
Part of a trilogy, this is darkwave ambient music, quiet but with serrated edges on its drones. There’s nothing new agey about this ambient, which makes for uneasy listening with its buzzing and clanking amid the drones and a glacial pace of movement that oozes foreboding.

Yeah, the chiming guitars and chord progression of “Graveyard Girl” keep threatening to turn into “Money Changes Everything,” but that fits well with the ‘80s love on display throughout – usually much more synthpop, of course.
Top 10 Buffalo Springfield Songs
This band’s last album came out 40 years ago. Therefore, I discovered Buffalo Springfield after it had broken up (I started listening to rock music in 1969, and only later backtracked to the Springfield from CSNY), but it was my favorite band growing up, by a wide margin, and still ranks in my top five.
Top Ten NY Mets
In honor of the start of the last season the Mets will play at Shea Stadium, I present my ten favorite Mets.
My first Top Ten of 2008 releases, even if half are reissues.

LARRY KIRWAN, the leader of Black 47, is no Toby Keith – he’s his diametrical opposite on the political spectrum – so this is no rah-rah “support our troops” tripe.

Hebb’s soft voice is as warm and charming as it was on “Sunny” back in ‘66, and the tasteful arrangements are smoothly authentic.
Best 2007 Soul & Funk Albums, part 2
Numbers 11-20, again mixing new releases and historical items, including various-artist compilations.

After listening to their great Escape from Dragon House practically every day for most of last summer, I wasn’t sure whether a new album could captivate as strongly, but after two plays this had its hooks in me.
Best 2007 Soul & Funk Albums, part 1
I said I was finished with best-of-2007 lists, but after a reader complained about a lack of soul coverage on the website, I had to put this together. It’s a mix of new releases and historical items, including various-artist compilations. More next week.

The fact that their evolution over three albums and various EPs has avoided repetition will be mourned by some who want only the familiar, but refreshingly enables them from becoming outdated.

The Truckers have long specialized in gritty portrayals of the New South’s sordid sides. A few titles such as “Daddy Needs a Drink,” “You and Your Crystal Meth,” and “A Ghost to Most” give an idea of the dirty soap operas that play out across this epic album, but the black humor – usually paired with a profound empathy – runs deep through most of the 19 songs.