Sammy James Junior...That Guy At Whole Foods Playing "Cherry, Cherry" Too Loud On His iPod.

Sliding out of 2005 with a flurry of activity, the mighty Mooney Suzuki are finishing up a new record for new label V2, and playing Little Steven's Underground Garage New Years bash in Times Square with the New York Dolls and The Troggs.

Sammy James Junior took time out from searching for exactly the right cravat to wear at Saturday night's show to let us know what he thought was numba one this past year:

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

Whoop that Trick - Djay. Hustle and Flow was one of my favorite movies of the year and is one of the best movies about making music I have seen. It's up there with Spinal Tap and Amadeus... The scene where they put "Whoop that Trick" together in a makeshift home studio is so right on...


2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

Neil Diamond - 12 Songs. Also saw him at the Garden over the summer where I concluded that the 3 top frontmen of all time are: James Brown, Iggy Pop, and Neil Diamond.


3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

RatDog in Central Park. I needed a miracle, and I got one.


4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?

Either Netflix or the new Whole Foods in Union Square.


5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

To see 2007...

Watch The Mooney Suzuki at Little Steven's New Years Eve Bash on ESPN this Saturday night.

To buy tickets and see it in person at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, click here.

Catch The Mooney Suzuki live:
Sat Jan 21st – BOSTON, MA @ T.T. the Bear’s Place - GET TICKETS
Fri Jan 27th – WASHINGTON, DC @ Black Cat - GET TICKETS

Watch their MySpace page for info on a couple low-key NYC shows soon.

Lower photo courtesy Michael Sissons.

Alexi Lalas...The Last Man In NYC Wearing A Night Ranger Shirt Un-ironically.

U.S. Olympian, World Cup Player, Major League Soccer journeyman, and current MetroStars General Manager Alexi Lalas is one of the few members of the world of professional sports who is actually qualified to comment on the state of music, as far as I'm concerned.

Having released a trio of albums culminating in 1998's solo effort Ginger (a fine collection of pop-rockers that put most other musical projects by athletes to shame) and being talented enough to actually have toured behind those albums, Lalas knows a thing or two about the music biz. Sure, he's scored match-winning goals vs. powerhouses AC Milan and Inter Milan while he played for Padova in Italy, but I'm just as impressed that he knows who the Marvelous 3 were.

Luckily for extrawack! readers, he's seemingly absolutely unaffected by musical trends and not afraid to admit it.

Here are the extrawack! poll responses from a man whom I once read claimed his favorite song ever was "Round And Round" by Ratt...

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

Fall To Pieces - Velvet Revolver - The album came out in '04 but I consider it an '05 song. Although I can't get Nickelback's "Photograph" out of my head. Those crazy Canadians know a hook when they hear it.

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

Who the hell buys an entire album anymore? Moreover, can any artist still write 12 quality songs at a time? Butch Walker put out a cool EP.

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

Night Ranger - Santa Clara, CA - Laugh all you want, great musicians, great songs and great entertainers.

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?

That Ashley Simpson got smacked for singing with pre-recorded vocals. Everybody does it, even the greats, you just can't get caught do it.

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

That Jani Lane gets his life in order and writes a great album, that Ratt reunites with all living members and that Axl finally releases Chinese Democracy so we can see if G 'n R was just a brief shining moment.

Find a copy of the out-of-print Ginger album here.

Buy MetroStars ticket plans here.

That *Was* Wendy James You Saw At The Stones Show At MSG...

One of the big surprises for me this year was finding that not only was former Transvision Vamp leader Wendy James living in New York, but that she'd released a self performed, self produced, and self written album under the guise of Racine, called "Racine No. 1". Diverse in influence but totally original in sound, "No. 1" is a necessity for those tracking Ms. James' musical progression. It's a refreshing change from the pack of "Lets move to Brooklyn or the LES and pretend we are The Strokes" records that amazingly still are getting made and released.

Now a full five-piece band, Wendy & Co. are finishing the recording of "Racine No. 2" for release in the new year...Hopefully we'll get a few shows out of them as well.

Here's Wendy's response to the extrawack! poll:

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

DROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT - SNOOP AND PHARRELL

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

THE MASSACRE - 50 CENT

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

ROLLING STONES - MADISON SQUARE GDNS

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?

PLAYING HARD ROCK N ROLL, DRINKING, SEX

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

AS ABOVE WITH DRUGS

Racine No. 1 is available here.

