Yesterday while driving home the wife and I were listening to KEXP. I started to bemoan safe randomness of their dj's music selection. Normally I like to be challenged or overcome by an artist or performers. Music that wants to rule, destroy or change the world is was I tend to gravitate towards. Some days I like the comfort of " Blue Monday" other days it seems a bit cliched. 

Maybe yesterday was a bit of a blue monday. 40,000 American  jobs lost in a single day. Blue sky in Seattle. ....

Maybe I'm not giving their dj's enough credit for their insights into the world and linking it to a playlist.

If given the choice I would choose ipod over KEXP. I get enough exposure to new music and have enough of it to sustain me for months on end. 

We made it home before " Blue Monday" finished so I couldn't tell you for certain if the next song was linked to the previous one.

One of my favorite things is to come to my senses and acquire some of my favorite artists and titles in Long Playing, Extended Play and 7 inch formats. Last year I went on a spree and bought many original Radiohead vinyl titles. Those being OK Computer, Hail To The Thief, Kid A and Amnisiac.  Thank you ebay. It was an expensive process ( just over $100). Well worth the money spent. Capitol Records just a few months later decided to issue all of those titles plus the Bends and Pablo Honey. Now they are in the process of issuing many of their import EPs on vinyl as well. What is a poor fan to do?

I'm never going to say anything repulsive or snobby by saying no one has heard Kid A unless you have heard in on vinyl but it does hold some charm, a wonderful character and  has an amazing presence and aftertaste. I could even argue that Ok Computer, Amnesiac and Hail To The Thief are all wonderful to experience in a analogue setting.

More recently I found two Moondog 10" EPs released through Honest Jons a few years ago. Great stuff. I never know how to explain Moondog to anyone. It has elements of Jazz, Big Band classical, poetry and sound collage. One should better themselves quick and expose oneself to more of his music and quick. All of his stuff has rewarded me greatly. Fantasy Records issued his first two lps on CD a while back. Columbia also reissued his two late 60's masterworks. All great places to start.

The Honest Jons reissues are two impossibly rare EPs released in the late 40's and early 50's. Many of the songs are embryonic versions that would appear  some years later on his full length albums. These are not demos or throw aways or leftovers. This is , was and will always be the shape of popular music to come.

Obligatory 3 line Merriweather Post Pavilion Review.