The Rob Gordon Shuffle, 11.05.06

Putting the days to bed.

Yesterday was my girlfriend’s 21st birthday. Happy birthday, honey.

Cruising through 2006:

Ned Collette – “Song for Louis”: mp3
Have you guys heard this record yet? It’s called Jokes and Trials and it’s very, very good. In an extraordinarily weak year for folk, this guy might be the best. He’s certainly up there — if you don’t believe me, ask Clayton.

My Brightest Diamond – “Dragonfly”: mp3
A voice that echoes Mia Doi Todd, but with better songs. She toured with Sufjan, blah blah blah, you already know the bio — but this song just soars. The brooding arrangements remind me a lot of Feist’s forgotten first album.

Jason Molina – “Get Out Get Out Get Out”: mp3
I should be a bigger fan of Molina/Songs:Ohia/Magnolia Electric Co., but I’ve never really had the chance. His bones-and-sinew graveyard shuffle Let Me Go Let Me Go Let Me Go is forcing me to make the time: this is as lonely and barren an album as I’ve heard all year, and those are qualities I always like to hear in the darkening winter months.

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The Rob Gordon Shuffle is a weekly Sunday rundown of fascinating songs without particular regard to genre or timeliness. It is absolutely not a top 5.