When Kirby's Epic Yarn was announced, many people thought Nintendo was stringing us along, that the game would be poorly stitched together or otherwise patchy. A 2D platformer with a cute gimmick runs the risk of being threadbare, but it would appear that developer Good Feel has it all sewn up. 

You might worry that the bad yarn puns are a bit woolly, but I refuse to change my material. 

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Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii)
Developer: Good Feel
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: October 17, 2010
MSRP: $49.99

Kirby's Epic Yarn reinvents everybody's favorite pink puffball by transforming him into everybody's favorite pink stringball. The tenuous setup is that an evil wizard has arrived from Patch Land, turned Kirby into a length of yarn, and trapped him inside a magical sock. He meets a little blue fellow called Prince Fluff, and together they work to save both Patch Land and Dream Land from the nefarious Yin Yarn. 

To be honest, the game could have done without the story and the repeating cutscene (complete with creepy uncle narrator) that appears at the end of every boss fight, but otherwise, you really don't need to worry about a narrative. Some stuff has happened, and now Kirby is made of string.  

Epic Yarn is a traditional 2D platformer through and through, unafraid to stick to the franchise's simple roots. No longer able to suck enemies up and take their abilities, Kirby instead uses his new string flesh to get about each stage. He can turn into a parachute to make careful landings, stomp on enemies as a weight, or turn into a car to zip along platforms fast. Most importantly, he can whip out a length of yarn to tangle up enemies and throw them around. It's all very intuitive, and all very simple.

In fact, simplicity is at the game's very core, since Kirby can't even die. Instead of suffering a grim death, Kirby loses points whenever he takes damage from traps, enemies or falls. Points are accumulated with gems, and the gems will fly out of Kirby, à la Sonic the Hedgehog's rings, whenever he's hit. The gems can be recollected, but taking a hit invariably means losing points and -- more importantly -- losing a chance to score a gold medal at the end of the stage.

As a hardcore gamer, you may think that the lack of traditional "challenge" would make the game boring. After all, if Kirby can't die, what's the point? Fortunately, the lack of dying does nothing to affect the game -- in fact, losing precious points and not getting a Gold Medal at the end of a level often makes the game even more engrossing. Rather than feeling protected by an energy bar, each hit represents a real failure. Sure, even if you take a fair few hits, it's usually still possible to obtain a Gold, but it becomes increasingly difficult, and somehow, failing to get that Medal seems even more punishing than seeing a Game Over screen.

In short, there is no way that you can not beat the game, but mastery is another matter entirely.

Even without the hoarding of precious gems as an incentive, Epic Yarn's decision to dispense with a traditional challenge has only enhanced the game. The focus is purely on fun and exploration, as opposed to trying desperately to survive. Each level of Kirby's Epic Yarn is unique and undeniably charming, full of special tricks and gimmicks that never get old. Whether you're riding on the back of a space roller coaster, swinging from trees, or sledding down a snowy slope, Kirby's Epic Yarn constantly surprises and pleases, with the focus squarely on player enjoyment at all times.

The fun factor is, of course, helped along by the patchwork conceit. Not only does each stage look fantastic with bright fabrics and enemies made out of string or buttons, but Kirby's ability to send out a whip of yarn to yank bits of the stage around, unzip the background, or otherwise manipulate his surroundings makes for some really clever moments.

Kirby himself can use his stringy body to transform into a variety of things, and it always feels like a treat whenever he does. Kirby can turn into a UFO, a dolphin, a racing buggy, and giant death tank, among other weird things. The only weak sections are those where Kirby turns into a train and requires some token Wiimote waving in order to get about. Fortunately, the train barely appears in the game, and for the most part, you'll be partaking in fantastic platform race sections, or shmup-style rocket blasting, or underwater dolphinism that puts Ecco to shame.

Then there are the bosses, which are all pattern-based, simplistic affairs, but somehow still manage to remain inventive and memorable. Fire-breathing dragons, pumpkin magicians, and evil octopuses are all in attendance, each one ready to rob you of a chance at getting the Gold Medal. In fact, boss stages go beyond Gold, each one requiring extra gems in order to unlock special optional levels. Good Feel did a great job of enhancing the challenge without ever relying on the concept of "death," something that ought to be commended.

As well as the main levels, there are little distractions peppered throughout the game to keep you interested. For instance, you can spend gems or find items in levels to decorate Kirby's apartment, and play minigames with the Patch Land residents. I would have personally liked to see much more of this aspect of the game, as the apartment appears rather pointless and the minigames are only fun for so long. Giving us more of a reason to hang out at Kirby's place and more things to spend gems on would not only have enhanced the game in general; it would have made the gems even more important, since there'd be a greater incentive to pimp his pad out.

If you don't want to hog all the fun, Epic Yarn supports local co-op play, with another player taking on the role of Prince Fluff. Although it doesn't change the game significantly, there are some cool co-op moments, such as having the movement and the cannon of the death tank controlled by separate players. For the most part, co-op is somewhat more chaotic than a single-player game, but it's definitely enjoyable.

Like all Kirby titles, Epic Yarn won't take too long to beat, especially if you just carelessly blast through without worrying about points. However, the levels are so full of character and innocent entertainment that it's highly unlikely you'll only want to play them once. Plus, with the extra things to do and Medals to be earned for completionists, there's more than enough merriment to justify the price tag. Provided you like simple, clean fun, that is.

Kirby's Epic Yarn is an absolute delight. Oozing cuteness at every turn, from the wonderful animation to the gorgeous music, this is a game that should have pride of place in any game collection. It's a simple little title, free of high-tech gimmickry and gritty realism. It's a good old-fashioned platformer that manages to be endlessly rewarding and only disappoints in that more incentive to succeed would have truly perfected the title. Even without that, the fun is its own reward, and Kirby's Epic Yarn stands as one of the very best Wii games of the year.

Also, Kirby is made of Goddamn string!

Score: 9.5 -- Superb (9s are a hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage to what is a supreme title.)

The Secret History series features profiles of classic D.C. albums as a way of looking back at the vibrant District music scene. This time around, we appreciate the second far-reaching indie-pop offering from Eggs, Teenbeat 96 Exploder (Teenbeat, 1994).

D.C.'s music scene has always been bigger and more diverse than the iconic hardcore and post-hardcore communities that for many have defined the city, and one needs look no further than Eggs for proof. A pioneering indie-pop outfit in the mold of Unrest, Eggs specialized in exploratory stylistic experimentalism and sonic dalliance, dipping their toes into post-punk, chamber pop, folk, stadium rock, prog and electronica while refusing to be pinned down.

Initially hatched by vocalist/guitarist Andrew Beaujon and drummer Johnathan Rickman in Richmond, Virginia, Eggs were a natural fit for the eclectic Teenbeat roster and helped expand the boundaries of the Clinton-era D.C. sound. Their sprawling second LP, 1994’s double album Teenbeat 96 Exploder (so-named because it was number 96 in the Teenbeat catalog), delivered on the promise of Eggs’ 1992 Teenbeat debut Bruiser. It’s a highly ambitious statement, embracing loads of influences and combining them all into one blissed-out, 24-track magnum opus. Featuring guitarist/trombonist Rob Christiansen, bassist Evan Shurak, and a rotating cast of drummers, Exploder is one of the most unique releases in the annals of D.C. indie rock.

Rickman describes Eggs’ formation in Richmond and subsequent relocation to D.C. “Andrew and I started Eggs together circa 1990 when we were both at Virginia Commonwealth University. We just happened to sit next to each other in a math lab. Naturally, we bonded over Unrest, he being a close friend of the band and I being a big fan and having just a year prior interviewed Unrest for a fanzine I had at the time called Strange Noise…. After we had been playing for a year or so, with ex-Unrest bassist Dave Park and French horn player Marriane McGee, Andrew graduated from VCU and moved back home to NoVa. At the same time, I transferred to American University.”

At which point, Shurak and Christiansen entered the fold.

“John met Evan Shurak [at AU],” recalls Beaujon, “who started playing bass with us because our original bassist, Dave Park, stayed in Richmond. Rob Christiansen just sort of started showing up and never left.”

Upon his return to D.C., Arlington native Beaujon realized that there was some room for Eggs’ sunnier, more pop-centric approach in the local scene. “When I'd left this region to go to school, the music scene was pretty hard-rock oriented; even the emo guys were a lot manlier than the stuff we were playing. Two really important events that started to shift the narrative from hardcore/Revolution Summer/emo were the Summer of Noise, put on by Cynthia Connolly [during summer 1989], and the Lotsa Pop Losers fest organized by [Tsunami members and Simple Machines label founders] Jenny Toomey and Kristin Thompson [in 1991]. Eggs played the latter, and it was the first time we heard local bands that were operating in sort of the same headspace as we were.

"Rob was a huge Gray Matter fan," Beaujon continues, "and their example was really important to us: You don't have to be hard-rock guys all the time. You can be a little hippie-ish, too."

“I always thought we were appreciated but not necessarily celebrated,” says Rickman. “With all the straight-up jangle-pop going around at the time, I think we may have been viewed as a breath of fresh air, if not a consistently entertaining curiosity. I guess we fit in by virtue of our association with Teenbeat. But Andrew was a tireless networker, so we made all kinds of great connections and friends.”

Says New Jersey native Shurak, “Although I love the D.C. music scene, I think at first we felt a little outside of it. We were, after all, aside from Andrew, new to D.C. [Rickman is from Richmond and Christiansen is from Massachusetts]. We sort of nestled ourselves in our little Teenbeat, Slumberland, Simple Machines world. Eventually we settled in and started doing shows with Shudder to Think and other bands and started to move beyond our safety zone.”

“Unrest were good, folksy -- and quirky -- friends, yet seemed larger than life when they took the stage,” says Rickman. “When I was in the band, we became close with Pittsburgh minimal-poppers Wimp Factor 14. They were great, talented folks with a curious sound and approach to pop.” By way of homage, Eggs covered Wimp Factor 14's "Rebuilding Europe" on Exploder, and Christiansen produced the band's 1993 LP Ankle Deep.

Concurs Shurak, “We played a lot of shows with and adored Pittsburgh's Wimp Factor 14. They had a very smart quirky sound that resonated with us. Obviously, we were close to Unrest, but besides them we played constantly with Versus, Tsunami, and Pitchblende, who the band had close ties with.”

Eggs also found support beyond the Beltway. “New York was a real eye-opener for us; we started playing up there a lot and had some amazing shows,” says Beaujon. “As we got more popular we got to meet some people overseas who made music that meant a lot to us, folks like the Wedding Present and the Boyracer crew, in particular.”

“Inspiration-wise, it was a mixed bag of Sebadoh, Pavement, Pixies and Unrest,” recalls Rickman, “but we also pulled from Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Astrid Gilberto, The Who, you name it.”

“I do remember listening to a lot of bossa nova during that time," admits Beaujon. "Rob and Evan were studying music and technology at American, and John (who'd mostly left Eggs by the time we made Exploder) has always had the most interesting record collection of anyone I've ever met. I was working as a classical music clerk for some of that time, and I was very into Charles Ives, particularly his ‘Symphony No. 2,’ which has a part that's supposed to simulate two different marching bands passing each other by mistake.”

With all of these sounds floating around, it’s easy to understand how an album as starry-eyed and pleasingly ragged as Exploder came about. It has a winning early-90s aura of laid-back, nonchalant ability and casual inspiration, shamelessly and joyously copping styles and moods in order to create something unerringly original.

