Disclaimer: Don't interpret the following long and self-indulgent stroll down my musical memory lane as an indicator that I think I'm so interesting and cool that you'd all want to read a novella about my taste in albums. I just really enjoy thinking about this kind of thing lately and having a record to look back on later. And it's cathartic as all hell.
I guess that applies to my entire blog - and most people's, I would hazard. I could and likely will eventually write a meta-esque entry about how I think keeping a journal is the best thing since sliced bread, but for now - albums!
I guess that applies to my entire blog - and most people's, I would hazard. I could and likely will eventually write a meta-esque entry about how I think keeping a journal is the best thing since sliced bread, but for now - albums!
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Looking at the list now, even this half, I'm thinking I should arrange them in some kind of order. But that's a lot of cutting and pasting for this lazy girl, so I'll leave it as it is - in the order I thought of them. Part II forthcoming.
Rufus Wainwright, Release the Stars: Yet another album I came to love in Limoges. It's interesting to me how many albums there are from my year there on this list. Songs too, really. I think it's because I spent like 40% of the time I wasn't sleeping or working walking around the city listening to music. I spent more time listening to music in those 10 months than in any other, and it shows on both lists. The moral is clear, I guess - want to find music you adore? Listen to a lot! - but somehow I haven't gotten back on that wagon. Anyways...kind of like with Crane Wife, Release the Stars doesn't necessarily have my favorite Rufus songs on it. In fact, it positively does not. (BTW, in no real order: "Poses," "Do I Disappoint You," "Greek Song," "Beauty Mark"...ok there are way too many to list, but "What a World" is probably tops.) Part of the reason this album has such a place in my heart is because it's clearly not his masterpiece. Yeah, there's some impressive stuff here. For example, "Do I Disappoint You" is a really, really complex and impressive track; I seem to recall reading that it has an ungodly number of tracks and that the Roofster himself mixed them all as well as writing all the instrumental parts. "Between My Legs" (though I vaguely recall critics being down on it) is a different style for him that, through its complex layers of tracks and rising and falling energy and engagingly weird lyrics ("...and I'll shed a tear between my legs" - what. the. fuck). But unlike Want One or Want Two, this album sticks in my mind not as the vehicle for a few great tunes, but as one whole thing. Which is to me what defines a favorite album. Yes there's the inevitable "Nobody's Off the Hook" or two, but (and I'm quickly realizing this is almost as much a function of how I approached the album as of its contents) when at the end of any given song from this album, my brain fills in the beginning of the next track and is shaken for a fraction of a second when I realize that no, you're not listening to the album, the next song is actually "Shake Your Groove Thing." But I love Release as much for its musical merit as for its nostalgic mystery - even if there are for sure some weaker spots. (I mean, it's not Sam's Town - see below.)
Fiona Apple, Tidal: Hands down one of the most formative, influential and beloved albums of my life. I forget if she gave me a copy or if I bought my own, but either way it was my friend Laine who got me into the album. And we *loved* that CD. It was perfect for us at the time - musically rich, controversial (see: "Criminal" video, aka the sexiest music video of all time), and FULL of emotional songs about dudes. And as will come as zero surprise to most people who know me, I was *constantly* emo about some dude (usually my first bf, upon whom I was "totally crushing!" for years). And Laine was too. So between us we must have "OMG I've been listening to [insert song] all day because it TOTALLY sums up things with [insert dude]" over at least 2/3 of the album. I think possibly even the song that I realized later is blatantly about the time she was raped. So that's weird. But I do genuinely love this album for its own sake. Her voice is so beautiful, and the songs just kind of...wash over me when I listen to it. It's stilling and stirring all at once. I sang "Never is a Promise" in my school's big talent show senior year, and various others for various other concerts...they're good solo candidates because they make it so easy on you. The emotion is written right in.
Pete Yorn, Musicforthemorningafter: Imma come right on and say it - I love Pete Yorn. I love him. I even loved Nightcrawler, despite it's being *incredibly* uneven. I know a lot of people are like "meh, another singer-songwriter," but I love his voice and I love his lyrics. And his guitar. And his sexy, sexy hair. True story: I *finally* had tickets to see him this fall and then forgot until the day before that it was a Tuesday and I had to work in the Writing Center. *sob* Like many of these, it combines genuine musical appeal with good associations; I bought this album my first summer in college, a summer of waiting tables, hanging out on the Cape, and feeling independent. They also played it in Tryst (my favorite DC coffee place), so it smacks of evening work sessions and delicious, delicious chai. The MOST delicious chai. And everyone knows that's what gives an album staying power.
