twenty-ooohhhh-seven-- the year in chuck.

I had intended an ambling prologue to my year-end list, one wherein I explained how I spent more than half this year, and a decent part of the previous one, sitting on my money so I could afford to move to and continue to live in my new(ish) hometown, and how that, therefore, prevented me from hearing tons of new music this year (but your computer, chuckchuck, your computer!! but alas, I shall not get into that discussion). But no! Things will explain themselves. My not really necessarily an album list that should mostly still have to do with music:

10. Why, Year-End Top Ten Lists, Of Course!
Since I was about twelve, I have been obsessed with year-end lists. I mean, yeah, they are just ploys to amp up our holiday consumerism, but what ploys! It all started way back with Entertainment Weekly, back before that particular magazine fell in love with the Royal "We" and consumed and promoted enough junk food pop culture to kill a marathoner. Anyway, the issue appeared mysteriously (via USPS) looking like no other issue previously had. And I was already into reading their reviews, and already trying to think like an important critic, and all that, and then I opened it up and found lists! Upon lists! Upon lists! Already a veteran of the amazing (though now sort of outdated) Book of Lists, I was aware of just how useful lists were in breaking things down so nicely. And the magazine didn't just have Best lists, they had Worsts too! That a year in culture could be condensed and summarized so blew my mind. And though I have since moved beyond their rudimentary tastes, I give them (EW, top ten lists, critics in general) credit for pointing me in some right directions and giving me an early taste of the joy of smug self-satisfaction that is taking in your entertainment culture through critics, and in all seriousness, the importance of refining taste in entertainment. And now here I am writing my own list for seriously the first time (probably why I opened with this, then) and I couldn't be more excited or nervous. I can only hope that the rest of my tops of the year will not be this short!!!!!
9. Bass Players
Bass players are always in the top ten when it comes to music. Bass players are the punters of the music world. Precious and few are the Mike Watts and Ray Guys. Precious and few are the moments we two can share!
8. White Rabbits - Fort Nightly
What the H!?!?!? This album came out this year! And it's an album on this list that was preceeded by the things it was preceeded by! Wait, and I'm quite certain that it's not the best album I heard all year? Not even top 8? What? No but it is really pretty good. It's good old fashioned indietastic indie with a side of indie. And you'll eat it and you'll like it because it is good for you. There's one song that sort of tries to have a middle eastern vibe and has something to do with camels perhaps.
This album doesn't do anything that hasn't been done before, but it is quite proficient at that. And at sounding like the first two Walkmen albums, though not as dark. And at sounding-- to my untrained ear-- like music with interesting drumming, interesting rhythms, at least for what it is. This album doesn't try to do anything that hasn't been done before and sometimes that's ok. Sometimes that's terrific even. Why, you wonder? Go ask Alice when sheeees ten feet taaahhhllll.
7. Having Access to a Record Player
This innovation-- so to speak-- has allowed me to listen to or to plan to listen to many odd and interesting things for which I would never spend the money to hear on CD. It allows me a chance to experience the joy of finding hidden musical treasure at the thrift store, or going with the surer bet of finding something at my "local independent music store," maybe that one where the cute, stylish, unattainable young woman, who, even if I could get to talking to her, probably has a boyfriend anyway, works or shops. (oh think positively would you chuckchuck!)You know, her, right?? Right?? Plus the record player itself has a moderately amusing/interesting backstory, unless I or my former roommate have already told you. Then it would probably be pretty boring.
6. The Fall and Rise of My Stereo System
Wherein my cheap old bedroom cd player with few bells or whistles, with nothing at all but consistent minimal performance to recommend it, failed, skipping unbearably and constantly for much of Novemeber and December. I was already to replace "him" this Christmas, then a few days ago, having taken on characteristics of his owner-- mainly procrastination-- he finally decided to get it into gear. How wonderful for us to spend another year together. He is the only one I have ever had and he came to me in a year when my adolescent Christmas CD haul was Fuel's Sunburn and Monster Magnet's Powertrip (which is actually kind of good not that I listen to it often) and I couldn't have been more excited. That was the beginning of the beginning actually, if you can believe it. So, needless to say, though I say it anyway, A Festivus Miracle!
