One down - I listened to Joker's Daughter today, which was very good.  Joanna Newsom meets Vashti Bunyan.  7/10.

There were plenty of bargains in London's record stores.  I figured the indie stores would be a kind of 'we've got what you want, but at a higher price than you'd hoped', but the second hand scene was buzzing.  I saw Funeral by Arcade Fire for £2.50, and Boy With The Arab Strap by Belle & Sebastian for £3.  You'd be lucky to win either on ebay for under a fiver.  Colour me impressed.

I also gave the first Titus Andronicus album another go, and can't work out why I didn't like it the first time.  Way better than Gaslight Anthem imo.  Apparently Craig Finn appears on the follow up, so if I like The Airing Of Grievances as much next time I listen I'll probably get it.

I've tried about a bunch of stuff lately for workout music, but it's mostly older stuff. Yesterday was a bunch of Soundgarden. Not sure what today will bring. I've also been listening to a few Pearl Jam and Springsteen shows, and plan on a Springsteen show generously given to me within the next few days.

Also listened to Okonokos on the way to work this morning, and remembered why they are so good live.

OK, it's almost 2 a.m., and I'm still at work, and I'm feeling weird and wired and everything in between. So here's what I've been listening to lately:

The Dead Weather - Horehound and Sea of Cowards, nearly endlessly. Whatever else I list is really just what I've played in between Dead Weather freakouts.

Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger: I was amazed by how great they sounded after seeing them on Conan last week, and the new song "Black Rain" was really intense and heavy. So I went back to one of the most intense and heavy albums I own. Still rocks. Go listen to "Slaves & Bulldozers" right this minute.

The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.: This CD has not left my car in two weeks. Also, I've purchased Keith Richards' "Life" autobiography, but haven't had a minute to read it lately.

Ryan Adams - Follow The Lights: He has a new double record on the way, III/IV, which he recorded with the Cardinals in 2006, so I went back to this little gem.

Sleater-Kinney - The Woods: ROCK.

Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion: Playing on my iPod right now as I try to distract myself from the fact that I'm at work. Wow.

I just listened to Riot Act on the way to work. I give this album a lot of guff, mostly because it is my least favorite Pearl Jam album, but it's an excelllent album. Goes to show you the high opinion I hold them to if my least favorite Pearl Jam album makes a happy return to the rotation.

I know ranking these albums is an exercise in nonsense, so I won't do that, but there's definitely not that much to really separate my favorite (No Code) from my least favorite (Riot Act) when it comes to them. Just makes me feel a little more justified in them being my favorite band.