I forgot how much I loved this album until tonight.  Wow -- Paul Simon can pen some phenomenal lyrics.  Here are my favorites from the album:

"Slip Slidin' Away"
She said a good day
Ain't got no rain
She said a bad day's when I lie in bed
And think of the things that might have been.

"American Tune"
And I dreamed I was dying
And I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down at me
Smiled reassuringly

"America"
'Kathy, I'm lost', I said, though I knew she was sleeping
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
They've all gone to look for America

"Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Sail on silvergirl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.

"Homeward Bound"
Tonight I'll sing my songs again
I'll play the games and pretend
But all my words come back to me in shades of mediocrity
Like emptiness in harmony, I need someone to comfort me.

"Old Friends"
Can you imagine us years from today?
Sharing a park bench quietly
How terribly strange to be seventy
Old friends, memory brushes the same years
Silently sharing the same fears.

"Sound of Silence"
'Fools,' said I, 'You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach you.'
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed
In the wells of silence.

"The 59th Street Bridge Song"
Got no deeds to do,
No promises to keep.
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.
Life, I love you,
All is groovy.

"The Boxer"
In the clearing stands a boxer
And a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders
Of ev'ry glove that laid him down
Or cut him till he cried out
In his anger and his shame,
'I am leaving, I am leaving.'
But the fighter still remains.

My Favorite Albums of 2007
1.) Tegan and Sara The Con
2.) Jens Lekman Night Falls Over Kortedala
3.) LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver
4.) Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare
5.) Arcade Fire Neon Bible
6.) Peter Bjorn and John Writer's Block
7.) Eisley Combinations
8.) Radiohead In Rainbows
9.) Saves the Day Under the Boards
10.) The Shins Wincing the Night Away
11.) The Weakerthans Reunion Tour
12.) Against Me! New Wave
13.) Jimmy Eat World Chase This Light
14.) Spoon Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
15.) Ozma Pasadena
16.) Ted Leo/RX Living With the Living
17.) The National Boxer
18.) Modest Mouse We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
19.) Fratellis Costello Music
20.) Dan Wilson Free Life
21.) Motion City Soundtrack Even if it Kills Me
22.) Fountains of Wayne Traffic and Weather
23.) Limbeck s/t
24.) Bloc Party A Weekend in the City
25.) Maroon 5 It Won't Soon Be Long
26.) Rivers Cuomo Alone *
27.) Feist The Reminder
28.) Stars In Our Bedroom After the War *
29.) Amy Winehouse Back to Black
30.) New Pornographers Challengers *

* - ones I need to give more of a chance

Still Need to Hear: Rilo Kiley, Panda Bear, Deerhunter, Gaslight Anthem, Go! Team, Minus the Bear, Bruce Springsteen, Iron and Wine, The Hives, White Stripes

Most Anticipated, 2008: Death Cab for Cutie, Weezer, Franz Ferdinand, Blur, Coldplay, Phantom Planet, Saves the Day, The Format, Hot Chip, Thursday, The Hold Steady

Top 25 Concerts This Year:
1.) Cold War Kids @ Bowery Ballroom
2.) Tegan and Sara @ Hiro Ballroom
3.) Jimmy Eat World @ Electric Factory
4.) Decemberists @ Central Park Summerstage
5.) The Format/Piebald/Limbeck @ Webster Hall
6.) Nickel Creek/Fiona Apple @ Mann Center
7.) The Hold Steady @ Stone Pony
8.) Lily Allen @ Webster Hall
9.) Ted Leo/The Thermals @ McCarren Park Pool
10.) Ozma @ The Saint
11.) LCD Soundsystem/Arcade Fire @ Randall's Island
12.) Snow Patrol/OK Go/Silversun Pickups @ Tweeter Center
13.) Eisley @ Joe's Pub
14.) Saves the Day (acoustic) @ Maxwell's (hour set because of curfew?  lame)
15.) Bamboozle Day 1 (Muse/Saves the Day/Thursday/MCS/Limbeck)
16.) VFest Day 1 (LCD Soundsystem, Peter Bjorn and John)
17.) Live/Fountains of Wayne @ Cranford Music Festival
18.) Third Eye Blind @ Starland
19.) Kaiser Chiefs/The Annuals/Walkmen @ Electric Factory
20.) Guster/The Format @ Beacon Theatre
21.) Weakerthans @ Temptress (didn't see the band once; well, maybe John Samson's shoes)
22.) Fountains of Wayne @ Apple Store
23.) Jack's Mannequin @ Stone Pony
24.) Muse/Cold War Kids @ Festival Pier (Muse/CWK were great; venue is TERRIBLE)
25.) Siren Music Festival @ Coney Island (Dr. Dog -- only good band of the day)

