Well hello there. Aren't we lucky that we live in the age of instant gratification? Don't answer that. What I'm talking about is the fact that as quick as you can say 'mp3', you can download a selection of tunes that you can whip out on a flash drive and - zammo - off you go, sailing the sweet seas of mellifluous groove. Didn't even have to leave your chair. You lazy bastard.
Purpose-designed for the lazy-ass couch potato in its natural habitat? You bet.
In the past few weeks there's been a lot of activity from some of my favourite artists - namely Roisin Murphy, Underworld and Radiohead.
I was alerted to Ms Murphy's latest creations by a a good friend who mailed me one of those gloating 'hehe..lookee what I got...' emails, containing a link. This isn't a music blog (although it's early days yet) so I don't have links for you.
Anyway, back to my point.
I followed up on Roisin's releases. And to be honest, I kinda wished I hadn't. For they were all the things that my mates and girlfriend have stated as their primary reasons why they don't like her music - her new material is, to put it mildly, cheesy disco balls. Tsk, tsk, Roisin. After Ruby Blue, I was kinda expecting something wildly original. Where's the 'Night Of The Dancing Flame'? Where's the mad-as-a-rat piano of 'Leaving The City'?
Maybe she sucked the marrow a little hard and all that's left is disco with no more inferno. Ah well. Scratch that one, then. Will have to play the back catalogue.
Next up, Underworld. Now, many think that Underworld's repertoire consists of their breakthrough 80's classic 'Underneath the Radar' and the deathplayed 'Born Slippy' For those who think you don't know it, lemme tell you that you do, it's just that you probably recognise it better as the tune from Trainspotting that goes (lord, the lows I stoop to in order to be understood) 'Lager, lager, lager!'. See? Told you you knew it. The thing is, Underworld have a vast range of tunes which range from ambient electronic through to breakbeat and on to the wild and percussive plains of techno and house. The problem is that mostly they get pigeonholed, which, to be honest, serves me and my friends quite fine. We don't mind ignorant pillocks thinking that they were a two-hit wonder. Shit, we feel positively blessed that the army of pigbrains who like commercial tunes haven't tuned in and turned on.
Anyway. They have a new album ('Oblivion With Bells') coming out, and I've had the good fortune to have a heard a couple of the tunes and I can confidently state that they are the bee's knees, the dog's knackers and the ostriches' orbs. Track it down, play it loud and tell the neighbours to get knotted - Underworld deserves to be heard loud.
Lastly, the new Radiohead album, 'In Rainbows'. Excuse my French, but it's outfuckingstanding. It may be that I'm baised...actually, I'm totally baised, they're my favourite band. I think they're the greatest rock band since the Beatles, and if anyone disagrees, they can discuss it with Bubbles my friendly neighbourhood pitbull.

Alright, bugger off now, you must have something constructive to do...scamper, scamper...