Yikes, this one might for the courts. Lifehouse released a song called Whatever it Takes from the 2007 album Who We Are that pretty much uses the same exact melody for it’s chorus as Don’t Go Away by Oasis from 1995’s What’s the Story Morning Glory. I guess they’ll do whatever it takes to get on FM radio. Oasis had a pretty good run from 1995-1999 with a slew of hits from Noel Gallagher, but things seemed to change around 2000 with the release of Standing on the Shoulder of Giants and some internal rifts within the band that went beyond the classic sibling squabbling we’ve come to adore in this band. Noel, are you out there? There might some back royalties here waiting for you.

Former child star and Rilo Kiley member Jenny Lewis released Acid Tongue in 2008, which was inferior to 2006’s more country tinged Rabbit Fur Coat. The first single was Carpetbaggers, featuring an unnecessary guest spot from professional collaborator Elvis Costello. Seriously, does he ever say no? The melody of the verse will sound familiar because it was first used by Neil Young in Love is a Rose originally written in 1974 for the unreleased album Homegrown, and later being released in 1977 on the compilation Decade which consisted of three lps.

This one is certainly hard to ignore. Jules De Martino and Katie White of the English Pop Due The Ting Tings must have been checking out some classic rock stations in Manchester when they formed in December 2004 because their song Great DJ lifts the “money riff” from Eddie Money’s 1977 #1 classic Baby Hold On. An interesting sidenote to this story is the fact that Money was sued by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for plagiarizing the lyrics of the song Que Sera, Sera made popular by Doris Day, specifically the line “Whatever Will Be, Will Be,” so apparently that line is trademarked. Money reportedly paid the damages in court with real money in lieu of Eddie Money merchandise.

Kimya Dawson recently brushed elbows with lady mainstream with the soundtrack to Juno (screenplay written by Diablo Cody in a Target Starbucks in Crystal, Minnesota) and the standout track is Anyone Else But You , which is a song by her band the Moldy Peaches. It’s a catchy melody, with it’s “doo doo da doo doo da doo doo…” part that kind of cycles over and over. I bet Axl Rose digs this little lick too, because if you change it to an electric guitar (with distortion) and speed it up, it turns into the driving riff on Paradise City . You know…where the grass is green and the girls are pretty? This led me to ponder earlier versions of these golden notes which brought me to New York, New York by Frank Sinatra. Yep, there they are in the intro of the music. There’s a few extra notes in there, but it’s more or less the same backbone.

Finger Eleven is back with vengeance, and a ripoff. The Canadian alt metal band came into the world in Burlington, Ontario as The Rainbow Butt Monkeys. Which name is better? It’s kind of a wash. How about the Finger Eleven Butt Monkeys? Is that available?

Franz Ferdinand formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 2001 and delighted history teachers throughout the U.S. that instantly gained 2% street cred for knowing all about Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. Take Me Out became a big hit in the UK and a modest hit in the US in 2004, with it’s unique composition and catchy guitar hook. Finger Eleven lifted this idea in Paralyzer which was a big hit for the band in the U.S. in 2008.

Mason Jennings played a sold out show at First Avenue in Minneapolis on December 27th, 2007. He usually plays First Ave every December, and this concert came closely after the soundtrack to I’m Not There was released, in which he provided two excellent Bob Dylan covers - Times They Are a-Changin’ and The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll. Surprisingly, both songs were left off the setlist.

Tegan and Sara, my favorite lesbian identical twin sister Canadian band, came to the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis on November 30th, 2007, in support of their phenomenal record The Con. The album is on my best of 2007 list. They played a nice mix of this record and their older material.

Overall, the show was very good, with some minor distractions.

The first of which are intended for the crowd.

Much like Nancy Sinatra’s boots are made for walking, theater shows are made for sitting. You can stand for the encore only. Also, it’s not a free for all, and you can’t run up to the pit. Sorry kids. Stay off my damn lawn.

Young Folks by Sweden’s Peter Bjorn and John was to 2007, as Crazy by Gnarls Barkley was to 2006 in the United States. The instantly recognizeable drumbeat, vocal stylings of guest performer Victoria Bergsman (formerly of The Concretes), and the infectious whistle used in the verse make it as sweet as a pouch of big league chew. I’m guessing The Turtles enjoyed this song, since they recorded something very similar in 1966 called You Baby. The major similarities are the drumbeat and the melody of the verses. Even the beatlesque jangly guitar in You Baby is close to the whistling of Young Folks, which makes sense since it’s just following the melody.

Ryan Adams is arguably one of the most talented singer/songwriters of his generation, and Easy Tiger will be at the top of my best albums of 2007 list. I guess with high expectations comes the greater probability of disappointment. He is prolific, averaging an album per year, with a wealth of unreleased material on the shelf that is finally being released as a boxed set. That being said, he has difficulties performing, especially in Minnesota. I think there’s a pill for that right?

The Arcade Fire have quietly become one of the most vital bands in current music, spearheading the Canadian Invasion (trademark). In one of these quiet moments, I believe they watched Eddie and the Cruisers in the comfort of their tour bus. The melody verse of Keep the Car Running by the Arcade Fire is similar to the melody verse of On the Darkside by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band.