Recent Additions of Note to the Celestial Playlist

Jean-Marie Leon, "Bring It On." But pity the rest of the disc largely falls flat.

Sam Sparro, "Black and Gold" and the WHOLE FRIGGING (eponymous) ALBUM. Maybe I'm just in serious Prince withdrawal, but this sure sounds like the barnstormer I've been lacking. Ferocious.

Keane, "Spiralling." Looking forward to the upcoming album, we'll see what rehab did to their lead singer. This unexpectedly rocking track teases that perhaps we have something a little less drowsy in store...

The Faint, Fasciination is frankly a disappointment. "The Geeks Were Right" suggests we can expect more of the same great Faint sound, but the album is surprisingly sluggish. "Forever Growing Centipedes" an exception amongst quite a few loser tracks.

So too, exceedingly disappointing, is the Black Ghosts LP, which we have been feverishly awaiting e'er since "Tears from a Gun" popped up as a freebie on iTunes o'er a year ago. That track fails to appear, but much of what does is somehow cranks up the annoyance factor in each track enough that I've grown bored quickly. A few standouts tracks: "Anyway You Choose to Give It," and uh, hmm. That's about it.

Beck's Modern Guilt has been back burner cookin' in my main playlist for a couple months, but I've failed to ever engage with the material much. It's a snoozer akin to Sea Change which bafflingly gathered accolades whilst brilliant Midnite Vultures has been cast a failure in the discography. This is a cruel world. Still, a few Guilt tracks percolate up through the back door: "Gamma Ray," and uh, hmm. That's about it. Sensing a pattern here this summer.

I am still wrestling with the new C.S.S. album. Have to get back to you on that one.

Ben Folds! "Bitch Went Nuts"!!! There is a God, and He is Good.

Caesars' "Strawberry Weed." And better yet, "No Tomorrow."

Finding the Charlatans' You Cross My Path a delight so far. Will dig deeper and report back.

Same deal for bizarre Pop Levi's Never Never Love. Odd little tadpole. Scratch & sniff.