Mondays are tough. Mondays following a holiday weekend are very tough. And Mondays following the most excruciatingly gluttonous American holiday in existence are downright impossible. So on that note, I'm going to skip all the hobnobbing today, simply roll over (slowly) and give you the straight up, punch-in-the-face, Monday edition of Around the Horn headlines ...
Recently I told you about legendary DJ Nic Harcourt, who stepped down as music director at Santa Monica’s KCRW. The L.A. Times’ Pop & Hiss blog recently profiled Harcourt’s replacement at the station, music director Jason Bentley.
The holiday gift guides for music lovers are now popping out like flies … Latest to hit the online air waves include Paste’s Holiday Gift Guide, as well as a handful of album recommendations for your musical friends and family picked out by the staff of the UK’s Times Online.
With the best of holiday times also come the worst. The Chicago Tribune has put together a list of the bottom fodder of the holiday soundscape.
Amazon.com has announced it is offering its 50 bestselling mp3 albums for a mere $5.
Pitchfork announced it is giving away a free iPod to one lucky winner as part of its promotional push for the recently released Pitchfork 500 book.
Stanley Donwood, who has become known as the man behind the Radiohead artwork over the years, can now add record label owner to his resume.
More top album lists of 2008 to announce… Uncut and Mojo both released their top 50 this past week.
Oasis’ Noel Gallagher put together a compilation of his own tastes for iTunes. 
The always interesting and entertaining Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello sat still long enough to talk with the Irish Independent.
The New Pornographers’ frontman Carl Newman talked with ChartAttack recently about what the band is currently doing.
NPR posted a nice article about what one independent musician is doing to rise above the crowd.
The Chicago Tribune profiled musicians who were inspired by nature.
Feel like a good cry? Check out Yahoo! Music's Rock’s Backpages blog to hear the "20 most heartbreaking songs of all time".
The Pitchfork Readers Poll is now open through December 7th.
Superdrag has announced they will release a new record in March.
MSN has launched a music service to help unsigned bands break in the UK.
Pitchfork reviews The Decemberists’ Always a Bridesmaid EP.
Some new tunes were added recently to the Grammy Hall of Fame. New additions include classics by Jimi Hendrix, The Police and Stevie Wonder, among others.
Happy Monday all – as always, comments are welcome.
December 1, 2008 at 10:56pm by gunky
I'm disappointed to hear Nic Harcourt is done at KCRW. I've been listening to his "Sounds Eclectic" show (via podcast) for a couple years and really enjoyed it. Does he have a new venture up his sleeve that I can go looking for? I wonder if his replacement will continue with Sounds Eclectic?
My comments above notwithstanding, my $.02 on the blog is that I'm more interested in the local music aspects (coming shows, CD releases, etc.) than the larger picture of music news. I've made it out to at least a few shows after reading about them here. I'd hate to see that aspect slide.
December 1, 2008 at 11:03pm by Jeremy Petersen
Harcourt's always set a standard of sorts, to be sure, and I've been a listener myself over the years. Still, given what is apparently his final Top Ten of the year at KCRW, dare I say he seems to be losing his edge? The proof may be in the pudding:
http://kcrwmusicnews.vox.com/library/post/nic-harcourts-top-ten-albums-of-2008.html
Some solid enough albums, I suppose, but a Top Ten for 2008?
No worries, Gunky, I'm just glad we have a few more contributors around these days. Something of a slow week, by Portland standards at least, but we'll always keep the local highlights coming.
December 5, 2008 at 6:47am by toribio
querel es podel gracis
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