Four tracks from the upcoming album are streaming at Racine's MySpace page.

MP3's from both albums can be grabbed here at Racine's media page.

White Rose Movement In NYC, MSTRKRFT Remixes, Bad Rap Battles, Heidi's Belly, Vintage DEVO, and Badassery from QOTSA

Brooklyn Vegan has news about a string of USA dates from the loud and highly touted White Rose Movement, which include these NYC shows:
Thu 01/12/06 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
Fri 01/13/06 New York, NY @ Don Hill's
Dreams Of Horses has a couple MP3's from the gothy combo here.

Vice Records has relaunched their website and blog and plan on offering a free different MP3 download at the blog every two weeks or so. Currently there for the taking is Bloc Party's "Two More Years" (MSTRKRFT Remix).

And while we're talking MSTRKRFT remixes, here's their killer take on Death From Above 1979's "Sexy Results".

Wanna hear goofy Midwestern wiggas bustin' mad skillz in live-audio freestyle battles while using their parents Power Mac G5's? Then Lets Beef is for you.

Speaking of goofy, I'm spellbound by the goofiness of a couple of the "designers" on the new season of Project Runway on Bravo. These characters couldn't be weirder if scripted, and I'm convinced that a couple of them are being kept around rather than booted just to keep the trainwreck factor high. And is Heidi Klum the hottest pregnant lady ever? Yes...yes she is.

If you are still short a Christmas gift or two, let me suggest a couple of DVD's that have tickled my fancy lately...

DEVO Live 1980 is a recently released 75 minute full concert from the Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma, CA. Though there's nothing really remarkable about the footage of this show, it's incredible how up-to-date these songs all sound, a full 25 years later. This show was pre-MTV, and before they totally broke into the mainstream with "Whip It", and proved why DEVO was known as one of the few bands of that New Wave era to be respected as a really great live act. The perfect gift for your favorite spud.

I'm also keen on the new Queens Of The Stone Age live DVD/CD, "Over The Years And Through The Woods". The DVD is an entire 20 song concert shot this year at London's Brixton Academy intercut with just-long-enough behind-the-scenes and backstage footage, and the CD is a more manageable 14 tracks from the same show. The DVD also features "bonus" rare tracks of the band in it's many configurations playing tracks from throughout it's back catalogue, a few with guests both obvious (Dave Grohl) and not so obvious (Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top). It's kind of strange to see so much of the candid footage involving ex-member Nick Oliveri (who was allegedly chucked from the band by Josh Homme for beating up his girlfriend), only to see his replacement on stage in concert in the next cut. Then again QOTSA have always been strange, and that's why we like 'em. For fifteen bucks, this package is a steal. And you have to love the sticker on the front that reads, "Witness the sheer menagerie of badassery that is NO OVERDUBS & NO FAKE LIVE RECORDINGS!"

Esthero - Wikked Lil John Legend Fan

One of the best surprises of this past year was the genre-busting album from Esthero, "Wikked Lil Grrrls", a super-sexy jumble of soul, samba, hip-hop, jazz and rock that rightfully ended up on many a "best-of-2005" list. Here's Esthero's own best-of's for extrawack!:




1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

'ordinary people' by john legend

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

wikked lil grrrls

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

mine in chicago in july.

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?

i met a beautiful man.

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

to be less 'bitter'.

I'm with her on that last one...

Buy Esthero's "Wikked Lil Grrrls" and get free shipping here.

Chantal of Morningwood...A Dirty Nurse & Sunset Strip Sunrise Swimmer

Chantal Claret, chanteuse for band-on-the-verge-of-hugeness Morningwood sent extrawack! her year-end faves:

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

arctic monkeys- from the ritz to the rubble

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

kings of leon- aha heart attack whatever the hell it is called.

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

gang of four- anaheim, ca house of blues where i got on stage with them for the last time and sang damaged goods and i love a man in a uniform, dressed up as a dirty nurse with my boys

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?

swimming on the roof of the riot hyatt at 6 in the morning

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

for 2006 to be the year of the WOOD.
also, more swimming.
and also: for paul scheer to get over his flu and give me a call when i am back in LA next week! hi paul!!

Morningwood's Gil Norton (Echo and the Bunnymen, Pixies, Foo Fighters) produced self-titled debut album comes out 10 January on Capitol, and can be ordered here.

