Random Thoughts: What's That You Say?

I took a new job last week, designed for the most part to support my continuing efforts to write myself into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Eating something more than Friskies and sleeping in a place a few steps above a refrigerator box also influenced my decision.

It's a pretty good gig, all in all, but the commute's a bit of a drag. A few weeks ago, I was hoping to set a new "working from a home office" record -- six straight years of making calls wearing pink fuzzy slippers and a Lester Bangs t-shirt -- but now I'm spending 45 minutes (each freakin' way) in the car.

But, I've learned a few new musical things this week. First, I've learned that Bjork is pronounced "Bee-YERK" not "Bah-JORK," as I once thought. I also learned that a Syrian singer named Omar Souleyman is one of her current favorites.

With all due respect to Mr. Souleyman, I was strangely fascinated by his music, much like one is fascinated by a car wreck (especially a loud, repetitive car wreck at 120 beats per minute).

Fascinated, too, that his lyricist apparently stands near him and whispers words into his ear, words that he subsequently performs on the spot. And fascinated that Souleyman has apparently recorded 500 (!) albums, though only 2 are available in the U.S.

Pretty crazy stuff, as you can see for yourself: