The four major music labels are now available on Amazon.com

(Isn't it sad that there are only four labels any more?)

I'm a bit late in posting this, so this might've been bigger news a couple weeks ago, but things just get in the way, donchaknow.

Anyway, most of the offerings from the big labels are now up on the Amazon.com MP3 store.

Thus, let me suggest a purchase of the best recording ever of the oft-covered Fleetwood Mac song "Oh Well." This version just shreds.

It was Peter Green's baby, but Lindsey Buckingham just owns the motor-scooter* in this version. Heretofore, it was available only on the CD of their live set from the 80s, which has always been too freakin' expensive to buy for one song - the set still clocks in at $23 on Amazon. Oh, the other songs are great, but the studio versions are better. However, if you like the live vibe, this is one of the better live albums out there, and (finally) reasonably priced as an MP3 download at $10.

(*my family's PC version of motherf___)

Here are some other great songs that live permanently on my MP3 player that you might like:

Captain Kirk by Bob Schneider - I've recommended this one before, but now you can just snag the single.

Rainy Season by Aztec Camera - probably the best song in this list; I never hit the "next" button when this one queues up.

Lovely Day by Donavon Frankenreiter - another previous recommendation; team this one with "Captain Kirk" above and you've got a great start to a "how jolly can ya get" CD mix.

Maureen and The Girl I Can't Forget by Fountains Of Wayne - hilarious songs, both.

Knockers, Hazel Eyes, and Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time by The Darkness - more funny.

Get The Funk Out Ma Face and Thunder Thumbs And Lightnin' Licks by The Brothers Johnson - some funk from the 70s I originally encountered on the soundtrack to Mother, Jugs and Speed; which is fortunate because out on the lily-white Midwestern plains, nothing like this was ever played on the radio until the Commodores and Earth, Wind and Fire came along. True story: I was cranking the first song in my bedroom after getting said cassette, when I began to hear thunder making its way toward me through the house. My mom burst into my room, popped the cassette out and grabbed the tape itself to yank it out and destroy it - she had a no tolerance policy on obscenity. I yelled, "Mom! Look at the title of the song!" She did, let go of the tape, handed the cassette back to me, stabbed a finger at me and said, "Don't ever play that outside." I have to admit, It does really sound like the OTHER word. Tres fun.

Love Everybody and Tiny Explosions by The Presidents Of The United States Of America - I love pretty much everything the Presidents have done, and they are one of my definite "desert island" groups; however, these two tunes I suspect will be irresistible to nearly everyone.

When I'm Gone (Sadie) by No Address - the "la doddy doddy doddy doddy doddy dim dim dim" chorus is a brilliant hook, and the lyrics are a snort. Oh, and it doth rock.

Viking by Los Lobos - a wall of garbled feedback over a killer beat.

This last one's a lark. I put some of my kid's songs (the ones that I can stand) on some of my mix CDs for my car so when we're going places they don't whine too much about the music selection. Well, if you have kids from ages 4 - 13 you know that the biggest thing right now is the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie and album. One song, Coast 2 Coast, is actually pretty catchy. So catchy in fact that I was sure it was a cover and went to look for the original, but nope, it's a new song. So, if you've got kids and want a song that won't drive you too buggy, check it out.