10 CDs

A list of CDs we listened to while working on this edition.



1) Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals' Lifeline. Harper's follow up to Both Sides of the Gun. If you get the deluxe package (we all did), here's the good news: It's not a pain in the ass to open. You've got the CD shrink wrap to remove and that's it. The box contains two discs -- the album and a live DVD. You also get a booklet of photos. The live DVD contains a fold out poster.

And we only know that because Jess grabbed his copy to get a track listing. We haven't listened to the live DVD, none of us. We've been listening to the new studio album. (Favorite track is "In The Colors" right now.) Which brings up the question of why do we continue to get the deluxe editions when we never make time to listen to the bonus discs? We're trying to think of a CD in the last few years that has come with a standard issue and a deluxe edition where we didn't buy the deluxe? The only one that comes to mind is U2's How to Blah Blah and Pretend Bono Hasn't Ruined the Group. Since none of us listen to that piece of crap anymore, it's probably just as well we got the standard edition on that one. Lifeline's a great album (second favorite track right now "Fool For A Lonesome Train"), check it out.



2) Josh Ritter's The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter. This is the studio album follow up to The Animal Years. If you missed that CD, you really missed out on something. This CD finds Ritter with even more of a band sound and "To The Dogs Or Whoever" kicks things off hard. Not a single filler track follows. Our current favorite track is "Right Moves" which opens with "All of a sudden you're back again, I thought you were happy with whoever or did you dream about me now . . ." We all got the 'deluxe' edition. That means there's a bonus CD with four tracks. What's the bonus CD like?



3) Rickie Lee Jones' The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard. A RLJ masterpiece. Check out Kat's review we're linking to because that makes our top ten favorite of all of Kat's reviews. Favorite track "I Was There."



4) Mavis Staples' We'll Never Turn Back. Mavis making the type of album (sound and awareness) we wish other artists (especially those with a history) would make. It cooks, it simmers and it has something to say. For an example of time wasted, check out Kat's review of another artist on Monday at The Common Ills. Mavis has made a tremendous album all on her own but if you doubt it, check out The Common Ills Monday for an example of a big name that's just wasting everyone's time. (Yes, we've read Kat's upcoming review.)





5) Stephen Stills' Just Roll Tape. Those wondering who the artist on Monday is can find a clue in this CD which is basically demos Stills recorded in 1968. This hangs together as a very strong album and makes you wonder why so many peter out during their careers. It's just Stills and his guitar and it makes you wonder why so many screw things up with production that goes nowhere? (Yeah, we really, really hate the CD that Kat's reviewing on Monday. Including the samba arrangement of one song.)





6) Neil Young's Living With War. A 2006 classic that may end up on our top ten for the decade when 2010 rolls around. This is a CD that's never left our players. It rocks and Neil's not jerking off (see Kat's review Monday) or pretending the country's not in an illegal war and falling apart. Favorite track? There's too much of a split here -- we've got everyone insisting on one of five possibilities (insisting strongly). Check it out and you'll see why it's difficult to get a consensus going on just one track.



7) Cowboy Junkies' at the end of paths taken. Easily one of the most beautiful albums of the year and something that will always remind us of summer 2007.



8) Smashing Pumpkins' Zeitgeist. We're still absorbing this CD and haven't formed a favorite track yet. Kat notes she does plan to review it.



9) Holly Near's Show Up. While Stills dips into the vault to show us how amazing he could be, Near joins Young & Staples in showing how amazing she still is. Show Up is on the shortlist for the best of 2007 and if you haven't checked it out yet, what are you waiting for? If it will help any, she does a really wonderful cover of Jackson Browne's "Lives in the Balance" and the key there is, as strong as that track is, it's not even one of the five best on the CD.



10) Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' Pack Up The Plantation Live! -- Ava and C.I. quoted a section of one song in a TV piece recently and since then we've all been checking out this 1985 live CD. Honorary Heartbreaker Stevie Nicks needs to be included on the next album.