What are you listening to RIGHT NOW?

[1or2]

On my way to work this morning clicking the XM...
I find one of my favorite guilty pleasures, "Bust A Move" by Young MC, and I try to sing (rap, whatever) along but it's almost impossible because it takes real skill to enunciate that clearly that quickly. (Trivia--Flea of RHCP played bass on that one.) Then 5 seconds after that one ends I find "Big Balls In Cowtown" by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys, and I find myself singing along to that too. And then it occurs to me, how many people like both rap and western swing? RJ, maybe, but anyone else?

[RJ]

I work at a grocery store. In the hours before we're open (and after we close) we blast music.

My store uses a Muzak-like satellite service; no commercials, about 60+ stations... everything from 50's, Hawaiiana, the current Top 40, Rap, New Wave, Classic Rock, that horrific "New Country," reggae and more.

While I can handle most anything, my favorite station is called Gumbo - as you can imagine, a mix of Cajun, zydeco, brass band, Dixieland, classic New Orleans R&B. Of course this is the least favorite of anyone else in the store and when I request it, it usually gets changed in about a half hour. But hey, if I can hear one Lee Dorsey, or one by the Meters, maybe one Clifton Chenier... I somehow find that a little victory.

The other morning - I don't know what channel it was on - I heard MC's "Cynical Girl" followed immediately by Dwight Twilley's "I'm on Fire," a song I have often said was my favorite song ever. For a few minutes there I was in Power Pop Heaven! I held my breath: what song would be next, what would complete this blissful sonic trifecta?

I laughed out loud - and immediately thought of 1or2's previous post - when I heard (and enjoyed!) the opening lines of Gnarls Barkley's 2006 hit "Crazy"

[mervap]

Walter Clevenger & the Dairy Kings- "Love Songs To Myself"

This guy kinda reminds me of Marshall in that he writes great 'hooky' songs in such a natural way, totally unaffected...I think many of the people who were influences of Marshall's were the same for Walter. A great summer listen! Heck, there's even a shout out to Marshall in the "Thank You" section in the liner notes...

[jim]

The new Brendan Benson My Old Familiar Friend. Pretty damn good. Maybe not up to the heights of Lapalco but a definite improvement over An Alernative to Love. Well worth picking up.


Jim

[jim]

The soon to be released Let Freedom Ring by Chuck Prophet. Recorded in Mexico City under trying circumstances (swine flu etc) the sessions were filmed for a documentary. Here is the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckIKGpudOvI

Prophet is one of the most underrated performers around today. He has not made a bad album yet.

Jim

[mervap]

I've been really digging an Arthur Alexander collection I got recently...I can see why John Lennon (and MC among many others) was such a big fan of this great singer.

[RJ]

So Long Baby Goodbye - Jo-El Sonnier

A rollicking Cajun-ized version of the old Blasters song. Jo-El Sonnier covers Dave Alvin, Richard Thompson, Slim Harpo and several others on his Come On Joe, an excellent record that was "supposed" to launch Sonnier (and his accordion-driven regional sound) towards more national acceptance - think Los Lobos - but ultimately failed. Tight band, good record.

[jim]

The new Tom Waits Live CD Glitter and Dome Live 2008. Pretty fing great.

Jim

[Leeb]

I sit at a computer all day and do graphic design, so music plays constantly to help me keep my sanity. This week has seen a lot of Guided By Voices/Robert Pollard and his side projects, especially "Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department" w/ Doug Gillard (which might be my favorite), The Keene Brothers "Blues & Boogie Shoes" (Pollard plus the wonderful Tommy Keene) and The Moping Swans (Pollard plus GBV vets).

Also, a lot of Shuggie Otis, whose guitar playing kills me...

and a lot of old Be-Bop Deluxe records

and the new Spoon disc

and some old Mandrill, early 70s funk that's maybe a little prog

and some old George Van Eps jazz guitar things from the 50s/60s (father of the 7 string guitar, pre-KORN division)

I probably listen to too much music in the course of a week.