Fuzzy Lion

Hope everyone had a great holiday and a happy new year. I’m very excited by the music landscape of 2008 so far especially after getting my hands on both the new Cat Power and Vampire Weekend full length. I highly recommend both. Here are a few other things that I’ve been thinking about recently…

•I happened to stumble upon a trailer for a new Keira Knightley movie called “The Duchess”:

Seriously, can someone call her agent and tell them ENOUGH WITH THE DAMN PERIOD PIECES ALREADY? Not only do I despise period piece movies, but it’s a complete waste to cover up such a beautiful specimen in all those ugly-ass frilly Victorian dresses. (And I’m aware that she’s been in some non period-piece movies lately, but I hardly call “Domino” and “The Jacket” worthy films.)

•I happened to catch The Simpsons Movie over the break and I have to say I was actually pleasantly surprised. I’m one of those people that thinks the The Simpsons should’ve been taken off the year 10 years ago, but the film actually was quite enjoyable.

•There’s a great new EP by The Smashing Pumpkins on iTunes titled American Gothic. It’s all acoustic and all awesome.

•Also in the iTunes spirit, a free track from Ms. Regina Spektor called “My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year).” Get it before it’s gone.

•Mark your calendars because February 4th marks the return of one of my biggest guilty pleasures of all time: “Paradise Hotel 2” premiers on MyNetworkTV & Fox Reality. (I just hope it is half as good as the first one.)

•All this talk of Keira Knightley makes me want to post a picture of her royal hotness.

It was very hard for me to compile a list of only 20 albums for this year’s “best of” list and there were some really strong records which didn’t make the cut. For example, Jimmy Eat World’s Chase This Light was a very solid offering, as was Elk City’s New Believers and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s Some Loud Thunder. While I do like (not love) Radiohead’s In Rainbows, I do give the band a lot of props for trying to shake up the music industry with their “pay what you want” plan.

All that being said, I present to you my Top 20 Albums of 2007. As usual, if you like what you hear, buy the music and support the artists, or go see them live and buy their merch!

Fuzzy Lion’s Top 20 Albums of 2007

	20. The Snake The Cross The Crown – Cotton Teeth Best Tracks: “Gypsy Melodies” “Cake Walk” / “Behold the River”
	19. Shout Out Louds – Our Ill Wills Best Tracks: “Normandie” “Tonight I Have To Leave It” / “South America”
	18. Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger Best Tracks: “Pearls On a String” “Two” / “Halloweenhead”
	17. Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight Best Tracks: “Silver Lining” “Under the Blacklight” / “Breakin’ Up”
	16. Minipop – A New Hope Best Tracks: “Like I Do” “Butterflies” / “Someone To Love”
	15. Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion Best Tracks: “Lollipop” “Love Today” / “Any Other World”
	14. Matt Pond PA – Last Light Best Tracks: “Sunlight” “Last Light” / “Until the East Coast Ends”
	13. Jeremy Enigk – The Missing Link Best Tracks: “Tatseo Show” “Chewing Gum” / “Oh John”
	12. Patty Grifin – Children Running Through Best Tracks: “Heavenly Day” “No Bad News” / “I’m Getting Ready”
	11. Stars – In Our Bedroom After the War Best Tracks: “Take Me to the Riot” “The Night Starts Here” / “Today Will Be Better, I Swear!”
	10. Kate Nash – Made of Bricks Best Tracks: “Birds” “Foundations” / “Pumpkin Soup”
	9. Travis – The Boy With No Name Best Tracks: “Closer” “Big Chair” / “Selfish Jean”
	8. New Pornographers – Challengers Best Tracks: “Myriad Harbour” “My Rights Versus Yours” / “Challengers”
	7. Okkervil River – The Stage Names Best Tracks: “Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe” “Savannah Smiles” / “A Girl In Port”
	6. Young Galaxy – Young Galaxy Best Tracks: “Embers” “The Sun’s Coming Up and My Plane’s Going Down” / “Outside the City”
	5. Band of Horses – Cease To Begin Best Tracks: “No One’s Gonna Love You” “Is There a Ghost” / “Ode to LRC”
	4. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible Best Tracks: “Intervention” “Black Mirror” / “Keep the Car Running”
	3. The National – Boxer Best Tracks: “Apartment Story” “Fake Empire” / “Start a War”
	2. Pela – Anytown Graffiti Best Tracks: “Song Writes Itself” “Waiting On the Stairs” / “Lost to the Lonesome”
	1. The Smashing Pumpkins – Zeitgeist Best Tracks: “(Come On) Let’s Go” “Pomp and Circumstances” / “Zeitgeist”

Zeitgeist takes the #1 spot of the year for me not just because it’s a Smashing Pumpkins record, but because it’s the record I wanted the band to make for a long time. Corgan and Chamberlin went back to their rock roots and created an album that schools all mainstream wanna-be rockers how it’s done.

Pela and The National round out my #2 and #3 spots. Pela’s Anytown Graffiti is a work of art from start to finish. The National’s Boxer proved to everyone that the hype surrounding Alligator was no fluke and it’s possible for a band to experiment and grow without abandoning their roots.

Please feel free to post your best-of lists in the comments or links to your own blogs, as I always love to see what the readers opinions are.

The Smashing Pumpkins held a contest inviting fans to remix their “unique” video for “Tarantula.” The band provided all the video footage in front of a green screen and asked the fans to run wild. Today, the winning video was announced, and I can honestly say it’s extremely kick-ass and 1,000x better than the original! Great work Levi Ahmu.

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to have a video chat with Billy Corgan in the year 2020, wonder no more. The Smashing Pumpkins debuted their new video today and it answers that question.That’s The Way (My Love Is)

Just a quick reminder that The Smashing Pumpkins will be performing on Letterman tonight and on Friday (they are taping two shows today).

So bad it’s good?

Well, today was a very special day in Pumpkinland. The band played their first show since disbanding on December 2nd of 2000.

They played to a sold-out crowd at the Grand Rex in Paris with what can only be described as a KILLER setlist.

Slowly but surely, audio and video is being released from this show, including this surprisingly good quality video of “For God and Country,” a new track off of Zeitgeist.

Scroll below the video for the setlist.

• United States
• Today
• Stand Inside Your Love
• Orchid
• Doomsday Clock
• Home
• Hummer
• Starz
• Tarantula
• Bullet With Butterfly Wings
• Gossamer
• God and Country
• 33
• Rocket
• Winterlong
• To Sheila
• Glass and the Ghost Children
• Cherub Rock
• 1979
• Tonight Tonight
• NeverlostThat’s the Way
• Disarm
• Zero
• Untitled
• Shame
• Silverfuck
• Annie Dog
• Muzzle

Well it’s finally happened; the full version of “Tarantula” has made it’s way on to the web and this song ROCKS beyond belief.

To all those naysayers that thought “The Smashing Pumpkins 2.0″ would never be able to live up to the original is about to be proven wrong. (Siamese Dream was all Billy and Jimmy anyway!)

“Tarantula” - Removed at label’s request.

No, this is not a Smashing Pumpkins fan-site. I know it feels like it, but tough shit!

The artwork for Zeitgeist has finally been revealed below. Unfortunately, it looks as if the label caved into the traditional Tuesday release date because it’s now being listed for 7/10/07 instead of the much catchier (and earlier) 7/7/07.

Anyone that’s interested in downloading a :30 tease of The Smashing Pumpkins new single “Tarantula” can head over here for an mp3.

Update: Link removed per label’s request.