Dammit, Langhorne Slim, you sexy folk bastard! I experienced all five

stages of grief coping with the fact that last summer I found my No. 1

record even before I had a tan: starting in denial (“In Camera the

best record I’ll hear all year? Bahhh, it’s only June!”), then anger

(“Why., Band of Horses? I was counting on you!), getting stuck in

bargaining/depression (“Sure, Sound of Silver is pristine, but it’s

also [insert voice wobbles] sooo chilly. Wahhhhhhh. . . .”), and

finally ending ’07 in Arthur & Yu acceptance. It’s only freakin’ May,

but I’ve just accepted that no record, no matter how anticipated,

impressive, or open I am to it, is going to give me the complete

listening satisfaction, the it’s-so-good-the-pit-of-my-stomach-hurts,

heart-‘n’-spine-shivered feeling which I got upon hearing the

sweet-ass, angsty perfection of Langhorne Slim’s soul and organ-soaked

debut. With Ferraby Lionheart. Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. N.W.,

789-3599. 9 p.m. $10 adv./$12. MA’CHELL DUMA LAVASSAR

Mon., May 19, 9 p.m., 2008