but I just don't get your complaints about the R2D4. I hope you can see I tried! But I completely appreciate your music recommendation and the lively conversation we have had. I bet we get each other better through the coming months.

Happy listening bro!

Trey

Jazzfan is not alone:
In your afore mentioned column "my very favorite record 2010..." reader RobertSlavin wrote on on December 19, 2010

"I didn't like most of it. There were two albums that I thought OK and one I think I might consider buying (Florine by Julianna Barwick). Obviously, taste is a personal thing."

I think that can sum up my experience and opinion with these lists.'

Even Jazzfan's list was a bit bland and dated for me.

But every once in a while I find something that I enjoy. Like the "Art Ensemble of Chicago".

I'm just glad that there is both iTunes and Amazon's music player to help preview the music. And  yes, I do spend an afternoon going through these music lists and listening for something to buy. But more and more, I'm beginning to feel like I'm wasting my time. But it's when I can't find the music online to listen to that I lose out.. Like reading all of the stellar reviews on "Sound the All Clear", a CD that I purchased (without being able to hear it) and have no musical appreciation for.

I'm also finding that labels like Sheffield Labs, FIM, Reference Recordings, et. al.,  are, for my tastes, putting out a lot of very well recorded music that is about as interesting as milk toast... 

Unless one is big on rap and techno, Music's landscape appears to be getting smaller.