I recently found myself stuck deep in a musical rut. For a few weeks there, I was playing the same damn albums over and over and over again. This morning, I put my foot down on that repetition and switched out every CD in my CD wallet. Here's what ended up in the rotation, in order of appearance:
One Soul Now -- Cowboy Junkies
18 -- Moby
In Time 1988-2003 : The Best of REM -- REM
Dookie -- Greenday
Willing to Wait -- Melissa Ferrick
Simon & Garfunkel Collected Works, Disc1 -- Simon & Garfunkel
Brahms Violin Concerto and Beethoven Symphony no. 5 -- Vienna Philharmonic
Short Trip Home -- Joshua Bell, Edgar Meyer, Sam Bush and Mike Marshall
The House Carpenter's Daughter -- Natalie Merchant
Motherland -- Natelie Merchant
A Kiss in Time -- Patty Griffin
The Freedom Sessions -- Sarah McLachlan
Play -- Moby
Automatic for the People -- REM
Lifes Rich Pageant -- REM
Moulin Rouge Soundtrack -- Ummmm...
Van Lear Rose -- Loretta Lynn (produced by Jack White of the White Stripes!)
Achtung Baby -- U2
The Bends -- Radiohead
Post -- Bjork
Up -- REM
Monday, September 27, 2004
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9 comments:
Big props for Van Lear Rose!
No single album generates feelings of shock or loathing. But there's an awful lot of repetition here, no?
If I may ask, do you remember which CD's were in there prior?
What happened to the MP3 player? I thought you were CD-free! I may need to send you some new selections from my collection...
Your comments are making me realize that I am STILL in a musical rut. The last rotation included DIFFERENT CDs of the SAME artists. I need a new strategy. I have an MP3 player that fits loads of music, but I haven't taken the time to transfer all of my albums. And the artists I have taken the time to transfer pretty closely match the ones listed in this blog. I need some serious help out of this sour musical place I fine myself in.
On a bright note, however, J.Bro is right about Van Lear Rose. It is a fantastic album and not one I would normally buy. I'm glad I did. It's high time I try out more new things.
Some groups I think you might like, and that might help ya break out of your rut:
Stellastarr*
-Best single = "My Coko"
-Sounds like: Hard to describe their sound...maybe Simple Minds meets Cranberries meets happy Cure(?).
Scissor Sister
-Best single = "Take Your Mama"
-Sounds like: Many different bands, depending on the song. Some sound like Bee Gee's, some sound like Pet Shop Boys.
Jamie Cullum
-Best Single = "On the Sea"
-Jazz singer, like Harry Connick Jr but hipper, does fun covers of jimmy hendrix and whatnot.
Motown 1's
-Best Single = Stevie Wonder's "Superstitious"
-Two discs of rockin good tunes from when Motown was hip, and a couple from after they had started to slide - but you can ignore those.
I often have the same problem. When I find something new that I like, I overlisten to it, and then don't listen to it, and then when I go back to it, I feel like I'm right back at overlistening because I know it so well. I have found that J.Po's recommendation of radioparadise.com is helpful, though - it plays a good mix of stuff, much of which I've never heard before.
Thanks, Grrbear, for the recommendations. I might just walk my 5-foot-ten-self over the Amoeba and buy one or two or those. And Spice is right about radioparadise. I've been turned on to new groups by way of that gem of a site. I have this endless conflict, though, between wanting familiarity (especially when life takes a turn for the worse) and wanting to force my way out of my funk. During THIS funktastic phase of my life, I listened to WAY too much Patty Griffin. That chick has experienced some serious pain and she let it drip like thick molasses into her haunting lyrics. I need to lock her CDs in a cabinet and wait a few months. And, as for REM, I'm going to stop listening until the release of the new CD. I fear burnout.
As for RIGHT NOW, I think classical music is the way to go. I'm currently listening to Bruckner's Mass in E minor. I'm being reminded that god is a hell of a muse. I may not believe in him/her/it/that, but incredible beauty has stemmed from peoples' faith and devotion.
I'll match your stellastarr* and Scissor Sisters recommendation and raise you a Bright Eyes, The Thorns, The Thrills, Guster and Keane.
Keep up the good work » » »
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