Matador Records | News December 2007

December 20, 2007

Jay Reatard & Matador

(pic taken from Jimmybuttons' Flickr page)

After months of public speculation, late night phone calls and a fascinating thread on a bulletin board other than our own, we're pleased to announce Matador will be releasing six limited edition singles in 2008 by the wildly prolific Jay Reatard.

Manufactured quantities of each single will diminish with each successive release. We've not figured out the exact scheme yet, but given our commitment to the customer-always-being-angry, rest assured the numbers will be lower than you'd like.

For those not nearly hung up on the collector skum scenery, all 6 7"'s will be compiled for a subsequent CD and LP release.

Jay's blog can be found here. His myspace page, here. We'll have some real info about this early in the new year.

Cat Power

CD / deluxe CD / dbl LP - January 22, 2008

(the names below indicate the best known performer of the original songs, who are not necessarily the songwriters:)

1. New York (Frank Sinatra)
2. Ramblin’ (Wo)man (Hank Williams)
3. Metal Heart (Cat Power *)
4. Silver Stallion (The Highwaymen)
5. Aretha, Sing One For Me (George Jackson)
6. Lost Someone (James Brown)
7. Lord, Help The Poor And Needy (Jessie Mae Hemphill)
8. I Believe In You (Bob Dylan)
9. Song To Bobby (Cat Power **)
10. Don’t Explain (Billie Holiday)
11. Woman Left Lonely (Janis Joplin)
12. Blue (Joni Mitchell)

* original version on the ‘Moon Pix’ album
** first appearance of this song

In addition, there will be a limited-edition silver foil deluxe package with a bonus disc containing the following 5 songs:
1. I Feel (Hot Boys)
2. Naked, If I Want To (Moby Grape)
3. Breathless (Nick Cave)
4. Angelitos Negros (Roberta Flack)
5. She’s Got You (Patsy Cline)

‘Jukebox’ is now available for pre-order in the Matador Store

Though 'Jukebox' won't be available in shops until January 22 (a day earlier in the UK and Europe), the original Chan Marshall composition "Song To Bobby" is available now from the iTunes Music Store.

Tickets are now on sale for the following dates:

January 2008

Jan 21 Paris - Bataclan
Jan 27 London - Shepherds Bush Empire

February - 2008

6-NYC @ Terminal 5
7-Boston @ Orpheum Theatre
8-Philadelphia @ Starlight Ballroom
9-Toronto @ Kool Haus
10-Chicago @ Vic Theatre
11-Minneapolis @ First Avenue

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

Through 3 solo albums and his prior role as the pen & voice behind the vast majority of the Pavement oeuvre, Stephen Malkmus long ago staked his claim as one of the most fertile minds in American music. That said, he's never made a record that covered nearly as much stylistic ground as the forthcoming 'Real Emotional Trash', nor, it could be argued, has Stephen made an album until now that packed as much of an emotional (not nearly trashy enough for some) wallop. "Cold Son", "Out Of Reaches" and "We Can't Help You" are amongst the more gorgeous, contemplative songs Malkmus has recorded, though we should stress a) there's no shortage of dark humor scattered through RET and b) Malkmus remains a shit-hot guitarist (ridiculously so). You'll not be surprised the persons entrusted with selling this record will insist 'Real Emotional Trash' is Malmkus' finest hour. But you might be very startled when you hear it for yourself.

'Real Emotional Trash' , the second album thus far to be credited to Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, was recorded with the chopstastic musical accompaniment of Joanna Bolme, Janet Weiss and Mike Clark. The album was recorded with engineer T.J. Doherty at Snow Ghost Studios in Whitefish, MT.

full track listing:

Dragonfly Pie
Hopscotch Willie
Cold Son
Real Emotional Trash
Out Of Reaches
Baltimore
Gardenia
Elmo Delmo
We Can't Help You
Wicked Wanda

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks will be touring North American in Spring 2008.