The Best of the Best
1.) LCD Soundsystem "Someone Great"
2.) Modest Mouse "Dashboard"
3.) The Arcade Fire "Intervention"
4.) Spoon "The Underdog"
5.) Justice "D.A.N.C.E."
6.) Feist "My Moon, My Man"
7.) Tegan and Sara "The Con"
8.) Arctic Monkeys "505"
9.) Muscles "Sweaty"
10.) Fratellis "Chelsea Dagger"
11.) Rooney "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?"
12.) The White Stripes "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)"
13.) Fountains of Wayne "Someone to Love"
14.) Bloc Party "Hunting For Witches"
15.) Eisley "Invasion"
16.) Jens Lekman "The Opposite of Hallelujah"
17.) Saves the Day "Under the Boards"
18.) Jimmy Eat World "Here it Goes"
19.) The Weakerthans "Civil Twilight"
20.) Phantom Planet "Geronimo"

If Jimmy Eat World isn't my favorite band, then they're certainly in my top 5.  They do a lot right, from pop to rock to punk to spacey emo.  In fact, there's not a negative word that I can say about their past three albums, Clarity, Bleed American and Futures.  Each is a completely different album while retaining the very distinctive Jimmy Eat World sound.  In addition, each of these albums is an improvement from the last, although that does not necessarily mean that the later albums are better than the earlier ones.  (How's that for a contradiction?)

That trend has changed a bit with their latest release, Chase This Light.  Yes, the distinctive Jimmy Eat World sound is there.  Yes, there are many good songs and again, no poor songs on the album.  But there is no knockout.  No "For Me This is Heaven".  No "Lucky Denver Mint".  No "Goodbye Sky Harbor".  No "Authority Song".  No "Praise Chorus".  No "The Middle".  No "Sweetness".  No "23".  No "Polaris".  That said -- it's a stellar album.  And a stellar Jimmy Eat World album is still better than 98% of everything else out there. 

On an odd related note, the demos of Chase This Light leaked far before this final product.  The three songs from that demo that did not make the cut -- "Distraction", "Stop" and "Be Sensible" -- are superior to many of the songs on the final version of the album.

Big Casino  ***
Let it Happen ***
Electable **
Gotta Be Somebody's Blues **
Feeling Lucky *
Chase This Light ***
Firefight **
Dizzy *

demos:
Be Sensible ***
Distraction ***
Stop ***
Gotta Be Somebody's Blues (instrumental) ***

NOTE: I'm going to do these the way I did WTSR reviews.  Stars for the recommended tracks by listen-ability.  That doesn't mean the other tracks are bad -- just not as radio-ready.
Saves the Day Under the Boards

Saves the Day has had quite the interesting career trajectory.  Including their debut as Lifetime rip-offs on Can't Slow Down, one of emo's most classic albums in Through Being Cool, their straight rock masterpiece in Stay What You Are, the Beatle-esque In Reverie and 2006's nasally but still underappreciated Sound the Alarm, the band has most definitely continued to evolve.  Through all of the member changes, there has been one constant: lead singer Chris Conley.  His vocals, a love it or REALLY hate it instrument, are the centerpiece of all STD albums and UTB is no different.  However, his lyrical musings are much more easy to stomach than on STA, both in delivery and content. 

Durijah Lang has joined the band from Glassjaw, making there more original GJ members (2, including bassist Manuel Carrero) than those from STD (1, Conley).  His contributions aren't any more extraordinary than those provided by ex-drummer Pete Parada (now of The Offspring), but he's no Meg White either.  As for the album itself, it is exceptional -- very poppy and easy to swallow -- a side of the band arguably not seen since SWYA.  It's very solid and definitely one of the best albums of 2007.

