Vinyl Finds No. 4

I've been on a vinyl buying spree and picked up a few more records this week.

I'm ridiculously happy about getting a beautiful copy of Dolly Parton's first album, Hello, I'm Dolly. The 1967 release on the Monument label is still in the shrink. Even in these very early sessions, Parton shines as a singer and a songwriter. The album opens with a great song, "Dumb Blonde," which was written by Curly Putnam. Parton wrote or co-wrote most of the other songs on the release, including "Something Fishy," and "I Don't Want To Throw Rice."

There are few country artists bigger than Parton. But even with all the success that she's had, she's still underrated as a songwriter. This early release demonstrates how good she has always been.

I also bought Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses' Roadhouse Sun. The 2009 release from the Lost Highway label is outstanding. Bingham's world-weary voice suits his hard-bitten songs. He recently won an Oscar for his song "The Weary Kind," from the film Crazy Heart. Look for a new album from Bingham in September.

And, rounding out the recent vinyl picks: Cyndi Lauper's Memphis Blues, which comes with a free digital download, and the soundtrack to "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist."