I haven't been listening to any music, really, lately. I almost never listen to music at
home, the only time I play CDs is in the car, and for the past few weeks I've been listening
to the Harry Potter series--all of them, one after the other. I just finished "The Prisoner
of Azkaban" last night. I occasionally listen to music over the headphones at work, but
only when I'm really, really busy, and really need to concentrate, and can't, for one
reason or another (usually because there are other, distracting, things going on in the
office). Consequently, the music I listen to when I'm in this mode has to be, by
definition, both very familiar to me (so it isn't, in and of itself, distracting), and
pretty innocuous.
So the whole music fest thing I was doing yesterday was kind of different, and I did it again
this morning on the way in, and it's like something got switched on in my brain. I feel all
buzzy and wired, and I've only had one cup of tea.
Current lineup in the CD changer:
- North
Wind - Aengus Finnan
Well, as Bob said, how could I not like someone named Aengus? I
mentioned yesterday that Joanna sent me the CD. She had been to a house concert (a
concert held in someone's home--very interesting and cool, but a foreign concept to
me) where he played, and she knew I would like him. She was right. His subject
matter tends to focus on rural people--farmers, blue collar workers--and reminds
me a lot of John Gorka's.
- Wishbones - David Knopfler
What can I say? This album is always in my CD changer. I love pretty much
everything he's ever done, but this album is my favorite. Maybe because it's the
first one he made after we became friends, and I know all the stories. Maybe
because it was the soundtrack to my book. Or maybe just
because it's a great album.
- Blackjack David - Dave Alvin
I had never heard of Dave Alvin until we saw him open for Richard
Thompson one night several years ago at Liberty Hall. Bob and I both were blown away by him, and when
I got back to work the next day (I was working at BlairLake at the time), it turned
out that Eddye was a fan, too. He stood on the stage alone, with a guitar, and it was
one of the best shows I've ever seen. This was his most recent album at that time, and still one of my favorites.
- Songs From My Funeral - Snakefarm
I usually remember exactly when and where I first heard my favorite artists,
but I can't remember how I first heard Snakefarm. This is one of those albums that you
probably either adore or detest. I don't think I've ever played it for Bob, but I can
just imagine the look of horror on his face if I did. It's traditional folk music
(think Tom Dooley or Frankie & Johnny) sung to a electronic dance beat. Weird
and haunting. A one-off, I guess.
- Nickel Creek - Nickel Creek
I talked about them yesterday--I'd never heard of them before a
couple of weeks ago, never heard them until Wednesday night, and now I can't get
enough of them. As I described them yesterday: alternative rock with mandolin.
- Reptile - Eric Clapton
I never paid any attention to him, really, until Pilgrim ("My Father's Eyes"),
still one of my all time favorites. But another sad one, of course, and one that I
can't listen to if I'm in one of those moods. Pilgrim is usually in the rotation,
but I thought I'd switch it out this week for something newer. Reptile Is
kind of growing on me.