The recording of Exploder was in itself an epic undertaking, stretching from late 1992 through 1993 and done mainly on the AU campus. “We recorded it at American University, where we could use the 24-track studio for free at night,” says Beaujon. “I've blocked out how long it took but I remember it being many months, maybe even eight? We mixed it at Inner Ear with Geoff Turner, and that took a while, too.”

“Rob and I were both audio engineering students at AU so we recorded the record ourselves, although Rob did the majority of the engineering,” reports Shurak. “For better or for worse, the elimination of budgetary and time restraints really gave us the opportunity to experiment and take our time in the studio. We definitely had a blast and learned a lot.”

“Mistakes were really important to us; while it's a finished recording in a lot of ways, we left in quite a few happy accidents,” says Beaujon.

And true to form, Exploder sounds like a band taking its time and having fun getting nowhere too fast. Horn-infused pocket-orchestra pop songs bleed into anti-folk epics and budget-prog stompers, tied together by off-kilter incidental interludes that split the difference between Eno ambience and Stereolab’s space-age robo-lounge. Some songs, like "Conchita," even veer into Sonic Youth art-noise territory, while "Claire's Snares" approximates the Kinks at their kookiest.

“I don’t think our instruments had that much of an influence on our sound,” observes Shurak on the technical side. “For the most part we had some pretty crappy stuff.”

“My set-up was a Fender Stratocaster, a distortion pedal, a wah-wah pedal and an amp,” recalls Beaujon. “Rob had a quite complex set up that allowed him to switch between trombone and his guitar, with plenty of funky effects. Evan played direct, and there were too many drummers to allow me to characterize an approach there. Later we added Ian Jones on percussion and keyboards, which let us fill out some of the lounge-y stuff some.”

Though gems like the lilting “Why Am I So Tired All the Time?,” the cheekily bombastic “Saturday’s Cool,” and the indie-guitar workout “Salsa Garden” are surefire mix-tape fodder, Exploder is perhaps digested best as a whole, its rough edges heard alongside its mellow gold.

“Some songs are so strong, like ‘Saturday's Cool’ and ‘Salsa Garden,’” observes Rickman. “Both songs - a stadium rocker and a shoegazer, respectively - couldn't be more different from each other, but that is precisely what makes Exploder so interesting. Eggs, at that point, was pulling from various inspirations and strongly morphing Rob and Andrew's song styles, so it's a diverse-sounding tour de force of peculiar pop.”

“It sounds like the 90s,” according to Shurak. “You can’t go back. The record represents who we were and what we were into at the time.”

To Unrest mastermind and Teenbeat label head Mark Robinson, Exploder holds up. “It still sounds pretty revolutionary, eclectic and funny. It's a classic, the classic double album.”

In a scene known primarily for its tight, hardcore-influenced riff-fests, Eggs were an addled blast of fresh air, and Exploder, the antithesis of “tight,” remains a relentlessly fun listen. “I can't tell you how often I hear accolades about how ‘great’ Eggs were back in the day and how much people enjoy our albums,” says Rickman. “People do remember us, and seem to fondly. We must have made an impression. I knew we were on to something quite new and different at the time, and I think our music still resonates with people today.”

2 live lets play for the price of one; ;Sonic Fighter and Sonic Cd, Both games were played through the Sonic Gems Collection for the Nintendo Gamecube.

00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:51 What's the Happs? Kyle *Used DS XL *Michael Jackson Memorial Party *Peace Walker *Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Richard *GameZone *Split/Second *Bayonetta *Ouendan I/II *Dragon Age Gwyn *Castle Crashers *Fallout 3 *Surgery *Nakajima Megumi *Kano Yoko Fan Event *Yamato Event 00:55:15 News *Giant Eva *Idol Master 2 *Karigurashi no Arietti (The Borrower Arrietty) *Tactics Ogre *Gundam Unicorn 01:17:32 Japan Only Games *16-Bit Era *Super Dimensional Fortress Macross: Scrambled *Ranma ?: Bakuretsu Rant?hen (Released in the US as Ranma ?: Hard Battle) *Umihara Kawase 32/64-Bit Era *Tobal 2 *Vib Ribbon *Evangelion 64 *Soukaigi *X-Men vs Street Fighter (Sega Saturn) *Ore no Shikabana Koete Yuke (Walk Over My Dead Corpse) *Sampugita *Gunparade March *Ace Combat 3 *Remote Control Dandy *Tokimeki Memorial 2 *Macross: Do You Remember Love? (Sega Saturn) *Robbit Mon Du *Evangelion: Girlfriend of Steel (Windows 95) *Gepi X *Radient Silvergun PS2/GC/XboX *Berserk: Millennium Falcon Hen Seima Senki no Sho *Blood+: One Night Kiss *Metal Wolf Chaos *Gundam Seed: O.M.N.I. vs Z.A.F.T. I/II *Sonic Gems Collection *Rythem Heaven (GBA) *Another Century's Episode I/II/III *Super Dimensional Fortress Macross (PS2) *Namco X Capcom *Sakura Wars III/IV PS3/360/Wii/DS/PSP *Shikite *Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland *Macross Ace Frontier/Macross Ultimate Frontier *Princess Crown

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In honor of the third annual Record Store Day on April 17, we talked to SPIN contributors and trusted friends around the country to come up with the best general-interest music shops that America has to offer. Because, let's be honest, spending too many hours on the Internet fizzes your brain and dims your eyesight.

But devoting hours to a great record store rejuvenates. Ask the opinion of the right people (they’re right there behind the counter), and you can come out enlightened, possibly with new friends, carrying a record you’ve never heard of that might blow your mind, with a big fucking smile on your face. And who doesn't want that?

For a full list of all the amazing Record Store Day releases coming out tomorrow, from bands ranging from more recent acts like Against Me!, MGMT, and LCD Soundsystem, to iconic bands like Hole, R.E.M., and Weezer, visit Record Store Day's official site.

NOTE: We tried to narrow our list to a Top 10, but were pleasantly surprised to find 15 stores we loved -- plus a group of 15 more worthy of honorable mention. (To keep our list manageable, we excluded stores that specialize in specific genres like jazz and blues.) Read on for the countdown of our Top 15 picks -- plus, testimonials from fans who frequent them.

15. RECORD EXCHANGE

1105 W. Idaho Street, Boise, Idaho

Why It Rocks: Like other large, local institutions in less-populated states, Boise's Record Exchange sells a wide selection of tchotchkes alongside its enormous selection of music and DVDs. The one-stop-shop vibe can make intimacy harder to foster, but when you can buy your sister a birthday present and pick up a few hard-to-find releases without going near the mall, you know that an indie record shop is earning its keep.

Fans Say: "The first time I stopped into the Record Exchange, I was on tour with a band who shall remain nameless, I and fell in love a little bit. They have those wonderful bits of vinyl that you don't realize you absolutely NEED until you hold it in your hand (I picked up In a Priest Driven Ambulance by the Flaming Lips and The Return of Bruno by Bruce Willis), amazing action figures (I got a Biggie toy), and just good vibes in general. The store was wide open so it breathed a lot, and the staff was superfriendly (as most people are the further you get from the Northeast). We were all like kids in candy stores, it was amazing. I was then challenged to eat seven foot-long hot dogs from the cart outside. It was not amazing." -- Michael Venutolo-Mantovani (Matador Direct)

14. TRUE VINE

3544 Hickory Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland

Why It Rocks: Beyond being Baltimore's favorite (and hippest) spot to buy vinyl, True Vine stands out as one of the most staunch champions of the truly unusual, unexpected listening experience. The owners of the small, relatively young shop take great care to keep the 7,000 titles on the floor rich with obscure, avant-garde, and international releases (along with the latest Animal Collective, of course). But don't let that scare you, the place is intimate enough that questions about records are actually less awkward than keeping to yourself.

Fans Say: "What makes this store a major destination spot is its own ethnographic CD-R series of international recordings. Let's face it, the legions of Harry Smiths have pretty much picked through every attic from West Virginia through New Orleans; the 'old weird America' has been discovered and rediscovered. True Vine covers the rest of the globe—quietly putting out nondescript burners of rural folk music from Brazil, Vietnamese percussion jams, traditional acoustic pickings from Sub-Saharan African dating back to the '60s, and so on and on. No fancy packaging or box-set prices. You'd never find this stuff unless you went here. The store's main compiler, Ian Nagoski, who released Black Mirror: Reflections in Global Musics on Dust-to-Digital (2007), has left the store, so the CD-R production has become more sporadic. But the CDs are still there. Just ask." -- Jason Cherkis (senior writer, Washington City Paper)

13. ELECTRIC FETUS

2000 4th Avenue S., Minneapolis, Minnesota

Why It Rocks: Imagine a corporate big-box retailer, the kind with snazzy touch-screen listening stations and a big corner of non-music gifty trappings, but instead of padding their huge racks with dozens of copies of the same Lenny Kravitz CD, they stock them with thousands of LPs and seven-inches, and in-depth jazz, world, and local-music sections. Then add 40 years of experience, a burn-your-own-mix-CD station, and a large staff of devoted employees who would like nothing more than to see your face when you encounter Fela Kuti for the first time. You're looking at the inside of Minneapolis's Electric Fetus.

Fans Say: "I keep coming back to the Fetus because of all the stuff I've discovered there that I never would have heard otherwise. But the most telling thing about them is that they have 12 employees who have been with the store for 25 years or longer. If that doesn't say loyalty and affection, I don't know what does." -- Peter S. Scholtes (writer, City Pages)

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12. GONER

2152 Young Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee

Why It Rocks: A terrific local record store, Goner merits special distinction for the plucky punk label that it also runs out of the shop, which has put out releases by Reigning Sound, longtime local punk icon Ross Johnson, and Quintron (to name only a few), with more on the way from Box Elders and Tyvek. They showcase talent galore at their yearly, four-day Gonerfest. And as far as reps go, these guys have earned one about ten times the size of their tiny shop.

Fans Say: "Goner is an ever-strengthening force as a label, BBS, and mail-order outlet on the national level as well, with such minor masterstrokes as the introduction of Eddy Current Suppression Ring to the rest of the world, serving as the launching pad for Jay Reatard, and causing a lot of scuttlebutt via the incendiary/informative/hilarious/maddening Goner Bulletin Board (careful, you were warned!) When you enter the store these days, it's almost as if the economy wasn't on the fritz, the music biz was in good shape, and you've just stepped into the pre-Internet record store environment. People congregate, talk shop, crack jokes, and do whatever networking there is to be done in a town like Memphis." -- Andrew Earles (SPIN contributing writer and artist, Earles and Jensen Present...Just Farr a Laugh Vol. 1 & 2 (The Greatest Prank Phone Calls Ever!))

11. RECKLESS

3161 N. Broadway, 1532 N Milwaukee Avenue, and 26 E Madison, Chicago, Illinois.

Why It Rocks: Chicago is home to a strange, wonderful modern phenomenon known as Reckless Records. Laughing into the wind of Internet-driven changes in music purchasing, they've expanded their operation to three locations in the city. The Wicker Park branch, in particular, draws the young, hip, and dusty-nosed used vinyl crowds, but the selection and staff album reviews can be relied upon at all three spots. In a time when so many shops are shuttering, Reckless proves that there's still a way for record stores to get even bigger if they provide an exciting service you can't get anywhere else.