Morningwood's album release party is 11 January at the Bowery Ballroom with guests The Exit and Army of Me, and tickets can be purchased here.

If You Crossed The Soundtrack Of Our Lives with Lush...

...you'd get something that sounds like Serena Maneesh, a noisy five-piece from Norway.

Lazy reviews of their sound compare them to My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, etc., but aside from the fuzz, I don't see/hear it. Dream-pop for sure, but with an extra helping of melody.

As much as I hate to give creedence to anything Pitchfork related, this review of their self-titled album gives a pretty accurate description of what they are.

They play Mercury Lounge with the noisy/sexy Asobi Seksu on 21 January...tickets here. (via Brooklyn Vegan)

Download two tracks from the album at Medication.

Buy the album here.

Let's Hit Up Magnolia And Mack On Some Cupcakes...

Andy Samberg & Chris Parnell's video of "The Chronic-*what*-cles of Narnia", originally shown this weekend, is easily the best thing Saturday Night Live has had on all year...not a difficult task in this, one of the worst years in SNL history, but that shouldn't detract from how awesomely awesome this video is.

Watch it over & over & over here.

Now that I think of it, this is the best video anyone, MTV included, has shown this year.

Paul Scheer...If Andrew WK Showed Up In R. Kelly's Closet, His Head Would Explode.

Paul Scheer. You may not know the name, but I know you recognize his mug from VH1's "Best Week Ever", appearances on Conan, and all kinds of Upright Citizens Brigade Theater projects.

While he's waiting for the movie he's recently completed with Billy Bob Thornton, School For Scoundrels, to come out shortly, Paul responded to the extrawack! poll as follows:

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

After Months of Shame, I think I can finally admit that my favorite song of 2005 has to be Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" , it's
sad but true, I love a song by an American Idol contest winner.
According to my itunes, I've listened to this song 62 times. But
Before you lose all respect for me, just know, Ted Leo covered this
song, so that should add some credibility. But if not, F you all,
I'll just go back to listening to Clay Aiken's Christmas Album.
Also Honorable Mentions go to Elefant's "Now That I Miss Her", Cloud Room's "Hey Now Now" and Louis XIV's "Finding Out True Love is
Blind"

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

This was a Year of Great Albums, I'm sure the Popular Answer is
Green Day's "American Idiot". You really can't argue that, it was a great year for 30 year old dudes wearing eyeliner. But I agree it's
awesome, it kinda gets less awesome as Radio Stations play it
adnauseum. But Beck's Guero and System of a Down's Mesmorize and Hypnotize are Pretty great too.

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

Morningwood and Amy Miles these are Bands that you will be talking about this year. Amy Miles is like Aimee Mann Meets Awesome and Morningwood has the feel of a more Kickass and yet sometimes more Sultry Joan Jett, I hope those come off as compliments because I mean them that way they are awesome. Also I'd be remiss if I
didn't mention seeing Pixies was one of my favorite concert
experiences yet...They are just too Good. I Bow to the Pixies.

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?

R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet. Need I say more? Yes, this has
been a year full of Wars, Poverty, and Natural Disasters but
that's nothing compared to the horrific things that happen to the
characters in R. Kelly's 12 Part Hip-Hopera, "Trapped in the Closet".
Thanks to Kells, we finally are able to appreciate and reward the
brave souls who are strong enough to be able to step out of the closet and face their cheating gay preacher husband and/or their dwarf loving spouse. Finally, closets aren't just for gays anymore.

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

Sure I could go the World Piece Route but instead, my greatest
wish for 2006 is Andrew WK The Musical, Think Tommy but More
Mindblowing!

Now, when "Scoundrels" comes out and Paul's a household name, you can go, "Yeah, I knew that dude when he was all about Elefant and The Cloud Room...hey, didn't I just see him with Lenny Kravitz going backstage at that weak Aerosmith show? What a sell-out!" Or not. In the meantime, check him out at the L.A. UCB Theatre performing at The 2005 IT SUCKED! Awards on 30 December.

Kaiser Chiefs, Carling Brixton Academy, XFM's Winter Wonderland, 11 Dec 05

Here are a few photos of the final Kaiser Chiefs show of the year...Starting 2005 playing places like Maxwell's in Hoboken, trading up to NYC shows at Bowery, and Webster Hall, kicking off Live 8 in Philly, and finishing at a packed Brixton Academy--that's some year.

