The past few weeks have not only seen the busiest time of the year for me work-wise, but have also been part of an affliction I suffer from known as “late-summer lethargy,” a seasonal affective disorder of sorts that prevents me from mustering any enthusiasm about nearly all music I’m exposed to.  I have about half a dozen near-completed drops that I can’t seem to finish, a handful of new-release write-ups that slipped past their expiration dates, and of course, an infinite number of ideas for various lists of esoteric triviality, most of which will never see the light of day due to my slothful existence at the moment.  Perhaps a weekend jaunt to Vacationland will remedy this, but in the meantime, here’s an odds-and-ends post that I’ll justify with a few links to my brethren.

I’d be lying if I said that there weren’t a few records in the past month that have sparked my affections.  To wit:

Invisible Cinema (2008) by young pianist Aaron Parks had ‘red flag’ tagged all over it when it arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago.  The blonde highlights, facial permastubble, and “influenced by Radiohead and Death Cab for Cutie” bio blunder just begged to be on the receiving end of my seething vitriol, until I played the disc.  Shockingly, breathtakingly good.  More on this kid later.

I’m still not sold on Stereolab’s Chemical Chords (2008) yet, but their records have always been growers for me.  It’s getting there.

Marco Benevento’s Invisible Baby (2008), however, is one of the best albums I’ve heard so far this year.  I don’t know what the hell to call it, but I loved it upon first listen.  You’ll thank me for this one.

Then there’s this 40-year-old jewel that I hadn’t heard until recently:

“Respect” – Rotary Connection 3:06 (Songs, Cadet 1969)

Yeah.  That “Respect.”  Play it as loud as you feel comfortable with.

For those who haven’t heard Q-Tip’s recent podcast interview on Juan Epstein, it’s pretty much a must-hear.  The part where they bitch to him about cueing the downbeat of “Electric Relaxation” had my sides splitting (via Unkut).

And check Phonte’s reactions to ten slow jams thrown in his direction, from Raleigh, NC’s, Independent Weekly (via No Trivia).

As usual, Jeff “Passion of the” Weiss hits the nail on the head with the near-painful “Swagger Like Us” debacle.  Is this what passes for a ‘posse cut’ now?  Over a goddamn M.I.A. sample??!?

Speaking of debacles, Poplicks has been killing it with their coverage of the latest in U.S. politricks.

Psyched for that new Metallica album, huh, brocious?  Shit, yea - wait, did you say, “no”?  Check Cosmo Lee’s take on the whole publicity machine.  The title of the post says it all.

I wouldn’t exactly describe my Internet connection as “light-speed,” so it was an incredibly big deal for me to watch VBS’ recent five-part series on Norwegian black metal.  This, of course, only served to underline the tremendous let-down that was the ending.  Still, some truly creepy moments here, and there is an eerie serenity to the Scandinavian countryside that I found captivating.

A recent favorite discovery has been Intensities in Ten Suburbs.

Fufu Stew offers up a delicious “fast food” mix that’s worth downloading - and this is coming from someone who rarely, if ever, downloads online mixes.

Give me another few days to get my act together and posting will resume, promise.