Clearing the Decks...

Just a quick hit tonight, while I enjoy "30 Rock," in an effort to bring things up to date.
Here are the latest Washington Post previews:
Alexandria Symphony Orchestra
Of Montreal
Liz Carroll and John Doyle

And the next one resumes the long-lost CD Aquisition Year-to-Date tally.
The show in question - two local acts at the Barns of Wolf Trap - Fighting Gravity and the Niki Barr Band
The management for these two acts is really on the case. Prompt reply to my emails, overnight delivery of the CDs – some of them including bonus discs of additional press materials. Funny, though, only B&W pics sent digitally.
1.NIKI BARR – Lush (Self-released)
Extra CD with reviews, photos, and video materials
2.NIKI BARR – Go (Self-released)
Bonus DVD of her Armed Forces Entertainment Tour in 2006
3.FIGHTING GRAVITY – Blue Sky & Black (self-released)
4.FIGHTING GRAVITY – Blue Sky & Black (self-released)
Different edition, this one with a CD of acoustic tracks from the band’s archives and demos of the studio CD, plus an electronic press pack.

Next week's Post previews (you heard it here first):
5. UNCLE EARL – Waterloo, Tennessee (Rounder)
Out next week (March 13th) as will be my interview/preview. The all g'Earl string band is playing the Birchmere on the 16th, promoting a lovely new CD that was produced by Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones. An odd pairing, but we had fun talking about how four strong women related to the former heavy metal wild man.
6. BOX - Just a Phase (Boy Dog Records)
"The band of busy beavers" is playing a show at the Firehouse Grill on St. Patty's Day. I woder how many members of the audience will really hear the words of "Lezzies for the Lord"?

Also coming to town (though I didn't preview):
7.LOS LOBOS – Acoustic En Vivo (Los Lobos Records)
Appearing at the State Theatre tomorrow night, March 9th.

Two new winning additions to the shelves:
8. AIR – Pocket Symphonies (Astralwerks)
Played this one two times in a row last week on an evening drive home from the Jacks Mannequin show and loved the spacey vibe.
9.SANJAY MISHRA – Chateau Benares (Akar Music)
A good companion to the Air album, in a mellow “Music from the Hearts of Space” way. It’s chill without having that sleepy new age feel.

Stuff that just didn’t do it for me:
10. UNCLE MONK – S/T (Airday Records)
Tommy Ramone goes all acoustic country on your ass with Claudia Tienan.
11. KATHIE BAILLIE – Love’s Funny That Way (Aspirion)
Country pop shlock.
12. PORTER BLOCK – Suburban Sprawl (Engine Room Recordings)
I got a second copy of this CD, slightly different than the one that came last year (single mixes of two tracks, and a new one), but it doesn’t impress the second time around. The PR people stress comparisons to XTC and Fountains of Wayne, but not this is simple pop at best, not to those higher levels of either melody or cleverness.
13.MATTHEW RYAN - From a Late Night High Rise (00:02:59)
Written in response to the sentencing of his brother to 30 years in prison (there’s no mention of why) and the death of a good friend, the vibe here is pretty much as downcast as you’d expect.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I don’t have anything to say about these albums yet, so let’s just make some lists...
Advances:
14. RICKY SKAGGS & BRUCE HORNSBY – Self-Titled (Sony Legacy)
Out March 20th.
15.MIDNIGHT MOVIES – Lion the Girl (New Line Records)
oops, sorry. Not sure of the release date.
16.DOYLE LAWSON & QUICKSILVER – More Behind the Picture Than the Wall (Rounder)
Out March 27.
17. PAM TILLIS – Rhinestoned (Stellar Cat)
Out April 17th.

Various Artists:
18.VARIOUS ARTISTS – Valentine’s Sampler (Arista)
Skews country with Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, et al. I think I’m getting soft, but I kinda like Paisley’s “Little Moments.”
19.VARIOUS ARTISTS – Find It. Try It. Buy It. Trade It.
Record & Tape Traders 3-act sampler of local music including The Sketches, who didn’t impress me live, but I’ll give ‘em a shot to prove me wrong.

And finally:
20.ADRIENNE YOUNG – Room to Grow (self-released?)
21. Q-BURNS ABSTRACT MESSAGE – Agave Nectar, Vol. 1 (Agave Records)
22. PAULSON – All At Once (Doghouse Records)
23.LEEROY STAGGER – Depression River (Boompa Records)
24.ANNE McCUE – Koala Motel (Messenger Records)
25.JESSE SYKES & The SWEET HEREAFTER – Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul (Barsuk)
26. ELISABETH AMES & the COUNTRYPOLITANS – Anytime (Ultrapolitan Records)

YTD Total: 65