Well I made it another year without getting fired for insubordination, putting my feet up during meetings, swearing, or drinking at lunch! So to celebrate that achievement, here are my musings on this year’s best records. In my opinion. And no, even though it’s a blog I’m not writing “IMO”. Because that’s just stupid.

The Black Angels - Passover. I think it’s safe to say that the Black Angels record would be my number 1. Partly because I saw them 5 times this year (twice in one weekend!). And that doesn’t count the 3 times they came to the KEXP studios. While there aren’t many perks to this job - getting Cheryl Waters chocolates from Starbucks doesn’t count as a perk - I do get to meet a lot of artists. And it’s safe to say the Black Angels are the sweetest, most genuine group of musicians I’ve met at KEXP. (The First Vietnamese War - MP3)

The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers. “Steady As She Goes” is the catchiest goddamn song of the year. Hands down. While I love pretty much everything Jack White has had a hand in, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and admit that I like the Brendon Benson-written tracks the most. Sugary pop music at it’s finest. I also got to see these guys at the hottest show of the year at the Moore. The Moore has no heating or AC system, this I’m convinced, and in late July the place is a hot-box. As much as I love this band, I was happy their set was only 45 minutes. Any more and I would’ve had a stroke.

Alexi Murdoch – Time Without Conasequence. Last year was the year that I got really into Nick Drake, so I guess it would only make sense that this year I got into Alexi Murdoch. I don’t mean for that to sound like a slam. Anyone who has heard this album knows it bears a striking resemblance to Nick Drake. This, in my mind, is a good thing. His performance of “Orange Sky” is one of my favorite live tracks ever at KEXP, and “Song For You” gets me every time. (12 - MP3)

Wolfmother - Wolfmother. I was lucky enough to be invited out on a friend’s boat for Seafair this year. If you don’t know what Seafar is, it’s a big party on Lake Washington, complete with speed boat racing and a deafening performance by the Blue Angels. We cruised around the lake all day on a boat flying a skull-and-crossbones flag, downing PBR, and chucking water balloons at passersby with Wolfmother turned up to 11.

The Thermals – The Body The Blood The Machine. If you’re like me, after a few listens you started to wonder about all the churchy stuff in the lyrics. I’m still not sure if they’re trying to be cute, ironic, or if they all go to church 4 times a week. At this point I don’t give a shit, the record is incredible and I find a new favorite song every week. Right now it’s “Power Doesn’t Run on Nothing.” (A Pillar of Salt - MP3)

Drive-By Truckers – A Blessing And A Curse. I love that you never really know what you’re gonna get with the Drive-By Truckers. All 3 songwriters have such distinctly different writing styles that it’s a total crap-shoot. Good thing for me that I like all 3 of them. I’m also not sure what a “champagne hand-job” is, but sign me up!

Band of Horses – Everything All The Time. Band of Horses releases the most successful Sub Pop record since that David Cross piece of shit, they play a bunch of sold-out shows, they shoot to the top of the Seattle music scene, and then Matthew Brooke decides to quit and open a bar in Capitol Hill?! Something doesn’t add up here. (The Great Salt Lake - MP3)

There were a bunch of other records that were close to making the cut this year, including: The Village Green, Clipse, The Hands, The Earaches, Bob Dylan, Belle & Sebastian, The Decemberists, J-Dilla, Silversun Pickups, Bobby Bare Jr., Gnarls Barkley, Low Frequency in Stereo, Comets on Fire, Ghostface Killah and Catfish Haven. I’d also like to mention T.Rex – Electric Warrior which I played the absolute shit out of this year. “Planet Queen” is one of my 10 favorite songs ever.

Those of you who bother to download our Music That Matters podcasts know that John likes to make fun of me. He also makes fun of me on the air. And that’s fine with me. I can take a joke. If I couldn’t take a joke, John wouldn’t make fun of me. If there is anything positive I can say about John it’s that he’s not a mean person. But what I take issue with are things that are not true. Here are some things that are true about me, that are very easy to make fun of:

1. I am going bald
2. I am a little too into the Simpsons
3. I am not good with women
4. I was Santa at the Yule Benefit and I was really that hammered
5. My beard is pretty weak

And these are just the first few things that come to mind. I’m sure there are a ton of things that I’m missing. Does John call me baldy? No. Does he openly wonder why I only show up at KEXP events with dudes? No. Not at all. He makes shit up!! And that’s what chaps my ass. Let’s get this straight: I have never in my life played Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, I’m sure John knows more about the game than I do. I’m not saying I’m not a geek. But I’m just not THAT kind of geek.

I am also not a drunk. The Yule Benefit notwithstanding, I drink in moderation. In fact, John has never seen me drunk because he always leaves shows early to go to bed. Even on the weekends. Yes, it’s true that I ask Cheryl to bring me tequila on her frequent trips to Mexico, but that’s because Petron is ridiculously expensive. And it’s not like any of you send me the occasional bottle of Don Julio. So what’s a man to do.

I also take issue with him referring to my dog as “the devil dog”. He is a very sweet dog. But John’s son Arlie is afraid of him. So John makes him out to be a mean dog. In fact, during a recent pledge drive a volunteer was
afraid of my dog because of John’s near-constant fabrications. And my dog is a PUG!! He’s tiny. How could anyone be afraid of a pug? It’s like being afraid of ice cream or pillows…there is nothing inherently scary about a pug.

So the next time you hear John badmouthing the KEXP webmaster you’ll know that there are two sides to every story.

-JD