Fans Say: "Reckless in Wicker Park is my standby. Their used section is great, they carry vinyl, CDs, new stuff, DVDs, and magazines. They have a knowledgable staff that includes musicians (industrial legend Chris Connelly and avant electronic rocker Magas both work there) and DJs and folks whose recommendations you can trust. They are a geniunely hip hold-out in a neighborhood that has been run over in the process of gentrification. It's the axis of indie rock for the town." -- Jessica Hopper (SPIN contributing writer and editor of Hit It or Quit It)

10. WUXTRY

197 E. Clayton Street, Athens, Georgia

Why It Rocks: As much as some record stores help foster their town's music community, none has done so as prominently as Wuxtry in Athens, Georgia, which, if you believe the stories, has employed members of every prominent local band since the scene exploded in the '80s. But the shop's reputation rests just as much on what it provides to visitors, apart from a great selection. Devotees tell stories of hanging around Wuxtry as young'uns and being included in discussions or encouraged to "record your own damn songs, already!" Plus, the upstairs eccentric comics zone Bizarro Wuxtry is a legend unto itself.

Fans Say: "You know how you're always hearing stories about kids who got schooled on cool music by their older siblings who had awesome record collections and you got pissed because your older siblings, if you even had them, liked fucking Foreigner or Kajagoogoo or Deep Banana Blackout? Well, the thing about the original, bedroom-sized Wuxtry (on the corner of College Avenue and East Clayton) was that it was like you suddenly got to hang out with all those older siblings -- specifically owner Dan Wall and whoever happened to be working or blissfully killing off endless afternoons (R.E.M.'s Peter Buck was a particularly opinionated participant once upon a time, most likely hammering on about the New York Dolls or whatever used rock bio he'd just picked up). I distinctly remember somebody there insisting that I stop dicking around and buy the Cramps' Songs the Lord Taught Us and loving it so much that I went back and got Psychedelic Jungle ('Goo Goo Muck' was me and my college roommates' virtual theme song for two years). Then came Bizarro Wuxtry, which got included in an issue of Peter Bagge's Hate as 'the FUNKIEST business establishment I've ever seen!' and the larger storefront space next door, and eventually, Wall even opened the small, adjacent memorabilia-crammed Athens Music Museum. It's mind-boggling to me that for more than 30 years, and after thousands of other great stores have faded or bitten the dust, Wuxtry has actually gotten better." -- Charles Aaron (SPIN music editor)

9. MUSIC MILLENNIUM

3158 & 3144 E. Burnside, Portland, Oregon

Why It Rocks: A 1969 opening date makes Music Millennium the oldest record store in the Pacific Northwest, and they've proven their wisdom over the years with an inventory (now including sizable selections of DVDs and other non-music ephemera) that has grown almost as fast as their importance as a community staple. The original house where the shop was founded has expanded into an adjacent wing with a Classical Annex, making it one of the few stores that's both charmingly ramshackle and agreeably freshfaced.

Fans Say: "Holy moly, I love Music Millenium! It's the way a record store should be: It's wonderfully curated, and the Burnside location is seasoned, cozy, with a modest but inviting and comprehensive vinyl collection (you have to climb up a shitty, narrow stairwell to get where the vinyl is, but who cares?) and a superbonkers CD selection. It's an essential part of the PDX music community, for sure." -- Joan Hiller (publicist, Riot Act Media)

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8. GRIMEY'S

1604 8th Avenue S., Nashville, Tennessee

Why It Rocks: Five years ago, Grimey's Records outgrew their space and moved into its current stylized, three-pedimented building, which it shares with Thirty Tigers music marketing and distribution upstairs and popular venue the Basement downstairs. Grimey's is definitely the meat of this sandwich, with an amazingly broad selection (for its size), very affordable prices, and history as a stalwart of indie cool in a town that's known for a very different kind of music scene.

Fans Say: "Best store in Nashville (that doesn't deal exclusively in country music). They've got a real good selection of new/used vinyl, indie and import CDs, DVDs, and books. And they probably do some of the best in-stores anywhere. Pound for pound, it's one of the best in the country." -- Bob Mehr (music writer, The Commercial Appeal)

7. AQUARIUS

1055 Valencia Street, San Francisco, California

Why It Rocks: San Francisco institution Aquarius Records has been around for almost four decades, but there's nothing settled or complacent about this small Mission district shop. They get as many obscure releases per week as most stores get per month (particularly of metal and other extreme genres), and it seems like every last one gets a lengthy and consistently well-written review on the Aquarius website. Just walking around, staring at the blurbs taped up everywhere, feels like an education. Get a friendly clerk talking, and you're on your way.

Fans Say: "There's a lack of venues in San Francisco to sustain a music scene, so Aquarius is kind of an establishing factor; it really helps hold the community together. When I was younger, I would go there with my best friend and just read everything to keep up with what's going on. It's one of those record stores where you can go in and say, ‘Got anything that sounds like this?' and they'll go ‘Yeah!' and pull something out of the back." -- Jenn Su (contributor, GOOD magazine)

6. EAR X-TACY

1534 Bardstown Road, Louisville, Kentucky

Why It Rocks: Ear X-tacy's huge selection—rivaled by only a few stores in the country -- and commitment to "keeping Louisville weird" has earned it praise from devoted music fans (or weirdos, obsessive-compulsives, music critics, whatever) that echo all the way to the coasts. From its early adoption of online ordering, to its impressive selection of non-music indie media, to a supportive focus on local music, the shop works hard at keeping itself and the values it represents relevant. If any one store can keep a whole city weird, it's ear X-tacy.

Fans Say: "It's the ultimate hometown store. One that you can walk into and feel like you've just stepped into your favorite bar, where your favorite drink is already waiting for you. In this case, it's the music (in the end, its always the music). I know that when I go in, I'll find exactly what I'm looking for, and right off the bat, more times than not." -- Kyle Meredith (host, WFPK’s The Weekly Feed)

5. SONIC BOOM

2209 NW Market Street and 514 15th Avenue E., Seattle, Washington

Why It Rocks: In a town with a music scene as established as Seattle's, Sonic Boom is a welcoming hub for all the "types" floating around. Its Ballard flagship and smaller Capitol Hill location (the Fremont branch closed in February of last year) have employed half the music-industry folks in the city at one point or another, and its consistently great in-store performances often turn into impromptu family reunions. But this place isn't coasting on its rep; the selection is wide, well-organized, and surrounded with the kind of seriously pleasant atmosphere that could only be created and maintained by people who know that a great record store is about a lot more than just the music.

Fans Say: "Sonic Boom is beyond ridiculously fucking important to not only the Seattle music universe/community, but to those same people all over the Pacific Northwest and beyond. If Sonic Boom was ever, ever in trouble, the community would rush to save it. I have zero question about that. Zero." -- Joan Hiller (publicist, Riot Act Media)

CONTINUE THE COUNTDOWN ON PAGE 4

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4. WAX 'N FACTS

432 Moreland Avenue NE, Atlanta, Georgia

Why It Rocks: Atlanta's Wax 'N Facts has a pretty crappy website, and until recently, they refused to use their phone. But the dusty old joint inspires some powerfully loving words from loyal Atlantans who would enjoy nothing more than to spend an entire afternoon poking around its piles of used vinyl for the rare finds that always end up revealing themselves. And with its hidden corners, a staff who doesn't mind if you loiter forever, and always democratic pricing, the place couldn't be better-suited for a good, long treasure hunt.

Fans Say: "I feel almost a little wild in my devotion to Wax 'N Facts. It represents something that's almost dead, which is this junk shop, American gothic thing. It's not pretty or flashy or designy; its crates filled with records on tables and random posters on the wall. It's not the kind of place you go when you're looking for something; it's the kind of place you go to just explore." -- Bradford Cox (musician, Deerhunter and Atlas Sound)

3. OTHER MUSIC

15 E. 4th Street, New York, New York

Why It Rocks: Other Music is too small. In fact, it has one of the smallest inventories on this list, with only about 10,000 titles in stock at a time. With dinosaur Tower Records no longer across the street, the location on East 4th Street in Manhattan feels almost random (in addition to their name losing its referent), and, between the quietly poised staffers and lack of dark corners to hide in, the place can be intimidating. But there's a reason that, despite all this, Other Music is one of the best-known shops in the country—to the point of being lampooned in a Human Giant sketch. The employees at this Manhattan shop are not only cute and hip, they know the ins and outs of any genre you can imagine, from minimal Argentinian techno to Algerian Rai to the hottest young thing the blogs won't hype for another three months. What OM lacks in floor space, it makes up for in overwhelming knowledge and a unwavering passion for undiscovered gems.

Fans Say: "On a number of occasions, I've walked into Other Music intending merely to look around, heard an album playing over the store's stereo, and promptly plunked down some cash. I can't say that about any other record store. Also, I once spent a solid half-hour there internally debating whether to buy a collection of the film music Mihaly Vig composed for Hungarian director Bela Tarr. I eventually put it down, figuring I'd come back and get the music another time. They've never had it since. Neither has anywhere else I've ever been to. But Other Music had it once, which is what counts." -- David Marchese (SPIN assistant editor)

2. WATERLOO

600A. N. Lamar, Austin, Texas

Why It Rocks: Though it may not produce the most nationally recognized bands, Austin, Texas, takes serious pride in its self-proclaimed and well-earned reputation as the "Live Music Capital of the World." So it's fitting that it should boast one of the most comprehensive, enthusiastic, and all-around good-natured record shops in the country. Not only can you find just about anything, you can then listen to it in the store and even return it if you change your mind (if, for some inexplicable reason, you realize that Trout Mask Replica just won't ever do it for you). And yeah, their in-stores are legendary, what else would you expect?

Fans Say: "Waterloo is the big kahuna. They get a full complement of mainstream stuff, a full compliment of indie stuff. They are just pros; they know what they're doing. The only reason they don't own the city is because of downloading and video games. If those two things didn't exist, the owner would probably be mayor of Austin." -- Joe Gross (pop-music critic, the Austin American-Statesman)

1. AMOEBA

6400 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, 1855 Haight Street in San Francisco, and 2455 Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California

Why It Rocks: Amoeba Records, with locations in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Hollywood, isn't just the "World's Largest Independently Owned Record Store" as their topflight website proudly declares, it represents a sort of music lovers' heavenly refuge. Their vast, bright warehouse spaces house massive, constantly shifting new and used stock (more than 100,000 titles per store), painstakingly curated into ultra-specific, world-spanning genre sections. Factor in a mind-blowing history of in-stores (browse their online video gallery for a taste), and it's no surprise that a majority of people, when asked about great record stores in the U.S., respond with "Oh, like Amoeba?"

Fans Say: "There's something really soothing about rows and rows (and rows) of vinyl, just waiting to be flipped through, and when you hear that satisfying flip-flip-chunk sound of diggers, it's almost like hearing a great minimalist electronica record or something. Add to that the clattering of those plastic CD protector things, and it's like a little symphony. Amoeba feels like church, if church was fun." -- Josh Modell (managing editor, The Onion AV Club and SPIN contributing writer)

"I went to Amoeba for the first time when I was 15 and I almost passed out. I could have spent $200, and I didn't have $200." -- Joe Gross (pop-music critic, the Austin American-Statesman)

SEE THE HONORABLE MENTIONS ON PAGE 5

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HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Criminal, Atlanta Owner Eric Levin was the force behind Record Store Day, and he deserves huge recognition for that alone. Plus, his shop is a community staple.

