First of all I wouldn't recommend burning the disc, I'd suggest actually purchasing the record so the artist sees the money. As for Whiskeytown recommendations they only have two other albums so there's not much catching up to do.

Definitely my favorite Whiskeytown record. If you don't have it already be sure to get the recently released Deluxe edition.

Whiskeytown is the shit. The shirts for Ryan's current tour show a Charlotte date but one hasn't actually materialized yet. Unfortunately he's blown off his home state of NC since he played Raleigh in 2005. Prior to that he hadn't played here since 2000.

I also highly recommend his work with Whiskeytown. I like Ryan's solo stuff but very little of it lives up to what he did with Whiskeytown. Yes, I have. Not essential by any means but well worth checking out.

I'm a fan. Unfortunately I can't say I'm all that excited about his new record with the Cardinals though. That said, I'll probably pick it up. I just get the feeling that he's totally lost it lately. Some info on the vinyl edition of Cardinology here.

I'm not sure what difference it makes but actually I've posted very rarely in the past two or three months. Back on topic, my point is, longevity doesn't play into an artist's importance. For the record, I'd love to see Tull in the Hall but in the end all that matters is what their records mean to us as individuals.

When compiling such lists I generally don't count live albums, only albums of new material. Exceptions would be live records that consist of entirely new material which are few and far between. That said, I also like the Crowes record (and Wilco's) but I wouldn't consider them in a list of my favorites of the past eight years since they consist mainly of previously released songs.

When considering favorite albums of the last 8 years I personally wouldn't consider one consisting of live versions of previously released studio material to be eligible but that's just my take on it. One of my favorite live records of the last 8 years would be Wilco's Kicking Television but it also would be considered ineligible since all of the songs have previously been released on studio records (save for a couple).

Great record but when choosing my favorites of the past 8 years I would go for albums of new material, not live ones.

Longevity doesn't exclude a band (or artist) from suckitude. Just ask Wayne Newton.

The Grateful Dead hasn't existed since Garcia died in '95.

Gambling the Muse w/ John Howie, Jr. & Nathan Golub Thursday, August 14th Pour House Music Hall Raleigh, NC John Hiatt and the Ageless Beauties w/ Jon Shain Friday, August 15th N.C. Museum of Art Raleigh, NC

Wilco w/ Bon Iver Friday, August 8th Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park Cary, NC

Retchin' Wilson shouldn't be confused with "country" music.

Glad you finally got to see 'em, especially after being a fan for so long. I had to miss out the last time they were through here but hopefully there will be some more NC dates before this tour wraps up. That oughta kick ass. I can't wait to see Wilco on Friday, I think it's been a least a couple of years since I saw them last. They were a little shaky that evening as it was the first or second night of that tour but they should be in rare form on Friday since they've been on the road a while now.

Wilco w/ Bon Iver Friday, August 8th Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park Cary, NC

Needham's Neighbor Thursday, July 31st Sadlack's Raleigh, NC Tres Chicas w/ Monologue Bombs Friday, August 1st Pour House Music Hall Raleigh, NC

Frampton Comes Alive! was in such heavy rotation on the radio and amongst friends back in the day that I had to give it a rest for many years. I finally picked up the deluxe edition of that album a couple of summers ago and actually enjoyed it again. Just yesterday I heard what I believe was a newer Frampton instrumental on XM's Deep Tracks channel. It was very tasteful yet kicked ass in all the right places. I would definitely never confuse it with any of his lighter material from over the years. Unfortunately, no matter his guitar prowess, Frampton will always get short shrift because he sold far too many records in the 70s and became overexposed.

