Look, mostly I listened to Townes Van Zandt this year. Exclusively. We were going steady for a strong six months before I had to go to camp and then the feelings faded. I also loved The Pretty Things’ SF Sorrow, Clap’s Have You Reached Yet, and that Left Banke collection more than I like any of the following. But hey, I’m fucking old, and it happens. Eat the proverbial fuck, whinemeister. The Ipod is good for about one thing, and that’s recording the number of times you played something. So I’m going with Bangs’ theory that the best records are the ones you listened to most, and I have the itunes numbers to prove it. Fuck criticism- these got the most play-

1. King Louie and the Loose Diamonds- Memphis Treet- summer anthems, really, and perhaps a trip to a woodsy wedding that reunited me with old friends and made me feel all warm and gushy made this the best fucking record released in 2007. It’s not even half good, but finding a complete record in the digital age may be impossible. Get it for “Gypsy Switch” alone, as it's the best loser anthem since Beck.

2. Dinosaur Jr.- Beyond- a miracle, really, that these hypersensitive bastards could reunite and not silent treatment each other into retirement homes, let alone produce a startlingly listenable and non-embarrassing full fucking album in the year of Obama. I actually like Lou Barlow’s songs, for god’s sake, and that means one of us has changed. I’m betting on him.

3. Black Lips- Good Bad Not Evil- Ok, it ain’t Let It Bloom and the live shows weren’t the Independent, but Conan was a hoot and this is ¾ fine and dandy. Fuck you Katrina haters- that song taps my toes, and “Bad Kids” is this teacher’s 2nd best anthem of the year (see “Gypsy Switch” and then call your school board).

4. Brother JT- Third Ear Candy- some suggest I have an unhealthy obsession with Mr. Terlesky, but I humbly object to that characterization. I’d say following someone who plops out annual variations on the same style is a sign of aborted emotional development and a fear of the unknown, or life. So, I embrace my JT fandom, and I welcome each new Bethlehem offering as a gift. My gratitude is especially turkeyesque this year, as the weird sounds, odd time signatures and kooky lyrics add up to another intensely original creation and a first-class listening experience. You can have your 4/4- I’m riding with JT.

5. Beasts of Bourbon- Little Animals- I’m noticing a pattern here- all these bands are established in my memory (except maybe Louie, whose solo work I’ve never really gone for) with a relatively long track record, another sign of a listener’s advanced years and fear of the new. Anyway, this is something like their loose attempt at ACDC, but with S&M and explicit drug references. Only the lead track really explodes, but I like most of it, and hate only the title track, which is just fucking embarrassing. Really.

6. The Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound- Ekranoplan- heavy psych action, dude, right here in the land of the hippy. Not quite as heavy as I’d like it to be and occasionally bleeding over into trippy areas I’m loathe to pursue- overall, though, it begs the peace pipe and brings head music away from the dance floor and back to the long hairs, where it most certainly belongs.

7. Cheater Slicks- Walk Into the Sea- what can you say at this point? If you don’t get it by now, you never will. This ain’t one of my favorites by ‘em (and anybody know why they left IntheRed?), but it has your Sunday Morning Coming Down Fuck the World back. So few others do.

8. Eddie Current Suppression Ring- S/T- groove punk? Can I patent the name? Punker dudes like to show off their moves, too, and these Aussies lock in and allow the pit to spread out for maximum bodily expression. Oh, and the songs are really good, too. Somebody said somewhere that they sound like The Intelligence, which is like saying bacon tastes like tofu. Nah, just high energy dance punk music without the sparkles or the cosmos.

9. Mark Sultan- Sultanic Verses- few surprises, but plenty of grins, BBQ himself forms a kinda band and then does what he does best- write great songs and sing them with that voice. No new ground, unless you consider fine songwriting and expressive singing new, and almost every day, I do.

10. Steve Earle- Washington Square Serenade- no love songs to Condi here folks, but he does weigh in with an equally embarrassing gushfest to his adopted NYC hometown called “City of Immigrants.” Earle is purty darn predictable at this stage. He’s gonna give you four or five drop dead gorgeous stunners, two or three stinkin’ to high heaven stinkers, and several more to fill out the twelve. I like this record fine, but I think I like the look of his new wife and his long grey beard even better.

Oh, it's Scott's birthday. Wish him a happy last 365 days until he's the new 50.