weighing in

daniel johnston - Welcome to my World: And what a scary world it is my friends. After watching Junebug recently, I now totally understand the appeal in daniel's work. It's not strictly based on artistic achievement, but the bizarre allure in 'outsider art'. Hailed as a prolifically influentally songwriter (paul leary of the butthole surfers pushed his career into the main-er stream years back, and he has had his work covered by many), I would prefer to soak in the influenced, and keep this creepy weirdness at bay with a long pointy stick.

beirut - Gulag Orkestar: Zacahary Condon enlists the help of Jeremy Barnes and Heather Trost (of neautral milk hotel and hack and a hacksaw fame) to channel the vibes of Devotchka and the Black Heart Procession attending a funeral together somewhere in the ukraine.

dj sneak - MOS Sessions: Mixes associated with Ministry of Sound are suspect because they almost always are completely eurotrashed out in the cheesiest of ways. Of course they are usually mixed by cheesey eurotrash dj's in the first place, so you wouldn't really expect anything less. Sir sneak does a fine job here of mixing up two discs worth of some nice housey house. Gets a little techy in spots, but overall a good listen. Party people, we gotta keep this thing going.

josh wink - MOS Sessions: Same synopsis as above, but with josh's minimal house sound at work. Both discs start off kind of heady, but progress into more playful territory towards their ends. Includes his stellar remix of 'everything in its right place' which is a nice bonus. I first heard him spin this at a liquified affair in midtown years back, but had no idea it was his doing. Also contains the obligatory umpteenth remix of 'higher state of consciousness'. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

gnarls barkley - St. Elsewhere: Bizarro soul stylings in an outkast-y vein from danger mouse and cee-lo. Perfect for becoming the life of the party induced moments. Random note: 'gone daddy gone' by the femmes is quite masterfully covered about 4 tracks in.

kimya dawson - Remember That I Love You: Wicked cutesy songs from a not nearly as cute looking chick, formerly one half of the moldy peaches. Enjoyable naratives which thrive mainly off her well-timed cadence, "you were on my mind at least nine tenths of yesterday / it seemed as if perhaps I'd gone insane / what is it about you that has commandeered my brain..."