My Top Albums of 2011

So, I am cheating a bit by creating a list of musical discoveries and then a list of other top albums. So, take these lists and make one huge one for yourself. There was too much really good music for me to make a list of 10-20 albums that stood out, especially since no 1 or 2 albums were head and shoulders above the rest. In fact, it was a sub par year for extraordinary albums. However, it was a great year for really good music.

You will notice many bands that made year end lists not on this one. Iron and Wine reminded me too much of the Dan Fogelberg Yacht Rock of the 70s. I felt the same regarding the over-hyped Bon Iver. His album was very solid, but his new Christopher Cross direction did not excite me. I am hoping that we stop encouraging these bearded guys before they become Kenny Loggins. That said, Holocene by Bon Iver is a great song.

You will also notice that Fleet Foxes is not on this list. They do not write good songs. There, I said it. It is pretentious, overly serious and on par with poetry that stays under a mattress. Civil Wars is nice, but ultimately makes me wish I was listening to Over the Rhine.

Enough ranting. Here is the list.

* Not ranked because it may be the best thing of the year, but I will not realize it until later because it was so out of left field award goes to King of Limbs by Radiohead. Listen on Spotify.

Honorable Mentions:

by Elbow, Strange Negotiations by David Bazan, Within and Without by Washed Out, Portamento by The Drums, Wounded Rhymes by Lykke Li, Cults by Cults and Only in Dreams by Dum Dum Girls.

25. The Black Keys- El Camino

Not their best, but still a blast to listen to.

24. Devotchka- 100 Lovers

This album got no love this year, which saddens me. If you have never heard their World pop, do yourself a favor and check them out. Listen on Spotify.

23. Deep Dark Woods-The Place I Left Behind

The kind of alternative country that fans of Fleet Foxes think they play. Listen to what they would sound like if they actually had the songs. Listen on Spotify.

22. Blind Pilot- Half Moon

Nobody writes prettier songs and if you are going to attempt to rewrite the soft rock of the 70s, it is better to focus on the actual song writing than the atmospherics (are you listening Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver?). Listen on Spotify.

21. Raphael Saadiq- Stone Rollin'

He's come a long way since his Prince wannabe days, and this exemplifies why he is the keeper of the mantle for a long gone Motown sound. He is a national treasure. Listen on Spotify.

20.Elbow- build a rocket boys!

There is the exact point in between Radiohead and Coldplay. Elbow lives and plays there. Listen on Spotify.

19. Demdike Stare- Tryptych

The deejay and composer practicing the dark arts as Demdike Stare are mis-classified as ambient. It is entirely too challenging and hard work to listen to for this classification. An album that makes you want to groove at times and sit contemplatively at others, it is the least predictable and third most interesting album I heard this year. Listen here.

18. The Roots- Undun

Not as accessible as the last few albums due to its difficult subject matter, the musicianship is still unparalleled. It would have been higher had it come out sooner and I had more time to digest it. Listen on Spotify.

17. Destroyer- Kaputt

Sexier and more soulful than his old stuff. But, just as eccentric. Thankfully. Listen on Spotify.

16. Gillian Welch- The Harrow and the Harvest

It took forever, but the wait is worth it. Listen on Spotify.

15. TV on the Radio- Nine Types of Light

A little mellower than previous releases, this is a surprisingly pretty album, especially Second Song, the lead single. Less Bowie and Talking Heads fixated, they are truly original now.

listen on Spotify

14. Frank Turner- England Keep my Bones

A praise and worship album to the saving power of rock 'n roll, personal responsibility and a life without God, this is an easy to enjoy album with lyrics that will confront those that claim Christianity as their lens. An exceptionally simple album along the lines of those by Ted Leo.

listen on Spotify

13. We Are Augustines- Rise Ye Sunken Ships

From the ashes of the great underground band Pela and the darkness of family tragedy comes this redemptive song cycle dedicated to the singer's dead brother. Beauty can come from ashes and that redemption is born of pain. If you do not believe it, I recommend a listen to this album while reading its back story. For fans of The National (like me).

