[Rushmore]

A couple of weeks ago, I asked the learned denizens of OOT for some musical recommendations (more exactly, for "Unbelievably sad music").

See, now, I don't play. I immediately purchased about forty CD's, entirely based upon the recomendations I got here. I bought everything from Beck's Sea Change (wow--"Lonesome Tears"--wow) to Gorecki's Symphony of Sorrowful Songs. Patty Loveless. The Decemberists. Joseph Arthur. The Civil War Soundtrack. Elliot Smith. Lisa Germano. Wilco. Fripp. Arvo Part. I got all carried away.

I am glad to have purchased all of these CD's, but must admit to being most excellently pleased in particular with the Mogwai stuff and the Sigur Ros CD's (I bought 'em all--I oughta know). I even bought the Angels of the Universe Soundtrack and all of the EP's. They're still being delivered every day.

Anyway, my point was to first say thanks to OOT for this very valuable information.

My next point was to say that I cannot believe that there was this much great music readily available that I had never heard before. Now, I know a fair amount about music (enough to tell you that it seems fairly obvious to me that Mogwai was pretty heavily influenced by Swans, most notably Soundtracks for the Blind and the Great Annihilator), but I guess I have been so busy/antisocial of late that I have simply fallen out of the loop.

Mogwai's Happy Songs For Happy People and Rock Action are destined to become two of my all-time favorite CD's. I am truly amazed and sincerely thankful to OOT for turning me on to this unbelievable stuff.

As for the Sigur Ros material, I mean--good lord, it's brilliant. Spellbinding. Holy sh*t. Oh my God.

Thanks, guys!