Every so often we overlook a CD in the year that it was released and, thusly, do not include it in our annual Best of List. Well, I recently purchased Bon Iver’s 2008 release, “For Emma, Forever Ago” and feel like I have FDA recalled eggs all over my face. I think I was scared off by all the hype surrounding it’s creation. Apparently, Justin Vernon broke up with his “band” of 10 years and spent 3 lonely months in his father’s hunting cabin in Northern Wisconsin and produced this record. Unlike Thoreau, Vernon didn’t spend his time itemizing his expenses but rather laying out his soul.

He sings in a soulful falsetto that reminds me of Kyp Malone from TV on the Radio and John Jacob Niles with a lot of M. Ward thrown into the mix. The good news is that he toured as a guitarist with Philistine favorites The Rosebuds, and is currently contributing tracks to the new Kanye West CD. How’s that for Indie cred?

In sad time machine music news, Michael Been has passed away from an apparent heartattack at a music festival in Belgium. Been was not there performing with his great 80s band, The Call, but instead managing his son’s band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. I owned 2 The Call albums, “Modern Romans” and “Into the Woods,” and I still get pumped when I play “The Walls Came Down” even though it had nothing to do with Ronnie’s challenge to Gorby.

One of the reasons The Call may not have enjoyed huge popularity was the serious existentialism of Been’s lyrics. Been even assumed his own lack of commercial success when he sought advice from a bandmate. “I was writing these songs and I said, ‘God, I don’t think anybody wants to hear this stuff,’ and he said, ‘Well, do it anyway.’ So, I’ve been going on his advice ever since.” You’ll be missed, Mr. Been.

Did we see the greatest rock band in America on Tuesday night? I don’t know, ask Stephen King. He described Marah as “probably the best rock band in America that nobody knows. Marah is great in the scat, bop, and jive way.” All right, so King was hit by car. Still, Marah really did put on a helluva good show. Tons of energy, drunken or otherwise. So what if they change lineups more often than Spinal Tap, Dave Bielanko is still putting out top shelf music. Their new CD, “Life is a Problem” came out in June. Pick it up when you see them live, and beware of creepy looking writers in the room.

Finally picked up the new Teenage Fanclub CD, “Shadows,” and, as per usual, the lads don’t disappoint. Not a wee bit. The Fannies are touring the states as well. So be on the lookout. Also, pre-order Jenny Lewis’ new project Jenny and Johnny. You won’t be disappointed.

Our editorial board was not really paying attention to the contrived controversy of the proposed building of a mosque/community center near the site of the former Twin Towers until MacArthur Genius Grant non-recipient Sarah Palin weighed in. Speaking as if she’d conferred with Wade Gustafson and Stan Grossman, Palin made the outrageous claim that this wasn’t a good deal. Aw, jeez.

Palin logic says that if the 100 mosques already in NYC didn’t generate enough good spirit to prevent 9/11, then what good will a 101st do? Maybe she’s correct. Note to Vatican: stop building churches in Europe! They don’t work.

If we are going to take PalinBrain – the fun game for the whole family, even Levi (short for Leviticus, by the way) – to its logical conclusion, then we must immediately halt the construction of a proposed water park in New Orleans. I’m mean, really, isn’t that just rubbing it in? Are they going to have a pool with plywood boards thrown in for people to use as flotation devices? How about contests of how many people can stand on a roof as the water level rises? Bobbing for zombies?

I guess while we’re at it we should tear down all of the Mexican restaurants near the Alamo. No more black and white cookies sold at the Starbuck’s in Gettysburg. No more gingerbread men at Donner’s Pass. We could go on, but we shan’t.

Lost in all of the venting about a peaceful place of worship slash community and recreation center is that Ground Zero is already host to a strip club. “NEVER FORGET – Totally NUDE!” How’s that for honoring the victims? Do the Republicans really want to win back the House of Representatives? Really? Sure doesn’t seem that way.

Here’s the sitch: I’m developing a grown up comedy with Playground Productions and I want Fred Armisen to star. He’d be perfect! In fact, he could probably play every role and be the new Tony Randall, Eddie Murphy or Mike Myers. But preferably he’d be good.

The movie is based on an unperformed sketch I wrote for the Miracle Players before my sister fired me. Not bitter he said as he washed down his Vicadin with some Ketel One. Not sure why I got to thinking about this “concept” (“we need funding to make it an idea”), but I did and Fred Armisen popped a wheelie in my skull.

Don’t know Fred and I’m not about to research his reps. However, I’m hoping that he’s a vainglorious celebrity who googles his own name incessantly. Therefore: Fred Armisen, Fred Armisen, Fred Armisen.

Let’s make magic.

Colbert puts our minds at ease again. You’re welcome.

Cartoon-loving NY Times film critic A.O. Scott had the unenviable task of having to review a grown up movie, Christopher Nolan’s “Inception.” Scott’s tepid review is based on his premise that the plot needs to be taken literally. He’s admits to feeling uneasy at the beginning of the film because of what he perceives to be an awkward time shift. As if one were in a dream?

His lazy review goes on to criticize the film for sharing the same actor and a similar plot development as Martin Scorcese’s “Shutter Island.” While Leonardo DiCaprio is outstanding in both movies, you will not feel cheated by the ending of “Inception” that you may have felt from “Shutter Island.”

“Inception” works because, as Christopher Nolan has explored in all of his movies, perception and memory are not reliable. Unlike “Memento,” “Insomnia” and “The Prestige” however, we as an audience don’t know what our protagonist does not know. Is Cobb dreaming the entire time? Is someone else? And like most dreams which don’t follow a linear plot, shouldn’t we be more concerned with signs and symbols than the plausibility of what is happening?

My only criticism of the film is that Ken Watanabe’s English was a major challenge. When in doubt: use subtitles. If the Gallagher brothers of the defunct band Oasis didn’t mind subtitles I’m sure K-Wat wouldn’t care either. And they’re British!

So why pick on A.O. Scott for his less than enthusiastic review? Well, Mr. Scott (to use a pretentious Times device) obviously felt a backlash from film lovers. He used a hell of a lot of column inches in the Sunday Times to defend his review after it was pointed out that his head was firmly up his own ass.

He claims over-hyping may have lead film enthusiasts to want to love the film, while he, the unbiased critic only wanted to share with them his truth. However, his review and his defense both point to a bias against Christopher Nolan movies. He evens goes out of his way to mention that “The Dark Knight” was over-rated. Really? By whom, your fellow Times critic Manhola Dargis who gave it a glowing review and listed it in her Top Ten of 2008. Scott excluded “The Dark Knight” from his Top Films of 2008 but found room to include the cartoon “Ratatouille” and the cartoonish “Knocked Up.”

Scott would have you believe that critics are blank slates simply reporting on what they see. If that were the case then why constantly compare “Inception” to movies that he liked better, like the completely over-rated “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Oops. He ends his apologia with this thought: “Just as critics need to operate in good faith, so should consumers of criticism proceed from the assumption of good faith. We may be wrong, but we tend to say what we mean.”

Fair enough, Ay-Oh, but then why suggest that people see the movie twice? Hoping that they will eventually agree with you? My god, man, what an Inception!

The much antioxidant new release from the Arcade Fire comes out tomorrow, not today. They were featured in the Sunday Times, so I have a bad feeling about this record. The article even sucked a quote out of Bono, so be warned. Best Buy is already promoting it for $10 – so suck it local record dealer. And keep your weed too!

Here’s the new “single” from the Pernice Brothers to suffer the slings

Pernice Brothers – “Jacqueline Susann” from Ashmont Records on Vimeo.