Recent Flights

Briefly, in response to Whit's commentary below, I've purchased the following records sound-unheard in the past 2 months:

The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow: I can't decide if I like this or not. It's weird, hooky, bubble-gummy, lyrically bizarre/interesting pop, and it's like nothing I've ever heard. It is growing on me, but I'm not sure how much growth it'll do. At worst, it's really peppy background music for a long drive.

Brian Wilson - Smile: Not really sound-unheard, I guess, as most of us know the Beach Boys' front man and his ouevre. Haven't heard enough of this to make an informed judgment - at the moment I'm thinking there are some really good pop nuggets, and some crap - but I reserve the right to hear the whole thing several more times before being held to an opinion.

I'm also really digging American Idiot by old favorites Green Day (which I purchased at the same time as Smile, and which accounts for why I haven't listened much to the Brian Wilson record), but that doesn't count for this discussion.