Music that always ends up being played

Paul Simon - Graceland
kd lang - Absolute Torch and Twang

Great recordings, great music

I seem to turn to the three albums that Soul Coughing put out all the time - "Ruby Vroom", "Irresitible Bliss" and "El Oso". Pretty good sonically, amazing production. Alt-rockish, interesting samples, but jazz influenced as all the band members were jazz players in the NY circuit that were hand picked and assembled by the lead singer. He was a doorman at a NY jazz club who decided to do something "different" from the norm and knew the guys he selected could pull it off from hearing them play at the club he doored.

Another is Lisa Ekdahl - "When Did You Leave Heaven" and "Back to Earth" on which she recorded with the Peter Nordhal Trio. Well recorded, great sonics. Jazz standard covers abound. Lisa's voice is child-like and angelic. Pretty easy on the eyes as well. She sings in English on these two albums.

In recent years, Lyle Lovett's 'Step Inside This House' has rarely gotten re-filed; it's always next to the CD player