Last week, I touched briefly on an issue that I think is important notation.  Satellite radio has had a relatively short lifespan thus far, and it appears that, given the issues surrounding the troubled company (merged recently with a competing company, XM), its life could soon be coming to an end.  I was an early adopter of the service (Sirius), but even then I was skeptical that it had much of a life beyond a being a satisfying portable solution to terrestrial radio.  Its best moments were as you traveled.  It occupied your droning travel-times with programming that catered to a specific interest.  The finest moment of the service was the signing of Howard Stern, again, a move that I then predicted would be a temporary one for the King of All Media.  (I STILL predict that Stern will triumphantly return to terrestrial radio.  I’ve a feeling that his ability to ‘freely’ entertain without fear of restraint was a joy that dissipated long ago.  Much more fun to test the limits of the FCC decency laws in an open market.)

Selected radio channels found on Sirius at the time of its incept did not have the advent of smartphones like the ubiquitous iPhone, or its competitors, the Blackberry Storm, Google’s (T-Mobile) G1, or the upcoming Pre (Pilot).  Now, with evolving services in the form of applications for those phones, there is increasingly less and less room for Sirius and XM services.  With their recently debt problems refusing to disappear, and an unwanted takeover on the horizon, Sirius/XM is currently attempting to negotiate a deal to not only avoid bankruptcy but also to avoid falling into the hands of Echostar, who currently holds $175M in bonds due it by Sirius/XM next week.  In addition to that, Sirius/XM is gasping for air under a $3.25B debt that is unlikely to go away as its market share erodes due to the very element discussed above.

I own an iPhone.  Recently, I bought an app for a one-time fee of $5.99, which affords me the ability to listen to not only radio from all over the entire world, but also internet stations that cater to even more zeroed in musical tastes than I could get on Sirius/XM.  In addition, there are free applications that allow for Pandora streaming, Wolfgang’s Vault (specific concerts from the past by many, many bands), Slacker radio, Shoutcast, FlyCast, and more.  As phones become more sophisticated and integrate more fully into our lives (and they will), we will have a pocket-sized device that will deliver more than Sirius/XM could ever deliver.  All this is still a few years away but as I watch my stock holding of Sirius/XM dwindle to nothing in worth, I have to realize that there is a reason for its dime-a-share valuation.  It doesn’t have much of a future.

In posts past, I recommended that Sirius/XM attempt to shore up their programming by working with all of the terrestrial radio markets in an attempt to provide (for an additional fee) favourite hometown feeds for those of us who miss our favourites (I listen to WXRT93 and WLS94.7).  But now, with the iPhone app (Wunder Radio – BUY this, folks, it’s more than worth the minimal cost and yields a mountain of pure enjoyment), you can enjoy this feature in the car, at work, anywhere you want.  As more unique apps get designed for these phones, expect to see Sirius-like functionality for literally no extra cost. 

This is why I’m concerned for Sirius/XM (and my stock holdings of the company) longevity.  I’m afraid the company is destined for DirecTV integration (or something like it unless it can innovate further).  But I am happy that my ability to enjoy Sirius/XM-like content has not been hampered and will likely expand as smartphones become more prevalent.  Just wait until live TV is available on these things (it’ll be coming – count on it).  Bad times/good times ahead.  But consumers always seem to come out ahead.

See you on Monday with more.

Before we go, MajorDomo Records has provided a free Von Bondies MP3 from their Love, Hate, And Then There's You (Released Feb 3). The band is beginning a support tour now so be sure to check out when they'll be near you. The song supplied is "Pale Bride" and can be downloaded at the link provided. In addition, there is a streaming video of the song as well. We hope that you'll enjoy the song and thank MajorDomo Records for providing the links.

For the long promised Albums You MUST Hear Before You Die! list (#37), I will be posting a letter each post until exhausted (there were only 17 21 25 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 40 emails).  Some were only a few titles, some only one.  But there were more than a few that were massive and a few extended, well-detailed lists.  I’ll post them as I received them.  For today's post, it's a short list with commentary.

Kate Bush - The Hounds of Love
There is a lot to say about this record and none of it can be said without hyperbole. Kate Bush's career served as the spring board for a generation of highly acclaimed female musician who rose to prominence in the 90's.  The Hounds of Love (and it's related b-sides) is the best example of what Kate Bush was all about.  It is not her best album but it the record that best represents her.  Side one is chocked full of her most "pop" songs to date and side two is collectively known as "The Ninth Wave" which is much like Dark Side of the Moon or side two of Abbey Road in that it is a collected suite of songs of varying styles and tempos that are all connected.

The Cure - Seventeen Seconds & Faith
This is bleak stuff but in a good way.  These two records are still the best expressions feelings futility and ennui that I have heard. Each album has a song or two that has been elivated to "greatest hits" status but they aren't why I recomend these albums.  On the Seventeen Seconds, A Forest is the gem and on Faith the title track sums it all up.  Back in the mid 80s these two records were combined by Sire Records in the US on one CD as Happily Ever After.  Warning:  Prolonged exposure to the Cure's Happily Ever After will probably result in a long bout of clinical deparession or possibly even suicide. 

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Pyschocandy
The descritpion of the Jesus and Mary Chain's sound on this album is best put in the words form the liner notes "chainsaws in a wind tunnel".  Even though heavy on distorted guitar this record never comes across as anything remotely close to Metal or Punk.  The combination of distortion, psychedelic mood and surf guitar melodies was truly unique when this came out and you can hear the infulence in all the "shoegazer" bands of the late 80's and early 90's.

