Love, love, love the new Finn Brothers record. I'm not sure we've been listening to the same album. For my money, the Finns--both of 'em--are often too clever for their own good, from quirky production to willfully obtuse lyrics. This batch of songs explores family, love, commitment, and getting older with a thoughtful, probing eye.

Speaking of boring production, I've also been enjoying the new Hornsby...a seemingly calculated blend of his early MOR and late-period experimentation that sounds like a great big AAA hit. He even called upon Clapton, Sting, and Sir Reginald Dwight for name-brand assistance. He's become a heartbreakingly lazy lyricist, but fuck it--it all sounds good. Not interesting necessarily, but good. When I drove through Virginia a couple of weeks ago, it made a nice soundtrack.

Also stumbled across a link to "Heroes & Villains" from Brian Wilson's forthcoming SMiLE release (only 27 years late!), and it's gorgeous. I have high hopes...even after that horrible piece of dreck he released this spring.