One of my biggest disappoints is that Kurt and Krist's Leadbelly cover project, "The Jury", with the Marks Lanegan and Pickerel never came to fruition.

Ted Leo is the man.

This, yes.  Heard it live before the album came out.  It's even worse seeing it with the singer's exaggerated, theatrical hand gestures.

Yeah man, "Rat Farm" is a solid album.  A bit more rockin' than their last two, although I think I like those slightly more.

Didn't really grab me like their last record.  Listened a few times, tried going back to it now and then, but it never sticks with me.

I like both Angles and Comedown Machine.  Both have their weak points, but are better than the lack of attention would warrant.

And the return of NIN.

Same here, although the only song of theirs I've been able to get into is "Lies".

I prefer Alligator, Boxer, and High Violet to TWFM, but it's still a fantastic album.

J. Mascis disagrees.

The actual order is constantly changing, but here's a rough estimate:

Speaking of medieval history, I'm a third of the way into Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century.  If you haven't read it—though if you're into medieval history you likely have because it's a popular one—you should.  It's great.

@avclub-6beb5f589a9fd04c21fcd50db3d9c80c:disqus Best of luck.  Let me know if you get to go.

Wikipedia tells me the first season was only 8 episodes and ended in June, with season two picking up in September.

@avclub-6beb5f589a9fd04c21fcd50db3d9c80c:disqus  You should move heaven and earth to go see Swans on Thursday.  That was incredible.  Don't know how much tickets are for your show, but they were only $18 here.  Go hungry for a couple days.  :)

I've been scrolling through all these comments waiting to find the rankings thread.

"I didn't hate the first two seasons quite as much as everyone
else did, but it's a testament to just how much the third season has
improved that nearly all the hostility the show garnered during seasons
one and two has almost completely been forgotten."

Rat Farm did come and go mostly unnoticed.  I didn't like it as much as their past two, but it's still a shame for a solid album.

Mark Lanegan is a national treasure.  I'll listen to anything he puts out.

Well Pennsatucky shot (murdered? I don't think they said if the woman died) a worker at an abortion clinic, so that seemed like a pretty severe crime for her to land in minimum security.  I guess those flashbacks with her lawyer were meant to convey that she got off on a way, way lighter charge.