Believe it or not, a lot of thought went into today’s pick. The original plan was to give something else by Pavement a listen, but I called an audible. Those guys had their chance. Why try and force something when there are a million better (active) bands out there? While the “things have come full circle, OMG I’ve grown so much over the past 366 days” theme in a positive Pavement review might have been a cool way to go out, it wouldn’t get across the message that I’d like to convey today. Picking a Pavement record would have felt like the final, closing note of Swole Ear. Perhaps I’m being a bit sentimental, but I can’t bring myself to shut down this beautiful monstrosity of a site. While I won’t be listening to a new album every day (thank God), I will be keeping the site up and posting occasionally. Schedule TBD.
Look out for a review of Pet Lions’ Houses later tonight. This is a record that I’ve been meaning to get to for a long time now. Scratch your heads all you want; listening to an up-and-coming Chicago band is the best way to mark the end of this project.
I’ll be taking a few days off after today; I think I’ve earned them. Plus, I’ve got all kinds of statistics and fun facts from the past 366 days to compile, which I hope to post sometime next week. Keep your eyes peeled.
Swole Ear 
Awesome, Mr Ear, simply awesome. It’s been an incredible ride. I’m glad you’re going to keep it going as I would have missed it (and a certain jolly Canadian might have shriveled up and died).
Jolly? Moi?
I join B. in the congratulations. This has been an impressive feat. You apparently enjoyed some of my suggestions and I definitely enjoyed some of your picks (looking forward to getting that new Dr. Dog C.D.).
By way of final suggestion, a guy with a work methodology to win your (swolen) ear perhaps: Joel Plaskett who has been writing and recording a song a week for his new album and releasing them over the interweb. You might like it. http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2012/2/Joel-Plasketts-Scrappy-Happiness-Track-eight—-Tough-Love
The information superhighway is littered with the burned out shells of failed daily blogs. Some last a week, some last a month and some make it a little longer, but for every hundred of these that are started, I doubt that even one makes it through. You’ve written a book, and I’m sure it would have been easy to quit many times, but you didn’t.
Enjoy your home run trot around the bases. Once you jump on the plate, we’re all looking forward to seeing what you write next. My guess is that once you’ve had some time off you’ll start to feel a little itch and writing something will be the only way to scratch it.
Nice job.