Sunday Drive traipsing thru the internets

... on a completely unrelated matter, there must be a never-ending supply of over-dramatic reaction shots from Wall Street types. A glance at any newspaper, weblog or tv newscast will reveal a shot of a financial sort, looking up at the Big Board with his hands on his balding head in complete surprise. Or head buried in despair. Do they give classes in assuming these poses? Do traders automatically assume this position once they notice a camera trained on them? Again, this has nothing to do with music, but ...

Anyhow, one of my favorite LPs of 2008 will receive a live, follow-up EP treatment. Alejandro Escovedo's phenomenal Real Animal is a near-perfect release. On November 11, AE will issue Live Animal, an EP featuring live in-studio versions of a handful of songs from the full length album.

M Ward's Post-War was one of my favorite albums of a couple of years back, and I've been eagerly tracking the progress of its follow-up. Pitchfork announced this week that M's Hold Time will see the light of day on February 11 of 2009. Tracks feature guests including Lucinda Williams, DeVotchka's Tom Hagerman and Zooey Deschanel. Even further down on the horizon is the long-rumored Monster of Folk collaboration with Conor Oberst and Jim James, which is promised for 2010.

In the end, I don't necessarily care if an artist is a MENSA member, as long as they can make good, honest music. Still, it doesn't hurt that Rosanne Cash has penned a bright, clever article for The Nation entitled "Why I'd Be a Better VP Than Sarah Palin".

Avett Bros have announced that they have put together a tour-only release of gospel music recorded with their family, called Jim Avett and Family.

Finally, I have to announce that Ryan Adams and the Cardinals' Cardinology LP is officially messing with my fledgeling Favorite Albums list for 2008. Sure, Adams currently seems reliably sober, and now adds Bono to the list of classic rock figures he's channeling (Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Gram Parsons et al). Nevertheless, his writing is consistently great on Cardinology, and the Cardinals sound as good as ever.

alright then,
Scott