When considering the city of Baltimore, we often think of Edgar Allen Poe, Ray Lewis, Bayliss & Pembleton, Boog Powell, Art Donovan, John Waters, "The Wire" or perhaps the fantastic Randy Newman song, "Baltimore".

With full respect to all of the above, going forward, we might think of the fantastic new song by Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, also entitled, "Baltimore" (mp3, taken from the forthcoming CD/LP 'Real Emotional Trash')

An Intense Personal Message From Times New Viking

hey kids, here are two tracks off our double A side single off our new record, 'rip it off.' these were recorded at the state-of-the-art, multi-million dollar 'self-esteem studio' recording facility in columbus, ohio. send us a post if you are interested in working there. very cheap rates and very fine chaps. we can put in a good word for you... because, as the big-wigs at the office tell us, cheaper recordings mean more money for drugs.

(my head)
R.I.P. allegory

(mgmt notation: said 7" will also include two b-sides that will not appear on 'Rip It Off', The Petticoats' "Allergy" and the Times New Viking original "Western Civ". 550 copies max, sleeves hand stamped by the band, gentlemen and gentleladies, start your hoarding engines now).

Available NOW - The New Pornographers' 'The Spirit Of Giving' iTunes EP

It's the first Matador Xmas record since The Frogs' "Here Comes Santa's Pussy". And it more than lives up to that super high standard!

1) "The Spirit Of Giving" (from the CD/LP 'Challengers')
2) "Arms Of Mary" / "Looking At A Baby" (previously unreleased, the former by Iain Sutherland of The Sutherland Brothers, though the New Pornographers' version is../http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/street/1487/chilliwack2.htm">Chilliwack's rendition. "Looking At A Baby" is a Chilliwack cover)
3) "Joseph" (previously unreleased, A.C. Newman original)

Here's the direct link to the EP on the iTunes Store.

However, if you'd prefer a more physical brand of stocking stuffer,

The Danny Bejar-tastic "Myriad Harbour" b/w the previously unreleaed A.C. Newman composition, "Fugue State is available now in our favorite format, 7" vinyl, from the Matador Store for a mere $3.

Darren Pasemko's fantastic video for "Challengers".

Dead Meadow

The band formerly and well currently known as Dead Meadow may not have a fancy symbol. One that can be disturbingly transformed into a guitar and used with a simple silhouette effect to make people cringe nationwide. Well, we'd listen to arguments that an Orange Amp perfectly symbolizes Dead Meadow. Ahhh, such a robust, and psychedelic sound. What that has to do with the Super Bowl or Prince admittedly isn't clear to even us. So with all due respect to the man from Minneapolis and football fans far and wide, we'll get to the point. Think of this as a sort of touchdown + two point conversion, within a rock context of course.

Dead Meadow will be playing a special show at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on Wed, Jan 16th, 2008 to celebrate the release of their new album 'Old Growth' (out 2/5/08). So excited to get it out, the band is willing to give anyone who attends the opportunity to pick it up a whole 3 weeks early. For $25 anyone looking to get their hands on Old Growth can purchase a ticket to Dead Meadow's Jan 16th show + their new CD. One great price, 2 great Dead Meadow experiences. Sorry, those searching for vinyl you'll have to wait for the proper street date --- this offer applies to CDs only. Now you can purchase this package deal through Matador's online store, the Bowery Ballroom or in person at Other Music (15 East 4th Street between Broadway and Lafayette, NYC). However, you'll not receive the album at the time of purchase but instead, the night of the gig (1/16/08). You'll just need to swing by the merch table at the Bowery, present your receipt to our sales person and they'll hand over your Dead Meadow goods. Very important, no receipt, no CD, no exceptions. - Todd Netter

Here's a selection from what we're pretty confident will be one of 2008's most exciting releases:
"What Needs Must Be" - from 'Old Growth' (mp3)

Earles & Jensen Sign To Matador: Spawling Double CD Of Telephone Terrorism Coming In February