listen on Spotify

12. St. Vincent- Strange Mercy

If you have never experienced the wonder to behold that is St. Vincent, today is a good time to start. She is Kate Bush for a new generation, with a bit of Fiona Apple's quirk. I could go on and on, but just enjoy the eccentric loveliness.

listen on Spotify

11. Kurt Vile- Smoke Ring for my Halo

Perfect companion piece for my #6 album, Vile's music is heavily influenced by the low-fi movement led by Pavement, Dinosaur Jr and Elliot Smith. While the Vile's singing and playing are so laid back and unaffected that they border laconic, it works in this context, especially on Jesus Fever. If I ever get sick, I hope it is from the Jesus Fever that Vile is spreading.

listen on Spotify

10. PJ Harvey- Let England Shake

I should tell you that when I saw her open for U2 in 2001, I was not happy. I acknowledge the talent, but she has never worked for me. Until now. Infinitely more focused and interesting than any of her so called "Angry Girl" albums, she has matured into a deeply political songwriter. No protest music out of America last year reached these heights. This is early-sixties protest movement for a disaffected England.

listen on Spotify

9. The Joy Formidable- The Big Roar

If you like thunderous music, full of swirling guitars and swagger, coupled with girl power, this perfectly named band is what you need. The Foo Fighters asked this band to open for them and will probably be embarrassed by how much better the crowd responds to these British dynamos. If you don't like this, you need to check your pulse and stop listening to so much sensitive guitar music before you die of musical boredom.

listen on Spotify

8. F---ed Up- David Comes to Life

Apparently a punk band will come out with an epic concept album each year that blows away people not predisposed to love their music. Last year, Titus Andronicus gave us the best album of the year, while this year, the Canadian post-punk/ post-hardcore with a name I cannot print due to the fact some people read this blog at church gives us an album that hearkens back to the classic hardcore of Black Flag, Husker Du and Fugazi, but with intricate instrumentation and melody coupled with the aggression. If you want to get your blood pumping, play this... LOUD.

listen on Spotify

7. Tom Waits- Bad as Me

While most artists in their 60s are playing the Oldies' circuits, making Boomers happy while reliving their old glories and reminding people how irrelevant they are, Tom Waits is making some of the best music of his long and storied career. While not his strangest album, this is not safe music. I dream of being this cool one day.

listen on Spotify

6. The War on Drugs- Slave Ambient

Sting once said that all artists steal. He just happens to steal from the best sources. Well, these guys steal from the best sources in rock history, Springsteen, U2, Neil Young and Dylan, yet sound like none of them individually. At once a mellow listen, yet driving and intense, I can think of very few bands that can pull off that combination. You can tell Kurt Vile was once in this band. If you like one, you will like both.

listen on Spotify

5. M83- Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

The soundtrack to a John Hughes movie that sadly never existed, this album will transport its listeners back to 1986 and OMD or Echo and the Bunnymen with the most joyous album of the year. Midnight City is by far the best song of the year and makes me want to break out the International News jacket and put on some Polo cologne. They've changed direction more than most bands during the past decade, but stayed interesting.

listen on Spotify

4. The Antlers- Burst Apart

I guess this album is a disappointment since it does not top my list like their album Hospice did in 2009. Not really though. A natural baritone that dances on the edge with one of the best falsettos in rock music, lead singer Peter Silberman learned a lot from the Jeff Buckleys and Thom Yorkes of the world before venturing into his own direction, releasing an album of dramatic heights without the depressive elements of their last album. After their last 2 releases, I am declaring these guys one of the best bands in America.

listen on Spotify

3. King Creosote and Jon Hopkins- Diamond Mine

I am never sure what people mean when they say something is "mood music." All music is mood music in my estimation. If I'm in the mood to dance, I won't listen to Metallica. However, I think this album is what people mean when they use the term. Unfathomably moody and simply beautiful, retaining classical form, but infused with electronica. Sad. But in a very good way.

