The Rob Gordon Shuffle, 10.22.06

Saw Marie Antoinette and The Departed. Enjoyed both. Departed was pretty much fantastic and Marie was just “very good” — the new wave soundtrack was a little distracting, but I liked Kirsten Dunst in it. It was beautifully shot. My girlfriend didn’t really like it, though, so I don’t know what to tell you. There’s an inadvertantly hilarious scene with a Strokes song that’s probably worth the price of admission.

Laurie & John – “Ten Years Ago Today”: mp3
When John Stiratt isn’t playing bass in America’s best band (remember them?) or singing/songwriting for one of America’s other best bands, he plays country-tinged folk songs with his sister. This is one of them.

Olivia Tremor Control – “A Familiar Noise Called Train Director”: mp3
Neutral Milk Hotel might have produced the best album of all the Elephant 6 bands, but the weirdest and most wonderful overall was the Olivia Tremor Control. This song is a perfect encapsulation of the band’s greatness: it rivals the Beatles in songwriting and performance, but with a rabid experimentalist bent and, unlike its peers, the sonic dexterity to pull it off.

Yo La Tengo – “Tears Are in Your Eyes”: mp3
I’m not so hot on their new album, but remember that brief, shining moment when Yo La Tengo was the best band in the world? I do. And Then Nothing remains the best — and saddest — album of this decade.

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The Rob Gordon Shuffle is a weekly Sunday rundown of fascinating songs and albums without any particular regard to genre or timeliness. It is absolutely not a top 5.