Jacob From The Faint Digs Fantomas And His Wedding.

Jacob Thiele from The Faint takes a break from working on their new record to check in with his responses to the extrawack! poll:

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

"First Day of My Life", Bright Eyes.
Why didn't the Grammies nominate this one? Because
they're a joke, that's why.

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

Fantomas' Suspended Animation

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

Here's my top Five:
1. Fantomas at Coachella
2. Of Montreal at Sokol Underground
3. T. Raumschmiere at Eurockeenes Festival in France
4. Weird War at Sokol Underground
5. Sleater-Kinney at Sokol Underground

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?

Getting married and partying with my homies.

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

That we write an awesome new record.

The Faint's music can be purchased directly from Saddle Creek here.

B/W photo above courtesy of Julia Odorisio/Creigtonian Online.

Editors @ Carling Brixton Academy, 11 Dec 05

I spent Sunday night at the Carling Brixton Academy at the XFM Winter Wonderland show, which featured full sets (!!) from Kaiser Chiefs, Maximo Park, Hard-Fi, Editors, The Dead 60's, and shorter acoustic-style sets from The Kooks and Magnet. Chas & Dave also played a few songs as "surprise guests", but since I'm not British and older, they weren't much of a thrill for me.

For me, the treat of the evening came from the set by Editors, a foursome formed at University in Stafford but based in Birmingham. For a band together for a relatively short amount of time and only one album under it's belt, Editors looked and sounded like a group with way more experience than they do. Granted, they've played Glastonbury, Reading, and Leeds over the summer (which will earn you your stage-experience wings quickly), but from the second they hit the stage until their last amp was turned off, the Brixton crowd adored them, and with good reason.

Although the lazy way to describe their sound would be to compare them to Joy Division (and thus Interpol), Echo & The Bunnymen, or any number of '80's guitar n' groove combos, their sound involves a bit more urgency and immediacy than most of the other bands appearing recently who aspire to KaiserBlocFranz-dom through pilferage of Post-Punk. Editors' songs either jump out and assault you with catchy bombast, or seduce you with an perfectly mixed combination of starkness and melody, giving them a sound that is essentially their own.

Highlights of the set included their first single "Bullets", and the riveting next single, "Munich" (which is actually a re-release, out 2 Jan 06), which given the way the crowd reacted should be a success.

Their website says they'll be in the USA for a short tour next month as follows:

January 15th, 2006 USA: SAN DIEGO CASBAH
January 16th, 2006 USA: LOS ANGELES SILVER LAKE SPACELAND
January 17th, 2006 USA: LOS ANGELES CINESPACE
January 19th, 2006 USA: SAN FRANCISCO POPSCENE
January 20th, 2006 USA: NEW YORK MERCURY LOUNGE
January 22nd, 2006 USA: ALLSTON GREAT SCOTT

Their sound is huge, and their guitar sound is more Big Country/The Edge than The Fall/Andy Gill...and having already seen them in such a sizeable hall as Brixton Academy, I can only speculate that sets in the tiny Mercury Lounge and Spaceland have the potential to be incredible.

Only the Allston show is on sale now, but the rest of the shows go on sale soon.

The album will be released here in the USA on the Fader / Kitchenware label, mid-March.

Stream their album, The Back Room here.









More photos from the other bands at that show to follow shortly.

LCD Soundsystem Is Playing At Aziz' House, At His House...

I'm still booking around London like I own the place, even after Editors and Maximo Park blew my doors off last night in Brixton. More on that later, but in the meantime here are some year-end remarks from the insanely funny and lately inescapable (he's the guy in those ads on Comedy Central that look like they are for a discount warehouse somewhere in Indiana), Aziz Anzari.




1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

"Tribulations" by LCD Soundsystem

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

Bloc Party/Wolf Parade

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

LCD Soundsystem at Webster Hall
Wolf Parade at Northsix

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?
R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?
Less shows at Webster, more at Bowery!

Catch Aziz on the current episode of New York Noise, and at his weekly show at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, "Crash Test", when he's back from Movin' & Shakin' in Los Angeles.

