New Music To Preach about

I'm so angry at myself for not knowing about Daniel Johnston's free show at Amoeba last night... and now I've missed it. What can be done? Not a thing... Daniel's website To help me forget the pain of missing this once in a lifetime opportunity I've been listening all day to some really great new music.

1. Gnarles Barkley (Cee Lo Green & Dangermouse): St. Elsewhere - Cee Lo is the next hip hop mastermind, I'm sure of it. His voice is astounding and pretty much carries the album. Dangermouse is really working overtime on a few tracks here, but it feels a little forced. The major downside I have is really with some of the changes and key choices, but overall a fairly solid party album. Tracks of note: Suicide, Go Go Gadget Gospel, Transformer

2. Sunset Rubdown: Shut up I am Dreaming - Excellent and eccentric pop album. The arrangements are really good and the songs are easily listenable over and over again. Kind of like They Might Be Giants with Bryan Ferry singing. Tracks of note: They Took A Vote and Said No, A Day in the Graveyard

3. A Certain Ratio: Early and John Peel Sessions - I know these tracks are pretty old (1978) but man do they sound fresh. How did these guys not get as big as say Joy Division or the like? If you crossed Patti Smith with Martha and the Muffins I think this is what you'd have. Tracks of note: Skipscada, Shack Up, Oceans