The Postal Service, Give Up: For sure on of my Desert Island Discs. There's so much going for it, especially to me personally: opens with a song about DC, light and easy to listen to as background, good lyrics, and original (or it was at the time). And perhaps most importantly, it was (along with Yoshimi and the Garden State soundtrack) music I fell in love to. I actually stopped listening to it for almost a year for just that reason, but that only gave it staying power. And despite the nostalgia factor, it has really aged well for me. Back then my favorite tracks were "Nothing Better," "Natural Anthem" and "Such Great Heights;" now it's "District Sleeps Alone" and "Brand New Colony" all the way. God, "District." I'm still not sure I entirely understand what it's about ("And I am finally seeing/That I was the one worth leaving"...what exactly does that mean?) but damn can it fill me with slightly melancholy-tinged peace every time. (But my all-time #1 Postal Service song is "The Dream of Evan and Chan," which is possibly the perfect song and, I am realizing now, a glaring omission from my earlier music post.)
DC Talk, Jesus Freak: Yeah yeah I used to listen to contemporary Christian music and even had a subscription to CCM back in the day. A lot of the music I liked back then was crap I would not be caught dead having in my iTunes library let alone in my ears. But I actually think Jesus Freak is a pretty sweet album. And I'll admit it - I still occasionally listen to some stuff off it. "In the Light" is a great 90s song! Plus I have soooooo many fond memories of watching Tim King playing it at youth group and feeling the Spirit/lusting after him. (Sometimes I think as much as 30% of my religious fervor back then was just repressed longing for all the *incredibly* hot Christian dudes with whom I was constantly surrounded. Man they were smoking. But as a result I've come to associate any guy holding a guitar with enforced abstinence.) It's exactly what a Christan album should be - fervent, stirring, and secular-sounding enough to be relateable for people under 30. I mean, they manage to rap the story of John the Baptist in a way that isn't (entirely) laughable. It might even be a better verse than those of "Empire State." (It also refers to the Pharisees as "tripping," which I adore.)
Maroon 5, Songs for Jane: The position of this album on the list is tenuous, because GOD they overplayed it. However, the musical boner I had for this when it came out would make Lexington Steel blush, so I felt it had to be included. I used to go out for drives at night just so I could listen to it (since that was back when I could fill my gas tank with the change I found in the couch cushions). And it's full of great tracks - it made them famous for a reason, I feel. "She Will Be Loved," despite being so overplayed my ears bleed anytime it comes on, is beautiful. True story: right after they played this when I saw them at 930 Adam pointed out a couple that had been making out through the whole song; we all thought he was going to embarrass them horribly, but in fact he said he dug it, and that's why he wrote the song. (I too may have fogged a few car windows with that baby playing.) And I still work out to "Harder to Breathe" from time to time - by FAR one of the sexiest songs I can think of. And then there's "Sunday Morning." And "Not Coming Home." I couldn't contain my love for this album and pushed it on everyone I saw; I actually have a memory of giving a mid-40s gas station attendant the hard sell. (Who am I kidding - I do that kind of thing all the time. See: the Kindle, my hairstylist, living on the East side, minoring in Comp/Rhet, etc.) The best part is that I got into them like ten minutes before they blew up, which put me in the rare position of being able to play Musical Elitist. For all my scorn of those people, I completely understand them - the warmth I feel inside when someone I've loved blows up is both shaming and incredibly sweet. Also, to use an Andyism: Adam Levine looks like someone I'd like to go on a bad date with. So. Hot. Jamie and I went through a period sophomore spring (aka The Best Semester Of All Time Ever For Serious) where we watched the video for "This Love" conservatively once a day for two weeks.
