Woah. Two nights in a row for Random Record Night. That’s got to be some sort of record (pun intended). As I said yesterday, I was cooking while listening to the following albums, so there’s some songs I don’t hear. Some notes I forget. Some sounds that don’t get into my head. Tonight, I’ve got Keith Olbermann’s new ESPN2 show, Olbermann Live, on in the background right now, so I’m completely distracted. Not that I’m necessarily listening to or watching it, but there’re a whole lot of words flying around and I usually can’t ignore words no matter what they are. So you’re going to get a DISTRACTED, HALF-ASSED RECAP. You’re welcome.

Nancy Sinatra, Lightning’s Girl

This is a good record. Nancy Sinatra takes some chances. I guess. Every time I hear Nancy Sinatra, though, I kind of think to myself, “It’s not her. It’s her HANDLERS. It’s the PEOPLE AROUND HER. It can’t be her. Maybe she isn’t even singing. Is she singing? Is that singing? What is it? Now I’m lost.” And then I flipped it over to side B and it’s all duets with Lee Hazlewood. That dude is weird. I like it and I don’t like it and I forget it and it bores me and then it completely excited me. All in the same song. That happens for every song of the side. Whatever is going on, though, it’s a good record to set off a Sunday night. I felt good after it was done playing. And the cover art is dynamite. Nancy Sinatra looks like a fake person. Like, maybe she’s the daughter of that fake-face psychiatrist in that one season of Dallas. (INTERNET RESEARCH UPDATE: His name was Dr. Elby. And, yes, I have watched a LOT of the original Dallas.)

Josh White

I’m moving on now from the Nancy Sinatra album, not because I have nothing left to say, but because I’m starting to ramble. So, now, Josh White. Hey, Folk Music is cool again now, right? Yeah, FUCK THAT. Folk Music with a capital F and capital M sucks. And, yeah, I’m a hater. This record has some Folk Music, but also some folk music and the folk music is so good. There’s even a track with Sonny Terry. It made me say out loud, “No way that’s Sonny Terry. It’s some jerk trying to sound like him. Oh, no, wait…it is HIM. Shit.” So, it’s like that. I liked it. I like Josh White.

Laurindo Almeida, Danzas!

This one is excellent. It’s Spanish guitar. I know nothing about Spanish guitar and this could be a record by some Spanish guitar hack, but it certainly grabbed a hold of me. (UPDATE: Okay, this guy is legit.) It made me hate the sound I get coming out of my guitar. Or, want those sounds of mine to be something else. Or made me hear them and all the bells and whistles and cracks and slaps in my guitar playing. And then think, “Oh, I’m doing okay. I’ll get there too.” So, if you play guitar, get this record. It’ll probably help you out, if you’re up for it.

Building the First Transcontinental Railroad/The Wright Brothers, Pioneers of American Aviation

It’s a recording from a book. Or, I’m not sure what this is. It’s a couple people talking and acting out written parts. There are sound effects. There’s some organ playing that creeps in and out and in and out and in and out throughout the whole album. And it’s about 15 minutes total listening time. BOTH SIDES. I just don’t know what this is, but I liked it. By the end I was totally on board. I was singing, “GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH, GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH.” And I’m not even sure why. I don’t think that song was in the recording at all. I just felt my American blood boiling and bubbling, I guess. Something like that. Who knows.