crawled into the bed the cats decided to go bonkers. I gave it an hour or so, but sleep just wasn't coming. So here I am, getting an early start to my day despite my best efforts to eke out just one more hour of snoozing.

This whole falling asleep on the couch thing, is it primarily a male affliction? I know my younger brother and dad displayed the same trait. And there's even this weird thing where you know you're about to fall asleep, it's obvious to anyone, yet you'll still insist you're wide awake even when you've been caught mid-snore. It must be some sort of latent macho tendency, right?

When are we gonna learn that when our girlfriend / boyfriend / mom tells us it's time to go to bed .... it is probably time to go to bed.

Oh hey, it's snowing. Again.

Rather obvious, if you really think about it.

Rather obvious, if you really think about it.

[via ...etc]

Scattershot recollections and random observations.

Scattershot recollections and random observations.

Monday? Really? REALLY?

• My first set for 1994 night at The Burlington was a blast. I was supposed to close the night after Flosstradamus' set but I am really glad they decided to just keep going since there was NO way I really wanted to follow their super-fun set.
• It doesn't fell like the holidays yet. I still haven't done any Christmas shopping.
• My Sony Vaio laptop isn't recognizing or charging my battery at all. This is so annoying. I'm never buying Sony again but does anyone have a clue what might be causing this?
• I complain about always being busy, always on the run, and always having to be somewhere doing something but I do realize I'm a very lucky guy leading a pretty interesting life. I never take it for granted.
• My company holiday party was a lot of fun this year. I attribute it to not being new and a bit in shock when all the employees were gathered in a single space -- like I was last year -- and actually mingling with lots of the fun folks I work with.
• I regret missing last night's #cookieswap since it sounds like it was a really good time.
• I regret missing Gina's birthday party last night since it sounds like it was a really good time.
• My interesting life that I never take for granted? Sometimes I just have to put it on hold, bunker down with GalPal, and recharge the batteries while watching movies on the couch instead of going out ... and that's a move I don't regret.

I am so proud of all of you.

I am so proud of all of you.

This is making me think a) Marcus' description of me as Rahm Emanuel might prove prescient and b) I could probably actually do a good job if elected. I certainly couldn't be worse than the current mayor...

Tankboy in '11!

Tankboy in '11!

The people are speaking, and I'm listening. Vote early, vote often.

I will make this city great again.

On Big Red Coats, cats, and spectacles.

On Big Red Coats, cats, and spectacles.

Do you know how difficult it is to type at 6:22 a.m. when a cat keeps jumping in your lap and then trying to sit on your keyboard? It's bad enough she was obviously searching for stuff online all last night -- as evidenced by the "TTTTTTTTTJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ" search term in my browser's search field, so you'd think she'd at least offer me a brief reprieve, right?

Wrong.

It's cold again. The 30-ih degree temps from a few days ago gave me a false sense of hope and prematurely lifted my mood weather-wise. Now we're back in "I'm going to freeze the fuck out of your face and then physically and repeatedly punch you whilst trying to rip off your ears" weather. This also means I've abandoned even trying to look stylish, instead option to sheath myself in The Big Red Coat in vain hopes that it might sufficiently shield me. The Big Red Coat tries and tries, displaying a truly valiant effort, but the wind and chill seep in around even The Coat's usually adequate fortress. Compounding the problem is the fact that I've been stuck wearing glasses recently due to a piece of debris -- finally removed by my eye doctor yesterday -- that's been irritating me. So not only am I frozen while outside, the second I step indoors I'm blinded as my glasses totally and completely fog over.

The whole ensemble make me look like I'm ten years old.

And that's the state of my world at this moment in time. How's yours?

Tragedy strikes!

Tragedy strikes!

Yesterday, mere hours after I shared with you how difficult creating year-end lists could be, my tankPOD Touch randomly ate a bunch of music, including some of the songs I had been fiddling with on my songs of 2009 list. I've been adding and deleting tunes over the last two weeks and was nearing completion, and the list has morphed so many times I'm not 100% sure what was missing.

Auuuuugh!

In other new I have to go see Andrew Bird play in a church tonight. And tomorrow i have to see Metric in a sports bar. Life truly is rough.

Do you wanna smack me yet?

Year-end listing is hard to do.

Year-end listing is hard to do.

I remember when I was a wee l'il music writer oh so many years ago, year-end lists excited me to no end. I loved making them and i loved reading them even more in hopes they'd uncover music I missed along the way.

Fast-forward 15 or so years and the glee is gone. Partially because so much music flies at me each and every day, I very rarely come across a gem because someone else noticed it and I missed it the first time around. This doesn't mean I'm smarter or more attentive than I was back then, it's just that the volume of music flow has increased so dramatically I feel like I'm gasping for air most of the time.

As for my own lists, there is SO MUCH good music out there it's hard to winnow it down. At the same time there is SO LITTLE truly GREAT music out there either, forcing me to swim through miles and miles of notes in order to find the bands that put them together in a way I find most pleasing.

Any way, it's Monday, it's dreary, and I'm gripe-y. What else is new?

[Old school photo from simpler days via Leafblower]

This is reason 67,980 why I love Lady GaGa.