Gavin Degraw, Chariot: Now here's someone I was legitimately listening to for ages before he got big. And though I know he's not an artist who gives my musical taste a lot of cred, I will freely admit to thinking he's sweet. (Though his newer stuff is less impressive.) I saw him open for Maroon 5, then went out and bought his CD immediately the following day because I could not get "Chariot" out of my head for love or money. And like nearly all the albums on this list, nearly all the tracks are really strong. And of course, at the time there were two or three of them that made me all "oh em gee, this totally describes some aspect of my current 19-year-old life!" (I'm looking at you, "Follow Through.") He's also really great live - big smiles, makes his audience feel involved and loved, funny, and just generally looks like he loves what he's doing. (Except for the time he played at the AU student center, when he was not nearly as into it. I lost a little love then, but it's hard to blame him - at that point he was at the height of his popularity, so I can see how playing for an audience of 100 college kids in a glorified food court might not get the adrenalin pumping.) [Edit: So I just realized I left out my #1 story about Why Gavin Degraw is a Cool Dude: when I saw him at 930 the second time, he waited around after the show for at least 2 hours so that everyone who wanted to could meet him. At this time I had a *major* crush on him, bigger than I have ever had on a musician since. Like, rivaling Jessie's love of Andrew Bird. So when I met him I tried to play cool, but my friend Kate outed me and was basically like, "she's playing it cool but in fact she wants to have your babies." And I was like "...yeah, it's true. I even did The FanGirl." Which he then asked me to demonstrate (rapt look, one hand on heart and the other extended towards the stage, usually while shrieking). Upon seeing this he laughed, gave me a huuuuge hug and a heartbreaking smile and ruined me for other men. So that's why he rocks.]
Writing up this list has really highlighted how much the death of Napster changed my music habits. The fact that you downloaded single songs as opposed to albums meant that when you fell in love with a new artist and wanted to dl all their songs, you didn't necessarily end up with any complete albums - and it certainly was not in order. So while I absolutely loved Elliot Smith and listened the crap out of many, many of his songs, I never had a sense of his work as being albums. Same goes for everything by Ryan Adams that's not Rock and Roll, a lot of Ben Folds, pre-Keep it Together Guster (which will be making an appearance in part II), every Beyonce track I've ever had, and on and on. God. Napster was the shit, wasn't it? It also makes me realize that I should go to more concerts. Like I needed reminding.
Next time: the rest of the Limoges collection and the Summer of Love, plus a few newbies. And the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack, oddly. But I stand by it!
Pete Yorn, Musicforthemorningafter: Imma come right on and say it - I love Pete Yorn. I love him. I even loved Nightcrawler, despite it's being *incredibly* uneven. I know a lot of people are like "meh, another singer-songwriter," but I love his voice and I love his lyrics. And his guitar. And his sexy, sexy hair. True story: I *finally* had tickets to see him this fall and then forgot until the day before that it was a Tuesday and I had to work in the Writing Center. *sob* Like many of these, it combines genuine musical appeal with good associations; I bought this album my first summer in college, a summer of waiting tables, hanging out on the Cape, and feeling independent. They also played it in Tryst (my favorite DC coffee place), so it smacks of evening work sessions and delicious, delicious chai. The MOST delicious chai. And everyone knows that's what gives an album staying power.
The Postal Service, Give Up: For sure on of my Desert Island Discs. There's so much going for it, especially to me personally: opens with a song about DC, light and easy to listen to as background, good lyrics, and original (or it was at the time). And perhaps most importantly, it was (along with Yoshimi and the Garden State soundtrack) music I fell in love to. I actually stopped listening to it for almost a year for just that reason, but that only gave it staying power. And despite the nostalgia factor, it has really aged well for me. Back then my favorite tracks were "Nothing Better," "Natural Anthem" and "Such Great Heights;" now it's "District Sleeps Alone" and "Brand New Colony" all the way. God, "District." I'm still not sure I entirely understand what it's about ("And I am finally seeing/That I was the one worth leaving"...what exactly does that mean?) but damn can it fill me with slightly melancholy-tinged peace every time. (But my all-time #1 Postal Service song is "The Dream of Evan and Chan," which is possibly the perfect song and, I am realizing now, a glaring omission from my earlier music post.)
DC Talk, Jesus Freak: Yeah yeah I used to listen to contemporary Christian music and even had a subscription to CCM back in the day. A lot of the music I liked back then was crap I would not be caught dead having in my iTunes library let alone in my ears. But I actually think Jesus Freak is a pretty sweet album. And I'll admit it - I still occasionally listen to some stuff off it. "In the Light" is a great 90s song! Plus I have soooooo many fond memories of watching Tim King playing it at youth group and feeling the Spirit/lusting after him. (Sometimes I think as much as 30% of my religious fervor back then was just repressed longing for all the *incredibly* hot Christian dudes with whom I was constantly surrounded. Man they were smoking. But as a result I've come to associate any guy holding a guitar with enforced abstinence.) It's exactly what a Christan album should be - fervent, stirring, and secular-sounding enough to be relateable for people under 30. I mean, they manage to rap the story of John the Baptist in a way that isn't (entirely) laughable. It might even be a better verse than those of "Empire State." (It also refers to the Pharisees as "tripping," which I adore.)
