Today I finally started listening through my big book of CD’s that stretch back into high school. A lot of the earlier stuff is anime soundtracks, because well…I was into that. Still am to some extent, especially anything byYoko Kanno . My first CD to begin this new activity? Frank Zappa’s “Cheap Thrills,” an album I’d only listened through once previously, I’m really glad I gave it another try though because it is fantastic, so long as you’re into offensive rock’n’roll with a penchant for the xylophone. It’s something that I stress about Frank Zappa, he made the xylophone work for rock’n’roll! Not too many people have done that. In fact, Zappa’s probably the only one to do it. One of these days I’m going to write a long-winded rant on why I’m such a Zappa fan-boy, but that’s not for now.

-Rainwater