For Christmas I got the latest Kings of Convenience CD from my guy, who was intrigued by the "staff pick" blurb at the local music shop. I'm sorry to say it's dreadfully boring. It reminds me too much of Belle and Sebastian, who I definitely do not like, and the songs all sound the same. Bummer.

But he also got me the Live Aid DVDs, and it's really fun to watch so far. Is it just me, or is Ultravox's "Vienna" a really frickin' awesome song? What a voice on that Midge guy.

Nik Kershaw's on now, singing an old favorite of mine, "Wouldn't It Be Good." I was in a bar a few summers ago, and asked the bartender what CD he was playing, because it was really good. Turned out to be a recent (at the time) Nik Kershaw album. Sorry I didn't jot down the name, because I'd like to have that. Had no idea he'd done anything since his one hit in the '80s.

A friend (Joe Boucher will probably guess who) has given me an enormous amount of music from a band called Accordion Tribe.

Maybe I DO know, but then again maybe I DOn't. (That's the lightly coded answer which I'm sure erinaceous can crack.) And if that guess is the wrong one, that means it must be MC, whom I will see this week! Yay! I'm delighted she's happy on the West coast, but I still miss her muchly & could not be happier that we'll have her again in Brooklyn, even if only for a few days. Happy countdown to 2005, y'all!!

Oh, Alicia, that's too bad. I really like the Kings of Convenience. But then again, I also dig Belle and Sebastian.

Yeah, I was pretty bummed about not liking it, too. For my birthday, this same guy had gotten me the Mark Lanegan "Bubblegum" CD, and while I was apprehensive because I hadn't heard anything about it and never cared for the Screaming Trees, it's a really cool album.

Maybe with the next present, he'll break the tie and get me something I'll end up liking.

Alicia, I'm hoping to copy the batch of CDs meara gave me sometime later today, which means that I should be able to get them in the mail to you by this weekend.

Joe, you're gooD, you got it in One!

Have fun with MC!

anyone here a fan of Straylight Run? i heard one of their songs on Fuse a couple of days ago and sought out more. i'm impressed! will have to get the cd when i get some money.

also? Butterfly Boucher.

Huzzah, Anne! Thanks for the heads up!

I had no idea that Erin & Joe were tight with Donny Osmond. But now that I know, it comes as no surprise.

Whoa, I'm only two minutes into my just-arrived Eddie Hazel record and it's fanfunkintastic. Unutterably cool guitar playing.