Also good new music: The new Stephen Malkmus, which I've been enjoying via Buy Early Get Now. So far there's one b-side and a live show for download and the album for streaming. I think the addition of Janet Weiss is a good thing, and I'm looking forward to seeing the Jicks live with more anticipation probably since the tour for the first album, when I didn't know what the Jicks would be.

(There's an mp3 for Baltimore here)

Also intriguing from Matador: Mission of Burma reissues, which seem to have been done very nicely.

The new Cat Power hasn't really grabbed me yet, but Mac Portastatic says it's better than Covers I and The Greatest


The new R.E.M. song...I like this more than I thought I would. I think people have been waiting for this kind of R.E.M. sound for about ten years now, but it occurs to me that it's possible that not too many people care anymore.