Highly recommended.

Radio ***
Can't Stay the Same ****
Get Fucked Up ***
Bye Bye Baby ***
Stay ***
Getaway **
Kaleidoscope ***
Woe ***
Turning Over in My Tomb **

Okay, so I haven't posted in a month.  But now I will be because I have a lot of new music that I want to review!  Hopefully there will be one album a day until I finish!  I start tomorrow...

Here's what will be covered:
* Saves the Day Under the Boards
* Jimmy Eat World Chase This Light
* Weakerthans Reunion Tour
* World Inferno Friendship Society Addicted to Bad Ideas
* Jens Lekman Night Falls Over Kortedala
* The Spill Canvas No Really, I'm Fine
* Tally Hall Marvin's Marvelous Museum
* Radiohead In Rainbows

1. Do you have a tattoo?
2. How old are you?
3. Are you single or taken?
4. Fish?
5. Do you dream in color?
6. Ever seen a corpse?
7. Hipsters or Hillbillies?
8. How did we meet?
9. What's your philosophy on life and death?
10. If you could do anything with me, and have no one know, what would it be?
11. Do you trust the police?
12. Do you like musicals?
13. What is your fondest memory of me?
14. If you could change anything about yourself what would it be?
15. Would you cheat?
16. What are you wearing?
17. Have you ever peed in a pool?
18. Would you hide evidence for me if I asked you to?
19. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?
20. Which do you prefer - short or long hair?
21. What's your favorite day of the week?
22. What's your favorite color?
23. If you could bring back anyone that has passed, who would it be?
24. Tell me one interesting/odd fact about you?
25. What was your first impression of me?
26. Have you ever done drugs?
27. Will you post this so I can fill it out for you?

Fall is here, hear the yell
Back to school, ring the bell
Brand new shoes, walking blues
Climb the fence, books and pens
I can tell that we're going to be friends

Walk with me, Suzy Lee
Through the park and by the tree
We will rest upon the ground
And look at all the bugs we found
Then safely walk to school without a sound

Well here we are, no one else
We walked to school all by ourselves
There's dirt on our uniforms
From chasing all the ants and worms
We clean up and now it's time to learn

Numbers, letters, learn to spell
Nouns and books and show and tell
At playtime we will throw the ball
Back to class, through the hall
Teacher marks our height against the wall

And we don't notice any time pass
We don't notice anything
We sit side by side in every class
Teacher thinks that I sound funny
But she likes the way you sing

Tonight I'll dream while I'm in bed
When silly thoughts go through my head
About the bugs and alphabet
And when I wake tomorrow I'll bet
That you and I will walk together again
'Cause I can tell that we're going to be friends.

I haven't updated in awhile, so here's the haps for the last few days:

Tuesday: I had my little class over our house -- they're such a pleasure, especially after the terror of the paid summer work that I did and my normal day-to-day of Hopatcong.  They were all actually excited to learn and said "THANK YOU!" after every session.  I wish I had a classroom full of these kids.

Wednesday: Went to Laurie's.  This was one of those once-every-few-weeks days with Laurie, where just everything was amazing.  (And it's not that everything's not always amazing with her -- but this was a "butterflies" day.  I don't really know how to describe it better.)  Anyway, we watched Vanilla Sky ("TECH SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), which gets better each time I see it.  It's definitely not Cameron Crowe's best film (Jerry Maguire or Almost Famous) but it's certainly his most adventurous.  I appreciate that.  And Tom Cruise is really good.  That doesn't happen very often.

Thursday: Last day of my class.  It was nice because I didn't plan at all for it -- and now I have a bunch of awesome ideas for the school year.  Oh, and these kids were great, as I mentioned before.

Friday: Took Laurie to the airport.  Played some Madden and Winning Eleven 8.  Watched Red Eye -- fantastic movie, definitely the best of Wes Craven's career.  And Rachel McAdams was surprisingly excellent -- why doesn't she get more roles?  I had grilled cheese for dinner -- it was well, grilled cheese.  The Yankees lost.  It was embarrassing.  Watched the World's Funniest Commercials and then Letterman.  Dave's getting awful.  It wasn't funny at all.  Sadly, I waited up for Will Arnett, who was worth the wait but the show itself is just terrible.  I'll take Conan over Dave any day of the week.