We'll Tell Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant You Said Hello.

extrawack! is in London at a sleazy Internet cafe near Leicester Square tonight, after seeing Charlton spank Sunderland at The Valley, winning enough at Ladbrokes to afford some Jaffa Cakes to bring home, and walking around Tate Modern listening to Art Brut's "Modern Art" in the iPod:

"So I'm in the Tate
And I'm looking at Hockney
And oh sweet Jesus
There's something about that blue
It touches me deep inside
Amazes me when I step outside
I'm sweating
I'm sweating
I'm beginning to palpitate
I can't help myself
I just can't help myself

Modern art
Makes me
Want to rock out!"

So cool.

This is where we'll be the next two nights:



OK, gotta get out of this joint, the guy just put on a Cliff Richard Christmas album...on cassette.

James Levy of LEVY...An Art Brut Fan With Better Hair Than Before.

Here's how James Levy of LEVY responded to our year-end questionnaire:

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

"formed a band" from art brut

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

adam green, "gemstones"

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

art brut

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?

my increasingly improving haircut

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

better food for sure

You can order LEVY's terrific debut album, Rotten Love direct from One Little Indian US here.

You can see James' increasingly improving haircut, and way more of him than you'd expect, in the video for "On The Dance Floor" that Central Village has here.

The Subways @ Northsix, 7 Dec 05

Caught an amazingly fun and raucous set last night at Stuff Magazine's "It Issue" Party at Northsix from The Subways, who are on their first tour of the USA in advance of the release over here of their album Young For Eternity, which is already out and successful in the UK. The album, produced by Lightning Seeds pop-meister Ian Broudie, is released here on Sire on Valentines Day.

The London trio features brothers Billy Lunn and Josh Morgan on guitar and drums respectively, and a firecracker of a bass player in Charlotte Cooper. The set was about 40 minutes of constant movement, and short but sweet punky pop songs that were hooky as hell. Remarkably, the mostly media-and-hipster crowd were moved enough to uncross their arms and uncock their heads, and bounced through most of the set along with the band.

All in all, it was a totally exciting set from a band with a big future. I can't imagine they'll be playing clubs the size of Northsix or Rothko (where they played the night before) the next time they come through the city. As great as they sound and as good as they look, there's no reason why The Subways shouldn't be Killers-big by this time next year.

John of The Long Winters Would Rather Talk About Girls Underwear, Frankly.

John Roderick of The Long Winters recently responded to extrawack!'s short year-end poll, and thankfully actually pondered the questions rather than just answer quickly...here's what he had to say:

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

I know it's unsportsmanlike to not "just answer the question", but I
hate top-ten lists, or "favorite song" lists. It seems like our
culture is increasingly focused on what "other people" or "the cool
kids" or "your favorite stars" are eating and wearing and listening to,
and I really think it represents the death of thinking.

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

I mean, I'm a musician, so of course I listened to a lot of bands and
saw a lot of shows this year. But listing my favorite song and album
on another web poll is just creating white noise, I think. The most
that anyone will do is cross-check my list against their own, or some
other fella's, to either make sure that so-and-so band is on there, or
be surprised that so-and-so band isn't on there. It's some kind of
ant-like, iTunes busy-work, checking boxes and making sure the doors
are latched. I'd rather talk about girls underwear, frankly.

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

I know that music and bands are a way for people to mark time. You
liked this band back then, and now you like this other band. Remember
that show? What a great show that was. But music starts to lose its
magical power when it becomes a commodity. 40 gigs of music on your
iPod? It's insane! That said, KEANE are pretty fantastic to see live.

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?
A-ha! Yes! My favorite thing about 2005 is that I dug all my old,
thrift-store, vintage suits out of the closet, which I hadn't worn in
several years, and realized they all still fit and were all still
awesome. So I started wearing them again and now am looking sharp.

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

I hope that I get better at playing the piano.

The Long Winters excellent new EP, Ultimatum, can be purchased directly from one of the best things about Seattle, Barsuk Records.

Photo courtesy of jomamased.

The Luck Of The Irish Hits Pogues Ticket Scalpers In NYC

If you are holding tickets for The Pogues' St. Patrick's Day show at Nokia Theatre, they've just turned to Irish gold. Seems that word has gotten around in Dublin and London about the shows over here, and there is a bit of a frenzy of fans planning on coming to NYC for the holiday trying to get their hands on tickets to the now sold-out show. I'm guessing tickets to that night in particular will end up being scalped in the $200-$250 range. I'm keeping mine.

