We try to mix up what we listen to in the store, but some albums just can’t seem to find their way out of our CD player. Here are some of our current favorites.

Heartless Bastards – Restless Ones [Partisan]

We’ve been huge fans of this group for quite some time now. So, it’s no surprise that we can’t seem to take their CD out of rotation. It’s especially great if we have a heavy lifting project, like shuffling LPs. Really gets the blood pumping!

Shana Cleveland & the Sandcastles – Oh Man, Cover The Ground [Suicide Squeeze]

This little psych folk gem sets the perfect mood for the store, at anytime. It’s likable enough for just about anyone, but interesting enough to inspire some deep thought for those hard decisions one encounters in a record store. Also, she is mistaken for Chan Marshall almost every time we play this album.

 Jaakko Eino Kalevi – ST [Weird World]

This one always seems to backfire on us, because every time we put this on, someone will ask “who is this?” This results in us stumbling over the pronunciation of his name, till we just hand them the CD case, saying “this guy!” But, all frustrations over this Finnish, synth-pop musicians name are trumped by just how catchy and fascinating this album is.

 J Fernandez – Many Levels of Laughter [Joyful Noise]

I think we tend to gravitate towards albums with plenty of twists and turns, to play in the store. At home, we listen to our albums with purpose and intent. But, when you’re working, it’s easy to lose the attention one usually puts into their listening, so, some curve balls to perk our ears up are always appreciated. This album has all those lovely little tricks built right in. Also, plenty of catchy melodies and hooks to sink our teeth into.

Rachel Grimes – The Clearing [Temporary Residence]

Spending most of your day with music on, you start to lose your appreciation for the general likability of so many pop, rock, electronic, soul, folk and hip hop groups. Sometimes you need a pallet cleanser. Sometimes you just want to hear music that stands alone as music, something without all the guitars and drums and vocals. Rachel Grimes composes the perfect “orchestral” music for the eclectic music lover. It’s not so heady that you need a doctorate in music to understand, but not so poppy that it gets stuck in your head. It just allows you to listen and enjoy without asking too much, or giving too much.