This is reason 67,980 why I love Lady GaGa.

Who else would put on a performance like this for the Queen of England?!



[Photo via Mail Online]

An obvious progression of events.

An obvious progression of events.

Of course this:


Would spur this:


And ultimately lead to this:


Of course.

Happy birthday GalPal!

Happy birthday GalPal!

Everyone, please join me in wishing the one woman on earth who can actually put up with me a happy birthday!

Borked.

Borked.

Technology has revolted against me today. My computer crashed and refuses to play nice. My cell is working only when it feels like it. My Sloan pictures from last night took waaaay too long to transfer so I didn't have time to edit them.

It's been a tough day.

So come see me DJ with Lizz at The Burlington tonight and tell me it'll all be O.K.

White noise, and other stuff.

White noise, and other stuff.

My alarm in the morning is like a sonic bomb. I have the radio set between stations with the volume way up so at the desired time and abrupt explosion of static wakes me up. It's loud, it's crude, it does the trick.

Holy hell, is that show outside? And not just a little snow? Oh well, it's only an 8 minute walk to the train. And thank god I don't drive or depend on the bus for work any longer, otherwise I'd have to pad another 30 - 45 minutes into the morning's commute. Also, and I was saying this to tease some recent transplants to Chicago yesterday but it really is the truth, if it's snowing you know it's reasonably warm, otherwise the snow wouldn't be able to form.

I have to charge my camera battery. Tonight is a show I've been excited about for months. Sloan is at Lincoln Hall. It's all ages so I'm a little worried about shooting the band since the kids tend to be less than accommodating to photographers -- they're so excited they don't want a second of their view obstructed and often don't believe I'll really be out of their way in a minute or two -- but in the end who the fuck cares? It's Sloan! If all I get to do is watch and listen to one of my absolute favorite bands in the whole wide world than so be it.

O.K., let's get this day into gear!

(Also, I recommend clicking the pic for a bigger dose of Pickle the Kitten.)

Where is 1990 - 1999?

Where is 1990 - 1999?

Lizz and I already have this spread hanging by our desks at work. Click the image to see the larger original page and read the high-larious descriptions.

That's just crazy talk!

That's just crazy talk!

Indeed.


(click the image to embiggen)

First Friday = DJ Tankboy at The Old Oak Tap!

First Friday = DJ Tankboy at The Old Oak Tap!

Winter is finally baring its icy fangs, and by this time next month we'll probably all be hunkered down on our couches under piles of blankets, so let's get out and get social while the weather is still reasonably tolerable.

Tonight, Friday December 4, I'll be spinning tunes both new and old in the cozy environs of The Old Oak Tap, enjoying sips from their massive beer selection, and probably stealing a few bites of one of their burgers or some of their delicious fries (they've got a slow burn that's absolutely awesome).

The most important factor in the equation, though, is you. I'd like to see the smiling faces of friends, acquaintances, and well-intentioned strangers. The holidays are fast approaching and, what can I say, I'm feeling comfort in the goodwill and good company of my fellow humans.

Hope to see you there!

TONIGHT
Friday, December 4

DJ Tankboy

10pm - 2am

The Old Oak Tap
2109 W Chicago

This is how we do it in my house.

This is how we do it in my house.

Fuck the middle man.

Pickle break!

Pickle break!

Click the image for ULTIMATE PICKLE!

Location, location, location?

Location, location, location?

I can't even tell you what a joy it is to get up in the morning, walk across the hallway, enter a room dedicated to being a home office, sit at a real desk, and start writing right away. Due to space issues at our old place my desk had to be put in storage and when I wrote it often either sitting on the ground at a low table or on the couch with my laptop in my lap. Near the end I actually started writing posts on my iPod Touch and then transferred them just because it was easier that way.

I can write anywhere -- up until just a few years ago I still sketched and wrote in black bound sketchbooks, collecting short story ideas and constructing mini-narratives around character ideas -- but I have to admit that I do like having a space just for writing first thing in the morning. It's so much easier to just reach into the back of my head and pull out ideas when I'm not thinking "Man, this laptop is kinda burning my lap," or "Hold on, let me write that thought down, right after I contort myself to slide under and fit at my writing station, erm, the coffee table." At the same time, I came across those sketchbooks mentioned above while unpacking and realized that came up with a lot more spontaneous fiction ideas when I just jotted them down whenever and where they struck me, so maybe it's time to add that method back to my routine.

How about you? Do you have dedicated writing spaces? Or do you always compose on the go? Or are you like me, doing a little of both, but preferring one over the other depending on what you're writing?

Goodnight Keith Moon...

Goodnight Keith Moon...

I shared this via the Twitter last week, but if you don't follow me there, perchance you missed YOUR chance to read Goodnight Keith Moon!

That reminds me , I've got to find my copy of Moon that GalPal has been wanting to read for a while now. I saw it just the other day while moving boxes!

I'm gonna miss our old neighbors' sense of humor...

I'm gonna miss our old neighbors' sense of humor...

Forgot to post this before we moved, but we discovered this on GalPal's iPhone while she was connecting to our Wi-Fi in our old apartment last week...