Permanent Records, Chicago "A hub for some of Chicago's more disparate 'outsider' scenes, in an environment where everyone is welcome." -- David Halstead

Dusty Groove, Chicago "Hands down the best store in the U.S. for R&B, soul, funk, jazz, etc." -- Bob Mehr

Vintage Vinyl, St. Louis The Amoeba of the Midwest.

Harvest, Asheville, North Carolina A savvy selection to rival any big-city shop, in a comfortably sleepy mountain town.

Landlocked Music, Bloomington, Indiana "A fixture of the Bloomington music community, the epitome of what big-box stores and online shopping can't offer." -- Abe Morris

Aboveground, Edgartown, Massachusetts An oasis of truly great taste on an island that isn't exactly known for it.

Treehouse, Minneapolis "Mostly vinyl, and a saving grace for many a Minneopolis teen." -- Jessica Hopper

M-Theory, San Diego One of Southern California's best, with an incredible history of in-stores.

Shangri La, Memphis "Memphis' first independent record store that catered to the modern era of savvy record buyers" -- Andrew Earles

Double Decker, Allentown, Pennsylvania A revered road trip destination for New York collectors.

Academy Annex, Brooklyn, New York Where the New York collectors go when they don't have a car.

Albums on the Hill, Boulder, Colorado "Like a slice of High Fidelity with everything such a scene implies." -- David Menconi

Jackpot, Portland "I'm pretty sure my husband is physically unable to leave there empty-handed." -- Joan Hiller

The Record Collector, Bordentown, New Jersey Smartly stocked, good-hearted joint in a converted bowling alley, with in-stores ranging from the Meatmen to the 1910 Fruitgum Company (!)

GO BACK TO PAGE 1

Nio is a multi talented DJ, MC and Producer of the famed Italian rap group Zero Plastica. Nio's passion extends to collecting international sounds gathered during his cross continental travels. This exclusive collection of sonic gems have led to the creation of the "NioSiddharta's Travels" series. With Nio's latest creation - "Safar ila Al Maghreb" - Nio takes the listener to Morocco, where rap and reggae are frequently mixed with gnawa, the traditional music of "Berber", the Saharian nomadic and very first Maghreb inhabitants. Nio travelled over 1,240 miles throughout Morocco's sprawling cities and desert lands selecting more than fourty tracks in the process. Nio skillfully mixes these Moroccan hip-hop classics together with echoes of muezzin, storytellers and the voices of the crowded suq of Marrakesh. The tracklist includes the biggest names in Moroccan hip-hop talent including: Bigg, Fnaïre, H-Kayne, Momo Cat, Alfaress, Fez City Clan, Casa Crew. The mixtape also includes emerging artists: X-Conseil, Quadraphonik, Hel Lmkane, Se7-rawi. "Safar ila Al Maghreb" blends the old and the new school, club bangers, experimentation, roots and dancehall music. Nio's collaborators on the mixtape are Lure and Mardok, (also of Zero Plastica), who drop freestyle jams as well as an unreleased Zero Plastica track from their upcoming record. - Source Site:http://www.zero-plastica.com

JamBase Albums of the Week | February 12-February 18, 2010

Dennis' Pick of the Week
Redwater: Time Is A Lie (Redwater Music)
At first it seems one has stumbled across a really good hard rock band, crusty as '70s Robert Plant's jeans after a fortnight on tour and unruly as sweaty old Sabbath. And this would be just swell on its own measure but Redwater starts throwing serious curves four tracks in with country tinged corker "Off To War" and from there they roam off the leash, jamming and prodding things with puppy-like energy. The stellar hard rockers return in the tail section and taken together with everything in between - including a real facility with slow burns -Redwater's full-length debut (released February 12) is reminiscent of what Pearl Jam and The Black Crowes did in the 1990s (i.e. taking classic rock and building compelling new shapes atop that foundation). Though many ape Zeppelin and Hendrix, Redwater sweats their musk. They are young and there are definitely some rough edges, but they bear the markings of a band that could one day be really special. They've already offered up a frothing elixir against the Nickelbacks of the world with this highly enjoyable first salvo. (Dennis Cook)

Ron's Pick of the Week
Kenny Rankin: Catalog Reissues (Sly Dog-Mack Avenue)
"Yacht rock" is a term levied by the hipper-than-hip denizens of Generation Y in reference to the silky soft AM sounds of such 1970s acts as Christopher Cross, Loggins & Messina, Michael McDonald, Bread, Gordon Lightfoot, et al. The term also served as the title to a funny 2005 online video series spoofing the lives of these aforementioned soft rock superstars. Now upon listening to the late Kenny Rankin, who sadly died of lung cancer in June 2009 at the age of 69, it's totally understandable if your initial reaction is, "Oh man, this is EXACTLY what Ted Knight would be listening to on The Flying WASP in Caddyshack (had, of course, Rappin' Rodney not dropped anchor on it)." However, to pass off Rankin's music as mere "yacht rock" would be a disservice to the ground broken by this most underrated New York-born performer, who grew up in the same neighborhood in the Bronx as Dion and played guitar on Bob Dylan's Bringing It All Back Home, with his calming, natural fusion of soul, bossa nova, folk and jazz, utilizing the same panache as Steely Dan did for their Brooklyn-brewed blend of bop and rock. "He's a fine musician with an original style and unquestionable taste," gushed Johnny Carson, who invited Kenny onto The Tonight Show several times during his long run as host, in a quote on the inside cover of Rankin's 1967 debut, Mind-Dusters. When you dig into this sextet of digitally mastered reissues of his sextet of seventies releases, curated by the Rankin family, you can't help but agree with the late night legend's sentiments. Though all six of these albums are gems in their own right, heads will want to start off with 1970's Family, which proves Rankin was the only cat who could properly pull off back-to-back covers of The Beatles' "Dear Prudence," Bert Jansch's "Needle of Death" and Otis Redding's "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay" without a hitch. 1972's Like A Seed serves as the finest showcase for Rankin's magnificent fretwork, especially his rare electric moment, "Bad Times Make You Strong," written by both Kenny and his then-wife Yvonne, and 1974's Silver Morning contains a version of "Blackbird" that so impressed Paul McCartney he asked Rankin to perform the song during Macca and John Lennon's induction into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. Do yourself and your constitution a solid and introduce yourself to the artistry of Kenny Rankin and his thinking man's sooth if you haven't already. Yacht rock this most certainly is not. (Ron Hart)

Hot Chip: One Life Stand (Astralwerks)
Well, this is pretty freakin' romantic, even downright syrupy in places ("Take It In" and the unavoidably homoerotic "Brothers" will test the patience of even the most stalwart New Romantic). Hot Chip's fourth offering (released February 9) picks up the laced gauntlet of Spandau Ballet, OMD, and more obscurely the Blue Nile and Prefab Sprout - all wet-eyed, swooning English pop models. What's absent are the crunching, saucy dance floor bombs they made their bones on. There's a lil' shimmy to "We Have Love" and the title cut but mainly this simmers low and REALLY sincere. It's quite artfully put together, and in a way it's a perfect Valentine, if one has the patience and appetite for such soft serve. (DC)

Excepter: Presidence (Paw-Tracks)
Long-running New York City noise collective Excepter release their eighth album in their eight years and go for broke doing it. Presidence (arriving February 16) is a two-disc goliath of transmission and atmosphere, mostly recorded live in the studio, including a 27-minute-long drone recorded on Election Day (hence the album title) that sounds like early Tangerine Dream, and "The Open Well," another 20-odd minute jam that could be Can had they replaced Malcolm Mooney with Lee "Scratch" Perry instead of Damo Suzuki. (RH)

Glossary: Feral Fire (Liberty & Lament)
Folks with a serious yen for The Jayhawks and similar everything-in-its-right-place Americana should immediately check out Glossary. With just the right measures of twang and rawk, Feral Fire slides along invitingly, the sort of slab that grows more beloved with each spin. "Bend With The Breeze" vibes with It Still Moves-era My Morning Jacket, though the general feel is more rough 'n' tumble than those Kentucky boys. Led by Lucero's Todd Beene and produced by Centro-matic's Matt Pence, Glossary's sixth outing (released February 2) is a winner full of tattered hearts and souls ready for another round. (DC)

Jaga Jazzist: One-Armed Bandit (Ninja Tune)
Norwegian electro-jazz rockers Jaga Jazzist continue to master their craft with One-Armed Bandit (arriving February 23). But if you are expecting the laptop modality of 2003's The Stix, you might be in for a bit of a surprise. The feel of this nine-track set suggests someone has been on a serious Frank Zappa kick in this band, given the heavy Grand Wazoo/Hot Rats vibe of the album's title cut and the epic-sounding freak-out "Prognissekogen." Elsewhere, "Music! Dance! Drama!" institutes a heavy Lalo Schifrin soundtrack resonance while the gentleman haze of American post-rock lingers long over most of the other material here. A brave new direction for a most incredible band; it's good to see them back. (RH)

Hot Day At The Zoo: Zoograss (Eagle)
One always got the sense from their lively, impressive studio work that Massachusetts-based HDATZ was a murderously good string band in concert, and Zoograss offers empirical proof. There's a delightful, slightly breathless roll to this 14-track cross section of newer tunes and satisfying live versions of older material that shows things are evolving really nicely. Swept up by Zoograss one wonders why these cats aren't as well known as Greensky Bluegrass, Hot Buttered Rum, Cornmeal and other festival/club circuit comers. What's so appealing about HDATZ is how they make no nevermind about mixing up sea shanties, boxcar blues, fiddle numbers, rock classics and much else. This is simply the music they love to play, and their great skill, knack for cool fusions and potent personal energy is likely to make you love it, too. (DC)

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra: Kollaps Tradixionales (Constellation)
After seeing its lineup expand to unreasonable numbers as Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band with Choir, SMZ thankfully pares down their personnel to a final five and make some of the best music of their careers on their latest, Kollaps Tradixionales (arriving February 16). It's a fiery, psychedelic phoenix of an album that has more in common with the classical dirge of the Canadian group's root band Godspeed You! Black Emperor than just about anything else they have ever done. Listen to this album and you will understand why the late, great Vic Chesnutt recruited some of these guys to be part of his last band. (RH)

Karnivool: Sound Awake (Sony)
This is some seriously tasty prog-metal. Australia's Karnivool has a decent presence at home and is quickly building a strong audience internationally. Not hard to understand given the stormy, Mars Volta-esque vocals of Ian Kenny laid atop the exploratory heaviness of a band with a broad sonic imagination. Sound Awake (arriving February 16 in the U.S.) is perfect bong hit, low light music nerd fodder that also sounds like it'd be deeply satisfying played monstrously loud live. Those feeling Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater have a new band to discover, and while some of Karnivool's moves here seem vaguely re-Tool-ed, it's unlikely Maynard or any of the other touchstones would have produced the snarling, catchy head-charge of "Set Fire To The Hive," just one of several promising signs here. (DC)

Nneka: Concret Jungle (DECON-Epic)
With Lauryn Hill in self-imposed exile and no set date for an album she has been working on for most of the 00s, there's a strong chance she's pulling a serious JD Salinger on us for the long term. Don't fret, however, as Nigeria's NNeka Egbuna picks up right where Ms. Hill left off with Miseducation on her U.S. debut, Concrete Jungle (released February 2). This becoming warrior princess of African and German heritage keeps it real with her acoustic-driven fusion of soul and hip-hop, coming off on some Dead Prez type shit, though her music could fit in alongside Corinne Bailey-Rae and Erykah Badu as well as it could Black Uhuru and The Fugees' Blunted On Reality. (RH)