Small-Time Alabama Evangelist Charged With Murder Of Mother Of 8 Missing For 3 Years (CBS/AP) Police believe a body found in a small-time evangelist's home freezer is his wife and a mother of eight, and arrested him on a murder charge as he preached at a south Alabama church. Evangelist Beverly Jackson of Inspirational Tabernacle Church of God In Christ in Jackson, Alabama told CBS affiliate WKRG-TV Anthony Hopkins had just preached about forgiveness Monday night when sheriff deputies placed him under arrest. When Jackson asked police why they were arresting Hopkins, she says they told her, "He murdered his wife." According to Jackson, Hopkins told her that his wife died four years ago while giving birth to their youngest son. "What in the world is going on? I had no idea that he was even capable of something like this," Jackson told WKRG-TV. The news also came as a shock to others who say they knew Hopkins as a faithful Christian man who often took the pulpit. "He appeared to be a real man of God," said Carl Richardson, pastor of the Jackson church. "So, to hear something like this, we have to be careful about who we trust in these days and times." Hopkins, 37, was being held in the Mobile County jail Wednesday awaiting a bond hearing and appointment of an attorney. Police said no one reported 36-year-old Arletha Hopkins missing, even though she hadn't been heard from in three years. The body was discovered covered in a freezer in a utility room during a police search of the home in Mobile after a relative of the preacher contacted police. Mobile Police Chief Phillip Garrett said Hopkins was arrested Monday night at a revival in Jackson, a town in rural Clarke County where he has roots. Police awaited results of forensic tests to determine the cause of death, but Garrett said authorities believe it is Hopkins' wife. The freezer was moved to a forensics lab. Garrett said Anthony Hopkins, the father of six of the eight children, has been charged with rape and sodomy in a separate case involving the female relative and could face more charges related to another relative. Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson Jr. said the children who lived with Hopkins - who ranged in age from 3 to 19 - have been taken into protective custody by the Department of Human Resources. Garrett said the Hopkins children were home-schooled. He said Hopkins "kept to himself," and apparently moved from place to place. Neighbors called him "Rev." because he attended church so often, loading the children into a van. Police said he preached at various churches and did not appear to be affiliated with a particular denomination. Clarke County Sheriff's Chief Investigator Sgt. Ron Baggett said he listened through the church door before assisting in the arrest about 10 p.m. Monday. About 25 people were in the congregation at the time.

Needham's Neighbor Thursday, July 31st Sadlack's Raleigh Tres Chicas w/ Monologue Bombs Friday, August 1st Pour House Music Hall Raleigh The Whistlestop CD Release Party w/ David Dyer & the Crooked Smile Band and Kenny Roby / Scott McCall Duo Saturday, August 2nd Pour House Music Hall Raleigh

The Old 97s w/ The Connells Saturday, July 26th Downtown Live Raleigh Joe Swank and the Zen Pirates Sunday, July 27th Sadlack's Raleigh

From Billboard.com: Before U2's new album arrives in November, fans will have another vintage reissue to enjoy. The band's classic 1983 live album "Under a Blood Red Sky" will appear Sept. 23 via Universal as both a single CD and a CD/DVD set. Extra content has not yet been specified. The original CD was recorded in St. Goarshausen, Germany, Boston and Morrison, Colo., while the home video includes just the latter gig at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Footage from Red Rocks was an early MTV favorite, helping break U2 in the United States. As previously reported, expanded reissues of U2's first three albums, "Boy," "October" and "War," will arrive Tuesday (July 22). -- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

Unfortunately I missed Sharon Little (who opened for Plant & Krauss) as well as Steve Winwood opening for Tom Petty. I don't hate Petty but I've never really been a huge fan so I was really looking forward to seeing Winwood. That said, Petty and the Heartbreakers did put on one hell of a good show. Robert Plant/Alison Krauss Friday, July 11th RBC Center Raleigh, NC Steve Winwood/Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Saturday, July 12th Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek Raleigh, NC The Pretty Pettys (Monty Warren and Friends) Tom Petty Aftershow Saturday, July 12th Slim's Downtown Distillery Raleigh, NC

Neil Young's 'Archive' To Be Available On CD, DVD Gary Graff, Detroit With CSNY: Deja Vu, his documentary of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's controversial 2006 Freedom of Speech Tour, rolling out this week, Neil Young says his upcoming musical plans mostly involve his long-in-the-works Archive series as well as hitting the road. This fall, the Archive series will begin to roll out with a 10-disc set of performances from 1963-72. Contrary to previous reports, and Young's own comments in the media, the set will be available in standard CD and DVD configurations and not exclusively in Blu-ray, but Young says he hopes fans will take advantage of the state-of-the-art format. You can read the rest of the article here.