Thanks, AT.  I've been suffering a music drought lately.

I know, I know, commenting on myself reeks of pathetic-ness. But only tonight did I discover this review of the album from The Sneeze. http://www.thesneeze.com/2008/feel-good-ghosts---a-review-by-my-son.php

I demand that everyone who is cool at all read this review, and then ask yourself whether or not you love this album as much as this eight-year-old kid does. Then ask yourself whether or not you love anything as much as that kid loves this album. Probably at some point, actually listen to the album too. Because it's every bit as great as this Radio-Shack-lovin' kid says it is.

OK, so these two Gram Parsons albums (GP & Grievous Angel) are now sold as a single album. I must have this.

OK, so I've discovered Gram Parsons - I canNOT believe I reference him so callously above!! - where she became the best harmony vocalist in the history of pop music. Brilliant. Also, check her song Making Believe, which I discovered on a Gram Parsons Pandora Station. Some guy (not sure who) on backing vocals, and it's perfectly heartwrenching. Beautiful.

Jason Lukis, this one's for you!!

I suppose I could've included the link: http://www.avclub.com/articles/nashville-or-bust-week-3-johnny-cashs-america,25205/3/

Definitely a great song and a great album. I'm so glad you posted it!

I do have it. It was the CD I got for joining MPR when The Current debuted, so I guess I'm not too surprised it's hard to find. How would I go about making that available to you?

Do you know where I can get a copy of that 89.3 Current sampler??  I would LOVE to get a copy of the live recording of "Littlest Birds" by Jolie Holland, but can't find it anywhere!  Do you have it??

Just getting around to this... Nice.

Having finally listened to the entire album, I long to own it in such form as I can listen to it in my car. That means I like it a great deal, and it inspired a new list at my last.fm profile (last.fm/user/atengwall) of albums I want to listen to in the car. As I only use CDs in the car (Barbarian! Luddite!), I'll have to decide whether to purchase CDs or to upgrade my technology. Anyone have helpful opinions about that question?

I didn't realize that was the new album, as I got that song awhile back on a compilation CD, but as of paying attention to it this week for the first time I'm thrilled with it. I like how some of of this band's stuff could slip onto may faux country mix, and some of it is this song.

Their newest album is called "The Stage Names", and it's pretty great.  The first track tends to stick in my mind in ways I don't understand.

OK, here's the deal. When I listen to this album in the dead of night (it's after 3 am now), I am consistently convinced that it is the best album ever. I WANT MORE CLARINET IN MY ROCK SONGS. And when, as I'm listening to it, my player shifts to Patsy Cline, I feel compelled to create a Patsy Cline / Neko Case / Hem / The Be Good Tanyas (did I forget anybody?) cabal to take over the entire world and bring about world peace and a thousand years of prosperity for all, only not in a creepy totalitarian sort of way.

This is a great album.  This album was the soundtrack to my life for April/May of last year.

Either this is the music Aaron Copland always wanted to make, or it's the music I always wanted him to make. Or it's really late and I'm delusional.

Yeah, as I read this comment one of their tracks happened to come up on my playlist, and I agree that 'rough on the ears' applies at times. I'm currently considering them a little hit-or-miss, but i think it will take some time before I develop a final opinion.

Haven't caught up on your last 2 recs, (the ones after this one) but I spent an afternoon last week listening to Fiery Furnaces.  Rough on the ears, but I was intrigued.

I would like to point out a pattern, thanks in part to reflection prompted by my own last.fm profile ( http://www.last.fm/user/atengwall/ ): Since I became an official roller derby participant (an announcer), Sleater-Kinney has all but become my favorite band.

Coincidence? I think not.

Oh, and P.S. - Since I've really only heard their last album, which earlier bits are MOST vital for me to hear? Somebody make use of this damn site and recommend some for me!! Thanks. :)

A critical difference, I suppose, is that Neko Case writes her own music, whereas Patsy Cline did not. Then again, it was a completely different era, so there's that.

When you recommended Patsy Cline before, I thought, "Gosh, she sounds a lot like Neco Case.  Or, vice versa."

So because everybody's a critic (but seldom has a voice in the creative process), you may choose to be interested in this repost from the Coyotes' myspace bulletin:

Date:    Feb 24, 2008 7:02 PM
Subject: well, mixing
Body: hello

we're in the process of mixing an album
we'll probably end up pressing this album onto 5 or six hundred long playing vinyl discs.

we've just posted four early mixes from recent recordings, and I would appreciate any response, creative or critical, that you would offer.

the songs are

winter billet
the sign
psalm
film put in backwards

what do you think?
where are these at?

-patrick

Coincidentally, a song from The Woods played on The Current yesterday.  I enjoyed it, but didn't recognize it, as I haven't listened to much of that album.  It's odd, because I've listened to nearly all their other albums a ton.

Maybe I'm just sad that they've faded away.  (Though still loving Carrie's NPR blog.)

In news that may interest only me, I recently got a facebook message from my girl Jaala that said she'd send me "a bunch of cds". Sweet.

My ears have been filled with Acid House Kings this morning.  I like it.  I also like that their website reads "A new album defining the meaning of perfect pop can be expected in 2008."

I'm an idiot. It's The Smiths, not just Morissey (though I admit I'm not as clear on the distinction as I could be). I got it right the first time I tried to post this, but apparently an album title is required so I can list a song title. Can we institute an 'edit rec' feature, Brian?

I generally agree; for me I think it tends to be the full tracks that I prefer to the short ditty-length ones, and I prefer the classics (mostly hymns, as it happens) to the stuff he wrote. Of course, I had been craving hymns to listen to for so long that I have generally neglected the rest of the songs, so my thoughts could change.

This album is getting a lot of air time in our house lately.  I agree that some tracks stand out more than others.  Perhaps these correspond to the hymns.  It seems, vaguely, I like the less peppy ones more.