All cheers, no jeers for The Dears

I dig this band. Many of "the messy ones" here at our blog love them too! Just scroll down and read Steve "Panties" Lepan's stirring blog about recently catching them in an Arizona blues bar. They are playing here in Vancouver on May 30th. We're dilligently trying to secure an intervie with the lead singer Murray Lightburn for our HOTMESS show this Friday 6-7:30pm on CITR 101.9fm.

Here's a letter I wrote to The Dears:

Dear The Dears,
Your music makes me cry tears in my beers. They are tears of joy so don't call the suicide hotline on me.
Sinceres,
John Deers

I wrote it in crayon with my wrong hand and sent it via snail mail. I hope they read it....and don't get a restraining order against me.

Jay

This song is TOP DRAWER!

People love lists...

so we're going to give some to you.

To kick it all off I'm giving you my list of favorite albums from 2008.

1. The Seldom Seen Kid - Elbow

Basically the song "Grounds for Divorce" is one of the coolest things I've ever heard. What makes it even better is that the band came on the tv show I produce in Vancouver and played it acoustically. Two guitars, one harmonica and five person vocal harmonies. Sadly Elbow are an extremely underrated band. Buy this and then buy their albums "Leaders of the Free World" and " Cast of Thousands." Most of it's pretty chill but if all you ever wanted was an earful of techno dance beats then you'd be fairly one dimensional wouldn't you? Yes, you would.

www.myspace.com/elbowmusic

2. Only By The Night - Kings of Leon

I'm told that the ladies love these heartthrob hicks from the backwaters of Tennessee cuz they look good in a tight plaid shirt and hang out with Drew Barrymore. Did they sign on to be the next poster boys for the Hollywould-you-indie-rock-me-right-out-of-my-skin-tight-jeans scene? I doubt it. There's too much sincerity here. Great highway album.

www.myspace.com/kingsofleon

3. In the Future- Black Mountain

This album feels like I went back in time to 1975, stole back the Sports Almanac from my nemesis, came back to 2008, realized that it was just the sports almanac dust jacket containing a French porno mag, and suddenly all the music had changed (because there had beena temperal disturbance in 1975 thus changing the current 2008 into an alternate 2008) .
Seventies-style prog rock in 2008. Updated for the beat generation. This will rock a wusses ass.

www.myspace.com/blackmountain

4. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Likewise the Fleet Foxes sound like they're from a bygone era. Think the song Sea of Love as interpreted by My Morning Jacket and that's kind of the vibe I'm getting here.

www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes

5. Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Nick Cave is a fucking genius.

www.myspace.com/nickcaveandthebadseeds

6. Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains (LP)

So everyone was all like DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 is the best Canadian band of all time! They were right. Then DFA went on a world tour and came back DOA. People were sad. Then the bass player became the spokesperson for some power tools and created a band named after them call MSTRKRFT. The drummer/singer took his sweet ass time but finally created this gem. Renegade Silence has been my theme song for months.

www.myspace.com/sebastiengrainger

7. Heads Off - The Hellacopters

These Swedes make better rock 'n roll than you or your friends could ever hope to make.

www.myspace.com/hellacopters

8. Oracular Spectacular- MGMT

Some people think that these magical midget pixies are from another planet and they've come here to show us how the make music in the eighth dimension. Other people like my friend Trevor Risk fucking hate this band.

www.myspace.com/mgmt

9. Modern Guilt - Beck

When Beck played Vancouver he did this three or four song set midway through the concert where he whipped out his iPhone and made songs with it. People rejoiced like they'd just seen some real next level shit. I walked away from that concert asking my self one crucial question: How does Beck keep making better hip hop then most full fledged hip hop artists without even trying?

www.myspace.com/beck

10. Missiles - The Dears

This album is so explosively intense that while it was being made most of the members of the band couldn't handle it and quit. This is The Dears White Album. It's amazing. Singer Murray Lightburn has symphonies in his head. This album made me cry steel tears of joy.

www.myspace.com/thedears

11. London Zoo - The Bug

The Bug crawled into my skull. It hasn't left yet. I think it laid some eggs. I might need to go to the doctor.

www.myspace.com/thebuguk

That's it.

Jay