This week almost every genre has something to offer music fans. Here's a few selections for your consideration.

Janelle Monáe — Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Bad Boy/Wondaland Arts Society/Atlantic)

At 23, she's the newest R&B star on the scene whose sound is soul-punk influenced in the vein of Santogold. Fans of M.I.A. and Outkast's brand of hip-hop will appreciate Metropolis.

Sick of Sarah — Sick of Sarah (Adamant)

A strong debut from a Midwestern band of gay ladies, this self-titled album is pop-punk perfection. Fans of Paramore will appreciate Sick of Sarah (especially the gay ones). … continue reading

I like music. I listen to it frequently. (My current obsession is Anne Murray's Duets — Friends and Legends. It is soooo good!) I believe it's even fair to say I appreciate music — which is a good thing, apparently, because it seems that not all music is appreciated. I just read a seemingly random list of “10 Unappreciated Albums” on Musicouch.com. The author did not provide any context or standards, and I kind of agree with the only comment posted in response to the list: “I hav[e]n't even heard of most of those bands. This article is pointless.” Yet I feel like making my own similarly pointless list.

So I'm considering my own CD collection and pondering which CDs are unappreciated — or at least underappreciated. And I mean which albums are unfairly maligned, or, more likely, unjustly ignored? Here are six, because that's how many came to mind.

1. A Cheap and Evil Girl (2000) — Bree Sharp

Bree Sharp had one fairly big single off this album: “David Duchovny,” a catchy gimmick song that got her some attention, and probably led to her second album, More B.S.. Her first album, however, should have been bigger than the one song. It is absolutely fantastic. I stumbled across it at at a record store (remember record stores?), listened to a few tracks, walked away and then went back the next day to buy the album. I still listen to it regularly. The tracks “America,” “Walk Away” and “Faster, Faster” floor me every time. … continue reading

Suzanne Vega will be on Late Night With David Letterman tonight at 11:30 on CBS. Her latest album, Beauty & Crime, is all about New York, so she should be the ideal guest on this difficult day.

(And a quick reminder: Jodie Foster is on The Daily Show tonight.)

I've been a Suzanne Vega fan for a couple of decades. So I'm happy she's everywhere right now, doing interviews to promote her new album Beauty & Crime (released today).

If all you know of Vega is her hit 1987 song "Luka" or that infernal remix of "Tom's Diner," you owe it to yourself to take another listen. Vega has never stood still musically — she's probably tired of hearing words like "experiment" and "evolution" in reference to the many musical paths she has traveled. … continue reading