Saturday: Woke up at noon and had weird organic oatmeal pancakes.  They were rather filling but okay, I guess.  Then I went to Staples.  I was amazed at how much stuff I bought (23 items!)  Craziness.  I also got the third of Laurie's three cards, which really brightened up my day!  I love her hardcore.  Can't wait until she returns on Monday.

Tomorrow is Mark return day!  I imagine that he'll actually be here the whole time too, since Merrilynn is off at Marist and I believe has at least a single, possibly double-session practice.  Um, but since she kind of kicked butt (http://goredfoxes.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/recaps/083107aaa.html) yesterday against Army, maybe they'll only get a single-session out of it.  But anyway, it'll be nice having Mark here.  And since Laur and I have plans every other weekend, it'll be good that I'm home to devote my time to him.

Looks like my closing is one month from today!  AH!

Lyrics to leave on -- they don't mean ANYTHING, I swear.  I'm just obsessed with this song:
"The worst is all the lovely weather,
I'm sad -- it's not raining.
The coffee isn't even bitter,
Because -- what's the difference?
There's all the work that needs to be done,
It's late, for revision.
There's all the time and all the planning,
And songs, to be finished.

And it keeps coming,
Till the day it stops.

I wish that we could talk about it,
But there, that's the problem.
With someone new I could have started,
Too late, for beginnings.
You're smaller than my wife imagined,
Surprised, you were human.
There shouldn't be this ring of silence,
But what, are the options?

When someone great is gone.

We're safe, for the moment.
Saved,
For the moment.

Well, the summer's pretty much over -- back to teaching next Thursday.  Here's my best of the best that I've been listening to this past summer...

1.) Tegan and Sara The Con
    My favorite album of the year so far?  It's really good -- a huge improvement from So Jealous.
2.) LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver
    This is something great (pun intended).  James Murphy's crew has gotten much better since the debut.
3.) Against Me! New Wave
    Much better than SFAFC, AM!'s power punk hits all the right notes, for the most part.
4.) Eisley Combinations
    Still growing on me -- it's at least as good as their debut.
5.) Spoon Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
    It's a Spoon album, pure and simple.  They're not doing anything new -- but then again, they don't need to at this point.
6.) Fountains of Wayne Traffic and Weather
    This is another grower.  I didn't really like it that much at first -- but it's gotten better -- still no Utopia Parkway or s/t though.
7.) Limbeck s/t
    Limbeck's great and this is a really fun album.
8.) Fratellis Costello Music
    I honestly thought I'd hate this band since they reminded me of  Jet at first (NEVER a good thing).  But this album is actually pretty solid.
9.) Ozma Pasadena
   I'm a huge Ozma fan, and I haven't listened to this as much as I should have.  However, it's MUCH better than Spending Time.  Maybe not as good as R&RP3, but that's okay.
10.) Feist The Reminder
   Not as good as her last album but "My Moon, My Man" and a few others make this worth a listen.

Didn't listen to enough for comment yet:
1.) Stars In Our Bedroom After the War
2.) The Weakerthans Reunion Tour

Biggest disappointments:
1.) Smashing Pumpkins Zeitgeist -- I don't know what's more disappointing: how bad this album is or in my musical taste for expecting this to be listenable.
2.) Interpol Our Love to Admire -- Turn on the Bright Lights was an A.  Antics was a B-.  This is terrible and would score in the D range.  I know you're playing the Garden now, fellas, but it should be back to the drawing board.

Summer Mix Tape
side A
Weakerthans "Civil Twilight"
LCD Soundsystem "Someone Great"
Tegan and Sara "The Con"
Against Me! "White People For Peace"
Spoon "The Underdog"
Eisley "Invasion"
Fountains of Wayne "Strapped For Cash"
Feist "My Moon, My Man"
Fratellis "Chelsea Dagger"

side B
Ozma "Heartache vs. Heartbreak"
Limbeck "Big Drag"
White Stripes "You Don't Know What Love Is"
Rooney "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?"
The Format "If Work Permits"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Rockers to Swallow"
Modest Mouse "Missed the Boat"
Decemberists "Sons and Daughters"
The Thermals "St. Rosa and the Swallows"

and two bonus covers to check out:
Ben Lee "White People for Peace" (available here: http://www.ben-lee.com/blog.htm#20070819)
Jill Sobule "Hot in Herre" (here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S904xwoX1EM)