5. That One Reggaeton Beat....
...you know, that one. The one that was booming out of every fourth car this summer-- at least in my neighborhood. The one that wouldn't necessarily be bad, except, you know, it was booming out of every fourth car in your neighborhood this summer. And I am not sure if it is one song or many with almost identical beats, and frankly I don't care. I just hope that Pitbull or Daddy Yankee or some other reggaeton star/producer made so much money from that beat that he has a money pit in his home and that he has all his money converted into gold coins and that he puts on an early 1900s one piece men's bathing suit and swims in his money, just like Scrooge McDuck. It's the least he can do for me.
4. Dance Party!!!!
Dance party dance party dance party dance party dance party dance party dance party dance party dance party dance party!
3. John Cale - Paris 1919
Don't worry, it didn't come out this year, but I did hear it this year for the first time. So it's new to me! Anyway, it's the guy who played violin in the Velvet Underground. Yeah, I know, right!?! But it is a lovely little pop album, like a little Welsh folk pop album. But with cryptic lyrics-- "A belt to hold/Columbus too, perimeters of nails/Perceived the Mamma's golden touch/Good neighbors were we all" (From "Child's Christmas In Wales")-- and a song about Graham Greene ("Graham Greene") and a peppy, dancy little number about Macbeth ("Macbeth"). It pretty much sounds like a Belle and Sebastian record and should be listened to in a similar manner. Actually Belle and Sebastian sound like John Cale, since this came out in the 70s. So check yourself before you wreck yourself. And the title track suggests a magically romanticized, forgotten time in history-- post-War to End All Wars Paris, in the title only perhaps-- and when I sing the chorus softly to myself, it sounds to me like it could be a Decemberists song. Hmm. Pan-indie pop! You're a ghost lala lala la la!
2. Curtis Mayfield - Curtis/Live
Another one from the 70s I heard for the first time this year. Sums itself up like this:
-the super falsetto woohwooohs on the opening track.
-sundry percussion and amazing band in general
-I'd have paid double just for "Gypsy Woman," and the cover of The Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun"
- Onstage banter that includes references to massive consumption of ice cream, which may or may not be a drug reference, and I kind of hope it really just is ice cream.
-sososo much more
-You really should just go buy it. Deal, right? Good.
1. The Music I Hear On the Car Radio.
"What the fuckfuck, chuckchuck??!!?? I put up with all this reading, all these jokes that are only funny to you, your unbearbly clever choice of non-albums for a top ten music list," you say, " and the big payoff is this shit!?!?! COME ON!" Well, sir, I can see you're a fellow who likes to rhyme, so, phooey on yoooey...just listen up for a minute more.
I am a commuter. I also (almost) own a car that has a malfunctioning music delivery system, in that the digital display no longer appears. For some reason, this prevents me from even hooking up an outside CD player in to the tape deck. And, as previously mentioned, I have not had tons of spending money until very recently. So, no fancy system for me (plus I'd probably just abuse my speakers with that one reggaeton beat, right, eh?) So I listen to the radio and all its limited selection, even in a city of this size (what size? what city?). This mainly means classic rock and oldies radio. But I have found this more enjoyable, in some ways, than anything my other options would provide. There is something so comforting about hear a song that I know well and just want to sing along with without shame and without covering my mouth while I do so, the kind of song that puts an extra 10 or even 15 mph in my foot. It seems like nothing else could sum up my year better than that. It has been hard and sometimes lonely and sometimes frustrating and sometimes miserable and sometimes rewarding to be me this year, and probably to be you as well. It has been a year of transition and uncertainty and indecision, and it seems nice that I can still hear Bob Seeger or Steely Dan or Buddy Holly or the Ronettes or Hall and Oates or the Supremes or ELO or so on and on, you know. Sometimes it's hard to remember that not every joy should be hidden underground and obscured and that no pleasures are guilty as long as pleasure is really there. How Catholic of you to think otherwise! Maybe I'm getting too old, or too lazy to keep digging deeper and deeper into the music world, maybe I just have finally figured out what it is I want my tastes to be and don't want to change them any more, maybe I am just getting increasingly more boring, maybe I just don't have the time, or maybe....
All that being said, of course, I intend to reverse this mellowing and comforting trend of 2007 in the year to come. I will dig deeper and think yougner and widen my horizons and I will make time and come back here with an actual list this time next year. But I will not be afraid to claw back into that classic rock womb. And neither should you! You have my permission, I promise.
Because chuckchuck loves you. And because he just can't seem to sleep these days.
Oh, wait! Quick twenty-oh-eight prediction--> finally a 3rd Bass reunion----> getcha gas face ready!
END TRANSMISSION>
When do I pick up my participation ribbon?
your friend,
ChuckChuck.