Music Library: Jucifer, Judas Priest, Julian Cope, Julianna Barwish, June Carter Cash, June of 44, Junior Brown, Junior Murvin

Jucifer - If Thine Enemy Hunger (2006). I thought this would be more metal, but it's a very indie rock sort of stoner metal, somewhere between the Melvins and Sonic Youth.

Judas Priest - British Steel (1980) and Screaming For Vengeance (1982).  I must be tired.  I have almost nothing to say about Judas Priest.  I'm not that interested in getting into the JP back-catalog, but these albums provide some pretty damn top-notch fun.  I was quite shocked by the nationalism of "Red, White, and Blue," a bonus track on British Steel.  I know it refers to the Union Jack, but man, it sounds like the inside of Glenn Beck's mind.

Julian Cope - Peggy Suicide (1991). Pretty decent psych-indie rock album, even though it's a bit overstuffed.  Best tracks are "Safesurfer" and "Not Raving But Drowning."

Julianna Barwish - "Cloudbank." An eMusic free track of ambient music and wordless singing.  It's a bit wallpapery for my tastes, but I'm going to keep it for a kiddo sleep mix.

June Carter Cash - Ring of Fire: The Best of June Carter Cash (released 2005).  It's a shame that June Carter Cash's recorded output isn't better documented.  This "best of" (scare quotes intentional) collects song from her final two albums in 1999 and 2003, plus a compilation song from 2004, three unreleased tracks, and two duets with Johnny in the late 60s.  That said, it's not terrible, but it certainly seems that one would do better to buy her two last albums and her duets with Johnny from the 60s.

June of 44 - In The Fishtank 6 (1999). I like this post-rock band more than having this EP as my sole album of theirs would indicate.  But I love the Fishtank series.  And I love kicking post-rock (ok, we can call it math rock).

Junior Brown - Guit With It (1993), Semi-Crazy (1996), and Mixed Bag (2001).  Some people are so talented that they make the rest of us look like chumps.  Brown is an effortlessly virtuosic guitarist and steel player, one of the rare human beings who is equally indebted to Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant.  His songs tend towards the jokey cornpone side of country music, but he invests them with wit and style, and he tends to throw in some curveballs, such as Hoagy Carmichael's "Hong Kong Blues" or a dixieland jazz track.  Plus he's such a hotshit guitarist/steel player that most every track has a paint-peeling lead or two on it.  Here, have a look for yourself:

Junior Murvin - Police And Thieves (1977). Rightly considered one of the highlights of reggae music, this album features Murvin's angelic falsetto over some of Lee "Scratch" Perry's heaviest grooves.