listen to Spotify

2. Wye Oak- Civilian

Ambiguously spiritual lyrics of Biblical imagery with ethereal female pop vocals and the most feedback and distortion of the year. Sounds like a recipe for an A+ in the Rick Bennett music class. This is a special album full of worshipful music, the kind I wish churches played. Like many of the top albums on this list, it transports the listener to another place (and sounds particularly good with earphones on).

listen on Spotify

1. Colin Stetson- New History of Warfare, Volume 2

That is correct. The best album of the year for my highly personal list is by a bass saxophonist (and no one else). Stetson has played with Arcade Fire, the National and Bon Iver, among others. It is truly like nothing else I have ever heard and pretty much incapable of explaining. That said, I return to the album all the time. It is not jazz, ambient or rock. However, it is all of the above and not as challenging as my words imply.

listen on Spotify

Best Albums of 2009 (1-5)

I am sure the masses are dying to see my Top 5 of 2009, detailing what one 40ish white boy from a mid-major city that listens to too much NPR has to say about music. I will say that 09 is a slightly better all around year than 08, which was terribly weak musically. The best albums of 2008 were a bit better than 2009, but all around there was better music 1-50 (last year I struggled for a top 50, this year I had 75 albums competing).

Of course, 2008 and 2009 are still no match for 2004-2007 with 07 as the high water mark of the decade. I am hoping, as I did with 2009 that the streak will begin again. With new albums by Frightened Rabbit, Spoon, The National, Arcade Fire, The New Pornographers, Vampire Weekend, Charlotte Gainsbourg (and Beck), Blitzen Trapper, D’Angelo, Amy Winehouse, The Magnetic Fields and BRMC expected in the coming year, things are looking up.

5. American Saturday Night by Brad Paisley- Throw your unused compact discs at me right now all you music snobs. One of your own has gone to the hack infested light, like a moth unaware of his impending doom. Here’s the thing. I fully acknowledge that there are some mainstream albums that should be on this list. I just don’t listen to a lot of that music since I would have to sit through the inanity of most auto-tune infested radio friendly pop, country or rock songs as well as commercials, huckster deejays and American Idol-like shrillness. That said, every once in a while a hugely successful genre artist transcends their boundaries and creates art for the masses and the time capsule, be it Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce or Brad Paisley (yes, even Coldplay and John Mayer are capable). It cannot be dismissed as Walmart Rock (my vernacular- I should share my criteria sometime) by the supposed snobs that listen to another type of corporate rock (Starbucks Rock- looks indie, but really isn’t). Brad Paisley is such an artist. His guitar work is sublime. His lyrics, while hokey at times, are quite smart, his voice is solid and his songwriting is on par with the masters of the genre. He hits his mark on this album, which may be the best of the year (I just can’t fully admit it- not there yet). As a solid Blue Stater, I love the tweaks to the country music clichés he sneaks in, especially his love of diversity and uncompromising optimism about the future (Emerging Christians can learn a lot about him if they say they have a theology of hope). Welcome to the Future (song and video) brought me to the verge of tears on my first listen, reminding me of a U2 anthem of the 80s and Then reminds me that power ballads can be pretty good sometimes (if I like a power ballad, it must be genre busting). As George Michael told us once, “listen without prejudice.”

4. Bitte Orca by Dirty Projectors- How does one classify this album? Is it Indie Rock? Is it Indie Soul? Is it something wholly other? I guess it does not matter. It sounds great. Stillness is the Move is the best song of the year, the moment in time Talking Heads meets Mariah Carey, unlike any song I have ever heard. The shifts and dime turns on this album, sometimes it is instrumentation while at other times it is time signature or tempo changes remind me of Toxicity by System of a Down, although 2 albums could not sound any more different. I highly recommend this album for anyone trying to stretch their boundaries while still liking accessibility.