So I've seen A LOT of shows lately.  Here are the reviews:

Friday, August 10th
Muse/Cold War Kids @ Festival Pier
6.5/10

This was my first trip to Festival Pier, which really isn't as nice as it should be.  I've outgrown the get-as-close-to-the-stage-as-possible phase and since I'm kind of tall, should be able to enjoy the action from wherever I choose to stand, right?  NOT HERE.  Laurie and I couldn't see ANYTHING for all of Muse.  And there was so much smoking.  Bleh.  Not a good time.  As for the performances themselves, Cold War Kids were terrific, though they oddly focused on past EPs rather than their fairly well-known LP, Robbers and Cowards.  Predictably, the highlights of the set were "Hang Me Up to Dry" and "Saint John".  Muse was good, from what I could see.  However, due to the fact that we couldn't really enjoy the atmosphere, it paled in comparison to their Bamboozle appearance.  Plus, I don't really know anything besides singles so I was left out in the dark for much of the show.  The light show was pretty rad, though.

Sunday, August 12th
Ted Leo/The Thermals @ McCarren Park Pool
8.0/10

McCarren Park Pool is awesome.  Free shows are awesome.  Ted Leo is awesome.  The Thermals are awesome.  Overall, this was a solid show.  The Thermals started things off and played for about forty minutes.  While I found their music to be awfully same-y, they redeemed themselves with a great performance.  I truly enjoyed myself, especially during recent efforts "St. Rosa..." and "Pillar of Salt".  Ted Leo was on next and played a lot of the hits with little filler -- though I rather he would have played less of the sub-par Living With the Living.  Not an epic Ted show (like last year's SSSP spectacle), but it was still a great way to spend a hot Sunday afternoon.  Oh and more venues need Slip-N-Slides and Dodgeball.

Saturday, August 18th
Nickel Creek/Fiona Apple @ Mann Center
9.0/10

This was TERRIFIC.  Nickel Creek came out first in the gorgeous Mann Center, an open-air theater in Philadelphia.  They played eight songs and then were joined by Fiona.  Fiona really upped the energy of the show with early highlights including "Extraordinary Machine".  After a brief intermission, she returned with "Waltz" and a few others that I don't remember.  Nickel Creek played some more and then Fiona closed with a bluegrass version of "Criminal" and "Fast As You Can".  Now, I really didn't like Nickel Creek that much on album, but live they are so much more with incredible musicianship.  My love for Fiona Apple is well-documented and though I wish she had a longer set or focused less on covers, this still was most impressive.

Monday, August 20th
Eisley @ Joe's Pub
8.5/10

Joe's Pub is terrible.  Although Laurie and I arrived quite early, we were denied good seats because we didn't want to pay an additional $40-50 for dinner.  We bought tickets -- shouldn't the venue have notified us before that this was their policy?  Now, it's not a large venue by any means, but the only place that we could stand was behind a pillar, partially obstructing our view of the stage.  That said, Eisley was excellent.  The girls were awfully chatty too -- a complete 180 from the past times I've seen them.  Highlights were "I Wasn't Prepared" and "Invasion" (complete with alien-like swarmers on stage).  I wish they had played "Trolley Wood" but otherwise, a terrific set.

Tuesday, August 21st
The Format/Piebald/Mike Birbiglia/Steel Train/Limbeck/Reuben's Accomplice @ Webster Hall
8.5/10

I got there early.  Reuben's Accomplice was the first band -- no one was there really so there wasn't much of a reaction.  But the band played a decent Jimmy Eat World-like set of mellow to rocking songs.  Nothing too memorable but they were a pleasant opener.  Limbeck was on next and it's really evident how much they've improved since the MCS show three years ago.  They played a similar set to the one at Bamboozle with highlights including personal favorites "Julia" and "Big Drag".  Steel Train came on next and surprised the heck out of me.  I thought they'd be uber-boring based on past reviews.  However, they were intense.  AND AWESOME.  The new album is going to be great.  Comedian Mike Birbiglia followed.  This guy was really funny.  However, the venue was not for comedy and he overstayed his welcome.  What would have been a great 10-15 minute set was almost torturous over the 25 minutes that he went for.

