Music snobs are the worst; usually, I’ll stay as far away from music blogs as I do from rabid wild animals. In both cases, I fear for my safety: Make the wrong move, say the wrong word and—bam!—there goes that needed limb.
Regardless, the Spanish site El Diablo Tun Tun is different. There is no pontificating on what is cool and what is not for unknown reasons as defined by questionably qualified people. Instead, it’s a music blog that is (gasp!) all about the music. The two contributors, “Cocaleca” and “Barrabas,” remain anonymous and offer no information about themselves. As to the actual posts, there is no actual writing, no sentences or paragraphs. All that’s posted every three days or so is an album cover, the artist’s and the album’s names, a list of tracks on the album, and a link that will allow you to listen to an mp3 of the album. The music it features hails mostly from the United States and mostly from the 1910s to the 1960s. In terms of genre, El Diablo Tun Tun has a certain kitsch common denominator: country and western, Hawaiian, Cajun and New Orleans, although there is also plenty of jazz and gospel and blues. Recent tracks have included Reno & Smiley and the Tennessee Cut-ups, Jimmie Davis, Piano Red (a.k.a. Dr. Feelgood) and Pete Seeger.
Oh, and look there! There are links, too, to a bunch of other good music blogs. Excuse me, I have to go. A whole new world is opening up.