AVALANCHE ORGY

Hoo-boy, the summer heat's already getting to me: earlier this week on an impromptu CD shopping mini-spree, I picked up the following two discs from Newbury Comics. I didn't even realize they had the same title until the next day.



First, an unexpectedly consistent odds-and-sods assortment of leftovers from one of last year's best albums. Second, a young Irish-born, England-based folk/rock songstress I've been meaning to check out ever since catching a glowing, intriguing review of this album in Mojo nearly three years ago.

Now, if only this band would get their shit together and complete a follow-up to this one-of-a-kind record:



And while we're on the subject of 'lanches, I have to reference the place in the picture below, a legendary dive bar on the Marquette campus that closed for good a month before my graduation. I only visited it once, not long after I turned 21. That was enough, although if it was still in business, I'd go back in a heartbeat to revel in its scuzziness, if only for one drink and a game of pool. BTW, this pic makes it appear much cooler and classier than it actually was.