SCQ's Winter Albums

Dear SCQ Readers,

With SCQ’s first Spring, Summer and Autumn now buried in snow, it is with great pleasure and rather cool timing that I present SCQ’s Winter Albums as the first feature of 2009. Not only do these albums wrap up the “Quarterly…” stipulation of my blog name, they celebrate a full year of SCQ blogging (or 365 days since this) as well as my 200th blog post here on the SCQ Homepage. Milestones, galore! The past year has welcomed new and old faces alike to visit and comment, and I appreciate YOU taking the time to stop by.

For those of you looking to increase your blog-time, check out some great videos from the best of 08 on Mr. Pibb’s new blog: 3 Up, 3 Down. Those of you who are particularly keen on SCQ (hello…?) may be vaguely familiar with Yusif, my infrequent contributor, who now operates his blog TriptownSounds (currently featuring a blizzard-proof edition of Yusif VS Ryan). Both of these young sites are recommended and clickable from SCQ’s right-hand margin.

In the coming weeks, look out for new album reviews, RIPPED OFF 08 (click here for a refresher), and a listening-party write-up of Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavillion from Montreal. Forget about all that for now, though, and take one of the following records into a snowstorm. You won’t regret it.