Friday Music

First: I’m back online, finally. AT&T finally got their shit together some time late this morning. Grrr.

Second: Sadly, the lack of connection for more than a day means a shorter Friday Music than normal. Sorry.

The big new release I got this week was Róisín Murphy’s new album, Overpowered, and I’m pleased to report that it’s as brilliant as her solo debut Ruby Blue. I’ve been listening to it constantly. I’ve posted some previews of it over the past couple of months, including the title track and the first single, so here are two album tracks:

Róisín Murphy – “Cry Baby”

and

Róisín Murphy – “Dear Miami.”

Interestingly enough, I’ve found that Bruce Springsteen’s new album holds up to repeated listening far more than the new Radiohead. I’ve given a few listens to Radiohead since I purchased In Rainbows, but it’s Springsteen’s Magic that I’ve played over and over. Here’s one of the reasons why: Bruce Springsteen – “Your Own Worst Enemy.”

Here’s a new single from Maritime, a quartet from Milwaukee who released their third album, Heresy and the Hotel Choir, this week. I hadn’t heard them before, and was drawn in by the title of the song. I wasn’t disappointed. Maritime – “For Science Fiction.”

One of the cello players from Rasputina has a solo album, full of strings-based experimental modern-classical whatsits. Very cool. Julia Kent – “Idlewild.”

And we’ll finish off with my favorite track from Dead Can Dance – “Ulysses.”

There you go. Glad to be back — more next week.

Internetless, sorta…

I’m typing this from the University of Kansas campus.

My DSL connection at home crapped out yesterday afternoon — apparently, AT&T’s DSL hub for the entire city of Lawrence went tits-up. When I called yesterday (after being transferred through the usual tech support queue — Bombay, India to St. Louis, MO), they confirmed that the main hub was out, and that there was no ETA for it to be back up.

When I woke up this morning, still no joy. I called again, and was told the same thing — including the fact that there was still no ETA. Jesus Monkey-Lovin’ Christ. Today’s operator informed me that something called an OS-3 card was out, and that they were going to be replacing it, whatever that means.

So, I Can Has No Intarwebs in my office. picked me up at lunch, and brought me to campus, where I can, at least, answer my backlog of emails.

Not A Happy Camper.