Some videos speak for themselves. Thanks for bringing this one to my attention Dave Morales.

TIME TO ROLL OUT THE TOP 10 Records for 2008

First the rules: 1) It has to be good 2) Almost all of it has to be good 3) My reviews for the top ten are brief. If you want to know what makes these releases so good – ASK! 4) There is now a single “carryover” which is a CD from last year that is so good, or rediscovered, or defines 2008, or I just want to mention it again. 5) There is no payola involved, but we can talk. 6) If you have a top ten, I would love to give you the chance to roll it out, but be ready to take some shots from others. Remember – everyone’s a critic. If you don’t have a top ten, you need to get a musical life – EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A TOP 10.

Carry Over – Foo Fighters – In Your Honor (Disc 1) — If you are an aerobic workout person, this is the CD for you. Unstoppable.

#10 – James McMurtry – Just Us Kids — OK, James, you won the election, now what? Times have changed just enough at the last of 2008 to make his laments seem like ancient history now. It is still a timepiece of epic proportions, and he is one of the top writers going forward from here – if forward is where he wants to go. No retreads please.
#9 – Kings of Leon – Only by Night — Yes, Virginia there is good rock, and KOL is happy to put a new release under your tree this year. Big time public image now.
#8 – Mudcrutch – Mudcrutch – Sure Tom, just try to keep Mudcrutch off the mainstream charts. Unfortunately he tries to cover too much too quick and some parts suffer, but if you want to fish to a song, try the remake of the Byrds “Lover of the Bayou”. It’ll turn you green.

You know how it is this time of year. It is pretty hard to keep up with demands. Will do the second part of the hunting story this week, and try to wrap it all up nice and tidy for readers now complaining.

Meanwhile, had a great trip to the Blue River in Oklahoma yesterday. Frozen guides, and frozen lines, frozen reels, and frozen fingers and finally frozen waders that we couldn’t even get off when we got back to the car. Plenty of Rainbows fell victim to our pursuits, and feeling is starting to come back to my frozen bottom lip. It was a true test of gear (other than rods and reels), and its ability to keep warmth in and elements out. All-in-all, everything passed the test. There should be some video forthcoming from the Blue, although no image can really do justice to the weather factor yesterday. Yes, we were the only ones there. What does that say?

I just got a few photographs back from Pat Thompson, from the Rio Grande Valley. I met him through the sale of a Simms bag to him, and he made a trip last week to Louisiana where the reds are obviously running. I don’t know if he gave the fly I sent a throw, but the Bulls are running. Whatever he was throwing, it must have worked.