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Kicking Against The Pricks: Collector's Edition (Mute)
Nick Cave found his voice on this album. That's his literal voice as a singer/stylist; as far as his rangy, evocative, often confrontational songwriting, well, that's still evolving nicely. 1986's Pricks finds the man and his coconspirators tackling meaty material from John Lee Hooker, Lou Reed, Jimmy Webb, Leadbelly and more. The results are a mixture of alluring and distressing, with all involved rattling the ghost chains inside the iconic tunes. As a singer, Cave discovered his sweet spot mouthing other's words, and has only refined what's present here since. You'd be hard pressed to find better takes on "Hey Joe" and "Long Black Veil," and the fine remastering job does wonders over the original's slightly murky haze. The sharp edges, well placed strings and conscious space shine through the speakers now, further adding to Pricks' considerable heft. And the informative, interview rich liner notes by Amy Hanson further situate this gem in the Cave-nology. Mute continues the Bad Seeds reissue series on March 30 with audio retools plus video and 5.1 Surround mix bolstered editions of Tender Prey (1988), The Good Son (1990) and Henry's Dream (1992) arriving March 30. (DC)

Various Artists: Black Man's Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti (Stones Throw)
Coinciding with the Jigga-produced Broadway play and the newly revitalized Knitting Factory Records rolling out the same reissue campaign MCA did 11 years ago for Nigerian funk god Fela Kuti (with a much better campaign, in my opinion), leave it to Stones Throw to deliver a Fela set you should definitely look out for. Studiously compiled by Stones Throw czar Egon, this a collection of music inspired by the Afrobeat style developed by Fela and the international scene that evolved around the genre's fruition, featuring music from the early '70s scenes in Ghana, Colombia and Trinidad, alongside modern Afro-centric acts as The Daktaris, the Whitfield Brothers and Karl Hector and the Malcouns. Great stuff (arriving February 23). (RH)

Oops, We Missed It!
(Killer Releases From 2009 That Somehow Slipped By Us)

Monahans: Dim The Aurora (Misra)
Ever wonder what happened to Milton Mapes? If you, like JamBase, were totally smitten with 2005's The Blacklight Trap and hankered for more, well, here it is…sort of. MM's Greg Vanderpool and Roberto Sánchez, formed Monahans, which offers a bolder, grittier, all-together more ready-to-leap into your arms sound. From unpredictable, liquid instrumentals to a simmering boldness reminiscent of early U2 to soothing calls to connection to hooky rockers, Monahans holds up a crackling torch to guide us through the gathering shadows. Positivity or genuine sensitivity are tough to wrangle into song form without sounding trite or cliche, but Dim The Aurora (released May 19, 2009) manages this feat repeatedly, gathering heartening sentiments inside musically robust settings. Can't wait for album number two. (DC)

Guano Padano: Guano Padano (Important)
Free jazz, surf guitar and classic film music punctuate the amazing debut album of Italy's Guano Padano, a late 2009 release on the ever-crucial experimental imprint Important Records. "If there ever was a soundtrack waiting to find its mate in the cinematic world, this album by Guano Padano would surely find good company with the likes of Fellini, Leone, Jarmusch and Sofia Coppola," raved Calexico's Joey Burns of this multi-faceted trio, who count Italian singing great Bobby Solo, Captain Beefheart/Jeff Buckley guitarist Gary Lucas and Alessandro Alessandroni, the legendary whistler from Ennio Morricone's Spaghetti Western scores, amongst the guests on this 11-track journey, which is a must hear for any Tarantino fan out there. (RH)

JamBase Albums of the Week | February 5-February 11, 2010

Dennis' Pick of the Week
Galactic: Ya-Ka-May (Anti)
These sons of New Orleans have done their city proud by honoring Armstrong, Prof. Longhair, and other innovators by crafting a resolutely modern collection that also successfully incorporates ancestral elements. Less hip-hop oriented than its predecessor, 2007's From the Corner to the Block, this announces with authority that music continues to evolve in the Big Easy, absorbing the crispness and edge prevalent on today's charts and folding it into the city's irresistible tub-thumping, primal swing. Ya-Ka-May (arriving February 9) differentiates itself from most other modern soul/funk by retaining a human feel, often felt in the crackling rawness of guest vocalists like Allen Toussaint, Big Chief Bo Dollis and Irma Thomas and big band largess of drum stud Stanton Moore. In these settings, the old hands school today's chart toppers and Galactic themselves reveal what a sham the bloodless, Pro-Tools, Auto-Tuned mainstream really is. Bangers like "Liquor Pang," "Dark Water" and "Double It" are ripe to go toe-to-toe with anything Timbaland or Lil' Wayne serve up, except these sweat and grunt in a way that sidesteps the factory produced sterility of most mass consumption singles. One longs to see this entire assemblage tour as a massive revue that would showcase the interlocking nature of New Orleans music throughout several generations. Ya-Ka-May is a juggernaut of fat grooves and slinky sensibilities that announces that New Orleans is alive and well, at least when Galactic is the custodian of its traditions. (Dennis Cook)

Ron's Pick of the Week
Peter Gabriel: Scratch My Back (EMI)
If there is anything to be learned about Peter Gabriel in the 40-plus years he has been in the pop eye, it's the fact that he is definitely one advanced-minded Englishman. Whether it be pushing the boundaries of rock 'n' roll theatre as the Fox-headed, flute playing frontman of Genesis, with his music videos in the 1980s as a solo act, or the art of the film score with his stunning soundtracks to such critically acclaimed films as The Last Temptation of Christ and Rabbit Proof Fence over the last 20 years, the man hasn't seen a glass ceiling he didn't want to throw a bowling ball through. So, leave it up to PG to reinvent the concept of the covers album as well, which is exactly what he's done with the haunting Scratch My Back (arriving February 16 in the U.K. and March 2 in the U.S.), his first proper solo album since 2002's Up. With nothing more than a piano and a string section, Gabriel handpicks a dozen songs - six from like-minded contemporaries David Bowie, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Lou Reed, Randy Newman and David Byrne, and six from some of the newer acts he admires like Radiohead, Bon Iver, Elbow, Regina Spektor, The Magnetic Fields and Arcade Fire - and by the power of his unmistakable rasp, makes every one of them entirely his own. Most of his choices fit swimmingly with the stripped down format, most notably Bon Iver's haunting "Flume," Young's "Philadelphia," Reed's "The Power of the Heart" and surprisingly, "Listening Wind," a deep cut from Talking Heads' Remain In Light. But it's his take on Simon's Graceland hit "The Boy in the Bubble," substituting the song's quasi-Zydeco buoyancy with a downright somber arrangement that really brings out the paranoia in the song's Orwellian message that seems more fitting now than it did in 1987. Following Scratch My Back is I'll Scratch Yours, where the artists featured here have their way with the Peter Gabriel catalog. Thom Yorke is allegedly already on board and planning to record "Wallflower" from Gabriel's 1982 album Security. And one could only hope Randy Newman comes through with a full-on Basin Street run through "Sledgehammer." (Ron Hart)

Salvador Santana: Keyboard City (Quannum)
The label that brought us Blackalicious, Lyrics Born and other bright lights in today's funk/hip-hop scene scores again with Santana's solo debut, a swirling analog hot tub of muddled Latinismo (a la War), lilting disco, '70s Herbie Hancock-isms, the brighter side of Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson and video game bloops. Nuggets like "Don't Even Care" and "This Day (Belongs To You)" are sonic sunshine and ooh, don't it feel good. Helped out by Money Mark, Gza and Del the Funky Homosapien, Keyboard City (released February 2) is a lovingly stirred concoction that goes down as sweetly as home brewed lemonade on a thermometer poppin' afternoon. (DC)

King Crimson: Lizard: 40th Anniversary Edition (Panegyric/Discipline Global Mobile)
The 40th anniversary remaster campaign of British progressive rock titans King Crimson, helmed with great detail by group founder and resident guitar genius Robert Fripp and self-anointed uber-fan Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, with the deluxe edition of Crimson's third and most challenging album, Lizard (released January 12). In his scholarly liner notes, Fripp derides his group's 1970 work as "unsatisfactory" and "joyless". But thanks to the skillful care of Wilson's loving revamp, which features bonus material and a DVD-A containing the album in lossless 5.1 surround sound stereo, he renewed the doubtful author's faith in its unprecedented fusion of classical, free jazz and experimental rock. And if you never quite took to the most misunderstood monster of the King Crimson canon like you did with, say Red or Discipline, allow this definitive version to school you on the brilliance of this legendary band's transitional classic. (RH)

The Wishing Tree: Ostara (Eagle)
"It's time for eyes to open now/ It's time to raise the dead." Uttered by the honeyed, effervescent voice of Hannah Stobart and given further lift by Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery (who also produced and engineered), these lines are indicative of the big ideas and striking beauty of this prog-pop outing, which begs comparisons to All About Eve, Jane Siberry and frothier Peter Gabriel. Unabashedly romantic and sweetly melodic, Ostara resonates with Rothery's Fish-era Marillion work infused with female energies. A fine, lovingly sculpted second outing by this pair (released January 19). (DC)

Pierced Arrows: Descending Shadows (VICE)
Garage punk fans the world over were rightfully shocked when Fred and Toody Cole unexpectedly put their longtime group Dead Moon out to pasture in 2006, just six months after the release of Sub Pop's stellar two-disc anthology, Echoes of the Past (JamBase review) chronicling the Oregon mainstays' two-decade-strong run. But as quick as they were to shoot the Moon, they returned just as quickly in the form of Pierced Arrows, whose only significant change was the replacement of longtime drummer Andrew Loomis with Portland punker Kelly Hallliburton, whose father played with Fred in the '60s. Descending Shadows (released February 2) is the Coles' second album under the new moniker, and finds them as visceral in their AARP years as they were when they first started rattling cages in the Pacific Northwest 20-odd years ago. (RH)

Big Smith: Roots, Shoots & Wings (Mayapple)
It'd be very easy for a group with song titles like "Toted A Load" and "My Overalls (Don't Fit Me Anymore)" to be jokey, just another tongue-in-cheek country act like Nashville pumps out with alarming regularity. Happily, Big Smith is rootsy as hell and slathered in hot jazz technique, pinches of dissonance, an earthy vocal mix that's part bluegrass & part The Band, and a good sense of bittersweet humor. If anything, they remind one of early killer Jimmy Buffett and the '70s Outlaw Country gang, right down to Willy's penchant for swing. Damn fine band, sweet lil' album (arriving February 9). (DC)

Black Cobra: Chronomega (Southern Lord)
Though only two players deep, San Francisco's Black Cobra play their unique brand of sludgy punk-metal with the precision and fury of the four-to-five man Bay Area thrash bands that preceded them 25 years ago. Their fourth album and Southern Lord debut shows ex-Cavity guitarist/vocalist Jason Landrian and one-time Acid King drummer Rafael Martinez can throw down their trademark Death Angel-cum-Melvins style riff attacks. Chronomega also shows how well these guys can space out a la Sunn 0))) and Earth as well. (RH)

Field Music: (Measure) (Memphis Industries)
Following a short three-year break that saw the Brothers Brewis record a pair of respective solo albums that barely held up to their work as a group, Field Music makes a momentous return to the world stage in 2010 with a magnificent double LP that explores the darker edges of the English duo's Steely Dan-gone-indie-rock sound. (Measure) (arriving February 16) finds the Brewis boys challenging themselves by adding prog-jazz phrasing, rhythm-defying time signatures and embellishments of guitar fuzz to their effortless harmonies, all married perfectly across this 20 song thread about the human condition. Few newer bands could pull off a double album with such panache, and Field Music stay in line with the age-old tradition of making theirs a masterpiece. (RH)

