I dropped by Second Spin for the first time in a while, and the guy there (whose name I still don't know) mentioned about his bitter disapointment with the new Suede album. "I'd rather hear a new McAlmont & Butler release," he said, handing me the sound of... for a listen, which seemed interesting enough. He went on - "David McAlmont's got possibly one of the best voices in the world, but doesn't necessarily know what to do with it, and Bernard Butler really needs somebody to rein him in, so it works out pretty well."

He also had great things to say (in that "I generally hate tribute albums, but this one..." kind of way) about that Lee Hazelwood tribute album (Total Lee!), which I've been trying to find cheaper than $40(!) for a while, now.

Oh yeah, I sampled a second-hand copy of the Xiu-Xiu album, but passed on it - I dunno...it sounds like the kind of thing I'm too old to be listening to anymore.

Whilst shoe shopping in Chapel St (unsuccessfully, I might add, and this was the second attempt. I know, I know, it serves me right) I wandered into the Virgin Megastore for amusement, daring it to serve up something I might want. Well, knock me down with a feather, but they had Neil Halstead's Seasons EP - I'd been looking for this for months - and they were throwing out The Church's 2001 collected remaster of the Sing-Songs, Remote Luxury and Persia for a mere $10. I'm impressed !

Today's required listening, then, is The night is very soft, from Sing-Songs - classic dreamy/druggy Steve Kilbey lyrics with a near-perfect night-time backdrop of sound - "outside, the night is very soft, but where does it end ?"