I'm happy to see he mentioned Sundowner. I really love that album and I'm super stoked for Metropole in January.

I saw Titus Andronicus as well and it was very good. However I wore earplugs and that made understanding Stickles ever more difficult, and since I'd seen them in a very small venue the last time they were in town it didn't quite feel the same.

Somehow I haven't picked up Southeastern yet. I've listened to it a number of times but it was out of stock the last couple of times I swung by my local record shop. No excuse though, I've got to get on that.

I agree with this completely.

I didn't get as much new music this year in part due to the fact I had to consolidate my existing collection when I got a new iPod. I mainly purchased new releases from bands I'm already following but there were a few new acts that I really got into.

Crystal is my #2 vinegar-based sauce behind Louisiana Hot Sauce, but both are superior to Tabasco.

El Yucateco is excellent. In addition to the green and red habanero I like their Caribbean habanero. It's wonderful on chicken tacos.

This has always been my favorite description of the show, but it's surprisingly ineffective when I'm trying to sell others on watching it.

Last year I was volunteering at the Kohl Center to help in the press box for a hockey game and midway through the second period there was a knock on the window. I looked over to see a big badger head slowly peek up and wave. As hard as I tried to maintain my composure I was just beaming. There's no other response, you…

Agreed. I kind of stumbled into American Splendor a year or so before the movie came out when an old acquaintance gave me a copy of Bedtime Stories. I couldn't tell you why but it really resonated with me like few other things have.

I liked the scene but the HR major in me winced at them having a Seder at work.

I don't think I goes as far as outright condemnation but if someone asks if I like musicals as a genre my answer is a solid no, just as if the question were about certain musical genres (metal, country, whatever).  It's just not my thing. 

My favorite of the year so far is The Beauty Between from RVIVR.  It's got the perfect balance of fast and slow.  "LMD" and "Wrong Way/One Way" pump you up but it's the Hunger Suite songs that really bring it home.  

Exactly.  I watched this without knowing anything ahead of time and I assumed the same thing.  It was an awesome surprise.

In 1993 I was in junior high and my favorite article of clothing was a teal sweatshirt that had "BUGLE BOY" written in big block letters.  I also often wore a fitted Indiana hat (my parents went to IU) with diagonal red and white tiger stripes and a large italicized "HOOSIERS" running around the side.  You could call…

It's so fucking annoying and the volume is always at maximum.  Shit like this is going to get me fired one of these days.

Let's see if I can't put this into terms you'll
understand. Say you had 12 beer.

I caught the show in Madison six weeks ago at the urging of a friend of mine.  I'd only heard of Bombino once or twice and hadn't actually listened to anything of his beforehand.  I was going to skip the show since I was in Milwaukee working all day but my friend convinced me otherwise.  I'm so happy he did because it…

I forgot Signed and Sealed in Blood came out this year.  I really do enjoy that one too.

In no particular order: