Ah, Welcome to part two of Modern Mystery’s Holiday Party! Today we have some very special guests, including an indie up and comer, and a music journalist that inspired me to write. Yes, I’m excited about this! Prepare yourself for the sequel, and there is more on the way tomorrow. Enjoy!

James Wells- The Gay Blades

Top 10 Albums of the Year

Nothing really moved me this year, so there’s some singles in there…

– Kevin Devine “Brother’s Blood” – Still the best lyricist around, if a bit wordy.
– Jay Z “The Blueprint III” – Party jams for days.
– Metric “Fantasies” – BREAKTHROUGH ALBUM.
– Why? “Eskimo Snow” – only because Why? is so fucking awesome.
– Electric Six “Kill” – Great tour mates!
– Friendly Fires “Kiss Of Life” (Single) – Its that good….
– Portugal The Man “Satanic Satanist”
– Millions of Brazilians “MoBz EP”

Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

Finding out my estranged little brother overdosed on Heroine and died.

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

Setting up my xmas tree. Seeing other xmas trees set up. I understand that means that all those folks without xmas trees don’t provide me with what I love most, but its kind of like, how I prefer brunettes over blondes. Ya know?

Jason Nesmith-Casper the Cookies

Top things I liked this year

1. Faust at the 40 Watt / Faust workshop
It was as if Heather MacIntosh brought Athens an enormous present. It gave people that enormous-ribbon-sporting-brand-new-car-in-the-driveway feeling.

2. Os Mutantes live
I didn’t know what to expect, but it was certainly not to be blown away by an unashamed display of guitar pyrotechnics that would make Santana weep. Sometimes kids need to be reminded that knowing how to play really, really well doesn’t preclude them from making strikingly original music.

3. Beatles mono remasters
This is how remasters should be done. Except less expensive. If as a child I’d been deaf to their siren call to a life in music I would’ve learned a more lucrative trade and been able to buy both box sets and the Rock Band. Psych on me.

4. Pylon Chomp More reissue
It’s so nice to hear this record restored to its full, glorious potential.

5. Aquaserge- unreleased third album
The best new music I heard all year hasn’t even been released yet. This band will renew your faith in progressive music.

6. Playing a show with Karl Blau and Lake

7. St. Vincent / Pattern Is Movement concert

8. Yo La Tengo- Popular Songs

9. Venice Is Sinkning- Azar

10. Big Fresh- BFF

Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

A few crazy things happened. I watched the public’s value of music sink to an all-time-low. Musicians that were able to break even through touring and record sales in 2008 are now unable to do so. Maybe someday soon we’ll all be singing songs around the campfire again.

In New Orleans, Jandek came to our show. Jandek. Came. To. Our. Show.

But the weirdest thing that 2009 brought was far more serious than any of that. Athens lost many great musicians in sudden and unexpected circumstances. After two years of knowing Randy Bewley, I felt like I’d only just gotten to befriend him when he was suddenly taken from us. The day after his memorial service Athens had about 7 inches of snow dumped on it. We can’t wait to get rid of this year.

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

During the holidays even the crustiest old people allow themselves to be child-like. If it weren’t for Christmas lights I would be far more depressed in December, as I am in January and February.

Rob Sheffield-Legendary Music Writersongs:
Adam Lambert, “Mad World”
Beyonce, “Halo”
Das Racist, “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Zero”
The XX, “Crystalised”
Jarvis Cocker, “I Never Said I Was Deep”
The Horrors, “Sea Within A Sea”
LaRoux, “Bulletproof”
Lady Gaga, “Lovegame”
Mogwai, “Scotland’s Shame”

albums:
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It’s Blitz
Franz Ferdinand, Tonight
The XX, The XX
A Place To Bury Strangers, Exploding Head
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
Japandroids, Post-Nothing
The Dream, Love vs. Money
The Horrors, Primary Colours
Black Dice, Repo
Sunset Rubdown, Dragonslayer