I’ve talked a couple times now about Mike Doughty’s forthcoming album Golden Delicious, out Feb. 19 (also known as “this Tuesday”) on ATO.

While I wait for that, Stinkweeds was cool enough to hook me up with a five-song promo CD by Doughty called Busking, a word used to define the art of performing in public places for tips.

According to Doughty in a note on the back of the CD sleeve, he busked between the 3 train and the F train at 14th Street in New York when he was 19: “I lasted about ten minutes.” He went back recently with gear to record for this pretty unique release, which seems more like an experiment in sociology than field recording. This time around he was a little more successful: “I got lots of smiles, and made $3.10. Two dollar bills, four quarters, and a dime” (via).

The CD is great because you can hear all the incidental (and sometimes deafening) noise of subway stations – people chattering, trains roaring past, echoes. You can even pick up Doughty chatting with a few passers-by, presumably those who chipped in a few cents.

Tracklisting:
1. Looking at the World From a Bottom of a Well.
2. F Train.
3. The Only Answer.
4. 40 Grand.
5. Sunkeneyed Girl.

• Mike Doughty | Looking at the World From a Bottom of a Well

In more Doughty news, I posted the 27 Jennifers video last month. Well, MySpace is hosting an alternate, if not sorta creepier, version here.