Lionel Loueke: Mwaliko (Blue Note)
Following up on his 2007 star-making Herbie Hancock-produced debut Karibu, West African guitar lion Lionel Loueke pays homage to his motherland on his second Blue Note offering. Here, Loueke tests his dazzling fusion of playing, rooted in the fretwork rulebooks of Jim Hall and King Sunny Ade, against a series of intimate duets with the likes of vocalist Angelique Kidjo (who hails from the guitarist's home nation of Benin), singer/bassists Esperanza Spalding and Richard Bona, as well as promising young jazz drummer Marcus Gilmore, the grandson of the immortal Roy Haynes. However, Mwaliko's true gems are three new tracks featuring his longtime trio rounded out by Massimo Biolcati and drummer Ferenc Nemeth, whose seamless interplay is unmatched in 21st century jazz. (RH)

Various Artists: Psych Bites: Australian Acid Freak Rock -1967-1974 (Vol. 1) (Past & Present)
If there is anything we learned from AC/DC, The Birthday Party and Lubricated Goat, it's that the Australian continent shows no fear in displaying its collective ability to get loud. So it should come to no surprise that Oz's surprisingly little-known late '60s/early '70s psychedelic rock scene was equally as brain melting. Compiled by master freak rock archivist Psychomania for Bevis Frond frontman Nick Salomon's Past & Present imprint, Psych Bites (released February 2) compiles 20 super heavy, mega-rare artifacts from Australia and New Zealand's second and third wave freak rock movements, a true collector's bin of bands you've probably never heard of but should like Pirana, Long Grass, Flake, Chook, Freshwater and The Dave Miller Set, to name a few. Dig it! (RH)

JamBase Albums of the Week | January 22-January 28, 2010

Dennis' Pick of the Week
The Society of Rockets: Future Factory (Underpop)
The future has of late not been so bright we need shades. Enter this under-known S.F. marvel to paint the sky with ROYGBIV colors as rhumba beats tickle our heels. An inscription on their site observes, "We've been thinking a lot about how buildings should be less like caves and more like trees…about how the future looked brighter in the past…Here's to new beginnings!" Sweet but not syrupy, Future Factory ladles Summer of Love vibes - bright strokes and beatific harmonies - over a thick, cerebral stew - a dish both homey in its immediate satisfaction yet modernly dense. There's the tomorrow clang of H.G. Wells and the rocket ship '50s wedded to batucada shimmy and a sonic inquisitiveness that's positively intoxicating. A 21-track opus (available for download now and in March on double vinyl) is a ballsy move by any band, but Future Factory holds up under repeated spins, and in fact grows by leaps and bounds as one picks up on the connective tissue and observant, restorative lyrics. While it may not jump out as an immediate modern classic like their previous release, Our Paths Related (JamBase review), this song cycle full of breakneck changes, head snap inducing guitars, fabulously swoon-y vocals, and hip shaking rhythms continues the evolution of a truly terrific band hell-bent on making some of the most interesting, satisfying rock today. They have succeeded with flying colors once again. (Dennis Cook)

Ron's Pick of the Week
Four Tet: There Is Love In You (Domino)
"I think a lot of Four Tets (sic) awesomeness roots in the contrast of slick/clean and random/dirty," recently gushed someone in the comments sections of the recent "official leak" of Four Tet's long-awaited new full-length on the Soundcloud website (the official release date is January 26). Given the complexity by which Kieran Hebden crafts his grooves, I was at first a little put off by reading this statement. How could someone deduce the agenda of this otherwise multifaceted artist to such black and white terms? But after giving some thought to this tidbit of wisdom left in the wake of the near 30,000 plays There Is Love In You has streamed on Soundcloud (posted by Hebden himself) over the course of this past week, especially when thinking in the context of the totality of the Four Tet catalog, it soon becomes clear that this kid's clean/dirty theory to his music is actually spot-on. And whether or not you will consider There Is Love In You, the former Fridge guitarist's fifth full-length under his longtime solo guise, to be a misstep or a masterpiece will likely depend on how you take your Tet. For those who like the chaotic cacophony of his recent work, particularly his brain-rattling collaborative LPs with legendary jazz drummer Steve Reid, as well as his last proper full-length, 2005's Everything Ecstatic, the strong club vibe this new album gives off with its unapologetic use of cooing female voices and dubstep-inspired rhythmic hops might certainly be met with cries of "sell-out" from the experimental end of the Four Tet fanbase. However, for those who give this remarkable work a deeper and more educated listen - preferably with headphones or within the confines of a soundproof automobile at high volume - and take in all of the intricacies interwoven within these songs' more dance-ready tendencies - the subtle use of Hebden's beloved ring modulator, atmospheric Slint-like guitar passages, throwback illbient vibes, elements of such exotic instruments as harp and kora - and you will appreciate There Is Love In You as Hebden's finest and yes, cleanest album since Rounds and most straightforward release since Pause. Amazing, amazing stuff right here. (Ron Hart)

Beach House: Teen Dream (Sub Pop)
Already shaping up to be this year's Grizzly Bear-esque anointed joint, Beach House's third long-player (arriving January 26) is decidedly more direct than Veckatimest, though there's a shared harmonic reach and woozy beauty that's pretty bloody charming. The duo of Victoria Legrand (niece of legendary composer Michel Legrand) and Alex Scally ooze '60s melancholy pop vibes, though their candy colored lens is suitably cracked and teeth pocked for modern times. This spins along like a light bedecked carousel filled with the smitten and those smited by amour - a romantic haze that's thick but not treacle-y and a fine update of what Dusty Springfield, Lesley Gore and Lee Hazelwood once wrought. (DC)

Emancipator: Safe In The Steep Cliffs (self-released)
Fresh out of Portland, Emancipator's sophomore effort (released January 19) offers a revitalizing glimpse into auditory canvas of one the electronic scene's budding new gems. Effortlessly meshing subtle melodies with delicious doses of downtempo and seductively silky songwriting, Emancipator builds around a beat to form a heavily layered, well-produced collection of 14 tracks. From opener "Greenland" and its sultry strings to the laid-back, dubby hand-clap "Kamakura" to the worldly melange of textures and samples of the album-closing title cut, he has a way of transforming live instrumentation into a multihued portrait that looks towards the likes of Bonobo, Bluetech and Sigur Ros, performed with its own potion of delicate intricacy. (Chris Clark)

Kevin Barker: You and Me (Gnomonsong)
As one man John Fahey tribute band Currituck County, Kevin Barker was an instrumental staple of the East Coast "freak folk" movement. But on his first album under his own name (released January 19), the go-to guitarist for such acts as Vetiver, Espers, Antony and the Johnsons and Devendra Banhart showcases his talents as a songwriter with this lovely collection of rural country rock gems crafted with the help of such pals as Wilco's Pat Sansone, Shins sideman Eric Johnson and Drag City chanteuse Joanna Newsom among others. (RH)

Overmountain Men: Glorious Day (Ramseur)
Rebel pluck, flamenco echoes and "Curtis Lowe" Skynyrd-isms - Overmountain has it all. From the "Death To Tyrants" and May 20, 1775 inscriptions and band photos that paint them as musical soldiers, this project - which includes unsung Avett Brothers bassist Bob Crawford - is actually more wide-angled and swinging than these signposts suggest. Underground mainstay David Childers' perfectly Haggard voice provides grit and a classic country feel (with a broader world view), and this debut (arriving January 26) exudes the boisterous bonhomie of its creation. Joe Strummer would've loved this. (DC)

The Silent League: …But You've Always Been The Caretaker (Something in Construction)
Named after the enigmatic line at the end of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, the latest title from sometime Mercury Rev keyboardist Justin Russo's chamber pop group looks to gap an unlikely bridge separating Van Dyke Parks' Song Cycle and Kanye West's 808s and Heartbreak on this strange, beautiful album about the future. Make sure you check out the bonus disc, however, which contains a bevy of worthwhile Silent League odds and ends, including great covers of ELO's "Can't Get It Out of My Head" and Alicia Keys' "No One." (RH)

Collin Herring: Ocho (self-released)
Herring arrives with a strange angled honesty, a dustbowl true voice whispering about doubts and the hard things he's seen, yet also capable of gently hooky rockin' and moody drift. Ocho, beautifully produced by Centro-matic's Will Johnson, is a dense half hour whose melancholy tendrils grip one long after it's over. Kindred spirits include Clem Snide's Eef Barzelay, Vic Chesnutt and Jim James, but Herring, particularly in these well carved settings, has a thoroughly compelling voice of his own that's perfect for crawling inside and shutting out the day. (DC)

Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Live at Hollywood High (Hip-O/UMe)
Originally recorded for a promotional 7-inch that was given away with copies of Armed Forces in 1979, this explosive concert that went down on June 4, 1978 at the Hollywood High School auditorium finds a then 23-year-old Elvis and the original Attractions blasting their way through favorites from Costello's first two albums, 1977's My Aim Is True and 1978's This Year's Model, while previewing cuts from Forces, including a beautiful piano-only version of "Accidents Will Happen." Produced by Nick Lowe, Universal's Costello Show series continues to impress with this monumental showcase for the savage young Elvis at the peak of his punk powers. (RH)

The Len Price 3: Pictures (Wicked Cool)
Mods arise! Shamelessly lifting from the usual '60s sources and more modern templates like Teenage Fanclub and Holly Golightly, the LP3 succeed in making exceedingly well-tread ground seem freshly furrowed. The songs are pure dynamite - from the '60s Pete Townshend-esque title cut to the Help! era Beatles style of "After You've Gone" to the Jam-y growl of "If You Live Round Here" - and the spit 'em out with apostolic gusto over a tight instrumental snap. No new ground broken but who gives a damn when the music's this bloody fun? This could bring back the Frug and Hully Gully in a big way! (DC)

The Hotrats: Turn-Ons (Fat Possum)
As The Hotrats, Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey of England's venerable modern rock underdogs Supergrass unleash a fun, excellently executed collection of quality cover tunes that includes inventive remakes of the Beastie Boys' "Fight For Your Right (To Party)," the Sex Pistols' "EMI," and The Doors' "Crystal Ships" interspersed with faithful renditions of such AOR snob faves as Pink Floyd's "Bike," The Kinks' "Big Sky," David Bowie's "Queen Bitch," and a great take on Roxy Music's "Love is the Drug." Produced by the great Nigel Godrich (Beck, Radiohead), Turn-Ons sounds like the Grass boys secretly dubbed 40 minutes of my old radio show in college and decided to make it an album. Good show, lads! (RH)

Jason Boesel: Hustler's Son (Team Love)
After more than a decade drumming for the likes of Rilo Kiley and Bright Eyes, Boesel drops his first solo album, and it's every bit as well crafted and appealing as any of his associations. Hustler's Son (released January 12) has the warmly caressed feel of '70s FM, slipping between countryish chooglers ("Black Waves"), what could be prime Lindsey Buckingham ("French Kissing") and Yacht Rock gold ("Miracles"). Aided by pals Jonathon Wilson, Benmont Tench, David Rawlings and Blake Sennett, this is a creeper likely to become a repeat spin favorite, its bittersweet, worldly-wise optimism finding a ready home in one's breast. (DC)

