Much more music

Mike Skinner, a British guy who records a fascinating mixture of ironic rap and 70s-influenced pop as The Streets, has a new album. I heard a cut on BBC's 6 Music programme yesterday, and it sounded dumb at first -- like a lot of Skinner's tracks -- then cool. Meanwhile Marilyn is listening incessantly to Joni Mitchell's "Blue" album, but not without the help of some mild tranquilizers.