1. The Winter – Cake – New York Mag gave this song a shout out, and I can see why but I find them very middlebrow stuff. I caught em ipening for Counting Crows around the start of their career and they were excellent, still they are like Fountains Of Wayne -distinct, tasteful, boring. By the way, Christmas is in Autumn not Winter. Grade: B

2. Banned From The Roxy – Jeffrey Lewis – I love this guy, it's like he takes out his diary, sticks in a ton of scabrous thoughts, throws it in the air, shoots it and then makes it rhyme. Grade: A

3.Clean Slate – M. Ward _ have so little to say about this guy, except really maybe I underestimate him. Grade: B+

4.Man Out Of Time – Elvis Costello – I could make a case for this song being El's greatest achievement. Bit not this recent live version because he shows zero subtlety in the vocal, whiich was originally almost a secret conspiratorial whisper and here is all bombast and bullshit. Grade: B

5. Roman Reloaded – Nicki Minaj – Killer rap, all her rap stuff on the new album is good. Grade:A-

6. Mr. Hyde – Halestorm – I wish the singer was a touch better but this does what it does, old times 80s glam metal, very well. Grade: B+

7.Unspeakable – Ace Of Base – Ace of base are to Abba what the Archies are to the Beatles. But this ain't terrible synth dance pop. Grade: B

8.Devin – Masochist – Glam rock modern tale – Grade: B+

9. Leftovers – Jarvis Cocker – Best warning to a girl he likes: "He says he wants to make love to you, but shouldn't that be with?"

10. Return Of The Grievous Angel – Counting Crows – Awful, awful. Poor Gram – Grade: C