Piebald followed, in possibly their final NYC appearance.  They rocked, plain and simple.  Obviously, the best efforts were from the excellent We Are the Only Friends We Have, including "American Hearts", "Fear and Loathing on Cape Cod" and set opener "King of the Road".  The Format were the headliner and holy cow, has their fan base grown.  They sounded really good with great energy, though frontman Nate Ruess's mic wasn't on too loud for the first half of the set.  My favorites were set-opener "If Work Permits", "Inches and Falling", "Tie the Rope" and "I'm Ready, I Am".  I left while they played my favorite, "Dog Problems", but I had to catch a bus so I could teach in the morning.  Overall though, great show.

I know a guy who lives just for the weekends.
He says he's tired a lot.
He says there should be five days of weekend
Instead of five days of work.

And I remind him we get old and retire.
Too old to do anything but golf.
When you're young you're in school or in the workforce.
Let's make old people work.
That's a joke.

Jens Lekman has tour dates!  And they're good days!  This really excites me since I've never seen him.  And even more exciting is the fact that he's playing the First Unitarian Church.  How awesome!

Anyway, some Jens lyrics since now I'm in that kind of mood:
"If you ever need a stranger
To sing at your wedding
A last minute choice
Then I am your man

I know every song, you name it
By Bacharach or David
Every stupid lovesong
That's ever touched your heart

Every power ballad that's ever
Climbed the charts

You think it's funny
My obsession with the holy matrimony
But I'm just so amazed to witness true love

And true love can be measured
Through these simple pleasures
They are waiting there for you
To be discovered

I would cut off my right arm
To be someone's lover

Maybe I'll meet her there tonight
At the wedding buffet
I walk up to her
When she's caught the bouquet
And oh, it's just like a whirlwind"

GREAT weekend.  It felt really long for once!!

Friday - Laurie and I saw 'Bourne Ultimatum'.   Quality film.  Most directors should be taking notes from Paul Greengrass -- this is far from the typical mindless big-budget entertainment.  Matt Damon was excellent too.

Saturday - VFEST: It was hot.  But it was fun.  Review, in order of awesomeness (yes, Lars, I changed my mind since last night):
11.) Cheap Trick -- saw four songs and that was enough.
10.) The Police -- meh -- left after 40 minutes to see Modest Mouse.
9.) Amy Winehouse -- to me, she was incredibly boring (probably mostly because I don't know many of the songs).  That said, "Back to Black" was REALLY good.
8.) TV on the Radio -- Not my thing, but they brought a lot of energy.  I was pleased to hear "I Was a Lover", which I like a lot.
7.) Fratellis -- They were good but we got tired of them -- although it was interesting trying to decipher the Scottish accent during the between-songs banter.  "Chelsea Dagger", their last song, was the big highlight for me.
6.) Incubus -- setlist (not really in order): Quicksand, AKTSUO, Wish You Were Here, Anna Molly, Pistola, Love Hurts, Drive, Megalomaniac, SSLW, Punch Drunk, Dig -- They were good but "Punch Drunk" killed all the momentum in their set.
5.) Beastie Boys -- Their hits evened out the ones I didn't know (and there were lots of those).  "Brass Monkey" and "Intergalactic" were my highlights.  Wish they had played "Paul Revere" though!
4.) Fountains of Wayne -- setlist (not in order or complete since we got there late): Someone to Love, Strapped for Cash, Mexican Wine, Hackensack, Hey Julie, Denise, Go Hippie, Radiation Vibe.  By far the best set I've heard them play.  Oh, and they don't play "Stacey's Mom" anymore, which is only their third best single anyway (after "Radiation Vibe" and "Sink to the Bottom").  So it's not worth complaining about.
3.) Peter Bjorn and John -- I was shocked at how good they were (after hearing awful live reviews) -- only songs I recognized were "Young Folks", "Up Against the Wall", "Objects of My Affection" and "Amsterdam".
2.) Modest Mouse -- They were awesome though we left after "Float On".  "Dashboard" was my favorite.
1.) LCD SOUNDSYSTEM -- Every song was so intense!  Favorites were "Daft Punk..." and "North American Scum".  CANNOT WAIT to see them with Arcade Fire and Les Savy Fav in October.

