These next couple of months are crazy full of new albums. My top 50 for this year is seriously getting full already. Out last week we got fantastic new albums from Chairlift, Cloud Nothings and First Aid Kit. And we also had debut albums from Porcelain Raft, Big Deal and The Holiday Crowd. Did you know First Aid Kit is from Sweden! I had no idea. I didn't even know they were sisters. Their first album from 2010 just passed me by. But I am now an official fan. Even if you think you hate folk and country music. You will become a fan of First Aid Kit. I really hope this album gets as big as the Civil Wars album from last year. It really is that good. And they are from Sweden! This album from Big Deal is also one of my recent obsessions. I just can't get enough of it even though it is a heartbreaking album. Big Deal reminds me of Carissa's Weird. They write some amazing little songs. All of them heartbreaking ballads. And I love that Mute put out this album. It really is not like anything you have ever heard on Mute. But I feel like Mute does best when they put out stuff you would not expect from them. They did release the amazing folky albums by Jose Gonzalez. And those albums were great. You have to do me a favor and check out Big Deal. A perfect album for falling in love or breaking up to. Listen to "Homework" from the album Lights Out by Big Deal...
The Holiday Crowd just put out their debut album out last week called Over the Bluffs. This band will
obviously get compared to The Smiths. But I really have no problem with that. I actually love it. I wish more bands sounded like The Smiths! They are doing the same sort of thing that The Drums did with their first album. But more jangly and without the electronics. I think people will either hate this album or fall in love with it. I have already fallen in love. But it will probably not get heard by most people unfortunately. So give it a listen. I can't stop. 
We are once again right in the middle of awards season. The Golden Globes were this last weekend. And the Oscars are about 5 weeks away. The Oscar Nominations come out this Tuesday the 24th of January. So this is the time of year when I like to get together with my coworker Jackie and talk about what we think will be nominated. What we hope is nominated. I basically like to pretend that we are members of the Academy putting in our votes for the various Oscar categories. We are sadly without our moderator Miss Ess from the last couple of years. If you are feeling nostalgic for last years Oscars, here is our 
up the last couple of weeks and see all the movies that I need to see. I am still a bit behind. But I saw Tin Tin on Sunday and just saw Young Adult last week. So I am almost there. We should start off first by talking about the host. I was happy that Brett Ratner resigned from the show. I was really not looking forward to a show produced by him. I had come to accept Eddie Murphy as the host. But after he dropped out too I was really hoping for some interesting choices. I think the show should always be hosted by a comedian. Last year just didn't really work. I still think Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon would be great together. But we are getting Billy Crystal this year. I actually think he did a great job in years past as the host. So I think it will be a fun show again. Maybe not as edgy as I had hoped. But it is the Oscars. I expect him to come out on a horse wearing a Hawaiian Shirt with a baseball bat and maybe a dragon tattoo. Maybe dressed up as a maid or a bridesmaid. But maybe he will surprise us all with some amazing material and jokes. I am looking forward to the show as always. Regardless of who the host is. Jackie...Thoughts on the host. Are you hoping for a When Harry Met Sally reunion on stage. Or maybe he could come out with Carol Kane in their makeup from The Princess Bride.
It is now December 1st and officially the last month of the year. Only Twenty Four Days until Christmas. And the Oscars are just around the corner. The Golden Globe Nominations come out Thursday December 15th. The Golden Globes Ceremony is Sunday January 15th. The Oscar Nominees are announced Tuesday January 24th. And the Oscars are on Sunday February 26th. Most of the nominated movies are released in these last couple of months of the year. And most of these movies have some great scores and soundtracks to go along with them. I like to think of it as soundtrack season as well. I almost love soundtracks as much as I love movies. It really is one of my favorite things about watching movies. The music is often what really makes me fall in love with the music. It is those cinematic moments with no dialogue and just the music that I really appreciate most.
