I'm working through some 9,000 albums in my house from A to Z. Here's a more detailed introduction.

I need to pick up the pace a little bit. And after listening to 10 CDs by folks named Allen, I decided I’d keep the patter here to a Twitter-friendly minimum.

Allen Oldies Band
Ride the Wild Surf
Released: 2008
Acquired: 2008 from the band
Untethered enthusiasm, song selection perfect for summer and makes winter feel warmer. My kid loves Peanut Butter.

Preserving the oldies for you and your unborn children

Bukka Allen
Confidante
Released: 2007
Acquired: 2007 from a friend
Cool name, though must’ve been heavy lift as kid. Great keybs and accordion guy. Perfect night-time album. Supercool parents.

Exhaling songs for nighttime.

Lily Allen
Alright, Still
Released: 2007
Acquired: 2009 at Cactus Music, Houston
Cute as a button, mouth like a pirate, admirable set of big pop melodies, apparently has three nipples. Smile makes me smile.

The cutest and most foul-mouthed of today's Allens.

Red Allen
The Folkways Years: 1964-1983
Released: 2001
Acquired: 2001 from a friend
Old-school bluegrass with requisite body count. Allen sings like a hillbilly banshee. Guess how The Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake ends?

Subtitle: "More Songs About Dead People and Dead People."

Terry Allen
Lubbock (On Everything)
Released: 1979
Acquired: circa 1998 from a friend
Amarillo Highway=ultimate TX driving song. Not sure what Lubbock sounds like but this must be it. Smart, funny, weird country. Essential CD.

Human Remains
Released: 1996
Acquired: circa 1998, Sounds, New York City
Opening lines: “I don’t need no chickenshit business man telling me what to do/Even if you ain’t got no business same thing goes for you.”

Salivation
Released: 1999
Acquired: 1999, Sounds, New York City
The gospel according to Allen, thus a humorous, sneering and not-particularly-religious gospel. X-Mas on the Isthmus = fun with Guy Clark.

Juarez
Released: 1976 (reissued 2004)
Acquired: 2004 from record label
Some good songs but spoken word bits (it’s was supposed to accompany visual art piece) make it a tough spin.

Best of the Sugar Hill Years
Released: 2007
Acquired: 2007 from the record label
Decent overview that barely scratches the surface of an indescribable iconoclast.

Singer, songwriter, artist, wolf illuminator.

Tony Allen
Lagos No Shaking
Released: 2006
Acquired: 2006 from the record label
Drummer for Fela’s Africa 70 knows about bringing noise, bringing funk. Brings said noise and funk. Big brassy delight.

From left: Some guy from the Verve, some guy from Blur, Tony effing Allen!, Paul effing Simonon!

Read more installments of this series here.