In heavy rotation:The Decemberists - Castaways and CutoutsDogs Die in Hot Cars - Please Describe YourselfMiles Davis - Birth of the CoolPatricia Barber - NightclubThe Album Leaf - In A Safe PlaceAmerican Music Club - Love Songs for PatriotsInterpol - AnticsVelvet Teen - Elysium and The Great Beast February / Comasynthesis

This album sat on my Must But list for several weeks and I just couldn't make the call to buy it. Don't really know why. It's a very quiet album, mostly instrumental, but that usually doesn't slow me down. I finally pushed the buy button today. Excellent choice!!This is a very quiet, contemplative album that will get no airplay anywhere. What a shame. It's apparently done by a classical pianist and

I picked this up a day or so ago and don't know what to think of it. It's very much a pop album and could get some serious airtime on a top 40 pop station. Nothing wrong with that. I really like several bands that play retro pop kinds of things. The Aluminum Group comes to mind pretty quickly as does Lambchop and Marshal Crenshaw. I listened to the full album yesterday after the purchase, last night

File sharing is the local radio of the next generation. A radical thought? I would argue that it might be the only hope music has other than live performance...No one will argue with me that local radio is pretty much dead outside the public band of your FM dial. There are exceptions, but try to find a local radio station that does its own programming. If you buy that assertion, then I'll also

Today's purchases:The Autumns - The AutumnsTrashcan Sinatras - WeightliftingInterpol - AnticsSo far so good. More on each of these groups later. Weightlifting really hit the spot today for some reason. I also wanted to pick up The Junior Boys, but didn't find them on iTunes. Time for an order from insound.com. Also noticed another album by The Shins last night, but it seemed to be an older release.

The Ella Fitzgerald songbook albums are a collection of performances where she sings the songs of a particular songwriter of her day. I believe there are 12 of them and they hit Eillington, Mercer, Porter, and several other writers. Many of the songs were done in one or two takes in the studio, yet they define how a piece should be performed. The Best of the Songbooks is a sampler of the albums and

It's January 1 and I'm already behind in my music listening. Over 100 CDs on the "buy" list right now and I've been ignoring Jazz for far too long. Last year was a good music year for me with the discovery of several new artists that I've really enjoyed.It was also a frustrating year buying music. Just got back tonight from the local Border's where I looked a 5 or 6 CDs that were on my "buy" list.