For the second half of our weekly tribute to music our writers like, we have tracks by the Sun City Girls, Crooked Fingers, Matthew Sweet, and Algodón Egipcio.

Linda Ray
Matthew Sweet, "Girlfriend"

Every once in a while I get a craving for the opening guitar work on this song. I am sure I have listened to this opening at least a hundred times more than I've listened to the song, and at least at three or four times the volume. I'm indebted to the radio program Sound Opinions for introducing me to it all those years ago, and now that the program is nationwide, I feel guilty I don't listen to it more often—guilty only because I should treat myself better! You deserve to take time out for it, too: http://www.soundopinions.org/, and, courtesy of our friend the internet, we can do that any time.

Eric Swedlund
Crooked Fingers, "Your Apocalypse (live)"

Crooked Fingers: "Your Apocalypse"

Crooked Fingers new Breaks In The Armor (out this week) is one of the best albums I've heard all year. Eric Bachmann is having a great year, reviving his North Carolina proto-indie band Archers of Loaf as well as turning a new leaf with his current project. Like the rest of Breaks In The Armor, "Your Apocalypse" is a winding and twisting sort of folk music, rough even at its quietest moments.

Casey Dewey
Sun City Girls, "CIA Man"

Because it's all true, maaan.

Dan Gibson
Algodón Egipcio, “El Día Previo”

I don't know anything about Algodón Egipcio other than that they're from Venezuela and that their album sounds like it could have recorded by a South American acolyte of Martin Hannett's, and in a way, I'm trying to keep it that way. My knowledge of the Spanish language sucks (unfortunately), so I have no idea what's being sung, where the song came from, or what it's about and it's nice to have that clean slate occasionally. I just like the feel of the song and that's enough.