My not yet year end list of some albums I listened to this year.  The same thing holds as the last year.  Not doing favorites, or which I considered the best, just some I liked....Most albums are best listened to rather than talked about.....

Exquisite new stuff from Cate LeBon.

 I feel compelled to post about someone who meant a lot to me who passed away this week.  That person is Claire Spechler, who I did not have as a Hebrew School teacher, but who I interacted with when she led the children's services at my synagogue, which I attended very often as a kid.  I remember her amazing collection of puppets.  Upon demonstrating to her that you learned the name of the puppet in Hebrew, the student would get to hold the puppet for the remainder of the service.  Another thing I remember is how a lot of the prayers we did were able to be sung to the tune of American songs, for example, I remember how the words to one prayer was able to fit perfectly to the tune of "rock around the clock."

The fact that she instilled the values of the religion on me really reflects on the person who I became, and the kind of person who I hold myself accountable for being.  Mrs.  Spechler is always in my heart.  

I found this sketch from this past week's SNL to be especially funny.

I've been having a lot of the kind of days where trying to talk about music just feels like trying to avoid actual conversation.  I've been so confused about my identity for years.  We just put on certain brands of clothing and list certain bands on our profiles just to avoid the core of what or who we really are.  Some days, I feel like I am getting closer to figuring it out.  

Anyway, sometimes this stuff can be a good diversion in a good way, which is why I blog, I think.

New covers album from Cat Power coming this year.