After we left, we had a little difficulty getting the subway but eventually went to our hotel and our super-huge room.   Passed right out and woke up and left for...

Sunday -- National Aquarium!  It really was pretty well put-together.  I don't know if they should be charging $21.95 for it buttttttttttttttttttt...I digress.  It really was a fun time.  Lars and I finished it off within an hour and a half and headed back to the car, got some Wendy's and drove home.

Really a great weekend.  Busy week coming up: Mortgage stuff, home inspection, finish curriculum and hand it in!  MUSE/COLD WAR KIDS and TED LEO/THERMALS next weekend!  I'm super-stoked.

YAY!

Here are some song quotes from this weekend's performers.  Laurie, see which ones you know!

"You missed when time and life shook hands and said goodbye."

"Well, you must be a girl with shoes like that/She said you know me well."

"All we care about is talking/Talking only me and you."

"I suggest we learn to love ourselves before it's made illegal"

"I'm a tiny penny/Rolling up the walls inside"

"I'll shine up the old brown shoes/Put on a brand new shirt/I'll get home early from work if you say that you love me."

"Do I have to tell the story/Of a thousand rainy days since we first met/It's a big enough umbrella/But it's always me that ends up getting wet."

"Will you stop pretending I've never been born?/Now I look a little more like that guy from Korn/If you came a little bit closer/You'd see it isn't painted on/Oh no no no"

"We stepped into the wind/He had a gun/I had a grin/You think this story's over/But it's ready to begin"

"Like a death in the hall/That you hear through your wall/New York, I love you/But you're freaking me out."

"Got a curse we cannot lift/Shines when the sunshine shifts/There's a curse comes with a kiss/The bite that binds the gift that gives."

(possible answers are Fountains of Wayne, Beastie Boys, Cheap Trick, LCD Soundsystem, Amy Winehouse, The Police, TV on the Radio, Peter Bjorn and John, Incubus, Modest Mouse, The Fratellis)

GREAT Tegan and Sara show tonight.  They played the entire new album (backwards) and then some older stuff from So Jealous and pre-So Jealous.  Their banter was really top-notch too -- very Ben Foldsian and conversational.  Laur and I really enjoyed ourselves.  The Hiro Ballroom is a pretty great venue; though I can't figure out for the life of me why they don't host more shows.  It's a great alternative to Bowery Ballroom since it's right on the 14th Street A/C/E subway lines which is just a stone's throw from Port Authority/Penn Station.  I mean, I like Bowery Ballroom, but its location is hardly stellar.

Anyway, next show is VFest on Saturday!  I'll have a full review when I get back.  I'm very excited about Beastie Boys (never seen them before), Incubus (haven't seen them since 2003's lame Lollapalooza) and Fountains of Wayne (saw them a few months ago).  Also, Les Savy Fav was added to the Arcade Fire show in October!  Apparently, they're sensational live -- so that gives a really great triple-bill.  Caaaaan't wait.

I leave tonight with some lyrics from Reggie and the Full Effect...
"I released twelve doves
'Cause when your here I'm totally in love
And it makes my body numb
I know that makes me sound dumb
But dumb backwards is almost mood
I'm in the mood for you girl

You're my fatal attraction
I saw you and my heart had a chain reaction
When I smell your perfume
It spelled out D O O M doom
and doom backwards is mood
I'm in the mood for you girl"

Ok, so I'm bored.  So I'll be semi-productive.

