What I've been listening to this week

Calvin Harris - Ready For the Weekend
Like me, you’ve probably spent this whole week stewing over political frustrations. You’ve been all keyed up over Obama’s lack of a strong stance on the public option and losing sleep over the realization that those state senators from Iowa, Wyoming and North Dakota who are fighting the hardest to sabotage efforts at real, meaningful reform pull in inordinate amounts of money from health insurance related PACs AND each of their home states has a major insurer that covers 70% or more of the state's population, which sounds a hell of a lot more like a monopoly than this “we love free markets and competition” bullshit they use to explain their positions. That was totally you too this week, right? That’s probably why I found myself visiting Calvin Harris-land so much this week. Because in Calvin Harris-land, there’s only thumping beats and a reminder that ”these are the good times in your life, so put on a smile and it’ll be alright.” Granted I wouldn’t want to live there, but it’s a super fun place visit.

Inglourious Basterds soundtrack
My first memory of wanting something so, so badly was when Nickelodeon had a "toy store shopping spree" contest. They'd show commercials for it which would portray kids gleefully running through the asles grabbing toys as fast as they could. I would always furiously try to write down the address to enter, but it never seemed to stay on the screen long enough for me to complete it. I would literally lay in bed and plan my strategy. Video game isle first (value!) followed by action figures (can fit many in cart!) ending with sporting goods (a new basketball!). Skip the stupid dolls and baby stuff. What does this have to do with Inglourious Basterds? Nothing! In fact, I have not seen the movie yet, but I am pretty sure it is about how the Nazis won WWII (proof: Obamacare). The point is, I want to go on a "record shopping spree" through QuentinTarantino's house. His soundtracks are proof his record collection is amazing.

Sonya Cotton – Red River
Red River is one of those records that has an accompanying narrative that sounds suspect and contrived - girl suffers serious loss and grief, girl sees strong parallels to the roadkill of her suburban surroundings to her and her loved ones pain, girl decides to pick up and move across country, girl makes sad bastard folksy album about it all. But despite the relative simplicity (think early 60's Joan Baez, and Meg Baird, though Cotton really doesn't sound like either of them), Red River is a captivating listen and comes from a real place of pain and reflection rather than artifice. Interestingly she is planning a September '09 tour "by train and foot." So if she shows up in your town to play a show, you should really let her sleep on your couch. And if she makes it to Detroit, I'll do the same.

12" Record bonus!

Desktop 12"
Three thumpin' dance tracks from the Pop Project's Zach Curd and Electric Six/Johnny Headband's Keith Thompson. Zach Curd is Synergy to Keith Thompson's Soundwave. If you can believe it, the results are even better than that analogy. Available for free download, which seals the deal.