On the playlist, or on the download binge

Last month, I had 43 downloads remaining in my eMusic quota which I forgot to use. I’ve already complained about having too much choice, and part of the reason those 43 downloads went to waste was because I wanted to catch up on what I have before I get any more. But that’s just not how eMusic rolls.

I didn’t purchase much music in September, but this past week, I went on a binge. I haven’t had time to listen to everything, but I wanted to note them now to figure out later what I want to write about in greater detail.

  • Blowoff, Blowoff Bob Mould already mixed dance beats with indie rock guitars, and this collaboration with DJ Richard Morel refines that formula.
  • Camper Van Beethoven, Telephone Free Landslide Victory I think I like this better than Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart.
  • Duran Duran, "Falling Down" An apt description of Duran Duran’s career since the turn of the century.
  • Emmylou Harris, Songbird Waterloo Records put this $75.99 boxed set on sale for $59.99, so I picked it up yesterday.
  • Furukawa Miki, "Psycho America" That electric violin is really becoming a signature part of her sound.
  • Hajime Chitose, "Anata ga Koko nite Hoshii/Miyori no Mori" She’s really going for that old-style Japanese pop sound and washing out any traces of her traditional folk roots.
  • Hey Willpower, Dance EP Hot damn, more indie rockers ought to do top 40 pop!
  • In Tua Nua, When Night Came Down on Sunset Oooh! The unreleased In Tua Nua album before the band broke up in 1990!
  • Jean Sibelius, Symphonies Nos. 6 and 7/Tapiola It’s been 50 years since Sibelius died, and I’ve seen a lot of press mentioning how no one is really commemorating it.
  • Judy Dunaway, Mother of Balloon Music Judy Dunaway explores the musical possibilities of very large balloons, but her works make more sense when the balloons are pit against actual musical instruments.
  • Kronos Quartet, Kronos Quartet plays Sigur Rós I love the fact this arrangement of "Flugufrelsarinn" is very idiomatic to the string quartet format.
  • mono, Gone I’m probably not going to be surprised.
  • Nina Hynes & the Husbands, Really, Really Do She’s pretty much shed all the heavy synthetic sounds for more of a live feel.
  • Onitsuka Chihiro, "Bokura Barairo no Hibi" These singles before the release of Las Vegas aren’t remarkable, and I think I like them so much because of that.
  • The Go-Betweens, 16 Lovers Lane The arm of Johnny Marr really does stretch long.
  • Tokyo Jihen, Goraku (Variety) Straight outta the ’70s.
  • Utada Hiakru, "Beautiful World/Kiss & Cry" How soon, then, till the next Japanese-language Utada album?