Just a quick note (or two) about a couple friends.  First off, former Ferris Wheel Junkies drummer Austin McMahon recently released a new CD entitled Many Muses.  Many Muses was an Editor’s Pick at CD Baby and shows off Austin’s diversity not only as a drummer but also as a composer.  I’d write a review here, but I don’t feel I can do it any better justice than my good friend Kirk over at Murfins and Burglars.  Suffice it to say, Austin is an incredible talent, and I often blame my current drummer-search woes on the fact that he pretty much spoiled me while simultaneously setting the bar too high for anyone else who might follow in his stead.  In short, check out Many Muses.

Now back to Murfins and Burglars, Kirk Hamilton’s blog… Kirk is another extremely talented friend of mine from college, and if you’ve got some time to kill you could do far far worse than to wander around his blog reading priceless entries ranging from The Many Bowls of 1778 9th Avenue to the oft-recurring Monday’s Person I want to Be.  Beyond his seemingly effortless skill with a pen (or keyboard in this particular instance), Kirk is also a prolific musician.  His new album, The Exited Door is also currently available at CD Baby (with some tracks currently streaming on his myspace).  My favorites are No Crow Scarecrow and The Bird Women of Golden Gate Park.  For me, the former sounds like a Ben Folds – Guster collaboration reworked for inclusion in a Joss Whedon musical, specifically for the big emotional climax (which undoubtedly will end in a cliffhanger).  The latter sounds like a lost piece of Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois. If you’re a fan of rich melodies and lush intrumentation, you’ve gotta pick up what Kirk’s putting down.  Seriously?  I just wrote that?