Self-Promotion: How’d That Jerk Get In There?

ACE COWBOY (Hidden Track)

1) What will you remember most about 2007?

I believe the Chinese will mark 2007 as the Year of the Cash-Grab Reunion (and that it will say so right there on my placemat at the Nostalgia Szechuan Palace). This year I enjoyed more new artists and new albums than ever before, and somehow I’ll always look back at 2007 as the year we saw the reformation of Genesis, Van Halen, The Police, Crowded House, and the not-dead members of Led Freakin’ Zeppelin, not to mention the Jackson 5 signaling its intentions and Spandau Ballet’s one-night Vegas reunion. About the only broken-up band that stayed off the road is Jesse & The Rippers — Aunt Becky was always very Yoko. Are Full House references still ‘hip’? Never?

2) Name one band which will take it to the next level in 2008?

My friend Jeff pointed me toward The Felice Brothers recently, and my jaw dropped straight to the floor. That sounds unsanitary, and it is. But this talented family of musicians is reminiscent of The Band, early Dylan, early Springsteen and whoever else you want to project on them. I think people will love ’em when they hear ’em. Honorable mention goes to a young British blues trio called Back Door Slam. Name aside, they rip.

3) What is your favorite live performance from the past twelve months (and why)?

I’ll bash nostalgia in one breath and praise it in the next: My two favorite shows were probably Stevie Wonder and his Bar Mitzvah Back-up Band at MSG and Levon Helm & Friends at the Beacon. That, of course, doesn’t include the My Morning Jacket > Wilco bloc down at Austin City Limits, nor does it include the super-secret Phish show for 27 people at The Barn last month. Trust me, folks, go book every hotel in N. America and malnourish your dogs.

4) In the last year what album has appeared most often in your iTunes (or CD Player)?

If you see a professionally dressed white boy spastically twitching and performing Elaine Benes-style dance moves along the NYC subway system, chances are that’s me, and chances are I’m listening to LCD Soundsystem’s Sound of Silver. Not only did James Murphy & Co. put on one of the best shows this year (at Randall’s Island opening for Arcade Fire), but they produced one of the tighter albums as well. Honorable mentions go to Radiohead’s In Rainbows, Arctic Monkeys’ Favourite Worst Nightmare and Andrew Bird’s Armchair Apocrypha.