Well I’m not here to review the film, today at least.

The DVD comes with a CD soundtrack of songs featured in the film and podcasts. One of the songs on the soundtrack is a song by a small psychedelic rock band from California called The Brian Jonestown Massacre. The song, “(David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six”, was a part of their 1996 album Take It From The Man. The song has a very strong, very thought orchestral quality that is absolutely stunning, and exactly the kind of song that belongs in the soundtrack of a movie. It makes me think of 70’s psychedelic acts that used lots of orchestral strings in their music. I got to say; this is the kind of thing that makes my ears bleed all over the place.

When I started to write up this article, I did some google searching, as any good writer should. The first thing that gets my attention is a result called “the BJM covers project”. Apparently, dedicated fans have been recording cover versions of their favorite BMJ songs, how sweet!

So today I have compiled four versions of this great song.

The original album cut by The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre – (David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six

Cover version, recorded by Paper Jones, also included on the Four Eyed Monsters soundtrack.

Paper Jones – (David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six

A fan recorded cover version by The Parking Lot Experiments

The Parking Lot Experiments – (David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six

A fan recorded cover version by The Koolaid Electric Company

The Koolaid Electric Company – (David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six

10 Wilco – Sky Blue Sky

like most great albums this one took a little while to grow on me. but i am glad i gave it the time, because i have definitely found some great gems on this album. if you love wilco already just listen and enjoy. if not i suggest you see them live, it will surely help you to appreciate this album. at least it did for me.

wilco – hate it here (removed 2/13/09)

9 Beirut – Flying Club Cup

balkan music at its best. seriously. if you have never listened to this one man band you are missing out. each track has just gorgeous horn and string arrangements, and condon’s voice accompanies the music so well.

beirut – in the mausoleum (removed 2/13/09)

8 Derek Webb – The Ringing Bell

easily the best christian album of the year. webb continues to write enjoyable pop candy that is not only enjoyable to listen to, but challenges out way of thinking at the same time. i cannot tell you enough how much i love this guy. oh and did i mention he is giving this album away for free?

derek webb – can’t be without you (removed 2/13/09)

7 Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

spoon has outdone themselves. by far the best that they have put together thus far. lots of intricate but simple instrumentation if that makes any sense at all. they didn’t try to hard, they have just taken what they do and brought it to the next level

spoon – you got yr cherry bomb (mp3 lost during a site crash 7/23)

6 The National – Boxer

Be patient with this one. It took a while before the national had a regular spot on my playlist, but once it got there it hasn’t left. Most of the songs on this album have very complex but very addicting rhythmic pattern. Give it a chance to entrance, for it surely will.

the national – fake empire (removed 2/13/09)

5 Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

Despite the loss of their co-founder, Mat Brooke, this stellar band not only managed to avoid the sophomore slump, but with their song “No One’s Gonna Love You” they managed to put together what is, in my humble opinion, the greatest song of 2007.

band of horses – no one’s gonna love you (removed 2/13/09)

4 Iron & Wine – The Shephard’s Dog

This is definitely one of those cases where change isn’t so bad. straying from his lo-fi acoustic roots, sam beam churns out another batch of songs that will last us a lifetime. it’s very rhythmic and has a much fuller sound than we’re used to, but it works.

iron & wine – flightless bird, american mouth (removed 2/13/09)

3 Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight

These former child stars have never sounded better. Lewis’ voice is as gorgeous as ever and Sennet’s guitar sounds like it has been in the 70′s for a while and came to show us a thing or two. An incredibly catchy album. Anything but a disappointment.

rilo kiley – give a little love (removed 2/13/09)

2 The Once Soundtrack

This incredible soundtrack to one of the best films of the year is a must. Glen Hansard (The Frames) and Marketa Irglova star in and provide the soundtrack to this modern day musical that tells the story of two people whose lives collide just once. Watch the movie and you will surely have to buy the album.

glen hansard & marketa irglova – when your mind’s made up (removed 2/13/09)

1 Feist – The Reminder

Leslie Feist has yet to let me down. I have loved everything that she had done so far. Especially this incredibly catchy album. Easily the record that I listened to the most this past year. It is infectious, once you start you can’t stop. Trust me.

feist – past in present (removed 2/13/09)

Honorable Mention: The Shins – Wincing the Nigh Away, Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests, Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha, Arcade Fire – Neon Bible

well i hope you enjoyed my list. and just to help clarify this list was based on a combo of what i thought was the best musically and lyrically and then also what i simply enjoyed and listened to the most. but still feel free to let me know if there are any albums that you felt should have been on the list. i am sure there are still some great ones that i missed.

also the plan is for this to be the first of many. i am starting a project of creating a list like this for every year dating back to the year i was born (1985). should be fun. until next time…