Punk Rock Music Makes a Terrible Soundtrack for Work

(...unless of course that work is bicycle repair.)

The problem is not so much the volume or rhythm or meter; it's because of all those devil words. It's hard to concentrate on writing a good Regular Expression when someone is yelling something clever in your ear about Bitchin' Camaros.

My usual work soundtrack is instrumental ... jazz is good, classical and New Age work well, but I really favor instrumental rock like Mono, or brainy electronica like Boards of Canada. Penguin Cafe Orchestra — which I might describe as jazz-fusion electronic classical New Age — provide the very best possible music for working.