What is interesting about the Top 3, and what separates them in some ways is the emotional resonance I have with the lyrics and music. Each conveys an emotional truth in a way that connected with me greatly, much like Frightened Rabbit did last year and Arcade Fire did in 2007. I am not sure what that means, but I find it interesting.

3. Curse Your Branches by David Bazan- A soundtrack for my life in 2009, I connected deeply with the lyrical content on this excellent album by the former Pedro the Lion leader. Never a huge Pedro fan, I always appreciated and respected their work more than liking it. I found Bazan’s lack of emotion and wry observations brilliant, but cold. Even if I think he is one of the artists best exemplifying an Emerging Christianity, I don’t have too like his voice, do I? And then, unconstrained by the Pedro label and organized Christianity, Bazan finds his voice and releases the best thing he has done. Bazan actually sings on this album. Bazan actually uses interesting instrumentation on this album. Bazan actually creates melodies on this album. In other words, he focuses on the entire songcraft, not just the lyrics. Guess what? The lyrics don’t suffer. In fact, when sung over great melodies the lyrics come alive. And what lyrics they are. Curse Your Branches and Hard to Be speak a poetic truth to the inner working of the soul most of us would dare not speak in public, even to our closest friends. Thank you David for sharing your hurt, disappointment and lack of faith with us, so our similar feelings have words.

2. Hospice by The Antlers- I struggled greatly with #1 and #2, moving between them 3 times while making this list. So, today The Antlers’ Hospice is the second best album of the year, one that reminds us that youth and the creation of great art can be simultaneous. Maybe I get this concept album in which a man loses a loved one to cancer since I work in hospice. Maybe I like the deep emotion over Sigur Ros and Radiohead-like music (2 bands no one will accuse of emotion). For once I agree with Pitchfork in its declaration that this album has the ability to emotionally devastate listeners. Power like that must be weld properly and it is. You can listen to it without letting it overtake you, but if you give this album a bit of your heart, it will move you. This is beautifully harsh music unlike anything I have heard, yet strikingly familiar.

1. Elvis Perkins in Dearland by Elvis Perkins in Dearland- How does one follow up a stunning debut of overwhelming emotion and the best folk album of the past few years? By finding a band and turning up the volume on this at times raucous and wholly unexpected album. Elvis, still reeling from the death of his mother on Sept. 11 finds the hope missing on Ash Wednesday, especially on the escapist Shampoo and the dancing at the end of the world rave up Doomsday (imagine Prince’s 1999 as a folk rock tune). He still knows how to rip you to shreds with a line like “I love you more in death than I ever could in life” on 123 Goodbye, reminding me that in a just world, he would be heralded as the new Dylan, because he shares Dylan’s diversity of musical stylings, proper use of harmonica, ability to stretch his voice beyond its norm and lyrical prowess (yes, I think he is in Dylan’s class as a lyricist)- plus he has a very nice voice (imagine, if you will, Dylan and Jeff Buckley). If Brown University creates Ira Glass and Elvis Perkins, I am pushing my kids there now. And, Anthony Perkins, I want to thank you for more than playing Norman Bates in Psycho. I want to thank you for your son, already on his way to being one of the greats, even if no one is paying attention.

Add his EP Doomsday to the mix for a perfect year.

Best Albums of 2009 (25-6)

I hope you are enjoying my Top 50 albums, or pre-fabricated music experiences of the year (as opposed to live music). Here is 25-6:

25. Manners by Passion Pit- More white Indie Rock kids try their hand at dance music. What’s so special about that? I mean MGMT did it last year and we have all listened to LCD Sound System, Daft Punk and others. Right? True, but this is ridiculously infectious music that will make your body move if you allow it to infiltrate your corridors of coolness and detachment (if it worked on me, it can work on you). The highlights are Little Secret, Sleepyhead and To the Kingdom Come, all of which will be heard on soundtracks, commercials pretty much everywhere pretty soon.

24. Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective- I suppose my credibility card will be revoked for having this album outside the Top 10. It is a good album trying to walk the line between dance rock like the aforementioned Passion Pit and MGMT on one side and the forward thinking rock of Radiohead on the other. Sometime is works wonderfully, while at times it still leaves me cold (like Vampire Weekend). Technically it is probably a perfect album, but I miss the heart. I still think Panda Bear’s solo stuff is better.

23. Wilco (the album) by Wilco- At times I think this return to Wilco-ness should be higher. While it does not reach the heights of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or A Ghost is Born, it is light years ahead of Sky Blue Sky. Instead of denying its journey while calling it a return, as Wilco did on Sky Blue Sky, Wilco (the album) ventures through the experimentalism of YHF and AGIB in its return to the simplicity of previous incarnations. Plus, the lightness of touch is a pleasant surprise. Kudos for the best self referential lyric of the year, and the best ever by a non-rap artist, “Wilco- a sonic shoulder to cry On, Wilco.” Thanks for being a sonic shoulder, Mr. Tweedy.

22. Far by Regina Spektor- Paste magazine missed the boat on this album. It gets a lot of airplay in my household, even if it does not hold up to the perfection of Begin to Hope. It is sweet, strange and you can dance to it, plus she is one of the best lyricists/ pianists/ songwriters working today, like Tori Amos or Fiona Apple with a happy home life. While some dismiss the album due to the inclusion of the song Machine, I will not disparage an album for an unfortunate chorus that should have been edited out of the final product.

21. Welcome to Mali by Amadou and Miriam- African music is becoming more musically and practically accessible for Americans. Therefore, any list of great albums of the year that does not include African artists is incomplete. If you want authentically African music you can groove to in a club, music that is at once traditional and modern, check into this album with the Damon Albarn produced gem Sabali. I guarantee you will love that song.

20. The Ecstatic by Mos Def- After his last disappointing turn behind the mic, Mos Def is back reminding us why he was a premier hip hop artist before turning his attention to acting (he is a wonderfully appealing screen presence). This is a smooth, funny, deep album full of lightening fast rhymes and music slightly less ordinary.

19. Troubadour by K'naan- I know, I know. I talk too much about K’naan (I am working on a piece for a magazine just to increase the obnoxious obsession). But, besides the guys at NPR’s All Songs Considered, I don’t hear anyone giving him the love he deserves. First of all, this album is not in the league of his debut. Of course, I think The Dusty Foot Philosopher is the best album of the decade bar none, so this was bound to be a disappointment after hearing a man turn such pain into art, like a rapping African Van Gogh. Aside from the unfortunate remake of Rap Gets Jealous (buy his first album and listen to the power of that song and ignore the crass commercialism of the new version), this is a great album giving us pop hits (Bang Bang), stories of Africa we never hear in the popular media (Somolia, T.I.A.) and the emotionally charged and bring you to tears Bob Marley-esque anthems like Waving Flag, a reminder of his 1^st album.

18. A Brief History of the Big Pink by The Big Pink- I have a belief that music perfection must include inordinate amounts feedback, distortion and reverb. In fact, if there is such thing as “too much feedback” I am not aware of this phenomenon. That said, I love BRMC, Spiritualized, Jesus and the Mary Chain and The Verve. Add to the mix a bit of pop song structure and the formula completes itself for a guy like me. Solid album that was my soundtrack for an overcast day walking around NYC.

17. Fantasies by Metric- An album I think got lost in the shuffle when it came to making lists of the best albums of the year, this is apparently an under-heard and underappreciated jewel that is at once aggressive female-voiced led rock and roll and modern pop that is wonderfully open. My entire family loves this album, with smart lyrics dealing with gender issues, power and inner struggles, but in a very singable manner. As you may have noticed I love it when the music is sugar, while the lyrics are bitter. If I can pick one album on this list I can guarantee everyone (besides the snobbish wimpy folkies) will like, this is it.

16. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix- The dance pop album of the year, I dare you to dislike this infectious musical equivalent of Crème Brulee, another irresistible French dessert.