The world needs more comedy recordings like Chuck Scarborough needs another hole in the head. But the world needs more rock'n'roll records like Chuck needs two more holes in the head, so let's leave the genre prejudice aside for a moment, shall we? I can honestly say the original release of Andrew Earles & Jeffrey Jensen's 'Just Farr A Laugh' is the single most played compact disc in my household, automobile, yacht, etc. over the past 3 years. The rich, fully formed universe they've created with their mind-blowing phone calls (ok, billed as "pranks" but oh, so much more) has to this listener's ears, transcended the mere comedy / spoken schtick bin and puts the duo in much more rarified territory. Rowan & Martin. Martin & Lewis. Oswald & Ruby. Peterson & Kekich. That's the kind of company I'm talking about.

We'll be releasing Earles & Jensen Present: Just Farr A Laugh Vol. 1 and 2 on the popular compact disc format February 19, 2008. Since my hands are so very tired, Andrew and Jeff have kindly composed a far more appropriate screed on this subject.

If you are a fan of Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk, Yes’ Tales from Topographic Oceans, the Hampton Grease Band’s Music To Eat, The Mothers of Invention’s Freak Out, Husker Du’s Zen Arcade, the Minutemen’s Double Nickels on the Dime, TFUL 282’s Mother of All Saints, and wish there was a prank call/comedy version of these wonderfully indulgent, macro masterpieces, well, it looks like February 19th is going to be your lucky day. That last sentence is a thinly-veiled way to say that unless you are promotionally serviced by Matador Records or rank amongst the contributors, don’t expect a burn or freebie.

The double CD set constitutes the world’s greatest collection of prank phone calls. Included in the package will be a book (not booklet) of drawings, photographs, and writing, all courtesy of multiple contributors. It’s a virtual who’s who that doesn’t make a lot of sense, but nonetheless creates a wonderful companion to the recorded works.

A short list of artists that contributed drawings: Mike Aho, Archer Prewitt, Devendra Banhart, Mark Henning, Ian Marshall, Gavin McInnes, Jake Oas, Aurel Schmidt, Matt Sweeney, and Megan Whitmarsh.

The entire list of writers that contributed forewords: Gregg Turkington (AKA Neil Hamburger, comedy genius, writer, Warm Voices Rearranged), Matador's Gerard Cosloy, David Dunlap Jr. (writer, Washington City Paper, Memphis Flyer, funny guy), and master humorist/writer Neil Pollack (books: Alternadad, The Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature, Never Mind The Pollacks: A Rock and Roll Novel, editor/contributor: Akashic’s Chicago Noir).

Along with writer Ian Christe and artist Steve Keene, Jeffrey Jensen founded modern day Brooklyn NYC around 1992, during the Dinkins administration. He has written or directed the films The Low Down Dirty D.A.W.G.S. (1999), Street Boogie (2001, shelved), and Graceland Too: The Movie (still in production). An accomplished artist, Jeff is known for his puppet shows, intricate nightlight dioramas, and evenings of vast entertainment, as well as anything else you could possibly think of. With his incredibly magnetic personality, Mr. Jensen has left a lasting mental imprint on anyone lucky enough to have spent over an hour in his presence. Jeffrey has played in many bands, including The Closet Case, The Jewish, The Star Spangles, plus he was the bass player for Homestead Records recording artists Smack Dab. He drives a 1982 Chrysler Lebaron, contributes regularly to Vice Magazine, and was accidentally shot with a .22 rifle when he was 13 years old.

Andrew Earles is a writer and loosely-defined humorist that lives in Memphis, TN. His words regularly appear in The Onion A/V Club, Spin, Harp, Magnet, Vice, Paste, Chunklet, and The Memphis Flyer…among others. He founded The Cimarron Weekend in 1997, co-publishing and co-editing said argument-starter with David Dunlap Jr. until 2001. Four or five people like to claim that it was a great zine. From 2001 until late 2006, Andrew was a regular contributor to Tom Scharpling’s The Best Show on WFMU. As far as books go, his essays have appeared in the now out-of-print Lost In The Grooves (Routledge) and remainder table favorite, The Overrated Book (Last Gasp). He is a core contributor to The Rock Bible, to be published by Quirk in 2008. Most of his attempts at live comedy have failed miserably. Andrew is a proud Southerner and amateur, wanna-be outdoorsman that loves to fish, act like he knows a lot about animals, and walk around in the woods. He sometimes has a smart mouth, yet against all logic, has yet to receive that long-overdue ass-whomping (not an invitation). This is his blog: www.failedpilot.com