Maroon 5, Songs for Jane: The position of this album on the list is tenuous, because GOD they overplayed it. However, the musical boner I had for this when it came out would make Lexington Steel blush, so I felt it had to be included. I used to go out for drives at night just so I could listen to it (since that was back when I could fill my gas tank with the change I found in the couch cushions). And it's full of great tracks - it made them famous for a reason, I feel. "She Will Be Loved," despite being so overplayed my ears bleed anytime it comes on, is beautiful. True story: right after they played this when I saw them at 930 Adam pointed out a couple that had been making out through the whole song; we all thought he was going to embarrass them horribly, but in fact he said he dug it, and that's why he wrote the song. (I too may have fogged a few car windows with that baby playing.) And I still work out to "Harder to Breathe" from time to time - by FAR one of the sexiest songs I can think of. And then there's "Sunday Morning." And "Not Coming Home." I couldn't contain my love for this album and pushed it on everyone I saw; I actually have a memory of giving a mid-40s gas station attendant the hard sell. (Who am I kidding - I do that kind of thing all the time. See: the Kindle, my hairstylist, living on the East side, minoring in Comp/Rhet, etc.) The best part is that I got into them like ten minutes before they blew up, which put me in the rare position of being able to play Musical Elitist. For all my scorn of those people, I completely understand them - the warmth I feel inside when someone I've loved blows up is both shaming and incredibly sweet. Also, to use an Andyism: Adam Levine looks like someone I'd like to go on a bad date with. So. Hot. Jamie and I went through a period sophomore spring (aka The Best Semester Of All Time Ever For Serious) where we watched the video for "This Love" conservatively once a day for two weeks.
Gavin Degraw, Chariot: Now here's someone I was legitimately listening to for ages before he got big. And though I know he's not an artist who gives my musical taste a lot of cred, I will freely admit to thinking he's sweet. (Though his newer stuff is less impressive.) I saw him open for Maroon 5, then went out and bought his CD immediately the following day because I could not get "Chariot" out of my head for love or money. And like nearly all the albums on this list, nearly all the tracks are really strong. And of course, at the time there were two or three of them that made me all "oh em gee, this totally describes some aspect of my current 19-year-old life!" (I'm looking at you, "Follow Through.") He's also really great live - big smiles, makes his audience feel involved and loved, funny, and just generally looks like he loves what he's doing. (Except for the time he played at the AU student center, when he was not nearly as into it. I lost a little love then, but it's hard to blame him - at that point he was at the height of his popularity, so I can see how playing for an audience of 100 college kids in a glorified food court might not get the adrenalin pumping.) [Edit: So I just realized I left out my #1 story about Why Gavin Degraw is a Cool Dude: when I saw him at 930 the second time, he waited around after the show for at least 2 hours so that everyone who wanted to could meet him. At this time I had a *major* crush on him, bigger than I have ever had on a musician since. Like, rivaling Jessie's love of Andrew Bird. So when I met him I tried to play cool, but my friend Kate outed me and was basically like, "she's playing it cool but in fact she wants to have your babies." And I was like "...yeah, it's true. I even did The FanGirl." Which he then asked me to demonstrate (rapt look, one hand on heart and the other extended towards the stage, usually while shrieking). Upon seeing this he laughed, gave me a huuuuge hug and a heartbreaking smile and ruined me for other men. So that's why he rocks.]
Writing up this list has really highlighted how much the death of Napster changed my music habits. The fact that you downloaded single songs as opposed to albums meant that when you fell in love with a new artist and wanted to dl all their songs, you didn't necessarily end up with any complete albums - and it certainly was not in order. So while I absolutely loved Elliot Smith and listened the crap out of many, many of his songs, I never had a sense of his work as being albums. Same goes for everything by Ryan Adams that's not Rock and Roll, a lot of Ben Folds, pre-Keep it Together Guster (which will be making an appearance in part II), every Beyonce track I've ever had, and on and on. God. Napster was the shit, wasn't it? It also makes me realize that I should go to more concerts. Like I needed reminding.
Next time: the rest of the Limoges collection and the Summer of Love, plus a few newbies. And the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack, oddly. But I stand by it!
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