But have no fear – in between listening to old Motown to clear my mind, two albums have gotten me to realize there is still worthwhile music out there, and I will share them with you.

When I first saw the “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” video on VH1 the song blew me away. I’m sure it did you too, so I will not go on about this breath of fresh air. I purchased … you heard me right purchased … KT Tunstall’s album “Eye to the Telescope”. I am not quite sure what I was expecting – but boy was I happily surprised.

If it were produced slightly differently the first cut “Other Side of the World” could pass for a lost Pink Floyd tune. “Under the Weather” is an acoustic gem. Cuts like “Another Place to Fall” and “Suddenly I See” have the groove of “Black Horse” and showcase the rasp in Tunstall’s voice. It’s when she sings these powerful tracks, in her lower register, that Tunstall shines.

The second set is one of the best of the greatest hits packages on the market – Anthrax’s “Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985-1991)”. Back in my rock days, I loved Anthrax. I saw them in rock clubs in the NYC, like L’amours, CBGBs, and Sundance, I saw them in big stadiums opening for Ozzy. Anthrax was one of those workhorse bands that never made it much outside of the metal arena of the 1980s. And I still maintain that if it weren’t for bands like Anthrax embracing rap in the late 1980s (remember their stab at it with “I’m the Man” and their collaboration on “Bring Tha Noise” with Public Enemy”?) the genre would never have taken off.

But fast forward twenty years and they still sound fresh.

This two CD set has every song you’d want from the band, including “Antisocial”, “Medusa”, “I am the Law”, and “Caught in a Mosh”. This is all of the tracks you would expect from Anthrax. Now that guitarist Scott Ian has become the VHI poster child (starring in “Supergroup” and popping up as commentator on just about every hard rock special they produce) the world may just be ready to finally embrace Anthrax!

KT Tunstall
“Eye to the Telescope”
1. Other Side Of The World
2. Another Place To Fall
3. Under The Weather
4. Black Horse And The Cherry Tree
5. Miniature Disasters
6. Silent Sea
7. Universe & U
8. False Alarm
9. Suddenly I See
10. Stoppin' The Love
11. Heal Over
12. Through The Dark

Anthrax
“Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985-1991)”
1. A.I.R.
2. Lone Justice
3. Madhouse
4. The Enemy
5. Armed and Dangerous
6. Medusa
7. Gung-Ho
8. Among the Living
9. Caught in a Mosh
10. I am the Law
11. Efilnikufesin (NFL)
12. A Skeleton in the Closet
13. Indians
14. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
15. I'm the Man (Def Uncensored Radio Version)

Disc 2:

1. Be All, End All
2. Make Me Laugh
3. Antisocial
4. Who Cares Wins
5. Now It's Dark
6. Finale
7. Time
8. Keep it in the Family
9. In My World
10. Intro to Reality
11. Belly of the Beast
12 Got the Time
13. Discharge
14. Bring the Noise
15. Antisocial (French version)