…is writing about my heavy rotation pile. Partially due to a premature mid-life crisis (I am not old enough to have a proper one), a current project, and an envisioned project, I’m in a ‘88 - ‘00 mood. Vague? Well, it’s not to me (where it matters), nor does it define what’s doing it for me right now. Here’s what’s in the car and in the pile next to the stereo (in no order of importance):

Bailter Space - Wammo - The hooks! The hooks! You can’t write hooks like these!!!

Sebadoh - The Sebadoh - Their final proper album from ‘99. How was it that this record disappeared? Take another, or take the first, listen…seriously, my fine readers, this is a great album.

Oneida - Preteen Weaponry - Latest and greatest show, or first installment, of my fave musical/artistic movement…..MAXIMALISM!!

Fucked-Up - Year Of The Pig 12″ EP - I have no idea what type of music this is, but it’s sure as shit not the “hardcore throwback” tag that some people love to shove at this band. Invest in some Q-Tips!! Yes!! “Invest in some Q-Tips!!” is the best I can come up with right now.

XTC - Some Single 1977 - 1982 - An excellent five dollar purchase for the lazy man in me.

Adam and the Ants - Dirk Wears White Sox - Timeless no matter what all the nimrods have done with the sound.

Meringue - Music From The Mint Green Nest - Made up for the bad Thinking Fellers record, but….there wasn’t a bad Thinking Fellers record, so I’ve said too much, that’s me in the corner…

Ground Zero - Pink  - Indirectly comes close to breaking my Zappa-Free LifeStyle rule, but the hooks and label (going for complete-discography status re: Reflex, for personal and professional reasons) win out. This is not the 90’s Japanese noise band, bee tee dbl you, this is the Twin Cities post-punk gem that did a lightning fast job appropriating the above-mentioned unmentionable with some less-grating heroes (Minutemen, mainly, though I hear some accidental or chronologically impossible Dead Milkmen, Camper Van, S. Trust, etc). Self-titled debut on Reflex is great, too, and very hard to find. Nabbed this one for a quick and painless six bux via the Bay. To note: There’s some pretty fascinating two-way nepotism going on with the guitarist/vocalist.

Treepeople - Guilt, Regret, Embarrassment - Wow. Loving it. Not aging well. That makes 3,987,982 of us.

George Harrison - All Things Must Pass - Someone write a book about this thing. Yep, I’m talking to you. You know who you are and you know that it’s worth the proposal time.

Emit Rhodes - Mirror - What can I say? How about nothing.

Country Teasers - The Empire Strikes Back - How about some more of nothing (my commentary)?

Trumans Water - Godspeed the Punchline - This was released in 1993. Lend an ear to what is hyper-hip right now. Unbelievable.

Daryl Hall / John Oates - Abandoned Luncheonette - Seriously, how good is “When the Morning Comes”…..HOW GOOD IS THAT SONG?!?!?

Groundhogs - Solid - Yes, this is a solid album. Very solid.

The Sugarcubes - Life is Good ……and so is this album!!!

Bob Lind - Since There Were Circles - Title track is devastating…just devastating.