So that I may get my "Best Of The 2000's" list together, I must finish up with a Lightning-Round review of some of the recent discs to vibrate my melon. I already finished my "Best Albums Of The Decade List" as well as a few others, but so as to make sure all contenders got a fair airing, I hereby present a snapshot look at the most recent acquisitions:

Close Lobsters - Forever Until Victory: Of all bands from the 80s deserving of being rediscovered, it is surely Thee Close Lobsters. Their EP What Is There To Smile About? might be the best EP of the 80s, and even if not, the band themselves were the best of the whole 'Class of C86' in my humble opinion (though at the time, they weren't considered that - mostly because no one was; they were more a Scotland/Paisley thing, though that didn't fit either.) The lyrics are somewhat absurdest, but on that jingle-jangle mornin', they're worth following. It sucks that their work has mostly been out of print since almost the day it came out, but in a way, that kept them pure. I haven't met anyone who digs them like I do, and that is ok by me. It is one of those little things that remains personal and pleasurable for it. When I went to the UK a few years back, I got the Foxheads album, which is also quite awesome. Eventually, when I had a good run with the dough, I also went on eBay and got Headache Rhetoric on CD to round things out. In time, out on the internerd, I was able to piece together much of the remaining extras I didn't have, and for the most part I think I had their catalog in full. Then, in late 2009, with no promotion or fanfare, this collection of rarities and highlights comes out! AWESOME! Naturally, Amazon lists it as being discontinued by the manufacturer within 48 hours of its release, and the few used copies available as imports are already too expensive to be of interest to anyone but nerds like me. I had to settle for an MP3 copy of this, but hot damn!!! I do at least have it. It is worth it if only for the snotty Neil Young cover! Beyond that, the remastering job is excellent. Too smart and obscure even for the 120 Minutes-crowd of their time, I suspect this is the last commercial release I will see by the Close Lobsters, and it is good enough that this is ok with me. I never expected to even get this, so the fact that I really didn't get it even when I did makes total sense. If you miss this limited shot, you's only cheatin' yerselves. Truly, some of the best alt.pop of the decade is contained within. (A-)

Dark Meat - Truce Opium: So the 7" with the downloadable extras (and x-rated sleeve) earlier this year musta just been demos for this album or something. Sniff. OK. For whatever reason, I happen to like this group in general, though so far, I prefer that earlier release of these songs. They are a bit too classic rock on this one for me, but that isn't to say it will please a Pearl Jam fan or anything. They really are like a rag-tag Allman Bros. under the spell of Albert Ayler's free jazz stuff or something. This isn't as good as Universal Indians, but it is better than much to spring from the alt.bigband/Americana hybrid that every college town seems to sprout every few years. If that seems faint praise, give this a listen - I mean it in a good way. The stuff is a lot of fun, yet also interesting enough underneath to hold up to repeat listenings. That can't be said of 99.9% of music out of anywhere. (C+)

Get Back Guinozzi! - Carpet Madness: Sorta like an update of Young Marble Giants, only not so British (only half of the duo is from the UK), and a bit sloppier throughout. I love the cover of Police & Thieves and bumped it all summer. At least half of the album cuts hold up well, and I am willing to give the other half time. Not weighty or terribly important, but much fun and when good, it is quite good since it aspires to little more than being enjoyable to begin with. (B-)

Elvis Perkins - Doomsday EP: I haven't yet written up my top albums of the decade, so I am not sure where Ash Wednesday will end up exactly, but I am sure it will be in the top 3 or 4. The follow-up from earlier this year is also good, and growing on me, but it isn't up to the level of Ash Wednesday (again, little for me is...) This EP actually sits between the two in my order of preference. It is a bit closer to that slow, meloncholy feel of the first album I am so attached to, though I wouldn't say it is mopey or anything (neither is the first album, but if I haven't persuaded you to listen to that yet, I won't make much headway with this sale either I suspect...) Either ya dig homeboy or ya don't. If ya don't, why are you reading this? (B-)

