So I WAS going to grace this wonderful blog with a Jerry Blackbird especial , if you will. It was adequately named “Daaaaang…2007 has been good to us so far!” and it was going to be ahh-mazing. A tantalizing and inspiring look into the 5 best releases of 2007 so far, by yours truly. Not only a conversation starter for young and old; but also a probable first step in resolving the Israeli/Palestinian peace conflict. Which would have resulted in the Nobel Peace Prize that Gypsy at Glastonbury told me I was going to win this year. But I’m sorry, Planet Earth, the Nobel Peace Price will have to wait for Jerry Blackbird. Because, like swimming through seaweed with a hard-on, that task was next to impossible to do it with any grace.

I mean, what’s the point of me telling you how good Icky Thump, Neon Bible and Sound of Silver are? You all know this. Like the time Grandpa announced to the table that he crapped himself at Thanksgiving Dinner, We Know Grandpa….we can smell it. Now finish eating your turkey and stuffing through a straw, so Mom can bleach the seat cushions…..again.

Instead, I have decided to give the gift of the following 5 releases that you (the reader/student) may not have heard of, listened to yet or cared about until now.

Here they are: buy em, burn em, rip em, download em…...shit man I don’t care. Just give em a listen if you haven’t yet. Otherwise I’m sending Gramps over to your place with a box of Raisin Bran, a bottle of milk and some candy. And by candy, I mean laxatives.

1. Shout Out Louds – ‘Our Ill Wills’

It flows like an Arcade Fire album, sounds like The Cure and is one of the best front to back album listens I can remember in ages and ages and ages…....

2. Alberta Cross – ‘The Thief and The Heartbreaker’

This London 3 piece has a Folk, Gospel, Blues with an Americana thing going on. And I love every second of it. Look for them Stateside in early ‘08.

3. The National – ‘Boxer’

Lets be honest, this is simply heroin music…like my boys, The Black Angels. But it good and if I don’t listen to it twice a day, I start itching my neck and fore arms while shaking heavily. True story.

4. The Kissaway Trail – ‘The Kissaway Trail’

Probably the gayest name I’ve ever heard, and I should get my ass kicked for putting it up here. But its good, damnit. Note: I changed their name in my Ipod to “Naked chicks, Football and Beer” just in case someone came across it on my ‘Most Frequently Played’ playlist.

5. Good Shoes – ‘Think Before You Speak’

Kinda remind me of Arctic Monkeys (before they were the most overrated band in the world). But catchy and good nonetheless.

You are welcome, children.

Blackbird out.