The 2010 Sasquatch Festival line-up was announced last week and after perusing the list a few times, I started to hone in on who the hot bands will (or, better yet, should) be. Now, festivals for me are all about camping out at a stage for several bands before moving on to another, but I figured I’d throw that trend to the wind for this post. My second disclaimer; before you point out that I’m recommending the small folk, understand that I also tend to shun the big …

2009 is a tough year to judge. I’ve checked out more albums this year than any year in the past. Well over 1,000. And there have been quite a few great ones as well. When this list began, it had 110 albums. I abandoned my top 33 and 1/3 for 45, and then said “screw it” and upped the number to an even 50. These are the top notch albums of the year, all worthy of praise.

In a recent conversation, a friend noted they didn’t quite understand the hype behind Girls. After all, there are a dozen bands that write similar, edgy songs and can carry a complimentary weight. I agreed, but only somewhat. Revisiting songs like Album’s opener “Lust For Life”, I hear a unique vocal styling and that damn garage-pop I seem so fond of these days (along with everyone else). But one thing is certain: Girls sure can write a powerful ballad.

What a simple concept, this video. “Hellhole Ratrace” by San Francisco’s Girls is an easy pick for one of the better songs of 2009, and this video, albeit simple in nature, looks to follow suit. The video merely features slow-motion party footage, going in and out of focus. And it’s brilliant! It reminds me of my slightly younger days, say the mid twenties; those nights with friends at the local pub getting drunk on the most excellent of microbrews and staggering off into the night after …