The Best of Guy Noir: Collector’s Edition

There’s something about the homey quality of Keillor’s voice that makes him a friendly presence to relax and laugh with. His wry humor is on display in this collection of 36 fan-favorite skits spoofing the hard-boiled noir genre from the long-running public radio show A Prairie Home Companion. Many parody the bottomless contrast between New York (with loud people and no public toilets) and Minnesota (with depressing weather and gloomy, guilty Lutherans). Some—perhaps too many—involve Guy and his friend Pete, played by Walter Bobbie, always finding reasons to shoot one another. Keillor’s sharp wit cuts into dating services, GPS devices, dog lovers, and other typical modern American obsessions. One caveat: bite into these delightful nuggets when you need a mood lift, but don’t try to swallow the whole audio at once. (May)