The year is coming to a close and, like all procrastinators, I am late on my "Best of" duties. Nevertheless, 2007 was a jam-packed year full of great music. With some very welcome returns, some flops, and some breakout contenders, 2007 was a testament to the ever-changing, ever-exciting musical atmosphere. Anyway, here it is... The Best of 2007: 1. Feist – The Reminder There is a reason that Feist has become as popular as......

I've always been intrigued by other "best of" lists, but this year I decided to take it to a whole new level. I e-mailed a handful of bands that I've seen this past year in order to unearth what exactly captivated them in '07. As music listeners, it is our duty to take a keen interest in our favorite musician's influences. After all, they rocked our little world, might as well see what rocked their......

Last year we did a lot of Best Of lists, and this year we are on a roll to eclipse the quantity and quality of last year. One thing I have noticed is there seems to be two ways to do a Best Of list. You can do a politically correct one for the hipsters and cynics - which is boring and a lie. Or you can keep it real and talk about how......

I've always been intrigued by other "best of" lists, but this year I decided to take it to a whole new level. I e-mailed a handful of bands that I've seen this past year in order to unearth what exactly captivated them in '07. As music listeners, it is our duty to take a keen interest in our favorite musician's influences. After all, they rocked our little world, might as well see what rocked their......

If you totally dug the soundtrack to American Beauty (not the orchestral score by Thomas Newman, which is amazing too), then you must know that KCRW DJ Chris Douridas was behind it. His choices in music for that movie led to a Grammy nomination, but that is only one of many movies and accomplishments under his belt. As a DJ, Douridas hosts New Ground on Saturdays at noon for three hours. In September, we......

This week we have been spotlighting KCRW djs and their favorite cds of this year. Yesterday we gave you Liza Richardson, before that Nic Harcourt and Tom Schnabel. This morning we bring you Anne Litt's list. Anne of course is the host of The A Track, and hers is the first list to include the Arcade Fire's Neon Bible. Let's see what else struck her fancy as we continue our parade of KCRW dj's......

It's a dream date for fans of Canadian songstress Feist and Austin's Spoon. Feist is just now making her break on the world stage, with a little help from Uncle Steve. But anyone with an ear to the Toronto indie rock scene could hear her coming ever since her solo debut, Monarch, was released on the heels of By Divine Right's "Bless This Mess" Tour (she was their rhythm guitarist). For most of this......

Austin-fave Spoon is coming to town for three shows next week and LAist has two pairs of tickets for all of you fans that love bouncing to Gimme Fiction. If you’d like to get access to the SOLD OUT show on September 11 at the Henry Fonda Theater, just tell us your favorite lyric from any track (e.g., My boots are on the mend/And they ain't walking home from "Black Like Me") on the......

I have been out of LA for about 5 weeks now for work in a sleepy Nor Cal town. So needless to say I have been a bit out of the loop. A few things I do know: first and foremost, the new Spoon album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is pretty fuckin brilliant; I also know that Spoon played a "secret" show at Little Radio the previous night and it was quite the......

LAist has been a little Spoon crazy lately, but there is lots to go Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga over. Their once secret show for Monday night is no longer secret and the special golden ticket you could get through buying their album at Amoeba are now going on sale. So if you want to get down to Little Radio on Monday night for the Spoon show, click here and see them before they......

Looking for new music to check out? Well look no further. LAist is giving you the 411 on what's moving up and down our playlists. Lisa, Music Editor: The Bees (U.S.) - High Society Kind Hearts and Coronets - Rampart Castle Joan As Police Woman - Real Life Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga The 88 - Kind of Light Tony, Editor: Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond Kayne West - Can't Tell Me Nothin......

It's been a busy week in the world of Spoon. The biggest news, of course, is that they released their new album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga on Tuesday. Then next Monday, the band will perform an intimate show for the first 150 or so people who purchased their new CD at Amoeba Hollywood. According to a Little Radio myspace bulletin sent last week, it appears their venue will be hosting the exclusive event:......

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge) Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta! (Side One Dummuy) Mark Ronson - Version (RCA) Oh No! Oh My! - Between The Devil And The Sea (Dim Mak) Gravy Train!!!! - All the Sweet Stuff (Cochon Records) Danzig - The Lost Tracks of Danzig (Evilive) The Monkees - Headquarters [DELUXE EDITION] (Rhino) Chris & Rich Robinson - Brothers of a Feather: Live at the Roxy (Eagle) They Might......

Amoeba Music announced this week that the first 150 people to purchase Spoon's new release, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, on July 10 will receive admission to a "secret show" by the band on July 16. Though it's hard to imagine the show being much of a secret after the attention Amoeba Hollywood has received since last week's free Paul McCartney show, it continues to cement their reputation as one of the coolest record......