There's this local goodwill resale shop "value village" where a local DJ apparently dumps the promo CDs he/she doesn't keep. I really have to remember to go there more often. The usual price for a CD is $3 but the place has an almost constant 1/2 off everything sale- So these are three CD's I bought this weekend for $1.50 each.

Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
I've allowed my mild dislike of New Pornographers to dissuade me from listening to Neko Case, although I know she's mainly a hired gun in the group. I really like this album, I'll have to look for more of her stuff.

James - Hey Ma
I figured I'd like the album alright but I didn't expect me to want to keep on repeat multiple times. Catchy stuff, even when the band is being depressing and socially conscious. I had actually stopped picking up their albums after the disappointing Whiplash--although I think they were also dropped by American record companies and radio after then as well.

Two Loons For Tea - Nine Lucid Dreams
Don't know the band, liked the cover, liked the impressive instruments listed in the booklet. It's good ambient pop with a talented female singer who sounds like an R&B singer singing alternative pop. There's a promotional blurb inside that has a critic comparing them to Garbage and Nelly Furtado but better. I guess I'd agree they're generally better or at least more "serious" than those two but the comparisons are slight.

Yeah, he does have potential, but I'll wait and see what he does. If he can get over some of the cliche' modern pop elements that sideline some of his work he'll be great. It's cool that he's good live, otherwise I'd be a bit letdown. I hope he comes to the US at some point.

Still trying to slow down, but here's May:

Jethro Tull - Aqualung
A reissue from the '90s, including an interview with Ian Anderson. He seems a bit perplexed at all the interest in the album's 25th anniversary at the time, because he thinks it wasn't really their pinnacle. Not sure how many people would agree.

The Church - Untitled #23
The Church - Pangaea [EP]
Still intriguing, if not as immediately accessible as "Uninvited, Like The Clouds". Strange how the first track here seems like almost a continuation of the last track on "Uninvited". The EP is well worth the price if you're a Church fan, especially with the 18-minute epic "So Love May Find Us", which apparently was dropped from the regular album at the last minute.

St. Vincent - Actor
Her last album was beguiling but a bit undeveloped in places. This one fulfills the promise. The ideas and arrangements are quite rich, but she still has a light touch that keeps her from seeming self-important.

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
Quite an achievement, but all these Who comparisons are a bit overstated (except for a few seconds of stuttering guitar feedback, and the fact that it's kind of a rock opera). One or two retreads melodically from the last album, but it keeps a good head of steam going. One of the catchier songs is called "Before The Lobotomy"—would be interesting to hear that blasting from radios this summer!

John Doe and the Sadies - Country Club
Doe uses the Sadies (an established group in their own right) as his backing band for this CD of country covers (and a couple of originals). His voice is perfect for the mournful tone of many of these tracks, but it does get a bit overwhelming by the end.

Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant [EP]
The current alternative hit "Mykonos" is on this. A great song, I think, but strange for a suite-like song such as this to be so popular. As solid overall as their full-length debut.

John Vanderslice - Romanian Names
This guy is incapable of making a bad album. The ideas keep coming, and even if he occasionally falls back on old musical ideas, his lyrics are never less than intriguing.

Jeremy Enigk - OK Bear
Brilliant! Guaranteed to be in my top ten of the year, I'd say. He treads some of the same emotional territory as John Vanderslice, but it's more immediate and visceral, and the playing is great too.

Wussy - Wussy
This is the third album by this group (which evolved out of the group Ass Ponys) but the first one I've bought. It's got all the q u i r k y power of the former group, plus the welcome addition of Lisa Walker as second vocalist (and co-writer).

various artists - Live at the World Café, Vol. 26: Marathon
Relies a bit too much on "core artists" from the '90s (Sheryl Crow, Counting Crows), and some of the performances are just recorded badly. The Kathleen Edwards and New Pornographers tracks are fantastic, but Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" does not translate well to the live setting (or was it just a bad day for the singer?)—most disappointing performance since Fastball's "The Way" on an earlier volume.

I'm thinking about getting La Roux & Little Boots albums, I like what I've heard from both of them so far. La Roux is the better artist I think, but Little Boots will be around longer b/c she's more mainstream. Who knows. I almost bought the vinyl copy of Little Boots album, but I don't have the money right now. I think I can wait. Anyone else been listening to what these ladies have been doing?

and Little Boots was orignally an auditioner on one of Simon Cowels programmes - so you can see how good he really is at spotting talent,.

Yeah, no need to for me to get too graphic, but shit. Little Boots' album is a bit samey, but I blame that on the instrumentation and production choices rather than the songs. She sounds the best when she's not trying to be so mainstream, hopefully her next record will deliver on her promise.