15. Get Guilty by A.C. Newman- The undisputed leader of one of the great power pop bands, the New Pornographers releases his best album and it gets forgotten by everyone. What is wrong with everyone? A.C. Newman is one of the smartest pop songwriters around, like Ben Folds with a guitar and more lyrical discipline.

14. Middle Cyclone by Neko Case- A.C. Newman’s muse released another superb collection of 70s era country songs that my parents would love if country music stations played the good stuff anymore. While not my favorite Case album (it may be #3), even an average work by Neko is going to make everyone’s list.

13. Veckatimist by Grizzly Bear- I acknowledge the greatness of this work, even if it is not my 13^th favorite of the year. I am beginning to like it beyond the “hits” and considering the Brian Wilson worship Grizzly Bear live out, I eventually will love this album on a daily basis, as opposed to the present love of it sonically but not personally. It may be the best sounding album of 2009.

12. I and Love and You by The Avett Brothers- Produced by the incomparable Rick Rubin, The Brothers head away from the rave ups of the past towards a soulful sweetness. It is not the direction I had expected or wanted. In fact, I was disappointed they left much of the bluegrass on steroids and/or acid approach of previous incarnations. But, I need to acknowledge its subtle beauty. It is a gorgeous work, even if I was hoping for something different (not better, though).

11. It’s Blitz by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Given a choice, I would choose Metric’s latest, a similar album by a similar band. However, this effort is a little “more” than Metric’s. It is louder, rowdier, better produced, cooler and showier. But in this case, this is all a good thing. Also, check out leader Karen O’s soundtrack to Where the Wild Things Are. It is much more acceptable music for kids to parents that have discerning ears.

10. Elephants by Aaron Strumpell- One of 3 overtly spiritual albums in my Top 10, this is the only one that is expressly “Christian.” A thoroughly original work holding little in common with any other Christian artist (closest thing is Strumple’s work on Enter the Worship Circle projects, Waterdeep, mellow mewithoutyou, Sufjan’s weirdest flourishes and Rich Mullins’ more esoteric stuff), this rumination on the Psalms takes a few dedicated listens and a good set of speakers to allow to grab hold of you. Some say this album wails, which I would agree with and think is good company for Aaron to keep, considering the history of the Psalms and Israel.

9. Reservoir by Fanfarlo- “Belle and Sebastian, I would like to introduce you to The Arcade Fire.” Fanfarlo fits into the sub-genre of literary chamber pop, but with a bit of the cacophonous leaning of Devotchka and Beirut. This is another album I dare you to not like. The moment I heard the opening melodies on their myspace page, I stopped, went directly to song #2, listened for a few seconds and bought the album. Less than 30 seconds in, I knew I would love this album. That happens very seldom.

8. Actor by St. Vincent-Annie Erin Clark used to be part of Sufjan Stevens’ band and the Polyphonic Spree. She has moved beyond their conventions to create something wholly earthy and other, while still reminding most listeners of past musical heroines like Kate Bush and Bjork. While still mellow, there is a focused drive to this album built around tasteful, but intense guitar work (and dark lyrics- imagine that).

7. XX by The XX- Descriptions of this band and album tend to make people run screaming before giving it a listen. I know I ignored it for a while, even though the reviews were great. I gave it a quick listen and found it uninspiring. Then I gave it another chance and noticed that this quiet, 70s inspired male/ female duo was everything I wish Mates of State were. If you like simple, interesting music with little flourish, you may like The XX.

6. The Life of The World to Come by The Mountain Goats- Like Bill Mallonee or Bob Dylan, John Darnielle has a voice for those that like unvarnished, Auto-Tune free, slightly nasally singers that try to stay out of the way, so you can focus on the ridiculously poetic stories in which highly flawed people try to attain their salvation through whatever means they can find, sacred or secular. Unlike many Christian musicians that would take a passage of Scripture and regurgitate whatever their pastor or John Piper told them, Danielle takes a different approach on this album, in which he meditates on specific passages, using them as jumping off points for hard lessons, seekers of salvation and agnostic observations. It is compelling stuff with great lyrics like the prayer ‘send me a mechanic if I’m not beyond repair.” Amen to that. With albums like this I question the need for anything considered “Christian music (of course, I have questioned that for a decade or so).”

