Mark Milian describes the best enhancement to iTunes one could ever hope for:

Music software has no way of knowing whether you like one song more than the previous, unless the user chooses to actively rate a track — thumb up in Pandora, 5-star picks in iTunes. Most people, I’d assume, don’t make the effort.

But you might find that many people, when they hear a song they like, will pump up the volume. Music services could listen to that, and take note for future instances of when it’s deciding what to play.

Do this, Apple. It would make iTunes loads smarter.

In addition to this recent discovery, the following have been in heavy rotation on my iTunes lately:

1. Miike Snow. Incredible album. All songs either 4- or 5-star rated. Standouts include Animal, Song for No One, Burial, and Faker. (previously on Smooth Harold)
2. Helio Sequence. With exception to the last two songs (boring), this is a lovely album. Hallelujah is the most awesome.
3. Kid Cudi. The non glamorous lyrics and futuristic beats are a breath of fresh air. Still, this is sometimes indulgent hip-hop. So I bought the clean version ‘cuz I’m like that (Hi, kids).
4. Empire of the Sun. Only half of this album is good (the first four songs plus the last). But man are they good.
5. Loscil. Mmm, space music. Excellent background sounds that still keep things interesting.

Honorable mention: Gregory Brothers, if only for their sweet auto-tune remix skills.

Jim Morrison may have gotten all the ladies. But keyboardist, songwriter, and back-up singer Ray Manzarek was the backbone of The Doors. Behold how he “holds the line” with his bass organ, while simultaneously rocking a solo and singing back-up. Groovy.

I honestly can’t tell. It’s that good. As is the entire $6 album. (Oh, and killer last name, guys.)

Like her daddy, I recently learned that my two-year old has a fetish for really good blues rock.

While listening to Band of Skulls on the way to St. George this weekend, Lindsey and Sadie weren’t as excited to hear the band. Meanwhile, I caught Maddie in a self-taught and deliberate headbang—she enjoyed it so much.

Rock. On.

It’s an album called Baby Darling Doll Face Honey by Band of Skulls. It costs $6 and is the most purely original rock and roll I’ve heard since, well, maybe Led Zeppelin.

Jack White, Jet, and Wolfmother may have reintroduced the world to blues rock this century. But the three-man Band of Skulls seems to have perfected it.

In a word, a revelation. (Thanks, David)

Similar to The Beatles, U2 is a quartet that’s both polarizing and overrated. You either love ‘em or you hate ‘em. As a member of the former group—although to a lesser extent now, as the ’80s and ’90s were kinder to the band than the last decade—these are the group’s best, most rocking, or otherwise most awesome compositions to date.

Achtung, baby!

In the wake of my 1901 cover, I also recorded the greatest ’80s one-hit wonder this month: The Promise by When in Rome. Enjoy it (mp3).

After a five year hiatus, I rediscovered multi-track recording this month. Here is my first new mp3 production, an “unplugged” cover of Phoenix’s 1901.

It was recorded in Garage Band with a cheap headset and USB guitar cable connected to my Epiphone acoustic/electric. Rock on! It’s good to be in the studio again.

After much mental torment, I’ve decided to name the best new bands of the last decade. For one to qualify, they must have met the following criteria: 1) be awesome; and 2) formed in the year 2000 or beyond (which excludes Spoon, Muse, and The Strokes for example).

With the power vested in me, I hereby announce the winners. (more…)