The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

A Going `gaga' over an abundance of freshly-released music That's Life Andy Juniper Guest Contributor 7 | Friday, October 25, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com round our house, it's like Christmas come early. Although, for music lovers, this time of year always has that feeling as record labels traditionally release an abundance of inspiring albums -- just in time for year-end awards, and for you-know-what (ho, ho, ho). So, suddenly I've got a glut of great tunes going in the ears: wonderful albums such as Push Any Button by Sam Phillips, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight by Neko Case, and New by Paul McCartney. Two weeks ago, I got my hands on The Silver Gymnasium, the coveted release by one of my favorite bands: indie rockers Okkervil River out of Austin, Texas. Now, I'm not about to admit to over-the-top, obsessive behavior, but I will say that I've been playing this CD on repeat -- to the point where I may or may not be "scaring the dog", as my wife contends -- pouring insatiably over what have been deemed "darkly, articulate lyrics," and basically living inside the head of Will Sheff, Okkervil's frontman and chief songwriter. Talk about escapism. The beauty of this album is its intelligence and depth; each time through the Okkervil soundscape, I nd something new and am wowed all over again. After about the umpteenth listen, I concluded Silver Gymnasium has indeed earned a spot atop my Best of 2013 List. That is, unless it's unseated in coming weeks by Magpie and the Dandelion, a new release by the Avett eclectic, ambitious and awesome as Modern Vampires, which made critics go `gaga'. As American Songwriter magazine succinctly stated, "It's time to start thinking of Vampire Weekend not as upstarts but as one of the world's best bands." Then there was The National's Trouble Will Find Me. No surprises there, just another superb studio album by one of this generation's nest bands. This is one of those albums that slowly grows on you until one day you realize you're truly, madly, deeply in love. Ah, Christmas come early. But then, musically-speaking, this year has really been 12 months of Christmas. -- Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@ gmail.com, found on Facebook and Twitter . Brothers, or Re ektor, the imminent offering by Arcade Fire. Oh, how I dig those proli c Avetts. Their last album, The Carpenter, a critical and commercial smash, was released a mere 13 months ago. It's a charming, folk-rock classic that continues to elbow its way onto my player, so you can imagine how I'm looking forward to exploring the new one. Likewise, I love Arcade Fire. Big time. Granted, with this band there's not a whole lot of in-between -- you either love `em, or loathe `em. No, it's de nitely not out of the realm of possibility that either of these albums could edge out Okkervil and top my year-end chart. And make no mistake, it's been an incredible year for new music. One album that shocked me this year was Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend. I've been following this quirky New York band since their inception in 2006. And while I thoroughly enjoyed their earlier albums, there was little in those offerings to suggest the band would one day rise up and create anything as Shhhh... Oakville's Best Kept Secret. Princess Cut Diamond! 1.14ct, VS2, G colour GIA Certified Diamond - Value $18,500 You can have this one only, for $8,950* The Highest Quality,The Lowest Price. Guaranteed. 309 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville 905.339.7604 · www.omnijewelcrafters.com *Subject to prior sale and may be terminated at any time. INJURED? I Can Help! Protect yourself and your family this winter. Get your flu shots! FLU SHOT CLINIC Saturday, October 26th: 9:00am - 2:00pm No appointment necessary YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY UNLESS I GET YOU MONEY My team of experienced lawyers can help you with: · Car accidents · Slip and Falls · Disability Claims (Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, CPP) · Wrongful Dismissal OFFICES IN OAKVILLE AND TORONTO For a free consultation call: Oakville: 905.842.2022 or Toronto: 416.351.9222 email: sspadafora@slspc.ca 905-825-DOCS (3627) 2983 Westoak Trails Blvd info@healthsensemedical.ca www.healthsensemedical.ca South of Dundas, at Bronte Rd HOURS Mon - Fri 8:30am to 8:30pm Saturday 10:00am to 2:00pm Sam Spadafora Family Doctors Chiropractic Travel Clinic Pharmacy Walk-In Clinic Injury and Employment Law