Jeffrey Joe Jensen and Andrew Scott Earles are Leo’s, reliably carrying all of the negative and positive baggage of that particular sign. Amazingly, and unknown to the duo until several years ago, they share the exact same birthday of August 15th.

“Introducing Bleachy: Poised To Sweep The Nation” (mp3)

http://www.sherihausey.com)

From our friends at Fenway Recordings:

Mission of Burma has teamed up with the US Campaign for Burma to put on a benefit concert for Burma on Jan 20th, with their friends The Neighborhoods and The In Out. The night will also include slides, images, video projection, and speakers about and from Burma.

It's all happening on January 20 at Allston, MA's Great Scott, and you can find tickets here.

A day prior, Mission Of Burma will be playing Brooklyn's Music Hall Of Williamsburg on January 19.

Tickets are going fast and here's the place to find 'em.

The long-awaited reissues of Mission Of Burma's Ace Of Hearts catalog will be coming out on Matador in March. Details coming shortly.

Other Happening Stories
If you're keen on flipping back to the Matablog, you can read about Early Man's demo action, autumn touring activities of Lavender Diamond, Love Of Diagrams, The Ponys and Yo La Tengo. Or if you prefer, you can check back early in '08 when we'll have new information about upcoming releases from Brightblack Morning Light, Jennifer O'Connor, and Matador's deluxe remastered reissues of Mission Of Burma's Ace Of Hearts catalog. In the meantime, we'll remind you that limited edition Matador tees (with new designs by Dead Meadow's Steve Kille and Love Of Diagrams' Antonia Sellbach) make a fantastic gift for yourself if someone bought you a Stills CD for Xmas.

YEAR END FAVES OF LABEL STAFF, ARTISTIC TYPES AND THE EQUALLY WELL-CONNECTED:

Jonathan Meiburg, Shearwater
Some books that were important to me this year:

Eyelids of Morning: The Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles and Men - Alistair Graham w/ Peter Beard
The Snow Leopard / The Tree Where Man Was Born / Blue Meridian - Peter Matthiessen
Savages - Joe Kane
Blind Huber - Nick Flynn
Mountains Beyond Mountains - Tracy Kidder
The Sheltering Desert - Henno Martin
A Hundred Camels in the Courtyard - Paul Bowles
The People's Act of Love - James Meek
Photographs and Notebooks - Bruce Chatwin
The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals - Jeffrey Mason w/Susan McCarthy
Ways of Escape - Graham Greene
The Palm at the End of the Mind - Wallace Stevens
City of Salt - Nicholas Kahn / Richard Selesnick

Films:

Ten Canoes - Rolf de Heer/Peter Djigirr
Keep the River on Your Right: A Modern Cannibal Tale - David Shapiro/Laurie Shapiro
Burden of Dreams - Les Blank
For All Mankind - Al Reinert
Blue Water, White Death (reissue) - Peter Gimbel/James Lipscomb

Music:

The Secret Museum of Mankind, vols. 1-6 (Yazoo Recs)
Emergency Ward/It Is Finished/Black Gold (live recordings) - Nina Simone

Howard Draper, Shearwater
- Shannon Wright: Let in the Light
- 100% wool socks from Rivendell
- Magnolia Elec Co: box set
- Thor showed me how to sharpen saws and chisels
- Harvey Milk: Special Wishes (yeah yeah, I know, 2006 release)
- A Hawk and A Hacksaw: AHAAH and the Hun Hangar Ensemble
- Ampeg V4 head and 15" cab (midgett/ibold tribute)
- BBQ at Big Fatty's Spankin Shack, Valley View, TX
- Celebration, live at Rubber Gloves, Denton, TX
- The Wire Season 4 DVD's
- No Country for Old Men
- my first pomegranate

