I’ll give it a go:

The Arrival–Marcus Roberts: I took piano lessons about 5 or 6 years ago from a lady in Alabama who was a dead ringer for Dana Carvey’s Chruch Lady, except less annoying. I wanted to sound like Marcus Roberts. About 3 months into the lessons, we met an impasse–I was satisfied doing major/minor chords and arpeggios, and way too intimidated by the ink on the page to do any of this stuff. What is and what should never be.

West of Fields, REM. I recall liking REM in high school. Then about 2 years ago it occurred to me that I liked them again, so I burned all the CDs a friend of mine has. This one is from Murmur. I’d have to say I’m over them again. A little too whiny and predictable.

What More Can I Say, Nina Simone. We went and did karaoke last weekend at a place one of our musician friend loves to frequent. We could see why. This isn’t your drunk-chicks-skewering-the-80s type of place. Some dude did Nina Simone. He nailed it. I was in awe. And so intimidated that I limited myself to the shortest song I could find when it was my turn. It was by The Who, not Nina Simone.

Last Can of Paint–BOAT. I previously called this my favorite album of 2006, and I stand by it.

Walls of Red Wing–Bob Dylan. I burned the Bootleg Series from this weird dude I used to work with. He was one of those guys whose office is always impeccable, with the few objects on the shelves and desk at perfect 90-degree angles, and separate little containers for each size of paper clips and so on. So I borrowed this 3-disc set for a week or two, and it jostled around in my brief case in the meantime, the cardboard casing getting scratched up. I felt kinda bad, but it was the Bootleg Series…

Wreck of the Tennessee Gravy Train–Uncle Dave Macon. This is from Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music. A friend of mine has burned it for me on three separate occasions. He must really want me to listen to it. My favorite is Barbeque Bust, but this works.

Snake Driver–Jesus and Mary Chain. Here is a band I should’ve liked in high school–they did lollapalooza with Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and the Chili Peppers–but I don’t think I ever heard their stuff. With the Internet, kids in Nebraska will never again suffer this fate I am sure.

Greased Hairlip–BOAT. Hey, there are 6833 songs on here, don’t ask me….

$300–Soul Coughing. Genius. Dare I say one of the most underrated bands of the 1990s? I think I just did.

Here at the Right Time–Josh Ritter. Got this from the same Uncle Dave Macon friend. It’s on the iPod because I blindly trust his judgment. I know nothing about this singer-songwriter, other than liking The Thin Blue Flame. Frankly, this one is a bit softcore for me. So much for going out with a bang.