Jah Wobble - Get Carter: Mister Jah Wobble will always be in my pantheon of all-time favorites. I like John Lydon just fine, but without the bass playing of Jah Wobble on the first two PiL albums, I truly believe my life would have taken a very very different course. Mister Wobble has never done anything up to that level since leaving PiL, and no matter how corny and cringe-worthy his concept pieces can be, I will always give him the benefit of the doubt and listen to new stuff from him. On this one I finally have something new from him to bond with. This is only a 12" single with two mixes of the same cut, but since both mixes have THAT BASS so loud in each mix, it simply cannot fail. I don't own a system that can fully force that sound as deep into my brain as I like it to go, but within what I do have, putting this cut on repeat has caused many hours to go by without me realizing I am listening to the same song over and over again. No small feat since there is just enough world music vibe here to turn me off were it from anyone but him. If you tell yourself you like bass, but you know nothing of Jah Wobble, yours is a world of denial and self-loathing. A warm, rubbery world of teeth-rattling goodness awaits you if you are willing to cross-over. You should start at Metal Box, but if you don't have it in you and need an easier intro, this will do. (B-)

U2 - Unforgettable Fire (2 CD reissue): This is the U2 re-issue I have been waiting for, and it was worth the wait. Their work before and immediately after this forms up what I consider their prime, and while I like Joshua Tree very very much, this album is better. The songs are better, the arrangements are better, and this was U2 before they became a Bono vehicle, so the band was better. There ain't a dud on this album, and some of it represents the fulfillment of the entire post-punk ethos while also showing how bankrupt the whole bar-band schmaltz domination of the airwaves was at the time (top 40 of the time was a Huey Lewis -v- Bryan Adams Battle Of The Bands sadly enough.) Not only is this album awesome start to finish, the Wide Awake In America EP that came out as its supplement is also amazing (they were so good live back then - I still think the show I saw in 86 from them was one of the top 2 or 3 shows I ever saw.) The stuff left off the album dwarves many other bands' best (even the instrumentals.) This isn't the U2 caricature that has been touring since Rattle-n-Hum. They were still sincere, and easy to be sincere about. This album is still easy to get caught up in, and one should be thought a fool only if they CAN'T get caught up in it. I can forgive Bono for not being able to find a credible return path to this sort of emotion and presentation. No one else has been able to do it since either. (A)

Exene Cervenka - Somewhere Gone: I am not aware of much solo Exene Cervenka stuff beyond this album, so I can't compare it to much beyond her work in X and The Knitters (most of which is particularly memorable and good.) For a woman of her vintage, one takes their chances purchasing late-career solo stuff, but since I had heard a few (excellent) MP3's and saw the album was on Bloodshot Records (a Chicago alt-country label of good repute), so I popped for it. Good call on my part! I have no idea how I would promote this album were it my job to do so because it really is tough to place. It isn't alt.country or punk, but could easily entertain fans of either. The songs do have the a bit of a "mature" (lack of) edge about them, but I think it would come off as pathetic were she attempting to do variations of Johnny Hit And Run Pauline for 40 minutes. Some of this stuff is catchy as hell without being pop, much of it forms little ear worms I can't shake until long after I have listened, and the disc plays well end-to-end with only a few fast-forward moments. If you have any history with her and can appreciate just how much better off music is for her career, you can pop for this disc out of gratitude and just be decent about it, but this disc requires no charitable outlook. It is surprisingly excellent and in the few weeks I have had it, I find it grows on me more and more each listen. (B)

Bob Dylan - Christmas In The Heart: I haven't spent a ton of time with this disc, and I don't suppose I ever will. It isn't that it is bad or that I think it is a novelty disc or whatever, but it is too soon in the season. Truth be told, late in the season, I am unlikely to be bumpin' this too much either. So is Robt. Zimmerman still a Christian? Doesn't really matter. He clearly loves the music and I would guess the vibe of small town Hibbing Minnesota Christmas is something he has good feelings toward. Reason enough to record a Christmas album I would think. (no rating.)

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