James McNew, Yo La Tengo
Yura Yura Teikoku, "Hollow Me" (Sony Japan LP), & "Beautiful" (Sony Japan EP)
Times New Viking, "Present The Paisley Reich" (Siltbreeze LP)
Cornelius, "Sensuous" (Warners Japan LP & EPs)
David Kilgour, "The Far Now" (Merge LP)
El-P, "I'll Sleep When You're Dead" (Definitive Jux LP)
Au Revoir Simone, "The Bird of Music" (Our Secret Record Co. LP)
Shellac, "Excellent Italian Greyhound" (Touch & Go LP)
Boredoms, "Super Roots 9" (Shock City LP)
Euros Childs, "Bore Da" (Wichita LP), & "The Miracle Inn" (Wichita EP)
Deerhunter, "Cryptograms" (Kranky LP)

Roger Miller, Mission Of Burma
1. Battles live at the Paradise, Boston, this summer
2. BladeRunner, final director's cut
3. Gravity's Rainbow, a book.
4. 390 Degrees of Simulated Stereo, LP by Pere Ubu
5. Curry Soup at Pho Lemon Grass in Brookline, MA
6. My new bike.
7. The phrase "So Fuck it"
8. Steve Reich's "Music for 12 Musicians" at the New England Conservatory
9. The name of Dave Kleiler's new band
10. The snow storm last week.

Times New Viking (collectively)
mark perry "7 :
'whole world's down on me' 1980 deptford fun city records
        $6.00 on ebay (not including shipping)

bee gees
        'the lord' from cucumber castle lp. 69ish? 'rip it off?....?....'

raven
        'back to ohio blues' lp reissue new1970

four plugs "7
        'wrong treatment' b/w 'biking girl' or vis a vis
        disposable records '78-'80?

ice & the iced:
        'we've had enough' 81? italy?

little claw
        'race to the bottom' (new drinking song)...nice tambourine.>.

psychedelic horseshit:
        'radically different dunk inflections' "10 2013

seinfeld seasons 1-9
      'steve albini mix w/ steve mcCabe commentary'

nitty gritty dirt band
        'FISHIN' IN THE DArk' 1987?

virgin insanity, steve treatment and stamping records when you're on a big(sic) label!!!.........(letterman finale)ha

Andrew Earles
Great movies: the Assassination of Jesse James, No Country for Old Men, and You Kill Me.

Silly thriller that I found immensely entertaining: Shooter

Great TV: Louis C.K. Shameless, 2007 seasons of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Entourage”

Great Books: David Michaelis' Schulz and Peanuts, Best American Crime Reporting 2007, Patrick Anderson's Triumph of the Thriller, Jon Savage's Teenage

Major Disappointments/Irritants/Evidence of Widespread Creative Bankruptcy: Mumblecore, Jonathan Lethem's You Don't Love Me Yet, a year without The Wire, The Arcade Fire, the Knocked Up/Superbad/Rogan/Apatow institution, Miranda July.

Great Music and Comedy Albums: Jesu Conqueror, Flying Nun Boxed Set, Coliseum No Salvation, Rhino's The Brit Box, Mouthus Saw A Halo, The Huguenots reissue on Hydra Head, Ponys Turn The Lights Out, Scharpling and Wurster The Art of the Slap, Paul F. Thompkins Impersonal

The following movies are not necessarily bad or good, but are notable because they raise the question “How in the hell did this movie get made?” That, and they are all movies that I On-Demanded in 2007. All are good for laughs.

1408, Harsh Times, Disurbia, Civic Duty, and The Reaping.

