Week Of Juy 19th Update (or why we bash Sufjan)

The backlash begins. Music bloggers have built Sufjan Stevens into a godlike creature and now it's time to tear him down. Much of this criticism was brought on by the release of Avalanche and the recent article by Thomas Erlwhine here. Interesting articles for and against Sufjan from The Rawking Refuses To Stop!, Bows Plus Arrows, Parking Lot Cities.

Chromewaves has two posts deserving a mention. First he explores some of the ethical problems encountered when dealing with labels and secondly he refutes the New York Times piece about the demise of alt-country.

When a couple of us bloggers got together and started this endeavor there were skeptics and critics that said it would be biased and wouldn't work. We said they were wrong but they were actually right. It's impossible to be human and not be biased. So we're taking turns posting so that any bias is evened out by multiple posters. So I'll admit I'm biased towards Ramona Cordova. His record, The Boy Who Floated Freely, came out last year but apparently it's been reserviced to a handful of mp3 bloggers and more good press is rolling in for this amazing and underappreciated (although he's big in Europe) artist. Goodhodgkins has an excellent write up here. As does Songs To The Siren here (in French).

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More music news from the NY Times as they report on the graying of record stores - their owners and customers both. Bloggers don't get blamed directly but new media and the internet are mentioned as factors.

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If we all weren't ugly Americans...we could read some of the posts on these excellent foreign mp3 blogs:

La Bogotheque is one of the premier French mp3 blogs. The man behind this site has been putting up amazing mixtapes, championing underdog bands and of late producing concerts and off the wall videos. Check out his site and tell me you don't wish you could speak French.

More French blogs: Blog Up, David F, Songs To The Siren

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**New Kids On The Block (newish mp3 blogs that deserve your consideration, patronage and service)**

Cable and Tweed has consistently been bringing it since their inception in January of this year. Recent posts on Jon Auer, Arcade Fire and Kite Flying Society.

The Air Strange began in April 2006 and has been kicking it with a mix of indie news and touring info of particular interest to those in the Quad Cities. What's that you east coasters say. Well it's somewhere in the Midwest I think?!

This weeks rant by Craig from Songs:Illinois/Swedesplease

Week Of July 5 Update

Music Bloggers United -- A central resource for bloggers, artists, labels, and members of the press for navigating and utilizing the music blogosphere.

As we near the middle of the year, Mike over at Nothing But Green Lights gives a great wrap-up of his Top 6 mp3's of the Year (So Far). "Nothing But Green Lights presents the best 6 mp3's of the year so far. 6 months gone. 6 mp3s. Get them while they're hot (you have two weeks to consume)." From the heavily blogged about indiepop hit makers Voxtrot to some relatively unknown bands, Mike recaps some great music from the first half of 2006. Check out his January to June Mix as well.

Guess what, more halftime reviews. Can you guys believe it. Ryan over at GoodHodgkins has got his 7 Essential Albums for 2006. Some good records that seem to be appearing consistently show up and he has some samples for you as well.

At So Much Silence there is a great review of blogger favorite Band of Horses at the Rhythm Room. Some great pictures are up as well as some great jargon, namely "dude". Don't forget to also take a look at his thoughts and comparisons on the new Silversun Pickups record.

While Sixeyes needs no more publicity from little ol' MBU, they still had one of the great posts of the week when they wrote about the upcoming disc from Texas band The Theater Fire. And by great post I mean that the music is simply stellar. As a bonus the writing from new Sixeyes contributor David Ries is pretty fine too.

In the news we have the online SPIN talking about the impact of blogs, specifically related to movies.

Inside Bay Area talks about the impact of music blogs and online resources boosting record sales, making bands more accessable and the discovery of music.

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**New kids on the block (newish mp3 blogs that deserve your consideration, patronage and service)**

The beautiful thing about mp3 blogs is that you could start a blog about any genre, time period or even instrument (electric guitar blog, accordian blog, ukulele blog - hey that would be cool!). And while it may seem like everyone and their brother has a blog there are still gaping content holes to be filled. Or there were until these two blogs got started.

Destination: Out is the place for free jazz (no not jazz that you don't have to pay for although it is that too) but jazz that is based completely around improvisation. It's just starting but has already eclipsed anything else out there. As a change of pace many of the posts are written as a dialog between the two founders Chilly Jay Chill and Prof. Drew LeDrew.

Post Modern Sounds (In Country and Western Music) is alt-country and only alt-country day and night. They've just started and have a ways to go before they prove themselves reliable and here to stay but both have made a splash in their first few months onli.

It's shaping up to be a great musical year and a great year in the blogs.

Compiled with care by alex from Great Body of Water music blog.