YIPES!

outside my window
that good old mid-winter rain
hoses down the snow

IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION: I am not in favor of Rockism. I am merely trying to analyze it and describe the unconscious philosophy behind it.

I am honored to be quoted in the Nashville Scene's Country Music Critic's Poll, which can be found at this address. Pretty much in favor of Loretta Lynn being #1 on albums and Gretchen Wilson #1 for singles, good job ladies. Pretty much a good result overall, although I am sad that more people didn't vote for Los Tigres del Norte or Joni Harms or J.J. Cale. I also voted for Anthony Hamilton's song "Charlene" at #1, but of course that was doomed by dint of not getting played on country radio and being by an African-American soul singer. Some people say that Anthony Hamilton is an Al Green wannabe, whereas I say that I am more eagerly awaiting his new record than the new record of any other artist on earth right now.

Then again I am given to making statements like that. I guess I'm probably more excited to see if there is something new from El Gran Silencio or Baaba Maal this year, or maybe the new ones from Lee Ann Womack and Deana Carter (which I think might be ushering in a new countrypolitan era, which would rock), or the Conjunto Primavera album which should be arriving any day now, or Mannie Fresh, definitely the new Common album, perhaps Los Fabulosos Cadillacs have one more killer record in them, O the glorious delightful possibilities, O what a big wonderful effed-up dappled world.

Anyway, I have received a gang of new music in the last few days, lots of stuff from Nepal and Cabo Verde and Sumatra and Romania and Argentina and Pakistan and Vietnam and Mexico and Germany and Boston and Cincinnati and other exotic places. I have written about some of it here and here.

Also, if you have visited either 36,500 Words or The Daily Seventeen and you like them, please feel free totell me about that, or to link to them, or whatever. I have some new links up, and more are to come, especially to some cheeky British newcomers.

sometimes late at night
I can hear the whisperings
from the other side