Steve Gregoropoulos, Lavender Diamond
2007 best of - Blackout by Britney Spears - the best album in its genre since Thriller - one thing that definitely makes the world a better place is good, happy dance music - who cares who did what job when the album was being made? - and who cares what else she does in her life? - look at Michael Jackson for Pete's sake! at least she calls it "wine" and molests people her own age - whatever - let the Brit take you back home to Funkytown - p.s. she even got Nicole from Electrocute to write a song on this record

Current extreme fun project - working on the second Grabs album - me, Nigel Harrison (Blondie) and Eleni Mandell are getting together and spinning stuff out on Garage Band - since we don't know what we're doing, it's like using a cassette player, which is a good thing. God save us from those who know what they're doing; anyway, Grabs is moving forward in time only slightly - instead of sounding like 1979, this one will sound like 1981 - kind of like the time conceit in "Ada" by Nabokov - but hey, the Nige wrote Union City Blue so whatever!

that's it - buy used vinyl - over and out

Luke Horton's (Love Of Diagrams) Top Ten Moments on Tour List:
listening to lungfish 'love is love'/ chris bell 'i am the cosmos'/ and colored balls 'ball power' in the van
playing the great american music hall in san francisco with Sebadoh, and being told to go fuck myself by eric gaffney
dinner with Gina Rowlands (Raincoats) in London
walking in to record stores and seeing our album on staff pick shelves
Electrical Audio's 10th anniversary party at the hideout in Chicago
breakfast at glos, seattle
meeting Roger Miller in Boston
hanging out with Bob Weston in Chicago
having driver and passenger windows smashed in our van in dc and realising we're not covered (ironic entry)
hanging out with the head of our label who was homeless and wearing a suit he'd slept in the night before (too cheeky?)
touring with enon

Jennifer O'Connor
Kanye West - Graduation
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth reissue+bonus stuff
Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
Jay-Z - American Gangster
Elliott Smith - New Moon
Dizzee Rascal - Maths + English
50 Cent "I Get Money"
Jay-Z at Hammerstein Ballroom
Playing shows with Chris Brokaw
Driving from NYC to Vancouver
Writing a song with Choo Choo La Rouge and releasing it on KIAM as a 7"
Summer Basketball
Showtime's Dexter
The Sopranos Series Finale
Pema Chodron books and audiobooks
Deerhunter - Cryptograms
Cass McCombs - Dropping the Writ
Thurston Moore - Trees Outside The Academy
Wilco - "I'mpossible Germany"
Steve Martin - 'Born Standing Up'

Stuart Braithwaite, Mogwai
1 Stars Of the Lid - And their refinement of the decline
2 LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
3 Von Sudenfed - Tromatic Reflexxions
4 Growing - Vision Swim
5 Alan Sparhawk - Solo guitar
6 Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound
7 MIA - Kala
8 Mum - Go Smear the poison ivy
9 OM - Pilgrimage
10 Fuck Buttons - Brighter Tomorrow (single)
11 Battles - Mirrored
12 Radiohead - In Rainbows

Gonzalo Schiaffino, Everlasting Records/Popstock, Spain
My Top 9 of 2007 in no particular order
1) Best Record: GABO FERRO "Mañana No Debe Seguir Siendo Esto" (To my
non-spanish colleagues: give yourself a chance and try to find out this
argentine songwriter)
2) Best place to visit in Madrid: ONDIÑAS DO MENDO (if you want to try the
best "tapas" in town, this is your place)
3) Best musical moment: NEW PORNOGRAPHERS playing "Don't Bring Me Down" in
El Sol (Madrid) It was like a kick-in-my-ass that sent me 30 years back.
4) Best Football Team: SAN LORENZO DE ALMAGRO (Champion of the Argentine
football league)
5) TV: "LOST" & "LITTLE BRITAIN"
6) Best show: "LOS COCINEROS" in Buenos Aires
7) Best Movie: RATATOUILLE
8) Best wish: pls, no more reunion tours!
9) Best wish (2): Peace and Love!