La Roux though, she's different. I would like to see her move away from the 80s revival and explores some more modern sounds because her songs are great.

I'm going to put some money in the bank tomorrow and look into getting La Roux's album. I have to buy Intimacy by Bloc Party first though. I kind of consider a 2009 album even though it really isn't. I just love it.

Just ordered the invisible new album - what I have have heard so far is quite intriguing

and I just bought my first ever sparks album... EXOTIC Creatures Of The Deep.

and the Broken Record CD. An edinburgh 7 peice band, with a fiddle and a cello. Hints of springsteen, Waterboys and the Blue Nile but not in any sense sounding like any of them. Beyond category - they are great live and I am enjoying the album.

I'm considering buying the new Eels album. Has anyone heard it?

I meant anyone on here, Mr. Tein.

Actually I have heard and own the new Eels album. Its very un-eels like, kinda gruff, rough country style. More conor Oberst than usual. But certianly worthy of buying if you like them.

Anyone here buy Patrick Wolf's new album? I just pre-ordered the US vinyl release (Aug. 11). I like it, probably his best yet. I would have bought his last one if it had a vinyl release, but as it stands only have Wind In The Wires.

I also finally bought a copy of Intamicy by Bloc Party, I quite like it now. There new single, One More Chance, is a bit bland though. I don't think I'll be buying it.

Here's June, after one further title from May:

Jay Bennett - Whatever Happened I Apologize [2008]
After his untimely death, I went to his website and saw that his most recent album was still available as a free download. Definitely downbeat, and spare musically, but there's a glow of passion.

Elvis Costello - Secret, Profane & Sugarcane [2009]
Here he revisits the rootsy Americana of "King of America", but he seems to have realized that all the new songs are slow, so he digs back several years to re-imagine a couple of older songs as "shitkickers", notably "Complicated Shadows". But it's really the new slow songs that impress, making the second half more rewarding for me.

Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers [2008]
Thanks to LRandall for the recommendation of this. Intelligent and passionate, with a band that expertly fills in the background that the songs require.

various - My Jazzy Soul, Vol. 1 [2009]
A local compilation that includes a friend of mine (Demetrius Ford) on the one spoken-word track. The rest are R&B/soul/jazz. Brown Baby Girl is the highlight for me. Only available as a download.

Fanfarlo - Reservoir [2009]
Came my way via an email from Sigur Ros. This is a band they are championing, and they were offering the album as a download for $1. Kind of like Coldplay with a splash of Sigur Ros, with a vocalist who sounds exactly like that Beirut guy but with more straightforward lyrics. Pretty engaging.

Marcio Local - Says Don Day Don Dree Don Don [2009]
A new artist on David Byrne's label. Traditionally Brazilian to an extent, but funky and danceable.

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest [2009]
This is one of those bands that I realized I had downloaded many songs from via MP3 blogs, so I figured I owed them a real purchase. Hard to describe: kind of dreamy, kind of soulful, kind of spacey, but still basically "alternative rock". You may have heard "Two Weeks".

B.C. Camplight - Blink Of A Nihilist [2007]
A local Philly favorite of mine. I waited two years for this to go down in price, but for some reason it's always like $25-30 new, so I got it used cheap. Piano-based, melodic, witty.

George Harrison - Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison [2009]
Did I really need this? Of course not, but it's a nice package with most of the hits, a few key album tracks, plus three of his Beatles compositions as performed on "The Concert for Bangla Desh". The closest to a rarity is "I Don't Want To Do It", the Dylan song he did on the "Porky's Revenge" soundtrack in the '80s—this may be its first appearance on CD, so why did they cross-fade out of a live track into this?

Tortoise - Beacons of Ancestorship [2009]
Stellar set, completely instrumental for the first time in 8 years. Still basically post-rock, but I think you could actually dance to some of this.

Regina Spektor - Far [2009]
Easily my favorite of the three albums I know by her. None of the pop production excesses of the last album (even though Jeff Lynne is one of the producers!). Closer to Fiona Apple's last album (she uses that producer too) in tone, but a lot less pissed off.

Wilco - Wilco (the album) [2009]
In some ways as relaxed as the last album, but at times unnerving too, and less introspective. Nels Cline is becoming one of my favorite guitarists: he knows just how to color a song.

Of Montreal - Icons, Abstract Thee [2007]
Stumbled upon this EP in Best Buy, and worried that it would just be an afterthought of the "Hissing Fauna" sessions, but this EP is a joyous surprise. Okay, two of the songs are slow, but a very rich experience. Highly recommended if you're a fan.

I keep trying to slow down my purchases, but to little avail. I am spending less money, however, mostly with the help of Best Buy gift cards from work...and Best Buy's sale prices. CD Universe (my main online music source) is seeing a lot less of me these days.