Instead, I'm going to talk about some music I've been enjoying. In the last few weeks, a bevy of new music has been gracing my iPod, some of it very recently, and some of it very addictive. Here's a little bullet point list of those new musics.
- Lily Allen -- Alright, Still. This disc is so compulsively listenable I almost can't stop listening to it. I have to force myself to listen to other things. And it's the entire disc that's good. It's not sophisticated; in fact, it's rather crude. Lily Allen isn't writing about anything very exciting--break ups, beating down someone at a club, someone you don't fancy hitting on you in a bar, taking delight in the fact that your ex is a pitiful loser--but really basic things. Sometimes her lyrics are pretty ridiculous, but the album is so charming it's easy to forget how ridiculous they are. I wish I was going to see her tonight at the Metro, but alas, the show is sold out. And I have a dinner anyway. Still, I'm interested to see if this is an album I will keep listening to or if it's just a fluke music fling.
- Regina Spektor -- Begin to Hope. This album is SO weird. By the end of it, I can't stand it and can't wait to turn it off. But the first five or six songs especially are somehow addictive. If annoying and weird at the very same time. This is messed up, but "Fidelity" gets in my head and won't get out, except that as it's running through my head, it gets mixed up with Lily Allen's "Smile" and then my brain makes one song out of them. Consequently, I'm usually having trouble deciding which album to listen to first. This morning, it was Spektor. But Lily Allen is on at the very moment, and I listened to the Lily Allen album back-to-back this morning. But argh. I've already dealt with Allen. This is about Spektor. Like I said, by the end of the album, I'm ready to get rid of the suckage. But the first songs, man, are good. No way around it.
- Ray LaMontagne -- Till the Sun Turns Black. S actually brought this home, and loves this guy. I've been listening to a few of his songs as long as S has, but I only just started listening to the full albums. First impression? This guy must really dig Nick Drake, because I hear Nick Drake all over his album. And man, can this guy sing. His voice is, at first, alarming. It's not right for his body. But then it's soothing, and then it's just beautiful, and then you're finding that you're looking for any little excuse to pop this CD on. It's packed with gorgeous songs. I don't like the older album as much, but this one blows me away. Wonderful.
- The Kooks -- Inside In/Inside Out. One of S's friends said something to the effect of that this album is a jolt of happy for the head, and there's not a more apt description for this album. I was listening to this album almost without pause about two, three weeks ago. Just constant replaying. The end of the album doesn't hold up so well, but those first 9 or so songs are amazing. "Naive" is such a good song, and I have NO idea why. It just is. It's almost viral. I find myself singing it all the time. S and I are actually going to see these guys when they come to the city, which could be interesting for me, since I'm not much anymore on the seeing of loud bands in small enclosed places. We'll see. I'm looking forward to it, no matter what happens.
- Corinne Bailey Rae -- Corinne Bailey Rae. I don't love this album as much as I love the others. It's good, it's just not as good as the others. I did some pretty heavy listening to it in the first little while after I got it, and now I've cooled on it. I guess there's something missing in it for me. Not sure what, but there is. Still, it has some solid moments, and it's worth a try for people who like a kind-of R&B tinged pop.
So there it is. I've been on a major music kick, listening to a nearly straight 8 hour stretch at my desk every day. It's challenging to keep things interesting when you're listening to almost 40 hours of music a week, but I'm working on it. I think we'll be infusing new music into the iPod fairly often, now that I'm doing this. If I discover anything else I really like, I'll be sure to post it.
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