Jan De Mars, Beggars Group, Belgium
Burial / Untrue (Hyperdub)
Pan Sonic / Katodivaihe (Blast First Petite)
Battles / Mirrored (Warp)
Panda Bear / Person Pitch (Paw Tracks)
Ben Frost / Theory Of Machines (Bedroom Community)
Signal / Robotron (Raster-Noton)
Wire / Read & Burn 3 (Pinkflag)
Grinderman / Grinderman (Mute)
Von Sudenfed / Tromatic Reflexxions (Domino)
Arve Henriksen / Strjon (Rune Grammofon)

Jean Philippe Aline, Beggars France
Amy Winehouse 'Back To Black'
Mark Ronson 'Version'
M.I.A. 'Kala'
Dirty Projectors 'Rise Above'
Common 'Finding Forever'
Radiohead 'In Rainbows'
Ben Westbeech 'Welcome To...'
Basia Bulat - Hey my darling
Me'shell Ndegeocello 'The World has made me the man that I am'
Patrick Watson @ la Route du Rock

Laurent Rossi, Beggars France
BEST ALBUMS OF 2007
1/ JEFFREY LEWIS "12 Crass Songs"
2/ BAND OF HORSES "Cease To Begin"
3/ CHAMILLIONAIRE "Ultimate Victory"
4/ BASIA BULAT "Hey My Darling"
5/ ELVIS PERKINS "Ash Wednesday"
6/ BEIRUT "The Flying Club Cup"
7/ THE NATIONAL "Boxer"
8/ MARK RONSON "Version"
9/ SCOUT NIBLETT "This Fool Can Die Now"
10/ PATRICK WATSON "Close To Paradise"
10bis/ CARIBOU "Andorra"

BEST SINGLES OF 2007
1/ RIHANNA feat JAY Z "Umbrella"
2/ VAMPIRE WEEKEND "Mansard Roof"
3/ AMY WINEHOUSE "Rehab"
4/ KID HARPOON "The First EP"
5/ DIZZEE RASCAL "Sirens"
6/ FABIO VISCOGLIOSI feat. AMADEO PACE "Il Nostro Caro Angelo”
7/ SLOW CLUB "Me & You"
8/ KELLY ROWLAND feat EVE "Like This"
9/ M.I.A. "Paper Planes"
10/ OKKERVIL RIVER "Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe"

Annette Lee, Beggars Group
Top 10 miscellaneous good stuff of 2007 (that I can remember at least)
1. Isobel Eve Murray, born 5th June '07 and following in the Lee family tradition of being extremely good looking.
2. The return of Wispa bars. Thank you Cadbury's
3. All Tomorrow's Parties. The best bits in no particular order, giving washing-up advice to Les Savy Fav's Tim Harrington (soak before scrubbing); Grizzly Bear on the beach at sunset; chalet disco dancing to Ruairi's mix CD using an ironing board and broom as props (yes, there is video footage of this); watching Mogwai whilst eating a Chicken Royale in Burger King (highly recommended).
4. Great gigs:
My Brightest Diamond @ Bush Hall; Danielson @ Metro; Beirut @ QEH foyer; The National @ Shepherds Bush Empire; Andrew Bird @ Scala; Final Fantasy @ Latitude Festival on some sort of enchanted woodland grotto stage; Electrelane @ Scala; Les Savy Fav @ ATP; YLT @ End Of The Road Festival; Youthmovies @ ATP
5. Being part of an award winning department (of course)
6. Seeing in the new year with a glass of champagne on a rooftop in Brooklyn. Good times.
7. Not going to Glastonbury and laughing at everyone stupid enough to go.
8. Getting a proper real live/dead Christmas tree
9. Etsy.com. Like shopping in a great (and cheap) vintage shop without the smell or the sneezing.
10. Harry Potter - like a double-edged sword. Genius and yet so very very sad (in more ways than one I suspect)

Simon Halliday, Beggars Group
birth of my daughter poppy sue
deerhunter - 1st show at sxsw
no age show at bowery ballroom
flying lotus EP
joba chamberlain
arsenal's cesc fabregas' emergence as best footballer in the world
battles atlas video
philly leatardo's hit at the gas station
Rome season 2
rage vs the machine at coachella

Jeremy P. Goldstein, Beggars Group
Top Life Event Of Past 365 Days
Getting engagified to the love of my life. Hooray for the CFO!

