No, not about something serious like a job or social security or even the oh-so-vital to MY life Michael Jackson and Tom/Katie brohahas, but rather... what record to listen to first? So, the other day when I came back from vacation (mom and dad say hi, by they way), I opened the mail and found myself in a serious dilemma... given the choice of Coldplay, Oasis, White Stripes, Foo Fighters, and Teenage Fanclub (ok, well, that's probably only me) - WHICH CD DO YOU LISTEN TO FIRST? I mean, I love all these bands, and have been eagerly awaiting all... do you dig in to hear the brothers Gallagher that supplied one with so many essential moments of bravado in the mid-90s, or is it time to scrutinize Chris Martin's lyrics, searching for Apple/Gwyneth odes? Do you dissect the country/rock/soul/punk darkness of Jack and Meg, or the 'this is gonna be our best album ever' Foos? Or in my case, do you let your 15 year obsession with old friends Teenage Fanclub (if it's not Scottish it's crap!) overrule the sense of work.... and the answer is - White Stripes. To me they seem like the band out of this list that is the most committed to totally going for it and trying to grow their art - and where Coldplay is often correctly criticized for overthinking and the Foos are perhaps guilty of the opposite, TFC is busy being willfully obscure and Oasis is desperate to stay away from obscurity, the Stripes could care less about all that stuff. I am convinced that Jack White could make a new album every other week if he felt like it (in fact, be on the lookout for the upcoming Racountouers album - basically it's Jack and Brendan Benson) and beat Ryan "Mr. Parker Posey" Adams at his own trick - but instead he just rolls tape in some tiny UK studio for a few weeks and comes back to deliver us both to and from evil with his latest batch of tunes - from the falsetto driven "Blue Orchid" to the insistent "Doorbell," through moods and style jumps none of the others on this list can deliver, the Stripes open a book you gotta keep reading and re-reading to let it all sink in. All these albums are very good (I know now that I've gotten to listen to each a few times) but only the White Stripes take you on a journey and leave you in a place you've never been before...



... one more thing - damn if there ain't some great rock and roll coming thru town this month! I missed Spoon at the TLA, but got back to town in time to see the excellent Maximo Park (fans off Franz or Blur - take note!), two nights later Sloan kicked my ass more than they have in years (so much so I caught them again two nights later in NYC), then I came back for more last night to see the Dears (speaking of Blur, and Love, and - I don't know, they are totally unique and amazing), and will surely be heading out on Friday to catch Bettie Serveert ... all four shows at the North Star. Then it's Bloc Party, Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Oasis - damn if this ain't a great time for Alt Rock... too bad we don't have a radio station to hear it on... well, still working on that - and some bright lights on the horizon point to good things happening soon... stay tuned...



Jim Mcguinn