"OMG! Have you heard this band called 'The Beatles'???"

I'm a little leery of recommending music to people. Being in the army was sort of like hanging out in a time warp for five years. When I mention a band I like, those in the know sniff and don't even say, "That's so last year!" They sniff and exclaim, "That's so... 2003? God, I don't even know. I haven't listened to them in years!" That's a bit much for a 24-year-old's ego to take (or anyone under 35's ego for that matter) so I usually keep mum on these sort of things.

Having said all of that, I just discovered (don't ask me how this chain of events unfolded) Neko Case. If you haven't heard her, run to your nearest free music sampler place and listen to the first track on Blacklisted called "Things that Scare Me." It sounds kinda like what would happen if Mazzy Star played country music. "Well duh, Sara, it's altcountry. Isn't that exactly what it's supposed to sound like?" And the answer is that most altcountry I've heard is really just plain ol' country music as sung by people that aren't ignominious mouthbreathers (ie: Toby Keith). This is really something different, and she has an incredible voice.