Blogiversary!

So it seems kinda bizarre and surreal to think I’ve been working on this project for a year already. One random Thursday in California 365 afternoons ago, I’d had the idea to typing up the contents of a mixtape I’d just compiled and blasting it into cyberspace. What began as a goof, a high-tech storehouse for whatever trivia happened to be pinballing through my brain, quickly evolved into a genuine passion. Tossed-off entries soon stretched into five- or six-hour writing sessions. Newly beholden to something, I’d leave parties early to toil over posts or curtail nights out to browse new albums, the mid-twenties music geek equivalent of getting home to feed your dog. When I started out, I thought there were maybe fifty music blogs out there. (Elbo.ws currently has over 2,000 registered.) I didn’t know how to upload a file and was near-certain I’d get sued the first time I posted an MP3. Basically, I was finding my way like a drunk in a funhouse. But I did start to slowly learn, gather readers, and even receive a few links along the way. I was even appearing in blurbs on band websites and engaging in unexpected dialogues with other listeners. Even with the hundreds of hours invested, it was turning into a pretty formative experience. Far and away though, the best aspect of running this blog has been discovering music I’d probably have never encountered otherwise (or at least, not nearly this soon). Among the barrage of offerings that aren’t for me, I’ve found musicians and bands that have gone on to become definitive favorites. I've gotten to share them with anyone willing to listen, essentially penning public fan letters and ardent editorials. Inspired by Music Is Art's first-year look back, I thought I'd revisit some of these favorite first-year finds. Here then is Nerd Litter's guide to the best among the independent, the unsigned, the under-the-radar, and the up-and-coming: The Ballet * MP3: "In My Head" - The Ballet * MP3: "I Hate The War" - The Ballet [Buy it] * Band Website: The Ballet * Previously Featured: Mixtape for my sweetheart, the drunk #12, Mixtape for my sweetheart, the drunk #13, The best 30 songs of 2006, The best 30 albums of 2006, Let's get personal: interview with Greg Goldberg, pt.1, Let's get personal: interview with Greg Goldberg, pt. 2 Photo by Christy Zarrella Clean Guns * MP3: "These Words I Write" - Clean Guns from Sometimes There Is Trouble [Buy it] * MP3: "Regarded As Great (The Setup)" - Clean Guns from Living In Harmony [Buy it] * Band MySpace: Clean Guns * Previously Featured: Good clean fun: Clean Guns MP3s, Listening booth #6, Regarded as great: Clean Guns MP3s Hello Damascus * MP3: "Randy" - Hello Damascus from Harvest Dolls * MP3: "Stafford" - Hello Damascus from Harvest Dolls * Band MySpace: Hello Damascus * Previously Featured: PDX Pop Now! 2006, Out in front: Hello Damascus MP3s Inlets * MP3: "See Her, Seer" - Inlets from Vestibule EP * MP3: "Roots on Sidewalks" - Inlets from Vestibule EP [Download the EP] * Artist MySpace: Inlets * Previously Featured: Inlets, Lewis and Clarke, Ola Podrida and Hula @ Union Pool, 2-24-07, Ambling steps: an interview with Sebastian Krueger, pt.1, Ambling steps: an interview with Sebastian Krueger, pt. 2 Photo by Shannon Corr Kemo Sabe * MP3: "Dirty Boy" - Kemo Sabe * MP3: "Snows on Friday" - Kemo Sabe * Band MySpace: Kemo Sabe * Previously Featured: Cleanliness is friendliness: Kemo Sabe MP3s Mancino * MP3: "Hetchie Hutchie Footchie" - Mancino from Manners Matter * MP3: "L'amour (or Less)" - Mancino from Manners Matter [Buy it] * Band MySpace: Mancino * Previously Featured: Video Tuesday #27, Two steps to the left: Mancino MP3s, L'amour (or Less) @ Union Hall, 3-3-07 Mas Y Mas * MP3: "Everybody and Everything" - Mas Y Mas from Latin Outreach EP [Buy it] * MP3: "SIDS" - Mas Y Mas from Proud Sponsors of Pepsi [Buy it] * Band MySpace: Mas Y Mas * Previously Featured: Listening booth #3, Filed under beautiful genius: Mas Y Mas MP3s, Rock so tough: Mas Y Mas MP3s Photo by Will Calcutt Benoît Pioulard * MP3: "Palimend" - Benoît Pioulard from Précis * MP3: "Triggering Back" - Benoît Pioulard from Précis [Buy it] * Artist Website: Benoît Pioulard * Previously Featured: The depths and the seashore: interview with Benoît Pioulard, pt. 1, The depths and the seashore: interview with Benoît Pioulard, pt. 2, Video Tuesday #19, The best 30 albums of 2006, Listening booth #2 Desmond Reed * MP3: "Guinea Pigs" - Desmond Reed * MP3: "Who I'd Like To Meet" - Desmond Reed * Artist MySpace: Desmond Reed * Previously Featured: Just a really happy guy: Desmond Reed MP3s Photo by Dusty Bryce Aaron Schroeder * MP3: "The Real World" - Aaron Schroeder from Southern Heart In Western Skin [Buy it] * MP3: "Jean, I Know You Will" (Demo) - Aaron Schroeder * Artist Website: Aaron Schroeder * Previously Featured: Here's your fill: Aaron Schroeder MP3s, Listening booth #7 The Shondes * MP3: "The Mother and The Colony" - The Shondes * MP3: "Let's Go" - The Shondes * Band Website: The Shondes * Previously Featured: Let's go!: The Shondes MP3s, The Shondes @ Galapagos, 3-30-07 Talkdemonic * MP3: "Manhattan '81" - Talkdemonic from Beat Romantic * MP3: "Mountaintops In Caves" - Talkdemonic from Beat Romantic [Buy it] * Band Website: Talkdemonic * Previously Featured: Eardrum symphony: Talkdemonic MP3s, Happy Yom Kippur, Beat romantic: an interview with Kevin O'Connor, The best 30 songs of 2006, The best 30 albums of 2006, PDX Pop Now! 2006, Video Tuesday #33 Tartufi * MP3: "If We Had Daggers They Would Fly" - Tartufi from Us Upon Buildings Upon Us * MP3: "It's Not The Wind Chime That's Broken, It's The Wind" - Tartufi from Us Upon Buildings Upon Us [Buy it] * Band Website: Tartufi * Previously Featured: Grizzly Bear @ The Independent, 9-29-06, So we are alive: Tartufi MP3s, Tartufi @ Bottom of the Hill, 11-30-06, The best 30 albums of 2006