Links: First Trimester

If you haven't noticed OTW is much more in tune with the parenting life than the fiscal or academic, so in lieu of noting quarters or semesters, we're doing trimesters here. We're a third of the way through 2007, so let's get self-referential and look at what we've got so far:

27 shows in 20 nights out on the town; 39+ bands seen in 20 different rooms to the tune of $419 spent on live music.

Top 5 shows of the year thus far (links for reviews, etc):

1. Freaks Ball VII @ Southpaw
2. Midlake, St. Vincent @ Bowery Ballroom
3. Do Make Say Think, Berg Sans Nipple @ Bowery Ballroom
4. Rose Hill Drive @ Mercury Lounge
5. Benevento/Mathis/Dillon @ Tap Bar

Tough to pick just 5 albums from the 25 or so 2007 releases I've amassed thus far, but here goes (note, these probably don't line up with previous ratings, sue me)

1. Do Make Say Think -- You, You're a History in Rust
   
2. Menomena -- Friend and Foe
   
3. The Arcade Fire -- Neon Bible
   
4. Apostle of Hustle -- National Anthem of Nowhere
   
5. Neil Young -- Live at Massey Hall

Plenty more to come!

A couple other randomish links for ya:

• The more netreading I do, the more things seem to seem interrelated. Here's Jesse Jarnow and Ethan Iverson writing separately and ably about two facets of similar problems vis-a-vis the music biz.
  
• Marco Benevento has his own site now with free music and everything!
• As we enter cap-and-robe season, check these words from DFW.

S'all!