Harvey Milk: Harvey Milk (Hydrahead)
The first recordings of the recently reunited Athens, GA, stoner/noise heavyweights Harvey Milk, produced by Shellac's Bob Weston sometime in the early '90s, have been floating around the Internet via various Mediafire and Megaupload links on more educated Blogger sites for years. But thanks to the band's new label, Hydrahead, the barely audible, lo-fi hiss and sonic corrosion that made this ultra-rare debut album such a challenge to listen to has been cleaned up thanks to a beautiful remastering job worthy of the Maxell XL II 90 minute tape that graces the cover of this long-overdue reissue (arriving January 26). (RH)

Editors: In This Light And On This Evening (Fader)
This proffers a glass and chrome futurism that's besmirched with the oils and complications of human fingerprints. Finally seeing a U.S. release on January 19, this set has already garnered serious European love, and if one is a fan of early Depeche Mode and other bastions of New Romanticism it's easy to see why. Tom Smith's keening pipes suggest a (un)happy meeting point of Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus and Muse, and the music's grimy click 'n' thump proves fairly stirring, if one's open to such baroque silicon constructions. (DC)

Fucked Up: Couple Tracks: Singles 2002-2009 (Matador)
One of the most inventive, original hardcore bands to ever set fire to North America gathers up all of the previously uncollected, one-off 7- and 12-inchers the Canadian sextet recorded for various labels over the course of the '00s on this jam-packed two-disc set. For anyone who likes screaming vocals and throat-stomping riffs offset by jazz flute and a melodic style as influenced by Unrest as it is the Cro-Mags, this incidental anthology is a great beginner's guide to the most exciting, innovative band on the hardcore circuit. (RH)

In Part 1 we noted that 2009 had produced some really good music. In Part 2 we explained that the past year had given us some really great music. Today, though, we take an unprecedented step, because a few of the platinum-level releases from 2k9 were simply a cut above the rest, necessitating the creation of a Super-Platinum LP award. But that’s okay – if artists keep cranking out more exceptional music than we have categories to deal with, we’ll keep inventing new ways of honoring their efforts.

IAMX – Kingdom Of Welcome Addiction
Darkness? Yeah, Chris Corner knows a thing or two about darkness, and in Kingdom Of Welcome Addiction he’s kind enough to escort us through a blasted, perversely alluring landscape of addiction, lust, self-loathing, sexual degeneracy, spiritual poverty and alienation that’s about as dark as it gets. And the landscape is distinctly British in a way that recalls perhaps the greatest portrait of England ever painted, TS Eliot’s The Waste Land.

Kingdom… is the modern-day degradation that Eliot would certainly have written about were he alive today (and brave enough to venture into the nightlife and the underground), told in a brutally honest first-person by a narrator who is addicted to the underbelly. It’s fun to think that, were he alive, Eliot would be IAMX, but perhaps not – in order to produce Kingdom Of Welcome Addiction one would have to go native, and Corner spends the entire disc wandering down alleys that would make someone as straight and uptight as Eliot wet himself.

Musically, Kingdom… throbs and pulses, a seductive, haunted, hypnotic melange of electropop, trip-hop (Corner was originally a member of Sneaker Pimps), neo-post-punk, darkbeat, goth and cabaret. While the overall effect isn’t exactly warm and inviting, it is, well, addicting, and that is perhaps the point. Corner draws you in, even as you resist, like the rat that has made the fatal mistake of looking into the cobra’s eyes.

I don’t expect that everyone is going to like IAMX, but its depth, power and brute frankness are impossible not to respect.

Jets Overhead – No Nations
I try to be an enlightened human being, but every once in awhile I can’t help wanting to haul a reviewer out behind the barn for a good nard-stomping. Such is the case with AMG’s take on No Nations, Jets Overhead’s stunning 2009 release. Said reviewer damns with faint praise from the first word to the last, leaving the unwitting reader with the impression that JO has presented us with a nice little record, and nothing more.

Well, they’re right, to a point. This is a very nice record. It’s pretty, soothing, meticulously crafted: “Not a note is out of place, no voices are raised, the tempos are firmly set at mid, and the general feel is that of a meandering stroll along a winding country lane.” All true. What AMG fails to grasp, however, is that all this niceness belies a masterful artistic control and a spiritual depth, a confident questing voice that seeks to speak without disturbing the organic quietude of a forest in a light rain. Yeah, I’m inserting my own imagery here, but No Nations pretty much invites the listener to do just that – here, we’ve created this lush, beautiful aural space for you; come in and make yourself at home.

No Nations also suggests a trajectory for the band’s musical growth. Their last disc, Bridges (my CD of the Year for 2006), was marvelous, but it was also steeped in a ’60s California sound that would have seemed gimmicky and limiting had it returned for an encore. Instead, Jets Overhead here treats us to a sonic backdrop that feels contemporary even when they’re relying on electric pianos that signify the 1970s more than the 2000s.

All in all, No Nations illustrates why Jets Overhead is one of the best bands alive right now, whether certain reviewers get it or not.

Adam Marsland – Go West
On the surface Go West sounds like a remarkably catchy and accomplished collection of guitar pop gems displaying influences ranging from Elton John to Todd Rundgren to The Beach Boys, with the occasional dash of jazz and techno eclectica tossed in for flavor (to say nothing of a Stevie Wonder-meets-P Funk show-stopper early on in the second disc). And rest assured, even if you didn’t understand a lick of English, this would still be one of the best Power Pop CDs you’ve heard in years based solely on the five-star tunesmithing and flawless performances.

The thing is, unlike so much of what emanates from SoCal these days, Go West is about a lot more than the surface. Listen closely – the sunny sheen of the songscraft is undergirded by a lyrical substance that occasionally veers into the dread-serious: take Marsland’s observations on subjects like honesty, self-obsession, and especially dysfunctional family life (”1 in 4″ will send you running for the shower). Marsland has always been a thoughtful songwriter, but on Go West he strikes deftly at the essence of real human relationships in a way that we simply don’t expect from the pop underground genre.

Marsland isn’t a household name, but he should be – he’s been cranking out smart, engaging music for years (first with Cockeyed Ghost, and now as a solo artist). And with Go West he’s produced that defining moment album, the work that marks the pinnacle of an already outstanding career. The only shame of it is that he’ll now have this epic looming over him every time he pens a new song or heads into the studio.

Still, as curses go, “enduring 5-star masterpiece” is tolerable…

Silversun Pickups – Swoon
There’s no doubt that SSPU are disciples of Smashing Pumpkins – there are moments where you’d swear that Swoon was the Pumpkins reunited – and their critics will do all they can to reduce SSPU to the status of tribute act. This is unfair, to say the least, because there are a lot more interesting influences at work than just Billy Corgan. It would be more accurate to paint the Pickups as a sort of Pumpkins-meets-Shoegaze hybrid, noting the obvious sonic debt owed to Catherine Wheel, My Bloody Valentine and Radiohead, even The Pixies and Sonic Youth.

Swoon manages to convey all the rough edges of these artists, while at the same time adding a layer of distinctly California polish – and while this thin coating of sheen seems to put some folks off (it can’t be authentic if it sounds like they used a real producer, you know), there’s nothing inherently wrong with an extra measure of professionalism, so long as it serves strong songwriting and performances (instead of masking weak songs and a lack of talent – which is kinda what happened when Billy Corgan and Butch Vig sent James Iha and D’Arcy out for pizza while they did Siamese Dream pretty much by themselves, now that I think about it).

Bottom line: these are the fantastic songs, performed with an urgency that gets its hooks into your skin. If they lack the rawness of Smashing Pumpkins, don’t sweat it – they more than make up for it in the cathartic fog they learned from those other important influences.

Next: the CD of the Year

Did you know that the list of items in the famous 12 Days of Christmas carol are actually major symbols of Christianity? It's true! "My true love" really represents the Christian God, and all the strange things like turtle doves and milking maids represent the stuff Christians believe he gave to them.

I wanted to do a cutesy 12 days of gamer Christmas post until the above factoid made me think about the subject with a bit more seriousness. Not to say that liking videogames is equivalent to being part of a religion, but it is kind of a way of life. We give up our time, money and energy to keep up with the hobby. We play, discuss, and even hold gigantic conventions, all for games. The mere fact that videogames exist has given us so many wonderful things.

In the Gamer's 12 Days of Christmas, "my true love" represents gaming, and all the strange things represent the stuff gamers believe their little hobby has given the world.

 

On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Twelve drummers drumming

These represent the 12 different ways we get around inside of a videogame: walking, running, jumping, crawling, sliding, flying/gliding, climbing, shimmying, hanging, swinging, riding/driving and swimming. No matter what type of game you play, it's almost certain that the actions your in-game persona performs when you press a button will be one or more of these.

Step back and think about it for a moment. You've probably done so much of this stuff by now that it's old hat, but these gifts are almost like being granted superpowers; double jumping and having the strength to hang off a ledge indefinitely are things no mere human can do. Once you enter the body of the hero, you gain complete control of their power. It's really quite amazing, and only one of the many gifts videogames have given us.

 

On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Eleven pipers piping

These represent the wide variety of videogame genres we have to choose from: action, adventure, fighting, simulation, RPG, strategy, racing, puzzle, shooting, rhythm/music and sports. Some of these have combined with others to create all new sub-genres, and there are many other, smaller labels for games (casual, indie, FPS), but these 11 make up the foundation.

One of the most wonderful things about videogames is that there is a game for pretty much every taste. Some prefer certain genres over others, but all of them have their place in the world. There is no one type that doesn't deserve to be made, nor any that do not deserve to be played.

 

On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Ten lords a leaping

These represent ten of the great male characters videogames have given us throughout the years: Mario, Link, Donkey Kong, Solid Snake, Mega Man, Gordon Freeman, Pac Man, Kratos, Guybrush Threepwood, and Kratos.

These guys are more likely than not the first ones to come to mind any time games are mentioned; they are the most prolific, popular and influential. For example, Kratos proved that heroes don't have to be sympathetic. Link and Gordon both proved that non-characterization can be a really powerful tool in making a character, from both third-person and first-person perspectives.

These ten lords of gaming are familiar faces that we are always happy to see. They are people that we can't wait to experience the next story of. They are the men all other playable heroes aspire to be.

 

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Nine ladies dancing

Like the ten lords, the nine ladies are the great female game characters we know and love: Samus, Jade, Jill Valentine, Zelda, April Ryan, Ms. Pac Man, Alyx Vance, Peach and Elena Fisher.

Women like these come around a little less often than great male characters, but the ones we have are perhaps even more expertly crafted. They can all hold their own against the boys, given the chance, and prove that even the most delicate looking lady can be deceptively strong-willed. Sadly, some of them are not playable, but it is still a joy to interact with them just because they are so well made. They are definitely a treasure.

 

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Eight maids a-milking

These represent the eight game series that have been with us the longest: Tetris (1984-present), Mario (1983-present), Bomberman (1983-present), Mega Man (1987-present), Zelda (1986-present), Dragon Quest (1986-present), Castlevania (1986-present), and Final Fantasy (1987-present).

All nearly as old as the age of modern gaming, these series have had a new entry every four or five years since their conception. Along the way, some have spun off into other series to sell more games with the popularity of their name. Some have focused on just adding to the numbers of their main series, keeping the players happy with more of what they want. Some have changed drastically over the years, some have mostly stayed the same, and others have even reverted back to their roots.

No matter the direction any of these series have taken, their longevity still speaks volumes about their importance.

