During the recording sessions for Splash, Jeremy Jay came through NYC from London for a short solo set to ‘air out’ some of his new songs while he was in the midst of recording. It is always cool to hear new songs in their working form before they hit the record and this was a whole set of new in-progress material. Very cool.

This is probably the first ever live take on “This Is Our Time”, as performed solo here last November, from the new album.

Download: Jeremy Jay – This Is Our Time (Live)

Top 20 Releases of 2000-2009

These might not be the most important or groundbreaking releases per se but these are simply the records that have become stalwarts in my music heavy rotation that purr along with classics from the 80s and 90s.

1. Dean and Britta – L’ Avventura (2002)
2. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours (2008)
3. Cinerama – This is Cinerama (2000)
4. Modest Mouse – Moon Over Antartica (2000)
5. Lungfish – Love is Love (2003)
6. Ian Brown – Music of the Spheres (2002)
7. Belle & Sebastian – The Life Pursuit (2006)
8. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone – Etiquette (2006)
9. Tindersticks – Hungry Saw (2009)
10. The Natural History – The Natural History EP (2002)
11. Low – Trust (2002)
12. The Legends – Facts and Figures (2007)
13. Jeremy Jay – Slow Dance (2009)
14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever to Tell (2003)
15. Child Ballads – Cheekbone Hollows EP (2008)
16. The Postal Service – Give Up (2003)
17. Calla – Scavengers (2000)
18. Blonde Redhead – Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons (2000)
19. The Kills – Midnight Boom (2008)
20. Ladytron – Velocifer (2008)

Top 20 Concerts of Decade

These are the shows that most emblazoned on my retinas for whatever reason. For instance, The Modest Mouse show was soon after 911 and featured huge projections of buildings collapsing in reverse while MM performed songs from the epic celestial themed “Moon over Antarctica”.

Here is my top 20 best shows, and whenever there is any supporting evidence, I link to it. Enjoy.

1. Lungfish – Southpaw, NY, NY (2005)
2. Laibach – The Town Hall, NY, NY (2007)
3. Flin Flon – Luna Lounge, NY, NY (2002)
4. Fever Ray – Webster Hall, NY, NV (2009)
5. I AM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER – CBGBs, NY, NY (2002)
6. Final CBGB shows (New York Dolls, Vandals, Dead Boys, Offspring, Circle Jerks, etc) – CBGBs, NY, NY (2005)
7. The 3 Terrors (The Magnetic Fields) – various, NY, NY (1999 – 2005)
8. The Tindersticks – Brooklyn Masonic Temple, NY, NY (2009)
9. Dean and Britta (performing Galaxy 500), The Zipper Room, NY, NY (2008)
10. The Child Ballads – Knitting Factory, NY, NY (2007)
11. THE PATTERN – MAXWELLS, HOBOKEN, NJ (2003)
12. Freeheat – Brownies, NY, NY (2002)
13. Wire – South Street Seaport, NY, NY (2007)
14. THE FALL – KNITTING FACTORY, NY, NY (2003)
15. Siouxsie – Irving Plaza, NY, NY (2008)
16. FischerSpooner/Peaches – Terminal 5, NY, NY (2003)
17. MODEST MOUSE/THE SHINS – IRVING PLAZA, NY, NY (2001)
18. MAKE UP – THE COOLER, NY, NY (2000)
19. 7 Seconds – Webster Hall, New York City, NY (2009)
20. Suicide – Europa, Brooklyn, NY (2008)

I am actually pretty shocked that he isn’t being touted more loudly especially since Jeremy Jay is based out of LA, which, as far as I can tell, isn’t exactly teeming with great bands these days, and therefore, I imagine, would rise pretty quickly in a shallow field. Whatever the case, I hope “Slow Dance” gets its due so that Jeremy Jay returns soon to New York for a victory lap or two.

Download: Jeremy Jay – Slow Dance (Live)