This is not a review blog.   I am not a professional critic, nor have I ever claimed to be one.

I'm just a guy who loves music in all its forms.  Whenever someone asks "what kind of music do you like", it's very hard for me to answer because, well, I like just about everything.  Name a style, and I've probably listened to it at one point in my life.

For the record, I dislike digital downloads unless it's an incredibly high quality bitrate.  Given the choice, I'd much rather have a CD (preferably one that was produced back when tonal quality and dynamic range mattered) or even vinyl, even though I don't have turntable (at this moment).  I'm one of "those" people who can hear the difference, and it annoys me to no end when I hear a song that sounds like all the life has been squeezed out of it.

I'm not an audiophile.  I don't have nearly the money to be one.   I believe that iTunes and iPods and iWhatevers are part of the reason why music sucks these days, since the quality of the music, and the hardware, is so crappy that AM radio sounds better.  I used to own one (before it was stolen...good riddance) as well as other such players, and I have heard the difference.

Yes, I know, that makes me to odd man out this day and age, but I'm used to that.  I'm happy being different, being unique.  It's what makes me...me.

As I said in the first sentence, this is not a review blog.  I just needed a place to share what I feel are good CDs that are being overlooked in this day and age, and you might be interested.  If you're not, that's fine with me as well.  Music is highly personal, and what works for me doesn't work for you.

More and more, record stores as we know them, places I used to love to go as a kid, places where I've found music I never knew existed, are going the way of the dinosaur and the dodo.  They say CD sales are down, that no one buys discs anymore.  Places that do sell CDs are selling them off on the cheap, and that's where I come in.  Don't consider me a vulture, swooping in to pick at someone else's kill.  I'm trying to preserve something that's becoming a lost art.

The title "Tales from the Discount Bin" means that most of the time, the CDs I'll comment on here are ones I've found on sale.  You'd be amazed at what's available for half (or less) of the original price these days.  A side benefit from everyone download crap, I'd imagine.  Even though I dislike it, I thank you for making such finds available to me at a good price.  Continue, and I'll do the same.

One such place to find discounted discs has proven to be, of all things, a book retailer.  This one in particular used to have a wonderful selection of CDs in their retail stores, but as buying trends have changed, they've scaled back their stock on hand, and have a "$7.95" section.  I'll let you figure out why it's called that for yourself.

Awhile back, I came across Kris Kristofferson's The Austin Sessions.  This isn't a "best of" collection, although the lineup of tracks could very well be considered such.  Recorded and released in 1999, the 12 tracks feature Kris doing new versions of his songs, some made more popluar by other artists. 

There's also guest vocals doing harmonies from the worlds of Rock and Country. Jackson Browne.  Vince Gill.  Alison Krauss.  Mark Knoffler, just to name a few. 

I could not find one bad track on this disc.  His voice, unique as all voices are, bears the experience of years of singing and the road and yet you can tell, he's loving this.  He's revisiting old friends, as it were, as if it were just yesterday they were last together.

The opening track, Me and Bobby McGee, sets the tune for the record.  Guitar, harmonica, Kris' voice.  It's a simple enough presentation but he draws you in right away, inviting you to stay and enjoy some songs and good times. 

The rest of the disc is just as strong.  Sunday Morning Coming Down (one of my personal all-time favourites) For the Good Times, The Silver Tongued Devil and I, Help Me Make it Through the Night, all good songs, all done so very well.

This has become one of my favourite discs in such a short time.  It's Country music from when I was growing up, true Country, not the Adult Contemporary version of Country that appeared within the last 20 years. If you're looking for a collection of good songs, done by one of the best songwriters of his generation, I highly recommend seeking this out.  You won't be disappointed.