Top 10 Paste Lists (and bottom 5)

if, like me, you are a fan of Paste Magazine, you have been overwhelmed by their year-end, decade-end and normal assortment of lists thrown at you during the past month or so. How do you wade through 1 or 2 lists thrown at you per day (especially if you follow them on twitter). Well, never fear... Rick is to the rescue. I have combed through the Paste lists and found 10 must read lists. Here they are:

10. The 20 Best Movie Scenes of the Decade- good list with 3 notable mistakes (1) the Klan meeting from Oh, Brother Where Art Thou (2) either the opening of ending scene from Children of Men (3) the chase scene from The Departed in which "Shipping Up to Boston" are played.

9. The 25 Best American Breweries of the Decade- possibly the most helpful list Paste has ever devised.

8. The 20 best Live Acts of the Decade- any list in which the top 3 are Arcade Fire, Flaming Lips and Radiohead is a great list.

7. The 25 Best Movie Performances of the Decade- terribly flawed list which gives much reason for debate (the reason to make these lists is to incite anger and arguments)

6. The 10 best Food Shows of the Decade- I could care less about many of the shows on the list, but #1 is one of the reasons I love food and television. Long live King Anthony!

5. The Five Best Drug Dealers on TV- any list that names Avon and Stringer, even if it is cheating, is a good list. Of course, I believe a better list would be top 5 drug dealers on The Wire followed by a second list, Top 5 other drug dealers.

4. The 20 best Graphic Novels of the Decade- Geeks unite! Another flawed list with some serious bias, but any list that brings this art form to the masses is a good list. By the way, my faves on this list are #14, #8, #6 and #2.

3. The 10 Best Producers of the Decade- really good list highlighting masters ( #4 and #2- the best really), fresh faces (#10 and #8) and visionaries (#5 and #1).

2. 15 Best TV Shows That Were Canceled too Soon- many on the list are obvious, but I am happy for the trip down memory lane along with acknowledgment of the unheralded genius that was Undeclared, Sports Night and Pushing Daisies.

1. 10 Most Iconic Opening Scenes in Cinema History- this is the kind of list Rob Fleming/ Gordon of High Fidelity would be proud of. It is obscure and geeky. By the way, I disagree with how low number #9 and #10 are. they seem like afterthoughts.

Bonus: Top 5 Scenes from The Wire (language warning)- BTW, their #5 is #1 in my heart.

the flawed lists that I cannot include:

1. 8 Shows that hung on too long- agree with The Office and X Files. Completely disagree with the inclusion of The Wire (which is done just to set people off, but not actually believed unless a person is missing major chunks of their frontal lobe).

2. The 20 Best Shows of the Decade- it is actually a decent list with a couple of obvious mistakes, but putting what is arguably the best comedy of the decade #1 over what is inarguably the best show ever created is asinine.

3. 5o Best Albums of The Decade- Even more flawed than Pitchfork's list, which is saying something. So many superior albums not on the list to give us obvious choices. C'mon, it is trendy to say Sufjan's Illinoise was the best of the decade, but if this album (which is very good) is the best this decade produced, it needs to be forgotten. Of course, they said She and Him was the best album of the year in 2007 and left it off the decade list, so I am sure they will see the light in a few years regarding this list.

4. 50 Best Movies of the Decade- okay, I do actually like this list, but the lack of inclusion of the Lives of Others is unforgivable.

5. 10 Best Comedians of the Decade- Where is Daniel Tosh? Where is Gaffigan? Where is Louis CK? Where is Lewis Black? I love Aziz Ansari, but he has not been around long enough for inclusion. Shouldn't there be something that says the comedian has been active for 5 years, kinda like we do in sports (number of bats). And I love Zach, but is he #2 for his standup or for his great 2009 on TV and in film?

