Top 20, Middle Distance Runner, Allison Weiss, etc

It has been almost a week since we've last updated this (or should I say since I last updated this--Ed you're lazy!), so I decided to give a quick miscellaneous update.

a. We're working on our Top 20 albums of the year list now. We got up to six and we were hoping to have it all worked out for tomorrow's podcast, but who knows. Maybe we'll do a Top 10 this week and reveal the rest later. Anyways, if you are interesting in giving feedback or suggestions, go wild. Here is the top six we came up with. And, who knows, this will probably change by the time it is 'official.'

1. Kanye West's Graduation
2. Radiohead's In Rainbows
3. Chromeo's Fancy Footwork
4. The National's Boxer
5. Tegan & Sara's The Con
6. White Williams's Smoke

Just a short list of others that are in consideration is: M.I.A., The Shins, Animal Collective, Feist, Amy Winehouse, Ryan Adams, Iron & Wine, Ratatat, LCD Soundsystem, Jamie T, Justice, Bloc Party.

b. For those of you in the area, there is a pretty sweet local hip-hop label by the name of Dekagon Records. They are based out of Newington, Conn. and recently put out a release by Archetype. Anyways, I'm mentioning this because I forgot to link the story I did for the Hartford Advocate a couple weeks ago.

c. To go along with that. Two band(s)/artist(s) I did/doing pieces on are Middle Distance Runner and Allison Weiss. Middle Distance Runner was around a month ago for Shag Frenzy in (I believe) Hartford, but they put out a solid EP this year that can mostly be heard on their MySpace. Their sound is all over from The Strokes to Chin Up Chin Up, so who knows, just enjoy.

My article on Weiss will be online next Wednesday. I spoke to her yesterday and it went rather well. She'll be in Hamden, Conn. on the 19th and I'll sure we'll be hyping the shit out of it when we do another local shows podcast (Ed loves her too). I'll link the piece up here when it is published.

d. I almost forgot. We're not only doing a Top 20 album of the year, but also #1 local release, single, comedy album and mix. I'm not going into detail just yet about all those, but as a quick note I think we found our local winner: A Great Big Pile of Leaves. I don't want to hear, "Brooklyn isn't local." They're CT dudes and one of them lives in New Haven AND it was recorded here--they're CT and they're fun. I'm going to throw Minus the Bear out there as a comparison to the first track on their MySpace.

e. Expect a podcast late tomorrow. Movie releases are pretty dry besides The Golden Compass, so that is almost out of the question. Our podcast, if you haven't heard yet, touches all the way until next week with shows. So who knows. We will have something for you though, so be sure to check back. <3