So what are you listening to these days?

Currently seeing regular rotation here at the wet & slippery acreage:

Cordero – En este momento. A friend says they remind him of Lhasa, but I hear far more Calexico. For when you have a touch of the fever and wish you were nursing yourself back to health in some nameless Juarez cantina. But since that specific cure might only add venganza de los Montezuma to your fever, play this disc instead.

Cesaria Evora – rogamar. New one from this wonderful Cape Verde vocalist. If she can't make you smile, your face has nerve damage.

David Glimour – On An Island. Classic, perhaps same ol; but in a good way. This time, he's ...on an island! Breathe, breathe in the (salty) air. I know I'd rather spend a weekend on Gilmour's island, than with Senor Parrothead.

Nada Surf – the weight is a gift. Bringing spoonfuls of the oh so tasty indie rock pop, when Spoon isn't enough (which isn't often).

J Dilla – Donuts. Recently passed on turntablist, wonderfully remixing/mashing obscure soul & r&b. More of the happy stuff: no grime, no gangsta here.

Kay Hoffman – Floret Silva. The Carmina Burana (12th century medevial anonymous poetry), sung by a Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab) sound-alike, backed by an Italian prog rock band. Hard to classify, but a joy to hear! Originally recorded in '77, so maybe it's more polite to say Laetitia is a Kay Hoffman sound-alike. Age before units sold.

Comus – First Utterance. British '3P' (proggy, psychedelic, pagan) devil-worship folk incantations. First out in '71. Seriously weird and yeah, it's scary! See for yourself: lyrics here. (Comus lyrics trivia - a 3 part whichy-witch question: In which Comus song will you find the title of which album from which current stoner/black metal band?)

Carneyball Johnson – s/t. Ralph Carney. Bleat-honk-oof! 'Nuff said!?

Disappointments:
Jackie Greene – American Myth. I fell for the hype. Steve Berlin, Pete Thomas & Dave Faragher along for the ride do not guarantee the coming of the next Elvis Costello.
Donald Fagen – Morph the Cat. Why do I still think he’ll ever get good again? Maybe because I thought Everything Must Go wasn't as terrible as its reviews suggested. Maybe because angular banjos sound gooood to me and I'm never going back to my old school and daddy don't live in that NYC no more and...

And finally, my favorite SF-based world music label, 6 Degrees, is having a nice sale. I’ve got a lot of these, but I think I can find a couple more. Check eet out, vato.