As promised, here is my musical overview of the year that is fast coming to a close.
The year in music: A to Z
A: The Arctic Monkeys and Art Brut release outstanding sophomore discs.
B: Mary J. Blige tears it up on the Grammys with a performance of “Be Without You” and ends the year with a great new disc (Growing Pains).
C: Cover albums by Dwight Yoakum (Dwight Sings Buck) and the Smithereens (a song-by-song remake of Meet the Beatles)
D: Dylan, more specifically, the new movie based on Bob Dylan’s life, “I’m Not There,” and its brilliant soundtrack.
E: Steve Earle moves to New York City and records a wonderful album about it
F: John Fogerty’s Revival torches the Bush administration
G: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga by Spoon
H: “Hate on Me” by Jill Scott
I: The White Stripes explode on Icky Thump.
J: Justin Timberlake’s single, “What Goes Around … Comes Around,” is sexy and danceable — and would have been song of the year had Alicia Keys not issued an album..
K: Kala by M.I.A.
L: Lyle Lovett, It’s Not Big, It’s Large
M: Magic, by Bruce Springsteen, is the best political album of the year
N: “No One” by Alicia Keys is the song of the year
O: Old-guard rockers — along with Springsteen, Fogerty, Robert Plant and Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Paul McCartney issue solid discs.
P: Robert Plant and Allison Kraus make an unlikely pair, but great music on Raising Sand
Q: Queasy, as in, “Tweener pop stars (Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, etc.) self destructing make me a bit queasy.”
R: Rilo Kiley’s Under the Blacklight, which produced one of the year’s best songs — “Silver Lining.”
S: Son Volt’s The Search — both the album and its title song
T: Joss Stone says “Tell Me ‘Bout It”
U: “Umbrella,” by Rihanna — a song that is both funky and sweet.
V: Vintage — as in Amy Winehouse channels Motown and Stax-Volt on Back to Black, offering a legitimate reason to ignore her baggage.
W: Wilco and Lucinda Williams both release great discs and put on great live shows.
X: XPN is now the only broadcast radio station worth listening to, as the rest of the music world grows more and more formatted and satellite radio becomes more popular.
Y: Neil Young issues a live album of a 36-year-old concert and a new disc, Chrome Dreams II
Z: Zeppelin – that’s Led Zeppelin – reunites for a benefit concert and issues a new compilation.
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Hank Kalet 