Playlist : September 13th - 17th, 2010

Happy Saturday to you, cats. May your weekend be filled with perfect moments and dazzling insights. Otherwise, at the very least a beer or two and some pizza.

Here’s what I’ll be listening to at work next week:

• Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator): After reading something recently that said Ms Welch was working on a new album, it struck me that I hadn't heard Time for quite a while. On further investigation, it turned out that was because it hadn't made it back onto my iPod yet since I had to restore it a year ago. This bum deserves all the critical praise it gets.

• The Weepies - Be My Thrill : As mentioned last week, I was hoping to get my new The Weepies CD in time for this week's list. Lucky for me, it showed up Friday afternoon at work. I've listened to it via stream recently and I'm looking forward to giving it another spin.

• Justin Towns Earle - Harlem River Blues: Having just discovered the old time folk bluegrass of JTE, and having played 2009's Midnight at the Movies last week, it seemed a good idea to play the new album. This is another set I've heard via stream, except I've been back t it several times since. Keeps getting better.

• Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tapes : This is the album that was meant to be the brilliant and timeless Blood on the Tracks. The story goes that Dylan came to the studio and poured out the brutally autobiographical songs quickly with a personally collated session band. Later, right before the album was due for release, he rearranged the mix, changed words around to obscure their meaning and dropped some tracks. It is believed he modified the album to hide the naked pain of these fantastic songs. This bootleg is widely available so you can judge for yourself.

• Tori Amos - Boys For Pele : Since 1992's Little Earthquake until probably Scarlett's Walk in 2004, I was a big Tori Amos fan. She has lost me a little with her changing incarnations, but Iyou can't help respect her piano paying and her live performances. Maybe what has changed is her honesty - she doesn't feel open and truthful anymore. I guess you can't keep the scars open forever. Little Earthquakes was a gaping wound and Boys For Pele bleeds.

• Josh Rouse - Dressed Up Like Nebraska : Like The National for me, too much Josh Rouse is never enough. 1972 is usually my addiction of choice, but Nebraska has whole bunch of great songs including the title track and the tuning Late Night Conversation. It also contains Suburban Sweetheart, which is the first I ever heard of Josh Rouse and a few alt-country artists in fact on the Uncut compilation Sounds of the New West.

• Dinosaur Jr - Without a Sound : The first Dinosaur Jr album I ever bought. J Mascis and co have been rewarding me ever since as I plowed through their back catalogue at a rate of knots. Stand out tracks the JJJ hit Feel The Pain and the subdued dark-hearted beauty of Outta Hand. Mix in the sarcastic Yeah Right and the slightly psychedelic Mind Glow and you have a fine batch of tracks worthy of a listen,

• De La Soul - Stakes Is High : After adding a little rap as an afterthought last week, I figured I'd make up for it with some hip hop gems. De La Soul's jazzy, acclaimed, widely plundered Stakes Is High ought to be a good start. A guest appearance by Common and the popular Itsoweezee are highlights.

• The Fugees - The Score : Most people who know me know I fell off hip hop for a while when I went grunge and then folk. During that time, Tupac happened, B.I.G. happened, Snoop happened and the Fugees happened I know this album is well regarded. I know it was an important milestone in the 'big ass story' that is Hip Hop, but I have never heard it. I figure it was time to remedy that.

• Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill : See my comments on The Fugees. All I know about this album is a) it sold a squillion copies and b) the name comes from Carter G Woodson's 1933 book The Mis-Education of the Negro. I haven't ever heard it. I m unsure that I'll like it, given it is most likely going to be neo-soul/ fake R&B, but it deserves a listen.

I hope you discover something in there amongst the sounds that will be my working week. Some of it is new to me too.

Have an ace week. Right on. Oh didn't I tell you? I'm bringing the word 'ace' back. Tell all your friends. It's ace.