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
Speaking of "shoegazer"...Loveless is the benchmark of the genre.  It sounds alot like noise but there are great melodies and pop hooks in there that make this a great record.  This record takes the ol' Phil Spectre "Wall of Sound" idea to new extremes and is totally original in it's execution.  Reportedly this album took most of a year to record and bankrupted Creation records and broke up the the band (and personal relationship of Kevin Shields and Belinda Buthcer.  That is one extreme committment to your art.

Love and Rockets - Express  
Former members of pioneering Goth band Bauhaus go psychedelic and cover a soul classic to boot.  Their cover of Ball of Confusion on the US release of Express was a huge hit in clubs catering to the college radio crowds in the mid 80's.   Side one goes from from a soft saxaphone intro into a hard driving punk mood and then puts you into a song that compares transcendental meditation to a journey by train (complete with the sounds of a chugging locomotive which become the opening guitar riff).  The song All in My Mind is on here twice, once as an up-beat accoustic based ditty and again dramatically slowed down with a substituted minor chord to provide exactly the opposite feeling.  I know this has been done before (Think the Beatles' Revolution) but it is used to great dramatic effect on Express.

The Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions
I never knew the history of the recording sessions for this album until I got the Trinity Revisited cd/dvd earleir this year but now that I know how this record came about it make me appreciate the original that much more.  This is a great collection of original songs so insprired choices for cover songs all performed pretty much the same way but to great affect.  Margo Timmins has a voice perfect for singing just above a whisper and it works perfectly on the songs on this album.  Also, after Oliver Stone used the Cowboy Junkies version of Sweet Jane in his movie Natural Born Killers I can never quite see Woody Harelson and Juliette Lewis in the same way again.

I could go on and on adding albums to this list but I'll leave it at this.  

We're going to keep the Best Album of ALL Time up for a long while as we continually update it. But I'll say this: The Beatles took the lead with not only The White Album but also the fact that they have been selected with two albums. Like The Albums You MUST Hear Before You Die! run, which does not show signs of stopping (I'm still getting emails, which I have no problem with and encourage - Send Them In), I'm hoping that this new thing stays strong. Send in your selection (one only, please) for the album that is the ruler of all.

If you have missed the last As The Disc Spins (updated), check it out here.

To access the previous site and catch up, click here.

Bill Bruford fans can be happy to know that Alliance Entertainment will reissue four classic Bruford albums in very Limited Edition LP. The albums are Feels Good to Me, Gradually Go Tornado, One of a Kind, and Rock Goes to College. These albums, which will list for $26.98, will be available on April 18 on 180g vinyl. Note that there will ONLY be 500 copies of each title so DO NOT hesitate if you're of a mind to snag one of these long OoP (Out of Print) Bill Bruford selections.

Reprise Records will release a Chris Isaac title called Mr Lucky on February 24.  It’s just around the corner.

429 Records will release Blue Again! from Mick Fleetwood on March 17.

Previously, we have alerted you to a CD release by Clem Snide (Hungry Bird – February 4).  429 Records will also now issue an LP version of the album on February 24.

Rhino, in conjunction with Reprise Records, will release a collected ‘best of’ for Filter.  Filled with 14 tracks, several of them radio-edits, this collection will also contain four songs that were only previously available on soundtracks (“Jurasitol,” “(Can’t You) Trip Like I Do,” “One (Is The Loneliest Number),” “Thanks Bro”).  The album will be called Filter: The Very Best Things (1995-2008) and is expected from Rhino Records on March 24.

Warner Brothers will release a debut Country title from John Rich called Son of a Preacher Man, a title scheduled for March 24.

Roadrunner Records will release Made in Hong Kong (And in Various Other Places) by Nightwish on March 24.

Capitol Records will release the new album by The Decemberists called The Hazards of Love, which is planned for March 24.  The album will also be released on Limited Edition LP in a Deluxe gatefold, 180g vinyl.

DO NOT forget to check out those special Collector Editions of 2CD and 2CD/DVD (Limited Edition) albums from Radiohead.  The titles being released for the Definitive purpose are Pablo Honey (1993), The Bends (1995), and OK Computer (1997).  These are all scheduled for March 24.  Save all of your pennies…ALL of them.

Ill Communication (199x) by The Beastie Boys is being re-mastered and reissued with an bonus disc of re-mastered B-Sides and rarities.  This album will also be released as a 2LP (180g) gatefold set.  Ill Communication will be released by Capitol Records on March 24.

Blue Note Records will release He and She by Wynton Marsalis, his fifth for the label, on March 24.

Punk-Rock band MXPX will release a 12-track album of covers from bands like U2 (“I Will Follow”), The Go-Gos (“Vacation”), Belinda Carlisle (“Heaven is a Place on Earth”), The Clash (“Should I Stay or Should I Go”), amongst others.  The album will be called On the Cover II (yes, they did this back in 1995).  It is scheduled by Tooth & Nail Records for March 24.

The Derek Trucks Band has released a fine album, Already Free. Well known for his many participations, Derek Trucks has a ton of cred in this music. Mark Squirek provides an in-depth review of the new album.

Normally, I don’t get all giddy and excited about a single album, but this self-titled debut release by the interestingly named The Pains of Being Pure at Heart has got my music interest greatly piqued.  I’m having a tendency to pair this with some great albums that originated from NYC bands in the past, particularly the raucous and energetic Rock of the late ‘70s.  And this album just does it all over again for me.  It makes me remember why I love Rock n Roll in the first place.  Yes, I’m that excited about this album AND this band.  I can’t wait to see them live!