New Music

I've recently started listening to Pandora. It's a web radio station that allows you to enter bands that you like, and then plays music by "similar" artists. I was a bit dubious at first, but it actually works quite well. (It does tend to play the same songs again and again, but there's enough new stuff mixed in to keep it interesting.)

My most interesting discoveries have been the result of hearing bands similar to the Mekons, although it's kind of a stretch to say that anyone sounds like them. So far, the major discoveries have been:

• 999: British punk band. Kinda similar to the Clash (definite rockabilly influences). My favorite song of their's so far is Emergency. Intriguingly, they are still active.
  
• Moving Parts: they were a precursor to Mission of Burma, and included Roger Miller and Clint Conley as members. A couple songs off their one album (Wrong Conclusion) that I think are particularly good are Garden of Heat and Line of Fire (both Roger Miller compositions). The album also has a version of the famous MoB song Max Ernst. One thing that stikes me listing to this album is that Roger Miller is an amazing guitar player.
• Human Television: I don't know how they came up in reference to the Mekons; they play 2 and a half minute pop songs that owe a lot to The Smiths, R.E.M., and the Cure. Their song Saw You Walking By could practically be a lost single from the La's or even the Byrds.

OK, back to work...