Best Television Experiences of the Year

As I said yesterday, I have many holes in my television watching diet. I am usually too busy making sandwiches for homeless people and working on my great American novel while you lesser beings are having your brains sucked out by Seth McFarlane and Simon Cowell. Okay, maybe that is not entirely the case and I let most evenings get away from me, especially since there are so few hours between when the kids crash and our need for sleep (under 3). That said, here are my top television experiences of 2009 (note: Number 1 is from previous years, but so what, I watched it this year).

10. Seeing Tim Tebow cry after losing the SEC Championship. link

9. Modern Family's cheerful dysfunction. Al Bundy was never this good. link

8. Community is willing to step on toes, much like 30 Rock and touch third rails on sexuality, race, politics and religion. Plus, it is dang funny. I heart Abed and Troy. link

7. Watching the Arizona Cardinals defeat the Eagles to make the Super Bowl, followed by the Super Bowl coverage in which they had to acknowledge that the Cards were actually in the Super Bowl. It continues this year with the Cards making the Giants and Vikings look silly on National television. link

6. Ted Danson getting his mojo back as an aging pothead/ major magazine publisher on Bored to Death with Jason Schwartzman. link

5. Jon Stewart taking down Glen Beck on The Daily Show (along with hundreds of other bits). Sure it is not perfect, but when it is on, the Daily Show is dang near perfect. Plus, they are doing a great job on race issues, which I am sure White People Like. And how can I forget his takedown of Hannity's "news coverage of tea parties." link

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The 11/3 Project
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

4. "Hello, Dexter Morgan." The introduction of John Lithgow to the cast of Dexter. link

3. 30 Rock, when it hits all the marks. It misses the marks half the time, but when it is perfect, it is level of perfection few comedies can touch. Case in point was the Christmas episode from last week.

link

2. The Seinfeld "reunion' on Curb Your Enthusiasm.

link

1. Finally watching what could be the best television show in history during the summer and early fall. I found myself fully engaged on a level even Dexter has not engaged me on. To have a show with such fully realized characters, in which you never knew when someone you cared for (usually against your better judgment) would randomly die or do something heinous is something I had not experienced before. While I disagree with many regarding the show's realism (it is still a show and stretches timeline boundaries, character motivation and coincidences beyond recognition as any other television show would do), I think the arc of the show is truly like the Greek Tragedy its creator describes it as, with the capricious gods being city hall, the police department, the drug scene and schools and the main characters of the show just pawns on a life-size chess board.

While The Simpsons, LOST, the Sopranos and The X-Files make for good sermon fodder or the latest "Gospel According to …" book, The Wire is something else indeed. A book examining its bearing on the Gospel would be one-dimensional, a sermon would be substance free and anything less than a dissertation or graduate level class in Literature, Economics, Education, Political Science or Film would be strikingly trite. If I were a college prof in any of the afore-mentioned subjects, I would make The Wire required watching.

In fact, everyone should see this show. Very few films in history are at its level of perfection, especially sustaining this for 60 hours. To think there were no wins and only two Emmy nominations during its life is proof of the joke that is the Emmys. As Jacob Weisberg of Slate said, "its like them never giving a Nobel Prize to Tolstoy. It doesn't make Tolstoy look bad, it makes the Nobels look bad."

By the way, I have never mourned for a drug dealer like I did twice on this program.

Seasons in order of Quality (if you haven't seen the show, understand this is an exercise all watchers engage in):

4 (like everyone I acknowledge this may be the most heartbreaking and perfect season television has ever produced)

1 (do cops really drink that much? Plus, my single favorite scene in which McNulty and Bunk use one profane word over and over as they investigate a murder)

3 (wanna go into politics and be unsullied? Good luck. Watch this and learn)

2 (that guy playing Nick could not act. Seriously)

5 (one too many coincidences- but a great ending)

warning language

Link to 100 great quotes from The Wire.

Honorable mention: The Inauguration