On the playlist, or I survived SXSW and all I got was this lousy flu

I thought the fits of coughing on Sunday were because I smoked my way through a pack of cigarettes over the four nights of the SXSW music festival. I can usually make a pack last a month. I thought the coughing would subside by the next day, but it didn’t.

In fact, I didn’t sleep a wink on Sunday night, and come Monday morning, I was running a fever of 100.5. I’ve missed this entire week of work because I got knocked out by the flu.

The only thing I’ve managed to do all week is watch reruns of Law and Order and Star Trek Voyager on cable. I’ve actually managed to stay away from the computer, which is kind of refreshing. Still, it would be nice to feel like something other than total crap.

Fish and visitors stink after three days. I’ve had this flu for five. It can go away now, please.

  • Annie Lennox, Songs of Mass Destruction Annie Lennox’s solo albums tend to be too achingly beautiful, so it’s refreshing to hear her with a stronger sound.
  • ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, World World World It seems nothing has changed on the surface, and yet this album seems a step up from Fan Club.
  • avengers in sci-fi, avenger strikes back Some good tracks on this album, but they overstay their welcome a bit.
  • BUGY CRAXONE, Good morning, Punk Lovers As with ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, this new album by BUGY CRAXONE doesn’t sound different but certainly feels different.
  • Cocteau Twins, Heaven or Las Vegas I’ve already gone through Treasure and Blue Bell Knoll …
  • detriot7, Third Star From The Earth and GREAT Romantic Haven’t listened to GREAT ROMANTIC, but Third Star From The Earth has that mix of dance beats and garage rock that worked so well for the Gossip on Standing in the Way of Control.
  • Elliott Carter, String Quartets Nos. 1 and 5, Pacifca Quartet These pieces sound incredibly difficult.
  • Janet Jackson, Discipline I don’t know if this album can erase the memory of the last few duds, but I do like the robot skits between some of the tracks …
  • Klymaxx, Meeting in the Ladies Room Somebody slap me, ‘cos I know I look good.
  • Leo Imai, Fix Neon I’m still trying to puzzle out exactly what Leo Imai is doing on this album.
  • Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson, Sings Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs I very rarely listen to recital discs by opera singers, but this recording can get under your skin.
  • Office, A Night at the Ritz Neo new wave.
  • The Reivers, Translate Slowly Classic new wave.
  • The Bad Plus, The Bad Plus Wow, that ABBA cover really kicks much butt.
  • Utada Hikaru, HEART STATION Nope, not ULTRA BLUE, Part II …