Day 5 of listening to my entire CD collection…

31. Indian Quintet - Raga Ragini

CD featuring four instrumentalists and instruments (shehnai, sarangi, mohan vina, santoor) with tabla in various combinations. It’s a really good introduction to some of the lesser known instruments of North India.

32. Burning Spear - Hail H.I.M.

Another great album from one of the giants of reggae. You generally can’t go wrong with classic era Burning Spear.

33. Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days

This album became so popular and so overplayed that it’s almost possible to forget how fantastic it really is. Not my favorite album of theirs, but still really solid and deserving of every bit of success it had…hey…it’s not their fault everyone nearly ran it into the ground.

34. Ronu Majumdar - Jewels of India

I’m hopefully going to get to see him in concert on April 6th at Georgia Tech. Fantastic bansuri player (bamboo flute) plays an hour long rendition of Raga Jhinjhoti. The half hour long alap is beyond beautiful. Can’t wait for the show.

35. Beirut - Lon Gisland

It almost defies all logic that Beirut are popular. Pop music without guitar that largely leans on Balkan folk music? It doesn’t make a bit of sense of paper, but it gives me great hope that the masses might be capable of constantly displaying good taste after all. “Elephant Gun” is one of the catchiest songs of the last five years.

36. Asian Dub Foundation - Enemy of the Enemy

Album combines electronics with reggae, rock, bhangra, hip-hop all while being very political and very in your face. Sounds kind of like a disaster in words, but makes for very potent listening.

37. Pedro The Lion - Achilles Heel

Recently defunct Seattle band (which was really just David Bazan essentially) now carries on under Bazan’s name. This was their last album as Pedro. This album has some very strong material and a few throw away songs. Thankfully things appear to be back on track with the release of Bazan’s solo album.