Top-10 Records

Idlewild - Make Another World - Sanctuary
Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City - Atlantic
Biffy Clyro - Puzzle - Roadrunner
Puressence - Don't Forget To Remember - Reaction
Sigur Ros - Hvarf/Heim - XL Recordings
The Enemy - We'll Live And Die In These Towns - Warners
M.I.A. - Kala - Interscope
Jimmy Eat World - Chase The Light - Interscope
Radiohead - In Rainbows - Self-released
The Early Years - The Early Years - Beggars

Top-10 Snax

Gelato in Tuscany. Doesn't get much better than that.
Combination #3 (Shrimp Taco and Lobster Burrito) at El Zarape, San Diego. When you are missing Mexican food like no one's business and you get some this good, it's like heaven.
Hummus Foul at Hummus Place, NYC. I defy anyone to find better hummus in North America.
Nonna Maria slice at Bleecker St Pizza, NYC. Still my favorite slice in the city.
Mushroom Papardelle at Melograno, Philadelphia. Exquisite.
Lobster roll, my house, NYC. The protowife comes through in a pinch with a lobby roll as good as anything I've had out. She rules.
Buddakan, Philadelphia. Crispy calamari salad, miso tuna tartare, black cod with miso, I could go on forever. Can't ever go wrong here. Everything is always stellar. Far superior to the NYC branch.
White tuna with garlic at Kamakura, Alameda, CA. My favorite offering at my favorite sushi joint on the planet.
Spicy rigatoni sorrentino at Il Bagato, NYC. Delivery only, but a fine, fine pasta dish. Better than I can make, that's for sure. Flavors I can never duplicate at home.
Grapefruit-habanero margarita at Barrio Chino, NYC. What I believe to the be finest margarita in NYC and with a nice kick that hits you in the back of the throat. Good times.

Matt Harmon, Beggars Group
MUSIC
Samara Lubelski "Parallel Suns" (The Social Registry)
No Age "Weirdo Rippers" (Fat Cat)
These Are Powers "Terrific Seasons" (Hoss Records)
Fucked Up "Year of the Pig" 12 (What's Your Rupture)
Oakley Hall "I'll Follow You" (Merge Records)
P.G. Six and the Flaming Manholes lathe cut 7" (Abaton Book Company)
Spoon " Ga Ga Ga Ga GA" (Merge Records)
Magick Markers "Boss" (Ecstatic Peace)
Neil Young "Live At Massey Hall" (Reprise) CD + DVD
Daniel Higgs "Atomic Yggdrasil Tarot" (Thrill Jockey) CD + book

ART BOOKS
Reykjavik 64 08N 21 54W by Ami Sioux (Scintilla Ltd.)
Amy Cutler: Paintings & Drawings by Lisa Freiman (Hatje Cantz)
Please Listen I Have Something To Tell You ABout What Is by Chris Johanson (Alleged Press)
Avila by Sebastiaan Bremer (Roebling Hall)
Blackstock's Collection by Gregory L. Blackstock (Princeton Arch. Press)

Zach Pollakoff, Beggars Group
Top 10 Songs of 2007

1. M.I.A. - Paper Planes
2. Times New Viking - (My Head)
3. Kanye West - Good Life
4. The Dirty Projects - Rise Above
5. Cave Singers - Seeds of Night
6. No Age - My Life's Alright Without You
7. St. Vincent - Now, Now
8. The National - Fake Empire
9. Animal Collective - Peacebone
10. BLack Lips - O Katrina

Rich Walker, Beggars Group
Track of the Year - Blonde Redhead '23'
Album of the Year - The Field 'From Here We Go Sublime'
Mix Album of the Year - Fred Deakin's 'The Triptych'
Gig of the Year - The National at Shepherds Bush Empire, London (both nights!)

Video of the Year - Battles 'Atlas'