Dear literate fans of hip-hop,

I've recently started getting into hip-hop a hell of a lot.

Artists like Immortal Technique, Jedi Mind Tricks, MF Doom, Souls Of Mischief and Sage Francis.

I've listened to a lot over the past month or so, if anyone has any tracks or specific albums I should grab that they want to recommend then I'd be a happy young lad.

Sincerely,

Ben.

Alkaline Trio
Jaked On Green Beers
Goodbye Forever
This Is Getting Over You
'97
Mr Chainsaw

A Wilhelm Scream
God Loves A Liar
The Rip
Dreaming Of Throwing Up
Congratulations
When I Was Alive: Walden III

The Lawrence Arms
The Devil's Takin' Names
The Revisionist
Nebraska
Brick Wall Views
Abracadaver

Bright Eyes
Make War
Poison Oak
Landlocked Blues
A Perfect Sonnet
If Winter Ends

The Decemberists
The Engine Driver
Red Right Ankle
Grace Cathedral Hill
The Sporting Life
California One/Youth And Beauty Brigade

Sufjan Stevens
For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti
Jacksonville
Chicago
Casimir Pulsaki Day…

Ooooh, go on then, I will do it.

What you do is post the first line of the first 15 songs that appear on your music player when it's on random mode, no matter how embarrassing, and play the "guess the song" game. Then you post your top 10 artists so people see it.

1: Sweet berries ready for two ghosts are no different than you.
2: Thinking outrageously I write in cursive, I hide in my bed with the lights on the floor.
3: From the ice-age to the dole-age, there is but one concern.
4: Cold hands touching…

I saw this on some other guys journal. I thought it was a worthwhile quiz for once, so I'll do it. Problem is, my top ten isn't really my "top ten" if ya get me, just stuff I listened to a lot, mainly because I was going to see them play, so I had to know the songs, but whatever. Here goes.

Name your top 10 most played bands on Last.fm:

1. Alkaline Trio
2. A Wilhelm Scream
3. Bright Eyes
4. The Decemberists
5. The Lawrence Arms
6. Coheed And Cambria
7. Jimmy Eat World
8. Rilo Kiley
9.…

So it's 04:00 in the morning as I write this. The all-nighter is going to plan, the ashtray is full and the five cups of coffee are going straight through me.

Tonight I've listened to a lot of Broken Social Scene and I'm EXTREMELY pumped to see them on Monday night. Just hope that I get in on the door. I'm about to embark on my first full listen of an Elliot Smith album in a second too.

So this is real pointless, I just wanted to waste some more time. I might go watch 24. Jack Bauer is a…

1. What are you listening to right now?
Xiu Xiu - La Foret

2. What song makes you sad?
A fair few, most recently Cursive - Staying Alive and Kevin Devine - Ballgame

3. What is the most annoying song in the world?
My Humps.

4. Your all time favorite band?
Doesn't really fit with the music I generally listen to but either Alkaline Trio or The Lawrence Arms.

5. Your newly discovered band is?
I've just got around to listening to Spoon's new one and I'm enjoying that. Other than that probably Sufjan Stevens just before Christmas.…

*Faints*

I haven't cum this much over an album since Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy or A Wilhelm Scream - Ruiner.

Ok, here's the gigs I went to in 2005.

Taking Back Sunday supported by My Chemical Romance and Communique @ Nottingham, Rock City.

Erm, this was just before My Chemical Romance REALLY blew up. I hadn't really listened to them much previous to this. I went for Taking Back Sunday, who as much as everyone will now slate and jump on have some fucking catchy tunes that owe so much to Lifetime. The gig itself wasn't bad. I really enjoyed Taking Back Sunday and they played Great Romances Of The 20th Century so that made me happy. I could…

I miss the Get Up Kids.

A lot.

So I totally saw Minus The Bear in Birmingham the other week. I wasn't really diggin' the vibe of the first two bands, the latter were the better although I forget both of their names.

Minus The Bear however, were sexual.

They played as far as I recall.

Drilling
The Game Needed Me
Memphis And 53rd
Fine + 2 Pts
Spiritz!! Spiritz!!
Get Me Naked 2: Electric Boogaloo
The Fix
This Ain't A Surfin' Movie
Hooray
Women We Haven't Met Yet (I think).
Pachuca Sunrise

Encore:
Absinthe Party At The Fly Honey Warehouse

The order was something like that too.…