Feelin' Bjorky!

I’m back to pruning the bonsai again, meaning I’m looking to trim my music collection, which I do in a slow, determined (many might say obsessive) manner. Of course, all things are relative in the mathematics of the collector. After a few sessions of cross-checking the potential value of unwanted CDs on amazon.com, I took a bag with a few dozen discs to ye olde CD Cellar and, with about ten deemed not worth bothering about, I had $39 in store credit. Determined not to spend any of my own funds in these recessionary times, I put back the Legacy Edition of Jeff Buckley’s “Grace” (it was $20 and I figure I can find it again down the road) and was able to bring home a goodly bunch without spending a penny of my own money.

I was looking for, but couldn’t find, new releases by Animal Collective, Lily Allen, Franz Ferdinand, and an obscure Canadian band named Pilot Speed that Terry once heard on a Starbucks compilation. But I have the artists I usually check out - David Byrne, Elbow, Elvis Costello, et al. - looking for remixes and imports, and I hit paydirt with the Queen of Iceland.

There were so many Bjork CD singles, a good half-dozen at least. She’s a maddening artist to collect since she releases multiple versions of most singles and seems to record/release almost very concert and video she’s done. I’ve given up on getting everything and I’m perpetually challenged to remember which ones I have, so I let the pricing make up my mind. Most of the discs here were $3.oo and even a few of those were in funky condition, so I took this one
BJORK - Bachelorette CD single (PolyGram/One Little Indian)
which was only $2.oo and offers six tracks. Plus I liked the cover.

And now that I’m home, I’m glad to see that the other single that I was tempted by - “Violently Happy” - is tucked happily in the all-Bjork box.
READ: INTERPRETING BJORK - Various Artists (Hush Records)
($3.99)
More proof that online shopping will never replace browsing in a real music store. In all my Bjork-bound travels, I’d never heard of this tribute CD, from a small label in Portland. I’m not sure who/what READ is or how this 2003 compilation came to be. But when I saw that Ben Gibbard was featured on one track, and that the Decemberists were doing “Human Behavior,” I had to have it. The latter track isn’t world-shaking (perhaps I want too much!) and I know nothing about the other acts here, but it’s still a great exercise to hear songs I know and like so much put through a new filter.
And that brings us to
TRAVIS SULLIVAN’s BJORKESTRA - Enjoy (Koch)
I had heard of this one before, as the Bjorkestra played in NoVa last year and were almost a Live! pic. Billed as “visionary pop meets cutting-edge jazz,” the big ensemble sometimes meanders off into the improv wild woods, but its strong female vocalist, Becca Stevens, keeps things grounded. There’s lots of live audio streaming available at the band’s web site so you can see if you like it, too.

GEORGE GERSHWIN - Gershwin Performs Gershwin (Music Masters)
($5.99) It’s subtitled “Rare Recordings: 1931-1935” and who can resist hearing a genius interpreting his own masterworks?
ROKIA TRAORE - Tchamantche (Nonesuch)
($1.99) Hubby heard this Malian woman on an NPR and asked me to keep an eye out for her album. When searching through the slim plastic cases and cardboard envelopes that indicate advances, I found it, though this album came out last year. First listen revealed a rich voice and fluid guitar, plus a Cassandra Wilson-like cover of “The Man I Love” (and that ties it back to Gershwin!).
M.C. YOGI - Vote for Hope (Ursa Minor)
($.99) Will I. Am got the major media attention, but this song was another great moment in the Obama musical march to victory. Wish this disc had the video, too.
DAN HICKS & The HOT LICKS - Tangled Tales (Surfdog)
($.99) A genuine advance, which comes out March 24. Hicks is playing at the State Theatre on April 11, so this single buck is an investment in my actual work as a possible preview. (IRS, take note!)
PROJECT JENNY, PROJECT JAN - The Colors EP (Might Records)
($.99) Another advance, this one out on April 14. I know nothing about the band, but I keep hearing about them - more from persistent PR mailings than actual press - so I’m curious.
RICHARD GOODE - Beethoven: The Complete Piano Concertos (Nonesuch)
Three discs at a great price ($2.99) so I can pretend to be cultured, made more attractive for coming in a plain plastic envelope that can hold four discs. I'm gonna re-house this set and use the casing as a lightweight travel case.
BEN KWELLER - Special Occasions (RCA DVD)
($1.00) “...the making of his highly anticipated album ON MY WAY” which “hits stores April 6, 2004.” And it was still sealed!
MUSIC FROM THE FILM - Playfully Abrasive (self-released)
This one was a freebie, four of them stacked up on the freebie table, near the concert fliers, stickers and other cheapie promo swag. I wasn’t entirely sure which was the name of the album and which was the band, but then there was a myspace reference to clear things up. The CD is printed with a photo of the inside of a Lysol green-tinged outhouse, so I have my worries about what lies within.
And since the word “film” came up anyway, I won’t tally, but will tell that I also picked up
The ROCKER (20th Century Fox DVD)
($11.99) Maybe it looks stupid, but I gotta trust Rainn WIlson to not entirely betray my trust. And, having written my own rock-themed comedy film (never produced, but always available to the interested reader) I’m just a sucker for rock and roll movies (also got 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE last week. Highly recommended).

YTD O/CD Tally:53