I grabbed a couple shortly after they went on sale at Nokia's box office, and was chuffed to get into a conversation with the guy ahead of me in line who told me he found out about the show "on some blog called extrawack!". Cool. He then explained his theory on what show of the three nights was best to get tickets for:

"Thursday night they will be just warming up. Friday night they will have found their groove, and if they haven't, I'll be so drunk from St. Patty's Day that it won't matter. On Saturday night, you run the risk of Shane MacGowan having fallen off a wagon or two after a few nights in Manhattan, and not making the gig at all. I'm buying for Friday, but I'm not wearing good shoes because of all the corned beef that will be thrown up."

That's the spirit.

Here's the whole small tour, according to The Pogues website:

Friday March 10 Washington 9.30 Club Public sale Saturday, December 10.
Saturday March 11 Atlantic City Borgata Public sale Saturday, December 10.
Tuesday March 14 Boston Orpheum Public sale Saturday, December 10.
Thursday March 16 New York Nokia Theatre, Times Square -A few tickets remain.
Friday March 17 New York Nokia Theatre, Times Square — SOLD OUT
Saturday March 18 New York Nokia Theatre, Times Square -A few tickets remain.

This also from that website:
The BBC produced documentary The Story of Fairytale of New York will be aired on December 19, 21:00 on BBC3. Repeat showings will be on December 22, 23:30 and December 25, 00:40 on BBC3. More showings may be announced later.

This documentary, produced in late 2005, features interviews from all of The Pogues involved in the recording, Matt Dillon (featured in the music video), Jean MacColl (Kirsty's mother), Steve Lillywhite (the song's producer and Kirsty's husband), Nick Cave, Jools Holland, and many more.

I'd love to be able to see this film over here. Perhaps a note to BBC America might make it happen for next year...BBC America Viewer Relations message page here.

Nothing Says "The Holidays Are Here" In NYC Like Watching The Prisoner Transport Van Roll Past The Inflatable Santa Scooby At Macy's...

Year End Poll with Matt of matt pond PA

Here are Matt Pond of matt pond PA's responses to extrawack!'s year-end poll:

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

black and white town..doves

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

american analog set - set free...and not because i sang on it. that was an added bonus.

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

doves at webster hall. kickass.

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?

getting the right meals on tour..never feeling that weight of fast food overwhelming and ruining my life.

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

that everyone is able to hear the next/new ratatat record. it's mindblowing.

*****************************************************

You can buy the excellent new matt pond PA album, Several Arrows Later, directly from Altitude Records here.

"New York Doll" Back In NYC

The good guys downtown at Two Boots Pioneer are showing extrawack!'s vote for "Documentary of the Year", New York Doll three Saturday nights in a row, starting tonight.

Don't blow your money on Rent, or any of that junk with Dakota Fanning in them...go see this movie. Not only will you thanks us for sending you to something you'll really enjoy, but you'll slip a couple bucks into the pockets of a deserving indie theatre and a hard-working director who will probably use the dough to make his next movie. Don't you want to be a part of all that? Of course you do. And take a date, will ya? It's Saturday night for cryin' out loud!

Summing It Up With John Richards of KEXP and Dickie Barrett from Indie 103.1

It's now December...time to sum it all up.

extrawack! has asked some friends and favorites to respond to a few year-end type questions, and the results will be posted here sporadically as they arrive.

The first two responses are from my favorite two morning radio hosts:

John Richards of The John In The Morning Show, KEXP/Seattle:

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?

Silverson Pickups "Kissing Families"

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?

Sufjan Stevens "Illinois"

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?

John in the Morning At Night w/Clap Your Hands Say Yeah/The
National/M83/John Vanderslice/Math and Physics Club/Athlete

Oct 1st at Neumos in Seattle

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?

As far as music and KEXP go it was the instudios both here at the station
and also in NYC. It really felt the bands and artists brought new songs,
new energy and incredible performances this year.

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?

Fewer disasters, better government.

*****************************************************************

Dickie Barrett of the Mighty Morning Radio Show at Indie 103.1/Los Angeles, Singer for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones:

1. What was your favorite song of 2005?
The Dandy Warhols - Smoke It

2. What was your favorite album of 2005?
Brian Wilson - Smile

3. What was your favorite live show of 2005?
Madness - At the Troubadour in Hollywood

4. What was your favorite thing about 2005?
My Radio Show - The Mighty Morning Show Indie 103.1

5. What is your biggest wish for 2006?
Less tragedy.