Just lists and a bit of news...

Exemplary alt-folk-pop double-bill for Feb - Damien Jurado & Denison Witmer tour the UK:

Feb 23 London 12 Bar
Feb 24 Dublin Whelans
Feb 25 Belfast Aunties Annies
Feb 26 Glasgow Nice and Sleazy
Feb 27 Manchester Tmesis
Feb 28 Leicester Leicester Arts Center
Feb 29 Brighton Hanbury Ballroom
Mar 1 London Water Rats

And, as if that wasn't enough, this from The Mendoza Line's site:
''The new ML album, Fortune, is complete and ready to be released in the early months of 2004. In the UK and Europe, the album should be showing up sometime in March, and the ML should be making a trip over there shortly after..'

So, you know what the records of the year are and reallyrather sure as hell knows what the records of the year are, so why should we bother listening to these guys? Well, because they're closer than most to being right...

At no.11 of 25, oftherecord cites M. Ward's Transfiguration.. as being 'Possibly the best sounding album of the year'..

....and which crops up in the wishlist at the foot of another sound personal music site, Poshlost's list..

No explanations but neat graphics over at chromewaves top 10

They're not exactly alone but it's all a bit Shins-a-go-go over at Sponic

A couple of the big hitters drop their detailed Top 50s: PopMatters and Pitchfork which notes wisely that Sufjan Stevens 'has made a record that's damn near crucial'..

..a theme that's picked up by Matt Wellins over at Dusted: 'How many albums in pop music feel like an honest-to-god gift to the listener?' And you'll also want to check out his comrade Nathan's list while you're there.

There may be more...

Highlight of week/month/year(?), finally getting to see Steve Tagliere & Seth Rothchild aka Gingersol in the flesh for the first time since their music came this blog's way some three years ago. Though it was a scaled down, unplugged set on borrowed kit at the 12Bar, the guys conjured the essence of their superior brand of raspy guitar pop. Interspersed with older numbers were several songs from upcoming third album, Eastern (due March) and the fact they sounded instantly familiar is, in this case, most certainly A Good Thing. Luckily, reallyrather was slipped a copy of the new album and will report back in the new year. Thanks again, guys...