My first edition of '20 Songs That You NEED To Know NOW!'
1.) The Weakerthans "Sun in an Empty Room"
2.) Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Rockers to Swallow"
3.) Cold War Kids "Rubidoux"
4.) Robbers on High Street "Crown Victoria"
5.) Against Me! "Stop!"
6.) John Vanderslice "White Dove"
7.) Rilo Kiley "Dreamworld"
8.) Dr. Dog "My Old Ways"
9.) Spoon "Don't Make Me a Target"
10.) Ozma "Heartache vs. Heartbreak"
11.) Tegan and Sara "Back in Your Head"
12.) The Noisettes "The Count of Monte Christo"
13.) New Pornographers "My Rights Vs. Yours"
14.) The Thermals "St. Rosa and the Swallows"
15.) Decemberists "Sons & Daughters"
16.) Matt and Kim "Silver Tiles"
17.) Bloc Party "This Modern Love" (acoustic)
18.) Jimmy Eat World "Disintegration"
19.) Detroit Cobras "You'll Never Change"
20.) White Rabbits "I Used to Complain; Now I Don't"

So Laur and I pretty much watched movies all weekend.  Good times.  Here are some reviews of ones I've seen lately, using my four-star rating system.

The Sting - *** (three stars)
(Robert Redford, Paul Newman)

This was pretty good.  I've always really liked Redford and this was actually the first movie I've seen with Paul Newman.  In terms of crime movies, it's no Godfather or Untouchables, but it's good mindless entertainment.  And the ending kind of had me going for a minute -- I won't reveal what it is, so I don't spoil it for anyone.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix -- *** 1/2 (three and one half stars)
(Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson)

Now this movie rating might be a little skewed because I did see it in IMAX 3D, but I really enjoyed it, which was an unexpected surprise.  My knowledge of Harry Potter is still quite limited -- I've only watched the first movie (which was okay) and haven't read any of the books.  However, it was still pretty easy to follow.  The movie was actually quite dark compared to the first one -- it's obvious that Voldemort's presence is going to increase in the final two episodes.  Only negative: Helena Bonham Carter.  She's annoying, as she can be.  On a whole, though, it's good times -- recommended.

Inside Man -- *** 1/2 (three and one half stars)
(Clive Owen, Denzel Washington)

A pretty solid thinking-man's action movie about a bank robbery -- or is it something else?  Clive Owen is phenomenal as the lead actor and Denzel Washington is solid as his adversary.  This is Spike Lee's most profitable film and for good reason.  The only negative is Jodie Foster, who feels added-on for marquee appeal -- she's certainly done much better work -- in much weightier roles -- before.

Borat -- ** (two stars)
(Sacha Baron Cohen)

It just wasn't thaaaat funny.  I admire Cohen and what he tried to do here -- but quite frankly, I find this movie is severely overrated.  It's just not on par with far superior comedies like Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail, Airplane or even There's Something About Mary.  However, there are a few funny bits.

The Untouchables -- **** (four stars)
(Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia, Robert DeNiro)

First and foremost, this is a Sean Connery film.  His presence and attitude radiates from start to end, even though Kevin Costner is given top billing.  And Costner is fine too as Treasury Department agent Eliot Ness, in a very similar performance to his Jim Garrison in JFK, which followed this movie by a few years.  But Connery is truly superb and rightly earned both a Golden Globe and Academy Award for his work here.  Robert DeNiro is also good as Al Capone, the subject of Ness' pursuit.  The outcome is predictable but the journey keeps you on the edge of your seat.

21 Grams -- **** (four stars)
(Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Benicio Del Toro)

I really like this movie.  Really, really.  Del Toro and Watts are both striking in their very three-dimensional, respective Academy Award nominated roles.  The movie as a whole can be a difficult watch, with a fractured storyline linking the fate of the three protagonists.  But ultimately, it is extremely rewarding.

I finally feel at ease
I'm on an eastern breeze
It blows me into shore
Come back to kiss my dear
Come back to face my fears
It can't be worse than war
Unless you say that you gave your heart away (gave your heart away)
Unless you say that I shouldn't have returned (shouldn't have returned)
And in that case... I'll go

chorus:
Every night I see a shooting star and wonder if it's landing where you are
If you can see it then you can't be far
And if that's the way you do it, that's the way you find your love

Now the air is cold and thin
I'm on my second wind
It blows me to your door
Lean into the bell and press
You're in a brand new dress I've never seen before
But then you say that you gave your heart away (I gave my heart away)
And then you say that I shouldn't have returned (you shouldn't have returned)
So I turn my face... and go

Every time i take a look around, I find myself looking out
To a place that looks a lot more round
I find myself feeling down

(chorus)