We are living in an exciting age for musical listening pleasure. The currents of contemporary cultural trade bring us a greater choice of music in recorded form than ever before; from all sorts of American roots-based music to newly created genres and hybrids to traditional and modern styles from virtually every corner of the world. But only a tiny percentage of it can be found in your local neighborhood record store, or even in a large metropolitan mega-store. Mail-order companies are, as usual,
the solution. There are record labels who sell only their own
