Can't sleep, s'more...

The Skull Defekts - The Black Hand [2007]
This group (pretty sure they're from Europe...or at least their latest record was released on a Euro label) isn't half-bad.  I had semi-high hopes for their sound because I'd often seen people review their brand of noise/drone with modest admiration and hope for continued success in future releases.  So, this record is in the typical neuve-noise pattern of one or two long ones and a couple of short, more spastic tracks but I thought it worked well.  
There's a steady rhythm to their work 
but I was expecting a louder, more unforgiving assault type of sound.  
I guess this isn't that release for them?  
Or maybe I was recalling their reviews incorrectly.
Either way, pretty satisfied with this one and I may even pick it up at some point. Based on the track lengths, this probably saw a vinyl 
release but I'll wager it's out of print by now.

Various Artists - Ukrainian Village Music [1994]
Awesome.  I have no idea which decade each of these songs is from, but it's not so much the music I was expecting.  I mean, I guess I had an idea of what sound to expect when I imagined 'Ukrainian Village Music', but a lot of this is just uptempo string instrument stuff.  I would've imagined more melancholy-sounding stuff, with maybe a folkier edge to it?  Take away the knowledge that this is Ukrainian and remove some of the quicker passages and this could all pass for really early American jazz.  Then again, what the hell do I even really know about the Ukraine other than a little bit about its history in various wars and the fact that it's close to Russia?  Pan-Slavism revival 2k8!

Old Time Relijun - Uterus & Fire [1999]
I thought this sounded like some watered-down David Yow project at first.  It quickly got more distinct though.  Oddly enough I've never even heard of this band until now.  It's catchy stuff that's rough sounding, especially the drums.  The guitarwork mostly sounds like Neil Young solo-ing slowly and while as bored as he could possibly be.  That sounds a lot more negative than it really is.  For me, anyway.  I looked into it and apparently they're still a band.  Don't ask me why but based on their sound it seems to me like they'd be the type of band to put out one or two records in the mid-90s and play some shows memorable to only a few people and then disband.  I'm not sure how much I'll be into this on subsequent listens.  We'll see.

Mountain Mirrors - Lunar Ecstasy [2004]
When I had read about this act, the phrase "Heavy acoustic music from the woods of Massachusetts" came up about 237 times in the first paragraph alone.  I thought it would be pretty cool, like a mix of the gothic Death In June sound with what I hoped would be a kind of Pearls & Brass thing going on in there too.  I was close but not really (what?).  I think this is just one guy but this isn't that heavy and what I can only assume is a drum machine on this record will make J.K. Broadrick turn over in his grave when he passes away.  I'll skim over the other record I'm aware of but I consider this a disappointment.

Nalle - By Chance Upon Waking [2006]
I don't know what the hell I read about this to even bother downloading it, but it blows.  They're from Glasgow, maybe that had something to do with it.  It's like if Bjork wanted to make fun of herself by singing off-key overdubbed over her own vocals and the rest of the group refused to play anything but broken toy instruments.  Didn't make it through this one.

Wyclef Jean - The Carnival [1997]
I never really bothered with Wyclef before.  I don't think I've even listened to a full album of his.  
I liked that one song years ago about him being the President for 3 days before being assassinated but that's all.  I sorta skimmed through these songs but I enjoyed all of what I heard so I'm going to keep this album around and give it a good listen some other time, I think I'll enjoy it even more.  I believe I downloaded this because I liked what I heard on some commercial promoting his new record, which I thought this was but that's actually The Carnival Vol. II or something.  I don't know.  There's a good mix of styles here and I give it a thumbs up.  I'm going to check out the new one next and
potentially miss a decade of great tunes of his.  
Let me know if I'm missing out on anything.

Various Artists - Waves [2002]
So this is a compilation of French house music mixed by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk.  I think it's all material that came from records/artists on his record label.  Don't quote me on that though.  I thoroughly enjoyed this compilation.  The songs are all good interesting enough, 
maybe a little too beat-oriented but I guess this is intended as club music more than anything else.  One of the tracks has a riff or sample that sounds suspiciously like the main beat from "One More Time".  It's also one of the best songs on the record.  
Anyway, he did a great job mixing the tracks as they all flow pretty well.
Still, it just reminds me of how much I want to hear some solo Guy-Manuel stuff after discovering and really liking the material I've heard Thomas Bangalter did on his own.  I'll think about picking this one up.  It's got enough material on it but I get the feeling it was released only across the pond and that'll definitely screw over the price of it, if it's even still in print.  Fuck the US dollar.