Note: The Metal Gear series (1987-present) nearly made the cut, but went eight years without a new game being made. Still, it's lasted a long time too, and must be given its props!

 

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Seven swans a-swimming

These represent the seven console generations we have seen so far. The first two occurred before the huge video game crash and introduced consoles like the Magnavox Odyssey and the Atari 2600. But most gamers only recognize gaming history from the third generation forward, as this was when the Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System emerged and revitalized both the industry and peoples' interest in playing videogames.

Each generation has improved upon the last's in graphics, sound and game mechanics. As technology advanced, more could be done with videogames than ever before. However, some still enjoy or even prefer the simplicity of past generations. But it's all just a matter of preference; in reality, pixels and polygons are just two different types of paint with which a game's canvas could be painted. Arrangements of bleeps and boops are as lovely as fully orchestrated soundtracks. All of the generations should be appreciated, if not loved.

 

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Six geese a-laying

These represent six of the most influential game designers in history: Shigeru Miyamoto, Sid Meier, John Carmack, Will Wright, Hideo Kojima, Peter Molyneux.

These creators are responsible for pushing the medium forward. Their games have changed many different aspects of the industry, subsequently giving us even better things to play. These are people gamers admire and anticipate the projects of. It is safe to say that without them, videogames would not be what they are today, and without videogames, we would not have come to know the works of these great men.

 

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Five golden rings

These represent the various shiny things that we lust after within a game. Objects like coins, rings, gems, stars and doodads (name may change from game to game).

Collecting items such as these have had a place in videogames for decades. After some took the idea a little too far in the fifth generation, most since have made their collection optional. But there are still tons of things to seek out in every single game you will play, if you have the desire to. And every once in a while, it is an integral part of the gameplay.

What is it that makes us want to collect all of these shiny things? Is it just the fact that they're so alluring? Do we actually find it to be fun? The world may never know.

 

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Four calling birds

These represent the former console makers: Sega, Atari, NEC, SNK and Panasonic.

Some, like Atari, were there at the very beginning; regardless of their established place, they were not able to keep up with the competition and stopped making consoles after the fifth generation. Others, like Sega, were able to keep up with competitors for several generations, even giving the other big names a run for their money. The rest are only responsible for one console each (not including CD add-ons): the PC-Engine/Turbografix-16, the Neo Geo and the 3DO.

Though the consoles these companies made have long been gone, they will always remain in our memories. They are important parts of gaming history. However, some of those memories may not be too fond. After all, there are a lot of good reasons why consoles like the Jaguar and 3DO did their makers in.

 

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Three French hens

These represent the three console makers that are with us today: Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony. There have been many others, but these are the ones we are currently stuck with, for better or for worse. Nintendo and Sony have been around for decades, and while Microsoft is a relative newcomer, it has held its own against its elders.

All things considering, they've done quite well during this generation, giving us things like accessible online gaming, high quality downloadable titles, and a bunch of great games. Not only that, but these big guys are becoming more comfortable with letting new ideas and new blood in. Indie developers are welcomed with open arms, and games are becoming better and more varied than ever, if you look past all the space marine shooters. Sure, the consoles they have provided us with have their shortcomings, and they all have their share of shovelware, but what product doesn't? It's still a great time to be a gamer!

Who knows whether these three will always stay on top; history has shown that it is possible for even the most successful names (Atari, Sega) to fall. But until the seventh generation is over, they are what we've got. And you know what? That's pretty awesome!

 

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

Two turtle doves

These represent the two different ways to play games: the console and the PC. In many ways, the experiences they provide are the same, as the two are blurring more and more into one another, but they still have many differences. The keyboard and mouse versus the controller. The monitor versus the television. More graphical power versus less graphical power. PC exclusives versus console exclusives.

Because of all these things, many a debate has been sparked as to which platform makes for the better gaming experience. Game makers even have their preferences as to which to develop for. But the true answer should be clear; they are both awesome in their own ways. Anyone who can should embrace both and all the things they each have to offer.

 

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

A partridge in a pear tree

This represents the most important gift that the advent of gaming has given: the games themselves.

Without videogames, none of us would be where we are today. Where might that be? Lands that are not of our world! Places where we can step inside the shoes of heroes or villains. Worlds where we can live out our fantasies, experience an emotionally engaging story through interactivity, or just plain have fun.

Without games, you wouldn't be right here, gathered with other people like you on Destructoid.

Speaking of, there is one more thing that wouldn't fit into the carol, but it is just as important a thing to mention as any other. One of the greatest gifts of all are the people who play the games.

When I was a young girl, I loved videogames. However, everyone else around me did not. I was outcast at school because my love was considered nerdy and uncool. All I ever wanted was a group of people to share my love with. Now I find that I have that group: all of you.

Sure, gamers have their differences, just like any other group of human beings. And sometimes we let our preferences tear us apart. There is a lot of needless fighting amongst us. I'm not saying that we all think and feel the same, nor that a little friendly debate has no place in the discussion of videogames; I'm saying that we should never forget that despite all the details, we still share one love. It is through this love that we are united.

I hope that this modified Christmas carol reminds you of why we are here and brings you closer together with all other gamers, if for just one day. Happy holidays to you all, and may you receive even more games to play, share, and discuss.

A pair of March Pokemons and a February deep-sea diving sequel were among the highlights of the DS and Wii games listed by Nintendo today for release in early 2010. Third-parties have some possible gems for Wii too.

Highlights include:

-Strong support from Capcom with Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom on Wii, Phoenix Wright on WiiWare and Ace Attorney Investigations on DS. Plus,Megaman: the sequel to the download-only Mega Man 9.

-Strong support also from Ubisoft, with Red Steel 2 and No More Heroes 2 serving as two of the biggest releases for hardcore gamers on the Wii for the early part of the year.

-A curious pair of WarioWare WiiWare and DS games, called WarioWare D.I.Y. that allow gamers to make their own WarioWare games.

-Pokemon remakes, an Endless Ocean sequel and lots of DSi games from Nintendo.

The full rosters follows, though bear in mind that these quarterly lists from Nintendo often include only estimated line-ups and dates for third-party games.

Wii

2K Sports
Major League Baseball 2K10 - March

Activision
How To Train Your Dragon - March 23

The American Game Factory, Inc.
Build-A-Bear Workshop – Friendship Valley - March 17

Atlus U.S.A., Inc.
Shiren the Wanderer - February 9

Capcom
TATSUNOKO VS. CAPCOM: ULTIMATE ALL-STARS - January 26

City Interactive USA
Combat Wings: The Great Battles of WWII - February 16
Chicken Riot - February 9

Collision Studios
City Builder - February

D3Publisher
Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun - February

Deep Silver, Inc.
Let's Play Ballerina - March
Let's Play Garden - March

Disney Interactive Studios
Alice in Wonderland - March

Hudson Entertainment
Rooms: The Main Building - Spring
Calling - Spring
Walk it Out - January 10

Konami
Yu Gi Oh! Duel Trancer - Q1
DanceDanceRevolution - Q1

Majesco Entertainment
Data East Arcade Classics - January
The Daring Game of Girls - February
Pizza Delivery Boy - March

Nintendo
Endless Ocean: Blue World - February 22

SEGA of America
Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll - February 9
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing - March

SouthPeak Games
Sled Shred featuring the Jamaican Bobsled Team - February 1

Storm City Entertainment
Fast Food Panic - January 5
Bermuda Triangle: Saving the Coral - February

UFO Interactive Games, Inc.
Arcade Shooter: Ilvelo - Q1
Rock Blast - Q1
Jaja's Adventure - Q1

Ubisoft
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle - Late January
Sleepover Party - January 12
Racquet Sports - March
Red Steel 2 - Q1

XSEED Games
The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces - January 5
FRAGILE DREAMS: FAREWELL RUINS OF THE MOON - March 16

WiiWare

Akaoni Studio S.L.
Zombie Panic in Wonderland - Q1

Broken Rules
And Yet It Moves - Q1

Capcom
Phoenix Wright:Ace Attorney - January
Mega Man 10 - March

Ghostfire Games
Rage of the Gladiator - Q1

Hudson Entertainment
Military Madness: Nectaris - Q1

Nabi Studios
Toribash - Q1

Nintendo
WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase - Q1

Press Play ApS
Max & the Magic Marker - Q1

Team Meat
Super Meat Boy - Q1

Nintendo DS/Nintendo DSi

2K Sports
Major League Baseball 2K10 - March

Activision
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief - Feb. 2
How To Train Your Dragon - March 23

Aksys Games
World Cup of Pool - Feb. 9

The American Game Factory, Inc.
Build-A-Bear Workshop - Welcome to Hugsville - March 17

Atlus U.S.A., Inc.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey - March 10

Capcom Entertainment, Inc.
Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth - Feb. 16

City Interactive USA
Animal Country: Life on the Farm - Feb. 16
Art of Murder - March 16

Deep Silver, Inc.
Let's Play Flight Attendant - March
Let's Play Ballerina - March
Let's Play Garden - March

Disney Interactive Studios
Sonny With a Chance - Spring
Alice in Wonderland - March

GameMill Publishing
Escape the Museum - Jan. 12
Hidden Mysteries: Buckingham Palace - Feb. 9

Hudson Entertainment
Rooms: The Main Building - Spring
DECA SPORTS - Spring

Konami
Scene It! Twilight - Q1
Puzzle Chronicles - Jan. 10

Majesco Entertainment
Super Speed Machines - February
The Daring Game for Girls - February
Dawn of Heroes - February
ATV Revolution - March

Nintendo
Glory of Heracles - Jan. 18
Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version - March 14
WarioWare: D.I.Y. - March 28
America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking - March 28

Natsume Inc.
Squishy Tank - February
Cheer We Go! - March

PopCap Games
Bejeweled Twist - Q1

SEGA of America
Sands of Destruction - Jan. 12
Infinite Space - March
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing - March
Sonic Classic Collection™ - Spring

SouthPeak Games
Crime Scene - Feb. 1
Dementium II - Feb. 2
Fast Food Panic - Jan. 5
Sushi Go Round - Feb. 1
Montessori Music - March 1

Storm City Entertainment
Bermuda Triangle: Saving the Coral - February
Myst - February
ATV Quad Kings - March
T.A.C Heroes: The Big Red One - March

TECMO
Monster Rancher DS - March
AGAIN - March

Telegames, Inc.
Puzzle Overload -Spring
Solitaire Overload Plus - Spring

THQ
Daniel X: The Ultimate Power - Jan. 12

Tomy Corporation
Lovely Lisa and Friends (enhanced Nintendo DSi content) - February

Ubisoft
Imagine Reporter - Jan. 20
Imagine Party Planner - Jan. 13
Imagine Sweet 16 - Feb. 10
Imagine Gymnast - March 10

XSEED Games
KORG DS-10 Plus - Jan. 19
Ragnarok DS - Feb. 16

Nintendo DSiWare

EA
Downtown Texas Hold'em Poker - Q1
Surviving High School - Q1

Gameloft
Legends of Exidia - Q1
Let's Golf - Q1
Real Soccer 2010 - Q1
Gangstar 2: Kings of L.A. - Q1

Nintendo
Trajectile - Jan. 4
Number Battle - Jan. 25
Starship Defense - Jan. 18
Touch Solitaire - Jan. 11
X-Scape - February
Link 'n' Launch - February

Subatomic Studios
Fieldrunners - Q1

WayForward
Shantae: Risky's Revenge - Q1

Which games are you excited about?