Here's a pleasure masquerading as a dilemma: playing The Pretty Toney Album and trying to figure out which song to add to the ever-increasing C700 Go! list I'm compiling for the year as it goes. "Beat the Clock"? "Save Me Dear"? "Holla," in which Ghostface's second verse climaxing in a perfect "All I know is . . . " back to the hook (the song is a direct crib of the Delfonics' "La-La Means I Love You") is about as great as formalism gets (first and most recent times I played them it made me yell out loud)? "Be This Way"? "Tooken Back"? (What the FUCK is that female vocal, and how do I mainline it?) "Run"? On music alone the album's right up there with my other faves this year (Streets, Mountain Goats, Hold Steady), and I haven't even begun to fathom the lyrics yet. Hip-hop--what a wonderful thing.

By the way, here's what I've got picked out so far for the C700 Go!--which from the way things are going will probably be more like a C1400 Go! The numbering on the first 23 cuts indicates not preferential order but the sequence I've put them in for now; this will doubtless change as the year progresses. The rest are just songs I like and have picked out. All of it, particularly toward the end, is subject to change.

1. The Hold Steady: “Positive Jam” (Frenchkiss)
2. Go Home Productions: “Rock with Addiction (Awww)” (www.gohomeproductions.co.uk)
3. The Walkmen: “The Rat” (Record Collection)
4. Courtney Love: “Mono” (Virgin)
5. Janet Jackson: “Love Me for a Little While” (Virgin)
6. Stereolab: “Vonal Declosion” (Elektra)
7. Nada Surf: “Au Fond du Reve Dore” (Hear)
8. Belle & Sebastian: “I’m a Cuckoo (Avalanches Mix)” (Rough Trade)
9. M.I.A.: “Galang” (Showbiz, U.K.)
10. Mya ft. Chingy: “Fallen (Zone 4 Remix)” (Interscope)
11. Memphis Bleek ft. Jay-Z: “Murda Murda” (Roc-a-Fella)
12. Sleepy Brown ft. OutKast: “I Can’t Wait” (Interscope)
13. J-Kwon: “Tipsy (Radio Mix)” (Arista)
14. G Unit: “Eye for Eye” (Shady/Aftermath)
15. Kanye West ft. Twista & Jamie Foxx: “Slow Jamz” (Roc-a-Fella)
16. Keyshia Cole ft. Eve: “Never” (Interscope)
17. Todd Edwards & Filthy Rich ft. Damon Trueitt: “Stormy Day (Dubstrumental)” (i!)
18. LCD Soundsystem: “Yeah (Stupid Version)” (DFA)
19. Philip Jeck: “Wipe” (Touch)
20. El-P ft. Harry Keys: “When the Moon Was Blue” (Thirsty Ear)
21. Strictly Kev: “Raiding the 20th Century: A History of the Cutup” (MP3)
22. United State of Electronica: “La Discoteca” (B-Side)
23. Ark: “Avoine” (Karat)

Voodoo Child, “Minors” (V2)
The Mountain Goats, “Your Belgian Things” (4AD)
Rocket From the Tombs, “Never Gonna Kill Myself Again” (Smog Veil)
Nellie McKay: “Clonie” (Sony)
Vybz Kartel: “Hall of Fame” (Greensleeves)
Mocky: “Fuck All Night” (Clone, Germany)
The Streets: “Fit But You Know It” (Vice)
Jae Millz: “No, No, No” (Warner Bros.)
Christina Milian ft. Fabolous: “Dip It Low (Remix)” (Island)
Coachwhips: “Evil Son” (Narnack)
The Mountain Goats: “Letter From Belgium” (4AD)
Moonbabies: “Summer Kids Go” (Hidden Agenda)
Poster Children: “Jane” (Hidden Agenda)
Iron & Wine: “Sodom, South Georgia” (Sub Pop)
Dizzee Rascal: “Unreleased” (MP3)
Squarepusher: “Iambic 9 Poetry” (Warp)
The Visitors: “No Under on the Ground” (Playhouse)
Butchies: “Your Love” (Yep Roc)
Mouse on Mars: “Send Me Shivers” (Thrill Jockey)
Cécile: “Hot Like We” (Greensleeves) [may follow this one w/"Galang”]
Pan-American: “Retouch” (Kranky)
Luomo: “Shelter” (Ultra/BMG)
The Necks: “Drive By” (Recommended)
Sonic Youth: “I Love Golden Blue” (DGC)
Macha: “Paper Tiger” (Jetset)
!!!: “Shit Scheisse Merde Pt. 1 (Instrumental)” (Touch and Go)
Vladislav Delay: “Kotilainen” (Huume)